The Lucky Lady Quilter

Weekend Quilt Retreat

2010-05-21T20:35:00.011-05:00

Last weekend our Dear Jane quilt group went out to Batiks Galore in Joshua Texas for a quilt retreat. The property has the a wonderful quilt shop full of wonderful batiks and patterns. We all enjoyed our shopping. Out in the pasture they have a couple of horses, 3 adorable donkeys and llamas.

It was a lovely weekend of working a large variety of projects - just not our Dear Jane quilts! Andrea was sewing up a storm and we expected to see smoke coming out of her machine.

Andrea's Wild Goose Chase - A Buggy Barn pattern

I was working on my Judy Niemeyer Wedding Ring Star quilt. I had hoped to have the arcs and melons finished before I go to Judy's retreat in Montana in June. I made good progress on the arcs. A sampling:

Getting the rows right on a bright batik sampler. The blocks were part of a year long lock exchange.

Glynnis trying to get out of the photo of her quilt for her niece.

Mindy hand quilting her quilt for a friend

A Great Sports Day

2010-04-04T19:51:00.003-05:00

First was the De Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders). A great cobblestone classic. The race set up perfect for my favorite rider - Fabian Cancellara. He broke away from the lead group with 65K to go. Tom Boonen tagged along. On the final and steep climb - Muur- Cancellara left Boonen in the dust.

And after a long winter wait - Play ball! It is the first game of the season. The Red Sox are playing the Yankees. Beckett is looking a little shaky, but only behind by one going into the bottom of the third.

And It Did Snow!

2010-02-12T16:48:00.003-06:00

Wow - a new record for Dallas. When it finished snowing this morning we had 12.5 inches, smashing the old record of 7 inches. The wet heavy snow was more than many of the older trees could handle. The big live oaks with all their leaves were bent to the ground in places. Many trees and big branches came down. We are lucky to still have power, but most of our neighborhood doesn't. The main road into the 'hood is blocked by a downed tree. Sure hate to see that - it was over 50 years old.

A look by our back fence.

It was eerily beautiful last night. It was very light even at 9:00pm.

Let It Snow!

2010-02-11T15:35:00.005-06:00

What a wonderful day. It has been snowing steadily all day. We may get as much as 6 to 7 inches, which would be a record for Dallas. I've not seen this much snow in the 12 years that I have lived here. I am working from home today, sitting in front of a nice fire and surrounded by sleeping kitties. They are very happy since we have turned the thermostat up!

View from the front porch

Of course we built a snowman, complete with chocolates for his Valentine.

Spring is in the Air - Truck Day is Friday!

2010-02-10T14:08:00.003-06:00

Pitchers and catchers report on the following Thursday, so Spring can't be far behind. Although with snow in the forecast for tomorrow that may seem questionable. About this time of the year winter in New England is looking rather bleak. Truck Day is a sure sign that things are going to get better.

(Globe Staff Photo / David L. Ryan)
Wally the Green Monster, Red Sox team mascot, directed traffic next to Fenway Park as the moving truck that has transported the team's spring training gear from Fenway Park to Fort Myers, Fla. since 1998 prepared to leave.

Tragic or Amusing Story?

2010-01-19T20:22:00.003-06:00

Saturday started with an unfortunate kitchen mishap. Joe heard a dismayed "OH NO!" and came to the kitchen to see what was up. Fortunately he heard me laughing or there might have been a moment of sheer panic. I was making a red velvet cake for my Dear Jane meeting that afternoon. I absentmindedly poured a bottle of red food dye into the batter while the mixer was running. A Lady Macbeth picture opportunity ensued. It looked like a gruesome crime scene - red dye everywhere.

A House Divided

2010-01-05T22:00:00.004-06:00

Last Sunday's game between the Eagles and Cowboys ended badly. However this Saturday is all about redemption. GO EAGLES!

Pearl is sucking up to Daddy

Myra shows her good taste

A Quilt for a Friend

2009-12-27T13:16:00.004-06:00

I am starting a new quilt that is a collaboration with another friend. The center of the quilt is from a pattern that she has wanted to make. Since it wouldn't be big enough for a lap quilt, we are adding borders like those found in M'liss Rae Hawley's Mariner's Medallion book.

Border fabric on outside - blues for water

close up of border fabric

close up of water fabrics

potential center medallion fabrics

close up

Picture of M'lss Rae Hawley's medallion quilt. We may use the bargello border for our quilt. The friendship stars would look good too.

A Glorious Victory Over The Hated G-Men

2009-12-15T20:22:00.002-06:00

With the Cowboys losing to the Chargers Sunday afternoon, Sunday's game between the Eagles and Giants loomed large. First place of the division was at stake. It was an exciting game with lots of bigs plays. None bigger than the 2 TDs from my favorite player Desean Jackson. Only he can get away with with a body slam to the coach (Andy Reid).

It's Christmas Time At The Day's

2009-12-13T22:32:00.004-06:00

Everyone loves Christmas here. The decorations are up and presents are being wrapped. The kitties enjoy all the new toys. Wrapping paper and new boxes (empty of decorations) are favorites.

Santa collection

A Quilt in the Mail

2009-11-24T17:19:00.005-06:00

When I got home yesterday I had a lovely surprise. My Holiday Quilt from my swap partner Donna had arrived. I really like it and can't wait to hang it up in my office tomorrow. It will give my cubby hole a festive air. I also received a fabric pen - one that actually works well - a glue pen, which will be nice for paper piecing, 3 gorgeous batiks and some yummy jam. The jam is made with wild Maine blueberries. I often bring it home as gifts to friends after a visit to family in Maine. After opening my package, I promptly toasted an English muffin and enjoyed some jam.

Productive Quilt Retreat

2009-11-15T20:00:00.004-06:00

This weekend was a quilt retreat with my quilt buddies. My goal was to finish my Holiday Swap quilt, so that I can mail it tomorrow. The quilt had several new techniques for me. The little quilt is actually a block from the I Believe quilt designed by Nancy Halvorsen. I really enjoy her cheerful designs. I have been inspired to try and make the Christmas card holder in the same book as the Peace block.

Holiday Swap Quilt

Closeup

Nancy Halvorsen's book

Holiday Quilt Swap

2009-08-29T16:32:00.002-05:00

Time for another mini quilt swap. This time the theme is Christmas Holiday. I have a applique pattern in mind. Since this will be my first attempt at applique, I have a paper pieced pattern as a backup. :) Here are the fabrics I've picked out for the mini.

Friday Cat Blogging

2009-08-28T21:46:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted pictures of the felines lately. I have the rare Lucky and Lady sighting. Lady isn't very fond of her brother. For the record she doesn't like the other two either. L&L will be 17 on September 1.

The girls often curl up together, however Pearl is trying to take over Myra's spot. Myra likes to sit in that chair when I am sewing.

Jens is coming!

2009-08-21T16:34:00.002-05:00

To the Tour of Missouri that is. After recuperating from the terrible crash in the Tour de France, this will be his first race back. I was REALLY hoping Cancellara would be joining him, but he will be at the Vuelta along with Andy and Frank. Jens talks about his rehab.

More Colorblock Swap Blocks

2009-08-10T20:23:00.003-05:00

The second set of 20 blocks. I chose pink this time, although the photo color is a little off. I'm still trying to decide how to put them together. The resulting quilt will go to the Linus Project. The swap coordinator, Margaret, is a big supporter of this effort, so it seemed like a good home for the blocks.

What To Do With My Mornings Now?

2009-07-28T12:08:00.004-05:00

The Tour has ended and mornings now mean work. The Vuelta will be here soon though. It was an interesting tour. There seemed to be a lot of flat stages without much excitement. I was glad to see Voeckler win a stage. He is always out on the attack. Looks like picking Bradley Wiggins for my Fantasy Tour team was a genius move - who knew? I finished 8th out of 140 teams. Not bad for a first time try. I also had the winner Contador and second place finisher Andy Schleck. This tour showed that there a lot of young riders able to challenge for the GC, so it looks like some exciting tours ahead. Even though I didn't have him on my team, it was good to see Lance make the podium. He rode a great race.

Prayers and Well Wishes

2009-07-21T13:09:00.003-05:00

Stage 16: Jens Voight suffered a horrible crash on the descent of the Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard. Prayer and well wishes for a full revovery go out to him.

In other tour news - Lance is still in 2nd. Will he have his time trial form of old? Four of my riders on my fantasy team are in the top 10! Go Seadogs. Tomorrow is a brutal mountain stage.

Off to Maine

2009-07-13T20:58:00.003-05:00

I'm off to visit my family in the Portland area. After the triple digit temperatures here in Dallas I am looking forward to some cooler weather. Last year I ran into some cool weather and fog.

Looking across to downtown

Portland Head

Tour de France Eve

2009-07-03T22:52:00.002-05:00

It's almost here! Tomorrow is the Prolog from Monaco. It will be an interesting start. With a nice little climb in the middle it's not a given that Cancellara will win it. Will Astana go for it and have to defend the maillot jaune for the first week?

I have a fantasy racing team for the Tour that is being run by the Podium Cafe. It consists of 10 riders. My top 2 racers are Contador and Little Schleck. You could only spend 100 points for the 10 riders, which made Cancellara too expensive. :(

What to watch first in the morning - the Prolog or Venus and Serena at Wimbledon?

Happy 4th of July!

A Judy Workshop!

2009-06-29T21:23:00.008-05:00

Friday, Saturday and Sunday was a workshop with Judy Niemeyer at Quilt Country in Lewisville. I really look forward to these workshops. I had hoped for a wedding ring class, but not this time. It worked out for best as Judy has redesigned her Wedding Star and will be teaching a workshop in January. Sandy, the owner of Quilt Country, and her wonderful Supergirls created quilt kits for the class. The kit includes 2.5 strips in 88 bali fabrics that Judy picked out. The are absolutely gorgeous.

In this class I worked on the Sand Devils pattern, which has lots of curved edges. Not to worry however, with Judy's tips for sewing curves it's a piece of cake. Her technique works very well. I had used it in my Hawaiian Star quilt. I had bought this pattern in my last workshop. It will a gift for my brother. I've made good progress in my 3 days.

Corner piece

Border and small arcs

Most of the class were working on star pattens. The brave ones were working on the amazing Amazon Star. It's so large and has many Lone Star pieces. I'm not sure I want to try a Lone Star again.

These workshops are an opportunity to make new friends. I remember some of the ladies from the previous workshop. The quilters directly across and next to me were great company. Time just flew as we chatted and sewed on our lovely quilts. We each were working on different pattens. One was working on a new pattern not yet published, there was a soothing purple and green Dragon Star and a lovely Christmas tree skirt. I look forward to seeing them again in the Wedding Star workshop.

A Great Day in Sports

2009-06-21T21:57:00.005-05:00

Where to begin? The afternoon started off with the Red Sox and Braves playing on a cool misty day in Boston. Tough weather for Wakefield's knuckleball. He got off to a rocky start, but his teammates came right back to take the lead thanks in part to a Big Papi's home run into the Monster seats. After that he cruised into the 7th. From there the lead seesawed and was tied going into the bottom of the 9th. Nick Green (SS) was the hero with a solo homer.

Nick Green watches the ball head around Pesky's Pole.

While the outcome of the baseball game was in question, the finish of the Tour de Suisse was pretty much a forgone conclusion. With a TT in Bern (Cancellara's home town) as the final stage, the GC contenders needed to put minutes into Cancellara. However Saxo Bank ushered Cance up the mountains, so he was firmly ahead of the competion going into the TT. It was enjoyable to watch him just blow away the field to win the TT and the Tour de Suisse.

Fabian Cancellara wins the Tour de Suisse

Cancellara is back!

2009-06-15T00:30:00.004-05:00

The Tour de Suisse has started and Fabian Cancellara crushed the competition in the opening Prolog. He is still in the Yellow Jersey after the second stage. He is finding his form leading up to the Tour de France.

Update (Friday 6/19): Cancellara is sitting in 2nd only 9 seconds back. If he doesn't get dropped on tomorrow's (Saturday) stage to Crans Montana, he will be sitting pretty for the last stage which is a Time Trial.

Turquoise Colorblock

2009-06-13T22:15:00.005-05:00

My 20 colorblock blocks for the Four Season Quilt Swap are finished. There are several variations, but the 2 below are what most of the blocks look like.

On a personal note, the surgery to my left knee went well. It is rehabbing quicker than the right one did. Another few weeks on the stationary bike and then the freedom of my road bike. No tennis until late August though. That is only if things continue to go well. The Corporate Challenge tennis matches are mid September, so I probably will be a little rusty.

On a very happy note - the Red Sox swept the home series against the hated Yankees. They have started 8-0 against the Yankees this year. Big Papi may not be playing well when it comes to the rest of the teams, but he still can hit against the Yankees.

Big Papi and J.D. Drew

Quilting Retreat

2009-05-22T22:01:00.007-05:00

My Dear Jane group met at Highland Lake Lodge in East Texas this past weekend. It was a lovely weekend, but most of the time was spent sewing away.

I am working on a quilt for our king size bed. Keeping in mind that the walls are chocolate and the curtains are green,I was able to select 18 different fabrics for the quilt from the Quilt Asylum. The pattern is called Hip to be Square. The focus fabric that all the other fabrics are related to is a Kaffe Fassett. I had to add extra squares and a border to get the quilt up to a king size. While at the retreat I finished the blocks. Thank goodness there was a design wall big enough to arrange the blocks in rows as there is no pattern for this. I was able to sew the blocks into rows. I really like the pattern and would like to try it again.

One Knee Down and One to Go

2009-05-22T16:01:00.003-05:00

Well the surgery on my right knee went very well. I was up and walking around the next day. The relief was immediate, which was an unexpected bonus. It had gotten difficult to walk, especially on a rolling cruise ship. Surgery on the left knee is June 2nd. With any luck I will be back playing tennis by the end of July. I am hoping to get in a few rounds of disc golf this long weekend.

Happy Memorial Day!

Off to the Caribbean!

2009-04-16T11:48:00.003-05:00

Good News and Bad News - I'm heading off for a 7 Day Eastern Caribbean cruise on Carnival Liberty. Unfortunately when I get back I will have my right knee scoped. When that one is healed I get to have the other one done too.

So I am going to think about sitting under a palm tree in St. Thomas and drinking some fun rum drink with an umbrella in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I will be going with some of my dearest girlfriends. We have know each other since first grade.

Purple Pizzazz has arrived Down Under

2009-04-06T15:11:00.004-05:00

I am so pleased that the 4 Season Quilt Swap quilt that I sent to Australia arrived in just 7 days. Now I can show it off. It measures about 18in x 21in.

Dallas Guild Show Mini

2009-03-29T20:15:00.004-05:00

Despite some health issues lately, I have been able to get some quilting done. I finished a mini quilt for the Dallas Guild's Mini Auction. The auction was a success for a great cause. The profits from the auction went to the local Ronald McDonald's House. I had volunteered at the membership table which was next to the auction. The bidding was quite lively.

My quilt was made using 9-patches left over from my Four Season Swap 5 quilt.

I also finished my monochromatic 4 Season Swap quilt. I am pleased with how it turned out. I will post a photo when its new owner receives it.

A Wonderful Surprise In The Mail

2009-03-09T23:19:00.005-05:00

When I came home today my Four Season Swap 5 quilt was waiting for me. I love it! Lots of lovely purples. The quilt was to be monochromatic and represent a season. When I took the quilt out of the package I set it against a pillow on the couch to admire it. Immediately Pearl materialized (how do cats do that?) and settled in. Instant approval.

The quilt was made by the Quilting Pirate, Toni. Thank you so much - I am thrilled with my new quilt.

MS Walk Dallas - Please Donate

2009-03-06T16:04:00.005-06:00

It’s that time of the year again – the MS Walk. Perhaps this year you would like to join in the fun. The Dallas Walk is Saturday March 28th at the Addison Circle Park. To participate in the walk with my team, The Gladiators, follow the link Sign up. In just one Saturday morning you can make a difference in a lot of people’s lives. Money raised by these walks and 150 bike rides goes to fund research for a cure. If you don’t want to walk you can still help by donating to the National MS Society through my donation page.

Thank you for your support in the past. I hope that you will join be again this year in the fight against MS.

Catching Up With The Tour Of California

2009-02-19T20:16:00.008-06:00

While I was away and without access to Versus I missed the first Cancellara sighting of the season. He won the Prologue, but had to drop out the next day due to illness.

On a nasty cold windy rainy day Mr. Luckybears's favorite rider Francisco Mancebo won Stage 1. It was a courageous ride breaking away just 8 miles into the race.

Currently Levi Leipheimer and the Astana team have taken control. I'm looking forward to the time trial tomorrow. We'll see what kind of shape Lance is in.

(L-R) Gregory Rast of Switzerland, Lance Armstrong of USA, Levi Leipheimer of USA, all riding for Astana, and Jens Voigt of Germany, riding for Saxo Bank, compete in Stage 5 (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

A Good Weekend

2009-02-10T14:53:00.004-06:00

I have been working diligently on my Four Seasons Swap quilt. I have finished the top and it is currently a quilt sandwich. I really like the way it came together (picture to follow once swap partner receives her quilt). There are several color combinations of nine patches. The first set I created just didn't play well with the other sets. I made 3 or 4 samples of the first set until I came across just the right light material. I want my partner to really enjoy the quilt so it was worth the extra effort. I will start on the quilting when I return home from my vacation.

Tomorrow I leave to meet up with my brother (DB) and nephew (DN) in Orlando. We will be visiting Universal, Sea World, and Busch Gardens. I am looking forward to a good visit with DB & DN. Hopefully there will be some time spent by the pool catching up on reading. I have been reading the Benni Harper mystery series. The books titles are quilt blocks (Sunshine and Shadow, Steps to the Altar, etc..) I have enjoyed seeing the author develop the characters into interesting people. Funny thing - I can't decide if I like the main character Benni or not. I'll have to keep reading to decide. :)

More Quilting

2009-01-27T20:58:00.003-06:00

It was a cold weekend here in Dallas. No disc golf, tennis or bike riding. That left lots of time for chores, but also time for quilting! I finished Block 8 from the Star BOM. Wahoo - I've caught up. I also made good progress on my Four Season quilt. It was hard to settle on a design that was monochromatic AND represents a season. I kept coming up with an idea that fit one category, but not the other. I've designed a miniature 9 Patch Pizazz quilt. The focus fabric is a lovely spring floral. It's a bit of a challenge to create it with one color, but I like the progress so far.

Block 8

There Has Been Quilting

2009-01-21T20:36:00.004-06:00

My recent blog entries might lead one to think that I have abandoned quilting in favor of obsessing over the Eagles. However I have been working on several different projects. At the top of the list were the last 3 blocks in Judy Laquidara to catch up before we start again the first of February. I've finished block 9 and 10. Block 8 is cut out and waiting to be finished.

Block 9

Block 10

We have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

2009-01-20T17:16:00.002-06:00

Today is a day I have been waiting for some time. President Obama was a candidate I could truly get behind and support. His message of hope and optimism that we can overcome our current problems and once again be a shining beacon to the world does not ring hollow. For all of his talk of hope, he seems like a very pragmatic person. His speeches are uplifting, but also give some thoughts as to how we can get there. We are all in this together, so we need to work together to solve our problems.

Like many people I watched the inauguration on the internet from work. I had to wipe away not a few tears of joy several times. Reverend Lowery’s Benediction was a perfect ending.

“Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen.”

Maybe Next Year

2009-01-20T16:40:00.002-06:00

Now that I have stopped sulking quite so bad, I can hope that next year the Eagles will make it to the Super Bowl. It was a fun run in the playoffs.

One shining bright spot of the season was rookie WR DeSean Jackson. He makes this catch and dances into the end zone. An added bonus - I drafted him in the last round this year in my (keeper) fantasy league.

Look Out Cards - Here Come The Eaqles!

2009-01-11T16:27:00.003-06:00

Donovan McNabb stretches the ball over the goal line to score the game's first touchdown. (Eric Mencher/Staff Photographer)

A win against the hated Giants at any time is great, but in the playoffs - sweet!. As expected it was a defensive battle. Philly's D came up big. The offense played well enough to win. Yardage was tough to come by in the face of the Giant's D, but the Eagles looked poised and confident. It's on to play the Cardinals in Arizona.

Bring On The Giants!

2009-01-05T12:01:00.003-06:00

Another win from the Eagles. Next up the Giants. This will be a tough game as the teams know each other so well. Fly Eagles Fly!

A Great Weekend

2008-12-29T22:34:00.004-06:00

I've been watching to much HGTV. They make it look so easy and fast to paint a room, that I decided to paint our bedroom while Mr. Luckybear was out of town. I had bought a new green comforter a while back, which meant the vibrant blue wall color had to go. I couldn't decide what color would work best with our furniture. Saturday afternoon I decided it would be a chocolate brown. After an afternoon of prep work - they don't show that on TV - I started painting Sunday morning.

Time was lost in the afternoon cheering on Oakland to beat Tampa Bay and the Texans to beat Chicago. Amazingly this all happened and the Eagles and Cowboys game really meant something. The Eagles were amazing; crushing the Cowboys hopes and dreams by the score of 44-6. On to Minnesota next Sunday.

Back to painting. I finished up around midnight. The room looks great. The dark color makes the room looks larger. Mr. Luckybear was really surprised and pleased with the result. He is still sulking with regards to the Cowboys season though.

Its Almost Christmas

2008-12-21T22:02:00.004-06:00

Now that my shopping is done and shipped out, I have been enjoying the holiday season. Our tree turned out pretty this year. The girls have had a good time hiding under the tree amongst the presents, waiting to pounce on one of the other kitties or each other.

My Santa collection

Our tree in red & white

A-12 Framed Fancy

2008-12-21T21:51:00.002-06:00

Saturday was our December Dear Jane quilt meeting. It was a lively meeting as we tasted the goodies we brought with us. The shop, Quilter's Connection, was having a year end sale, so there was a little shopping too. We even worked on our quilts. I finished A-12 Framed Fancy.

Star BOM - Blocks 5, 6 and 7

2008-12-15T10:12:00.002-06:00

Finally some quilting time. I had fallen way behind on my Star BOM blocks. I am pleased that I have kept up with this project as I am not too crazy about my fabric choices. They looked good together at the quilt store, but now that I am piecing them together in the Stars, the oranges are not right. However I love the Star patterns so I'm going to keep moving forward. I still have blocks 8, 9,and 10 to catch up but I have until the first of February when block 11 comes out.

Myra's New Friends

2008-12-14T23:18:00.002-06:00

Through our front window

Four Seasons Quilt Swap

2008-12-05T17:02:00.005-06:00

Once again the amazing Margaret is hosting a swap. This session sounds very intriguing and challenging. The finished quilt will be monochromatic using a season as the theme. You get to pick the color and season. Sounds like fun, so I have requested to join in. Come be part of the fun - Four Seasons Quilt Swap.

Dustin Pedrioa - AL MVP

2008-11-19T15:54:00.003-06:00

A well deserved award. In only his second year in the Bigs, Dustin is the true leader of the Red Sox. He is already one of baseball's best all-round player.

Change Has Come to America

2008-11-04T23:01:00.003-06:00

What a glorious day to behold. So many Americans cared about their country to come out and vote. A day so many people thought would never happen in their lifetime shows that America's promise to all is possible. As always columnist Leonard Pitts for the Miami Herald puts it so well - "We' are finally part of `We the People'". We are a stronger country for it - Yes we are!

Home from Houston

2008-11-01T20:32:00.007-05:00

I just got home from the Quilt Festival in Houston. I met a dear friend and fellow quilter from New York there. It was her first visit. Although I tried to prepare her, it was still very overwhelming. There were lots of great quilts - so many different techniques and styles. I find I most enjoy the quilts that include some sort of traditional quilting in them - even the art quilts. I would show pictures, but I'm not sure it OK from a copyright point of view.

Ahh - the shopping. I thought I would be good as I have many UFOs and projects waiting to be started. I was sooo wrong. I found fat quarters for my Dear Jane quilt, new patterns I had to have and fabric for a new project. My friend was no help -she kept encouraging me! Of course I was also urging her to buy too.

As always I couldn't resist the Sweet Treats offered by the Pincushion Boutique. Sweet Treats are eight coordinating fat quarters ready to be made into a quilt.

The frogs are so cute.

I also love the handmade jewelery that you find at the show. I bought a lovely pair of earrings made of polymer clay that are small quilts (Quilted in Clay), a whimsical cat pin with quilt motifs (Gita Maria), and an antique button with cats that I want to turn into a brooch.

I was happy to see the folks from Quilting by the Bay in Galveston. Their shop was destroyed in Hurricane Ike. I hope they will continue in the business as they really had a interesting and fun shop.

I have found that quilters are generally friendly and interesting people to meet. This weekend my friend and I got to know two lovely ladies from California that were staying at the same hotel as us and also attending the show. We ended up riding together and having dinner together. It was a delightful experience sharing our quilting tales.

Philly Has a Championship!

2008-11-01T20:24:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to the Phillies and their fans. I called my dear friend in Bensalem and it was a happy home of 3 generations of Phillies fans - Grandmom, Mom and the ecstatic daughter.

Be Careful What You Wish For!

2008-10-18T09:18:00.002-05:00

The Red Sox and Rays have made this an interesting series. Thursday's nights miracle comeback was amazing. I won't be able to watch tonight's game, but I will be following along on my Blackberry. It is my friend's birthday and we are taking her out to dinner and to a movie. She is use to me having one eye on the TV during dinner at this time of the year. It's great to still be playing baseball.

Not much sewing. Today is our Dear Jane meeting, but I can't make it. I'm one behind on my Star BOM and tomorrow is a Judy Day. Yikes!

Bring on the Rays!

2008-10-07T21:26:00.002-05:00

Group hug

Last night's game was a real nail biter. Jon Lester pitched a brilliant game through seven innings, leaving with the Red Sox ahead 2-0. The bull pen giving up 2 runs in the top of the 8th led to a wild 9th. Playing small ball the Angels advanced the runner from 2nd to 3rd and one out. A perfect place for a suicide squeeze. Fortunately Varitek and Delcarmen were ready. With a perfect pitch - contact was not made on the bunt. This left the runner half way between 3rd and home. He fled for 3rd, but Varitek had chased him down and tagged him with a flying leap. Out signaled the umpire, then as he hit the ground Tek dropped the ball. Controversy ensued. However the runner was out. The Angels didn't score in the top of the ninth. The Red Sox pounce with a double to lead off the inning by our new guy Jason Bay. A sharply hit ball to right by rookie Jed Lowrie brought Bay home and the series win for the Red Sox.

Cats for Obama

2008-10-05T22:14:00.001-05:00

from Pearl

Busy, Busy, Busy

2008-10-05T20:20:00.006-05:00

I'm trying to multi-task. Watching my Red Sox play the Angels in Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs and trying to catch up on my work stuff. Thought it was a good time to take a break and catch up on my blog. With 2 out in the bottom of the 5th it's tied at 4, but the Bosox are threatening.

The first 2 games out in LA were lots of fun. Lester started off a little rocky on Wednesday night but was lights out as the game went on. Red Sox win 4-1.

As always Dice-K's start was an adventure. Fortunately JD Drew showed some of last year post season form with a stunning 2 run home run off of K-Rod to break the tie at 5 in the top of the ninth. Jason Bay hit his second home run of the series- matching Manny. The Red Sox won 7-5.

Papi and Coco help JD Drew celebrate

Friday, Saturday and Sunday was the volleyball tournament for the Corporate Challenge. I played with Mr. Luckybear's company.We took the bronze medal. I had lots of fun. I would enjoy playing in a league this winter if they could get one organized. I also squeezed in disc golf on Saturday and Sunday. No water moccasins or any other snakes were spotted like in Austin. Good thing - I hate snakes and I sure would hate to give up disc golf.

Last evening we went to see Ghost Town with Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear and Téa Leoni. It was very enjoyable, funny and somewhat sweet (it does star Gervais after all).

Thursday evening we went to the local indie theater to watch the VP debate with the Dallas Obama volunteer group. There was much booing & snickering at Palin and cheering for Biden's zingers. What an airhead Sarah Palin is. It just shows that McCain has very poor judgment and doesn't really care much about our country - just getting to be president. I thought Senator Biden did an excellent job. It's very clear that he will be an asset as an adviser to Senator Obama, if he is elected.

We are getting ready for our cruise at the end of the week. We fly down to Houston on Wednesday morning. The plan is to visit the Johnson Space Center that afternoon. Thursday our cruise heads out for Cozumel. We return to Houston early Monday morning. We are going with our poker buddies. There isn't normally poker in the casino, but we will be setting up a poker room to play tournaments.

With all this going on I haven't had time to work on my quilting. No time early in the week either as I am volunteering to work the Mini Golf event for the Corporate Challenge. I will put together some hand work to take with me on the cruise. A good time to catch up on some of the applique Dear Jane blocks.

Star BOM - Block Four

2008-09-20T17:45:00.004-05:00

Today was my Dear Jane group, but I decided to work on block 4 from Judy Laquidara's BOM. I knew that the fabrics that should go in the center would not show off the design very well, so I changed them - with a Thanks! to Donna for helping me pick out the light/dark orange combination. I really like the center of this block.

We have been so busy lately I was concerned that the 1st of the month would come around and I wouldn't have this one done. Last evening we went with our neighbors to see the Who's Tommy at the Dallas Theater Center. It was an amazing production. The band that played the music was awesome. They were integrated into the action on the stage. Since the theater is small the set had to be very clever to accommodate all the action. It was one of the most imaginative use of space I've ever seen.

We are off to see the Ranger take on the Angels. It was a good game to pick. There will be a fireworks display after the game.

Two Out of Three!

2008-09-09T09:18:00.004-05:00

This weekend the Red Sox came into The Ballpark in Arlington and swung their mighty bats. Friday night was lots of fun as we sat right behind the Red Sox (visitors) dugout - halfway between home and third base. It could have been Fenway (with better sight lines!) for all the Red Sox fans. There were loud cheers of Yoooook, MVP for Pedroia and chants of "Papi". Friday night was a win for the Bosox. Saturday night didn't start off very well. Wakefield's knuckleball deserted him in the 2nd inning. The Rangers scored 7 runs before Francona pulled Wake. Unfortunately the bullpen didn't fare much better and it ended up being a 15-8 slugfest with the Rangers winning. Still it's fun to go out and cheer for my team. We didn't go to the Sunday afternoon game, but it was an easy win for the Sox. Big Papi hit a home run, which I was hoping to see in person, but I was cheering loudly from my air conditioned room. :)

Star BOM - Block Three

2008-09-01T22:33:00.003-05:00

Well Judy was right - that was much easier. My block came out to be 12.5 as it should be. The dark green of the star points aren't standing out as much as I would have liked. (This picture is making it worse) In hindsight I would have used the medium green. That's another quilt for another day. I am enjoying these blocks and look forward to the next one.

I needed to get this one done today as we had the day off for Labor Day. The next few weeks will be hectic. Coming up this week I have tennis matches Tuesday and Wednesday for the Corporate Challenge. Friday and Saturday we have tickets to the Red Sox - Rangers games. I've been waiting all season for my boys to come to town.

Star BOM - Block Two

2008-08-31T15:54:00.002-05:00

I found time today to finish the 2nd block in Judy Laquidara's BOM. I has started it shortly after the block pattern came out on the 15th, but I wanted to miter the inner border. I needed some quiet time to give it a try. No too bad for a first attempt. I'm still having trouble getting the block to be 12.5, but a least this one is a little bigger than the last one.

Hope We Can Believe In

2008-08-29T11:46:00.006-05:00

I am already on the Obama bandwagon, but I had hoped in his acceptance speech he would give those not so familiar with his ideas and life story a chance to understand why America needs him to be the next president. He did that in spades - really making his case for himself and the Democratic Party. At this point in history we are at a crossroads. Our country needs to change direction and regain it's moral authority as a leader. Senator Obama laid out his case that he is the person to do that. His speech was full of hope, but also details of how we can make changes to our American policy. He reminded us, America, and the Republicans that this election is too important for lies and smears, but instead the debate should be about policy and how the candidates would run the country. I was also glad to see Senator Obama attack conservatism. In the last 8 years the conservative policies that the Republican party have been pushing for so many years were given free rein. It has been a disaster. Unfortunately Senator McCain doesn't see the hardship that most American families are facing and is offering more of the same policies. I hope that Americans vote in their own best interest this year. If that happens, Senator Obama will win big.

As I am not a wordsmith, I would like to share a quote from Andrew Sullivan in his post "The Hope We Confess". He writes so eloquently about how I felt about last night's acceptance speech. I hope you will take the time to read the entire post.

It was a deeply substantive speech, full of policy detail, full of people other than the candidate, centered overwhelmingly on domestic economic anxiety. It was a liberal speech, more unabashedly, unashamedly liberal than any Democratic acceptance speech since the great era of American liberalism. But it made the case for that liberalism - in the context of the decline of the American dream, and the rise of cynicism and the collapse of cultural unity. His ability to portray that liberalism as a patriotic, unifying, ennobling tradition makes him the most lethal and remarkable Democratic figure since John F Kennedy.

Progress Has Been Made

2008-08-19T22:36:00.005-05:00

Sunday was a Judy Day at Quilt Country. I made some headway on the Lone Star portion of my Hawaiian Star. Here is one segment and the portion of the Mariner's Compass that will go with it.

I have some more help with my Pumpkins Gone Wild Quilt. Myra is holding down the panel that will be part of the back.

Lucky is helping me cut out my fabric for Block 2 of Judy's Star BOM.

Winners All Around

2008-08-15T10:14:00.008-05:00

My quilty friends may want to skip this entry as it's all sports.

Cycling Time Trial

I'll start with Fabian Cancellara's gold medal win in the Men's Time Trial. It was a great win for him, as the course really didn't favor his talents. However as the current World Champion of this event he was not to be denied.

Out on course

Gustav Larsson, Sweden (silver), Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland (gold), Levi Leipheimer, USA (bronze)

On the women's side of Road Racing, American Kristin Armstrong had a strong effort in winning the gold medal for the Time Trial.

On to baseball - The Red Sox and Rangers series

The Rangers have been forced by circumstances to bring up young pitchers that are quite ready for the Bigs. This led to the Red Sox scoring 37 runs in a 3 game series. The first match up was a wild roller coater with the Red Sox jumping out to an early 10-0 lead in the first. More runs were exchanged until the Rangers went ahead. The Red Sox came back to tie it and then Youck put it away with a 3 run home run in the bottom of the 8th. The Red Sox won that one 19-17. Big Papi hit 2 three run homers in the 1st inning. He hit another, but due to fan interference it was ruled a double. Youck can up behind him to hit his first homer of the game. Since we won it was exciting and fun! We won the second game 8-4 on a good outing by Jon Lester. The last game was won 10-0 behind Dice-K.

The Rangers saw a lot of this!

A Fall Quilt Project

2008-08-11T21:46:00.004-05:00

I love the jelly rolls in all of the quilt shops. They are so tempting, since they offer a little slice of all the fabrics in a line. I've been eying the Pumpkins Gone Wild Jelly Roll by Sandy Gervais (Moda Fabrics). When I found a pattern for Jelly Rolls I really liked, I was set to make a nice fall quilt.

This is the pattern:

Myra and some of the blocks:

Olympic Men's Road Race. - Cancellara Sighting!

2008-08-10T21:04:00.005-05:00

What a truly grueling race given the heat and humidity. In an exciting finish my favorite rider, Fabian Cancellara closed the gap between the chase group to the lead group with less than 2km to go. It was an amazing effort. He was rewarded with bronze for his effort. Next up is the individual time trial, where he is the world champ. I wonder if Shumacher will be as on form as he was in the Tour.

Fabian Cancellara wins bronze

Race finish with Sammy Sanchez (left) winning, Davide Rebellin second (middle) and Fabian Cancellara third (right)

Block One for Star BOM

2008-08-07T11:34:00.003-05:00

I am a big paper piecer, so I would usually do a block like this using that method. This will be a good challenge for me to become more accurate in my piecing. I like the way my colors have come together. I can't wait for the next block. Thanks Judy!

A9 Log Cabin Fever

2008-08-02T15:13:00.002-05:00

One advantage of the beastly heat - I don't want to go outside. I finished a fun block. I like orange and black together.

Paper Pieced A9 Log Cabin

Good Bye Manny

2008-08-02T14:56:00.007-05:00

Now that I have stopped sulking so bad, I can savor some favorite memories of Manny's days as a Red Sox. Why are we fans of the the Bosox always saddled with front offices with egos as big as their star players? Clearly our owners have given up on this season. Ahhh - that felt good to get out. I can even comment on the nice job done by Wakefield last evening. Seems like when the pitching staff gets shaky, Wake is there steady as she goes. Given his preferred pitch that's pretty amazing.

Two New DJ Blocks

2008-07-20T13:12:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was our Dear Jane group meeting. I was able to complete 2 blocks. A record! Both are paper pieced. I'm working on a couple of hand appliqué blocks. It's a slow go though.

A4 Courtney's Stethoscope

F3 Snowball

Start of a New Quilt

2008-07-13T19:09:00.007-05:00

I must be crazy - I have too many quilt projects started, but when I saw this Star BOM designed by Judy Laquidara on her blog, I had to start a new one! Here is Judy's EQ purple version. Please note that this quilt design is copyrighted by Judy.

The colors I am using:

The dark, medium, light greens are the purples is the above version. There is a dark and light orange. A gold for accent along with the elephant focus fabric. I plan to use this fabric as the outermost border, instead of the dark green. The background is the same yummy Patrick Lose's Sunstreaks black that I am using in my Dear Jane quit.

A2 One Two Buckle My Shoe

2008-07-10T09:37:00.002-05:00

Before leaving on vacation I finished a Dear Jane block. It was paper pieced.

Back from Maine

2008-07-09T17:14:00.007-05:00

For the past 10 days I have been enjoying a vacation in New Hampshire and Maine. The first 5 days were at a awesome tennis camp in North Conway, NH. New England Tennis Holidays is located at the base of the ski area Cranmore. They have very well maintained clay courts which my old knees have become quite attached to. The instruction was top notch - a shout out to Wayne, Curt and Jeremy. I think I learned more in the first 3 hours than I have in the last 7 months of classes. I stayed at a charming inn, the Spruce Moose Lodge, which served delicious breakfasts. It's a good thing I was getting plenty of exercise. Also staying at the Spruce Moose and at the tennis camp were a lovely Father and Son duo from Maryland. The helped make the whole experience fun, as it could have been a bit lonely as I didn't know anyone there.

The next 5 days were spent visiting with my family in the Portland area. One evening we took Italians out to the park at Ft. Williams in Cape Elizabeth and found thick fog creeping in.

The view from our picnic table.

Up the hill to Portland Head. I have many great photos of Portland Head, but none in the fog.

Fun New Toy

2008-06-25T18:01:00.004-05:00

You can find all kinds of fun things on the Net. There is a web site called Wordle that will create fun “word clouds” from the words you type in. I chose the lyrics from Bruce Springsteen's Jungleland(greatest song ever). Jungleland Word Cloud

Another Cancellara Sighting!

2008-06-23T14:45:00.005-05:00

Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara from team CSC, celebrates as he wins the 9th and final stage of the Tour de Suisse in Bern, Switzerland, Sunday, June 22, 2008. (KAP Photo/Keystone / Lukas Lehmann)
AP

Le Tour starts soon. I can't wait!

A Fun Game To Try

2008-06-05T16:20:00.004-05:00

1. caught in daylight, 2. Pasta Flower, 3. 127, 4. Sea Monsters: Dying Lovers on the Beach, 5. Fabian Cancellara, Tour of CA Stage 3, 6. My garden looks better with wine...., 7. Ida Sunrise, 8. Chocolate Mousse and Raspberry Cakes, 9. Work in progress, 10. vintage tea set with cupcake, 11. Cat Conspiracy, 12. care bears lucky bear magic 8 ball

The pictures on the first page found using a Flickr Search to answer the following questions. Since many of the pictures didn't seem to really apply I often chose the one I liked best.
The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name
Give it a try here.

Off to Ft. Lauderdale

2008-05-21T20:25:00.005-05:00

There has been some quilting progress, but no time to blog. I'm off to sunny South Florida with Mr. Luckybear to celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary.

New Dear Jane blocks (all paper pieced):

A1 Pinwheel Gone Awry

D6 Cathedral Windows

M2 Duff's Bluff

Thanks To Those That Donated

2008-05-01T14:27:00.002-05:00

The fund raising effort for this year's MS Walk ended yesterday. I would like to thank everyone that donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Your donations really make a difference in finding a cure soon. It also gives hope to those already suffering with the disease.

How Long Does It Take To Add A New Border?

2008-04-29T22:06:00.005-05:00

Three exciting periods of hockey and 4 minutes 37 seconds into overtime! Just as Mattias Norstrom was scoring the winning goal I finished pressing the last border. A commanding lead for the Stars, who now lead the series 3-0. Sadly our Mav's season ended this evening.

Defenseman Mattias Norstrom celebrates his overtime game winning goal with Stephane Robidas against the San Jose Sharks during game three (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Here is the butterfly quilt with the updated border. I wanted flowers in the last border as I feel it completes the story of the butterfly and the geese paths. I'm not very confident about my appliqué skills, but I can paper piece up a storm. The solid turquoise fabric and orange fabric were passed along with the quilt.

Back To Work

2008-04-29T15:21:00.002-05:00

Today is my first day back to work after my eye surgery last Tuesday. It went well and I am starting to see clearer every day. It felt good to get out of the house for a while, although maybe driving wasn't such a great idea. It's very sunny here today.

Tonight Mr. Luckybear and I will be in separate rooms watching our favorite local team in the playoffs. Last Sunday night I was very happy watching our Stars out skate, out hit and most importantly out score the Sharkies. However Mr. Luckybear was very sad watching the Mavs. Perhaps tonight they will redeem themselves.

I've started adding flowers to my Spring Fling Round Robin block. I will give a peek soon.

Happy Patriot's Day!

2008-04-21T13:34:00.004-05:00

It's been a good day so far. A lovely day to run a marathon with former winner Robert Cheruiyot crossing first for the men and first time winner Dire Tune for the women. My beloved Red Sox finished a sweep of the Rangers this afternoon. Big Papi has broken out of his slump! Tonight the B's go against the hated Habs in Game 7 of their playoff series. Mr. Luckbear and I took in the Dallas Star's series win over the Duckies last night. Great Game.

Since we have been watching the HBO series about John Adams, I can't help wonder what he would think of how the Battles at Lexington and Concord are celebrated. At least in New England the dates are still remembered. The heathens here in Texas don't know what Patriot's Day is. Rangers fans have been educated. :)

Round Robin Border - suggestions welcome

2008-04-20T13:50:00.002-05:00

Saturday was my Dear Jane meeting, but instead of working on my Dear Jane blocks started the border for my Round Robin block. The block received was very creative and lovely. It was a bit of a dilemma as to what would work best as the final border. My first thought was to finish the geese paths in some fashion. However I don't really have that level of ability to do a good job. I decided to try and frame it like a picture. I added a purple matte with a yellow/orange border. The cornerstones in the border use the solid turquoise fabric that was sent along with the block. If I can't continue working on this because of my upcoming eye surgery, I could send it as is. I would however like to do something - flowers maybe? - to break up the yellow a little bit. Any suggestions from the quilting bloggy world?

Back with Quilty News

2008-04-11T16:33:00.006-05:00

It's been a hectic few weeks. One of the deadlines was finishing the first border for my block from the Spring Fling Round Robin. Here is the original block from CieAngel:

Here it is after I added the first border. All the little pieces took longer than expected, but I am pleased with the result. The first picture is the true color of the maroon of the center block. My photo was taken at night with a flash. I sent the quilt on to another Robinette for the next border.

In other news and deadlines met - my fund raising event for the National MS Society last Sunday was a rousing success. Much money was raised and most of the chow I cooked up was devoured. There was a little white chocolate raspberry swirl cheesecake left for Mr. Luckybear. He was very happy about that.

Start the Year With a WIN

2008-03-25T08:52:00.002-05:00

Looks like it might be a great year for Manny. Walking Papi to get to Manny is always a winning strategy - for the Red Sox!

Red Sox 6 - Oakland 5

The Baseball Season Has Arrived at 5:00 am Central!

2008-03-25T07:53:00.003-05:00

Thank goodness for Tivo - unless it doesn't work. I still got up early so that I could watch the game before work and the satellite isn't working. I'm watching it on my computer. Right now it is the bottom of the 9th with Oakland up and the score is tied. Come on Okie!

Jane Was NUTS!

2008-03-23T20:00:00.002-05:00

Saturday was the monthly meeting of my Dear Jane group. It was well attended. We are making progress on our blocks and sharing tips with each other. That said - it took me an entire afternoon to make one block! I couldn't get one section to fit right, so I ended up making it again. I'm glad I did, the finished block looks much better. So without further ado I bring you the paper pieced A5 Cathie's Campfire:

Cancellara Wins Again

2008-03-23T19:48:00.002-05:00

(AFP/Valery Hache)
Swiss Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC) celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the 99th Milan-San Remo classic cycling race. Cancellara upstaged the sprinters to claim an impressive solo victory in the Milan-San Remo on Saturday, the first one-day classic of the cycling season.

Love to watch my favorite rider beat the mighty Sprinters! Fabian is off to a strong start this year.

MS Fund Raising

2008-03-17T16:41:00.003-05:00

A cause that is dear to my heart is the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. March 29th is our annual MS walk here in Dallas. I will be participating on the Gladiators team again this year. If you have a little extra funds, please consider contributing. To donate online go to Kari's Fund Raising site.

A Quilty Weekend

2008-03-17T16:15:00.003-05:00

This Saturday, which was National Quilt Day, was an excellent day to visit my guild's annual Quilt Show. There were a lot of great quilts this year - a nice mixture of traditional and original design. The Best of Show quilt was truly gorgeous. It was a Lone Star with extensive floral appliqué in the borders and squares between the star points. It was made for the Nebraska Quilt Guild as a raffle quilt. It generate the most money ever for a raffle quilt. The lucky winner allows the 2 ladies that made the quilt to show it around the country. It has won numerous awards.(I wish I could put a photo up, but that's considered a no-no without the proper permissions.) I said i wasn't going to visit the vendors as I really don't NEED anymore fabric. However I found out that it was the last show for two of my favorite jewelry makers. I had to visit with them, stock up and sadly say good bye. One gal makes lovely hand painted ceramic earrings and pins. I have several flamingo pieces which I love. There other is a family that makes jewelry from broken china. As I strolled pasted the fabric store vendors I was lured in by there enticing displays. I did pretty well and limited the damage to a few purse patterns and some great charm square collections. I did get lucky and found some fat quarters to use in the border for my Spring Fling Round Robin center square. photos to follow on that when the border is complete.

Sunday was a "Judy Day". I finished the corner units and another Lone Star row. As promised a photo of the green version. I'm having a bit of trouble getting the green in photo to come out true. The orange version is down a ways in the blog.

Great World Cup Season for American Skiers

2008-03-14T14:14:00.005-05:00

US Ted Ligety(R) and Lindsey Vonn clebrate on the podium at the FIS Ski World Cup Grand Finals in Bormio. Ligety claimed the men's World Cup giant slalom title while Vonn officially won the overall women's World Cup title.
(AFP/Javier Soriano)

Friday Cat Blogging

2008-03-07T14:54:00.006-06:00

A chance to show off the felines.
Lucky "helping" me iron.

Lady posing nicely.

The precious angels Myra and Pearl. When awake - not so much angels!

Slow progress - Hawaiian Star

2008-03-03T15:32:00.003-06:00

I was able to work get some time in my sewing room. I am about 3/4 finished on the Round Spike Corner unit for my Hawaiian Star. The spikes are all the same purples and blues for all 8 units. However 4 units have an orange backgrounds and the other 4 units are green. I am really liking the green background. There is a picture of an orange background unit way down in the posts. I should have a green one up soon. I have another "Judy Day" coming up in a few weeks at Quilt Country, so I want to be done with these units by then.

On a sports note - Bode Miller continues on his way to the World Cup points champion. He won the Downhill in Norway. He finished second in the Super-G then next day. It will be an exciting race to the end of the season.

Lindsey Vonn is Queen of the Downhill

2008-02-24T15:02:00.002-06:00

This weekend Lindsey Vonn won the World Cup Downhill title. She is still in the hunt for the overall points title. The 2010 Winter Olympics should be interesting as our young skiers are really hitting their stride.

Central Block for Spring Fling RR

2008-02-23T22:53:00.004-06:00

This is my block for the Round Robin. It's a paper pieced block designed by Carol Doak. I'm pleased with the way it turned out. I want to thank Mr. Luckybear for his many color and fabric consultations. As a reward I made tart cherry scones. Yummy!

Can we turn Texas Blue? - YES WE CAN!

2008-02-22T11:43:00.004-06:00

Mr. Luckybear and I attended Barack Obama’s speech here in Dallas on Wednesday. It was an amazing experience. Although Dallas County itself is considered Democratic, the area is very Republican. So when I walked up to get a place in line I nearly cried from joy - the line was wrapped around the arena, down the road quite a ways and into a parking garage. I arrived about an hour before the doors were scheduled to open and already there had to of been at least 10,000 people waiting to get in. Everyone was fired up and excited to hear Senator Obama. It was so exciting to see so many proud Democrats turning out to hear a candidate speak.

We got in at around noon after some of the opening speakers had spoken, but prior to the main event. Former Mayor Ron Kirk spoke briefly and to the joy of the crowd Emmitt Smith also spoke warmly of Senator Obama. I wonder if Emmitt will some day run for office. He too is an eloquent speaker. The man of the hour came out to speak despite being under the weather with the flu. The crowd roared with approval as Obama launched into his rational for running for office now. He seemed to speak from the heart. He not only gave us ideas and ideals, but also his plans for solutions. I think the biggest impression I got from his speech is that it is imperative to inspire the American people into believing in their elected officials again and that their support is needed to help right the mess that will be left behind when the Bush Administration leaves office. This is why I support him. He’s not saying “Trust me, I can do it” as most politicians do. Instead he’s saying that he trusts and believes in the American people and together we can do great things. That’s truly inspiring.

It's the first Grand Tour of the Season - And we have a Cancellara sighting!

2008-02-18T14:17:00.004-06:00

Fabian Cancellara won the prologue of the Tour of California yesterday.

Welcome Spring Fling Robinettes

2008-02-18T09:26:00.004-06:00

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I am new to round robins, but this sounded like lots of fun. I have already decided on my center block and pulled the fabrics out of my stash. I hope to be able to work from my stash. Not to worry - it's quite extensive!

New DJ Blocks

2008-02-16T22:51:00.008-06:00

A fun DJ meeting this month. Not very many of us, but we got caught up on the latest "happenings".

Here are the newest blocks. A8 and B4 were paper pieced, while J7 and M12 were pieced cutting out tiny little squares.

A8 Florence Nightingale

B4 Chris's Soccer Field

J7 Chicken Tracks

M12 Hopscotch

Home Again!

2008-02-13T16:21:00.004-06:00

I've made it back from a 4 day trip to Las Vegas to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday. We had a grand time catching up and visiting the sights of Sin City. One of the highlights was a trip to the Hoover Dam. (ok we are both geeks) It is an amazing piece of engineering. We also took it as a challenge to find good eats at good prices. It can be done - even without a car - by asking the locals. Our favorite was the downstairs restaurant at Binions that featured a delicious prime rib dinner for $8.95.

This weekend will be a very quilty weekend. My Dear Jane group meets on Saturday. I am looking forward to pulling it out and making some more progress. Sunday will be a "Judy Day". It's held at Quilt Country, where I took the Judy Niemeyer workshop. It's a chance to work on your JN quilt with others who took her classes.

I came across this on another blog and thought it was fun...

Take the Quiz here!

Progress report - Hawaiian Star

2008-02-05T22:09:00.000-06:00

Center Compass Star

Circling Geese

Finished Corner Unit - This tucks in between the Lone Star points

I'm finally back

2008-02-05T14:48:00.001-06:00

and so is Bode! He has won the super-combi title and adds to his World Cup points total. Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso continue to ski well. An exciting year for the American team.

I have returned to my sewing room after a major clean up over the Christmas holidays.There is a new Dear Jane block to add, but progress has been halted by the start of a quilt from Judy Niemeyer's Hawaiian Star pattern. I was lucky enough to take a three day workshop with her at Quilt Country in Lewisville.

a photo from the Hawaiian Star pattern front page

Pitchers and Catchers report in 10 days - so Spring is almost here. With it the hope of another World Series win.

Whangarei

2007-11-20T13:16:00.000-06:00

Today Joe went out diving to Poor Knights Islands. I didn't bring my cable to download pictures, so photos today will be from Joe's trip. I had a lovely day shopping and sightseeing in the little town of Whangarei. The highlight was a old quarry that all volunteers have turned into a garden with great walking paths, called Whangarei Quarry Gardens. I hiked around for about an hour. There is a subtropical theme. There were lots of bromeliads, lilies and ferns. They had a specially planted Camellia garden with over 150 varieties. There were lots of arts and crafts stores, so it's a good thing I don't have much room in my suitcase for goodies like very cool teapot sets.

More adventures tomorrow.

Dolphins in Tutukaka Harbor

Hello from Tutukaka

2007-11-19T23:49:00.000-06:00

Even though we are half a world away - as a Red Sox fan - Yeah! We signed Mike Lowell!!!

Now onto to our travelog. What a gorgeous place this part of the North Island is. We arrived in Auckland and headed north towards our destination Tutukaka. Along the way we stopped at Zion Wildlife Gardens. It's a Big Cat preserve. It's part of a world wide effort to save some of the rarer breeds of mostly lions and tigers. The star of the place is Zion. He was featured in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. As you may guess he is Aslan.

He even let out a mighty roar for us.

We also got to play with 2 white lion cubs, Ivula(Rain) and Amafu(Cloud).

Ivula

Big brother is hogging the milk. Amafu(left) and the female Ivula on the right

My what big teeth I have

Our guide Ashley was the greatest. He is from South Africa and was part of the team that raised many of the younger lions at Zion Wildlife. To help keep the gene pool diverse, many Big Cat preserves swap young lions and tigers. Ashley was there to see how their lions and tiger were faring. The environments (Whangeri is much cooler than the Kruger Park outside Johannesburg) are quite different, but the lions were doing well. We were lucky to have Ashley as a guide as he will be returning home soon.

Not much quilting going on

2007-11-13T11:19:00.000-06:00

It's been rather hectic lately with work and preparing for our upcoming trip to new Zealand. We leave on Friday and return on December 4th.

This could be us in Abel Tasman National Park