As part of our car club activities, sometimes we take a role in a drive. This time we volunteered to be the sweep car for a group of drivers that will take a drive around some of our local back roads, winding up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, then up to Mt Mitchell. There, we will stop for lunch and to enjoy the mountain views. The role of a sweep car is to communicate with the lead car when all cars have made a turn or made it through a light, and to stop with any car on the drive ...

Summer Color from the Flower Beds... 

Summer Color from the flower beds !

View my Instagram feed HERE ...

Now that hay season is over,

I am trying to spend some time 

in the flower beds... 

It is hot and humid here now, not my favorite time of year. I really do hate the heat, especially when it climbs above 80 and the humidity is high. The good things about summer, though, are pretty birds, beautiful flowers and fresh produce. Our local flock of goldfinches are feasting daily at the feeder. Here, six males are cooperating nicely, sometimes they peck at each other. The ladies were all hanging out in the oak tree.

At the farmer’s market produce stand, the strawberries were amazing.

The tomatoes are delightful – huge, red, and so flavorful! I gathered some ...

It was a great Spring for the Lupine...

They make me happy each time I pass by ...

We've been on a road trip to the Lakes Region of NH. Spent time with Mom and Dad for both Father's Day and my mother's birthday this past Tuesday. This photo is from five years ago. There have been a lot of changes since 2019. Mom can't physically navigate much anymore, she's a good deal weaker than I've ever seen; it's so hard to watch this happen. But, on the bright side, at 91 and 96 they're

We've been on a road trip to the Lakes Region of NH. Spent time with Mom and Dad for both Father's Day and my mother's birthday this past Tuesday. This photo is from five years ago. There have been a lot of changes since 2019. Mom can't physically navigate much anymore, she's a good deal weaker than I've ever seen; it's so hard to watch this happen. But, on the bright side, at 91 and 96 they're

Looking out the front sliding glass door on a rainy day this past week, a wet and bedraggled looking Gracie was sitting at the doormat, looking hopeful. It is apparent she still has pups in her nest. Of course she got a nice, fat, peanut butter sandwich.

It was still drizzling, but she took her treat to the retaining wall where she could eat under the canopy of the tree.

Back on the veranda, the dahlias are sprouting. I have these in a pot so I don’t have to dig them up for winter, I just take the pot ...

 Spring is crazy around here. (You'd have to live under a rock to not be aware that I like to garden.)  My body has been talking quite loudly: "Lady - what the fark do you think you're doing??? You sat on your ass all winter watching tv. I can't do this stuff - and if you make me, you're gonna pay!"

And yes, I'm hurting. Bursitis in my shoulder, an awful knot in my shoulder blade, golfer's elbow, and a bad knee. Oh, and whatever is wrong with my neck, that I woke up with yesterday ...

January to March 2024

What to make with a pack of fruit and vegetable printed fabrics? My original intention was to make a mason jar quilt with these vibrant prints but a quilter can always change their mind, right?

Cool October nights are bringing the garden season to a close. While I still have some tomatoes on the vine, and more still green, they are mostly done. I harvested these, and I’ll pull up the plants when the first frost occurs.

There is still one squash left on the vine, and it finally appears to be ripening into a golden-tan color.

We are finally seeing a bit of color on some trees.

Because the black cherry tomatoes were unusual and flavorful, I saved some of those seeds for next year. See my method on my previous post Saving ...

 This is a bowl of leftover green beans (DH does not like green beans) and pickled beets (DH also does not like pickled beets, the weirdo) and feta cheese.

I have auditioned final border fabrics

for this horse panel quilt...