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Wednesday, December 27, 2017

The Days Before, During & After!

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We took a little drive on Saturday, temps in the mid 50s!

(Oh, how I wish we could have those back NOW!)

The cabin is situated in amongst many Christmas tree farms, and it is a wonderful place to take simple drives down long and winding roads.

Did you know it takes 7 years to grow a tree to cutting height?

The trees are planted in sections, much like choirs, and while this year’s trees are gone and will be replanted with new growth, the 6 year old trees are standing tall, ready to become the 7 year old trees, and so forth.

It’s kind of like UFOS when it comes to quilting!  It sometimes takes 7 years or longer for them to actually become quilts, but I kind of like the Christmas tree farm analogy of how long it takes something to be ready.

Our destination on this day?  Grayson Highlands State Park – Mama and Sadie wanted needed a hike!

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But our 50 degree temps turned to rain!

Well shoot.  We had no sooner started to walk and little drops began to fall, and our hike was curtailed into a rather short circular route as the rain sped up and began to fall harder.

Rats.  Just rats!

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The hubster and Sadie, making a beeline back to the car!

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Saying “Hi!” to the wild ponies! 

They don’t seem to mind the rain!

Click to play:


It still felt good to get out, and as this cold snap engulfs the southeast (single digit temps as our lows in the next few days!) I would really love to have those 50 degrees back.

I look at it this way.  I am gaining just a bit of daylight back every day since the Solstice happened (HOORAY!) But everything comes with a trade off.  Once New Year’s happens I just hold on until spring.  I am so not a winter girl!

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Christmas with Jeff!

My guys love to play “old-school” video games like Super Mario Brothers and Pacman.  Donkey Kong will also leave you with an earworm you just can’t get rid of.

Click for an example:


Just HOW am I supposed to think or read quietly with this going on?? LOL!

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Our quiet Christmas dinner for 3.

We missed Jason, but it was so great that he got to come spend a couple of days earlier in the week. We’ll take what we can get!

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Do you remember my first block try inspired by this vintage quilt used in this Quiltville Quote

Well, they’ve become an obsession while watching old movies on DVD in my sewing area downstairs.

I’m not sure how I’m going to set these yet.  Remember that there can’t be a pattern until there is a quilt, and I’m just getting started here.  I may send these in for a future Addicted to Scraps column block.  Since I’m using cabin stash, I’ve found that I can get one block out of 2 layer cake squares plus background.  It’s got possibilities!

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These piles are at half-way!

My Checkerboard Rails Leader & Ender Challenge is right on schedule if we are going all the way to July.  I’m shooting for king size to replace the tattered and worn quilt that is on our bed at home.  The last king quilt I made was Celtic Solstice, and it is on our bed at the cabin. Since this is using up a ton of weirdo fabric and the blocks are easily stitched on the side and I need a leader/ender project anyway, I’m happy to keep going on it.

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Stitching more strip sets!

At some point yesterday I ran out of 4 patches for the checkerboard section and started in making short strip sets of black/neutral as leaders & enders to be turned into the next batch of 4 patches.

When the strip sets are short, I get more variety easily.

My plans for the next couple of days?  I’m headed home tomorrow afternoon.  We’ve got some things to do at the North Carolina cabin which is still on the market.  It’s getting a new toilet, and the gas folks are coming by to hook up the replacement gas fireplaces we are installing since moving the old ones up here with us.  A general cleaning, dusting, vacuuming and spruce up will happen as we get started into the new year.  And I will head back to Wallburg from there in time for Part 6 of On Ringo Lake to go live! 

Oh we are getting so close to a finish!!  I’m just giddy thinking about this reveal!

Our Mystery TUESDAY Link-Up for part 5 started yesterday, did you see it?  There are some beautiful shares, and more entries are coming in.  Those entries are open until Midnight tomorrow night, so you’ll want to check back to see them all.

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My feet up time yesterday afternoon!

I’ve hand quilted enough that my callouses are sore. One on the corner my right thumb up near the top of my nail where the point of the needle hits as I stitch, and one on my “under finger” – my left index finger.  It’s one of those “hurts so good!” kind of things because I have made quite a bit of progress on this “forever project.”

I've tried thimble pads and other things to protect my fingers, but nothing works as well as a good quilting callous.  I have to be able to feel the tip of the needle as it comes through all three layers of the quilt sandwich.

With no cable or satellite or Wifi, we still get great channels by antenna!  Green Acres.  What a hoot!

That's the era when funny was hysterical, and it wasn’t crass, dirty or focusing on bodily functions.  BRING. IT. BACK!

We turned off the TV this morning – I couldn’t even bear the news.  It focused on accidents, robberies, police shootings, car chases, drugs, child abuse, and a ring of thieves lifting Amazon boxes and others from people’s door steps.  I just don’t want to live in that world!

I’ll stick to my old school life, enjoying every minute of the “NOTHING” (Yet everything!) I’ve got here on my 42 acres of bliss.

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Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Don't just talk about it, do it!  Whatever it is, don’t put it off any longer!

Much love from the mountain -



17 comments:

  1. I often threaten Rob with "hotscakes"

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  2. We run to West Jefferson,NC to pick up Christmas trees each year! I love the drive. I’ll bet we pass your cabin on the way as I am familiar with ‘Mouth of Wilson’ Happy New Year Bonnie!

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  3. 50 degrees does sound good. Went out to a movie and saw the temp was 5 degrees. Brrrr. Had to be put an extra layer on. I have not seen many guesses for this Mystery as in the past. You have us stumped. Can hardly wait for Mystery Friday.

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  4. Oh Bonnie enjoy these days without cable etc. Like you, I am simply tired of bad nasty news. There are many wonderful good happy people out there.... tv never ever finds their stories. I turn off tv, or go to Netflix to have a happy movie on, even love the music onlys.

    Was with family Christmas and Christmas Eve, John's birthday. We Celebrated his being with Christ on Christmas. DOgs even had a great time...and I am blessed with love.

    Now those down slower days after Christmas. Hoping 2018 beings all good and healthy things you way.
    HUGS
    JulieinTN

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  5. I'm with you on the news - yuck. I stopped listening to the news when my son was deployed to Iraq, and never got back into the habit once he was out of the Marine Corps. I know that the bad stuff is out there (my late husband was a LEO), but I refuse to focus exclusively on it.

    Christmas was white here in eastern Kansas for the first time in a couple of years. And our temps this morning were sub zero. ACK! I did NOT want to get out of bed and go to work, but I have to pay for the fabric and yarn habit somehow!

    A Blessed New Year to you Bonnie, your family and all my Quiltville friends.

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  6. In Arkansas we are hitting a high of "maybe" 34 today. Looks like cold weather and staying in. Just got over the flu and have no desire to go through that again. I see now where the blocks you posted yesterday came from and hope it gets into Addicted to Scraps in Quiltmaker soon. I have lots of pre-cuts to use up in 2018. Happy New Year!!

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  7. Ah Green Acres - I still just about remember the tune and the first few lyrics. Looking forward to our green acres next year. That's the goal anyway.
    Snow here this morning and then rain and slush. All gone but boy has it turned cold. I also noticed the light hung around a bit longer this evening. The moon and stars are out - bet there will be frost by morning!
    Keep warm and well everyone (and for those down under - enjoy the second half of summer while you can and probably you'll be looking for ways to keep cool!)

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  8. The video games have come out to play in our household as well. Boom Blocks and Brain Academy on the WII - fun family time. Merry Christmas Bonnie. Hoping to be able to come down from Canada to your lectures in Washington next May.

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  9. Yes, me too..the further out in the wilderness I am the better I am...Hoping you're truly enjoying your time at home. You so deserve it.

    Debra in cold Ma.

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  10. I was just wondering today if you had sold your old cabin yet and today you answered my question!!! Good luck on selling it in the new year😊

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  11. I'm still looking into buying and living in the 'round house'. LOL

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  12. I love how Christmas tree farms look and how much planning it takes to grow a tree. I a not a winter girl either but have lived in it all my life. Our temp yesterday was -31 C. Very cold!!!!

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  13. I’ve got sore callouses too. Along with wrecked fingernails. But I sure do enjoy the process and seeing how the quilting stitches slowly transform the quilt. Happy holidays to you!

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  14. Bonnie I saw on the news this morning that a lady was fed up with the package thieves so she boxed up some fresh catbox leavings for them! Six boxes with a surprise inside. I hope you got a smile like I did from this newsbit. Happy quilting and don't be so callous about off-mountain happenings!! LOL from Houston TX.

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  15. I have stopped watching the news (except for the occasional Sunday 60 Minutes) for years now... I used to turn on the TV with mornng coffee... tsk! no need to start my day with all the evils and transgressions of the world and since I am an avid fan of TUT and the laws of abundance, why in the world would i attract this kind of thing with watching first thing in the day??? so i don't and i'm much happier... the newspaper still draws me, but i skip over the bad stuff, skim the community news and read the funnies!!

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE the week between Christmas and New Year.... the days are getting longer and the promise of spring comes with the miniscule addition of daylight!! and the quiet time i take to do whatever pleases me, the "gotta dos" wait until the day after the Rose Bowl parade and game!

    Wishing you and the family happy healthy year and thanks for your contribution to my life... MomCat Whitcher

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  16. When grandson wanted to play games on the computer I made him turn off the noise. He said it made it harder for him to play. Big deal! I do not pander to making things easy! That's why I quilt! Numbers and I are not best of friends, and I do not follow patterns for sizes, they make the quilt too small in my opinion!

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