Afternoon Delight

I should be working on my Jo Morton homework.

I should be ironing.

Miss Callie Mae says her bathroom could use a good cleaning

I have wedding gifts to wrap

And birthday cards and anniversary cards to mail.

AppleJack would like cupcakes with chocolate icing for supper.

The hornbook angel is nearly finished.

It's really hard to stay inside when Next Year is full of bloom

When I checked on Miss Mophead today, she was so full of bloom she was falling to the ground.  I am so going to miss her.  She has exceeded my expectations!

Waste Not Want Not

Waste not, want not

Every waste creates a want

Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without

My parents grew up during the Great Depression.  They were two years old when the stock market crashed on Black Friday in 1929.  Needless to say, this economic time had a great impact on their lives.  I have often asked them about the depression and their answer was always the same "we saw it better than some, and worse than others.  We never missed a meal, we were always loved."  My parents were practicing green before it became so fashionable and trendy.  My Mother is the queen of reuse, recycle, repurpose, I don't think the woman has ever thrown anything away.  Don't call Hoarders because she might qualify.

Taking a page from my Mother's book of recycling, I decided to recycle and repurpose some corduroy pants.  A make do couch throw, picnic blanket, car blanket, temporary fort, take a Sunday nap under service quilt for Applejack's very active grandsons.  The corduroy is soft and warm and will enjoy a second life.

I found a piece of flannel from my stash which will make a soft, warm back.  The long arm quilter has an acorn and oak leaf pattern which will be used for the quilting.  

Save the Date--Oakes

                             Save the Date:  June 29, 2012 - June 30, 2012

Oakes Daylily Festival is a celebration of more than 200 varities of daylilies.  It is a feast for the eyes!

The daylily farm formerly a dairy farm is acres of daylilies

Tender Love

Red Volunteer

Oakes has daylilies in all colors:  Apricot, Brown, Dark, Gold, Lavender, Near White, Orange, Pastel, Pink, Purple, Red and Yellow

Save the Date, you will not be disappointed.  If you cannot attend visit their website.  If you enjoy gardening and daylilies this will be a treat for you.

Lady Liberty

Lady Liberty

Spruce Ridge Studios

25 1/2" x 28 1/2" 

Ever feel like you are forgetting something?  Something important?  I do this frequently.  A friend once shared with me "I am not forgetful, I have more information to store in my brain than I have memory cells."  That's our story and we are sticking with it! 

Thistle Manor has been changing into her red, white and blue attire, I kept thinking I was forgetting something.  I was!  I forgot Miss Liberty. 

Lady Liberty

Original Drawing by Lori Brechlin, Notforgotten Farm

Adapted by Kris Miller, Spruce Ridge Studios

I fell in love with Miss Lady Liberty when I visited American Whatever in Liberty, Missouri.  If you are ever in the Kansas City area, please plan a visit to American Whatever.  Sandy Williams has dozens of the most amazing hooked rugs.  And wool. . .  

More red, white and blue

While decorating Thistle Manor yesterday for Memorial Day, I kept thinking I was forgetting something and felt the dough bowl looked empty.  After exploring the sewing cabinets, I found more red, white and blue.

This is the Shepherds Bush Glory Fob.  I think the scissors are from JoAnn's

These are the Gingher Designer Series Limited Edition scissors.  This one is appropriately named Glory.

This is the Fourth of July Stocking by Blackbird.  

Off to add these patriotic touches to the dough bowl.  

Time for some Red, White and Blue

Since it is Memorial Day weekend, I thought it was time to make some changes at Thistle Manor and add some red, white and blue.

This red, white and blue star table runner is a good place to start.

Add a couple of red, white and blue Longaberger baskets.

Dig deep into the linen closet and find a patriotic flag table topper quilt.

Locate the Marcus Brothers Star fabric.

Add more patriotic red, white and blue flags.

Throw a few pin keeps into the dough bowl and it is beginning to feel more festive.

Am off to the garden center to purchase some geraniums and flags for the front stoop.

In Memory of . . . my father

Roe Henry Price

January 4, 1927 to December 5, 2007

As Memorial Day draws near, this post is in memory of my Father.  This is one of my favorite photos of him, so young, so handsome, so full of life.  And that smile, isn't it infectiousness?

My Father joined the Army when he was a senior in high school.  The Army agreed to let him finish high school and upon graduation he would be sworn in.  World War II was coming to a close and instead of being sent to Europe or Japan, my father was sent to Brazil.  He was part of a unit which took aerial photographs of Brazil and the Amazon River.

Having grown up in the mountains, my father intensely disliked hot weather.  Spending a year living on the equator must have been pure misery.  But like most things in his life, he accepted his lot and tried to make the best of his situation.  There's that infectiousness smile again.

Blossoms and Blooms

Next Year continues to delight me with endless varieties of blossoms and blooms.  Yes, it does make this gardeners heart happy.  Several folks have asked about pruning and feeding clematis and hydrangea.  First things first, some things you should know about me and gardening.

1. I am a novice, a beginner, an apprentice, a wanna be.  A perpetual gardening student.
2. If someone says "you can't kill it, it's hardy" they have not met me
3. Trial and error are two of my best friends
4. One of my many gardening mistakes:  not properly rinsing the sprayer after using Roundup and then spraying roses.  

I read gardening books, I go to gardening seminars, garden tours is one of my favorite past times, I Google gardening.

Miss Hydrangea you have done this novice proud!

These beautiful blooms have taught me the importance of proper pruning and fertilizer.

Miss Purple Coneflower is one of my survivors!

The day lilies are just beginning to bloom.  This color reminds me of peach ice cream.

This is an old variety of daylily which has been in gardens for years, gifted to me by a friend.

If you are feeling down, take a stroll in a garden, take time to smell the flowers, they will lift your spirits.

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government.  It is bestowed by the president, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States."  Due to the nature of its criteria, it is often awarded posthumously.  The President of the United States presents the medal in person, on behalf of the Congress, representing and recognizing the gratitude of the American people as a whole.

Approximately 3, 475 Medals of Honor have been awarded.  During the Vietnam War, 246 Medals of Honor were received, 154 of them posthumously.

SGT Mitchell W. Stout

1950-1970

Sergeant Stout was in a bunker with members of a searchlight crew when the position came under heavy enemy mortar fire and ground attack.  When the intensity of the mortan fire subsided, an enemy grenade was thrown into the bunker.  Displaying great courage, Sergeant Stout ran to the grenade, picked it up, and started out of the bunker.  As he reached the door, the grenade exploded.  By holding the grenade close to his body and shielding its blast, he protected his fellow soldiers in the bunker from further injury or death.  Sergeant Stout's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action, at the cost of his own life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit and The United States Army.

Mitchell was my cousin.  When he was killed at The Battle of Khe Gio Bridge, he was five weeks into his second tour of duty.  When asked why he had chosen to serve a second tour of duty he replied, "because I might make a difference."  And he did.

Sarah Miranda's Huswife

My friend, Anne, says every stitcher should have at least one heirloom piece.  In 2005, Diane Jordan (Sampler Cove),  Jackie Du Plessis  (It's Fineally Finished), and Lois Mouriski  (Elegant Stitch) put their heads together and created this design.

Diane working with the DAR Museum in Washington, DC used several of the quaker motifs from the Judith Townsend sampler for the huswife.  Other Quaker motifs on the huswife were taken from various Quaker charts published by the Scarlet Letter.  All net proceeds generated from the sale of this design were donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in Dallas, Texas.  Jackie du Plessis designed the finishing kit for the huswife.

When I first saw this design, it sang to my heart.  It was a huswife, it was Quaker, it was red, the inside finishing was beautiful and elegant and classy.

Great GrandMother Sarah Miranda loved the color red.  One of her nine sons bought her a red taffeta petticoat.  It was probably one of the most elegant and expensive garments she ever owned.  My Grandfather Isaac said she loved to wear it.  Grandfather Isaac said it could always tell if Great Grandmother was upset by the sound of her petticoat.  If she was upset, Great Grandmother Sarah Miranda would walk very fast and the taffeta petticoat would make a swooshing sound.

There are two sets of initials on the huswife:  Great Great Grandmother Anne Elizabeth Caldwell Plemmons and  Great Grandmother Sarah Miranda.  There are two dates on the huswife 1855, the year Sarah Miranda was born and 1934, the year she died.

I did not finish the huswife, the other Betty, my finisher did.  The finishing is exquisite.  It is the finishing on the inside of the huswife which makes it elegant and classic and an heirloom.  All who have seen the inside of the huswife marvel at the incredible workmanship.  My friend Anne was right again:  "every stitcher has at least one heirloom piece."  Thanks to Betty, the finisher, Sarah Miranda's huswife is mine.

Decoration Day

Memorial Day means different things to different people.  For some, Memorial Day is a holiday and it means time off from the job.  For others, it marks the end of a school year and the beginning of summer vacation.  In the 20th century, Memorial Day has become a long weekend devoted to shopping, family gatherings, fireworks, trips to the beach and the Indianapolis 500.


Decoration Day originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War.  Southern ladies organizations and southern schoolchildren had decorated Confederate graves in Richmond and other cities during the Civil War.  By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died in all wars.

Annual Decoration Days for particular cemeteries are held on a Sunday in late spring or early summer in some rural areas of the American South, especially in the mountains.  Decoration Day may take on the appearance of a family reunion when a family cemetary is involved.  People and families gather on the designated day and put flowers on graves and renew contacts with kinfolk and others.  "Dinner on the ground" a traditional term for a pot-luck meal is spread out on tablecloths on the grass.

My family has honored and celebrated Decoration Day for years.  Here are some of the reasons

This is Stock Creek Baptist Church established in 1872.  Great Grandparents Fred and Mary Eliza Ward are buried in this church cemetery.

This is the grave marker for Great Great Grandmother Anne Elizabeth Caldwell Plemons.  Grandmother Anne Elizabeth kept the family and farm in tact while Grandfather William Jefferson was fighting in the Civil War.

This is Middle Creek Methodist Church.  Grandmother Rebecca Ward Lowe was a member of this church and is buried in the church cemetery.  My parents met at this church and were married at the church parsonage.  Many members of my Mother's family are buried in this cemetery.

The family cemetery is in the mountains--Smoky Mountains.  The cemetery is located within the boundaries of the Smoky Mountain National Park.  Great Grandparents John Palmer and Sarah Miranda are buried in this cemetery.  My Grandfather carried the casket of his Granddaughter, Clara Ann on his shoulder up this long steep road and buried her in the family cemetery.

Jo Morton Raspberry Swirl

Jo Morton's Raspberry Swirl

This is June's homework assignment.  Pretty awesome!  It is going to be challenging because the pieces are getting smaller and smaller.  A Pottery Shard was 3" a Raspberry Swirl is 2 1/2."

As I sat listening to the teacher giving explanation, I was doing some deep breathing to keep from having a Jo Morton anxiety attack over the size of the pieces.  Our teacher is wonderful--her quilting is exquisite, she is helpful, and excellent in sharing tips! 

One of the tips she shared was about selecting border and backing fabric.  Her tip is to take the completed pieced top to the local needlework shop and audition fabric.  Roll the fabric out on a counter and lay the pieced quilt on top of the fabric to get a full view of what the borders will look like on the quilt.   Because there is so much color and movement in Pottery Shards, the teacher suggested a fabric which would frame the quilt.

This week has been the International Quilt Market in Kansas City.  Of course, I have been searching the internet to find postings.  Jo Morton will be releasing a line of her favorite, best selling fabric.  She will also be releasing a line called Toasted.  If you are a Jo Morton stalker follower, her website/blog is full of eye candy.

This is the fabric I have selected to use for my Raspberry Swirl.   The shirtings are Jo Morton and the other fabrics are a combination of French General and Jo Morton with a little Blackbird Designs.  The fabric at the top will be the sashings and I have a similar piece which I will use for the backing.

Now, I am going to find my brown paper bag to do some deep breathing before I start Raspberry Swirl.