Surprises on my quilts and in my Garden!

So, I am still working on my quilter's castle quilt and as you can see I have added Repunzel, a man reaching out for her falling off of a tree and six birds (for my six Grandchildren). It is turning out quite wonderful and is so much fun to dream up these things, add them and bring
smiles.

Above is my cousin Lance and his wife Linda on the left just home from Zambia to visit for a day (I see him once a year) he and his wife work in Namibia, Zambia and South Africa to fight AIDS (this is their year number eleven and they had only planned on staying one year). They are so much fun and I want them home but admire them for their work. On the right is my cousin Carl and his wife Sherry (from Coeur d'Alene) who are planning their daughters wedding next month where we will all meet on a boat on Lake Coeur d'Alene for the exciting event. Can't wait to see more cousins, Aunts and family. We have been close for many years.

So as you can see there are flowers of all kinds growing up around my bottle trees and filling in my garden. So much fun!

Here is one bottle tree I showed you not long ago and you can barely see the bottles but they once you can see leave a blue cast on these leaves...it is quite wonderful.

So I have always loved this yellow birdhouse that has had many little birds build nests inside for their little babies. Upon further inspection, I noticed the birds left and we had new neighbors.
YIKES! Mark has now moved the bees elsewhere and we plan to clean the birdhouse out so the birds will come back and the bees will find some place other than this house.

I love this fountain that I bought with my very first Benartex check. I will always love the way this looks and sounds and many little quail were hatched underneath it.

The large lump of greenery on the left of this photo is a big church birdhouse- long ago covered by large leaves. I still see little birds sneaking in there and not being detected by the cats that love to come and play in my yard.

More of the ever changing flowers in the back.

The sign that you see above is beneath this trumpet vine....no one can see the sign that says "Don't Pick the Flowers." They don't pick them anyway. Unless a Grandchild wants to get your attention....that is a good way to get me to notice them. :0)

Like you don't work when you garden....but it is fun work!

A better view of my large church birdhouse that you would never know was under there. I would cut it back if not for the fact of the bird family that is in there to be obviously hiding. The only problem? Watering without getting the birds wet. :0)

Today Mel comes to town, we are going to Idaho to see where I am doing my retreats next year and then on to the river to see my children. Tomorrow early we will leave for Whidey and meet Island and meet up with our other gal friends for sewing, laughing and eating. It is always an adventure. Stay tuned for photos of this beautiful place.

Lance comes home from Africa today for a quick yearly visit

As many of you know, my cousin and his wife work with AIDS victims in five countries within Africa. He went there to set up a program with his wife and to stay one year. It has been eleven years now. I admire them for their efforts and heart. Can't wait to have our yearly Mexican dinner (the one food he cannot find in Africa).
Carol from Sacramento (a good friend) reminded me about this site and asked me to post it. I am posting it because we are lucky as women to have our own computers, safety, homes and freedom.
I believe in this woman's work. Please check it out. http://www.upontheroofwithcarol.org/
I think you might enjoy this woman's spirit also.

Bottle Tree Madness! Oh, I LOVE it!

So, I am so tickled about bottle trees as most of you know and my friend Pam from California got her husband to build one for her and isn't it great? She is counting on her friends that drink alcohol to help her out. I wish there were more blue bottles out there with soda or pop in them.

Or cleaning stuff or....anything. It sure would help us out!

Pam, tell Steve he did a great job!

More of Sisters- people, blocks, quilts and fun

I had to laugh because about fifteen minutes after I took this photo, the street was packed and no way could someone ride their bike without hitting someone.

Ahhhhh, a little oasis in the heat-beauty and coolness in the back of a building.

Are you seeing how the crowd is building up? All ages. And below I took a photo just for the outfit the lady was wearing. Such a great idea for a quilt.

Below-I don't recall so many people selling things on the street in the past. It used to be inside the stores and only the Stitchin Post. Now there are all kinds of people selling things on the street. I got a class of cold lemonade that was just the ticket to cooling off.

The Antique shop got into the spirit and sold all kinds of cool stuff-I couldn't get anything I couldn't get on the airplane.

Above is a better view of the Stitchin Post and the Gees Bend quilts.
Below is more of the walls in the quilt shop.

Above is a pretty display of interior things-lovely colors.

Above is a nice display of fabrics to tempt you....and believe me I was more than tempted

Above is the lovely artist and quilter Lure Schwartz Smith who is married to Kirby Smith- so nice and a wonderful teacher too. We teach together at Asilomar.

Now here is a sample of someone who has alot more time on their hands than I do! Wonderful.
And this is a totally different car! WOW.

Below is the closeup image of a quilt about summer that I loved. So pretty and fun to see.

Below is a mural on the side of a building. Nice colors and graphics too!

Sharing photos from friends is always fun! Check these out!

This wonderful quilt by Peggy Baldwin hung at the Sisters quilt show and I missed it but I heard from many many people about seeing it and how wonderful it was for a story quilt about the Hurricane in Texas last year and how poor Peggy lost her job and loads of other things. She has an amazing sense of survival and I think this quilt is marvelous and will be a piece of history for many to study someday. Great job Peggy!.

My friend Molly is in Ireland and hey, isn't this funny? The Quilty Tavern-how imaginative! Wonder how much sewing they actually get done?

Here is Molly with her husband who is a professor. They went to England and Ireland to attend the wedding of his pen pal from Grade school. Beautiful photo.

The quilt above is from Peggy Baldwin of Galveston. Who says pumpkins have to be orange?? And isn't her use of my alphabet fabric GOOD? Love those letters and all the things they can say just by cutting them out and stitching them together! Thanks for sending those photos Molly and Peggy! Wonderful stuff for sure.

Sisters quilt show-a success beyond measure and fun in so many ways

Do you wonder why Caren is laughing??? I asked her if I could take a photo of her chest-note the tiara-doesn't she look royal and happy in it? She drove up with Wendy and my friends from California to partake in all of the Sisters joy this time of year.


I had to take this photo of the lady in the wild skirt looking at fat quarters at the Stitchin Post. She needs to be in a story quilt for sure.

I stopped this lady to get a photo of her dress-such fun and so cool to put her in the quilt too!


The quilts on the top and the bottom are Gees Bend quilts as the ladies from Mississippi were there signing their books. Lovely ladies and lovely, funky quilts.


I think the quilts above are Jean Wells quilts that she is doing now. I adored the color and shapes-wonderful stuff.

This building is the Stitchin Post and they have all of the Gees Bend quilts on there for display-pretty awesome stuff.

Here I am with Freddy Moran-I am always squinting in the sun and she always looks like a million bucks-check out the hat and bracelets!

Neal Moran the cutest guy in the world and his wife Freddy. Neal drives a convertible mustang, golfs and plays dominos and keeps himself busy as Freddy does her magic with Gwen. He is a delightful and fun man. I will never forget going to see Shrek with them-such fun to be with those that are always young at heart!

So while I was looking around who do I run into but Gwen Marston and Freddie Moran-so I bought their new book and had them sign it

The quilt above is a Freddie Moran self portrait from her business cards....pretty wonderful

I thought this basket quilt was quite wonderful with the bias handles of black and white stripe.

I like anything that is pieced in an interesting way and this fits. Isn't it wonderful?

Very graphic when you use just two colors! I really like this.

This quilt had the most fabulous quilting of anything I had seen. It was wonderful in every way.

The quilt above had great color and use of fabric and it was so interesting how she used different blocks throughout. I would love this on a wall in my house for the Fall wouldn't you?

Above was another happy, colorful row quilt-lovely in so many ways.

I think my most favorite quilt was this bird quilt. Such fun and brought so many smiles.

The camping quilt above was lovely and fun and I watched a kid hang on it and whip it back and forth until a quilter said loudly, "don't touch the quilts!' The kids Dad came out from behind it, and took the kid away before the quilters could get him. :0)

I got to the show at 7:30 am and was there before the crowds hit. I drove back to Bend against the traffic going into Sisters for miles and miles. I missed the heat and the crowds and had a lovely time see the quilts and shopping at Stitchin Post.

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Below is one of the displays at the Stitchin Post to tempt quilters- lovely

Sisters has so much beauty in the buildings and the flowers that are abundant everywhere.

Below was a line at the Stitchin Post-you can see there was plenty to look at while waiting.

These smart people were sitting behind the quilts in the shade, relaxing and watching people out the side-the men were just biding their time waiting. :0)

I loved the darling wagon on the street-darling and such lovely color.

Everywhere you look at cameras, quilters and quilts.

The crowd is just starting to come and enjoy all there is to see and buy and enjoy.

I loved these poppies as it reminded me so much of my trip to France and the wonderful poppy fields everywhere. Such beauty and inspiration that God provides us with daily!