Pics Are Back!

Hi Everyone,


Halleluia!!!! I can once again upload pictures. I was not a happy camper for the last few days trying but not succeeding with getting pics up on Blogger.

I thought all along that it was a Blogger problem but began having these nagging thoughts that it might be some little thing that I changed on my computer that was the REAL culprit!

So...the problem resolved itself without any intervention from me!

So you can see how we had to move the dining room table out into the great room so I could lay out Old Tobacco Road. The only other place that I have that is big enough is right in the middle of the great room where Yeager spends a great deal of time walking or running around. That is not an option. But Yeager rarely goes in the dining room so
it's a good choice.



You can see that the center of Old Tobacco Roads is nearing completion.

Genie

Overrunning Its Wall

Hi everybody--

Blogger simply won't let me post any pictures today and it's making me grouchy. Why does it work sometimes but not now?

Anyway, Old Tobacco Road has simply outgrown its design wall. I had to do something, so we moved the dining room table sideways and out somewhat so that I can use the floor in there for a few days to compose the quilt.

Scrappy quilts have some great advantages. My favorite one is that they are never boring and you can look at them for a long time without seeing everything. Another great advantage is that you don't have to worry about running out of any one particular print.

But the thing about scrap quilts is that I like for my fabrics to be mixed up well enough in the quilt so that each print is not only not touching one like itself, but that they are well balanced. Hence a lot of time is spent composing. It is one of my favorite parts of making the quilt top. (If only I could show you the picture...grrrr!!!)

Soon my table will be back in its place and I will begin the first border. I still haven't settled on a color.

Genie

Cuttin' Up Fabric.... Sewin' It Back Together

Hi All---

This is part of what I have been working on this morning--Erie Mae has been such a dear, just making a nice smooth, happy sound as the two of us sew along together.

The pattern is OLD TOBACCO ROADS, a free pattern from Bonnie Hunter of quiltville.com. It is a mystery, but it now all parts have been posted, so I know how it will come out. This is such a great pattern, but not in the fast and easy category that are so popular.





Here is a section of the quilt that I am working on using my design wall. I am trying to arrange the various scrap fabrics evenly throughout the quilt, but this pattern does not have your typical blocks....the pieces are arranged in diagonal rows, and also the quilt is larger than my design wall.

So I am working in sections, diagonal slices really, and this is the first section. This part is a lot of fun, piecing and seeing the quilt start to come together!

I decided to make my quilt a little wider than the original pattern by adding two extra pinwheel columns. This makes my quilt square...I think about 76 inches before borders. And I have a really fun idea for the border that differs from the pattern. I'll show you in a future post!


Genie

A Very Special Day

Hi Everybody--

Today is Sunday, June 14, 2009. Today is special because exactly 40 years ago, Jerry and I were married before family, friends, and God.

We have been blessed with a good life together, with sons, daughters-in-law, and three wonderful grandchildren. We have had fun, laughter and love all along the way.

We celebrated our day by exchanging
cards, going to church, and then having brunch at our favorite place to
go for REALLY BIG occasions, the Westin La Paloma here in Tucson.

The first picture is the special dessert assortment that our waiter brought us with "Happy Anniversary" written in chocolate. Below is the ice sculpture in the seafood platter.




















This is a picture of the resort grounds with desert trees shading the pool and pathways. The swim-up bar seemed to be very popular!


This picture of us was taken by one of the wait staff. The sun behind us is so bright that our faces are unfortunately a little too shaded. But we were sure having fun!

Here are a few more pictures of the grounds .



















Genie

Home Sweet Home

Hello to All--

We're home! Yay!

After all the fun and varied scenery it still feels good to be putting the horse in the barn, unpacking our stuff and looking forward to sleeping in our bed at home tonight.

We made Tucson about 10 AM and went straight to the Post Office for a huge box of mail. I've been sorting it and listening to all the messages on our machine.

I know from experience that it will take about 3 to 4 days to get everything sorted, unpacked, put away and/or washed.

My computer at home has strangely decided to protect me from all of my favorite websites. Jerry thinks that it may just have to work its way through its security protocols after the shock of being turned on again after being off for a month. Wow! My computer has to think about whether its going to work with me again. Did I hurt its feelings by leaving it for so long? It would seem so.

Genie

Getting Closer to Home

Hi All--

We are now in Deming, NM after a full day of driving. Thank goodness for Wal Mart!

Last night was at a Texas state park in Fort Davis. That afternoon we toured the old western fort by the same name. During the night, it started raining and then hailing. Now we have had the experience of being in "golf ball hail." It sounded like rocks falling on top of the RV!!

This morning we drove up to the MacDonald Observatory, where they have the largest optical telescope in the world. We did't spent much time there, however, because we wanted to get some miles behind us.

Hoping to be back in Tucson sometime tomorrow.

Genie

Study Butte?????

Hello All--

Last night we stopped in for the night in another town, with the unlikely name of Study Butte. And we were at the Study Butte RV Park, also unlikely. It is patrolled by three friendly dogs, who were curious about Yeager. I have now learned that the town's name is pronounced "stoody byoot." OK, I guess if I lived there, I would prefer that too.

I could't post last night but tonight should be a different story here at the Lost Alaskan RV Park in Alpine, TX. We stopped early and walked through some of the shops here for a very pleasant afternoon.



This is a picture of a wild turkey that I snapped in a rest stop earlier today. He really surprised us when we drove in!!

Night before last we stopped in Langtry, TX. This was the home of Judge Roy Bean.


Langtry was once a railroad stop and as a result was a fairly well-populated and thriving town.


We enjoyed walking through the botanical garden and touring the old buildings including the Judge's court/ barroom, his home and the old and crumbling homes of some of his neighbors.

His barroom had a picture of Lily Langtry, the English actress that was the object of his affections, even though he never met her.












Genie

Population 500!

Hi Everybody!

This will be a quick post to let you know why I didn't post last night. We stopped last night in Langtry, TX, but there was no WIFI or cell coverage. We did have a very interesting visit there as it was the home of Judge Roy Bean, the Law West of the Pecos.

I took pictures, which will be posted later. The reason for the rush is that we have made a quick stop in the town of Marathon, TX, pop. 500, but there is Verizon cell coverage here so I can get on the internet. That's all nice, you might say, but it IS about 100 degrees here in the RV. So I'll see if I can get on the net tonight and post pictures. What good is a blog without pictures, anyway?

Genie

The Streets of Laredo

Hello All --

Well, evening finds us tucked into a nice campground with 50 amp service (that's good) and water.

We are at Casa Blanca State Park just on the outskirts of Laredo, Texas very close to the Mexican border. The lake is huge. I don't care very much for the need for permanent signs all over the park, saying, WATCH FOR SNAKES! Believe me, I will not be taking one step out here without watching and worrying.

We made about 230 miles or so today. That's about what we are trying for. Nice and easy!

Genie

Our Last Night with Bonnie and Family

Hi Everybody!

We sadly left South Padre Island, after saying our good-byes to Bonnie, Buck and Eddie last night after dinner at Pier 19.....where else but on the pier......at our KOA.

Dinner was great--this has been our favorite seafood place on the island.

It was really hard to leave my sister and her family because it has been several years since we have gotten together. And it's the first time we have met and gotten to know Buck, Bonnie's new husband. We feel like old friends now. So Bonnie and Buck, now come and see us, you hear? (She has already promised to visit this fall.)


Wednesday night Buck and Bonnie made dinner for us, ******STARRING****** Buck's special seasoned, marinated and grilled butterfly shrimp.

The picture shows the shrimp before grilling. It was so succulent! Bonnie made a cobbler that was she has been making for years. It was decadent and delicious.

So thank you, Buck and Bonnie, for all your generous hospitality, great cooking, and the fun we had hanging out with you!

And goodbye to the island, until next time.



Genie

Just Putzing Along with Some Blocks

Hi Everybody!


Guess what? I slept half the day today. I suppose when you are retired, on vacation, and have come down with a very bad cold that you can be excused for being so lazy.

But occasionally I pull my chair up to my dear little Singer featherweight (her name is Elizabeth since she was made by the master craftsmen and craftswomen in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

This is what Elizabeth and I have come up with in the last few days.

The first picture shows some blocks that I have made using my own pattern design! I know, I know that this looks is the old stand-by Delectable Mountains. But I have put my own twist on it. When I have made Delectable Mountains before, I did not like how so many points came together when the rows were sewn together. I have figured out an easy and accurate way to put some extra fabric next to the points some that the rows go together so SMOOTHLY!

(I did all this thinking before I caught cold...I could not design anything right now to save my life. But I am up for a little bit of piecing)


The other little fun things that I'm working on are some Maverick Stars.

They are so much fun because you are trying to make them a little wonky so you always get your wish.

(....as opposed to trying for perfect piecing and not always getting your wish)

We are going over to Bonnie and Buck's tonight for Buck's special shrimp dish. This is going to be good, I'm telling you, because he is a gourmet cook excellante!

Genie