The Arrival of June

How can it be?  The midpoint of the year is just around the corner.  I guess it's time to start Christmas shopping.

Before May slips away, however, we celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary!  It seems like only yesterday that we were walking down the aisle, saying our "I do's" and starting our new life together.  I'd do it all again in a moment.  It has been a fabulous fifty years.

Now, fifty years later, our eldest granddaughter will be walking down the aisle and starting her new life as a wife.  It has been a busy few weeks of preparation for it.  I've altered three bridesmaid dresses, made the veil and the flower girl dress, all fun and creative sewing.

June is my month as the bee queen in our Gridster Bee.  The block I have chosen is called Star String and is found at Wombat Quilts.  My first blocks arrived from Nancy (IG @patchworkbreeze).  From the looks of these, this is going to be such a fun month.

More non quilting sewing included making a linen stole for a dear priest friend of ours who is celebrating his Silver Jubilee next week.  I wanted to use the metallic threads in the embroidery machine, but I know how difficult they can be, especially at high speeds.  I used the Superior metallic threads and I had NO problem at all with them.  I have used them in quilting with great success too. If you haven't used them before, I highly recommend them.

I actually made it reversible so he can use it when he celebrates his Golden Jubilee.  The front side is in silver and the back is in gold.  It has been a standing joke between us so I am sure he will get a chuckle when he sees it.

I did manage to finish the last three blocks for the BlooM SAL.  Hopefully, I will have time to get the sashing sewn in place and get them all sewn together soon.

The month of May has been so unseasonably cold for us, but some of the spring growth continues in the garden.  The epiphylliums are blooming and are always showstoppers.

A pineapple has set in the pineapple garden too.  This plant is about three years old now.  I start my plants by using the tops of the pineapples that we eat.

Momma tortoise laid her eggs despite the cold weather.

A final picture...….I was at our daughter's home watching the little ones earlier this week.  This little guy had no fear of the vacuum and loved to have the girls use it on him.

Playing Blog Catch-up

It seems like all I do is play catchup on my blog these days.  The intention is good, but then I get going on another project and that intention goes out with the wind.

We've had a great May so far with lots of celebrations.  We combined quite a few with Mother's Day when the kids and grandchildren were here.  Now we are into the graduations and spring school concerts before the year is finished for all the school aged children.  It's hard to believe another year is done for them.

Much of my time has been spend redoing several of the gardens in the yard lately.  They were overgrown and in need of some attention.  The roses are just finishing their first big bloom of the year and it's time to deadhead and fertilize them.  They have been spectacular this year.

We have areas of the yard with some easy care geraniums growing.  I especially like this one's color that was started from a plant growing at the home of a friend of mine.   Thanks Joan!

There has not been a lot of sewing to show for my past few weeks.  I did manage to finish a few more flowers for our BlooM SAL.  I don't have the borders on these yet as I want to see what colors are needed in the full layout.  I think I have three flowers left to construct.

To see more BlooM blocks be sure to pop over to Cheryll's blog and see what others are sewing.

May was the month for our next hanging towel swap.  Irene's kitchen in is turquoise and brown so I did her towel in those colors and added a turquoise patriotic one for her to use for Memorial Day.

I've been working on finishing up a bridal veil and altering bridesmaid dresses for the upcoming wedding of our oldest granddaughter.  Next up is the flower girl dress.  The young couple graduated last weekend.

My last few weeks have revolved around repairman.  It has been one thing after another to the point where I hesitate to touch anything for fear it, too, will break.  You know it's bad when the dogs are so familiar with the plumber that they run up to greet him when they see him arrive!