Quilting and Shoveling

The title of this post pretty much sums up my week. I could close now, but my guess is that you’re probably here for some pictures. 

Well, as far as the shoveling soil into the garden beds goes, I’d have pictures if the weather would cooperate. But the last two afternoons have turned stormy, and when thunder rumbles, I don’t stay outside. But I’m approaching the 2/3-done mark with the soil. But I did get a lovely picture of our flowering pear (ornamental) tree early in the week. Look at that brilliant blue sky!

Bruce has been getting all the drip lines installed in the veggie beds. It’s slower going when you only have one arm. Yesterday we went to one store and bought lots of necessary supplies for the watering systems, plus I got annuals for the flower pots, ground covers, rose gloves and new pruners and even a new bright blue glazed pot. Oh, and all the tomato and pepper starts. Next week we’ll visit our favorite nursery to pick up a new tree, a David Austen rose, and more perennial flowers and shrubs for the front flower beds. We’re approaching our budgeted spending limit, so I told Bruce I may have to pick up a babysitting job,  (wink!). I’m not always good about “unselecting” plants. Anyway, with a little luck and sunshine, we may actually have something to show next week. Or by the end of the month for sure…

May is for playing with our orange scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. My first order of business was to frame ten of these jungle blocks with orange.

All I have left now are the last ten blocks to frame with red, then I’ll have all 40 done (10 each in blue, green, orange and red), which is enough to do two kid quilts. 

I did layer up and quilt two scrappy finishes as well. Here is my scrappy green project from March, Creature from the Green Gulch (or was it green gully?) (whatever). Finished size: 39.5x48.5”.

As usual, lots of orphan blocks, partial blocks, scraps, strips and chunks were used in assembling this monstrosity cute little scrappy quilt.  Even the back used up its fair share of leftovers.

Here is Purple People (and Scrap) Eater (thanks, Judy!!):

And the back: 

Purple People Eater measures 41x48”.

These two scrappy quilts, along with 8 others from the last couple months, will be dropped off at our Quilts for Kids workshop today. I’m only staying for some of the workshop because we are having an early Mothers Day gathering and dinner out with some of the family. But my morning today will be spent helping out with the annual neighborhood cleanup. I’ve got a lot of green waste to dump - rose cuttings and branches that can’t be composted. 

I finally broke my weight plateau and managed to lose 2 pounds this week, for 47 total. I’m hoping to hit -50 pounds sometime in May. But if not, there’s always June! I just wish it would warm up so I could wear some of my cute new summer clothes!

Have a great week!