It's been a long time!

"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in this life has a purpose"...Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

And I have been "silent" way too long!!  We have been out of town, then when we returned our computer access was out.  The road leading to our house is being reworked.  What started out to be repair of potholes has turned into a major project.  We know that eventually it will be really good, but in the meantime, we are dealing either with mucho dust or slimy mud!!  And the reason our DSL service was out is that somehow the road crew had cut our line!!  That only took three days to get fixed!!

Bluebonnets in our yard...this is what we really love about spring in Texas!

Last week we went down to the Texas Hill country...we had heard that the bluebonnets were really impressive this year.  And what we heard was right!!  This is the view of an old German cemetary in Fredricksburg.  The bluebonnets are so thick it has created a place of beauty in what could be a rather gruesome place...actually I have seen many cemetaries which are very beautiful...some really great works of art.  This picture is taken in an area set aside for children's gravesites. Some of the older graves have the tombstones written in German.

When we go to the Hill country, we like to visit Enchanted Rock, a state park which was an area held sacred by the Indians. (see my profile picture..background)  We have climbed to the top many times, but this time we just did the 2 1/2 mile loop around the base...There we saw a lot of bluebonnets and clariet cup, a member of the cactus family.

It is blooming now also.  I am amazed at the ability of flowers or any growing thing to come up out of sheer rock!

While in Fredricksburg, we visited the Museum of the Pacific...Admiral Niminz who was the commander of the Pacific Operation, is from Fredricksburg and there has been a museum about him there for quite a long time.  Then this museum, sponsered by George Bush the first, was built and just opened up last December 7.  It is a very impressive building and artifacts...extremely well done...is comprable to any museum we have seen in Washington, DC.  Any war buff or anyone with an interest in WWII should not miss it!

I am sewing on a gift for my daughter for her birthday which was Friday.  She just moved into a new home and I am making her a gift to go with it!!  I can't show it because she reads my blog, so I will wait until next week after we get together.  She, my other daughter and granddaughter as well as some friends are doing the Susan Koman Race for the Cure/5K...for me it is the "walk" for the cure!!  This will be probably our 15th or more time to do it.

Musings on a windy day!

" I intend to live forever...so far, so good!"  Anonymous

The weather is very mild, but the wind will just blow you down!  It rattles the windows and blows all the patio furniture around.  At least it is not a wet or cold wind so I am really not complaining, just stating the facts!

I was too impatient to wait for the mountain laurel to come in to full bloom before taking a picture so here is close up of one bloom.  The flower is very sweet smelling too!  The first time we saw mountain laurel was in the Hill country of Texas.  There is a state park down there..."Lost Maples"...which has a lot of it growing wild.  So we got a plant at the nursery which was about two feet tall...now our plant is over six foot, but had never bloomed in the eight or nine years we have had it until now!  I guess they are just "late bloomers"!!

Now, I am not one to read the obituaries regularly, but the other morning one caught my eye as I was scanning to see if I knew anyone. (That is what happens when you reach the golden age!!)  Anyway, you know how people will ask for memorials for certain things (charities, hospitals, churches, etc.) in lieu of flowers...this one that caught my eye was requesting monetary memorials to be made to members of the immediate family!  Somehow, that just struck me as wrong!

And yesterday, coming home from the "Y", I was at a stoplight by a utility van which had a commercial sign advertising its place of business.  It was the "Canine Fitness Camp"...below the title it said they had accommadations, workouts, healthy meals, hikes, swimming, etc....for your DOG!  Kind of made me laugh out loud...or...LOL!!!

One last thought...my hummingbirds finally got here!!  They are running about three weeks late; smart little guys...they knew it was just too cold to come here!  And..does anyone have any ideas on how to keep the grackles from the feeders?  I hate to be mean, but they are not a very pretty bird, nor have a pretty song...and their presence kind of keeps the cardinals and wrens, etc. away.

Happy Easter!

"Chance favors only the prepared mind." Louis Pasteur

Happy Easter to all!!  I am not an overly religious person, but Easter is one of my favorite days because it is such a time of renewal...an awakening..springtime..and has been celebrated internationally  well before the advent of Christianity.

We had the family out for dinner...our usual Easter egg hunt, games, etc. Great times had by all!   We were missing Andrea who is out of town.  She will have to get her "Easter goodies" when she returns. 

Dick and I went to the Amon Carter again on Friday. The exhibit there now is "American Works on Paper" from the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art by many artists are not necessarily known for their watercolors/pastels/charcoals, etc.  I think my favorite for this exhibit was Edward Hopper...he had some fabulous watercolors there.

I could visit the galleries of Fort Worth every day...just love them!

Let the fresh air in!!!

"I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges." Anonymous

What a beautiful spring day!! I have opened up the house to let the wonderful fresh air in!!  These are the days that make winter bearable!  Here is a picture of the redbud trees blooming on the lot next door.  It has never been built on and we keep hoping it will never be!  And some of the crape myrtles are budding out, the blue bonnets in our yard are getting ready to burst into bloom, and for the first time since we planted it  nine years ago, our mountain laurel is blooming...just barely so I will wait a couple of days to get a picture of it!

I have finished both of my mini quilt swaps...one is my winter one which is very late getting out and the other is a subsitute for fall to someone in the swap group who never recieved one.  When I signed up for these seasonal swaps, I didn't get a  spring one sent to me, but the moderator of this group has set up what she calls her "quilt angels" who volunteer to make quilts for those who do not get one. (Some people who sign up do not fulfill their committments for some reason or another.)  So I did get a spring quilt made by someone other than the person who was supposed to make me one.  Therefore, I signed up to be a quilt angel too, and that is why I am making a second fall quilt.  It is just 18" square...kind of fun to try a new (for me) technique.

We have been eating out much more than we usually do...we went to dinner and a concert with some friends last Saturday.  Wednesday, we got together with our poker bunch, ate out and played cards...very sad for us...we lost big time!! (Not really; we just play for quarters)  Then yesterday we met a couple for lunch whom we hadn't seen for awhile.  Then tomorrow is Easter and, although we are staying home, we are having dinner here and will probably have more to eat than we would normally have.  Thursday I am meeting a couple of friends for lunch whom I used to work with and haven't seen for awhile; then Friday going to the Bear Creek quilt show which will probably mean eating somewhere!!!  So...about time to hit the ol' salad trail!!

My next project is to make a quilt for my best friend from grade school who celebrated her 50th wedding anniversay this year..I want to give it to her when I see her in Chicago later on in the spring.  We are getting together for a celebration of our 70th birthday year....about 15 of us have gotten together somewhere for significant birthdays several times.  Good times!!

Finally, It is Spring!

" A Day without sunshine is like....Night!"

I found a bunch of "quotes" in the Senior News that I found pretty funny so a few of those will be my quotes for awhile.

The weather has finally decided to be nice..today was in the 70's...all the trees are really budding out and getting green.  We planted geraniums yesterday and hope they will not become deer fodder. Dick has his tomato crop going, and the plants have actually survived a couple of mild frosts.

Saturday we went out with friends to dinner and to a concert at the Bass.  The concert was "Route 66: A Medley of Songs Honoring the first four lane hiway from Chicago to Los Angeles".  Very fun and I love the architecture of the Bass...just one more reason why Fort Worth is such a special city.  We don't go "downtown" very often, being out here in the country, so it was really nice to se so much activity...people enjoying themselves every where!

I finally got all of the Donation Quilt 2010 finished and off to the quilter.  Here is a pic of the back on my living room floor!  I tried to use up a lot of the left over donated fabric; all left for me now is to make the label and sleeve to be able to hang it for display.  I will use the leftover blocks to make a smaller top to give away to those who donated time and fabric...but that won' have to be ready until next fall....last year we had the drawing at the Christmas party and that was kind of fun.

Today, the last Monday of the month, was the meeting of my art bee...studioQ.  Nine of the thirteen met here at my house.  Our activity this time was to bring something to share...an idea, a technique, an article from a magazine or book, etc.  We first had our Show and Tell...our recipe ingredient this time was polka dots or something mysterious.  I didn't get mine done except for the drawing of it, but several did.  I don't know how many more ingredients we have yet to do because the person who has the remaining ideas wasn't here today, so we don't yet know what we will be doing for next time.  Here are a few of the quilt tops shown today.

This is Susan's recipe quilt.

Sue showed the start of a free motion thread embellishing.

Nancy showed her latest blocks and flowers.

Heather had gone to a class on working with various elements.

Now that I am through with the Donation Quilt, I am going to get busy on doing stuff for ME!  I have nothing started for the show as yet...time's awastin'!

Hey, ma...no cavities!!

"To create one's world in any of the arts takes courage." Georgia O'Keeffe

I had a dental checkup today..except for a few crowns, I am glad to say I have all my own teeth!!  Not too bad for someone almost 70, right?  And my dentist said all looks good, that these teeth should do me for many a year...and that is my plan too...at least 26.6   more years!

After going to the dentist, Dick and I drove out to the National Military Cemetary east of Grand Prairie off of Spur303/hiway 408.  We were curious about it as we are eligible and, although we have no immediate plans for use, wanted check it out.  It is a beautiful location...I knew it was somewhere in the area but had no idea how very large it is.  We got some information...they hold approimately 3000 (no, I did not mistype) services/interrments a year!

After that little field trip, we headed back to Fort Worth to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Blue Mesa, for lunch...and of course, ate to the groaning stage!  But we worked some of it off by going to the Modern to see the Andy Warhol display that is there at this time. 

Now, I am facsinated by Warhol...mainly because he was somewhat from my youth...college, etc. and partially because I am amazed that he was so successful.  I have finally come to the conclusion that what he was really the master of is Bull----!  And more power to him....his art and many of the modernist remind me of the story of the Emperor's New Clothes.  I do like some Modern Art but I think much of it is truly overrated!  The Modern itself is a beautiful building and houses many wonders that I love, so I don't want to totally give the wrong impression, but there you are!

The Modern of Fort Worth (a work of art in itself)

Life Back to Normal...(whatever normal is)

" Wish for Sunshine, but build dikes." Chairman Mao-Little Red Book

I like this quote....especially for this time of year!  Spring is having a hard time getting here...it got down to freezing again this weekend and, although we had none, our daughter had about eight or more inches of snow and she is only an hour Northeast from us.

I have been spending way too much time on my guild's 2010 Donation Quilt.  I volunteered to do it, designed it then collected fabric from our members...made up kits for members to check out and make 1/2 square triangle blocks.  There are 840 3" blocks in the quilt; the overall size is 90" x 106".  The design I had planned to make is not exactly how it ended up...funny how things on 1/4" grid paper look different when put up on a design wall!  I didn't have anyone here to hold it up so this is what it looks like laid out on the floor and then spread on our bed.

I may have to buy a lot of the raffle tickets myself as it looks pretty good there!!  I have been wanting to make a new quilt for our bed anyway since we got a new mattress...none of our old quilts fit it just right.

Now that I have completed this project, I need to finish my winter swap quilt that is to go to Germany. I have it made, only need to quilt it and get it mailed off.  I have emailed the reciepient and she was very nice about it coming late!  I have recieved mine from England and it is just lovely!!  And I don't think I ever posted my fall  mini swap from from Germany!  I have really enjoyed making and recieving these little quilt.

Notes on a few other things we've been doing:

• 
  
  daughter Andrea has gotten moved into her first home; we all went up to help her get some unpacking done
• 
  
  took the grands and their parents to Red Lobster for the kids' first taste of lobster...very disappointed..we have eaten there before but this time, the food was not up to par...I am trying to encourage them to try lobster some other time!
• 
  
  our daughters and grands took a trip to visit their grandma in Missouri...she is 91 this year.
• 
  
  and I am reading Stephen King's latest novel..."Under the Dome"..it is pretty good but, as usual, VERY long...over 1000 pages..very weighty to hold up in bed!

Best Museums in the World!

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,

nothing is going to get better.  It's not!" -Dr. Seuss

Fort Worth is the most unique city.  We have a world renown rodeo and stock show...cowboys everywhere...and the most wonderful art galleries bar none!  Today, I had an eye appointment, so Dick went in with me.  After my appt. was over, we planned to go to the Kimbell (http://www.kimbellart.org/) to see the current exhibit due to close the end of March.

Of course, I was through before 10:00 so we had time to kill....then realized that the Kimbell doesn't open until 12:00 on Fridays as it stays open until 9:00 PM.  So we went over to the Amon Carter (http://www.amoncarter.org/) and wandered around for awhile.  The Amon Carter has nothing but American art...from the earliest years of our country up to modern times.  Photography is also one of the specialties of the gallery.  It is also well known for works by Fredrick Remington and Charles Russell..as well as many Georgia O'Keeffe paintings.  All favorites of ours.

After visiting the A. C., (we had also dropped in at the Fort Worth Art Center which used to be the old Modern Art Museum...now displaying the most fantastic thread painting done by some Vietnamese girls), we went to lunch at Dos Gringos.  By the time we had finished, the Kimbell was open.  We had a great time enjoying the very extensive works of art owned by Texas collectors.

If it weren't for the lousy weather...still rainy and cold...it would have been a perfect day.  We came home...had a little nap...and I have begun working on the Donation Quilt 2010.  I am liking the design...actually I have two designs I like...by tomorrow I will decide on which one and acutally begin sewing!

Busy Week!!

"The Power of Imagination makes us infinite."  John Muir

Monday: Board Meeting and this year's first show meeting.  The topic of our show this year is "Everyday Heirlooms" with a special exhibit of quilt and quilted items that "tell a story".  I have volunteered to do the Donation Quilt again this year. I made up kits for members to make the blocks, and I will get it put together. Some one else will do the quilting.

This is the "Birth of a Quilt"  over 800 31/2" half square triangle blocks.  Now to just get them all put together with the design in my head!

Thursday: Met our friends, Debby and Raymond for dinner at Mi Familia in Granbury.

Friday: TVQG meeting.  Everyone did a great job of getting their kits turned in to me. Our speaker was Karen Combs who does very neat Optical Illusion quilts.  I wish I had taken her workshop the day before but I didn't sign up in time.  Then I had an eye appt. at 1:30 so after the meeting, I just killed a little time by going to the Fort Worth Art Center where the old Modern used to be.  They always have some interesting art displays...one in particular caught my eye...Threaded Paintings...all done by hand, embroidery...very detailed!!  I recommend going to see it.  And I grabbed a little lunch at the Z-Cafe there in the same building...a nice little deli type place.

Sunday: Went to dinner with Bob and Eddy Lou then looked at each others' pics of our Alaskan trips.  They are planning another trip there this summer.

Monday: studioQ meeting at Bethany's.  We had a great time doing marbling on fabric using shaving cream for a base and Dyna-fabric paint.  Our recipe ingredient this time was to do a symbol.  There were only seven of us at the meeting and only four of us did the block for a symbol.

Top-Heather's swirl; middle-Beth's heart and bottom-Wendy's Chinese "sticks". Mine is not finished...I chose the symbol for female and was writing quotes from women around it but need to do a lot more work on it.

And today...it snowed...again!!!  I didn't even take any pictures of it!  By afternoon it was all gone!

Valentines Day Is Not Just for Lovers!

"He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened."  Lao-tzu

Today I actually got some things accomplished.  The sun came out and began the melting process...it was so pretty, but the heavy snows left many people without electicity and did damage to many trees.  We were very fortunate...as heavily laden as our trees got, none of the limbs broke...and our power stayed on during the whole ordeal!  Our power seems to go out only when there is absolutely no reason for it to!!

Valentine's Day is tomorrow...I am a big fan of letting everyone I love know that I do...I am not a big fan of people who allow themselves to be tortured over the idea of the day...and buying into the hype of the day by advertisements.  I have been busy making my own Valentine cards, but because of the weather, they are going to be a little late as I have not been away from the homestead since last Tuesday....now that fact in itself would drive some crazy, but I love having an excuse to not have to go any where!!

So Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!!!  This is as good as it gets!!!

Olympic Time!

"Live shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."  Anais Nin

I love the Olympics...the coming together of athletes from all over the world; the courage for some of these little countries with one athlete; the comaraderie which seems to exist.  

We watched most of the opening ceremony tonight...it ran so late we recorded it and will watch the rest tomorrow night.  Of course, it is always a thrill when the USA enters...I have almost the same feeling of pride for the Canadians.  Our trip last fall up through there gave us so much better of an understanding of our relationship with our neighbors.  We were very impressed by how many places would fly an American flag right beside the Canandian flag...and not just at the border...this would be way up into the interior. And, truly, what warm, welcoming people!

We also have a greater grasp of the "First Nation"/"Aborigine" peoples because of having traveled there.  I loved the different tribes at the opening ceremony...their clothing and dances, etc.  I bet they will be a weary bunch of people tomorrow!

I didn't think anything could top or come close to the Ceremony in Beijing, but Vancouver did a wonderful job.  It was just as good, but in a totally different way.

What a Beautiful Morning!!!

"I shut my eyes in order to see."  Paul Gauguin

And we thought yesterday was beautiful!  It must have snowed three more inches in the night as we woke up to a true winter wonderland.  And I do have to disagree with my quote today....my eyes are wide open!

Our live oak tree is really loaded!!

And the robins are still with us!  Hundreds (no joke) are settling around in the trees.

We have never had such a snow fall since we have lived in Texas...nearly 30 years for us!  We both grew up in the midwest and snows like this were common, but this is really rare for Texas!

The Weather Outside Is Frightful!! (But Beautiful!)

"Go confidently in the directions of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined."   Henry David Thoreau

This was taken about 9:00 AM...what a beautiful snowfall!

And this was taken about 3:30 PM...notice the snow sliding off the roof!

I don't think we will be having an evening beverage under the tree today!

The poor bluebirds!!  We didn't see them at all today...hmmm...smart little guys...hope they can stay warm!

Lovely yaupon holly berries!!  My next year's Christmas card, maybe??

So WE decided a great day to take a walk...only the "little" boy I was walking with just had to make snowballs!!!

You would think with no where to go, I would get a lot done today...but I was so "busy" watching the snowfall that I was quite distracted!!  Maybe tomorrow when it will be too icy to go anywhere, but no snow falling, I can get some sewing done!!  I have a million ideas working in my head!

Monoprinting Fun!

"The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible." Oscar Wilde

This is my collection of monoprinting done with metalic paints on black fabric.  This is the process that my studioQ group did Monday on the gelatin blocks.  A very fun project!!  And inexpensive...I have so much paint collected from other projects; the gelatin blocks take no time or money to make!

A closeup of one of the larger gelatin monoprints.  Now to get busy and make something with them! When I was in Houston, I purchased some very neat silk fabric in some lush colors I think I will use and incorporate some of these and maybe some beading.

This afternoon, we went to the "Y" for our biweekly sessions; they are remodeling and getting new equipment so it is kind of a mess right now, but we perservere!!  On the way home, we stopped by the mechanic's to pick up the truck which had been very dead...I was waiting while Dick went in to pay, and to see if it was going to make it OK.  Then when I tried to start the car, it would not start!!! No one could take time to start it then, so we came on home in the truck...called later...went back up.  The owner fired it right up but he knew that there was something wrong with the starter!  So left it there to be worked on and we are back to having one vehicle in the garage!!  I swear, if one more thing goes wrong around here, I am going to think we are really cursed!!!

Rainy Day

"Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over it and whispers, 'Grow, grow'! "  The Talmud

This evening, my chauffeur and I drove over to Burleson to attend the meeting of confirmation sponsers.  My granddaughter is being confirmed this spring and has asked me to be her sponser.  I feel very honored to do so...she is such a special young lady (I almost said "little girl", but that is no longer true.)  It was a rainy dark night; that is why Dick went with me...night driving is not a favorite thing for either of us, but at least we were able to do it together.  Four ol' eyes almost make a good pair!!  (Actually eight, as we both wear glasses!)

I played most of the day on printing with the gelatin blocks again...I want to do a few more tomorrow, then better start thinking of something to do with all of them....of course a few of them will go to the trash, but I am really liking some of them.

From Saturday Night On, A Great Week!!

"A mind too active is no mind at all."  Theodore Roethke

Saturday...rodeo and dinner with the family at Marti's.  We were going to have the dinner after the rodeo at our house, but because we had no fridge and our power was being very erratic, we decided to do all the cooking but take everything into Marti's.  Andrea came here after everything and spent the night.

Sunday....Andrea helped me download our new, wonderful "anti-virus" etc. program.  Then after she left, the guys from Loew's showed up with our new refrigerator.  It is really nice...the French doors with the pull out freezer drawer.

Monday....I hosted the studioQ group here...we had a great time playing with monoprinting on gelatin blocks.  I had made small ones for everyone to have and covered up all my stuff in my studio to protect it from wild painters. (If you watch "Dexter", the good serial killer, I was preparing my room like he does his "kill" room!)

Here we are painting away on our little blocks.  And here are some of the prints..I have been playing around with it today on different fabric...black..and am beginning to really like the process.


After we cleaned up, while the prints were drying, we had our show and tell.  Here is some of the wonderful examples of what this terrific group can do!

Here is one of Heathers.

                               This is Nancy's "recipe" quilt, so far.

And this is Susan's "recipe" quilt.

And another quilt by Heather...using a lot of her own hand dyed.

Bethany shows a quilt she and her daughter are making together.

Wendy also dyes most of her own fabric.

Beth is showing a quilt she did with an international group.  (My new fridge in the background!)

And...the sun came out today for the first time in days....and..granddaughter made it to district swimmeet which is next weekend!!

All in all...a great week..so far!!!