There's Snow Business Like Snow Business

Finished another cuddle-size quilt yesterday.  I'm so happy with it.  It's cozy!

Peri and I tried it out last night watching 'Grimm' on tv.  The flannel/fleece combination is very cuddly.  Peri would like it to be a little bigger, so I'll need to factor that in next time.  The fabrics have snowmen and hot cocoa and polka dots.  It is the largest quilt that I have machine-stippled all in one piece.  The finished quilting is nowhere near perfect, but I learned a lot after doing so much quilting all at once.  I look forward to practicing this technique on future projects.

I was able to make a little bonus quilt from the leftover fabrics.

Ever since Zade developed arthritis, she likes to make a little nest with whatever cushion-y things she can find.  She likes to keep this quilt stuffed under my desk.  That way, she's both comfortable and gets a little peace from Peri.  lol.

In The Garden - February 25

Although I haven't posted about the garden in a while, that doesn't mean that things aren't growing around here!  I spent a good chunk of this morning potting up the little seedlings that I started on January 28.

Here are all the newbies in their new, bigger homes.

Pesto, anyone?  The Genovese basil already smells heavenly.  I'm going to be hard pressed to let it get to maturity before I start harvesting those tasty little leaves.

These are the round two tomatoes.  I only had 7 successful plants from round one.  Since I want at least 10 plants of this variety (Rutgers) in the garden this summer, I had to start some more.  They are about three weeks behind the others time-wise, but a couple of them are nearly as big as round one already.  I've been hauling them outside on warmer (above 40 degree days) for the last couple of weeks hoping to get them all growing a little faster.  I'd like to set them out in walls-o-water around April 1.

I divided the Laguras ovatus nursery pot into quarters and planted each tiny piece of sod into its own pot.  The plants are over three inches tall, but are a bit spindly.  I have the lights positioned right over the top of them with zero clearance.  They've also been going outside on warmer days.

These are the round one tomatoes.  I guess I should have photographed the two rounds side-by-side for comparison.  These are really not much taller than the younger plants, but their stems are thicker and they are have many more leaves.

Also pictured are the 'Tyee' spinach seedlings and 'Pink Lipstick' chard seedlings that I started a week ago.  They're moving right along.  They can go into the garden soon, so as soon as they're husky enough to withstand the wind and snow, they'll get transplanted out.  I have transplanted straight from the nursery pot in some years with good results.  If I need to, I might pot them out in four-packs to get them a little more room to grow.

Not the best picture, but it is a little difficult to shoot through a plastic bag.  This is my tobacco crop.  lol.  'Only the Lonely' is a four-foot-tall ornamental tobacco with fragrant flowers.  I've grown it in the past a couple of times.  It's very persnickety and temperamental, but is worth it when it blooms.  It's also quite expensive to buy at nurseries and so worth the effort to get it to blooming stage.

Geeking Out

It will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me well at all, but I am a geek.  A serious geek.  I love science and technology and all things funky and mysterious.  My current geeky 'obsession' is the new line of Lego designed for girls.  I doubt that they had grannies in mind, but because I have little girls in my life yet again, I'm takin' advantage of the situation.  Meet my new little Friends...

Olivia

Emma

Stephanie

Look at that tiny carrot!

 As with all Lego, each set comes as a beg of parts awaiting assembly.  Even the little people have to be assembled.

When my sons were young, I loved playing Lego with them.  Over the years, I built many houses and vehicles and starships.  I always longed for girlier items to add to the mix, but Lego didn't really know about girls until after my daughter was too old to enjoy Lego.  Well, apparently, Lego has finally starting marketing to the other half of the planet with vim and vigor!  Although they have previously offered Lego in girly colors and more feminine themes, the company failed to showcase their products well and all the those previous attempts were disappointing...both to little girls and Lego's bottom line.  This time, I think that they've got a winner.   I intend to do my part by stocking up on these little cuties.  Then, I plan on staging a raid on the thousands of Lego bricks stored here at my house.  Surely, there'll be plenty of fun doo-dads that can be repurposed from their masculine origins to add to our girly fun.

And, just for the record, if you a a little girl between the ages of 4 and 12 and also happen to be my granddaughter, I hope that you'll come play Lego with me.   It's much more fun to play Lego with friends!

Kill Alex Cross

I've read every Alex Cross book that James Patterson has written.  This one may be my last.  It has all the typical elements from an Alex Cross story...Nana Mama, Sampson, fun with the kids, a BIG case to solve.  But the whole book felt a bit flat as if the sparkle has simply fizzed out of the franchise.  Makes me a bit sad as this series is one that I've previously enjoyed, and it's also one that my mom and I used to read and discuss together.  Guess I'll wait to see the reviews of any future Alex Cross books before I make up my mind.

Happy Valentine's Day

Thanks Mike!

Going, Going, Gone!

The wallpaper is gone from the living room and stairs.  Mike took a couple of days off to help.  Between the two of us we put in about 40 hours last week and now it's finished!  Woo Hoo!  No pictures yet as there's really nothing to see, just barf-colored primer on the walls that now need some patching.  I think we'll need to actually re-skim coat some spots, so repriming will probably be required.  I was planning about a month for the painting process, so fortunately, we still have enough time (goal is to finish before Ben returns) even with an extra step.

my new best friend

These little tools really saved the day.  They have dozens of tiny teeth on the mechanism on the bottom.  After rubbing the wallpaper all over in little circles, the teeth leave dozens of tiny holes.  The wallpaper remover solution soaks right in and voila! the paper can come down.  I say 'can come down' as even with all the right tools and lots of elbow grease, several areas were just about impossible to get off the wall.  Old age and orneriness won out over  vinyl and paper however.  lol.

Black Thunder

Finished a great book this week!  I have read several books in this series and have enjoyed every one.  Ella Clah is a Navajo Tribal Police detective.  Each story features a case or two, but the main attraction for me is Ella's strong family ties.  Also featured is the tribe and the reservation itself.  I miss living close to the culture and lands of Arizona's Native American tribes.  These books are a way for me to reconnect.  As usual, I won't share much in the way of details so I don't spoil the surprises for any future readers.