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Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Sunscreen, Bug Spray and Away We Go!


It looks like summer is here to stay in these parts!  

With yesterday's high of 82 - it was the perfect day to break away from the sewing machines and drive over to Damascus, grab some bikes, load up on the shuttle and head to White Top Station where we road 17 miles (Mostly downhill! YAY!) and enjoyed being OUTSIDE!


It was a bit of a slow start - I hadn't gone more than 200 feet and the pedal fell off my bike. LOL!

I mean - the whole crank - not just the pedal itself.  Luckily, there was a couple there who were better prepared than we were.  They had TOOLS!  And the tools included an Allen wrench of just the right size to tighten me up and send us off on our way.


Beautiful scenery!


Barns and Christmas Tree farms a plenty!


I love the old barns - in every season!


At the end of my life, my kids will be saying "Mom!" Why are there more photos of barns than there are of us?!?

Simple.  Barns don't talk back.  And they stand still.  And I see them more often!


Okay, and one more for good measure.

The trees are finally leafed out and it makes for interesting photo framing getting the right shot between the limbs and brambles.



Dame's Rocket blooming infront of my favorite "Loading in the Mountains."



YES!  This is just what we needed!  Click to Play:


Are we THERE YET?!

Turns out 17 miles feels longer than we thought it would with all of the photo op stops along the way.


We stopped here to dip our toes in.

It was COLD!

It was a wonderful day and I'm so glad to find a group of gals brave enough to break away from the quilting (and the abundant snacks) and come with me.

It turns out our day was not over yet - on our way home, I was rounding a curve, we were passed by a pickup truck going the opposite way and he lost his extension ladder off the side of his truck at just the WRONG TIME for us.

Here comes this ladder across the double yellow line - we barely saw it coming.  It hit the side of the van, and smashed my side mirror into the side of the van, breaking it to smithereens.


I don't even think he saw it happen!

While he continued down the road, we pulled to a stop on the shoulder - all five of us were shaking and confused as to what had happened and how.


I have ladder marks down the side of the van, and the bad thing is - it's the same side that was just repaired not long ago after being hit by the deer broadside.

THE SAME SIDE!


But you know how the saying goes?

"You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from!"??

Because the ladder caught my mirror - the mirror prevented the ladder from crashing into my drivers side window and hurting us physically.

We were shaky.  But we were all okay.  And it was determined that a round of ice cream after that adventure was what we all needed. 

One Moose Tracks, Two Dark Chocolate Raspberry, One Chocolate Mint and  One Black Cherry for me  to go, please.

This morning the Hubs will take over, call the county sheriff when we can determine just what county we were in, and talk to the insurance company.

I think that's enough excitement for now.  How was your own Monday?


These gentle curves are EASY!

And the pattern includes full instructions, step by step on how to make the bias binding, and how to apply it to the quilt with success.

Basket Toss is Scrap User's System friendly - I was able to sew up a lot of my smaller scraps, even making good use of rarely-used charm squares for the bigger basket base triangles.

This would be a great quilt for swapping blocks with friends as they are all different and VARIETY is the name of the game!


Let those neutrals shine as much as you want them to!

If you wish a bit more of a sedate look, you certainly could use one neutral throughout - or mix it up "just a bit" by using a single neutral for each basket, bringing together 4 different neutrals when the 4 baskets come together in the Basket Toss block.

Any way you color it, this quilt is BASKETS full of quilty fun.

As promised, the introductory price for Basket Toss is already marked 25% off - no coupon needed!

This price drop is good through May 31st, and will revert to the full price of $12.00 on Tuesday, June 1, 2021.  Don't delay!

If this is your first time downloading digital patterns from my store to a computer click HERE.

If you intend to download to an iPhone/iPad click HERE.

Scrappy baskets twirl in a whirlwind of color! Fill your background areas with your favorite neutrals, and finish your border perfection with an easier than it looks gently scalloped border! Step-by-step directions with full color graphics and photos. A wonderful way to sew happily through your own scrap basket!

Quilt Size: 88’’ x 88’’


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Happily Scrappily Irish quilt from my book Adventures with Leaders and Enders. Book available in the Quiltville Store.

This past week we've done all of the above! ⁣
We've walked, we've hiked, we rode bikes, we laughed uncontrollably, we've made new friends and reconnected with those we hadn't seen in a long time.
We quilted from the early morning hours into the wee smalls past midnight. ⁣
That eat half thing? "Does anyone want the last half piece of cheesecake?" LOL!
Today is the last full day with the May Quiltvillians who are retreating at Quiltville Inn. Fire pit night tonight. They will all roll out tomorrow. It's been a great week!

What's up for your Tuesday ahead?


 

30 comments:

  1. What a Monday! We had rain off and on so I got to stay inside more. Sorry about your Van, He didn't even stop to see if you were ok? Ice Cream is a good thing to calm yourselfs after that. 82 degrees, Early Summer bike ride. Sew much fun! Hope you Tuesday is not so eventful.

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    1. He probably didn't even know he lost it until he got where he was going. Years ago, driving 70 miles an hour on the interstate, a pickup truck pulling a small cement mixer lost it and he just kept driving. I was following behind him and watched that mixer slowly lose momentum until the road curved and it flew off into the ditch and shrubbery.
      I remember, after being grateful that it didn't hit anyone, hoping it wasn't one of those rental mixers that you get for a day of putting in a patio.

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  2. Sew glad you all are okay. What a scare and hope you find the guy that lost his ladder

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  3. Dark chocolate raspberry or chocolate mint??? Tough decision - might have to do a scoop of each. But I'll take mine without the ladder scare!! So glad no one was injured. Maybe you can get a discount for frequent fender repair!!

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  4. Bonnie, I had to laugh when I read the word "smithereens". I've used and heard it many times, but I've never seen it in print! I looked up it's origin (I'm weird like that) and found out it's Irish and first used in 1795. Good word! I'm so glad it was your mirror that got smashed to smithereens (now I'VE written it) and y'all were safe!

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    1. mother used "smithereens" == thanks for the lesson.

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  5. How scary! So scary, you didn't even mention the little barn quilt outside one of the barns in your photos. So glad nobody was hurt. Having seen my share of mishaps, I'm a bit wary of vehicles carrying & towing things.

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  6. Doesn't the sign say 'Lodging in the mountains'? I dont think I would like staying at that particular property😄

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  7. oh, JulieC, now we'll ALL have to scroll back and find the barn quilt!!! Thank you!!!

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    1. Oh Cats - I always enjoy your posts but this one made me belly laugh...and then of course I scrolled back to find the barn quilt.

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    2. I did scroll back! It's there but I wouldn't have seen it had JulieC not pointed it out! LOL!

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    3. You are all right...the first thing I did was think I have to scroll back!

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  8. My Monday was fantastic because I was the grand winner in the drawing. I can't wait to start the Basket Toss Quilt. Scrap pile here I come!!!

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  9. How scary for you. Shew! so glad you all were not injured. Vans & mirrors can be fixed. Peeps are not replaceable. Ice cream all around, wonderful. Quilt on my friend.

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  10. Glad you’re all ok! How frightening! Beautiful scenery!

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  11. What a fabulous day you had, I love your beautiful photos and love seeing your adventurous retreaters! Sorry you had a scare at the end but what a day!

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  12. You were lucky the ladder did not enter the car. I have always been leery about following trucks that have ladders on them. I stay far back, but your case was different, the truck was coming from the opposite direction.

    I read the oval sign to read "Lodging in the mountains", not Loading in the Mountains. Seemed funny in front of the falling down old barn.

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  13. Wow what a Greek accident. So happy it didn’t hurt anyone. For my Tuesday I will sew the last row of my red, white and blue Blue Ridge Beauty. I hope to get it quilted for the Fourth of July. Will post a pic of the flimsy. It’s dynamic, Bonnie!!!

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  14. Yep, my Mom did too, and I also do, occasionally, it just pops up and describes a particular situation very well! As you say, Cats, it's a good word! And yes, Donna, thanks for the word history lesson. I'm so glad everyone was safe!

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  15. By buddy & I and our husbands are in quilters' paradise, better known as Lancaster County, PA.
    Sounds like your little bike adventure was a little more exciting than you planned. Thank goodness no one was hurt.

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  16. WOW!! That's quite the story for the group to take back! So happy that there was no bodily injuries. I sure hope you can find who was so irresponsible. THough, I would have gotten the ice cream anyway after such a long bike ride! I love the old barns too. My Monday was not quite as eventful. Although we did have kiddos with bloody noses and leaving school early with upset stomachs. So happy that it was our last Monday before the summer break!! Looking foreard to just taking some time to myself and working on my scraps!! I hope the rest of the week is uneventful!

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  17. So thankful that no one was hurt!

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  18. I'm so glad you and your guests made it through an accident okay! I once followed a glass truck for almost 20 miles that was losing giant sheets of paned glass every couple hundred feet and the driver had no idea.

    I enjoy your photos very much, I look forward to sitting with my coffee every morning and catching up on all of your beautiful scenery! I spent my summers in Appalachia as a child, and all of your photos are a little bit like going home.

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  19. So looking forward to our weekend.

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  20. Oh what a fantastic retreat! (Apart from the ladder/wing mirror accident. Thank goodness for wing mirrors!) And I had to laugh at the eat half explanation :) :)

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  21. I liked your comments about taking pictures of barns
    You're so right about trying to take pictures of the children young they wiggle older they don't want them taken. So sorry about the accident. Thankful no one was hurt. Your choice of ice cream hit my drool button.it's a favorite of mine

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  22. OK now I gotta scroll back! Love you, Cats!

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  23. I so want to go on one of your adventures. You always have the best times! (Minus the ladder on this trip)

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  24. A month ago I was driving home from The Granddaughter's, almost home, when the vehicles ahead of me were acting weird, so I lagged and looked and very narrowly, but with breathing room, avoided a huge ladder "lying on the line" of the freeway. I exited the freeway next exit and called 911 from a parking lot. Cannot imagine YOUR scenario! Do you have a disaster magnet on that van? Be safe, we need you to keep us scrappy ;)

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