Celebrate Memorial Day.

 Good Morning all.

Hot and sunny here in Columbus, Ohio.

I want to thanks all our servicemen for what they

do to support our freedoms and remember those who

gone before.

Yesterday we drove 7.5 hours to get here.

After a good nights sleep I am raring to go.

If I can figure how to download photos from

my camera you will see what we do.

Have a safe holiday.

Ready Set and GO to Columbus today.

 I start my day here at Cedar Ridge and will end it at

QSDS 2012 in Columbus.

Where I will be for 7 days.

Looking forward to learning something new.

Most of my friends will be here at the Indiana Dunes.

Indiana has beautiful places to go.

And Live.

I left my husband lots of food.

Written instructions on the washer and dryer

and instructions to wash those dishes.

When we were first married I went to the hospital

to have our first child and came home to a

sink full of dirty and moldy dishes.

7 days worth.

I do not think he has ever washed dishes yet

in the 50 years we have been married.

Well I better get dressed and head to Lafayette to pick

up Pat and Anita.



One day to go.

Packed and ready to go

but

I think all the stuff 3 ladies want to take with

will not FIT.

Thank goodness I have a SUV with a hitch

and a friend has a hitch platform to put behind my car.

Now just to remember for the 5 hour drive that

the car will be longer.

Think we will get to Columbus without scarping

another car?

Yesterday proves that everything goes wrong when

you want to leave town.

My helper around the house pulled her back out.

So NO help.

My dishwasher quit working.

I got an early start at 5 am planting my outdoor pots.

I am going with a colorful mix this year.

Magenta, baby blue, yellow, plum and marigolds.

I found some interesting greens to add in.

Look forward to seeing them flush out.

Now to pick up the mess I made yesterday.

Set out the paper plates so my husband will

use them. I know he won't wash dishes while I am gone.

Have to put instructions on how to wash & dry clothes.

Better get at it.

Foggy mornings.

 My husbands domain is down by the big pond.

He has planted a new asparagus patch.

The garden  is shaping up .

Sweet corn and potatoes look great this year.

 The big pond gives him something to look at

between working in the garden and his new project.

 He is building a new and larger chicken house.

He bought 3 new types of chickens this spring.

They will start laying big brown eggs in a few weeks.

I see a summer of fresh vegetables, poached eggs on toast

with a side of  new potatoes.

Nothing surpasses fresh Indiana sweet corn.

Love living in the country.

Woods and Bird houses.

 We live in an enchanted place.

Surrounded by woods, trees, ponds and bird houses

We have over 20 bird houses plus the 2 apartment style
Martin houses. Our favorite spot after supper is the deck
by the small pond. This spring the weather wood cottage
bird house is home to a pair of blue birds . Each evening he brings her food.  Fat juicy bugs and worms. How nice to be taken care of.  Honey suckle vines curl around the trellis it is on making
it a busy place with humming birds darting in and out the vines looking for nectar. The Martin's make lots of noise as they are a community of birds. We have over 14 Purple Martins now. My husband's garden is almost full now just a few rows of corn to plant. So far there is cantaloupe, watermelon, potatoes, tomatoes, corn and  asparagus. Lots of good things to share with friends and neighbors. Today is a day of appointment's.  A 8 am medical test at the hospital, A massage than a 5 pm hair cut. In between I will iron my clothes fir QSDS and finish packing. I will have Friday and Saturday to relax. Terry at QSDS let us know that there will be art students there to empty our cars and carry everything to our rooms and the sewing studios.  What a thoughtful thing. Now to cram 3 ladies clothes and sewing gear into my SUV. I told Anita I was going to eliminate some fabric she replied no leave home some clothes instead. Sounds like a plan.

Great use for empry water bottles.

 Saw this on the Internet this week and had to share.

What a clever use of empty water bottles

and colored water.

 This would be a great project for school children.

 or an installation.

I will spend my day adding some gold, silver and

copper leaf to fabric pieces.

They will make great accents for my quilts.

Yesterday I got injections in both knees.

Its been years since the last one.

Forgot the discomfort.

Spent the afternoon and evening with ice packs.

Thank goodness they are better this morning.

I have too much to do before I leave.

Growing older sure is a challenge.

Best part is I lost 10 pounds.

Giving up sugar and salt.



Canadian Hemlock Resist.

 These are the results of my over painting the hand dyed

fabric i did last week. I used a Canadian hemlock branch

as a resist and rolled acrylic paints over it.

I am really happy how it turned out.

Love deep purple and lime green together.

 The one above is a snow dyed fabric that I stamped

ferns over it.  All these fabrics will go to QSDS 2012

with me for my design class with Cynthia Corbin.

Thursday I will add some more layers.

Today busy work around the house.

The weather has been simply beautiful.

Love this cooler weather.