WWQP Bulletin Board Chat

trying to post

2008-07-24T10:49:00.003-05:00

Hello from CA...
Due to technical difficulties it has been a loooooong time since I have been able to post here. Hopefully I will be successful this time. Does anyone know the addy for the Website that Jill set up? I love it here but I do need another site to visit when I can't get on. You know a gal can only go so long before she needs a "quilt/chat fix". LOL I have wondered about so many of the ladies and how they are doing. Love the pictures of the quilts...I am trying to hand quilt a top for my son and have decided it would be less stressful to throw it out the door...LOL Hugs from Pat in HOT CA

2008-07-20T17:57:00.002-05:00

Back from western N.C.
We are back from the cool, low humidity of western N.C. Went tubing-sort of. We didn't know that the river level was low due to the droughts in the past years, so mostly we crab-walked and sort-of-tubed, and then walked through the rocks. I will consider it cross training!
The walking up and down mountains, even paved ones, is so different from flat land. I walked an hour 2 X in the mornings, and have some sore legs to tell for it.
The grand boys were whiny little brats most of the time. He hit me! I want to sit there! He punched me first! Finally on Friday DH and I went for a drive by ourselves. I did go to the John C. Campbell folk school one morning and walked around. A lovely place. There are not any quilt classes I want to take in the next 6 months, but it would be a great place for a retreat. Away from everything. I do mean everything, to get a sandwich had to drive about 6 miles into the little town of Murphy. Did buy two quilt books there at their book store, and ready to get to quilting. Hopefully can do an hour or so tomorrow.
I found the Nikwax and the other waterproofing spray in a little outdoor shop in the town of Highlands, N.C. My jacket is in the dryer as I type. (Now that is a beautiful area)
We hit the little shops on Main St. in Hendersonville then decided to keep driving south, and got home about 11:00 on Sat. night.
It's good to go away, always good to get back home.
Sara in the humid, flat land

Quiet house...

2008-07-17T16:28:00.003-05:00

The children have returned home with their parents, and we are back to being "Darby and Joan" again ! I think the visit was a success. There was a fair amount of "coming and going" and I got to be an expert at producing a meal for seven when I expected them to be elsewhere , and pretending not to mind when they would phone from somewhere to say they wouldn't be back for dinner.... when I had a roast on.....

The weather was mostly good and we managed a few special outings , including a visit to an Ice Rink a "first" for all of us. The children managed well and their parents enjoyed it too. I stood guard over the bags and clothes... DD and I enjoyed our two nights at Hanmer and soaked in the hot pools as we enjoyed looking at the snow capped alps... There was enough snow, left on the lawn of the house we rented, for the children to make an icy snowman ! That made their day.

Time now to reclaim the house (and my life) starting with a hair cut today. We have a busy w/end coming up. Off out with friends to a mid-winter dinner tomorrow night and then lunch with other friends, after church on Sunday. Must try to prune my roses too, I don't have many and it's easy to forget them !

Enjoy your w/end.
Marion.

Earthquakes..

2008-07-13T23:23:00.002-05:00

Thank you for your concern Lavinia, but the first I heard about the quakes was when I read your post. Eventually I found a few lines in the paper saying that two earthquakes had happened , quite near here, at 5.30 am., no damage and no one I know, was even aware of them , so we were lucky !
Lovely day here today, sunny and warm. I still have DD#2 and her family staying so I am grateful for the fine weather (!)
Welcome home Jean. Sounds as if you had a wonderful time. It's always nice to get home though isn't it ?
Jill, the photos are lovely... I seem to remember that in a past life I had time for quilting...maybe the photos will inspire me to get into it again...
Better go. The family leave on Thursday so I'll try to post before the w/end.
Have a good week.
Marion.

2008-07-13T20:37:00.002-05:00

Welcome back home Jean. Glad to see you had a fantastic time. I know how much you were looking forward to this trip.

Thank you Jill for the pictures. Aren't quilt show just the greatest.
Short note tonight.Been a long day
Hugs and good night or morning where ever you are
Grace

Back to Earth...

2008-07-13T17:19:00.002-05:00

We got home from our travels in Europe yesterday morning. I have spent the day playing in the gardens, watering and weeding and generally having a wonderful time. Now I am going to take my sunburned nose and sit in the shade with a book or maybe some sewing. I was so hyper when we got home yesterday -- seriously sleep deprived and running on some other clock from some parallel universe -- that I got all the unpacking, laundry and assorted chores done before dinnertime, so I could afford to play today :)

The house sitter was a complete success -- the animals were all well cared for and the house and yard well maintained. I am only missing one cat, and he is the one who has a habit of disappearing for several days at a time in the summer, so I am not yet worried about him. The cats all wanted to sleep on top of me all night -- which did not work out too well! -- and the dogs won't let me out of their sight, but I do not believe that they are telling the truth when they say they had a horrible time while I was away. They are all too fat and healthy to convince me of that! LOL

The holiday was great. We had the pleasure of introducing our 13 year old DGD to some of our favourite places and people, spending a week in each of France (Normandy and Brittany), Austria, and Bavaria. The weather cooperated throughout and a really good number of my relatives in Austria came to a party that a couple of my cousins arranged. I got to see and hug my last remaining aunt, my mother's baby sister, now 83 years old and walking with canes. For that part of the trip we were joined by my brothers and their wives and two of my nephews, which really made for a lot of fun! We put 5800 kilometres on the rental car, despite the fact that gas is almost twice as expensive there than it is here... Now I just have to sort about 2,000 pictures from the digital cameras, and make some albums.

We are now counting down for the big family reunion for my in-laws that we will be hosting in August. My reward for being nice about that will be the trip to Grace's Retreat in September, which I am so-o-o looking forward to! I have my reservations for the flights and the hotel made and I am getting quite excited about seeing so many of those who were at Rosey's Retreat.

I love the pictures from Sisters! That is one quilt show that has been on my 'things to do' list for years now. Maybe in the next couple of years I will be able to get there... Thanks for the pictures, Jill!

Jean, back at Mill Bay

Sister's Quilt SHow

2008-07-13T14:53:00.002-05:00

Here's a link to my Sister's pictures.

We had a great time.

Met with Mary & Sondra briefly.

Always good to see my friends from the BB!

Still a little rummy from the long day & drive.

There are a couple pictures I want to revisit for

future projects though :)

Overall inpressions:

Quilter's sure know color!

Machine quilting has reached extraordinary levels,

Hot Quilt: One Block Wonder,

Love high desert Oregon just as much as ever, & am so thankful to

those who treasure & protect us every day.

http://community.webshots.com/user/easystitches

Jill

Earthquake

2008-07-13T03:33:00.002-05:00

Marion, I can't recall which island you are on, but hope you are safe and well. Hugs. Lavinia

Sisters Quilt Show

2008-07-09T16:59:00.002-05:00

As in past years, I hope you will post all your wonderful pictures of the Sisters show. I thoroughly enjoy them and want to thank you in advance for a cyber quilt show!
Phyllis in Minnesota

2008-07-09T15:26:00.002-05:00

Having trouble posting here for the last few days.
Marion, the pictures are breathtaking.
The pink and white quilt on the other board is beautiful also.
I received back the quilt I sent off to the UK show last fall. Right now I forgot who suggested we enter, but mine came back yesterday. It is titled Explosion of color, an arty type small wall hanging. I hope the people who saw the exibition in the UK liked the Florida-type sunny colors (colours to them)
DORRIS-and others, thanks for the Gore-Tex lessons. DH & I did a Dick's Sporting goods store run on Saturday. He found a Walter Hogan golf jacket with Gore-Tex on a super sale. There was "0" in the line of jackets for me. This is Florida, and July, so wasn't expecting to find anything really.
I did snag a super deal on another pair of Asic gel running shoes, normally $119.00, but with the coupons, special sale, ect, they were $72.00 before tax. Now I have 2 pair just alike, so can rotate them for the jog/walk/run practice. I'll buy the waterproofing stuff Dorris mentioned for the old pair to take on vacation, along with the waterproofing for the Eddie Bauer jacket. I really like the jacket, so want to continue to use it.
Haven't been doing any quilting since Monday, hurt my neck and back on Sunday morning, and finally got to the chiro. Dr. this morning. Fortunately I wasn't seriously hurt, a med. size ice chest fell on my left shoulder and neck area. I was putting something in the cabinet in the garage, and it was on top. When I closed the door I guess the vibration caused it to slide down. It didn't hit the SUV, just me. The adjustment now makes me "well adjusted".
We are going to Murphy, N.C. on Saturday for a week with the DD/DSIL, and all the blessings. Taking the kayaks, bikes, etc. This is our first vacation with all the gang, so hope it will be wonderful. The rental house is on one of the rivers, so hope to get some kayaking, tubing, etc. in. I want to go to the John C. Campbell Folk School on Friday night to hear the bluegrass music. Don't think the boys will like that, so we may split up. Not going to be a camp director, they can do their thing, we can do some together, some apart. There are 3 bathrooms, a must with our group.
I'll report back after we return.
Thanks again for all the help. Quilters are the greatest!
Sara in Fla.

Sisters

2008-07-08T17:11:00.002-05:00

Yep Mary I'll be behind the ice cream shop at 2!
We will probably be about done by then.
We start really early to avoid the heat.
It's such a big treat for me since I'm so vacation
deprived. They say we will have some cooling by the
weekend, so I can only hope they will have the same.

A big bunch of us had lunch today with a former shop
owner & teacher from our area. She comes back this time
of year to help Jean Wells with the show & it's such a treat
to see her. We all still miss her terribly. We established a wonderful
tight knit quilting community thanks to her & her shop.
Many of her small groups are still together as well as our Quilt Til
You Wilt Group.

Thanks Marion, loved those beautiful Mountains!

Jill

Sisters Quilt Show, Saturday, July 12

2008-07-07T18:00:00.003-05:00

Hi,
Anyone planing on being in Sisters next weekend for the quilt show? If so a few of us plan to meet at 2 PM in the courtyard behind the ice cream shop. Feel free to stop by and have a small rest and chat. :-) Let's keep our fingers crossed that it isn't TOO, TOO hot!

Marion, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful pictures. Those white mountains made me feel so much cooler. :-)

Hope to see a few of you in Sisters!

Mary in Oregon

New Zealand pictures

2008-07-04T18:35:00.002-05:00

Marion, the pictures are so 'picturesque' that I thought they were postcards, not pictures you had taken. They are absolutely stunning. Steady hands? That wasn't what was on my mind...the fact that you had the nerve to fly over the mountains in a single engine plane and take pictures of it all...I'd be having to check my underwear after a flight like that. You are brave.

I have muffins to make for breakfast and B&B guests tomorrow; it's 7:38 p.m.; I don't feel like it, I feel like sewing; I'm overly stimulated with all that is going on in the house...television left on when 'himself' tore half an hour ago to an airstrip nearby because a glider friend has landed out...supper taken off the stove, I ate mine, company for lunch with two standard poodles included...and I'm spaced out. Better focus on cleaning up the kitchen and baking those blueberry muffins. the older I get, the harder it is for me to focus and concentrate on any one thing and stick to it.

Rosey

more of the same..

2008-07-03T16:30:00.004-05:00

Yes, I did take the photos myself Rosey. You sound surprised that my hands were steady enough !! Fact is, whenever I'm in the air, I go into a semi -zoombie like state, neither nervous nor excited, just sort of holding my breath and hoping to make it safely back to terra firma , without any complications...!! This photo is looking out onto the West Coast of the South Island. 25flying minutes from here (we live near the East coast) It's a very narrow Island and the Alps go down the centre of it.

Very cold here this morning, I have the fire going already. We usually don't light it until later in the afternoon. DH is out all day and I will work on my quilt. It would be nice to get it finished before the family arrive.

How lovely to look out of your studio window to see a deer and fawn Rosey. What a peaceful spot you have there.

Having recently been in Ireland and Scotland I will add my bit to the conversation about jackets.. Windproof and waterproof would be my choice . It shouldn't be too cold but the wind can have a chill factor that's worth guarding against.

Enjoy the w/end.

Marion.

Gore-Tex type rain jackets

2008-07-03T08:15:00.002-05:00

SARA in FLA - Gore-Tex and similar fabrics are waterproof and "breathable." Well, based on my experience the 'breathable' means it is not as hot & sweaty to wear as the PVC coated fabric type "slickers" we wore as children. Once the copyright ran out on "goretex" other manufacturers were free to make their own versions. Ultrex is one brand I can think of.

You do not need a down jacket for Ireland. It won't be that cold in September. You will want a lightweight *waterproof* type jacket or raincoat, depending on how much time you will spend outdoors. We do a lot of golf courses and outdoor sightseeing that frequently involves trekking through fields, visiting ruins with little shelter. My most memorable "trek" was a mile long through a sheep field in Scotland, in 2005. We dodged sheep "biscuits" everywhere(!!!) and the odor that accompanied their offerings was awful and I was gagging. LOL All to go see some wonderful ancient standing stones. That's why I always have waterproof hiking/walking shoes as well. My last pair was not gore-tex lined, so I treated the leather with NIKWAX, which I purchased from REI that waterpoofs the leather for us. It seemed to work very well. NIKWAX also has a product that will waterproof fabric outerwear. If you have an old raincoat, you could possibly treat it with this product. I wash my GoreTex jacket in it, to give it the extra treatment.

I can't be bothered with an umbrella and carrying one on the plane or packing one would be a real bother. I do often pack a little fold-up one and toss it in the suitcase, but rarely use it. Hence, the gore-tex jacket. I got mine on sale at REI, years ago, and REI is having a big summer sale right now www.rei.com where you can pick up a good rain jacket for a good price.

You'll be alright with a normal raincoat if more of your sightseeing will be the indoor variety. I would suggest bringing one very lightweight sweater. Either a thin merino wool (my favorite) or a cotton sweater. Dressing in layers is best.

If you are very lucky, you will have warm, dry weather.

Oh, my goodness

2008-07-03T04:11:00.002-05:00

Awake much too early with a headache I seldom have and weather changing which I am hoping is the cause of it and then to see Marion's picture of the mountains and hear of her experience flying in them is incredible. Did you take this photograph, Marion, yourself? How brave of you to take a single engine plane into an area such as this. And then to see the picture of Ginny Byer's fabric shop with all those wonderfully vibrant colours...what a feast for my eyes at this time of the morning, which is, 5:14 a.m. on Thursday. And I await the dawning of this day, the sky behind the trees just now lightening up to a barely visible delineation between the two and the day will bring more rain again. It should be sent to Alabama to water Laura's plants; it could be sent to California to fight the fires in Big Sur. Our weather here has been very rainy over the past few weeks yet the summer last year and before that, were filled with drought so I don't regret rainy days for we need them. Two mornings ago, I lifted my head from the computer screen and looked out my studio window to watch a mother deer and her tiny fawn come into the field next to me. The baby's legs were wobbly, barely able to keep up with its mother who seemed to move ahead without concern for her baby following her. The colour of the mother, such an intense tan colour, the baby, speckled and I could have missed it all with my head bent over the computer keyboard. What a moment in my visual time.

Yesterday I tacked my studio tables with Windex and a cloth; put papers away, through papers out; still not enough room for what I have on the go in the way of projects but at least I can see some organization here and wonder why I don't keep it this way all the time. I know that my bookcase is going to need attention and reorganization for it's not functioning for me. Why is it that tidying up my space makes me feel so good?

Rosey

Travel Rain Gear

2008-07-02T17:02:00.003-05:00

Rick Steves, the Public Broadcasting travel guru, recommends waterproof ponchos for travel. They are available from Amazon.com, come in lots of colors, are lightweight and easier to pack than a jacket. I have one that stays in a pocket in my suitcase and has been used more by kids who borrow my luggage than by me. It's bright red so I can always spot them in pictures.
Enjoy your tripl

up, up and away !!

2008-07-02T16:19:00.003-05:00

My "flying" neighbour, Pam, rang on Monday morning and said she was going to take the 'plane up to "see the snow" . I was invited to go along. It was a perfect day and we had a lovely hour flying in and out of the mountain ranges. To be perfectly honest, a single engine 'plane has never been my favourite form of transport ! However, there are occasions when it can take you to places that nothing else can !!

It's still winter here (!) but we are past the shortest day so we are eagerly looking forward to Spring ! School holidays coming up and DD#2 and her three children are coming down for ten days.. I am hoping for fine days !?

Have a good day.

Marion.

Gore-Tex questions

2008-07-02T13:44:00.002-05:00

Doris or anyone else who travels--
I have questions about Gore-Tex or Go-Lite jackets. I've spent over an hour looking at jackets on line. Does anyone know if I need just rainproof, light weight for packing, "Stormshell" type of jacket? Gore-Tex seems to be a brand as well as a type of fabric. I really don't think that I need a down jacket, and don't really want to spend over $100.00.
I have a nice Eddie Bauer jacket with a hood, front zip, pale blue. I also have a yellow Talbot's (old, very old) yellow jacket only it pulls over the head instead of having a front zipper.

summer

2008-07-02T07:45:00.002-05:00

I'm back from the DC area, where I watched my nephew graduate from high school. Since my parents were with us, we didn't do much tourist stuff, but we did visit Jinney Beyer's quilt shop. She only carries her own line of fabric. Isn't the color wonderful!

The weather here is alternating between nearly as hot as last year, and wonderful. We are still, however, in the midst of a drought. Thank God it's not as bad as last year.

Tomorrow I'll be driving to Montgomery to see my parents again before school starts August 1st. The week after that, I'm taking some of my students to Quiz Bowl camp. Then I have a final week of rest, and a week of helping with "Music Camp" at church. My summer break is almost over, and it went so fast!

I just found out I'm teaching 3 different subjects, Algebra II, Trigonometry, and Psychology. I haven't taught psychology in 15 years, but my bachelor's degree was in Psychology. That makes me "highly qualified," and apparently, no one else is. I certainly am going to have to review.

Saturday I went to see a local performance of Godspell. The director and all the actors were either just graduated or still in high school. They did a great job. Unfortunately, one of the actors fell off the back of the stage and hit his head. The last I heard, he was in the hospital with a concussion, and missed their last performance, but he will be OK. They had cast some extra people, and I don't think he had many lines, but it's horrible for him and for them. It definitely removed some of the joy of the show for me, and I didn't even know him.

My garden is looking bad. We've been asked to hold watering to a minimum, but we're not into enforced conservation yet. I put a bucket in the shower and when I run water to warm it up, it goes into the bucket. That goes onto the garden, but it's only one bucket. I refuse to weed when it is dry, so between the drought and the weeds, it's having a hard time. The only thing that really seems to be doing well is the poison ivy. I got out and poisoned it yesterday, and hopefully that will be the end of it.

I haven't done much quilting so far this summer. I guess I better get busy, because I surely don't have time during the school year!

Laura in Alabama

2008-06-30T14:12:00.002-05:00

Continued--sometimes the computer has a mind of it's own.
I can always shop for fabric!
This past week was the birthday celebration where 5 of us girls went tubing in the Ichnetucknee River. That was on Wednesday. It was a lot of fun, great weather, and no sunburn.
On Friday evening DH & I and another couple and 1 single gal went down to Ocala to the Silver River, outside of Silver Springs and kayaked all day on Saturday. We got the kayaks into the water by 8:15 AM and it was 5:05 when we came back. There was a thunder storm just after we left the spring, so we paddled to the state park and took shelter under a seating area and ate snacks for about 45 min. We were all tired and ready for a break by that time.
This was a great upper body workout! Much more fun than going to a gym. It gave us a chance to talk and get to know each other more. After we got the kayaks back up and got on the road we stopped in Palatka for a great supper. I had the fried shrimp, we got an appitizer order of gator tail for the single gal. We all shared it. She is from Buffalo N. Y. and didn't really believe anyone ate gator tail. We had the world's best waitress!
I've been to fancy restaurants before, but this young girl was the best waitress in a little fish place in a little town. (Gator Landing in case anyone out there is ever in Palatka.)
Tired, doing laundry, catching up from the weekend here.
It's back to the normal Florida afternoon rain showers pattern. For the last 5 or 6 years we haven't had it, but this year we really are getting it. Thankfully!
OH! big news-after all the work in the front yard, side yard over the past few months, we got the neighborhood "Yard of the Month" award. A sign in the front yard for 30 days and a $25.00 gift certificate to a local restaurant.
All the hard work really paid off. Not to mention the 20 or so butterflies I see every day.
For 4th of July we plan to go with our dinner group to the restaurant on the river we first went to last year. I think all 10 of us will be there, not sure yet.
Time for a snack.
All the joging/walking is paying off. The pants are lose in the waist, but the scales have only gone down about 2 lbs.
I need to go grocery shopping, but can't bring myself to go out in the storm.
Maybe think out the quilting for one of the QOV that is finished -almost-.
This is too long.
Anyone read "Dear American Airlines" I just started it. Sad, funny, a few too much use of the "F" word, but I can't put it down.
Sara in Fla.

catching up on the news

2008-06-30T14:06:00.004-05:00

I've been trying to post for the last few days, but today it seams to be working.
DORIS- Wow-too bad about going all that far and getting rained out.
We don't go until Sept 7th and return the 21st. That is why I'm not able to attend the Canada quilt thingy-will have just returned home.
I was going to borrow some Gor-Tex stuff from a lady friend, but now she and her DH are retiring and moving to Alabama. So I'll have to buy some stuff at Dick's or maybe Siera trading co. I really hate to shop, so it is painful for me to go spend $$ on a jacket, but know that I will need a new one before Sept.

catching up on the news

2008-06-30T14:06:00.001-05:00

It's still Hot Hot Hot!

2008-06-29T14:00:00.002-05:00

Oops, I hit enter by accident!

It's way too hot here for weeding...so I'm trying to decide what to do exactly.

I may even sew!

These are our 1st days(yesterday & today) in the 90's, so it's a bit of a shock!

Sounds like you had a blast Jean. Being able to go to Quilt Market here in Portland was just a thrill & also overwhelming!

Now I'm anticipating Sisters (my all time favorite quilt show) & also going to the big Seattle show in August.

Just got one of Karla Alexander's stacking the deck books from the library & thinking I may have to try one of these quilts, they look like fun!

Every year our library (all of Portland) selects a book & then has many city wide promotions and events surrounding it. I don't think I would have ever read The Kite Runner if it hadn't been the book that year & it's a must read, so good, as was his 2nd book......This years book is "Three cups of Tea" Has anyone read it? I'm still waiting for it, but haven't talked to anyone who has read it. Anyone here?

Movie reviews(out on DVD): On a clear Day delightful! Diving Bell & the Butterfly(french) sad, poignant, 360 degrees from the 1st!

Food review: A gal brought Paula Dean's Pineapple Casserole (easily found on google) to Quilt til you wilt Friday nite. Boy it's yummy, I'm making it today for DH as he loves Pineapple Upside down & I won't make it (too much work).

Probably have to add a garden picture, what a wonderful time of year, STAWBERRIES!

Jill

WWQP Bulletin Board Chat

trying to post

Quiet house...

Earthquakes..

Back to Earth...

Sister's Quilt SHow

Earthquake

Sisters Quilt Show

Sisters

Sisters Quilt Show, Saturday, July 12

New Zealand pictures

more of the same..

Gore-Tex type rain jackets

Oh, my goodness

Travel Rain Gear

up, up and away !!

More Gore Tex questions

Gore-Tex questions

summer

catching up on the news

catching up on the news

It's still Hot Hot Hot!