Friday, October 30, 2009

some bits of Helena that we explored.  

naturally we did not go inside the buildings. that would have been tresspassing. 

we followed Dad through most of the explorations; and when we got to a spot that was gated, Dad found a path to the side that went past a gap in the fence and through a large patch of vines. 

Connor: Is it safe to go through there?

Me: Of course. Dad wouldn't take us through if it wasn't safe.

Sharon: Oh, right, HA!

Me: What?

Sharon:  Dad isn't allergic to poison oak. You should ask the Cunningham boys how safe it is to "follow Dad" someday. 
Dad just shrugged. Getting poison oak probably builds character anyway.... like that time my mom had to make a pee stop in the woods (can you tell what's coming? can you?) and wasn't paying attention to where she squatted..(yep, just what you thought).  She had to wear an apron on her front and saran wrap on her butt over the itch cream for DAYS.  Her sister and her mother (who she and I lived with at the time) were constantly cracking up over it.

I'm sure she appreciates me sharing. 

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

this plum tree is about 7 feet from my parent's back door, it's top leaves here level with the upper deck. This is what it looked like on Friday.
there was a constant "piff, whiffle" of leaves falling all weekend.

by sunday afternoon the tree looked like this: 


we got to see fall colors! I kept exclaiming at trees and pointing them out to the boys. Connor thought they were all very nice but fletcher was less impressed. "more yellow, mom. why do you like yellow so much?"


Monday, October 26, 2009

I made the trip north last week in two segments; thursday night and friday morning. I am happy to report that Van was amazing in the car. More than 20 hours driving total and he was fussy for maybe a total of 30 minutes. Thank heaven for small miracles. 
So we finally arrive and Mom's at work so I'm visiting with my sisters and I hear after awhile, my own voice (but slightly sweeter) coming from the living room and I pop out of the kitchen saying, "mom! you're home!" 

Does she even look at me? 

that would be a big fat NO.  Hello, I'm chopped liver, nice to meet you. 

Grandpa was determined the next day to get us all out of doors for the day so the kids didn't all congregate around a video game ("kids" referring to both his and mine. I'm not sure when I'll stop referring to my sisters as kids - it may never happen).  We explored a "ghost town", and then went down to the Helena swim hole. 

Dear Residents of Trinity County, 

I am very sorry about the swim hole. My son, being unused to nature, got over-excited and threw so many rocks into the water that it is now a small puddle. Please do not break anything while jumping off of the rope swing next summer.

Sincerely,

Me.

my oldest, after asking "what is star thistle?" decided that it was 
1. a lovely weed for picking (who IS this kid?)
2. impressive head gear. 



Friday, October 23, 2009

while I am trying to get a photo of the finished quilt and organizing my photos from the trip back home, please enjoy the "Twisted Princesses" series by a Disney artist:

sigh. I love Halloween time.  It means it's almost Christmastime....

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

well, i finished the top and mailed it off on friday to Mom to machine quilt it at her shop.  but there isn't a decent photo because my camera was IN THE CAR. 

so this is a corner of the finished quilt top, with borders, in the passenger seat of the car, at the post office.   good times. 

it looks far more christmas-y and far less autumn-y than I had hoped but it's still very nice looking and hopefully those two spots where my seams dont' even come close to matching up will "quilt out".  I'll take a photo when I get it back. 

speaking of which, I'm going to Weaverville to pick it up this weekend! Yay! Home! Forest! Autumn colors! Weather! The boys are beside themselves with excitement. I must say I am, too. 

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

My friend Betsey emailed me this morning.  

"You have to have another baby so I have an excuse to buy this for you!" she said. And there was a link to an Etsy shop. I thought to myself, "There is nothing anyone could purchase that would induce me to push another small human out of my body." 

And then I clicked on the LINK


shoot. 

Monday, October 05, 2009

A Haiku to Hannah:

She brings me treasures
vintage handmade lace (and cars)
what a good weekend. 

I don't have to get in the car today until 2:15. This is a minor miracle. Here I am blogging instead of driving the boys to school and the husband to work! And I've already got plans for the lace (made, we suspect, by Hannah's grandmother).  

quickly pieced together this top last week. The panel is printed so all I had to do was add the borders. I really love the Daiwabo fabrics!

and progress is being made on the autumn colors quilt I am making for the Fall Festival at the boys' school. We're having a raffle for it. I have to finish it this week so I can get it to my mom for quilting by the weekend - the Festival is in 20 days! 


readysetgo!

Thursday, October 01, 2009

step one. Math. figure out how many strips of what widths etc. Cut.

It feels good to be creating something again. I've had a long hiatus.

this one's just for fun:
almost the weekend!