Fish Fry

We had friends from  church over for a fish fry tonight.  The Canadian pike was definitely a hit!  We had a great time.

 Some of our friends' adult kids came along.

 Jim had his fish frying center set up in front of the garage where it was only about 100 degrees....

Everyone loved the fish.  All but two little pieces were eaten.

Quilting

I finished up this Remembrance quilt last night and got it on the machine today for the quilting.  Yay!

We are having our Sunday School class over tonight for a fish fry.  Northern Pike -  from Jim's Canadian fishing trip a few weeks ago.  It was 105 degrees here an hour or so ago.  Poor Jim, is cooking the fish outside.......

SO HOT!

Wow, it is sure hot here.  It was 103 yesterday as I drove in from work.  I think the expected high today is about 106.  It is a nice, cool (not) 95 degrees on our screened porch.  But, hot weather is good for some things.....

making sun tea in my vase...ha ha.....I used to have a nice sun tea jar, but who knows what happened to it, so I improvised...

and getting bread to rise for homemade rolls.  I found a recipe that rivals Sister Schubert's dinner rolls.  Yummy!  It will be under the recipe tab in a few minutes....can it be too hot outside for rising bread?

Almost half done!

I really can't believe how fast this is going.  I prayed for inspiration, some pattern that would make good use of all of his shirts, and something that I could do rather quickly.  Thank you Lord, for answering my prayer!

From this....

to this......

I have four rows put together, just six more and the borders to go.  I also made a few extra four-patch blocks that I might put across the back. And there is still this much shirt fabric left.....

I plan to use the blues for the binding.  I am not sure what I will do with all of the leftovers but I can't stand to just throw them away.  Normally, I will cut them up in 2 1/2 inch strips and save them.  The gentleman's widow did not want them back.

She is 89 and appears to be in pretty good health, but she is grieving for her husband very much.  I want to get this to her as quickly as I can in hopes it will provide comfort as she wraps it around her and feels his shirts close to her.

Shirts are a bit difficult to work with.  Dress shirts are great for not stretching but they tend to ravel profusely.  Flannels add a nice contrast but they tend to stretch.  This quilt almost reminds me of an argyle pattern.  I am very happy with it and am excited about doing some custom quilting on it.

My quilt looks nothing like the one that inspired me but I believe it will turn out just as nice.  You can see it here at Leah's Quilted Delights.

More Progress

I went upstairs after supper just to make a block or two to see how they are going to look. Well, 25 blocks later, I decided to call it a night. I've got half the blocks made! I'm thinking of using the light blues for the side triangles and then putting a four inch scrappy border of the plaids all around it. This is one of the fastest patterns I've made. I sure hope it turns out nice. The little widow who I am making it for, is so very excited about having it.

 

Today's Progress

I've gotten a lot done today on my next memory quilt.m I am using a new pattern I found on the Internet at Crazy Mom Quilts blog, adapted by Quilted Delights. I contacted the owner of the quilted delights design and she pointed me to the free instructions.

 

You'll have to use your imagination. He had so many light colored shirts and just a few flannels, but I think this will work. I got all of the pieces cut out today. Quilted Delights also did an amazing job on the custom quilting. It will be omy inspiration once I start quilting it. Checkout her blog at www.quilteddelights.blogspot.com

 

 

Remembrance Quilt #6

Today I picked up these shirts from the assisted living center where the widow lives. I so enjoyed getting to visit with her and the other three folks there that I knew. This couple had been married for 73 years. She was 16 and he was 17 when they married. They went to school and church together and started dating when they each had lead roles in their school's operetta. She really misses him and is so excited about the quilt. This is why I do this. You can't imagine the joy I get when I make one of these and it means so much to the recipient. Now to decide what pattern......

 

 

Practicing

Last night I went to see my friend's grand daughter play softball. However, we spent as much time playing with the newest grand daughter as watching the older one play ball. Isn't she a little doll? I got to hold her a bit, so I considered that "practicing" for when I have a grand baby some day!

 

 

Star Spangled Blocks

Did a little work on this tonight.  Lots of little pieces, but I am enjoying it.

Riverside Grill

Jim and I went to a Receiving of Friends tonight at the funeral home in a neighboring town. It was very sad. My friend's husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last November. Even with rigorous treatments he lasted less than seven months. My heart breaks for his widow. They had no children and were married about 33 years. She and I worked together about 25 years. So very sad, even knowing he was a believer and she, as a believer, will see him again one day....but for now she is left here, and her heart is breaking.

On the way home we stopped at a little local grill. We had never eaten there. They had live music, which was a little old man and what appeared to be his wife. They were cute and he did have a voice much like Willy Nelson. I inconspicuously tried to get their picture.

 

They were missing a guitar player. They called themselves the Double Nickel band, because they were over 55 ( I think by about 15 years!)

 

Semi Homemade

Well, not really even semi.

Our local Food City store had these chickens, seasoned with veggies already cut up for around nine bucks.  Seemed like a good deal for something to throw in the oven, cook while we are at church, and then have for lunch.  I brushed some olive oil on it, put a few pats of butter on the chicken, and added some fresh thyme and rosemary.

The skin got kind of burned, but it was really tasty.  It fed the hubby, me, and mom, and there is still plenty of leftover chicken for some chicken salad, plus leftover veggies too.

One random shot taken yesterday.....

Taken through the screen.  The birds were so loud yesterday.  I think they are getting brave coming so close to where the cat is.....

Landscaping

I visited my good friend last night. Her landscaping and flowers always look so great. Here are a couple of shots.

Today was kind of a lazy day. My back is still bothering me, preventing me from doing some things I would have liked to have done today like wash the car and get started on the front porch. However, it is good for me to just relax sometimes. I did a few things like put a rod pocket on my quilt above the swing, and got some good reading done.

...and I got to have a lunch date with the hubby.

 

More Porch Re-do

I really love what I've done with the porch.  I want it to look really good when the hubby comes home from his fishing trip, considering he was very reluctant to let me paint it.

I sewed up a red ticking pillow yesterday and put some red placemats on the table. Carolina Pottery had their outdoor wicker rockers on sale, so I made a run to Knoxville to get one. 

I got a couple more plants at Lowe's and raised my rectangular planters up on some decorative rocks.  My  friend says that getting them off the hot deck will help them to do better.

He should be home within a couple of hours from his 11 day fishing trip up north.  I am making fried chicken tenders, cooked carrots, home grown green beans, twice baked potatoes, home made bread, and this yummy fruit pizza for dessert.  Think he will know I missed him? I did.  It was very lonesome around here.

Where I've been this week...

 

Idaho Falls. Very pretty city. We were teaching a class there and we're able to do some sight seeing along the downtown falls area this evening. Jim definitely needs one of those fish benches.

One more pic

I had this cute little window quilt so I managed to hang it above the swing. 

 

More faux tile pictures

I've got Jesse's cat door locked.  I am so afraid he is going to catch something and bring it on the porch to eat...and bloody up my new floor.  I want to get it sealed first.