Minis and More

Coming September 3rd in Blogland and IG is the Minis and More Parade, hosted by Michele and Sherri.  This month was a block that I have wanted to make for sometime.  What better opportunity than to make it for the parade?  The pattern this month was Trip Around The World Mini Quilt from Samantha of Aqua Paisley Studio.

After making the mini, I am thinking that I may need to make the Scrappy Trip quilt that was going around Blogland several years ago.   Be sure to pop over to Michele and Sherri's blogs to see the other versions of this pattern.

This weeks blocks for the Seeing Stars QAL was called Curvy Star.  The curves were gentle curves so went together quickly.

August is quickly coming to a close so thought I'd post a photo of an up to date Temperature Quilt.  The August row is hanging to the right of the quilt as it is not quilt long enough to add to the bottom yet.  It's definitely been a warmer few months, but you can see that the nights are starting to cool down a bit.

While watering the pots this weekend, I noticed this cute little guy tucked into a plumeria plant.  He was well camouflaged. 

 While we are on plumerias, these are two more that are blooming.  The smell is so heavenly.

 We had a lovely evening out this week at the Hollywood Bowl for a Chopin concert.  The Bowl is such a magnificent place to visit.  We arrive early, enjoy dinner there and then hear great music. 

As the garden starts to slow down a bit, we have been harvesting peaches, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers daily.  Marjorie shared a recipe for mustard pickles with me so I put some up this week.  They are very good. 

The days are definitely shortening.  Fall is coming quickly.  There is a lot of talk about eliminating Daylight Savings Time.  What are your thoughts on it? 

P.P.P.

How's that for a title?  It beats writing out Pumpkin, Pipping Post.  Does anyone else struggle with post titles?

Starting next week we will be watching grandchildren for a couple of weeks - first one set and then another so I won't be getting any much computer time.

Taking that into consideration, I wanted to finish my Minis and More project for August while I had some time to sew.  The pattern this month is Mini Pumpkins by Allison Harris at Cluck Cluck Sew.  I have always enjoyed the monthly project brought to us by Michele and Sherri.  Although I can't participate each month, they have a great Mini Parade on the first of each month.

The last P is for the pipping that we've had going on here this week - our baby tortoises.  They have a little pipping tooth that cracks the shell.  They will spend the next two-three days absorbing their yolk before fully emerging and walking away from their shells. 

See the little nose?

Pipping started on August 1st and six of the seven babies were participating within 4 days.  The last one has been stubborn and finally pipped last evening.    This one has decided to do things a bit backwards as he is approaching life with an arm out - waiting for some sort of handout, I'm sure.

The mostly absorbed yolk.

Once their yolks are pretty much dried out, I transfer them to a larger container and start feeding them.

We once had a tortoise that pipped and hatched out immediately.  Unfortunately, the yolk was so large that it looked like it was balanced on a ball with no feet touching the ground.  He had to stay like that until enough of the yolk was absorbed so he could finally reach the ground.

I've been sewing in bit and spurts this week.  Do you know how it is when you can only squeeze in 10-15 minutes of stitching?  What do you work on during that time?  I know I hate to get involved in something that is going to take more time than I have.  I decided to sew some of my selvage pieces into blocks.  My box of them was overflowing and I can say that after 35 blocks - it is still overflowing.  I think I fluffed them up too much!!  I do love how they are looking and am eager to make more.  As Stephanie at (IG)sadunphy said....they are like potato chips.  So true!

Meanwhile.....in the garden the plumerias are all blooming now and they smell heavenly.  I love the shape of these two.

There was something very strange going on with one of my strawberries.  I know they say that they are covered with seeds, but this was taking that idea to a whole new level.  I was waiting to see what would happen to it, but a rabbit decided it was much too good to leave on the bush.

I'll be back in a few weeks.  

Take Me Home Country Roads

Before I go there I will show you some of my plumeria that are blooming.  I just love walking out into the wonderful smells of the plants in bloom.  It makes me think of the warm air and beautiful colors of the waters of Hawaii.

As with all big families, there are celebrations of all sorts.  This week was a celebration of a life well lived - my aunt and mother to eleven beautiful adult children.  I traveled back to Iowa and to the country roads.  It was a heartwarming time to see all of the children, the numerous grandchildren and many great grandchildren all together to honor her and recall their memories of her. 

I managed to experience the heat that many of you have been writing of in your blogs.  Many of the cornfields are in sorry shape with the heat and lack of rain.  The future forecast does not look great either.  We will all pay the cost of this with the icrease in the price of foods and meat over the next few years.

I hope to get back to my regular blogging this week.  See you then.