Life with Oma & some fabric to dazzle the senses

For anyone who thinks I might have been kidnapped by Gypsies-no such luck I'm still here. It's just been a busy week catching up with stuff that happens when you go away. I also seem to be in a kind of slump mentally and physically. I didn't go back to Curves like I should have and I'm sorry to say that it's very easy to find an excuse. I will go back but just not this week.

I'm working on a couple of things I can't show right now but here's a picture of something fun that I've sort of re-discovered. Many years ago my Oma taught me to embroider. She was very good at it-very good. I think back on how wonderful some of the things she did were, and I wish I had them now. I have no idea what happened to the work she did-it's been lost in the sad history of my family. Oma was tough. Her husband disappeared during the war and according to my Mother-he meant to be missing, having lived long enough with Oma. Her life could not have been easy in post-war Munich, Germany. A single woman with a teenager and limited money-making options-not an easy life. It left her bitter and angry a large part of the time. Oma eventually became a housekeeper for a professor at the University there. She worked for him for many years until he passed away and she eventually came to America to live with us. Coming here was, for her, a blessing, a curse, and culture shock. She arrived in the late 50s about the time I was becoming a teenager and found me used to being pretty much in charge of my own life. Up till then,my Mother was at work from early morning till 6-ish and I was left to fend for myself. I walked to school by myself after making my own breakfast and a lunch and came home to watch T.V. and do my homework until she got home. I was 7 or 8. This seemed perfectly natural to me and in retrospect was probably the most carefree time in my childhood. I loved to draw and watch movies(Million Dollar Movie) and American Bandstand and such so the time was never frightening for me. Having spent some time in an orphanage when we first arrived here and I was about 4, taught me what frightening really was-being alone was no sweat after that. I had learned to speak English but I never talked much anyway. Very quiet child is a term that would appear in all reports of me for all my school years until high school. Anyway-Oma came into my life. She was appalled at what she found and thought it was horrifying that I should be allowed to run free and do as I pleased. She was right, of course, but it didn't sit well with miss independent me and so we locked horns often and loudly. I was repelled by the thought of doing what she wanted and she would find the smallest short-coming a reason for shrieking at me-in German( not a pretty language but somehow well-suited to screaming)at the top of her lungs-and in a veritable frothing at the mouth manner. I suspect now that she was angry at the unfolding of her life and I know she didn't want to be here. She said so often. That said-she did manage to teach me the few things I learned about being a woman and housekeeping. Oma was the Queen of the white-glove syndrome. She also taught me to cook things and sew things and clean house. All of these things are good for a woman to know but it would have been received so much better if not done as if she was a Nun with a ruler in Catholic School. Still, all these years later, it is Oma to whom I refer when I think of these creative things and for all the bad moments we gave each other-it is her lessons that I remember most. In fact, lately, I think it would be so great to have her back to remind me of how important pride in one's home is. Lately, I have become a total slob about things that would have made her shriek with anger.

All of this is by way of explanation for what I'm doing now-embroidery. In the past few months I've noticed on some blogs, particularly the ones in Australia and New Zealand like Cinderberry Stitches(in my links on right) and Leanne's House, such delightful stitchery. It's so pretty, bright and cheerful and I just felt like doing some myself. On one particular site called Turkey Feathers, there are some free patterns she offers. I have been hesitant to order anything like this and kept looking daily and being so dazzled by the wonderful work. The other day I had a brain fart and realized(DUH) that I am an artist and can draw pictures myself(again...DUH)so why not make myself a piece to embroider. Lately there have been a bunch of blogs, both quilting, embroidery and even cooking, that show wonderful pictures of cupcakes-I love how sweet and colorful they are. Treats for the eyes. So I drew some cherry-topped cupcakes and am embroidering them in Christmas colors. Oma would be proud-cranky but proud.

The other picture is of some fabric I bought at Mainely Quilting while we were away. I haven't a clue what I will do with it but it just jumped out at me when I walked in the shop and said take me home. Nothing subtle about this stuff. Not really my usual thing but I'm, frankly tired of my usual thing. We'll see what comes of this. Something bright for sure-where are my sunglasses anyway??

More Maine for your viewing pleasure

This is a picture from the internet and a slightly different view. I really just liked the Lupines. Aren't thay stunning?They must thrive on bullsh-t!(sorry, I couldn't help myself)

Thanks Ladies for the fun comments-it's great to have like-minded friends. I felt it was my duty to make the yearly, drive-by salute in Kennebunkport. I feel I owe it to you ladies to express our general attitude and nothing does the trick quite like a loud raspberry and the fickle finger of fate. The driveway is often filled with very large Suburbans with blacked out windows and there is a guard house that doesn't seem to have anyone in it but with all the Secret Service guys crawling all over the place I would imagine that you would take your life in your hands to try and walk up the road to borrow a cup of sugar from Barbara. George the Elder is often running around in his speedboat and often trailed by a large contingent of Secret Service Guys in a black Zodiac with Secret Service emblazoned on the side. I think this must be the detail that they give you when you have been a very, very, very, good boy in the Secret Service..no????Of course my annual trip to Arundle's Wharf had absolutely nothing to do with this visit....nothing at all(hehe) Roger had suggested that we might want to go to Ogunquit and Belfast instead, which by the way I'm sorry we didn't stop in but did drive through. I found out on someone's blog(???) that there is a great new quilt, fabric, and fiber art supply/gallery place on Main in Belfast. I must search for the name and put it on my list of things to do someday. Anyway there are some pics of the view from Bar Harbor- the Bush place and the restaurant here. Also Brown's Wharf in Boothbay. It's the Hotel that Charles Kuralt stayed in every year and wrote about in his book of great places to stay. It's a pretty little place but basically a motel with a connecting deck all across the front. The bathroom was a closet-seriously...a closet. I have a touch of claustrophobia and I was kinda glad we only stayed the night. I also have a thing about bathroom facilities(color me obsessive compulsive as well) but I need a, how shall I say, throne with major whoosh. None of this wishy washy swirly water saver crap for me. Sorry-I'll find another way to conserve and be ecology minded. Some things need to be gone forever.

Well, if you're still with me, despite my quirks and weird sense of humor-on the quilting front...I got nothing. Oh, I've got something-I just can't show it yet since it's a birthday present for a friend who might be reading. I did sew my Mistletoe Manor nine patch blocks together but that's not really interesting. What is interesting is that I have nothing to make a border out of and may have to make a pilgrimage to Joanne's(yes you heard me right) It's all about the color green or red. That fabric has a particular red and green that just looks awful with any other kinds of green or red that I happen to have. It's sort of subdued and very different. I tried laying a few pieces of green or red that I have and they look awful-too bright and the wrong effect. I guess whoever designed this stuff was very smart. Nothing but that fabric goes with that fabric...ack! Not even the cream colors I have are really "country" enough. Why I begin a Christmas quilt in October is, once again, beyond me.

I'll leave you with another book review or 2-Blogger isn't playing well so I'll See what I can do here. If any of you followed my advice and read his last book "King of Lies" you will want to get yourself down to the bookstore or Library and get you a copy of this one. The review says it's better than the last. That would be wonderful. On the DVD front I got copies of "Volver" with Penelope Cruz, and "The Queen" because I adore Helen Mirren in anything. I also notice that the second installment of "Elizabeth" is coming out and can't wait for that to be available. I am crazy about those period pieces and history so what's not to love, although I would love to cook something for Cate Blanchett to eat since she looks hungry to me.

Hope you all have a great day-our weather has finally turned fall-like and so pretty. Talk to you gorgeous girls Monday after I resume torture at Curves.

what I did on my vacation, by Dee

We had a wonderful and relaxing time in Maine. Since it was just the two of us, we sort of did a little this-n-that. Our first stop was Kennebunkport, where I make my annual pilgrimage to the Bush estate at Walker's Point and drive by while giving my particular type of salute followed by a gesture that I can only describe as a very NY expression-feh. You sort of spit it out the side of your mouth like a curse, as in "a curse on all your camels." You're welcome, my pleasure.

After that we had lobster-bisque, roll, etc....everywhere. I varied the menu only once with a nice fried clam dinner at Brown's Wharf in Booth Bay Harbor. We stayed at the Bluenose Inn in Bar Harbor and my honey sprung for the Daddy Bigbucks Suite. Fabulous view of Frenchman's Bay with a balcony to observe it and lovely people waiting on your every need. Very nice. I could get used to that.

We are pretty sure that we will not return to Maine for a while now. Originally we thought the kid was coming with us and so since he had not been there it would be fun showing him all the stuff. When he decided to hang out with the girlfriend(imagine the nerve)we probably should have gone elsewhere but it was too late to organize any major changes in itinerary and we do enjoy it. I did the Quilt shop stops and got a few things which I will show when I get a chance. I'm still trying to catch up with all the laundry and shopping and general crap.

The picture above is of the Penobscot Bridge in Ellsworth that takes you to Mt. Desert Island and Bar Harbor. For years we crossed the old Waldo-Hancock bridge that looked like it was built around the Civil War. Not a comforting thing to cross. This shiny new bridge is now open and I have to say it's pretty impressive but it also freaked me out crossing it-being a bridge and all. It's very tall and a strange thing to cross with all the cables next to you as you cross. Just sort of disconcerting and narrow lanes.

Anyway, I wanted to share this, for those of you looking for a good read and those who enjoyed "A Thousand Splendid Suns" -this book is a great read. It's a very fascinating study in the cultural class system in India and the effect it has on two women from very different classes. It's also a wonderful story about how money and position are perceived to make a person a better human being and the all too often reality of that concept.

It's late now and I have to get dinner, even though I should probably be fasting for several months after all the good food so recently consumed. I'll get around to some more pictures and another couple of book reviews soon. Missed you all and I'm enjoying seeing what you've been up to.

Dee 10-Lobsters 0

I'm back but I'm trying to catch up with everything so I'll blog tomorrow(Scarlett O'Hara)

Hope everyone is well and I'll get time son to read up on what's been going on.

the Great Cow Harbor Race Day....sigh

The Native Americans that once lived here called this place the Great Cow Harbor. Some days I wish they were around to see what they started but they are all busy kicking our collective asses at the many casinos nearby. Today is the 10k race and tomorrow is the even bigger horror....Cow Harbor Day. Now don't get me wrong. Many years ago someone had the brilliant civic and business minded idea to have a festival in the fall here and bring out all the neighbors and PARTY... DOWN...BABY! There is a very big parade and stuff goes on all day at the harbor park. The Rotary has a big Italian sausage & peppers-burgers and hot dogs stand. There's kiddie rides and games and folks end the boating season by decorating their sailboats and speedboats with all kinds of stuff. I think there are fireworks tonight or tomorrow. There is craft stuff in the park and raffles for a quilt which I have entered for 900 years and never won a thing. Up until this year there was a contest called cow patty bingo. The grass is chalked into a bingo grid and nature does the rest with the help of the real Dairy Queen, Nelly. Not sure what happened to Nelly this year and not sure I want to know-whoa Nelly!

If all of this sounds like fun-in some great ways it is-in some worse ways...not so much! The first thing that happened a while back is that the local politicians took over the floats of note with a bunch of political crap like we don't get enough of that already. Then they planted themselves at the foot of Main St. with all manner of crappy leaflets that they shoved at you and you immediately shoved back. This caused a major paper jam at the end of the block that takes street sweepers all evening(on overtime)to clean up. Then around the same time the real estate folks, or as I refer to them, real estate slime, began the same thing and they also had big fat floats to remind us of their ugly presence in the community. This was in case you only have three brain cells left and can't already see how much mess they've made with the McMansions and deforestation of or Village already. Around about then, the Village govmt. decided it would be great to advertise our little celebration and announce the great, quiet, country fair quality of it. I don't need to tell you much about that. I'll just leave it with the one famous anecdote that summed up my last appearance at Cow Harbor Day. I was walking home elbow to elbow and shoulder to shoulder with people I've never seen before and this humongous guy with a very, very, thick Brooklyn accent says to the misses-"Ain't it effin great to be out in the country? Looka all these GD trees" That was, for me, the day the charm ended.

Today I had to go and pick up my new glasses a couple of towns over-First, since it's RaceDay-we are not allowed to drive on our roads between 8:30 and 10. Then, because all of the ten thousand people who descend here for the race have to park and then leave after it, it takes 25 minutes to go 5 miles. Anyone who lives here and is not a politician or real estate person dreads this day. It's fine for the kids who don't mind being shoulder to shoulder and such but you rarely see anyone who really has lived her for any time get out in it. It's really scary out there. Like driving bumper cars and since a large number of people come out from the city you are more likely to get the finger than a friendly wave. It is, my friends, the worst of times....Oh well, I suppose you think me a curmudgeon and cranky but it just seems to me that they need to make Cow Harbor Day about the local residents again-and that ship has sailed.

We are leaving on Monday morning on the Cross-Sound Ferry to Bridgeport, Connecticut and places north where we will, undoubtedly, assume the roll of the UGLY NEW YORKERS that piss off the local Maine population. As for me, I just want to eat a boatload of effin Lobster and see some GD New Englandahs...Ahoy Mateys...see you in a week or so with the quilt shop booty.....harrrr

For those of you that were kind enough to wonder-James thinks the interview went well but they aren't making any decisions for a couple of weeks. I'll keep you posted and thanks for the good thoughts.

Driving Ms Dee

Once upon a time I really loved to drive. As soon a I was able I bought myself a really sweet little red VW Bug. I loved driving stick shift and through a series of friends in the sports car business, I soon came upon THE automotive love of my life. My MGB. I don't know who these people are-I got the photo off of E-bay but this is the exact adorable little red zoom zoom I had such a great time in. A little while later and in another lifetime, there was another car that caught the fancy of my, then, partner.

This was the second sweet ride that we purchased. It's a Triumph TR4. I'm happy to say that it left with said partner, leaving me with my MGB and a little piece of mind. The TR4 was the biggest pain in the ass ever. First and foremost, for short little me, it was designed for the taller people in the world. I could barely touch the clutch and it did not make for smooth shifting. It also liked to have lots of attention paid to it in the form of a tune-up every time you drove it for a couple of days. I think it thought it was a Jaguar-it certainly was as long as an e-type.

Anyway, me and my little red MGB toddled off into a new life of single hood and stayed that way for nearly 12 years or so. By the time I was married to Roger, pregnant with James and selling it for money to help get a mortgage, it needed to be restored. Roger sold it to someone at work who's son restored it to its former glory and I shed a few tears privately. With the MGB went the Dee I used to drive it. Long, gypsy-like, hairdo(anybody remember that?) size 8-tight jeans and convertible Dee was now Big pregnant, cut the hair short for ease of kidcare, stop wearing perfect make-up, carefully applied.... MOMMY. Don't get me wrong-I wouldn't trade anything that happened. I got a wonderful loving husband and a kid that I'm very proud of and I wouldn't fit in the MGB comfortably anymore anyway.

I say all this by way of telling you that today my son is going for a job interview with a very prestigious car firm-a British car firm. I think he first started to get his love of cars from my endless prattle about sports cars. I am nervous, happy, and proud. He got all dressed with a tie even! Haircut-new pants, shirt, shoes, yadda yadda. I so want this for him. It's a great opportunity. So won't you please join me in a little quiet contemplation for a moment. All together now...Dear Lord, I know you're busy with really important things but if you could just take a second to shine your kind and loving light on James it would be really great, Thank you, Dee

With any luck at all my kid might wind up behind the wheel of this perty baby!

can you say...Aston Martin...Bond....James Bond. Whoop whoop!

For the Birds

As many of you know, the bulk of our, shall we say, disposable income(Heh!)goes into the fund to purchase thistle seed for these bickering little babies. We used to purchase a bag of Black Niger Seed here and there but that was then and this is now. Roger loads up the back of his car with a trunk load of 25 lb bags several times a season. It's funny how your life changes and yet some things stay the same. He used to go to Toys R Us and load up the back of our Bronco with diapers, wipes and Enfamil in much the same manner. Our son is a man now and yet, he still has babies to lead up a car trunk for. This year he even bought himself a special pitcher to hold and pour the seed easier. Anyway, just as it is with life in general, the babies are having babies and eating up a storm. We have learned to call a halt to this in a few weeks because they need to go and find a warmer climate to winter in. One year we just kept feeding them and they never really left. I worried all winter that it was too cold and icy for them. They just changed color from yellow to all goldish green parrot-like colors and hung out with us anyway. That was an expensive year. My favorite thing to see is when they fight for space at the feeder-they do this amazing dance in mid-air-twirling around and around until the winner settles in whatever perch they are fighting over. We have four feeders, so some days it's a visual party. I miss them when the winter comes and each year it's a thrill to see them return.

Well, on an un-avian related topic-I've got nothing going on wight now since we are sort of packing to leave for Maine. James has decided to stay home and spend the week with friends and his girlfriend. I can't say I blame him but I also think he would have enjoyed it. Some other time. It's alright though since it will allow us to piddle along from small town to small town on the coastal road north Rt 1. It's a great ride through lovely villages and beautiful seacoast towns. Not sure when we are leaving-we're just kind of casual about this and it allows us to land in some pretty places. This time of year it's quiet during the week and it's not yet leaf-peeping time. Very peaceful. Probably leaving on Sunday.

Anyway, I'm off to do some trip shopping and prep. I need a sweatshirt or jacket. Maine is a bit nippy at night sometimes. I love it! Hope you have a great day

Into the Light.

Today is better than yesterday. On the 11th-One has to find other ways to be busy-ways that do not include television-radio or any other media. As a New Yorker, I often wonder if the horror of that day will ever go away. Recently, I saw a piece on t.v. in which some family members of those lost that day said they didn't want to be disrespectful of their lost loved ones but the yearly, visual horror-filled reminder just never lets them be at peace. There is, for them, no closure. Some of the women say, that they just get their children back to sleeping normally and functioning in school when it's time to re-visit the pain again. I get it. Last night I had the t.v. on while I cooked dinner and I began, after 5 minutes, to find it unbearable. I'm tired of crying and so I get what the members of these families were saying. I think, at some point, it becomes unhealthy to spend a year trying to forget only to find oneself at that awful place again, and again...forever.
People in Manhattan are, in great numbers, very sick. They inhaled the horror and now they find they cannot breath properly. I live out here in the island and I smelled it-it was awful, caustic, frightening smell. The horrible smell of that day will take many more victims with it.
I hope I don't offend anyone because it's easy for me to talk about a nightmare that did not directly affect me but I think of all those children who lost parents and just about get their lives back to something that resembles normal-only to be faced with a day of endless, utter sadness. They need to find a way out of this darkness.
For me, that day was the beginning of a year long journey into a deep & frightening depression. In retrospect, I think it was the loss of control over what happens to your life. That's an unusual thing for Americans to be faced with. We are so fortunate to be able to go about our days with the idea that we can, pretty much, do as we please. We can orchestrate our lives and be comfortable in knowing that each day generally unfolds in a pattern that we have made for ourselves.
On Sept. 11th, 2001-I became so depressed and afraid that I couldn't do anything but sleep, eat too much, and drag myself through the endless abyss that I fell into. I never really told anyone in my family for months. I would get up-do the morning thing, make the lunches, kiss the boys goodbye, smile like a Stepford wife and then go and sit on the couch and stare and cry and be silent with these awful dark thoughts. I became house-bound. Only out for things I couldn't avoid. Agoraphobia big time! Eventually, I learned a bit about the computer(didn't have to go out for that) and I discovered that there were people who liked quilting and art and wrote about it. Enter..You! In a way, among the people that made me feel alive and vital again here, I found a wonderful, artistic, amusing, giving, group of women. I guess the moral of the story is-life unfolds in strange and wonderful ways before our eyes, even when we are nearly blind with pain and fear.
What a great gift.
I hope your Sept. 12th is a beautiful day-we all deserve it.
Off to do some errands...

Empty Nest

The house is soooo quiet. All the boys are off to work and it's just me, me, me!

Here is what I was working on this weekend. I made some blocks from the Mistletoe Manor fabric I had in the closet. I'd so love to have a Christmas quilt to put on the wall for this Christmas, hmmm.

Added some more blocks to the nine patches I already had and made a couple of little basket blocks.

It was a quiet weekend and I got a lot sewn. We are deciding what we will be doing on our vacation in Bar Harbor, Maine in the next couple of weeks so there was discussion on that. James is coming with us. He's never been to Maine and his boss is closing the shop so he has a week off that just happens to coincide with ours. He spent the weekend gathering new clothes for his job interview on Friday. It's a very BIG job interview with great potential. Please say some prayers for him. This would be a fabulous opportunity. I can't really say too much about it but when the interview is over I'll tell more. Think really good thoughts for James. I'm a little superstitious about saying too much and jinxing it.
Anyway, he needed new clothes and shoes so that's what he went looking for this weekend. Got some nice things at Macy's. He cleans up real well.

I need to go and get some food shopping done and a few of the endless laundry things taken care of. Hope you have a good day and just to make it a little better to start with here's a little inspirational photo of the day. Sigh....

links-o-lot and Wed (old) WIP

I'm playing with jelly rolls of Christmas fabric making mindless nine patches, drumroll........for me. I would like a Christmas wall hanging for ME for a change. If I start now I may have it for (ahem) next Christmas

I was perusing my friend Jane Ann's blog, The Jettstream, and she is showing the cutest little pineapples. The first thing I like is the adorable size. Having been there and done small, I am in awe. I only did a wonky looking log cabin piece above that I gave up on at about 12x9 ish. The second thing I really like about her pineapples is that they have a strong and zippy red fabric that makes them very bright and fun. It made me realise how much my taste in colors has changed in the last few years and also how schizophrenic my color choices are. It must be the Gemini thing pouring out of me. I started quilting with very traditional colors. The Ginny Beyers-country colors stuff. That's still nice for some people but I really get excited about stronger, deeper, wilder colors now. In my defense, back then there wasn't a lot of choice and I didn't have the money to play with fabric like today.On the flip side, I am in love with the primitive look of work done by my friend Libby of A Simple Girl. Then, in an effort to become one of those multi-handed Indian Goddess figures there's this other hand that absolutely adores the girly-girl quality of Cinderberry a blog I found while surfing some Australian sites like Material Obsession(check out the great stuff these women come up with. I can't get the hyperlink to work but it's on my sidebar.)

Maybe this love of vibrant color really started with the big fat box of crayons in grade school. Never got one of those. Of course not having the perfect colors made me make them by mixing and over-coloring which really got the art teacher excited! Whatever it is that makes me love COLOR C O L O R color is a lot like music. It moves and excites me. See my friend Terry Grant at And Sew it Goes. Her work, as well as my friend Gerrie Congdon, makes me want to get my art going and mix it up. Seeing one of these great people come up with a new piece is a lot like finding visual music laid out before you. It's elemental, essential, and stimulating and all in different ways. How lucky are we to have found each other? Very lucky indeed.

Well, Roger has taken this week off and is relaxing with a book and I am sewing and puttering around. There is cooking and lunching and computering to find things to do on the vacation coming up at the end of Sept. It's nice to have him around.

Hope you have a good day.

Friday Mish-mash& Dust

Yesterday I worked a little one these. Whatever these are. I haven't been able to decide what I'm doing. There are moments, like now, when I wish I were an organized and focused person. At this age, it's unlikely to change so here is my current UFO. When our company is gone I will play around with them and see what pops into the picture.

Today I'm spending time with my least favorite thing in the house. The Super Sucker. I have back problems so a morning spent with this is followed by a little lay-down and a bunch of Extra Strength Tylenol. I really had no choice though since the dust bunnies were asking for lunch. Our friends are coming tomorrow for a couple of days and since I really like them, the bunnies had to go. They both work jobs outside the home and they're 2 of the easiest folks to have visit that you can imagine. Very down to earth and not at all concerned with things being just so. I love them. It was pretty funky around here though so now, at least when they pull out a chair, they won't get a pile of fluff and thread.

We are currently planning our vacation which is usually to Bar Harbor Maine. This year, wonder of wonders, our son James has a couple of weeks off right then and has decided that it is fun to be with Mom & Dad again. They do grow up eventually don't they? His girlfriend Dani will be in College so we didn't think he would want to go. He really hasn't had a vacation in several years due to working and school so I'm not that surprised that a week away with anyone is appealing. Our summer vacation used to be in Lake George or Vermont while he was still in grade school. We vacationed with friends who have a s couple of sons and it was a big troop movement back then. We may split this one up and go back to Lake George for a couple of days-who knows. We're kinda seat-of-the-pants travelers. There are a million places to stay in Lake George and after the season there is no problem with a room for a couple of nights mid-week. Bar Harbor sends us a reminder that it's almost time for our yearly visit and so that's not a problem either. In Lake George we can rent a boat and, of course, James wants to visit the arcades. I can do that for a time or 2. There is always the "Minihaha" paddle wheeler for a days outing and miniature golf galore. I'm looking forward to this. It should be fun. All of this is at the end of September so I have time to get my stuff together. It will make September, and Dee, a very busy girl.

My husband has a bunch of unused vacation days coming to him at work and is taking next week off so I'm not sure what we are doing. I may get time to blog and maybe not. In the mean time. I hope you have a safe, healthy, and fun Labor Day weekend.

Jelly Rolls & Stuff

Sorry I've been away for so long. I can't believe that it's been more than a week since I wrote anything. Where does the time disappear to? Down the rabbit hole...

I have gotten a lot of things done. Some work on things I have to finish for various gifts and such. I had placed an order with Hancock's of Paducah and they seem to be sending me the items one at a time...day by day. I've still got a couple of items coming and they will be here soon. Why do they send out catalogs and not have enough stock on hand? The same thing happens with clothing catalogs. I get them one day-call the next and they tell you they're out of stock. One day later. Better than that is when you get a notice a week later in the mail that your item will be shipped next month. AGH!

Anyway, have I mentioned how very much I love the jelly rolls? They are so pretty and you can do a bunch of things with them and then a bunch of things with the scraps from them. Observe...scrap happiness. I made these little wall hangings by sewing strip leftovers together and some leftover lattice in between. Cute, No?? What I really like is that you get to use up every little bit instead of making yet another little baggie of leftover bits. In the Closet of Shame, I am the Queen of Leftover Bit Bags. I went through some of them recently and wondered just why I thought it was a good idea to even save some of the tiny bits. Happy to say, I closed my eyes took a deep breath and tossed a couple of bags of bits. Unless I manage to pull off a miracle, I will never get as many years to make quilts as was in that big bin of baggies.

Last week was my friend Pam's birthday. We celebrated at her house since she is still recovering from knee surgery. It was a very nice little gathering.

Labor Day weekend will be a busy one. Our friends from PA are coming Saturday and leaving Monday morning. They are very active people-always running here and there to see what's new and different since the last time they came. He is one of Roger's friends from grade school and so they like to go and see what's up around here to remind them why they don't live in NY. They have a very large and lovely home in the northwestern PA mountains with a huge piece of property. Only a few homes up there with them and it's really beautiful. Except when the weather sets in for winter. The ride into town is all downhill and twisty and curvy. On a good night in summer it's a challenge. Very dark and sharp turns. Rich drives at top speed like he's racing at Le Mans and it's a real experience to ride along with him. That'll get your heart pumping! Anyway, as you might imagine, the cost of living there and the cost here are great topics of conversation. I love them dearly and can't wait to see them even though Rich is a little like the Tasmanian Devil. It really makes Roger happy as well since most of the people who he was friends with have moved so far away. Blast from the past.

I am gathering some fabric that I know I will never use for quilts and was looking for a good home for it. The I ran across this blog. Sonnja makes little stuffed bears for children in Africa. It's a lovely thing to do and she is always happy to get some fabric to make the bears. For some reason I can't seem to make the link work so scroll down my links on the right and you will see Sonnja's name. I will send off a box of fabric to her this week. Every little kindness helps.

Well, I hear a knock on the door and it is probably the telephone repairman. Our phone has been filled with so much static for a couple of weeks that you can't hear a thing anyone says. Not a good thing for someone who blew out her ear drums with too much loud rock&roll.

Talk to you later.

Lots-o-links update.

Not much going on today but I thought I'd recommend a few books I've read lately that are really very good. It's too hot to think to much about deep stuff and this book is a perfect "can't-put-it-down-murder-mystery" It's in paperback so some of you may have beat me to the book already. I can't wait for this guy to write another book! Seriously, he has mastered the art of blending southern Gothic and almost perfect murder. It's about the disintegration of a wealthy family and how all the crazies come out of the woodwork in the process. Wonderful read. Moving along to my other favorite kind of books I will recommend these two to those of you who are cooking-food writing fans.

I'm working on some stuff today that I don't want to show yet so I'll just leave you with a bunch of new links to investigate if you are in the summer doldrums as so many of us are. Click around and have a little travel through the quilt universe. There are so many talented people out here in blogland I am constantly amazed at the talent and really amazed at the generosity of these women. They are talented, kind, and very giving.

This book "Divisadero", was recommended to me by someone who's opinion I usually value a great deal. I haven't read it yet but plan to soon. Last but far from least I will attempt to covert some more people to my all time favorite mystery writer. James Lee Burke

I fell in love with James Lee Burke's writing many years ago when someone gave me a copy of "Heaven's Prisoners" This man can write like no one since Faulkner. These are not books for the timid. He writes about the harsher realities of being a recovering alcoholic, police detective in the Bayou country of Louisiana. The second book I read by him was one called 'In the Electric Mist with the Confederate Dead " The man writes like music. You can envision what he is saying clearly as he writes it. It may be the subject matter, the deep south,that give it a magical quality but all the while I'm reading I want to break out the bourbon and make something cold to sip on the veranda. When you finish a Burke book you need to cool off and you feel like you have lived with these people. Well, let's just say that anyone who has followed me down the pathway to Burke's New Iberia always comes back for more. I cannot say enough about the tenor of this man's ability to bring characters to life. The subject matter is often not so nice or pretty but if you want to read writing the way it should be-here's your man. The new book is predictably about the Hurricane and what happened regarding the human toll.

Anyway, by now my husband is hysterical laughing because when I love writing I can't stop pushing the books.

Hope everyone has a great day. I'm off to try to accomplish a thing or two.

Wow-lookee what I found-Thank you Janet

After I finished the last entry only a few minutes ago, I happened to be finishing my lunch and browsing. Janet (Just Bee-cause)doesn't blog daily anymore so I don't look everyday and good thing I did today...I guess I'm nice!! Seriously, thanks Janet. You made my day and gave me a big smile. It's a lovely thing to be thought well of by people who you admire and Janet is one of those people. She never has an unkind word about anyone and is so appreciative of whatever people have to say about her lovely work. It's been a gift to get to know her. I'm really glad she had second thoughts about closing her blog. I enjoy hearing from her whenever she decides to write. A very sweet and thoughtful woman with a great sense of humor. My kind of gal! Thanks, again, Janet. I kind of hate passing along these things for fear of hurting someone who isn't getting something like this so I'll just say to all the people on my sidebar are special to me and I encourage you to go look at their wonderful work. A nicer group of artists I can't imagine. Some are talented and very funny as well. And so in closing....I'd just like to say to the academy...OH! where was I??...Love you guys!

Jig Saw Puzzles & Log Cabins & Catch-up

I can hardly believe that a week has gone by but here we are in mid-August. The weather has cleared out a little bit and so we can enjoy a few days of temps that are not in the 90s. It still seems like many people have blog-fatigue and I guess I can count myself among the lost.

My brother Pete and his wife Dawn came bringing with them the ever-adorable niece Alicia this past weekend. They were attending a reunion and so I got to hang with Alicia. She's an only child and very easy to be with. Whatever you want to do she's happy with. Since the weather was crappy-hot we decided to tackle a puzzle. Roger found an old drawing board somewhere and so we were able to do it in comfort on the kitchen table rather than having old Aunt Dee turn into a pretzel around the coffee table on the floor-Oh! my aching back!! Let's not even discuss the knees.
As you can see we all did fairly well until we got to the upper right hand corner pumpkin patch...there aren't enough evil words to describe how hard the dreaded pumpkin patch is. Every piece looks the same and my eyes were getting crossed. Even Alicia passed on that part. We will now put away that one and begin work on the other shown above. I love jig saw puzzles. Don't know why we don't do more of them. Everyone got involved including James who made me get all teary-eyed by shouting for joy when he saw it. He actually said to his girlfriend on the phone that he was so happy to be doing this with the family again. It was a great weekend. Our next group of visitors don't come until Labor Day weekend so we have a weeks respite from entertaining. The next group of visitors are our close friends Rich & Diane. They entertain themselves and everyone else so it will be no sweat for me.
As you can see, I am mindlessly making log cabins and I know, I know, they're not really log cabins I just forget what you call them-is it Bento boxes? Whatever you call them, I had this great, dynamic colored fabric waiting to be used and it caught my eye for just this thing. I have several gift to make and a very late wedding gift or 2 still due and these little boxes will become one of those things.
Other than the puzzles and bento boxes(this is what I'm calling them regardless) there isn't a lot going on. James and Dani are driving to PA this weekend to a car race somewhere in the western part of the state. BIL Bob is going to visit friends upstate and Roger & I are just chillin' here alone. A little BBQ-a little puzzling-a little DVDing and whatever. My BIL Bob isn't able to eat beef much anymore so it will be an all-steak weekend, with some shrimp thrown in to the mix. I may do the Meme on Deb's Red Shoe Ramblings (see sidebar) in the next day...or not. Talk to you soon.

August Bleah...& visitors on the way

I wish I had something nice to say about August..it's not February???? That's about it. It is the much-mentioned hazy, hot, and humid. For those of us who wear glasses, this is the day that you can't see when you go out because the glasses are so fogged that you have to grope around without them until they adjust to whichever extreme they are currently not allowing you to see in. I could bitch and moan a bunch but what's the point.

Today, after my glasses allowed me to see, I did some errands that I could not put off. Pharmacy, grocery, post office, Pick up mail at Food Pantry. I'm now having a large glass of cool water and a chef salad and trying to get my energy up to clear away the funk around the house. My brother Pete, his wife Dawn, and my adorable niece Alicia are coming to visit this weekend. They are going to a high school reunion and Alicia is hanging with me on Saturday. They will leave Sunday morning to return to their house in Pennsylvania. We usually go to Borders to see what I can get for Alicia. Last time she wanted to read Great Expectations and I bought her a copy of Jane Eyre as well. She's a good reader and it was fun to direct her to something that might hold her interest(she loved it)in the way of literature. Alicia is a very talented pianist. She went to visit relatives in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and came home with cat collars for her 3 cats. The button-down looking collars have little neckties attached to them-very funny.

Not a lot going on besides the clean-up crew and trying to stay as cool as possible. I really feel bad for my son James today. He is working in this heat without benefit of air cond. These, however, are the days that I hope solidify in his mind the need to get another job in which he can better use the college education that he just got. If a day like today doesn't convince him-I don't know what will. We are thrilled that he got a job but both agree that it isn't a job we want him to have for long. First, it comes with no medical insurance since it is a very small place. He is learning a lot but God forbid, he gets hurt somehow. Right now we are still carrying him under COBRA which costs around $500.00 a month. I hear an audible groan coming from Roger when he has to write out that check. James is looking for his own insurance but since he is 23 and feels invincible, in that youthful abandon way, he doesn't think he needs to worry. We try to explain that it doesn't matter if he thinks he needs it or not. If something happens without insurance, we will not stand by and watch him bleed without assuming said bill. Ah Youth! and OH Stupidity!!!! We didn't have medical insurance when we were his age but them times were simpler and you didn't loose your shirt over an illness back then either.

So anyway, that's the scoop from Deeville. I hope you are staying cool and happy.....and well.

Monday....again! Oink

We all fell off of the diet wagon this weekend but it really started on Thursday night when Pam made "Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding" for the Thursday night quilt group. Wow! Then we had Lobster rolls and corn on the cob Saturday. Then BIL Bob picked up littleneck clams to steam when he got the lobster so we had them as an appetizer(???, cause you really need something to make the lobster go down better, RIGHT?) Then, last night we had beer-can chicken,homemade macaroni salad, corn on the cob, and a veritable food-induced coma followed. It was a lovely weekend and now I need to not eat a thing for about 6 days.

I want to thank all of you who commented on the last entry regarding the tone of some comments and censorship. It hasn't happened to me but I'm sure it will in time. A few of my close blog friends have had very unpleasant experiences and it just made me wonder at the venom in some of the remarks. Thanks for all the nice things you had to say.

Speaking of nice things and people-if you have the chance and a few moments, stop by my friend Sarah Ann Smith's blog, Art & Quilting in Camden and have a little looksee at the show she is participating in at the Camden, Maine, Public Library through the month. Sarah and her friends are The Frayed Edges, a group of artist-quilters who have been getting together for a number of years to compare, critique and share there wonderful talents. Deborah Boschert of Deborah's Journal is another member who has moved to Texas but remains an active and productive member of the group from afar. All of the women do wonderful work and there is much to be admired. Sarah Ann has a link to all the members on her blog. I wish our trip to Maine was sooner but by the time we will be there in late Sept. their show will be history. The group also had some work shown in Quilting Arts Magazine last year. This is what I talk about when I say how nice it would be to have a group of like-minded women to bond with over this type of artwork.

Other than hauling laundry and waddling around doing some housework, I don't think much will get done today in the way of anything quilty. It's still very warm and humid but then that's the lethargy that is August here. I wish I felt more like exercise but I have to be honest-it's the last thing on my list right now. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Have a great day!

Triangle madness and blog censorship.

Boy Oh Boy...Dog days indeed! We've been spoiled by the very sweet summer temps that have dissolved into the soup that is August. You can cut the air with a knife and a general lethargy has settled in around here.
I'm working on some doll quilt pieces that are gifts and so I have sewn up hundreds of triangles. Not sure what will become of them yet but it's a kind of mindless thing that makes me feel like I have accomplished something. They will be turned into little pieces soon as I have a couple of gifts due soon for various things such as friends birthdays and such. I used the half square triangle papers that I printed out from some on-line thing like Block Central a while back.
I notice that so many bloggers are either on vacation or just as out of it as I am so there isn't a lot going on. A few people, who are a lot more serious about their work than me have posted about wonderful things learned at classes. My good friend Gerrie took a class in Shibori dying last week. If you get a chance go and look. You have to scroll down a bunch but it's worth it. Gorgeous stuff. I am beginning to thing that Portland(Oregon) is the most amazing art mecca. In fact it seems that the left coast is an amazing place to be an artist in general. So many great art quilt groups and shows and classes Oh My! It seems to be a very nurturing environment for that type of thing. I'm a life-long New Yorker and I love it but what you have to do in order to get to anything resembling art in NY is a death defying feat. It's all much further in towards Manhattan and I'm, frankly, not up to it anymore. There is are a couple of guilds here on the island and they are big and eventful but the women I have met so far are not very friendly in general and they stick to a fairly traditional type of work. Independence is not nurtured. In fact the last quilt show I went to the members were trashing fellow members work as being "out there" as I was walking by. Not my kind of thing at all. Again, the Manhattan guilds are just too far away.
On a related subject, why are women sometimes so mean to each other? 99% of the bloggers I encounter are the most helpful and kind people but there seems to be the one or two factions who are waiting somewhere for someone to say the least little thing that displeases them so they can jump out of the bushes(anonymously_very brave) and bitch about it. What has happened to our sense of humor and ability to laugh at ourselves and be lighthearted. It's so bad that a couple of friends have removed posts from their own personal blogs rather than be slammed about something they wrote. In essence they had to censor themselves to please a few cranky witches. We are living in scary times when that happens.
Well, I need to get some laundry done and sew up some more triangles and think about what's up for dinner. It's almost too hot to grill anything-I may just make spaghetti and skip the grill. Hope everyone has a relaxing and pleasant day. Lets continue being nice to each other. There is something wonderful about the company of women and those similar experiences that draw us together.

More forgotten orphans unearthed & a walk in town

This blue piece is another tiny paper pieced doll quilt I made back in the 90s. The yellow one is, I think, the very first thing I ever tried to make. I had a bunch of 4 inch squares I got from some mail order thing and just put them together randomly. The blue log cabin has pieces as narrow as a half inch. I don't remember what on earth I was thinking but by the time I was finished I nearly lost my mind. It remains unfinished because the edges are so narrow I gave up. I will just put a pillowcase finish on it and turn it inside out to finish without batting. I've been sewing up a storm today using a print-out from the computer for half square triangles that finish at 2 inches. I working on a couple of gifts for friends. Just quickie doll sized littles.

The last picture below is of an old house that once belonged to a ship captain. They are doing a lot of work on it and it's next to the small shipyard near the other picture. Lots of machinery doing lots of work in the village right now.

Well I'd better get back to work but I'd like to say hello to Sonnja from the Netherlands who was nice enough to stop by and say Hi but has no blog address or e-mail. I think I'll take Angie's advice and maybe drop the little quilts in a tea bath just to see what happens. Nothing to loose. Thanks for walking and talking with me on this very steamy day. Hope it's cooler where you are.

A Little Finn-ish & Village stuff

I'm really posting these shots for Finn of Pieces from my Scrapbag. If you haven't seen some of the quilts that Finn has been putting together from orphan blocks that so many people have sent her go on over and have a look. I hesitate to call myself a quilter of any particular style. I'm into whatever floats my boat at a particular time. For a long while I made Amish reproduction type miniatures and wall-hangings. That came about because when I saw them in PA Amish country I fell in love and knew I couldn't ever afford to buy one. So I dove in headfirst and decided to try my hand. This, of course, gave me a new-found appreciation for the work done by real Amish women with actual needlework abilities. Awesome work and work I can only dream of since I also found that I'm just too lazy to make anything as perfect. I made a few that are just fine. People say they are very beautiful-my family loves them-but I know where the Amish leaves off and the Dee begins. Anyway, all of this is by way of saying that I really admire so many of my fellow blog ladies who pick a style and then go about perfecting it. Finn is one of these. She has taken these mismatched blocks so nearly child-like in their delightfully playful style and colors that are so far off the mark together that they come full circle to look wonderful together. That's a gift. That's a woman with a natural and playful talent. I look forward to seeing what she's up to daily. Here are a couple of simple things I did a long time ago-before I knew better and during a time when I just wanted to try stuff. The blocks are all very small-2, 2 1/2 inch or so. In retrospect, I wish I had known about more primitive work and tea dying because I now see what doesn't go with the casual doll quilt primitive look. Too bright borders for one thing! I should stick those in a tea bath and see what comes of them.

On another front-I sent out my crack photography team to the village yesterday(Hi Honey!) to take some harbor shots. It was a hazy hot day so everything looks like it's in the mist. He did get a good shot of the church where our Food Pantry is. It's a very pretty church and they are kind enough to let us use the basement for our needs. that little door thingy on the right side down low there...that's the Food Pantry entrance. Try lugging groceries down that thing sometime. It's better than a morning at Curves. Here's shot of the entrance to the park looking across Main Street. Lots of houses up on the hills overlooking the harbor.

Well, I have some cooking to do and the usual boring stuff around the house. I hope to get some sewing done tomorrow.

Where the hell have I been???

Just sitting around trying to get my bearings. We have had company here and there. Roger's office building lost all power so he was in and out for a couple of days and...well....life just kept throwing tiny curve balls. I haven't accomplished anything much in the sewing arena so I won't bore you with that stuff. It's very hot and about 97 percent humidity so I'm kinda hiding out in the cool indoors. I think this time of year is very similar in effect to February for me. You're stuck indoors- unless you like dripping sweat and feeling sticky. Not my cuppa! I have managed to hit Curves for 3 days in a row and even with the air on, it has been a challenge. Lots of water-all day! Yesterday I came home and doodled around while cooling down. Sat down on the living room with Rog and before I knew it I had fallen asleep for an hour in front of the T.V. That's what it's for isn't it??? The endless drone of stupidity just puts me into a coma.
Oh well, I hope anyone who is still awake will forgive me but I need a shower and some breakfast. Our company is returning for the night before flying out of LaGuardia in the morning. We'll do dinner tonight and then they're outta here. Hopefully I will have something quilty to report soon. I notice that not many people are really enthused right now anyway so I'm in good company. Hope to get at the machine next week, if not sooner. Just because I'm not sewing doesn't mean that I don't have umpteen things started. Is there such a thing as sewing schizophrenia?