Another Year Already

Why is it that when we are young a year seems to take forever to come around and the older we get the faster it seems to go by? Yesterday was my 66th birthday. Most days I don't feel that old and most of the time I don't act that old so even though I know it's true I still have a hard time believing the number.
Today the knitting and fiber group is having their meeting here and DH kindly made Famous BBQ so we should have a good time. For dessert there is Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Also as you can see on the game board  that I won the game. DH will tell you it's because yesterday was my birthday so he is taking it easy on me. He also gave me a Kindle Fire for my birthday which should be here in the next day or two.

July UFO

Here is my July UFO. I managed to get the top finished. I didn't get it quilted my machine is having problems which I haven't been able to figure out yet. Squeaker just had to check it out up close and personal. This was a kit from Connecting Threads and went together quickly. Now to get started on the August quilt.

Anyone Else Running Behind?

It's hard for me to believe that it's already July. It has been a busy three weeks since my last post. DH started on my shed and got it almost done before he had to leave. This will give me a place to store overflow until I can get through it to determine how much I really need to keep and what should find a new home.

The hollyhocks are finally blooming and the grapes are growing. DH cut the grape vines way back this spring and then worried because it took them awhile to show signs of growth. They are loaded with tiny clusters of grapes. If all of them ripen we will be making grape jelly and possibly some wine with them.

When Dh returns from his trip my brother and his wife are coming to stay for a week and see the sights around the area. It will be nice to see them again. That being said I guess I'd best get started on my long list of things to do so I'll be ready for company.

It Just Looks so Country

Yesterday dh was working on building a storage shed so I can put all my unpacked yarn, material and other stuff in there, get the quilt room organized and the guest room put together while unpacking one box at a time. It will give me room to breath. While he was doing all that I hung some wash out on the line. It's been many years since I had a clothes line. Dh say it just looks so country to see the wash hanging on the line.

This week they mowed the hay field next to us, raked and baled and yesterday they picked up all the bales to take them and store them somewhere else. Last night as we were coming home fromTwin Falls you could see bright lights all over the fields around in various stages of haying. We've lived here almost 3 years and it is really interesting watching the seasons. One minute it is cold and the next gardens are going in and once water is applied everything seems to grow overnight.

On Wednesday this week I went to a quilt class. It was to make a quilt from the Circle of Nine Book by Jean Ann Wright and Janet Houts. Janet lives in our area (Magic Valley) and she was the one teaching the class. This is the quilt top I made. I am going to make it larger and a rectangle instead of a square by adding a border top and bottom and then a second border all around. This is a fun class so if you get a chance to take a class I would recommend it. Well, guess I'd better get back to work.

What I've Been Doing

I've been busy in the quilt room working on a couple of quilts and trying to get some knitting done. Squeak always thinks knitting is a group effort. He thinks his job is to chew the yarn in half and if I'm not using it he can play with the ball of yarn and whatever project is attached. The yarn used in these socks is called Frolicking Feet from Done Roving. I purchased it at A Good Yarn Shop in Port Orchard, WA when I was up there in May to visit my son. I really like the self striping yarns. One of my very favorite yarns is called Amazing Yarn from Lion Brand. It knits up really soft. Well, I know this is short, but I need to go get some work done in the quilt room. I am signed up for another Circle of Nine Workshop this coming Wednesday, the 13th of June. Have a good weekend.

Some Assembly Required

Yesterday we bought a patio swing. I brought it home while dh started off on his weekend. It took me 2.5 hours to put together. I was really looking forward to sitting out on the deck today in the swing and enjoying the peace and quiet. About midnight it started to rain and it is still raining. So maybe tomorrow afternoon I can sit in the swing if it is dried out by then. If not there is always Monday which is supposed to be very nice around here.

Today was spent in the quilt room putting Big Mama (my new Accuquilt Studio Cutter) together and testing her out and then getting the quilt in the machine quilted. I didn't get a picture before I packed the quilt  up to get it ready to mail.

Contrary To the Rumor

I know you thought I had dropped of the face of the earth, but that rumor is false. The weather warmed up in Idaho and spring has sprung. We have been making raised bed gardens around the trees, hauling dirt and gravel (mostly dh) and I have been working in the quilt room trying to get some of the small pieces turned into blocks so I have bigger things to lose. I have a couple of quilts to finish making for a customer, a couple of quilts  to quilt for other customers and I need to get back on track with my UFO 2012 challenge.

Dh has spent the last couple of days getting his camper ready to take for his guitar playing weekend in Hammett, ID this weekend.  Once I get a breather in the quilt room I need to make him some new curtains for his windows. Thought I'd make them out of muslin ( unless I can find some chili pepper material) and embroider a guitar on the corner of each of them.

So I'll try to do better at the posting, and keeping things up to date.