Retail Therapy - Lake

After Food Pantry duty on Thursday, I took in the Sewing Expo in Raleigh. There  were lots of vendors and quite a few quilts.  Enjoyed the machine quilting.

Then I headed up to the lake to check out the lawn and get it mowed before the holiday weekend.

Added a few flags to the flower pots  - Ready for the 4th.

And Friday I was able to stop in Warrenton at Quilt Lizzie for some more shopping.

New Project

More Lake Time - New Project

I went to the lake Sunday evening with the idea that I would get up early Monday and mow the lawn.

After getting up rather late (9:30AM) and  having a nice brunch with the puzzles from the Sunday paper, I was finally ready to tackle the lawn.

When I went to the shed, the key for the mower was missing - Al had forgotten and put it in his pocket and it was in Wendell - what to do? 

Got out my trusty Hot Dog Bait and went cat fishing.  That lasted about an hour - too hot - although it was so pretty with the blue skies. 

Back inside for me where it was nice and cool.  I cut some strips for a quilt that I have been wanting to try since I first saw it on the Nifty Quilts Blog last year. Kind of a Spider Web design.

I think this may be a winter project. It took me lots of time just to sew all this  .Only 1 block is completely sewn.  I really like it as it  but it looks like it will be a challenge for me.

My neighbor has this on her lawn. A Sea-Doo Planter - who knew.

Memorial Day Weekend

Saturday and Sunday at the lake. Saturday it was in the low 70's and felt a little cool at the community cook out. Tracey, Molly and myself played Garden Scrabble (a game Tracey gave me for Mother's Day)which was fun.. Sunday was warmer and everyone got out on the water to enjoy the day. I enjoyed sitting on the deck reading.

Monday we had our Table of Grace meal at WUMC.  Lots of good help and lots of fun preparing the meal.

We served Chicken Salad, Pasta Salad, Fruit and Ice Cream with Strawberries and Chocolate Sauce for dessert.

We had a good attendance even though it was a holiday.

The best part was a surprise visit from Tawny, our first ministerial intern.  She did the devotional.  She has recently been commissioned and her husband Paul just finished his doctorate at NCSU. They will be moving back to Pennsylvania soon to begin the next chapter of their lives.

Lake Life

The leaves are falling up at the lake so John is getting the mower ready for me to run over them and mulch them up a bit.  Normally he does this, but his lungs are so "ratty'(technical term used by his oncologist) that I didn't want him taking chances with all the dust that gets stirred up.

Thank goodness we don't do the entire lot.

Well I'm sure there will be at least one more time, maybe two.  The weather was warm and sunny.  A

perfect day to be outside even if it was for chores.

Friday at the Lake

After all the tree cutting and trimming a couple of weeks ago - they missed this one!  The top fell on the shed roof and the rest of the tree seemed wobbly.

John and Hay tried to pull it over with Hay's tractor.  after much messing around, they ended up sawing it down with the chain saw (but I think they like to play with their toys)

Later Ed came over with his tractor to pick up the sawed logs and take them to the burning pile at his place.  Thanks to the Old Guy Squad the tree is taken care of except for the piece still on the roof.  Need another guy for that!   And John can get out his tractor and mow the grass.


What did I do all day other than keep track of John?

 

I sorted through the toy boxes.  Gave some to the church for the yard sale, threw away some and what was left got a bath.

 

These old Fisher Price sets  from the 60's and 70's are my favorites.   Now all the toys will fit in one toy box.

Zig Zag Quilt

 

 

We went to the lake Sunday after church.  It rained most of Sunday and Monday morning so I had time to sew.  I found the leftover HST's from this quilt and sewed them into blocks.  I thought I might have enough for a small donation quilt but this is it.   So I guess I will put them away for awhile until I come up with more HST's.  It would only measure 36 x 36" as is.

 

John had hired the tree service to come and cut down the 80 - 90 foot White Oak at the back corner of the cottage.  Six guys spent the day Tuesday, cutting six trees and trimming up all the trees on the front side of the cottage. ( John's projects have a way of expanding - as in "as long as you're here - let's go ahead and do this too")  And three of our neighbors will be having them do work on their property.  They'll busy in our neighborhood for a few days.

A hard working and polite crew of young men,   They cut, hauled, ground and raked all day. 

It was pretty alarming to me to see all the limbs they cut but I admit that our view from the porch has changed dramatically.  We can see out in the cove to the little island.

 

Went out for a ride after dinner to check out the lake view too.

 

Saturday is  Undercover Bee.  We will  have an all day session to make patriotic quilts for the Veteran's Hosptial in Durham.  I need to get in the sewing room and plan what I will take to work on.  Also decide what to make to share at lunch. 

 

Lake Break & Archive Quilt #96 - Bow Ties, Cabin & Trees

After many doctor appointments and volunteer duties this week we decided we needed a break!

The weather was wonderful and we had a great time.  John had plenty of time to fish and I enjoyed my porch time just sitting around and listening to the birds etc.

  

John caught catfish and crappie. 

Our son-in-law, Paul and granddaughter, Molly spent the night with us Friday ( they were on their way to Williamsburg, VA.)  This morning I fixed a big breakfast before they left.  I even cooked some crappie for John.  He was a very happy camper.  His mom often served fish for breakfast.  Crappie is very mild and doesn't make any fishy smell in the kitchen. That makes me a happy camper too!

 Before we came home he took the catfish to one of our neighbors who in turn sent us home with fresh turnips from their garden.

This is one of the Lake Quilts.  I made it for John for his 65th birthday which was the first year the cabin was finished. We drew up the plans and John did a lot of the finish work on the cabin himself.  It is denims and reds which signified giving up his red power ties for blue jeans and flannels.  The backing is red flannel.  It is 78 x 90".  I took this just before I tossed it in the washer. 

Machine Quilting - ----

 I'm really not sure when I started this quilt.  I made the blocks a couple of years back.  i had intended to make it as a gift for one of my daughters.  The first delay was the search for more of  the perfect blue-green sashing (I had a piece of the perfect fabric but it was too small).  Then I settled on the blue but the original choice for the border didn't quite work.  More searching.  I finally sewed it together and layered it back in July. 

Just a little more and I will be ready to quilt the borders.  I hope to finish it by the weekend.

We went up to the lake Monday morning.  It was just the prettiest day.  Warm and sunny.  It's amazing that the leaves are still pretty.  I thought we would have to start raking but there are still lots to fall.  Last year they were pretty much finished by late October.  Our gift from Mother Nature!

Tuesday morning they were pumping water at the dam and when  the sun is shining we have these wonderful, sparkling lights.  I just can't stop looking at them.  I guess I took at least 40-50 pictures and some video.  Another gift!  We had already put the boat up for the winter so we enjoyed the views from the porch and dock.

No sewing at the lake this visit!

Today was catching up at home day.  Running errands etc.  Disciple Bible Study this evening (I hope we have less reading for next week). I did manage to finish all mine but it was a struggle to make myself concentrate at times.

Tomorrow is sewing day!  Connie, Cathy and Sally are coming over.  Actually we're going to try some fabric painting. 

Food-Fun-Friends-Farewells!



This pig was as good as it looks!

  With the thermometer reading over 100 the guys who cooked the pig deserve a lot of credit.  It was awesome! And we had all kinds of accompanying side dishes and desserts.


Great trio



Lots of great music.  Dickie, our host, set the time back to 6PM and it had cooled down enough to be tolerable.  



Friends from the Path and their friends too!


A good time to catch up with folks along Pigeon Path.



Pat, Nellie & GL

Our friends and next door neighbors, Nellie and GL, sold their place at the lake 3 weeks ago.  They are the best neighbors and sweetest friends anyone could have.  We will miss them so much.  I know we will still see them occasionally but it will take some time to get used to not seeing them next door. 

The nice thing about all this is that the new owners are our neighbors across the road.  We're looking forward to having Donna and Steve next door.

Tomorrow is Table of Grace at Wendell United Methodist Church.  We will welcome our new pastor, Trip Lowery, to our TOG ministry.  Stop in if you can, we serve dinner at 6PM.

Lake Days - Wednesday

I decided to pull out a couple of set aside projects to take up to the lake to work on during the summer.
This is small quilt that I started last year.  I saw a picture in Keepsake Quilting offering a kit in 30's fabrics.  Since I had lots of 30's pieces leftover from a Dresden Plate Quilt that I pieced last year, I just drew up a pattern based on the picture.   

Most of the components are made.  I just needed to make the 32 white/print blocks.  I made 10 today.

Will have to cut more of the white squares to finish the other 22. 
The blocks are 6" - the finished quilt will be about 50 x 60".  A nice large baby size.

This project is a pattern that I bought down in Myrtle Beach last March.  I have cut out the 400+ black and white squares and made some of the blocks.  Appliqued lots of little circles, etc.
Eventually I found out the pattern is a disappearing nine patch.  A pattern I have never made before but is very popular with some of the gals in the Undercover Bee.
They use it a lot for donation quilts.

This project went back in it's box.  It will have to wait for another day.

I know no sewing will be done this weekend.  Looks like we'll have some of the kids and grand kids. 

I see lots of games and fun in my future!  Eating too.

And of course, we'll go out on the lake Saturday evening to see the Fireworks!



Lake Days - Tuesday

 Tuesday morning we went up to the lake.  John wanted to work on the porch screening.  It was very humid and hot. 

John had no more than lit the grill when we heard the thunder.
The rain was very welcome.  We had more thunderstorms during the evening and one early Wed. morning.












I fixed fresh cucumber pickles with crushed red peppers. 

I fried summer squash the way my mother used to make it - each piece fried individually - rather than all stirred together.  I wonder how long it took her to make enough for a family of eight?

The little tomatoes are from  our mini-garden, as were the cucumbers and squash.