Cindy Quilts: May 2018

Monday, May 28, 2018

Busy Weekend

School is winding down. Thursday is the last day, a day of fun and play

and we dismiss 2 hours earlier than normal. I am looking forward to

some quiet time and time to spend with my quilting and gardening.

Saturday was the 1 year anniversary of my brother's death.

Mike and Levi R-100 target course 2016. It was so muddy!

Bee keeper

He planted red clover. He was so excited it was coming up! Taken a few days before he died.

He was a Stride coach.

Teaching a friend about motorcycle safety.

Mike, his daughter and wife.

He was passionate about life. He loved his family, conservation, was a dedicated law enforcer officer, concerned about motorcycle safety, mentored at risk youth.

He was kind, compassionate and giving. He is greatly missed by many.

The Red Cross hosted a blood drive in his memory.

Received this T-shirt for giving blood.

My niece donating.

The goal was 60 units. They fell short with just over 50 donated.

There were several first time donors, my 80+ year old mother included.

One of my cousins lives in California. They are visiting his parents and he, his wife, son and brother took time out of their vacation to donate.

The people who checked us in felt that the holiday weekend may have affected the number of people donating. We are thankful for the people who did take time to donate. Mike would have been honored that they did.

Then it was on to more family activities.

A lot of us moved on to Cracker Barrel for supper and visiting. Then my son and I went to my sister-in-laws house to drop off our things since we were spending the night. We ventured out to SIL's sisters cabin for some more visiting with different family members. It ended up being a late night - 3:00 am before we were all in bed. I am forced to be an earlier riser being married to a farmer so I was awake by 5:00, but forced myself to stay in bed until 6:30. We spent the morning walking the dogs on the prairie my brother established and SIL continues to keep walking paths mowed. It is good exercise for her and her dogs. The red clover my brother planted last year is blooming.

We were invited to a cookout lunch at her other sister's cabin.

It was nice to see a different group of family/friends.

It was very hot, but the food and fellowship was worth it.

Mid-afternoon my son and I headed back to my house.

I am tired today, but thankful for the memories of my

brother that were shared over the weekend.

I took a little tour of my yard this morning.

Things are growing despite the windy, hot weather.

http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2018/05/design-wall-monday-may-28-2018.html

What a Hoot Quilts is challenging quilters to finish '18 in 2018'.

Check them out.

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Sunday Lazy Day

I have decided that I cannot keep up with the daily gratitude postings,

at least for now. So beginning June 1st I plan to start over.

The last day of school is May 31st and I should have more time then.

Meanwhile, my yard has been busy, even if I haven't been.

I have good intentions, but then it is too windy, too chilly (mid-60s and windy today) or I am just too beat from my day with kindergarten students.

Here is what is happening in my yard:

This didn't come from my yard, but the ditches near my yard.

This is the first asparagus my husband found on May 7th. It was yummy.

This picture was taken the 18th and I now have twice that much in my fridge.

I am eating some every day and made some creamed asparagus for my

father-in-law. Boy, it is hard to share it, but some comes from a

little patch in his yard so I guess I should be nice and share.

The irises were just starting to open on the 18th.

And, this is what they look like today.

The poppies and phlox are starting to bloom, also.

See what I mean about the wind?

The poor poppies are losing their petals already.

I am very lucky that some lovely people have shared their plants with me!

I think of them often, but even more so when 'their' plants are in bloom.

http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2018/05/design-wall-monday-may-14-2018.html

What a Hoot Quilts is challenging quilters to finish '18 in 2018'.

Check them out.

Monday, May 7, 2018

Gratitudes 6 & 7

Day 6 - What in nature are you most grateful for?

I am grateful for all of nature. Well, not so grateful for the critters, like skunks, raccoons and opossums that get in our barns and sheds and make messes and destroy things, but I know they are probably looking for food and a safe place.

I enjoy the creatures and green growing things.

My most favorite are flowers.

They attract the bees, birds and butterflies

while also giving me a wonderful sight and smell.

And, speaking of nature, I did this over the weekend.

Green pepper plants and cucumbers seeds in the pots.

I put the cucumbers in the covered bed to keep them warm and protect

them from wind and birds until they are well established.

Tomato plant and lettuce and radish seeds. The tomato has a tile protecting it now.

This bed will get covered with a garden fabric for wind and bird protection.

Straw bale with squash plants. The tiles protect the plants from the wind and birds.

They will be removed when the plants get bigger.

Also did some cleanup in some flower garden areas,

but much more needs to be done.

Day 7 - What memory are you most grateful for?

I am so grateful for memories of my brother.

My sister-in-law loves to take pictures and she posted many on Facebook. Almost daily there are memories that pop up that she shares. I cursed Facebook the day he died for sharing that information before the family had all been notified. That is a terrible way to find out about such a tragic event.

But, today I am grateful for Facebook allowing us to see

and share the wonderful memories of the great man my brother was.

He is very much missed by all who knew him.

I also did some sewing this weekend.

Houses for the Quilter's Exchange.
It is getting so big there wasn't room for my blocks on my design wall.

The two blocks on the left are my blocks.

http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2018/05/design-wall-monday-may-7-2018.html

What a Hoot Quilts is challenging quilters to finish '18 in 2018'.

Check them out.

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Gratitude Day 5

What sound are you grateful for today?

Right now I am listening to clothes tumble in my dryer. It is the 3rd load today.

I am switching my cold weather clothes for warm weather clothes and they

all need freshened after months folded up in deep drawers and totes. I am grateful to have a washer and dryer. My Mother-in-law always hung her clothes out - year round. My FIL thought it was wasteful to spend money to dry clothes.

I tried hanging clothes out when we first moved here 20+ years ago, but we didn't have a proper clothes line so I strung one between the TV antenna tower and a tree. A tree. Birds flew in and out of that tree all day. After too many times having to rewash the clothes because of the birds I stopped hanging doing it. And, I only had time to do laundry that way on the weekends when I

was home all day. By the time I got home for work I just didn't have time.

It was not always convenient to spend my weekend doing laundry

I am grateful for the dryer so I can do laundry any time of the day or night.

When it was decided the house my MIL grew up in should be sold it became my husbands responsibility to clean it out. All of that stuff came to our house, to one of the tool sheds. It has taken up needed space in there for 3 years. Incidentally this is stuff that had been at the house we lived in before we moved back here. No one wanted it then. No one wants it now. Husband has decided enough time has passed and he is going to start getting rid of it. I have been seeing some interesting garden art ideas on Pinterest so I have started going through it to see if I can if there might be anything useful.

I found this cute little salt & pepper set.

Then I found the creamer.

Aren't they cute?!

My husband remembers them being in the china

cabinet that belonged to his grandmother.

After a little investigating on-line I find that I need

to on the look-out for the matching sugar bowl.

I collect salt & pepper sets (thanks to my brother) so I will keep those.

My son's girlfriend loves, LOVES cows so I will probably give her the

creamer. Even if I don't find the sugar bowl it is cute and could be used

for something else - a tiny plant, holder of toothbrushes, makeup brushes, Q-tips. I'm sure she will think of something. Or, maybe she will decide she doesn't have room for it in their tiny apartment. Then I will keep it :)

http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2018/04/design-wall-monday-april-30-2018.html

What a Hoot Quilts is challenging quilters to finish '18 in 2018'.

Check them out.

Friday, May 4, 2018

Gratitudes Days 3 and 4

Day 3- What color are you grateful for?

I love all colors. As a quilter I use all colors although I gravitate to bright colors. My favorite color is green. I like all shades of green.

I am sure I like green the best because it is a signal to me that winter is finally over. Everything is turning green - the grass is growing, the trees are budding, new plant starts are poking up out of the ground. A sign that the long, cold winter is over.

I have been asking "Would You Rather" questions of my kindergarten students. One question was "Would rather not see color, or not hear?" No question at all for me, I would rather not hear than not see color.