Random ramblings

I had such plans for this week. So many things I wanted to get done. So how have I been spending my morning? Mostly sitting in a chair at the computer. Didn't even shower and dress until almost noon. You see one of my goals was catching up on my blog reading - you've heard that song and dance before - right? It always takes longer than I think it will - even if I skim posts that aren't really quilty. I'm trying to comment - I had not commenting! In the meantime little guilty feelings keep nagging at the back of my brain. I have put away the clean laundry and washed sheets - that's something, right? And now the Bloglines website seems to be having problems so I can't even move on with my reading. Maybe someone is trying to tell me something?

Sophie and I scored big when we visited the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning. I've been telling myself I need to do that at least a couple times a month. Why not have wonderful fresh vegetables and fruits right off the farms when they are available? So I have a stir fry planned for dinner - can hardly wait. The first picture shows our bounty - can't figure out what the flash bounced on to make that glare. I also couldn't resist the marvelous flowers. I'm not at all talented at flower arranging but I don't care - this looks great in the corner of the dining room!

As you all know, I'm focusing on UFO's again this year, and finally making good progress. Unfortunately, I'm getting really tired of UFO's. As I told Finn a couple days ago, I was really missing playing with my scraps. Just seeing what she and some of the rest of you are doing has be aching to dip my hands in that big string box or open that box of hour glass blocks. But I'm going to be good - at least for awhile longer.

So I got out a season-appropriate UFO that I've not touched for years and years. According to my UFO spreadsheet I received these Halloween blocks in a round robin in 1993. This was a round robin where I made the "inspiration block"(the first picture), tacked it to a 4" grid, assigned the appropriate number of squares for each participant and then started passing it around. As each person covered their assigned number of squares with one or more blocks - tacking them onto the grid also - it becomes more and more of a challenge to the next people in the robin. I love all these blocks - some are so very creative! (Click to enlarge for a good look) What I'd forgotten is how dark, gray and black they all are! Very little orange in them at all. I took them off the grid years ago, and now have no idea of the original arrangement. No matter - I've decided I need to add a bunch more blocks - with lots more orange - to brighten this quilt-to-be. I even have dark gray, brown and black fabrics chosen for sashings and borders! So once Lily's quilt is finished I think I'll start looking for more block ideas for this quilt. It would be nice to have it finished for this Halloween don't you think - only 15 years after I made the first center block!

Tangled Threads is meeting here tomorrow night. Today and tomorrow we are supposed to hit 95 degrees - really unusual for this time of year! I'm ready to email my pals and suggest we meet somewhere else tomorrow night - somewhere with air conditioning! Another Thread is taking care of dessert - I sure hope it's something having to do with ice cream! In the meantime four giant tubs of fall decorations are sitting in my living room. I've taken off the tops - does that count as starting? I just can't seem to find the motivation to actually work at anything. Maybe that's because I spent the last three days chasing after a 19-month-old?

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Gratitudes:

1. Nature's seasonal bounty

2. Precious grandchildren

3. A safe trip home for Jeremy