This Holiday Animal Fair

We are leaving the chickens out this time....well..maybe just a note:

A mad scramble in the chicken yard...lots of white feathers on the ground....missing is Clover....Awful...The next day, as  they were ready to bury feathers and say a  prayer....who came crawling out from underneath the deck...Tough and brave Clover.....safe and sound.. 

 Aoife loves Llamas...every year she goes to the llama Christmas show and last summer, the family took a llama trip to the mountains.. 

Family cat, "Stitch" meets up with Australian shepherd, Rosie...Love at first  sight....well, almost!!

I love this!!

Here is my new fireplace...Sherry spent 5 hours putting this together...I love it so. Unfortunately, it has a  chipped corner....trying to get a replacement....3 rd party seller and I cannot get thru to Amazon..sigh.

Terrible picture, but I could not wait to share.

Lost in my mess...and found again...My grandmother's favorite holiday pins...Miss my grandma so much, but really....I am almost 78.  Most of us no longer have our grandmas.

She was  born in 1896 and died in 1996

A full day with physical therapy...an awesome Quilters' Christmas Party and friends hanging out in  the diner for hours.. The gloomy outside was outdone by the cozy inside...Now to sewing...Have had great expectations of sewing so much for my friends...but no energy here...Oh, well...Why do I  only want to nod off in front of the fire when I have tons to do???

Christmas came with no warning...just an overnight surprise.

Loving the Glimmers

Today was a great day....on Amazon there are small pillows made for comfort...especially when you are sick...perfect for putting on your lap for a tray, perfect to hug when life looks grey, perfect for repositioning self for comfort....A friend of mine is struggling with cancer...she loves sunflowers...I covered the small pillow with fabric quaranteed to spread joy.   I gave it to her today ...  A glimmer of happy.

Next, small thing with great joy. A birthday potholder for a friend who has been a missionary in Africa for  years.  Below a potholder made with snips from different African fabric.

Dr. Suess fabric given away in an impulsive destashing...ugh...given back for a requested potholder to be gifted for Christmas..

A hostess gift...all ready to be gifted....

In Oregon, family chops down their own lovely Christmas tree.

In our art studio my " Christmas Charm " quilt...A divided 9 patch arranged with every center of a different fabric....thus "charm"

My girl in Oregon has started to excite her chickens with the holiday season....

Such a great day.  I actually slept last night...a rare thing... Had a lovely two hour lunch with like minded folks;  a card game with friendly favorites; My cleaning lady and her daughter saved my day, as they always do; a chat with online friends; putting my tree decorations on a design wall; and...working on some WIPs...needed to finish for the holidays.

The few negatives:  cannot for the life of me figure out a birthday present for a dear friend...I need a hernia operation and must lose more weight for that .   Instead, I am drinking red wine and feasting on junk....Sigh.  A friend just delivered the hard to find local peppermint ice cream...sigh and sigh again...No willpower here!!

With all my work on my sewing machine by the mechanic and my friends...what do I find tonight....but a needle threader all broken and hanging by a thread on the edge of the machine... and it is a month out from an expensive servicing!!!!

Winter is finally here in Charlotte.  Below freezing in the morning and glorious trees albeit cloudy days.  I love living here... So many great friends and meal served...no cooking for me.. I have been putting my tree decorations on a cleared design wall...

We have started a new quilting group beginning in January with lots of interest. and my favorite quilting friends continue to come visit on Wednesday s....Did I mention that life is good??!!

A Lazy Day

 Instead of sewing my list of projects....or my holiday list, I made these  ....They have been sitting around for a year or two.

A butterfly potholder

My girl shows off her chicken diaper...she made with love, but not practicality....

Ten year old family cat. Stitch....never blinked an eye as he was transported to Portland, Oregon from his latest NC home.  Here he claims the chicken quilt I made.

The grands and me as we said good=bye to our family home...I miss them so much..'

They are with their wonderful mother now...She is only 40....I am soon to be  78...sigh..

It is hard to say goodbye to yesterday

No use being morose...life goes on...I want to say, "How could they grow up???"   Or/and "How could I grow old??"  This was 3.5 year ago....

On the other hand, I am still here, they are doing well....and this is the life!! Grateful....

Today was morose...I did not sleep last night....morose until I stepped outside on my patio to a stunning sunny day...Fall crispness, Carolina blue sky, warm and beautiful....friends dropping by to visit...and sewing..three books on my lap just in case....

Funny how when a  person gets out of themselves, the good life happens..

BIG Disclaimer!!!  I have been told by my girl that this is NOT a chicken diaper, rather it is a cat harness so she can take Stitch for a walk...Silly me....:)

Quilting Makes Life Better

 Concentrating on the good stuff:   My new funky compression socks...fall leaves, Celtic knots, etc and Christmas ones on the way.  My legs already feel better!!  Crazy Compression socks 

 Daily I am getting more energy.  Patchwork resumes!!

 Here are some of the things I am continuuing with:  

Cutting new 5.5 inch blocks for scrap donation..quilt   

Steam a Seam light for applique, run thru my cool and awesome electric Accucutter

It is so invigorating to be sewing again!

For some of life's reasons, sadness has been hanging around.  My misbehaving son continues to break my heart. He is 40 now... Missing my husband....and of course grandmother and mother, etc.  My niece died 6 months ago, at 38  leaving my sister and nephew in a sad fog.  My hip recovery is so slow...However, my daughter in Portland is grand with her chickens, cat, dog and family...She insists that having six egg laying hens is heaven.. I have to believe her when she insists that chickens are not only pettable..but kissable too....OMG..  I have never even seen an upclose chicken, never mind pet one or have one on my lap. Hmmmm....

This is my latest poultry possession...Sorry, Emily.....This is the best I can do!!

Quilt Patch Fabric in Stallings is selling Pearl Cotton for $1.99.  I could not say no.....

My brand new walking foot...Now Little Red travel machine has been put away...

My 8900 is heaven...

Why is blogging so slow...age is upon me????

The weather is lovely including some leaves changing.  I have great support here with an awesome pool, cards, sewing, great  new friends...Finally I am driving....I cannot  wait to go to the library and connect with old time friends. Leaving yesterday is hard for me.  Concentrating on the gratitude of today means all the difference.  Sad to say that  my exercise consists of my strong and growing PayPal finger...And, relaxation is on the pool deck reading in the sun.

 

New Friends, etc

Yesterday the weather was 72 and sunny.  Last night it was 35 and snowing...Big fat white flakes...amazing...Guess winter is here.

Above, my girl makes an apron for her girl to use while harvesting eggs..See the pockets :)

Below a new friend of mine made me a crochet bowl...

Our 10 year old family cat , Stitch, now lives in Portland with my daughter.  Here, Stitch meets Bock-Bock...hmmm

Below Stitch meets Rosie...hmmm Rosie wants to play, our Stitch holds his own.

I am not blogging because I am not sewing.  I am 6 months into recoup for  my hip replacement ...doing well, but not fast enough!! I saw the shoulder surgeon last week.  He said the shoulder has to be replaced.  It is in very bad shape.  He refuses to do it until my hernia is repaired...My Oh My...is old age fun!!!  I will be looking at two more surgeries in the upcoming future.  

I ordered some sale fat quarters on Spoonflower...What else would a woman do to cheer her day???

Sewing friends drop by tomorrow...Wednesdays at 11 am for lunch...in our Bistro...new/old friends Welcome.  My tiny, one bedroom apartment with a lovely patio has no dining table and no sofa...What it does have is bookcase after bookcase of what is left of my fabric collection of 60 years.

Yesterday I was strong enough to update my driver's license and get my real ID.  I got an appointment in two days.  I took my passport and mail and old driver's license etc, etc.   I asked where the handicapped seating was...It was empty but for me.  In five minutes I was called up...no eye test, no written test...just important paperwork to prove I was legit....out in 20  minutes...OMG  A miracle in North Carolina.  It is good for 5 years since I am considered old...ha ha ha ha ha  I have not driven in at least 8 months...Wahoo...a new teenager...World, I am back!!!

All is well today.  Leaves are changing; Weather is changing and I am not what I used to be... 

Sunday, my great DIL brought all my grands to visit.  They picked up things dropped on the floor and took me to dinner....Mexican is  always my favorite since I grew up in Phoenix.

Life is mostly good.  Friends are great.

My hope is that all of you enjoy the life too xo

Chicken Story ad nauseum....

 A chicken story to die for:

My girl's man got 7 chickens to avoid getting a cat....Now dressed in a chix costume for Halloween OMG

Bock-Bock is Aoife's favorite chicken.  She comes when she is called and allows her stomach to be scratched.  She is now sick.;..What to do when your five  year old loves, loves, loves her pet chicken.

Of course call the chicken vet!!  Well there are only 2 chicken vets in Portland.  Both charge $195...for assessment...hmmmmm  After much debate, guess where Bock Bock is going?????

Below is my girl's beginning of another chicken diaper...I offered my fabric, but she said it was not modern enough!  Not modern enough for a diaper for a chicken???? Ok...

And, then there is a cat story in case you are bored with chickens....Our favorite 10 year old  O'Quilt family cat had been living for 3 years with grands....Oops...now they can not longer take care of him...So..he goes to Portland with Emily when she leaves NC back to Oregon.  Here my grands say goodbye for now.

No animal can go across state  lines without a paper of health from a certified health vet.  $250.

A special cat carrier for airplanes...required...$50.  An airplane ticket...$150....etc...plus agreement with the husband who is not fond of cats....Hmmm..

Aoife loved Stitch!!!!   He was locked in my girl's sewing room for the night....Soon , he was found on Aoife's pillow purring away.

In the morning Aoife had puffy face and runny  nose...hmmmm  cat allergy????  Off to the pediatrician.... goes Aoife....

Charlotte is a relaxing place to live as Grandma O'Quilts detaches from the lives of others....

Sewing?? Yup..vinyl pouch for my cards...

End of day drama...My sewing machine skips stitches and does not sew...eg bringing bobbin up to needle making a stitch.  My friend upstairs fixed it....Darn...10 min later...another broken needle.  This machine just came out of the shop..Sigh... Grateful am I that I am now very mature...no throwing of the machine out the window, nor saying assorted other words. I left a message on the answering machine at the repair shop....We will see how goes tomorrow....Meantime my new Janome red travel machine comes out to save the day....

A marvelous day with quilting friends...

A marvelous sunny, breezy fall day.

Life is good after all.

The Chicken Quilt

Good Lord.  It has been so long since I have posted, that I almost forgot how!!  Evidently I have been dealing with my hip replacement longer than  I had planned.  I am five months in and they are saying it will take up to a year because of the posterior cut  hip replacement surgery.  I am getting better...slowly but better. Today, I exercised in the pool, played cards and took a nap.  Not bad for an old retired woman. 

The above quilt chicken pattern comes from:Slice of Pi, Chicken Quilt

The pieced backing is below... reproduction feedsack and eggs in a frying pan!! Thank you Sherry and Charmaine for the frying pan Foust donation!! The quilt was quilted in record time by the wonderful, Mary Jerz....She put her own love into it...

My darling North Carolina grands are below...soooo very grown up!! This grandma is proud!!

Back to the chickens:  My Portland granddaughter from my daughter:  Aoife, age 5.  She adores the chickens as you can see: Of course they are all cuddled in  the sheep quilt I had made her when she was

two...Also...as you can see, on the family room couch.

All six hens are laying now...OMG!!

The Portland family is cooking eggs daily... And, BTW, there is no crisis in Portland...It is a down to earth freedom loving city.....

And so it goes.  Fall has come to Charlotte with crisp temperatures and pretty leaves.  We are all so very lucky and grateful xo

Sweater weather

Happy Wednesday

Aoife home sick from school hugging Bok Bok,her favorite chicken...

Bok Bok and Rosie enjoying the second floor landing in their home.  Bok Bok joined Rosie...Rosie does not know quite what to do and Bok Bok is chatting incessantly...Poor dog!!

Today was the best day in a long time.  Quilting friends from forever ago came to our Wednesday quilting here at my place...Lunch, laughing and fabric and quilt talk.  Dinner with other friends and still another late night chat.  Happiness is connection with friends..!!  Amen!!

My sewing machine is ready to be picked up from the shop!!!  TBTG...My sister is coming to help me pick it up...Grateful to the owners of Quilt Patch Fabrics in Matthews, NC for expediting the repair...So sad and lonely is a quilter without her bestie machine.

Nothing much to show you sewing-wise as most is in process and not finished...Just blogging so I do  not lose the touch!!!!  xo

Good Stuff/ Sad Stuff

 Yesterday my quilt was hung in our art room..Purple Mountain Majesty..I made it a number of years ago...just was lucky to show it off now.

A few leaves from last year...soon to meet this year's leaves.

And, below, the sunflower card I recieved today from my granddaughter, Aoife...my kindergarten girl.

Thank you mucho, Aoife!!  Grandma loves you.

Tonight I finished my goal of the past two days:  I made 10 potholder tops...A greatly enjoyable time.

Tomorrow, I will pick the backings...another fun project!!!

As I was perusing fabric scraps for the potholders, I came about this scrap from the first day of kindergarten shirt I made for my son 35 years ago.  He looked so adorable going off to school.  When he came home, his shirt was so dirty that I could barely make out the dinosaurs....He thus continued all his life...enjoying muddy things...My wonderful son is still really struggling...This piece of memory sent a few tears rolling tonight.

It is always late at night when sad things hit me.

This morning I went to the pool.  I always feel so much better after that exercise...Why do I not do it every day??  Guess that weakness called laziness hits me. My apartment complex group plays Hand and Foot card game several times a week.  I have met many nice folks..and watched sadly as those start to lose their focus and can no longer play.  Today that happened...A friend in her 90's got so confused that she was taken back to her apartment by her caregiver ......

Nothing like fabric to cheer a day.  No one who is not a sewist can imagine how delightful it is to sort 

through scraps for the perfect fit, color, design and memories..

Fabric and Chickens...again...

Well now, quilting  yesterday with Charmaine and Linda brought fun, support and the gift of their organizational skills...  Things finished: 

Janet's 6x9" potholders to fit right into her drawer,

From Portland comes a picture of hens sneaking up to Aoife's bedroom onto clean holiday sheets!

The last of the prepared children's washcloths...Thank you , Linda!

Voila   The first  egg...five months later, from Clover...in Portland....My first grand-egg!!

Good job Clover...you are so grown up now!!

A tiring good day today....pool exercise in the morning and PT in the afternoon....Dear me...PT as we know, stands for  physical terrorist.  I am exhausted.  It is cooling down in Charlotte as the year whips by.

Aoife, above did not want to go to Kindergarten two days in a row...All made better by the school librarian who raises chickens...TBTG  For that librarian, Aoife wore her 

chicken T-shirt.

My Oregon relatives are chicken crazy.

Here in the family room we find three chickens resting on my antique quilt from c.1910!!!

Who raised that girl of mine??

I have lost almost all of my favorite bloggers...When bloglovin went wrong...even now I cannot find them...sad, but true..