Departure from the normal post....

I have been looking at books at Amazon...I can spend hours doing that.  Hours when I could be reading.  But still, it is just a joy to see what is available.  And so wonderful to be able to read exerpts from most of the ones I am interested in.

 

I have had the above book for a number of years, and just thought I would see if it is available for the kindle.  I am now tempted to buy the kindle version of it.

Anyway, if you like dogs, have had a dog, or known someone that has had a dog, I highly recommend this book.  Buster's Diaries, The True Story of a Dog and His Man is one of the best I have ever read.  Click on the link and go to Amazon and read the exerpt.  I don't think you will regret it. It is laugh out loud funny for me...bits and pieces so remind me of Keesha.  It also shows just what we have always thought...that the cats and dogs own us...not us owning them.

Update....

First of all, I wanted to inform you that after the little house wrens got their nest about half-way built, they quit coming.  I have no idea why.  I heard them around, but not on the porch.  Today I have yet to hear them anywhere else.  Even though I mostly regret that they didn't raise their babies, in ways I am relieved that I don't have to worry about one of my cats getting one.  So, I will just try to be happy with the situation.
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I started out with just one iris this color...now look at them!  Same with that one in the upper left-hand corner.  I had one of them and now probably have half a dozen.  I LOVE how they multiply.
I just hope it holds true for the one below.

It was in variety bag that I got a few years ago.  It is a beauty.

They are all actually slowing down...on the downhill side of blooming.  Not very many buds left on any of the colors now.  I sure have loved them.  They are one of my favorite flowers...along with pansies, hibiscus, foxglove, cone flowers, gladiolas....you get the idea:  you name it and it is usually a favorite.

Latest quilt top...

You really do need to click these for a better view.

I think I am calling this one Crumbs in the Corner...it is just the quilt top.  I still have to get a batting and some backing material before it becomes a finished quilt.  Since it may be a while before that is done, I thought I would show the top.  Of course the wind was blowing...so no real good photos but you get the idea.

Again, I started making the crumb blocks because I couldn't decide what project I really wanted to start.  Then, they turned into the project.  This covers a full size bed, but doesn't have much drop to it.  I was making it with the idea of it being another couch quilt for someone to snuggle under when they are reading, watching TV, etc.

The decisions are made....

Not the greatest pic...but you can see that silhouette.  It is a little house wren.  They have made their decision and have decided to have their nest in the gourd on our front porch.

They have been busy all day...and just sing and carry on something fierce.  Just happy to be alive.  I guess we should all be that way.  They are such a joy to have around.
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Sink is in, but kitchen still is not back to normal.  But will be here shortly. 

Lorelei is coming tomorrow for a couple nights.  I hope it doesn't rain the whole time.  If nothing else, I would love to take her to a greenhouse before the plants are all gone.  And maybe get to take her to the park to play.  And it is warm enough to have out the squirt guns...of course, she is just as happy being here as anything.  So it is no worry either way.  But would just like to see her reaction to all the flowers. 

Waiting on the wisteria

Here it is the middle of May, and my wisteria still has not got any blossoms open.  The one above was take April 24 of last year.  I just love wisteria and can't wait for it to bloom.
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Roger is getting the new faucet on the new sink...he puts the faucet on before he sets the sink in the counter.  I have it cleaned out under the sink.  No, I did not take a picture....that is one place I don't want to share with anyone.  Though it is basically just cleaning supplies, a flower vase or two for bringing in my own bouquets if I want, and cleaning rags.  Still, it was not a pretty sight.

It is acting like it could rain but it is still warm.  The mosquitoes are going to be horrible this year.  I can hardly sit in the swing unless I do burn these coils...not sure what they are but they actually work and keep the mosquitoes away.

From here...

The photo in the previous post was a cropped portion of this photo...a close up of a goose belly...I am not sure why I did not zoom in closer with this photo instead of cutting it off like this. 
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Have been on the go most of the day...after therapy, fixed a late breakfast, stopped for a little bit to watch a sewing show.  Then the running began.

We went to Menard's to pick up a few things...ended up with a new sink and faucet.  Which we needed, but had intended to wait a bit.  And Roger picked up a few things he needed in his shop....but they did not have the size bandsaw blade he needed so left there to go to Harbor Freight.  Stopped and ate a bite...then to one of the greenhouses.

I had called to see if they had brandywine tomato plants but didn't think to ask if they were selling them by single plant or in the little 4 packs...got down there and they were the singles.  So, just picked up some other tomatoes.  I am hoping to get to an Amish greenhouse in Parke County.  Maybe they will have them.  I am so disappointed.

While there, we did pick up 3 hibiscus plants, and a foxglove...Roger planted everything when we got home.   The hibiscus are the kind that blooms later in the summer so we will be looking forward to that.

No sewing at all today, but am getting closer to having my current quilt top finished.  I just have to cut the borders and get them sewn on. 

Take a guess at what this is...

I would say that some of you will easily guess what this is a photo of...or part of a photo.  But just thought I would see for sure. 
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I am sitting here watching a cardinal under the feeders, looking at the blue sky, and watching the the wind in the trees while waiting to go to therapy...wishing I had it all done and over with.

I was talking to Sarah yesterday when Lorelei and her dad got home.  The evening before Lorelei had told Jeremy 'I know what we can do tomorrow...we can go wash your car and go to the library.'  She said it several times.  So guess what...she got up with that on her mind and they had to do that.  She was chattering and giggling so I could not understand half of what she said...just so excited and happy to have her dad home for a change.
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The house wren is back.  It has been checking out a gourd I have hanging on the wisteria vine.  I have seen it go in and out it several times so am hoping it finds a mate and they build in it.  Not quite the music of a Carolina wren, but still a very happy little bird.
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I am re-reading An Untamed Land by Lauraine Snelling.  It was free on Amazon, so could not resist it.  But now I am wanting to read the rest of the series it is from, The Red River of the North.  I have read both this series and the Return to the Red River series.  Both very good.  I have read others by her and liked them, but not near as much as these.

Are you tired of flowers yet?

I have one more iris blooming...it is still ahead of most of mine.  But I think most of mine are just slow because I am seeing irises everywhere we go.
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We spent the weekend with Sarah and her family.  Lorelei caught a cold and was up early Saturday morn.  At 5:30 a.m. she ask her mom if we were there yet.  And a bit later was wanting to get up and wait for us.
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A beautiful day here in the neighborhood...I had therapy this morn.  Then hung out a couple loads of clothes.  While doing laundry, I sewed some on my current quilt project.  It is coming right along.  Soon I am going to have to decide on a backing.  I am thinking another flannel backing, but that is not set in stone.

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope everyone is having a Happy Mother's Day and that you are getting to see your loved ones.
This came for me on Friday...from my older daughter.  I wish she could have come with it.

A glimpse of my current project...

This is my current project...I am not real crazy about it.  But it keeps me busy and is using up scraps.  Plus a little bit of yardage.

When I get the top made, I am not sure I will be able to get it ready to quilt for a while with my shoulder and arm messed up.  But I am still anxious to get it done.  There are too many things I want to make and it is always hard to narrow it down to just one.

I am too tired to think of anything to tell tonight, so will just post this and get ready for bed.

Scene from a couple weeks ago

Though this was taken a week or two ago, it could easily have been taken today. (A drive-by in case you don't notice the right side of the photo.) We had rain last night.  Lots of it.  The thunder would roll through followed by a downpour of rain.  It would not last long.  Then in a little while, the same cycle would repeat.  It did that 4 or 5 times. Water was standing in big puddles.
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I finished up another step of the crumb blocks yesterday...now I just have to decide how I want to arrange them.  Not sure if I am going to work on that part today or not.  This is when I wish I had a good design wall.  It would really come in handy about now.

Also, I have been picking up shirts at Good Will.  I get sizes Large on up, and get the ones that are half price.  I have been cutting the buttons off those and cutting them apart.  I want to make another quilt from recycled material.  Not sure why when I have yards and yards of new fabric to work with.  I think it is the idea of recycling something.

Finished

I showed this once before....before I had the binding on.  And before it was washed.  I never give a quilt away till I have washed it once.  This one has been washed and dried and did fine.

The baby shower was the last weekend in April...it was appreciated.
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Another beautiful day...at least for the most part.  We did have a shower this evening...over in a minute. 

I did not do two cents worth of work.  I sewed a little while before I went to therapy but have not touched it the rest of the day.

I am reading Escape from Sobibor by Richard Rashke....it is so good but so hard to imagine.  Sobibor was a death camp built by the Nazis to exterminate the Jews.  The last 600 Jews left at Sobibor revolted because they knew in the end they would be killed, too.. of the ones that escaped only 52 or 53 survived the winter.  The author interviewed survivors in order to write the book.
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Roger fixed broccoli and beef for supper...it was delicious...he is a good cook.  (I washed the dishes...LOL)

Lorelei....

Though you might not be able to tell it, this is Lorelei.  She is on the phone with me the other night and this is a photo from her mom.  I started to say this is when she was talking to me, but it was almost entirely giggles!  Her laughter is contagious.

Her dad was having the next day off...he works a lot of overtime.  Anyway, after Sarah put her to bed and told her good-night she yelled for daddy to "come back in her room so he could talk to her!" Then he was informed that she was going to wake him up in the morning and she would bring him food "cause she knew he'd be hungry"

Sun for a change

Look at that green!  Everything around looks like it has a fresh coat of paint.  We even have sun this morning.  It did come later in the morn, but hoping it stays a while.  I am going to hang out some laundry and take a chance on it.

Also in the plans are some sewing.  I did get to sew a bit yesterday.  The first two tries didn't happen because Bubbie decided he needed some one on one attention.  I cannot resist him when he demands my attention.  He just really needed some snuggling.  Maybe because he had spent the night outside.

Eugene, Indiana covered bridge

Taken April 21 of this year....you can tell we have had a lot of rain.   And it continues to rain.  I thought the rain was supposed to just be scattered showers today, but it has been a fine rain since I got up an hour or so ago.  I guess there will be no hanging out clothes today.

I am ready to head for therapy.  I am hoping to get to sit down at the sewing machine some today.  I am anxious to work on the crumb quilt top.  It will take quite a bit more sewing but I am up for the job.

It's raining here again in the Wabash valley, but when I step out the back door I am hit with the scent of this lilac!  It is heavenly. 

I spend the whole of yesterday afternoon watching horse racing at the Churchill Downs.  I think I could really become addicted to it.  It is the laziest day I have spent in a long time.

Acquisitions...

I am working on another crumb quilt top and this time I was determined to have some gray.  I first picked up some at Stitch & Sew in Arthur, Illinois.  I found a gray on sale, and got all they had of it, thinking it would be enough.  Wrong....I needed about 6 more inches.

I decided to use it on half the blocks and use another gray on the rest of the blocks.  So ordered these from Thousands of Bolts.

 The one in the upper left corner has done been cut...well, over half of it has been cut.

I am going to use some of the one above in the quilt top also...

 And I got this one just because I liked it...

Early birds....

For some reason, this iris has been blooming for about a week.  It is weeks ahead of all the others.

I suppose the reason they are early is that they have migrated to being right against the house.  Whatever the reason, I am enjoying it.

So frilly and pretty.  Always makes me think of a princess dressed for the ball.
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We have rain in the forecast....it has rained enough to make everything damp.  And the temps are cooler than yesterday.  I am not sure what to do with the day.  It would be a good day to go to the greenhouse to see if we can find more brandywine tomato plants...and we may do that, but I have gotten till I just love to be home.

I have been sitting here watching a pair of cardinals.  I wonder if they have a nest.  The male has been feeding the female.  If I have seen that before I don't remember it. I think it is too early for babies, but maybe she is getting ready to lay her eggs.

It is time for me to be getting off here.  Time I decide on something to do.  I do have fabric coming today.  I have enough crumb blocks made to make another crumb quilt top.  This time I am using gray in it....

From this past weekend...

Sarah and Lorelei came for a visit this past weekend....Sarah and her dad managed to get in a little mushroom hunting.

This first bunch is what Sarah found...

and Roger found these.  They were delicious!
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Not a lot is going on in our world...I just started therapy for my right shoulder/arm.  I have no idea what I did, but have very limited movement with it.  And I hurt it often.  I hope I have some quick results with the therapy but did just start so am sure it is going to take a little while at least.

We put out some tomato plants yesterday along with some bell peppers.  I should say Roger put them out....I only supervised;-)  I am already anxious for fresh tomatoes.