I finished it!

Yesterday I finished hand quilting "Emma's Quilt" designed by Jo Morton.  I started this in a class with Jo in 2002!.  I'm not sure when I finished the top and started the quilting but it has been a LONG time.  The batting is "Cotton Classic" by Fairfield, which I split in half for this quilt.  It's been years and years since Fairfield made that batting - or at least since I've seen anyone sell it.

(Quick pause for research - I see they still make it!  I've not seen any Fairfield batting around here for a LONG time.)

I think this has been in my quilting hoop for 10 years or so.  There were quite a few years when arthritis pain prevented me from hand quilting at all.  Right now that doesn't seem to be a problem - knock on wood! - so I'm looking forward to choosing another top to hand quilt.  Many of the fabrics in this quilt are REALLY old - I think the pin dot (border) is from the 80's.  So is the burgundy with tiny rosebuds used in the pinwheels and some of the applique.  The light background is from one of Jo's earliest lines (if I remember correctly).

It feels SO good to have this finished!

After two very rainy, cold springs - March weather lasted almost through June - we are now having an amazing spring.  Flowers have been blooming everywhere for some time.  Our fruit trees are already dropping their blossoms.  When I was outside photographing the quilt I had to take a couple other pictures to share.

Since I mentioned spring . . . .

When I went out to our mailbox I noticed our yard.  Just in the last day beautiful purple and white crocuses have opened their faces to the sun.  They are everywhere I look!

And the early daffodils are blooming.

March has come in like a lamb - I hope that doesn't mean it will go out with a huge storm!

One thing leads to another

We had a Weber kettle years ago. Loved that barbecue! I even did a few Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys in it. When it wore out we replaced it with a gas grill. We bought a $199 "special" that I thought would be so much better than the Weber.

It wasn't. It cooked hot dogs and hamburgers OK, but I gave up on anything else. Cooking with indirect heat was a joke - things too close to the fire burned and things too far away weren't cooked. I gave up. We didn't use it at all the last two summers.

I missed cooking outside and eating wonderful barbecue. I told Fred last fall that I wanted a new grill this spring when our income tax refund arrived. We got a HUGE surprise when we learned that a considerably bigger refund was coming than we expected (hence the new things in the kitchen too).

I did my research at the library, online and at quite a few different stores. I was determined to get a good barbecue this time. And this is the result. I especially love the color! I'm very eager to give it a

One thing leads to another I guess. I borrowed the neighbor's power washer to clean the concrete slab out back that was supposed to be a patio. What a difference! The slippery moss that loves to grow on the covered north side of the house in our wet climate is gone. Once that was done the grill moved into place.

I decided to try growing herbs in pots this summer as I've started using fresh herbs a lot in my cooking. Figured I'd add strawberries and tomatoes while I was at it. The pots look so pretty all lined up in a row - tarragon, marjoram, flat leaf parsley, thyme, dill, rosemary, sage, mint and chives. I still need to get one more pot for mint - can't forget mint for summer drinks! The bigger pot in the corner holds a grape tomato plant, and the strawberries are in a hanging basket. I can hardly wait to start harvesting!

When I stood in the door and surveyed my handiwork I figured something was missing. We've never had room for a patio set, but I figured I could fit in a bistro table and chairs. So back to the stores I went - looking and looking for something that would work that didn't cost a fortune. I'm thrilled with the result. It's going to be so nice sitting out here for brunch or a casual dinner.

I have hanging baskets of shade loving fuchsias and impatiens. Since I don't do ladders they are waiting for Fred to hang this weekend. Now we are all set for summer!