Pot Luck Post

Last night when suppertime rolled around, I had nothing suitable save eggs and turkey bacon. When I suggested it, John promptly declined. He countered with...plug your ears...pizza. Pizza?! Is he for real? I shot him such a withering look as to make the most hale and hearty of hubbies blanche. He seemed properly chastened. In the end, we ordered two chef salads with dressing on the side. That way, we had turkey, a hard boiled egg, and veggies. It was far better than a pizza might have been. I shudder to think of all my hard work going down the drain for a measly pizza. The thing is, John has only ten pounds more to lose, give or take a few, to be in his goal zone. I, on the other hand, well, let us not go there.

Here is the Mountain Laurel pillow I made for my daughter. It bears her name. *That's right, I named her "Mountain." ; ) I dispensed with the CT. I was at Joann's night before last and didn't find anything that I considered right for working up the quilt. I've got to start doing my research. I see that Vicki is working hers up on her kitchen counter. It looks great, too. (**I'll be popping in a better photo of that pillow just as soon as I get it tightened up a bit.)

That? Oh that's the photo I decided not to use.

** Another picture of the pillow in slightly better light. I keep wanting you to see that windowsill because of the vintage candlestick I found in one of those many boxes we unpacked. I love it!



The button? While tightening the pillow, I managed to pull the linen resulting in a tiny hole...hence the button.

This was John working on the vent yesterday afternoon. We have the power company coming soon to install new wiring from the pole to the house. I believe that John is planning to have a buried wire. Oh joy unspeakable!

The sky has been so blue and the weather so fine that it's hard to believe that we're under a Hurricane Watch for Sunday and Monday: Hurricane Irene. I find this somewhat amusing since Irene was my nan's name. Anyway, it'll all be over by the time you next hear from A Haven...

The morning glory continues to make me happy. I can't believe how it's taken off. No, no, this is not one of those nasty, invasive monster morning glories that takes over a yard and can't be killed. This is an annual that won't make it through the cold winter. I will be planting another next spring, though. It has been that much fun. Even my photographer neighbor has been over taking photos. She brought me an entire set of the prints. She says her camera has a flower feature on it. Hmmmm...

It is not often that I make a movie recommendation, but if you've not seen Temple Grandin, please order it up on Netflix or get it from your library. It is an incredible true story. I can't wait to see it again. I can not recommend it highly enough. And that's all I shall say about that.

Until next time...


* poetic license strikes again

Pine Cone Pillow +

Even though it has only been a few short days since my last post, I am feeling odd about posting as if the silence has been too long and it's all so awkward. That and I was "hyper" last time so perhaps I need to find a larger divider between topics since one thing is certain, I'll be hopping around.

Blogging twice a week means that I am combining everything I want to share in two posts instead of dividing it up and presenting topics in a daily, unified, semi-coherent package. I'll work on presentation and I hope that this will be the last discussion about being absent, at least, on my part. After all, I dispatched myself. ; }

And, before I forget it, thank you for all the supportive comments and emails about my weight-loss efforts. I know that I can do this having done it many times before. It's the keeping-it-off bit where I fail each and every time.

Another surprise in the mailbox this morning. Beautiful coasters from Suzanne (At Home With the Farmer's Wife). Don't they look like summer? I've used them already and they work great. She tells me not to use them on any priceless antiques because they are not waterproof. Good thing I don't have any such animal. Thank you, Suzanne, I love them!

Coasters

I have decided, after making my very first envelope pillow ever, that the Irish linen just isn't going to hold up for making a State Flower Quilt. As Vicki at Turkey Feathers suggested, it's too wimpy. So even though I'm working on Mountain Laurel for Connecticut, I'm going to turn it into a pillow just as I did for the Pine Cone. I am probably the last person on the planet to make a pillow in this way; in case I'm the next to the last person, I used the wonderful tutorial from Cottage Magpie *here.* For this pillow I had to stabilize the linen on another piece of fabric in order to sew the back pieces on.

Envelope Pillow

Work continues slowly and steadily on the house. We are shopping for a new kitchen window this evening. Hopefully, something like this: 

source

Instead of this:

Gosh I do like that apron sink, too. Guess I just can't justify the cost of it. The window, on the other hand, has been a thorn in my side since the day it went in. I'm so done with it. I want a window I can open in the rain...the one above winds out into the rain. Not so good.

Wave Petunias

Still enjoying the new fence even if I am startled sometimes to see it there. I keep expecting to see the old chippy white one.

A wonderful day to you...