St. Patrick's Day in the Snow?

It started yesterday about 4pm.  The sleet mixed with the dreaded white stuff.

Once I heard it pelting against the windows of the QPO studio, I knew I better get home and get up the mountain fast before the drive covered over.

What the heck, Virginia!  It was 82 f degrees last Wednesday, and you pull THIS?!?!

Yesterday was also Hubster Dave's birthday.  He was hoping for a motorcycle ride.  LOLOL!!  Not this year, Sherlock!

It's a good thing that he has had several good days of being out on the motorcycle in the past couple of weeks because our temps went from 55 when I woke up yesterday to 33 when I got home and this had all started to 27 and super windy around 9:30pm when we had decided it was time for bed.

And just as we were headed to bed - BLIP!  Off goes the power.  Generac kicks in. (YAY!) but the decision was made about an hour later to turn the generator off because neither of us could sleep with that noise.

Guess who was wide awake at 2:37am when the power kicked back on and all of the bedroom lights were ON!? 

But honestly, my thanks and deepest of appreciation go to the linemen who were working to get power restored.

This morning?? Of course all of the clocks were wrong except for my phone which let me know it was 7:20 (Thank you sleep-interruptus!) and 15 degrees.

15!!!

I had to go to the spare room to find my long johns. I'm back to my long sleeved thermal shirt and my warmest boots.

High of 25 today - but should be back above freezing tomorrow and looking at 39.

This was delivered!  YAY!

And it's a good thing the install isn't until tomorrow. I can't wait to see it.  That old drafty back entry door will be gone and we'll have something new and pretty and energy efficient to replace it.

Flash evidently doesn't care.  He just wants breakfast.

I hung the Brookgreen quilt in the front foyer!

I also took time yesterday morning before temps dropped to do things around the house like finish up laundry, fold towel baskets, recover the pressing stations, refill all soap dispensers, maker sure the showers were stocked with what they needed, refill toilet paper holders, paper hand towel dispensers, all the things.

We'll make beds tomorrow before the Richmond Express ladies arrive for their retreat. 

Yesterday's sewing - 

The neutral units (I'm doing them in batches of 50 at a time) were sewn, trimmed and depapered while I took a deep dive into Mystery Road on Acorn.

Acorn and Britbox are my guilty pleasures and I just love them. Give me a good mystery any day.

Mystery Road takes place in the Australian Outback and since I was there just over a year ago I can still see the deep red of the soil, feel the extreme heat and remember everything we did.

It's a good series - really good!

Pirates and snowmen? Yes!  They are in here!

Speaking of pirates - Tula has found a new vantage point.  TULA!

I had a check-in by phone with her vet yesterday and told her how Tula is doing and mentioned that she is starting to jump up on precarious things.  She told me this is GOOD because she is regaining her balance with just one eye. She is coping and compensating.

I'm to continue with the daily antibiotics and monitor her "output" in her litter box because antibiotics, especially strong ones can interfere with their gut. So far so good.

And since my life has been all about cat care since January - including the appearance of Hazel who I adore -

Did you know?

Today is also St. Gertrude's Day!

So no, I'm not wearing green today. I'm wearing cat hair! LOL!

Actually, the thought of wearing Green today makes me remember my grannie who said "In this house, we do not wear green.  We wear ORANGE!"

Grannie's ancestors were from Northern Ireland. 

In Northern Ireland, people wear orange to represent their Protestant community, unionism, and loyalty to the British Crown. 

This tradition stems from the 17th-century victory of King William III of Orange—a Dutch-born Protestant—who defeated Catholic King James II, a victory still celebrated by the Orange Order.

Grannie was born in 1917 before the Irish war of Independence was taking shape.

I always loved St. Patrick's Day growing up.  Wear green or get pinched!

I think I'll go sew today with green AND orange, and cat hair and cover all of my bases!

And if you haven't yet, please pop over to the Gift-Away post and get your entry in!

I'll be drawing for 2 winners who will each receive a Brookgreen PDF pattern from me and:

A Caramel roll from  Cotton to Quilts!

Introductory Pricing:  The PDF pattern for Brookgreen is currently 25% off in the Quiltville Store, no coupon needed!  Price good through 3/31/26.

Simple shapes and easy piecing create a stunning repeat of pattern and secondary designs, inspired by photo taken of vintage tile floors white traveling. 

Full color photos, Optional piecing methods, and directions to press for success!

I can't wait to see what you do with your own version, be it in these colors, or perhaps a color theme of your own choosing!

Brookgreen finishes at 80'' X 80'' but is easily customized by making fewer blocks for a smaller quilt, or more blocks for a bigger one.

Add to the length by simply adding more rows.

Border as desired!

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

From here on and forever today will also be celebrated as Saint Gertrude's day and I humbly ask her to intercede and turn off the cat distribution system.

Five is enough thank you!

Happy Day, St Gertrude & St Patrick!