Quilts, Monarchs, Flowers and Such

 The main problem with posting so seldom is trying to capture everything in one post.  It has been a busy month around here.  

Sewing started the month off with a gifted quilt for a friend of my DIL who just started chemo for breast cancer.  Snails Trail seemed like an appropriate pattern for the slow months ahead of chemo, radiation, double mastectomy and reconstruction.

The camera angles make one look quite long and thin while the other is square,  It is actually a generous sized throw..  

It progressed to more fun sewing, baby burp cloths and a Christening gown for a baby shower for our eldest granddaughter.  I completely forgot to take a picture of the gown, but will do so at the Christening.  

Then we slipped off to Hawaii for a week of complete relaxation.  It was heavenly!  The view from our balcony was glorious and we enjoyed the sunsets everyday.  The flowers there were also fantastic.  

Can you spot the courting gecko?

This masterpiece was hanging in our hotel lower lobby, artist "unknown". 
A reminder to label your quilts!  (110" square)

From our room we had a view of the hotel gardens below us.  It was such fun to watch the progress of their plantings from when we arrived.  I wouldn’t mind that job!

It’s always fun to return home and see what is happening in my own gardens.  So much is blooming now.  

Cymbidiums.  Many of these once belonged to my dad.  He had quite a green thumb.

Clivia.  These were all started from seeds that my BIL gave me.

Roses...I love this one.  It is called Tuscan Sun by Jackson and Perkins.   

We’ve had so many monarch cocoons this year.  Many have flown free already, but I have several left to hatch.  One is going to break free sometime today and I am trying to capture it on a video.  It’s soooo close.

Lastly, this past week our daughter’s Golden Retriever had ten puppies.  OMGoodness....cuteness galore.  Fear not.....that is not a handmade quilt, but would be worth it.  ;-)

Spring Into Summer

It appears that we have skipped spring and jumped right into summer here.  The last two weeks have been so warm and so unusual for us.  They keep making promises of rain, but Mother Nature is having a field day with those predictions.  I am considering doing a few rain dances on the rooftop.  ;-)  I was out working in a flower bed today, but once the temp hit 92* I felt that was enough gardening.

The pear trees have burst out for a quick bloom and are already filling in with the green leaves.  I had to grab a picture from my mom's neighborhood when I was visiting this week.

As well...right by her front door a little hummingbird has made a nest and laid two of the tiniest eggs.  It will be so much fun to watch.  I can't wait to see how small the babies will be.

The weekend was so delightful that we decided to head to the beach.  Our daughter and her children came up and joined us on Saturday.  Although the water was chilly, it did not stop the little ones from venturing out into it.  The surf was huge and the surfers were loving it.

Sunrise walk

Monday was a day off of school for the grandaughters.  They have an upcoming event at their school and needed to make some costumes for it.  We had so much fun and a lot of giggles too.  They did a great job and even left wearing their outfits.

Block Lotto this month is the Snails Trail block so I pulled some of the brown fabrics out and stitched a few.  Seven of the blocks will stay here for my Old MacDonald quilt.

I'll be linking up with Midweek Makers this week.

Is anyone going to Quilt Con in Pasadena this week?  I am heading down and meeting up with several fellow bloggers while I am there.  I have not attended one before so I am looking forward to the event.