Urban Renewal and Nature Notes

 Don't get me wrong, my husband is very considerate and will do most anything I ask.  But when I suggested that we replace the WiFi router to improve connection to my bedroom "office," the request fell on deaf ears.  So I moved the computer to the kitchen table.

After several weeks of having to relocate the computer multiple times a day, I decided that perhaps I should move my "office" to the guest bedroom closest to the router.  (Note my MIL's appliqued kit quilts from the 60s.)

Yesterday was the day!  This involved swapping tall chests between the two guest rooms, relocating a chair to the living room, moving my desk to the guest room, and moving two chairs from the living room to the bedroom to fill the vacant office space.  Whew!  I logged over 3,000 steps just walking from one end of the house to the other a bazillion times.

But the result is worth it!

It's a little tight, but a lot less ponderous than my great-grandfather's tall chest that used to be in that spot.  And whereas I was surrounded by window blinds in the bedroom, I now have a nice view to the lake from my chair.

And if I stand at the window, I can keep tabs on the "secret garden" which obviously needs a little attention.

We have had lots of bird activity lately.  I frequently see tiny hummingbirds that have feasted on a blooming bush in the secret garden and then rest on a neighbor's tree.  They are too small to photograph, though.  We also have an aggressive robin that pecks at his own shadow in the dining room window.  I've seen cardinals and woodpeckers do that, but never robins.

I have spotted two new birds lately.  First was a belted kingfisher that possibly was on his way back north a few weeks ago.

And yesterday a rose-breasted grosbeak decided to rest a spell on our deck railing.

My photos aren't the greatest since I'm using my phone and shooting through a window, but you can get the idea.

Twisted Sisters

Many years ago there was a great little shop in an abandoned gas station just outside of Maryville, TN called Pappy's.  If you stopped by Pappy's booth at the Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge, he'd give you a 20% off coupon good at the store on his already great prices.  The coupon was good for several days after the show so it was convenient for us Nashvillians to stop on our way home!

Well, Pappy decided to retire and close the shop.  He sold everything to sisters, Mary and Margaret Wildi;  they renamed it Twisted Sisters and moved to Alcoa, TN, on the west side of Maryville.  

The new owners have maintained and even enhanced the service once received at Pappy's.  It's definitely worth a visit if you are in the Knoxville area.  Such a beautifully organized shop with quality merchandise and a great loyalty program.  They also do online business so check out their website.

Speaking of the loyalty program, I qualified for a discount because April is my birthday month so I made the one-hour trek yesterday and look at the yummy combo I picked out.

I have a couple of ideas for what I want to do with them -- as if I need a new project!  I also got some golf-themed fabric to make a door prize for our church golf outing, along with some much-needed WOW background, several patterns, and a bunch of FQs.

A Question for my Peeps

 When you make a quilt intended to be a wall hanging, do you wash it?

Is it May Yet?

 As soon as Angela announced the RSC color for April -- light/bright blue -- I went in search of orphan blocks I could convert into table scraps.  I found a set of 3D hexagon blocks that would make a sweet table runner.

Then Montezuma's revenge hit.  One whole week out of commission -- no appetite, no energy, fighting the side effects of some powerful antibiotics.  I didn't think I would be able to make it to the S'mores retreat in KY, however as my condition improved, my confidence that I could make the drive increased.  But first, I had to get the 45K service on my van.  So Week 2 was spent in Kentucky, but not much was accomplished.  On Friday of that week I headed back to the Plateau at 0-dark-30 in order to make a committee meeting at 10 a.m.

Week 3 - nine holes of golf on Monday, drive to the dentist in Nashville on Tuesday, grocery and choir practice on Wednesday, clean up my stitching corner in the family room on Thursday, pack for a weekend in the mountains on Friday.  Saturday through Monday, time spent with my sister-in-law, first time to meet since we departed ways at LAX on February 2, 2020 after the TOALT.

So here we are beginning the last week in April and I haven't done squat in the quilt department other than do handwork on the bindings of Twisted Ribbon ...

... and Diamond in the Rough ...

Maybe I can squeeze a couple of RSC projects into these last few days of April.  At least, that's my plan!

Retreat Wrap-up

 I wasn't firing on all cylinders this week, so I kept my project load light at the S'mores retreat.  First I stitched the binding to Twisted Ribbons.

The handwork kept me busy while I watched the NCAA Women's Gymnastics finals today.  I also got the binding stitched on Diamond in the Rough.

The handwork will take a while.  I started that project in a class with Debbie Caffrey in 2012 (at least that's when she autographed my pattern) and I've been holding on to it to get custom quilting.  My LAQ did a spectacular job.

I put the two more borders on Delectable Mountains.

It still needs at least a narrow border to stabilize all the seams along the edges.  I also put the first narrow border on Weaver Fever (no photos) but ran out of steam.  I will try to get the second border on before the end of the month since it is the challenge project for April.

Weather permitting, I'll be playing golf with our church women's group on Monday. We call ourselves the Westminster Abbies.  Haven't played in a couple of years, so wish me luck.

Have a great week, Y'all!

Retreat Days 2/3

 Each day I'm feeling stronger and so glad I opted to spend time with my friends.  We've all had a nose to the needle, foot to the pedal and much beautiful stuff is evolving.  But, unfortunately, the cloud is being selective in which photos it wants to save.  I'll show what I can.

First is Sena's feathered star that she started at a Cindy Williams retreat.  It will eventually morph into Blue Velvet, a Cindy Williams pattern.

Next is Nancy's feathered star that she began in a class with Marsha McCluskey in 2009.

I love the setting!

Deanna brought a quilt made from a blocks we exchanged at a retreat in 2013.  The challenge was to use "Civil War" prints, any block pattern.  I love the setting on this one, too.

I put the last two borders on Delectable Mountains, layered the paraments for the church, and have stitched the bindings on both quilts that recently came back from the LAQ.  Photos to follow.

Retreating After All

 As I started feeling better each day over the weekend, I became more hopeful that I could make it to the S'mores  retreat at least one day.  Then Mr. Lakeside suggested that, if I felt up to it, I go yesterday after I had Micah (the van) serviced.  So with a few swift last-minute additions to my supplies, I was ready to go.

I arrived just as Donna was putting the finishing touches on Grassy  Creek, last year's Bonnie Hunter mystery.

I have a few fiddly projects to work on today, but mostly I'm just going to chill with my friends.  We've all been vaccinated and our tables are more than 6 feet apart.  We are preparing our own meals.  Life is good!