A Very Busy Week

What a busy week it's been. DH and I were contemplating on it as we took a break at the end of the weekend and thought about all we've accomplished in just the last week.

Our time has shifted away from finishing my quilting studio for the time being, and into his shop and outdoor work. Since I got his undivided time and attention all winter, I guess I won't complain (at least for the time being). :)

Here's a closet he built around his heating system in his shop. The French door was really a bit of over-kill, but it was free, so what the hey... When we bought our home, it was part of the many materials that had been left in the basement by the former owners who never quite realized all their ambitions. Since the door is pine, and our woodwork is oak, we had no use for it in the house. My job is the 'painting princess' for this and any other finishing project.



I want to call attention to my French friends of a couple of the artifacts up on the shelf. When we were living in France, we loved going to the open air flea markets. We found LOTS of treasures there. One thing we were collecting were the old galvanized steel watering pitchers, which you'll see a couple of. And also at the left end of the shelf is an old metal carrying 'tote' for bottles or whatever (like our old milk delivery pieces here in the US). We developed a real appreciation for French wine while there, and we had wine bottles sitting in this item for decoration purposes, as much as anything. Ever since then, Dennis has referred to it as his 'French 6-pack'.

Then we turned our efforts to outdoors. We got instant forest two days ago. We have some really great neighbors, and a couple of years ago they gave us first shot at buying some really nice big spruce trees from their lot. To make the deal even more enticing is that they have a friend who moves trees, so we got these very mature trees for a song. We moved 8 of them 2 years ago, and 8 more Monday. I'll try to show before and after shots of the various spots where they were planted.


















Can you say Happy Farmer???




How it's done...









And today, we are FINALLY going to plant our vegetable garden. We had debated about not even having one this year, what with hurting knees and feet (for BOTH of us). But we just couldn't quite make ourselves do without... especially fresh tomatoes! That's why we're getting the late start. We were lucky to even find nice plants anymore at this time of the year. (We never start with seeds, our growing season is too short and/or the kinds of veggies we concentrate on are more conducive to just starting with already established plants.)


After all the hard work, it was time for another sewing day with friends. This time it was with Evelyn and Denise. I really wanted to get a day in with Denise as she is starting a new job very soon, and had a couple week lapse between the last and the new one. And I definitely wanted to take advantage of that window of opportunity. Evelyn was finishing up a quilt top on a mystery quilt we started in guild workshop last Saturday (which Denise taught, incidentally).

Denise was working on a Jinny Beyer BOM, Moonglow, from Bismarck Sewing and Quilting, a favorite shop I've mentioned recently. (N-O-T to be confused with a very unscrupulous local shop who shall not be named, which I've noted has recently taken part of Bismarck Sewing & Quilting's name as part of their advertising, to plant branding confusion: "Bismarck's Sewing and Quilting Headquarters". No coincidence, I might add.) Denise also works part-time at Bismarck Sewing and Quilting. Small world isn't it?



Anyhoo, she got me going again on my Jinny Beyer project, and now I'm all inspired to keep working on it. Thus far, I had only done the first block, and block #6 is now out! I had ended up hand-piecing block #1, which I'm finding myself doing more and more when I'm challenged with something tricky when machine-piecing. But I think it may end up being a combination of paper piecing the various units, then hand piecing them together. We'll just see...

And last but not least, I did knock off another Dear Jane block last night. This was B-3, Mirror Images.

OK, that was NOT last, need an update of 'how my garden grows'...


Same hosta scene, different day.


Note the pixie, not the errant weed!


"Stepping Out" Irises from Mom! Don't you just love them!?


What an assist the sun gives in this beauty.


First time seeing this little bloomer. It's a variegated miniature iris.

And did I mention spring is absolutely my favorite time of year!!!???? :) :) :)