mmmmNaan & random thoughts about 60

Still working on the stars I showed yesterday so not much else to show that's quilty.

I found this old photo of our Main St. from the early 1900s. It's a bit narrower now and the trolley doesn't run anymore but that left side looks a lot like the picture. The trolley lines are still there. They think it gives the village a quaint look. They're right.

I'm probably the last one to the party about Naan but I recently made some pizza on it and it's really good. I blatantly lifted the pic from on-line images I found so...sorry, All things Naan. It comes in flavors like garlic and whole wheat as well but for me, I like mine straight. Load it up with anything you would put on pizza dough and in to the oven for 10 minutes at 400 or so. Check on the time-I'm not positive. It's very delicious and the naan is about personal pizza size, two in a bag so perfect for us.

Regarding yesterdays entry about the blueberry bush/tree or whatever it decides to be. My husband made me laugh by telling me that at first he was going to document it's re-birth from first green shoot to leaf to flower to bee on flower to the single blueberry being plucked and eaten by either squirrel or bird at perfect ripeness. It's a heartbreaking saga and would undoubtedly play out exactly that way around here. The wildlife rules the yard. It would only have made him sad, what with Roger being the real blueberry lover around here. The way I am about apple trees(well, fruit trees in general)he is about blueberries.

Last night I finished reading the last chapter in a book by Nora Ephron called "I Feel Bad About My Neck". I've been a sort of Ephron fan for a long time. Ever since she wrote "Heartburn", the story of her crumbling marriage to Carl Bernstein many years ago. She has since made a really good life for herself and is the writer of such movies as "Sleepless in Seattle", "Michael", "Silkwood", "When Harry Met Sally" and she wrote the screenplay for the movie of her own book, "Heartburn". I really liked that movie and the book and it confirmed what many had said for years about Carl Bernstein-he was a dog...a dirty low-down dog. Who better to play him than Jack Nicholson. Anyhoo...the last chapter in this small book is a short memo about turning 60. For heaven sake don't buy the book-it's $13. and really not worth it except for that last piece. Since I was born in 1948(gaaaad)I will be 60 all too soon. Some of what she says regarding 60 is in-your-face and makes you think too much but there is a part about denial which fits me to a T. 60...who me???? Another part I liked was , even though it's stating the obvious, that this is the time in our lives when we shouldn't worry about pisant stuff. Like in her case, the cost of a special bottle of bath oil. She asks us, do you really think it will be in our last thoughts on earth how much we spent on that bath oil? Well, that kind of where I'm coming from lately. I am blessed to be able to have the life I do. My husband reminds me all the time that I should be good to myself. Go Ahead and get it. That's his mantra a lot of the times. What am I waiting for? The Golden Years? Hello! They're here now. These moments are golden-right now. That's kind of what has possessed me lately to use the fabric I have stashed in The Closet Of Shame. I had so many fat quarter packs that I was saving for who knows what and guess who has only one quilt hanging on her wall in the whole house????? memememe. Dumb, really dumb. Who knows what will happen in the years to come. Use it up and find some more if it gives you pleasure. (Note, if you could see Roger now he's probably wiping his head with a handkerchief and clutching his heart and wallet)

I must stop sounding like the crabby old broad who will hit you with her cane if you annoy her. I'm really a happy person most of the time. Maybe I should look for a cane now just for fun though. I think we have some from my MIL Dot around somewhere. I can think of some people who could use a good whacking and since I would only be carrying it for effect and due to my daily treadmill work-outs, I could probably run pretty fast now. That sounds like a real pick-me-up. Whacking! yes sir, that's the ticket.

Look out behind you and for Pete sake keep it moving!

Oh my stars!& imaginary blueberries

First I have to say thanks to Roger for the new header. He was kind enough to make it for me last week and even sweet enough not to be cranky when I asked for a change in font over the weekend. Above you will see Roger's blueberry bush....what's that you say....what blueberry bush? Well truth be told we got it last spring and it never went anywhere and then the only flowers it got were during the wrong season and while it was in the basement-where there are no bees to pollinate it's darling self. When fall rolled around it had been attacked by squirrels and fat little doves and what tiny branches it had were bent and broken. He left it out all winter thinking we would throw it away with the spring trash. Funny thing, nature. It got leaves and started to look green a few weeks ago. We'll see what happens now. I did see some bees out there over the weekend. It was great to see honey bees at any time. They were playing in the pansies. Happy little bees-glad to see ya!

These blocks are paper pieced and just like eating chips, you can't do just one. They are addictive. I've always wanted to make a mini with this type of block and so now I am on the way to having one.Most of these fabrics are from the Historic Keepsake Quilting Medley of the month collection I have been saving for who knows what. A lot of them are Civil War repros.

The weather is fabulous out. Sunshine and flowers. No complaints except a few sneezes and coughs from the pollen.

I ordered some things from Land's End. What a great company they are. So far from HoP service it's amazing. Helpful people on the phone and Hey! Did you know that you can get everything you order in a box at once!! Me neither. On that note, Friday the FedEx guy dropped off another roll of thread form youknowehere. Yes, that's right. One roll of thread in a FedEx bag. The gifts just keep coming.

Hope you have a sweet afternoon. I'm off to the treadmill and then back to the mighty Viking to see more stars.

sunday spring clean-up & pinwheels

Buddha is back in the garden where he is happiest and the place is getting a good clean-up thanks to James. Yesterday it was too hot too soon. I really can't stand the heat and humidity and so living here, less than a mile from the ocean, is probably not the best place for me to be. It's home so I'm stuck with it. There are two seasons on Long Island. Hot and muggy and cold and damp. It's not so warm today so that's better.

I spent the day yesterday making some pin-wheels for a small mini quilt for a birthday gift. It was easy since I used one of those Thangles-type paper pieces. There's a lot of cutting and ironing prep work and paper pulling but then you have an amazing number of half square triangles when you're done.

Roger took the day off Friday since he is having some painful back issues. I think he's feeling a bit better. We'll see what tomorrow brings. He may have to have some physical therapy-not sure yet. In fact, he's not even sure what brought it on. I can relate. Some times you just move the wrong way and Boom! You're in pain.

I'm tackling some laundry and ironing and then some grilled chicken which is marinating in Italian dressing. Thin slicing makes it a couple of minutes on a side and you're done. A nice salad and maybe some grilled potatoes.

The wild cherry is in bloom and soon the wisteria will fragrance the yard. Momentary perfection.

Hope your day is a peaceful one.