Flowers v Cicadas

 Ugh, the cicadas, they are awful.  They dive bomb the car windshield, fly into the windows and screens and my hair!  I sweep the deck and the garage daily to remove them.  They are on the trees, shrubs and flowers.

The flowers seem as determined to bloom as the cicadas seem on mating.  

The hydrangea is as determined  as the cicadas.  Last year due to the flash freeze, the hydrangea hardly bloomed.  It is making up for lost time.

The daylilies are just beginning to bloom.  We’ve had lots of rain and lots of rain brings lots of weeds.  My Memorial Day weekend will be spent in the garden weeding and trying my best to avoid the dive bomb attacks of the cicadas.

Coming Together

 

It’s finally starting to come together.  This poor quilt has been shoved to the back burner so many times, I’m sure it thinks it is never going to get finished.

Inspired by a quilt I saw at an antiques show, I saw an opportunity to sew from stash and save some $$$’s. 

Rain showers and cicadas have driven me indoors but provided an opportunity to finally complete this quilt and move on to the next project.

Beginning of Gardening Season 2024

 My apologies to all those who suffer with allergies, the pollen count has been very high.  The dogwoods have bloomed brilliantly this year.  

Each spring AppleJack’s cousins gather together for Spring clean-up and maintenance of their family cemetery.  A large tree had fallen, we aren’t quite sure what caused it to fall:  a lightning strike, high winds, age.  

This terra cotta pot of violets sits just outside my kitchen window.  Their bright cheery colors just starts the day off with a smile.

It’s time for me to collect the tools and get to work.  The to-do list is long, the weeds are in abundance and the rewards are worth the hard work.

Spring 2024

                                

         Was watching Carol, Saltbox Stitcher latest Flosstube and Carol says “I stitch bunnies.”  I also stitch bunnies.  A stitched bunny is far more enjoyable than a bunny eating my garden.  Speaking of bunnies, Stacy Nash’s latest animal cracker, Maggie Mae will be making her way into my stitching rotation.  

      

          A reward for spring cleaning.  While cleaning out closets, found this stitched towel and thought it was perfect to display with the bunnies.

Still having many cool nights so not quite warm enough to start planting flowers, but always warm enough inside for them.  Don’t think it ever gets cold enough to stop the weeds.  

Those bright blue flowers are sure a welcome sight after the winter browns.  Grandmother Bessie loved flowers and the color blue so I stitched the letter “S” which will be the back of her purse.

Warm temps forecast for today, time to put on those gardening clothes, get those flower beds weeded and prepared and maybe even a trip to the garden center.  

Stars and Bars

 Stars all stitched, sashing added, backing fabric purchased, ready for the long arm quilter to work her magic and time to begin a new quilt or three.  

While tidying up the craft room, found this bag of scrap mess and decided it was time to do something with them.

Ahh the beginnings of a court house steps.

 

Winter 2024

 Winters in Nashville are normally very mild.  Last Sunday 7.6 inches of snow fell.  More snow in one evening than the yearly average for our area.  Then the temperature dropped and then it dropped some more.  Single digit temps for days.  I’ve cooked, baked, stitched, quilted, binge watched documentaries and worn two layers of clothing.  

For those hardy souls out there who are accustomed to winters like these, I salute you.  

Shooting for the stars

 Finish one quilt, start another.  Quilters, they are always thinking ahead to their next quilt or three.  

The stars stitch together quickly.  With lots of blue fabric in my stash, blue starts on a white background seemed like a good choice. 

This is a hooked rug from Minnick and Simpson.  Yes, I am easily influenced by things I see in books, magazines, Instagram, Flosstube.