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Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Where Scrappy Magic Happens!


All in a week's retreat!

The October Quiltvillians arrived last Wednesday afternoon and here we already at Tuesday morning.

The house feels so empty.  Laundry is running. (Always laundry. It keeps me grounded!)

We had a marvelous time petting fabric, shopping for fabric, planning quilts, making blocks, watching projects grow and become.

What more could a girl ask for?


When groups are this fabulous you want time to slow down!


House Mom Tonni designed these shirts especially for her group. (I am not selling these, and these are for her group only!) and I of course had to snatch one up.

Is it any wonder that this is my favorite place to be? With folks like this...what else do I need?


More from Melinda's Christmas Corner.

She is on a roll to get Christmas gifts off her Christmas list.  I'm sure she will be ready for anything other than red and green by the time Christmas future becomes Christmas past.


Allison is still firmly in Autumn mode!


Okay. This is upside down. LOL!

But it's a mystery sampler by Art Gallery I believe.


EPP project NOT upside down-

But I don't think it would make a difference even if it was.


This project is growing!

Yesterday I shared just one block and I love seeing this come together. The pink markers are paper - not patches. I had to look twice.


And YES! Wendy did finish her Pine Tree Point top.

WELL DONE!

It won't be long now before tree harvesting begins around here. I'll be watching and waiting for those tree wagons to start rumbling down the road to wherever they go.


Melinda and Tonni won the Rip & Cuss jars!


Oh, Ivy!

If there is anything that could pull me away from finishing the binding on a quilt - it's pets in distress.

And this one comes with a story.

Last night (while binding about 9pm) Hubster Dave did his nightly ritual of taking the dogs out for one last yard wander before bed.  You know taking care of business and all.

He came in a bit frantic with the dogs..leaving them inside with me and said "I can hear Ivy meowing - but barely!  I can't find her.  I have searched and searched and there is this meow but I can't find her."

Now, Ivy has the tiniest meow. It's barely audible in the best of times.  

So, I get up and throw on shoes and a jacket over my jammies and I'm in the yard trying to help find where the Ivy meow is coming from.

Dave is waving his flashlight all over thinking that she is hurt and laying in the leaves somewhere.

And then - He shines his beam upward.

And there in the tree, about 30 feet off the ground....is IVY.

She likley chased a squirrel up there, thinking she could hunt that high up, and got her little round fat body so high up that she was afraid to come down.

We didn't know what to do.  Dave suggested getting the big tall ladder out and trying to get part way up the tree himself. (Yes, this man with a healing broken clavicle.  WHAT?!)

She was in a spot where a skinnier tree was leaning up towards a bigger more stout tree....so I started trying to shake the skinnier trie to see if I could coax her to get her butt on down.  Not enough to have her fall, but just to have her think that maybe down was a better idea than staying put.

She eventually did get her back feet over the branch and though it took a lot of coaxing and applauding and "good girl-ing" She backed herself right down that tree until she was close enough to the ground to jump and run off.

Ungrateful little stinker!

I have never been so scared for a cat in my life.  30 feet up the tree.  Of course, my phone was in the house, and it was dark other than the flashlight beam.

After that - it was bedtime.  She did come in to sleep, but wanted out early this morning.

I got up to fix my coffee....walked over to the dining room rug....and stepped in cat puke.

Great.  Thanks, Ivy.  At least it wasn't warm, and it wasn't digested.  She must have wolfed her food after that escapade and promptly threw it right back up on the rug.

And that's enough of a story to end this post with. Those who have and love cats will understand.

30 feet up in a tree. Honestly.


This morning from the front porch -

It's a bit foggy out there.  The leaves are just about done...it won't take much more to have them all on the ground...but that view beyond...that's the best thing about fall and winter. I love how the fog covers the hills and hollers like a blanket.


Introductory Pricing: I have placed Ladder Star at 25% off.  No coupon code needed. Price is good through  THURSDAY 10/31/24.  Hurry before it's over!

Stars and Scraps were meant for each other! Create this stunning star quilt in scrappy plaids from recycled shirts or with your own stash yardage. Piecing options, full color photos and graphics and many tips for easy piecing pleasure included.

Quilt Size: 84’’ X 84’’


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

What's with all of these nights that I wake up at 3am-something and can't shut my brain off to get back to sleep? ⁣
It must be nearly Quiltville Winter Mystery season! Introductory post drops Thursday! ⁣
Not to mention everything else going on in the world right now. ⁣
Anyone else wishing to return to pre-unprecedented times? Remember that? 😳
Keep petting the fabric folks...


 

18 comments:

sue s said...

I've heard that the fire dept won't come out for a cat-in-a-tree anymore. Good thing you had the branch to work with. Poor kitty!
Some stunning quilts up there!

Debra said...

Oh poor Ivy girl. It ended well. That's good. My Appalachian Autumn is still on our table. Not quite yet ready for Pine Tree Point to take over, after Thanksgiving.
Overcast and gloomy here today. We're getting ready for the Spray Insulation guys to come and do their thing in the attic.
Have a great day and
Blessings 🙏💞

Janet Carroll said...

Your post resonated with me!! My cat, Sweetie, got out. I don't know how or when or for exactly how long -- maybe two to three nights. But she was out in heavy rains and cold spring days in April. She did try to come back to the front porch, but our dog Daisy saw her at night, barked and scared her away. We searched-- I crawled under bushes, looked up trees and looked along a stream for her body; and was planning on going down a storm drain to see if she was there.
I got up in at 2 am, looked for her. Nothing. I got up at 5 am and saw her silhouette on the porch. I quickly locked Daisy in the bedroom and opened the front door but, Sweetie was too frightened to come to me. So I left the door open and sat on the porch and quietly talked to her. She eventually came on the porch looked at me suspiciously then ran into the house. Once she inspected her surroundings, she let me pet her (don't pick her up!) Fortunately she was none the worse for wear and she does stay away from doors for now. But we keep an eye on here because one never knows when curiosity will get the better of a cat.
A trip to the vets confirmed she was ok. Just lucky she didn't encounter any coyotes, etc.
As for the puke -- that's a given -- the floors, rugs, furniture, stairs, any where that's convenient for her. But the best was right where I walked when I come out of the bedroom and warm vomit is very slippery and I went down like a ton of bricks. Only my dignity was hurt -- big asses do come in handy some times! I guess Sweetie wanted to make sure I didn't miss it -- which I didn't!
Bonnie, your blogs are terrific!! Your cats & dogs are great!! Your stories make me laugh and you and your quilters inspire me. Thank you!! Keep up the good work. God Bless You!

Judy L said...

I was wondering about Ivy, we have not seen her for some time. Glad she was able to get out of the tree! Cat puke is not fun, we have one that does it too. Have a GREAT day!

Anonymous said...

Awww, Ivy, so glad you made it back to terra firma. (And I ❤️ that t-shirt design!)

Mary said...

We have a neighbor cat that comes around. No kitties here to play with, Hubby is allergic. Watch out for Black cats Thursday! Will one of the colors be Black?? Sleep is fleeting around here too! Part of being older i guess.

Miss Papa said...

LOVE your front porch view. Oh my gosh, it's beautiful!
Glad Ivy got safely down the tree.
Great projects, Ladies, and the T-shirt is so cute!

Anonymous said...

Why do cats and dogs have to throw up on the carpet, instead of the hard floor that just needs a quick wipe to clean up?! Oh well, at least she made it down that tree! Candy

Kay said...

OMG! So glad to know that I'm not the only one waking up in the night and finding my brain won't turn off. From overthinking problems that haven't fully manifested (yet), to things I forgot to do or need to do, to making a mental list of quilt projects (in progress or in my mind only), and on & on. Your quote today hits me right between the eyes. Hope we get some good sleep soon.

stretchmarks said...

We play name that creature from the leavings, too. Skink, vole or mouse??? Marilyn Marks

marg said...

Our son when he was 4 decided he could climb up the Ash tree, after one such adventure my husband warned him about not going any higher as the branches were much thinner and might not take his weight. Bob went back to his work in the shed, not understanding how an adventurous 4 year olds brain works. About 15 minutes later my son came back to him and told him not too worry he had tried them and they did hold his weight. Animal or human both can scare the life out of you, but we love them and wouldn't be without them.

Karen Melville said...

Never go up after a cat. They can get themselves down just fine. One thing you’ll never find in a tree in the wilderness is a cat skeleton. 😉

Tracey Honig said...

What great projects coming out! I do love the Pine Tree one. It's been a while since Ivy has made the post! Glad she made it out fine.
I absolutely love your front porch view! Just gorgeous! ❤️

Barb said...

Being a Grandma to Sir Sweatpants, and Monica I completely get the Ivy story.....and no, I didn't name either of them!

Anonymous said...

Cats get extra points for puking on rugs and carpet…exasperating! Glad she’s safely out of the tree. Hopefully she doesn’t do that again.

I vote for the return to unprecedented times…and let’s keep our heads and hands buried in our sewing. It’s a nasty world out there but we can spread love one quilt at a time.

Amy in NJ

Diane R. said...

Oh what fun our furry loved ones can be. We've had cats chase too high in trees, cats yowling at other cats, while in trees, and puke a plenty to clean up off every imaginable surface. Still, we love them. Enjoying all the variety of quilts. As always, thanks for making me part of your world. Blessings on you & yours.

Anonymous said...

We declawed our cats when young as my mother couldn’t handle them climbing the curtains or scratching the kids! But he could still get up on top of our very tall house and back down any time he wanted too! The hind claws are the serious ones! We have mixed views on declawing now but it never seemed to hurt or stop any of our cats.

Jeanne said...

I know how you feel I found Skippy AKA Zippy. on the front porch roof and the pool screen on night. Husband said leave him alone he will come down, he did at midnight! Live is crazy here in our Zoo.

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