Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window:  Ed finished our little privacy fence.  I love how it turned out.

My Weekend Plans Include: Nothing specific for once.  I'll be searching for something fun to do.

I’m Reading: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford is the story of the Japanese internment in Seattle through the eyes of a 12 year old Chinese boy.  It is also a story during the 1980's of both sadness and happiness.

Movie Marquee:  My friend, Becky, has gotten us hooked on the series, Burn Notice.  I'm in the middle of season 1 and really love the stories and humor.  

 

 

Something Quiltie: I know it sounds early but Halloween and Christmas fabric have been arriving at the store.  I know to many of you that sounds awful, way to early.  But if you want to make something for either holiday, you'd better get started now.

Here's one of the new Halloween fabrics

by Alexander Henry called Hocus Pocus.

One of My Favorite Things: Doing a Sudoku puzzle before bed.

What’s For Dinner: Whenever I have leftover Salmon, I always make Salmon Hash.  Add some grilled potatoes, salmon and a couple of fried eggs and you have a perfect meal.

A Favorite Photo:

If pies are the new cupcakes, count me in.

Have a great weekend,

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window:  With Edwardo, my lawn boy, doing so much work, the yard is starting to look great.  The perfect perennial garden is one where there is always something blooming.  I'm not that good, but there are some bleeding hearts putting on a show.

My Weekend Plans Include: I thought it was a holiday weekend and we all should be resting, we have been invited to Denver to remove carpet from a bedroom.  I think lunch is included.  Sounds like a great deal!

I’m Reading: The Pioneer Woman: From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, A Love Story by Ree Drummond.  I didn't get to far this week.

Movie Marquee:  Mad Men, season 4.

Something Quiltie: I finished a small Dr. Seuss quilt using all the leftover pieces I had from the other 4 I've made.  That's it.  I'm done with Seuss.  

It was a Carrie Nelson's Schnibbles pattern. Perfect for 

the small pieces I had left.

I had fun with the machine quilting.

One of My Favorite Things: Crossing things off a list.

What’s For Dinner: We're trying something new, Savory Peach Chicken.  I've decided when I bring home a cookbook from the library  I have to try some of the recipes right away or don't copy them.  Otherwise, my pile gets bigger and bigger of untried ideas.

A Favorite Photo:

A sunset after a busy day.

Have a great weekend,

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window:

 Enough said

My Weekend Plans Include: I'm going to the May meeting for the Colorado Quilt Council.  It's in Greeley this month and I have to drop off the quilt I am entering in the Capitol Quilt Show.  More about that next week.  The speaker is Flavin Glover, A New Look at Log Cabin Quilts.  Other than that, no commitments.

I’m Reading: The Pioneer Woman: From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, A Love Story by Ree Drummond.

Movie Marquee:  Mad Men, season 3.

Something Quiltie: The half square triangle exchange has ended at the shop.  Now comes the hard part.  Our participants really embraced the project.  I have 9000 half square triangles to sort and bag up in the next two days.

 Here's the beginning of my pile.  I made 448 so I will get 448

back, but they will be different and scrappy.

One of My Favorite Things: I love to go and pick out a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream at the grocery store.  There are so many fun flavors to choose. It's hard to pick.  The last time we got Red Velvet Cake.  It's a new flavor for spring. Yum!

What’s For Dinner: Pulcinella's Pizza

A Favorite Photo:

All of Ed's graduate students are finally finished and
he didn't have to go to graduation, but he does look
good in the hat.

Have a great weekend,

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window:  Well, there are only a few pelicans left on the lake which is now void of fish and probably full of pelican poo.

My Weekend Plans Include: Ed and Elizabeth are heading to Waco, Texas for her undergrad adviser's retirement party from Baylor.  So I will be baching it. I'm hoping Jessica and Martin will be up to make me a Mother's Day Brunch.

I’m Reading: The Postmistress by Sarah Blake, which is the story of 3 women in 1940.

Movie Marquee: Secretariat. 

Something Quiltie: I have been doing quite a bit of machine quilting this week.  Stashbusters is coming up and I am the speaker this month so I've had to get my motivational quilt ready.  Like any skill the more you practice the better you get.  I've been doing more intricate designs rather than the overall stippling.  It definitely takes more time, but the results are a lot more interesting.

One of My Favorite Things: I love the new little  mini buns that Sara Lee is making.  Have you seen them?  Sliders are in now. I've been using them for all kinds of sandwiches. It's the perfect size for a burger or a BBQ Chicken sandwich.  Fewer calories too.

What’s For Dinner:There's leftover Chicken in the frig and I'll make a  fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad to go with it.

A Favorite Photo:

Happy Mother's Day

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today: Where in the World Is Kyle?  Can you guess.

Looking Out My Window: Blooming azaleas.

My Weekend Plans Include: traveling

I’m Reading: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Movie Marquee: Forest Gump

One of My Favorite Things: Girl Scout cookies

What’s For Dinner:  Shrimp and Grits

A Favorite Photo:

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window:  The flowering trees are showing some hope.  Truly spring is just around the corner here. Also these are not new lawn statues posing with my little tulips.

My Weekend Plans Include: Should I suggest a bit of "Spring Cleaning"?

I’m Reading: Still reading The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell and the Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larrson

Movie Marquee:   I still have :  A Year in Provence.  It was a BBC and A and E production and based on the book by Peter Mayle. It's a chronicle of his life for a year as he and his wife settle into a life in Provence.  It's fun.

Something Quiltie: One of the current classes at the store is a half square triangle exchange based on the book and idea by Eydta Sitar, of Laundry Basket Quilts.  The idea is to make a set of 28 identical half square triangles and exchange them with a group and then have a wide variety of pieces for a scrap quilt.  I'm working on them.

Using Triangles on a Roll

A finished half square triangle piece.

One of My Favorite Things: My mom could make a sandwich out of anything.  Sandwiches must have been one of her favorite things.  Last night for dinner I have to admit I simply had a PB&J. It tasted like heaven.  What could be simpler. 

What’s For Dinner: A frittata with mushrooms, spinach  and feta cheese.

A Favorite Photo:

 Easter, 1984

no comment on the "hair"

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window:  Yesterday there was snow.  Today it's warmer.  We certainly needed the moisture.  Every little bit helps, but rain would have been certainly preferable.

My Weekend Plans Include: The Northern Colorado Shop Hop is taking place this weekend so I am on duty at the store both Friday and Saturday.  Also on Sunday the running man is doing the Horsetooth half marathon.  I'll be waiting at the end with cheers and beer.  It ends at New Belgium brewery.

I’m Reading: Just started The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell and the Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larrson

Movie Marquee:  I don't think there will be much time for movies this weekend.  I still have last weeks:  A Year in Provence.

Something Quiltie: The shop hop is a very big deal here in this area.  We do it slightly different than other places in the fact that all of the shops come together at our fairgrounds and it becomes a one stop shopping for the customers.  Many of the shops that participate are a great distance apart and this allows this event to take place just over one weekend.  It is a practical solution for the stores in our area.  And shoppers can visit each store on their own time and schedule over the next couple months.  When you get a large group of quilters together for an event like this it can be a wild and fun time.

One of My Favorite Things: I really enjoy the big band music of the 40's.  I especially like this song by the Andrew Sisters, Maxene, Patty, and La Verne, who really were sisters.  Don't you love their harmony and swing?  This clip is from the movie, Buck Privates (1941), with Abbott and Costello.

What’s For Dinner: This week I tried a recipe from the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, a Meatloaf.  It's been forever since I made a meatloaf, much to the happiness of my three girls.  This one is great, really girls.  The only change I would make is not to put the bacon on the top.  It didn't get crispy, only very soggy.  Maybe it's there to keep the meat moist.  You decide.  Because it is huge and we both have been very busy this week, we'll have it one more time tonight.  After 3 serving, I probably won't make it again for awhile.  But I would make it again.  Mine looked just like the picture. Tah Dah!

A Favorite Photo:

Ed in Seattle, 2009

Have a great weekend,

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window: A couple of weeks ago we had to have a huge cottonwood tree removed from the backyard.  It has looked very bare without it.  Yesterday, three new flowering crabapples were planted.

 

 The lake is very low right now.  When the irrigation ditches are open and the spring run off starts in the mountains it will be full again.

My Weekend Plans Include: For the past couple years we have hosted an annual raking day.  Seems like my crew was all busy this year, but we managed to get the job done.  So instead we are heading to Denver to join in with Elizabeth and Don's annual rototiller party, haul dirt party and get the garden ready for planting party.

I’m Reading: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Movie Marquee: Dexter, season two

Something Quiltie: I have been overwhelmed this week.  I've been working on 5 different projects.  I can do that for awhile then it stops being fun and drives me crazy.  I did finish this little quilt for "Quilts for Japan" sponsored by Quilter's Newletter Magazine. 

 

Made it from scraps of a previous project.  I hope it will be

a comfort to some little person.  I have one more to donate and several from some other friends.  I'll take then to the magazine's offices in Golden on Monday. 
 

One of My Favorite Things: I love "spell  check".  I have never had the skills or natural ability to spell.  My mom was a fantastic speller and my Dad... not so good.  You can see whose spelling genes I inherited. I have to admit that sometimes  I have even confused spell check. 

What’s For Dinner:  Last week I was trying out a new recipe for a pasta dish. Nothing to blog about.  This week I told Ed I wasn't cooking.  It was time to use up all the dibby dabbies in the frig.  Well, Wednesday was cold and cloudy and I made our favorite turkey chili.  So leftovers for tonight.  If you check out the recipe, I do add a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes.  We like the sweet smokey taste the barbecue sauce adds and, of course, a good stout beer adds something to the party as well.  Some for the chili and some for the cook!

A Favorite Photo:

It's good to laugh at yourself, once in awhile.

Have a great weekend,

Until Next Time-

No Fooling, It's a Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window: No Fooling!  This is what we saw the other day out our window. There were 3 deer following the edge of the lake. I loved it.  Hope they were careful.  We live in the middle of the city.

My Weekend Plans Include: The Weather person is predicting that we may have 80 degrees on Saturday.    That would mean I have to report for leaf and stick patrol.  I guess the sooner we get it done, the better. 

I’m Reading: The Miracles of Santo Fico, by D. L. Smith

Movie Marquee: Dexter, season two, and Unstoppable with Denzel Washington.

Something Quiltie: Quilters are such generous and sharing people as a group.  They share ideas, techniques, patterns and designs, information, and their friendship.

One of My Favorite Things: I got my new American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine this week.  Should I look at it right away or find time later to savor each page?   Actually, I did both.  I looked through it quickly and then today took my time checking out what's new. It's my favorite quilting magazine.

What’s For Dinner:  A new pasta recipe from Cooking Light.  If it's good I'll let you know.  The new things I tried this week were only so so.  Not a successful week for new recipe picks.

A Favorite Photo:

The heron has been showing up every 

evening as the sun begins to set.
March 30, 2011

Have a Wonderful Weekend, 

No Fooling,

Until Next Time-

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window: The willow tree has a hint of green.  Love it.

My Weekend Plans Include: I believe I am being recruited to have the annual raking day on Saturday.  It will only be a party of 2 this year.  So it will be a small and slow party.  

I’m Reading:   Cruel and Unusual by Patricia Cornwell.

Movie Marquee: Temple Grandin and The Social Network.  Temple Grandin is at CSU.  It's a great story, if you'd like a movie recommendation.

Something Quiltie: We got a new book at the store last week, 501 Quilting Motifs by That Patchwork Place.  It's from the editors of Quiltmaker Magazine. It's a great collection of designs both for handquilting and machine.  I'd highly recommend it.

One of My Favorite Things: I grew up in the outskirts of Detroit. Besides cars, Detroit is also known for MoTown Records.  It included artists like the Four Tops, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder.  I still like the sound.  I just don't sing and dance in front of the mirror anymore.

Are you tapping your toes?

Any memories from then?

I'm Thinking About: Jessica is heading to Florida next week to spend sometime with Kate.  She's the lucky one.

What’s For Dinner:  Wish I knew. We'll be hungry by tonight.

A Favorite Photo:    

American Gothic?

Have a wonderful weekend,

For Today:

Looking Out My Window: Spring ?, Winter ?, Spring ?  Winter ?, it's up for grabs today.

My Weekend Plans Include: If the weather cooperates it might mean doing a bit, a small bit, of raking.  Maybe just enough to fill the dumpster for Wednesday's trash pick up.  I know I should be recycling the sticks but there are so many, a few won't matter.

I’m Reading:  Finishing Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and starting Cruel and Unusual by Patricia Cornwell.

Movie Marquee: The Pillars of the Earth

Something Quiltie: Hopefully, I'll have time to sew a binding on the "Secret Shop Hop Quilt".  I always use my walking foot to attach it to the quilt and leave extra batting in the seam allowance to fill the binding once it's turned.  As a judge at quilt shows and also having had many of my quilts judged, having a filled binding is something that judges love to get you on.

One of My Favorite Things: A perfectly grilled Reuben Sandwich.

I'm Thinking About: I love this quote from Dr. Seuss. 

“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” 

~Dr. Seuss

What’s For Dinner: A repeat of that perfectly grilled Reuben Sandwich. Couldn't ask for anything better on a Friday night.

A Favorite Photo:

A room with a view

The Amalfi Coast in Sorrento, Italy

2007

Mt. Vesuvius is in the background

Have a wonderful weekend,

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window: March is one of our snowiest months, but Spring has been definitely teasing.  We have a goose couple, Gander and Gertie, continually hanging out in the yard.  Wouldn't it be fun if we had babies soon.

My Weekend Plans Include: I'm heading to Denver again to have a girls' weekend.  I'm sure the three of us can figure out some fun things to do. Sorry Kate, wish it was the four of us.  On Monday I'm visiting Jessica's classroom to finally meet "her kids".  It's interesting how they react when "Mrs. Wolfe finally tells them that I am her mother".  

I’m Reading:  Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

Movie Marquee:  Shackleton and The Girl Who Played With Fire.

Something Quiltie: Making a "Hot Dog Pillowcase" is fun and easy.  We have new Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric at the store.  I made a quick pillowcase for the library corner of Jessica's kindergarten classroom.  Kohl's has all of Eric Carle's books on sale with the appropriate stuffed toys.  This should brighten up the corner.

One of My Favorite Things:  Checking out what's new at Crate and Barrel.  Can you figure out one place I'm heading while I'm in Denver?


I'm Thinking About: I collect this and collect that, wish I could collect more time.

What’s For Dinner: Stuffed Peppers, found hiding in the freezer.

A Favorite Photo:

"Girls Day Out"

 It's about having fun together.

Have a great weekend.

Fabulous Friday

For Today:

Looking Out My Window: Another day of almost spring like weather.  It has been so dry here that we could actually use some moisture. 

My Weekend Plans Include:  Sunday we're heading to Denver to share the day with my girls and to  celebrate my son-in-laws birthday.  Also checking out the "Pirate" exhibit at the Museum of Nature and Science. 

I’m Reading:  Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

Movie Marquee:  Date Night with Steve Carell and Tina Fey and Wall Street, Money Never Sleeps with Michael Douglass.

Something Quiltie: Moda one of the main fabric companies, is sponsoring a new challenge called "Just One Star".  The challenge is to make 100 quilts in 100 days to present to service men and women.  Check it out and join in.  I am.

One of My Favorite Things:  Hot chocolate with a splash of hazelnut and a spot of whipped cream


I'm Thinking About: There's the saying that two heads are better than one.  It's referring to working together.  Last night my quilt group met and we literally had an extra head.  The explanation would be way to long and probably loose something in the translation, but it did make us all laugh.

 

What’s For Dinner: Zuppa di Zucca con le Salsiccie...Pumpkin soup with Sausages.

A Favorite Photo:

Kyle and Jane, 

Summer, 1956

"Sharing doesn't always come easy"

Have a great weekend.