TGIF | 6.7.19 …

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Thinking: where has the morning gone? It seems to have disappeared, poof! As tho’ someone waved a magic wand or uttered a few magic words. This morning, I’m trying on ideas and spending the time leisurely, in tune with all sorts of sensory stimulation…soon, 1 PM, EST, t’will be time for Journal Club…and then, a trip to Whole Foods. The larder is bare …

Gratitude:*

  • the ceiling fan as the breeze cools my skin;
  • the sound of frozen berries as they fall into the bowl;
  • the sight of the gentle movement of this tree’s leaves, caressed by a breeze;
  • the sweet peach flavor of my tea and its
  • aroma

Inspired: the June issue of O – the Oprah Magazine. Bright. Colorful. Summery. And filled with all sorts of images for collage…in addition to the monthly book reviews and Oprah’s signature “What I Know for Sure” closing column. This month’s article begins “OH, WHAT A TIME to be a woman.” The piece goes on to focus on the advances women are making in the world with specific focus on New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Arden during the Christchurch Muslim community massacres.

Fun: I shared this story with Dee about teenage hair – mine! – in response to a blog comment made earlier this week:

“Love It! My hair @ 16-17 was graced with pink sponge rollers most of the time except when I was in school! I tho’t I was hiding the fact that I’d cut my long tresses – as my father so aptly described when he asked one evening at dinner: “Whatever happened to Honoré ‘s long tresses?” Durn! Caught in the act!

Needless to say, other than being embarrassed, the world didn’t end! But that was pretty much the end of my long tresses. I’ve kept my hair mostly short ever since…

Have a great weekend!

Cheers~

* I’m joining Michelle GD for her free summer series here .

unraveled wednesday | 6.5.19 …

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I can’t believe we’re into the 5th day of June…only 25 more days to go til July…and  then this date, the 5th, will be after July 4! Kat mentioned that she was still a bit unraveled after her trip to Michigan…I too have been unraveled for the past month…and I didn’t take a trip to Michigan. Since Kayla’s graduation last Wednesday, I bought a new car! Thursday afternoon, we went to Look/See and about 5 hours or so later, I was driving the new car home! It is a Honda CRV- with a sunroof , keyless entry,  and a computerized dashboard, etc. I expect that in due time, I’ll figure it out. The above picture is a layout I made for the annual May 31 days LOAD  – layout a day – Challenge! As for that, I met the challenge and I’m glad that LOAD is over for a while…I think we have a 7 day mini -LOAD in August. By then, I expect I’ll have totally recovered.

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Apple opened a new “store” in a former Carnegie Library in downtown DC. This past Sunday, Kayla and I went for a photo-walk session…and Kayla took the above photo. The background is one of four panels painted on a building…each panel is one of the letters in LOVE.  I’m standing in front of  which letter? Your Guess?*

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After the walk, we stopped for dinner at ZAYTINYA. The middle Eastern style cuisine was good and for dessert, we had a tremendous rain storm, complete with hail stones! The above is a before photo. Don’t your just love Kayla’s h-u-g-e earrings and fancy nails?

Needless to say, I haven’t done much in the way of anything else over the past week…savoring the slow resumption of normal routines and rare June summer days…

Joining Kat and friends here.

Cheers~

*Yep! V it is!

 

Kayla’s Graduation | 5.29.19…

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I come to you from my niece’ Kayla’s graduation from high school – 609 strong!

Diplomas are being given out – and with them, peaks of joy and screams from friends and family in the stands. We are seated at the U of Maryland’s Xfinity Center – where basketball is played.

Soon our girl Kayla will walk across the stage … and I’ve no doubt we’ll be just as loud and excited! A milestone and a moment in our lives – for the graduates and their families . We’re proud of all and wish for them the realization of the promise this day holds for them … and us!

There she is! A Graduate!!! 10:39 am EST!

Go Kayla Go! You did it!

Yay!!!

Memorial Day |5.27.19 …

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IMG_8752Today has been appreciatively quiet… as I guess a Monday holiday should be. I took a walk about an hour ago, choosing not to go to the pool (which opened Saturday) ’cause I thought it was going to rain. Yesterday, I started to the pool also…and turned around after about a block: the sky grew dark, thunder rumbled in the distance. When I returned home, the satellite TV signal had been lost – that’s how we know somewhere in the area there’s a storm brewing. Long story short: much ado about nothing!

On Monday mornings, the convener of my Friday Journal Club also leads a group session called Mindful Mondays. Both sessions are great ways to bookend a week; I really enjoy and benefit from the double opportunity to use my words and Jamie’s guidance and tutelage. I appreciate her insight and ability to provide comfort, clarity, and community. We gather from ’round the world and many of us participate in both sessions.

IMG_8745On my afternoon walk today, I saw and liked this photo of a sidewalk – in a way, it reminds me of a quilt block…but I’m thinking it might be good for the back yard. This is the year it gets attention: possibly a new deck and for sure, flowers, bushes along the fence, a tree or two…and a place for Hazel (niece Chris’ puppy) to run.

IMG_8749Aren’t these bright and cheerful? Enjoy the rest of this holiday weekend.

Cheers~

 

the week in review: 20 -24 may 2019 …

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sometimes mondays … are spent attending a quilt exhibition of Mimi Dietrich’s Baltimore Album Quilts, on display at the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore. The Baltimore Album Quilt -aka as BAQ – is a Maryland grown quilt, created primarily by women’s church groups in the 1840s & 50s in Baltimore City; and so called an album because each (of the 6, 9, or 12 and sometimes 15) block is called an album. Traditionally, the quilt block’s main colors are red and green. Mimi, widely acclaimed for her BAQs, is a hometown – as in Baltimore –  girl and teaches a year’s long class that ends if one stays on task with a BAQ! Monday afternoon, about 25 of us from my quilting association carpooled to Baltimore for a tour of the exhibit, led by Mimi – whom we all know and love! Besides being an accomplished quilter, excellent teacher, she’s tremendously funny and inspiring!  The exhibit was just delightful and so much fun to see so many of Mimi’s quilts on display in one spot. I do not exaggerate: we were all inspired and my enthusiasm for making a BAQ rekindled. Prior to going to the exhibit, I’d decided to push the restart button – to begin again for the first time – later this year. 

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unraveled wednesdays … I’m not sure what happened with the day ~ it just went! The day was comprised of

  • counting the many joys of my life, shared in the photo above, the first side of a two-sided scrapbook layout for LOAD;
  • making a quilt block ;
  • reading: I started Stephen King’s memoir:  On Writing and am finding it deliciously fun and quick, as in flow, and
  • knitting a few more  rows on my forever lap blanket. Simple garter  stitch and excellent practice…

Chris and Kayla Prom smile

(this photo was taken in Oct 2009 for Chris’ Homecoming dance; Kayla was 9)

today! thank goodness it is Friday … and the day of Kayla’s senior prom! She has been waiting for this day, since she was 10, 8 years ago.  Then Chris, her older sister, was prom bound. Kayla thought seeing all the girls in their dresses and guys in tuxedos and couples driven in stretch limousines was just magic. We gather this evening about 6:45 pm at the prom site. The day is lovely and I imagine/trust the evening will be also…

and that’s a wrap for this week. Enjoy your weekend!

Cheers~

 

TGIF | 5.17.17 …

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Today, this little girl, aka Kayla, then 4 years old and now, a high school senior, attended her last day at school. This picture was taken when she first started preK, 14 years ago. Time flies…

Goal – less: I’ve spent the entire day drifting from one thing to another… my “plan” was abandoned early. I’d signed up for a free online journaling “class” and left after about 10 minutes. Not my cuppa tea. The day turned out to be lovely, weather wise : low 80s sunshine. And no humidity! A perfect opportunity for a leisurely walk…

Inspired by my mid afternoon walk, I spent about an hour making a layout for today’s LOAD (layout a day); the challenge : a surprise and a 4-word title…

Feeling a bit tired – probably bored is a better descriptor – so I’ll end this post, have a glass of wine and knit a bit…

Wishing all a delightful weekend…

Cheers~

unraveled wednesday|someday maybe…

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I love gardens. Especially the English garden kind. I am not a gardener… at least not yet. I am at best, a wanna-be gardener…and every year, I think, perhaps this year? Spring has been especially lush this year. The gardens – both kept and unkept- spectacular. I suppose in many ways, quilting might be considered a form of gardening…and that’s probably a big stretch…

Right before the quilt show, the above book arrived on my doorstep: I’d ordered it; I don’t recall how it came to my attention. Perhaps a siren call. I’m not even sure I’d ever heard of the author. She is one of  America’s best known garden writers, has a blog/garden weekly podcast, away to garden.com

I am delighted  the book is in my possession: I’m not only learning but also enjoying reading about gardening year round…and the photos are superb. I’ve toyed with the idea of garden as my word for the year. Perhaps 2020.  In the meantime, I will continue to savor the book , listen to the podcast and contemplate future options.

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Knitting, stitching needles and sewing machine have all been quite idle ~ I’m still recuperating  (from the quilt show).  I am also gathering new creative toys and ideas. One new toy: a circular weaving loom. I now have three types of weaving looms to play with over the summer.

Actually, as I think about it, my creative garden list is growing by leaps and bounds…but as with a garden, one has to be vigilant and ever tending or else wind up with weeds. Guess I’d better get busy…

Joining Kat and friends for Unraveled Wednesday!

Cheers~

 

sometimes mondays| 5.13.19 …

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are for catching up…

The 2019 quilt show, May 2 -4: Our work actually began May 1 when we set everything up. The show featured a display of more than 200 member-made quilts;  the infamous peddlers’ table; the raffle quilt and two raffle baskets – each filled with all sorts of quilting supplies and Sew Unique – a colorful array of quilted gifts and novelty items for sale, ranging from fabric postcards to tea wallets, matching hot pad/mitts, etc. New this year, in a room all alone: Quilts for Sale – over 30 such, ranging from early ’40s to 2018! We sold about 95% of inventory!  The quilt show was a little later than usual due to Easter. Also happening that weekend: the International Sheep & Wool Festival and as we expected, some of the Festival goers also came to our event… especially since there was rain Saturday morning (the S & W Festival is an outside event). All in all, I’d say quilters, knitters, spinners, weavers had a nirvana weekend.  I was plumb worn out come Saturday at 4 pm.  I arrived home in time to watch the Kentucky Derby with barely enough energy to cheer the horses on! Not that I really cared. But. the Excitement. You. Know! I spent all day Sunday in a semi-vegetative state …

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Monday, back to Columbia for the quilt show wrap up and awarding of Viewers’ Choice ribbons. My friend Betsy won two first place ribbons; one for this bargello quilt. It’s quite dynamic … and large!

 

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Last week, I also documented the Week in My Life and began a long deferred project: purging excess stuff in my creative spaces. I’m really pleased with efforts thus far. And, I’ve been smitten by a new quilting technique and I’m eager to explore it plus I’ve a list of 13 -15 quilting/stitching projects I plan to finish by summer’s end …

May  is also another LOAD – Layout A Day – month; each day, we have a prompt that is designed to stir our creative juices and help us get our personal memories documented. So far, I’ve been on track…so far. As I type this, I’ve not a clue about what memory I’m going to document for today; the prompt is superstition, such as throwing salt over your shoulder, crossing your index and 2nd finger, etc…If the prompt doesn’t produce a memory, not a problem – we can tell any story we choose! Works for me …

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Kayla’s high school life will soon be over : Prom, May 24 and Graduation, May 29. How can that be? Seems it was just yesterday she was three years old, sitting on the arm of my chair, listening to me read “Wide Mouthed Frog …

It’s good to be back! And guess I’d best get a moveon with today’s layout!

Cheers~

 

sometimes mondays | 5.6.19 …

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awake @ 5 am

finish putting laundry away; straighten workspace in craft room; empty dishwasher; make tea, light candle…

sit @ 6am

relax, take first sip o’ tea, a deep breath, think …

“I’ve done a day’s work, already! in an hour” …

the sky is grey; rush hour traffic is still light. It is quiet. the tea soothes, feels good as it travels down my throat, warms my insides, enough so I think a long sip o’ iced H2O is in order…Ahhh!

catch a whiff of the candle’s lavender scent – hmmm, heavenly. I remind myself how.very.much I love the smell of lavender. grow a bit? for sure, buy some dried. remember I have some!

fix another cup o’ tea; walk a bit in the kitchen; think about today’s agenda; update May calendar; plan this week’s blog posts, create today’s and hit publish!

7:45 am

time to get a move on … the sun just broke through! Have a great day!

Cheers ~