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April 7, 2026
Wild Things from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was such a beautiful day yesterday, how could I resist getting outside for a walk? Truth is...I couldn't. First, though, I needed to stitch Tiny Treasure #41:

This one has French knots, stem stitch, fly stitch, backstitch, and lazy daisy.

With that finished, I walked around the house to see what was blooming. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the cherry trees are starting to bloom. It's a good time for them, with plenty of sunshine in the forecast for the coming week. We're hoping for plenty of cherries this ...

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April 6, 2026
Easter 2026 from The Quilt Quine

I had quite a varied week at work with some teaching, some quilting and making a movie about a new Accuquilt die with Karen. 

Nella came to stay and we had a super 4 day weekend. Plenty of chocolate was consumed, we went to see Mel in Looe and visited Lydford Gorge with its stunning White Lady waterfall. 

The sun came out at last so I could cut my grass. I was glad of an assistant to put my pop-up budget greenhouse from Lidl together. I was sorely tempted to purchase a hanging egg chair from Tesco but common sense ...

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April 4, 2026
Good Food on Good Friday from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. We're pretty happy about our weekend weather...although the weekend has nothing to do with it when you're retired. Every day is Saturday. In any case, we're gearing up for the warmest weather so far this year...into the 70's today and tomorrow. Hopefully, we'll be able to eat outside for the first time.

Yesterday was another busy day, and it ended with a wonderful family dinner. Before I did anything else, I spent a little time on my slow stitching. This is Tiny Treasure #38. It has stem stitch, backstitch ...

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Good Food on Good Friday from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. We're pretty happy about our weekend weather...although the weekend has nothing to do with it when you're retired. Every day is Saturday. In any case, we're gearing up for the warmest weather so far this year...into the 70's today and tomorrow. Hopefully, we'll be able to eat outside for the first time.

Yesterday was another busy day, and it ended with a wonderful family dinner. Before I did anything else, I spent a little time on my slow stitching. This is Tiny Treasure #38. It has stem stitch, backstitch ...

read more
April 3, 2026
Busy Kitchen Day from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. Our weather seems to have taken a turn for the better. We were expecting rain all this week. Yesterday turned into a pretty nice day, and it's even nicer today. It makes me happy since we're getting together with the fam. It's always nicer when we're not confined to the house. The temperatures this weekend are supposed to reach into the 70's. That's what I'm talkin' about! If our dreams come true, we'll be able to eat outside on Sunday for the first time this year.

As for ...

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Busy Kitchen Day from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. Our weather seems to have taken a turn for the better. We were expecting rain all this week. Yesterday turned into a pretty nice day, and it's even nicer today. It makes me happy since we're getting together with the fam. It's always nicer when we're not confined to the house. The temperatures this weekend are supposed to reach into the 70's. That's what I'm talkin' about! If our dreams come true, we'll be able to eat outside on Sunday for the first time this year.

As for ...

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March 31, 2026
Good-bye to March from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. Beware. Pranksters will be out tomorrow. It's never to soon to make plans for defending yourself. We have a trip to the grocery store planned. Do you think we can April Fools Day our way into some free groceries? I'm thinking you do your debit card, then reverse the charges, and yell, "April Fools!" Yeah...probably not, but it has me thinking.

So yesterday I made good on my threat to get outside and clean up the culinary herb garden. There was an alarming amount of grass growing in some places. Grass can't ...

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Good-bye to March from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. Beware. Pranksters will be out tomorrow. It's never to soon to make plans for defending yourself. We have a trip to the grocery store planned. Do you think we can April Fools Day our way into some free groceries? I'm thinking you do your debit card, then reverse the charges, and yell, "April Fools!" Yeah...probably not, but it has me thinking.

So yesterday I made good on my threat to get outside and clean up the culinary herb garden. There was an alarming amount of grass growing in some places. Grass can't ...

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March 30, 2026
Taking Cuts from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. We're looking at a decent day of weather ahead. There's one more somewhat urgent clean-up job in the garden, and I'm thinking today is the day. I've pulled the worst of the weeds and  deadheaded the shrubs that needed it. The last task is to clean up the culinary herb garden. I cut a huge amount of sage from the herbs last year, and the ground is looking a little barren at the moment. I'm waiting to see now much of it will fill in with chives, and then I'll ...

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Taking Cuts from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. We're looking at a decent day of weather ahead. There's one more somewhat urgent clean-up job in the garden, and I'm thinking today is the day. I've pulled the worst of the weeds and  deadheaded the shrubs that needed it. The last task is to clean up the culinary herb garden. I cut a huge amount of sage from the herbs last year, and the ground is looking a little barren at the moment. I'm waiting to see now much of it will fill in with chives, and then I'll ...

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March 29, 2026
Let There Be (more) Light! from The Quilt Quine

I am hopeful that with an extra hour of light in the evening I will feel more inspired to do more. Every night this week I came home from work, went for a dog-walk, cooked, washed up, watched maybe an hour of telly then bed – on repeat! I continually come up with excuses as to why I am not doing more with my evenings – not enough light, not enough space, not enough motivation;) 

If the weather improves I will put up my pop-up greenhouse and plant some seeds. Before too long I will probably be complaining how long it takes ...

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March 23, 2026
Monday Musings from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was good to take a day off yesterday. I managed to make my way all the way around the house pulling weeds, filling my 7-gallon bucket with hairy bittercress. I'm sure I missed a few sprigs here and there, but I gave it something to think about. There were a few other unrecognized blooming weeds out there too...friends of the hairy bittercress, one assumes. I pulled up any weed that was blooming. They'll have to spread their seeds somewhere else.

My knees were killing me after that effort. The thing is...there ...

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Monday Musings from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was good to take a day off yesterday. I managed to make my way all the way around the house pulling weeds, filling my 7-gallon bucket with hairy bittercress. I'm sure I missed a few sprigs here and there, but I gave it something to think about. There were a few other unrecognized blooming weeds out there too...friends of the hairy bittercress, one assumes. I pulled up any weed that was blooming. They'll have to spread their seeds somewhere else.

My knees were killing me after that effort. The thing is...there ...

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March 22, 2026
Spring Spruce Up from The Quilt Quine

I have been enjoying lovely spring weather this weekend and got stuck into some serious garden tidying. I borrowed a more powerful pressure washer and got rid of the winter slime. It was a messy job but worth it. I had to stop when the old flaky paint looked like it might wash off the walls. I repainted the front of my shed which had gone green and most of the fence which is pretty rotten. After mowing the grass and buying Nessie a new basketball, I felt very satisfied. I even cut down a sycamore tree that was growing ...

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March 15, 2026
Ready for Binding from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was a very nice day here yesterday. It's still too chilly to be outside, but the sunshine was very nice. It gave me a chance to get out and take a look at what's what in the garden. Of course, the heather has been in bloom for a long time. We planted it because it is a winter bloomer.


A few daffodils have opened…the white ones with a yellow center. Last fall we planted some unconventional colors, but they’re all still in tight buds.


The flowering plums lining our driveway are ...

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Ready for Binding from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was a very nice day here yesterday. It's still too chilly to be outside, but the sunshine was very nice. It gave me a chance to get out and take a look at what's what in the garden. Of course, the heather has been in bloom for a long time. We planted it because it is a winter bloomer.


A few daffodils have opened…the white ones with a yellow center. Last fall we planted some unconventional colors, but they’re all still in tight buds.


The flowering plums lining our driveway are ...

read more
March 9, 2026
Puffed Out! from The Quilt Quine

I had such a busy week that I actually forgot that I had a long weekend. At first I wondered what I was going to do with it. Perhaps I should’ve planned to go away. I had two intense days of long arm quilting mastery teaching which went very well. I also gave a talk to the local Quilt group and everybody stayed awake so that’s always a good sign. It was great to see some of my quilts again which just live in a suitcase. I have been driving around with them all week because I can ...

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March 1, 2026
A Meh Week from The Quilt Quine

 On the whole I am content with my new life but much of the past week was a bit “Meh”. There was one sunny day but I spent it at work. It feels like it would be nice to get out in the garden again and tidy up but it it is all still too wet. At least some daffodils in a pot are trumpeting their heads off. 

I went on a road trip to the seaside and had very good fish and chips but did not come home with any fun purchases. I know I don’t need anything ...

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February 14, 2026
Deep in Winter Wonderings from Canadian Needle Nana

I was up early and out the door to refill the bird feeders. I've added a third this winter as it's turning into an especially cold one. Wind chill then was -35C ( up from the -39C low overnight) and wind in strong gusts made it most uncomfortable. That cold makes it such a relief to be out of it and back into the warmth of the house. But there are drifts over the front steps so I'll be back out there soon to shovel which will warm me up. 

I always feel lucky to get a glimpse ...

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January 30, 2026
January in the Garden from From My Carolina Home

Last Saturday night, the ice storm arrived in our area, coating the trees and covering the driveway. I knew this was coming, and got concerned about the single digit temperatures. While I have plants in the Carolina room to keep them sheltered, this was just going to be too much for a few of them.

I decided to move the ones most at risk to the basement where it is warm and I have a grow light. It was a good time to set up some small pots for the spider plant to root its little daughter plants.

Consulting the ...

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