Friday, June 22, 2012

The Week in Review

Has summer finally arrived for all of those in the northern hemisphere?  We are still waiting for the heat to hit here, but I am enjoying the longer days.  I am much more motivated with the additional hours of sunlight, but get into a slump when June 21st rolls around and I know that the days are starting to shorten for us.  I will continue to enjoy the warmer summer evenings in the weeks ahead.

The week started off with the celebration of Father's Day around here.  We all had a terrific time, but I regret that I did not get more photos.  Does everyone else get so busy entertaining that they forget to grab the camera?  The weather was lovely for eating dinner outside. 





# 3 son with Gipe.  Gipe is a family pet who is constantly on someones shirt for the ride.  This little guy is unbelievably tame.  I think he needs to be in commercials for dry skin!!!

The strawberries are getting towards the end so it was a good time to make jam.  Our daughter came over on Tuesday and we put up six batches of jam.  It is so yummy.



DH and I took a short road trip to Wyoming this week as well.  We both love getting in the car and hitting the back roads, using the Interstates only when necessary for time crunches.  One of our favorite states to drive through has always been Utah.  I love the red rocks, their spectacular canyons and the numerous streams and rivers.  Someday I would love to try the fly fishing that we always see as we drive. 



A lavender farm that we passed along the way.

The morning we left Wyoming it was 28* (at 4:30 a.m.).  We drove straight through that day passing through Las Vegas with temps at 110*+ and arriving home to 68*.  The fluctuations in temperatures are amazing.  The many hours in the car provided me time to work on some cross stitch.  It doesn't look like much yet since I have just begun, but I will share it with you as I progress on it. 

I have to share a picture of the freeway in Las Vegas.  They have been working on it for years and I think it is probably some of the most beautiful designs in roads that I have ever seen.  Unfortunately, the cars kept getting in my way as I was trying to snap pictures, but they have the most spectacular displays of large iron sculptures - wild mustangs, big horn sheep, tortoises, etc.  They are all set in a very desert landscape with rocks and cacti.  One doesn't even mind being in a traffic jam because there is so much to see.



Our quail families have emerged with their babies in tow this week.  The parents are so good.  Unfortunately, they have demolished the cantaloupe and one new corn patch. 


There are two families here - one set of babies is a bit bigger than the other.

One of our yellow orioles here for the summer.  I believe it is a Hooded Oriole.

I've had a bit of time to work on catching up with my Takes 2 blocks this week.  I am still way behind, but I am getting there.



This week I want to make a table topper that I saw with some patriotic fabrics that I won from Inchworm  Fabric's giveaway last week.  They arrived this week and they are just perfect.  Hopefully, I can show it to you in my next post - all finished.

21 comments:

  1. Wow...those are some major temperature changes. Sounds like a fun day and you got some cool pictures.

    Thanks for your explanation of what a Streptocarpus is. Never heard of one before. My sister is really good with African violets though.

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  2. what a nice trip and such beautiful sights......The West still has so many open areas.....I just downloaded my JT2 templates for June......you think YOU are far behind....I wonder if I will ever get back to them....the quail are so much fun to watch...(except when they demolish your garden?)I know you will have your table topper done for your next family gathering (4th of July?).....

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  3. The winter solstice is an event not to be missed as it means summer is on its way, and Football is half way through by the time Spring arrives in October Winter will be well and truly over. Glad wasn't born anymore south than right here.
    The Lavender farm looks to be in a dry area, Here they are grown in areas with high rainfall. Smells good where ever it is grown.

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  4. You drove through some of my old stompin' grounds. And it's so nice to see you working on It Takes Two. I dropped out because "It takes Two Long" for me. Very complicated blocks and I wasn't getting to my other projects.

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  5. Thanks for sharing some of your special moments from the past week. It looks like you have had a wonderful time. Gipe looks very comfortable on your son's shoulder and the quail babies are too cute.

    You can have some of our heat any time. We just finished one heat wave and now have nice weather for the weekend but another one is coming for mid next week.

    Looking forward to seeing your table topper.

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  6. One day...I shall take the roads less travelled. I have been through I have visited (driven through) 31 states and our country is so vastly different. Is there anything better than Summer fruit and homemade jam! Yum. Your quilt colors are so soothing.

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  7. I always enjoy your family get togethers and also going along for your drives. Great photos.
    Gipe looks at home on son 3s shoulder.
    Lovely blocks and your fabrics will make a nice table topper.

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  8. Yes I do get busy doing other things and forget to take photos! Sounds like life has been full and enjoyable for you.

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  9. Thanks for taking me on your journey. I loved every minute of it!

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  10. Can't imagine the temperature changes! We had some cooler weather, but now we're back to HIGH humidity and hot, hot, hot. Actually right this minute it's raining!!

    So much to see and looks like a great time! And even stitching along the way! Much better than falling right to sleep like i do in the car.......but I can't read because I get vertigo like crazy if I do.

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  11. What a marvelous road trip! Yes, it's amazing how varied the temperatures are but not bad when you're just driving through and don't have to deal with them on a daily basis, huh? I love the quail. We have a couple of little coveys at our ranch but I wish they were as large as yours. We probably don't have them because we don't have a garden they can demolish, haha. Thanks for sharing your pictures, fun times with family.

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  12. What a marvelous road trip! Yes, it's amazing how varied the temperatures are but not bad when you're just driving through and don't have to deal with them on a daily basis, huh? I love the quail. We have a couple of little coveys at our ranch but I wish they were as large as yours. We probably don't have them because we don't have a garden they can demolish, haha. Thanks for sharing your pictures, fun times with family.

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  13. Gipe!!! Not sure!

    Lovely post and don't we all forget to shoot the camera when we are concentrating.

    Looks like a lovely party, and yes the signs on the free way to look fun.

    I love Lavender fields and am sure the smell is gorgeous in your warm air.

    Have a great weekend Mary.

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  14. I cannot believe how calm your son is with Gipe. As usual, your pics are so pretty. And I love your Take 2 blocks, especiallybthe one on the bottom left. That one seems like it would be quite difficult to do with intricate turns/points.

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  15. You are a serious roadtripper! My sister lives north of Vegas and goes through UT & WY to drive to my parents...WY to CA had to have been a phenomenally long day of driving!

    I really like your take 2 blocks...great color combo.

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  16. Gipe worries me.......lol. Love your pictures and the lavender farm is great, would love to see that in person. My wedding bouquet was lavender.

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  17. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who seems to get into a slump after June 20th. I know that the days are still long, but all I can think about is how the days are getting shorter (and how we're getting closer to winter again). ;-)

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  18. I love the smell of lavender. I know where those farms are. I've started my own. I'm up to three plants. Your pet lizard looks fun. My boys would love him. When they were little they tried to smuggle one home they had caught at grandmas.
    Love the brown and blue in your blocks and can't wait to see your runner.

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  19. Mary,

    It's lovely to hear from you!!! Oh my, I swooned looking at your brown/cream blocks!!! They are simply gorgeous.l

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  20. I always forget to grab a camera too....we just enjoy the moment too much I guess! I love the quail...my mom has quail families at her house too! Thank you so much for your kind words about the passing of my step- father...it was so very much appreciated!

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  21. Cute photo of Gipe! Looks like you had a wonderful time with family and yes, I forget to take photos when entertaining! It is neat that you take road trips and enjoy so many sites!

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