Home Sweet Home...

It's always good to get back home after a trip...

Unless you forgot to turn off one of the Air Conditioners and it ran non-stop while you were gone... and The Engineer found it first. 

It's a portable A/C unit - the kind that vents heat out a hose though the window... apparently I took the hose out of the window but didn't turn it off.  So for 10 days it was trying to cool a room that was heating up from the exhaust.

And if that wasn't bad enough - the next day I discovered that the small upright freezer in the laundry room had been off for 10 days 11 days.

It was only 10 11 days... stuff would have remained frozen for at least 24 hours... and cold/cool for several days more... so it wasn't as nasty as it could have been... but it was getting there.

After throwing away the contents we found and emptied the defrost bucket underneath that collected all the liquid that had drained off... it was just a little more than full. 

Everything has been cleaned with vinegar, bleach and an enzyme deodorizer...  several times each.  I'm not putting anything back in there until it doesn't smell anymore.  It's off, open, and airing out.  I've got a tray of coffee grounds and a tray of baking soda sitting inside. 

Other things I'll try if necessary:  crumpled up newspaper, activated charcoal, and green kitty litter.  From what I read the process of getting rid of the smell could take weeks.

Ahhh yes... Home Sweet Home!  LOL

All's Quiet Now...

But there was a whole lot of noise going on over the weekend at The Stone House!

I had the pleasure of hosting a group of quilting friends for several days for sewing, shopping, yakking and laughing.  We had visitors from Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky here.  I know I had a lot of fun and I'm pretty sure everyone else had a good time as well.

Saturday evening after supper we handed The Engineer about 6 cameras and had him stand in the yard and try to get us to be quiet for 2 seconds per shot... not an easy assignment... but he's pretty patient (has to be as he lives with me).

A lot of sewing was done... several projects were finished and new ones started... and the economy in this area has been well supported.  LOL

We were very fortunate to have the use of the classroom space at the Piece by Piece Quilt shop over the weekend... lots of elbow space available.  It was fun to watch the progress of the quilts on the design wall as the blocks were assembled, joined and the quilts completed and removed... only to have a new project take it's place.

I am so fortunate to have a wonderful group of friends and I look forward to future gatherings.

One of those times...

You know... one of those times you wish you'd been recording what you saw as you went about your day.  Here is a picture to ponder in your mind...

I'm driving down the road and came along an area with a sidewalk for the neighborhood beyond.  I can see a young woman and a little girl out for a walk.  The little one couldn't have been more than 2 1/2 years old. 

What caught my attention as I approached was the determined little walk of the girl.  She had on cute capri length pants and a wavy brim sun hat.  She was marching along next to her Mom - but not holding her hand.  This itty bitty girl was walking with purpose!  She was going places.

I'm already smiling to myself as I watched them approach because I love to see brave and powerful little girls. 

I didn't think it could get any better than this...but to top it off... as I came close to pass them - she looks up - directly at me - and her little arm shoots straight up with her hand spread in a great big "how ya doing - have a great day" kinda wave!

I have smiled all day...

Week 28...

Finally something to report...

2.75 yards in... and out...

I purchased Moda's Kansas Winter Jelly Roll to use for a fall class quilt - the pattern will be out of the Jelly Roll Quilts book - more on that another time.

I was able to sew a bit on Friday at work but that was it for the week as I was busy cutting FQ's of new stuff that arrived.  If I have the time after I clean up my sewing room I'd like to get all these strips cut down... it will make hauling them around so much easier.

I've got quilty friends coming in next weekend... so I've been busy getting the house ready... picking up clutter and the such - seems we will be using all available space so there's no place to 'hide' anything... LOL

This will probably be my last report for a little while with quilty friends one weekend, SIL the next and then a family reunion right around the corner from there... I'm gonna be busy.  Not sure when I'll get around to painting... or sewing... LOL

Lessons Learned...

I think it's important to continue to learn as we go along in life...

Today's lesson...

If you wash the dark red cotton rugs... don't wash white linens in the next load.

Unless of course you want light pink sheets...

Week 27 Stash Report...

I am so copying Judy L this week...

Nothing in and nothing out!

I am back to work at the Quilt Shop - I made it in all three days this week!  I've been working on a shop sample and it's almost done.  I'll have pictures later this week.

In a couple weeks I'll have Quilty Friends arrive for a weekend visit!  I think the list of visitors covers Maine, New Hampshire, NY, NJ, PA and possibly KY?  Hopefully some day-trippers as well.  Which means I need to clean up and finish arranging my sewing room... the last of those boxes have to find a home in the attic storage room, and all that fabric laying on the day bed up there needs to be put away - or spread out so the ladies can sleep on it.

Shopping yesterday at the Kutztown Folk Festival I saw these Personalized Covered Cake Pans...  how cool are they?  I'm thinking they would make great gifts... my girls (are ya reading this too?) might be getting one for Christmas this year!  If they are lucky they get to pick out the design and lettering... LOL

Gotta run and cut the grass - I got a reprieve last week but need to help out this weekend... so a pain pill and the couch are in my future as well.  Guess I'll need to find a movie to sleep in front of watch this afternoon.

Oh and last but not least here is a picture of a quilt I saw yesterday... I like the layout... I'll have to play around with that in EQ later.

Happy 4th...

The Engineer and I had a good day today exploring the Kutztown Folk Festival...  we will certainly do that again...

A Parade...

with tractors too...

an Ox Roast...

We watched a machine removing dry corn kernels from the cob...  (you know that whole simple minds are easy to amuse thing)

Is it still home made ice cream if they mechanize the process?  There is a motor churning 4 ice cream makers.

Of course it can't be a Pennsylvania Dutch Festival without Hex Signs... and more tractors...

and Quilts...

Lots of Quilts...

We stayed around the house this evening - so how about this for Fireworks...

Fireworks.wmv

So how was your world spinning this weekend?

Happy Anniversary!

It's been one year (late June) since we bought this Old Stone House...

...one short year in it's 153 year history.

Before above and After below... bushes were way overgrown in the front and hiding her beauty.

 

Before above and After below... huge tree stump is gone, area is mulched, some perennials and flowers, and less weeds.

We have a few projects planned for this summer...  some roofing and gutter work and the most exciting... 12 new windows with full screens will be installed on the first floor.  WooHoo!  I can't tell you just how excited I am about that project!  We hope that later this fall or next spring we will be able to finish off the 2nd and 3rd floor windows.

I still have lots of painting to do... lots and lots of painting to do... LOL

We do love this house - even with all the work we've done and the work still on the Honey Do list... We love this house!

Wk#26 - Stash Report... finally

The only yardage I spent any quality time with this past week was 33 yards of 1 inch Chicken Wire.  I'll take fabric any day of the week - putting up even a short fence is hard work... especially if you are already hurting.

Good news is that I haven't been fabric shopping... so no fabric added.  YaaaHooo!

I did a little bit of sewing this weekend - not much as I quit when I started to hurt - but a little bit is is better than none.  I'm working on the "Stars in My Garden" strip quilt.  A quilt I really am looking forward to getting made - more about that another time.

I also started getting the details of my "Take a Number Please" Challenge.  Something I've been pondering for over a year and mentioned last Feb. in the Week 8 Report.

Details will follow for any who are interested... it would be a good way to use up some stash and have fun along the way!  Over the next week or so I'll reminisce about some past Challenges I've participated in...

Until then... zip in and zip out...

Bunny Tales...

It's been a busy week.

Last Tuesday after I published my last post telling you about the 4 baby bunnies in my yard I went out to work in my vegetable garden.

This is what I found...

That wilted zucchini plant is suppose to be closer to the stake in the foreground... and up right and healthy too.  It's hard to tell from this picture but the grass is the lining for the nest a different rabbit was building... she plucked out the plant - dug out an area about 4 inches deep and about 10 inches long.  I watched her go back and forth several times... then I told her that her application for lease of this garden apartment had been denied...

She ran off to the pine tree in the corner of the property... I hope she found a more suitable location... not in my yard - before she had her babies.

The rest of the day was spent building a fence around the garden... which was not good for me because it required a lot of bending over - which only aggravated the pains I already had from falling on the iron gate last week.

My 4 little baby bunnies were safe and secure in their dog crate... I'd leave the door open each evening and lock it up again in the morning to protect them from the dogs.  Momma bunny was taking very good care of them because they were growing quickly and getting fat.

Thursday night they were out of the nest and OUT of the crate... I slipped them back in and they were all safe and secure in the nest Friday morning.  During the day they stayed put but were out and about again in the evening... one of them flew the coop left the yard Friday evening just before bed check - after looking with flashlights we decided he was long gone.

Saturday morning it was clear that we could no longer safely contain them in the crate in the fenced yard - so we hauled them and the crate to the back yard beyond the garden.  This is the last picture of the 3 of them... just as we turned to walk back to the house the first little bunny took off like a shot and headed over to the pine tree in the corner of the yard.  The second little bunny left about a half hour later...  and the third little bunny was the littlest little bunny and he cried... ummmm no... but he was a little unsure of what to do.  He left the crate but was just resting out in the yard.  So I scooped him up and took him over by the pine tree and let him go there.  I hated the idea of a hawk finding him sleeping out in the yard.

I hope they were ready for the big wide world - or at least found Momma if they weren't.