Colorado

Lake San Cristabol outside of Lake City, Colorado.....where eagles fly.

Sisters week

Had a grand time with my sisters in Colorado, as one of us said we shopped and ate our way across Colorado!  I kept teasing the girls they were going to have to rent a trailer to haul home all of their loot! LOL.  This picture was taken in Salida, Colorado at the biggest willow tree I have ever seen. We ate supper in Salida at a Bistro that overlooks the river and serves wonderful food.  That had to be the biggest burrito ever!  Filled with black beans, rice and chicken, with green chill salsa, avocado and pork on the side.....yummo!  The sisters headed home on Saturday and me on Sunday.  Mr. Outdoors and I headed out early on this Memorial Day to decorate our parents and Grandparents graves.  It is always a bittersweet time,  I don't believe you ever get over losing your parents.  I believe that is why God gives us children and grandchildren to lessen the loss of our loved ones.  The valley on the way to Avery peak is the prettiest I have ever seen with the water snaking thru the canyon.  One of my favorite spots in Colorado!  Memorial Monday...enjoy!

Geranium on steroids

My sister and I were in an art studio in Lake City, Colorado and saw this bigger than life Geranium!  I asked the owner what he fed that thing..he said only water...oh sure!

Embroidered quilt topper

This little beauty is a combined effort of my sisters..they have saved all the sweet linens they have found in various thrift stores and used the good parts of said linens to make this sweet table topper.  I would love to make a full sized quilt in this pattern and will will be saving my linens too.  When it is completed i will post a pic.  Love it!

Sisters week.

Sisters week in Colorado.  My two sisters have traveled to Colorado from Kansas and we are spending a week together doing what we love.  We all sew, crochet, knit and love to go antique hunting or exploring the mountains.  Hopefully we will get to do all of the above.  The little cutie on our laps is my niece and she didn't get to come out this time and she will be missed.  Lovely spring weather for our vacation, still in the 30's at night but warming up to the 70's in the daytime...perfect weather if you ask me.  Magical Monday..make it a great one!

Arkansas trip

Mr. Outdoors got the brome hay all done, so we were off to Arkansas yesterday to see his Uncle Roy who was visiting from California.  Roy's sisters were all there too and we had such a good visit and the best catfish lunch!  I don't know why we can't find catfish that good here in Kansas, I was wishing for some more of it on the way home last night!  Someone said they raise the catfish there in Arkansas so maybe that is why it is so good.  We had a beautiful day traveling thru Oklahoma and Arkansas and back home by 8pm, I am gearing up for a week in Colorado with my sisters.  Almost packed to go ---on the road again....Willy nelson song...seems to be my mantra...LOL  Fab Friday!

Crazy things people do

We just couldn't believe this guy painting with his ladder in the truck bed... tied with tie down straps to hold it....scary stuff!

Cutting hay

Mr. Outdoors is in the hay field...specifically the brome field and what a lot of hay there is this year!  As tall as we've ever seen and Thankful for it too.  Beautiful springlike weather in May!  

Visitors in the yard

This guy was sitting on top of the patio umbrella this morning...pic taken thru the window screen, he is beautiful!  Looks like he and the Mrs. may be building a nest in the wisteria...gosh that would be too neat!  

Ready to quilt

The courthouse steps/ signature block quilt top is done! yea!  I got it loaded into the quilt frame last evening and I am so excited about getting it quilted.  Grandaughter and her hubbys anniversary is July 2nd so my goal is to have it finished to give to them on their first anniversary....we'll see....crossing fingers here!  Mr. Outdoors and I also have an anniversary on that date...July 2nd...47 years for us this year...wow....that seems impossible.  I didn't get a shot of the cinderella-prince backing but when it's done i'll post one...sweet!  Mr. Outdoors and I are celebrating Mothers day early with our son Mark...meeting him for lunch at one of our fav places "Town and Country".  It's always a treat to eat out for me and especially with my two favorite guys!  Sensational Saturday!

Cinderella quilt back

I have spent a great amount of time looking for and obsessing about the backing for my Grandaughters wedding quilt.  Looked at several stores for just the right fabric/colors/size to no avail.  Came out of my fav quilt shop empty-handed...Mr. Outdoors says wheres the backing?  I told him guess I will just piece together something for the backing as I cannot find anything i like!  Got home and went up to my cabinet i keep some of my fabric in and there it was!  I am a person who hangs onto anything that holds a memory to it.  I have hung onto Grandaughters sheet set that she used for years of Cinderella and Prince charming (when her husband proposed to her he was wearing his knight in shining armor suit!)  The top sheet is perfect for the quilt backing...nice and soft and holds so many memories of a precious little girl.  I have added a border edge all around the edges of leftover fabric from the quilt top...I am over the top happy with this idea and hope she loves it as much as I do.  Pictures will follow as I am loading the quilt into my quilt frame this morning to begin hand quilting it.  Oh BTW I know you aren't supposed to use sheets for backing but this was meant to be.  Color me happy!

Trout filets

Lunch today panko breaded trout filets, green beans w/ red potatoes and steamed onions...oh and a big glass of iced tea!  We love the panko breading, I add some rosemary.. S&P.. cook in a little canola oil and it is delish!  If you haven't ever tried steamed onions you should do so...they are so good and good for you!  I cook my green beans in their own liquid and add lots of chopped garlic...simmer till the liquid is almost gone, garlic is tender and enjoy!

Signature quilt

I am up to my ears in quilt blocks...Grandaughters wedding last july she had quilt blocks to sign in place of a guest book.  Most everyone wrote a personal message to the newlyweds and we are incorporating them in to a courthouse steps/signature block quilt.  Greys and yellows, a little purple and white...it's all coming together nicely, keeps this old lady on her toes tho...lets see 5 times 1 3/8" =...you get the picture. This quilt has a masculine look to it but that's ok, I have made her many girlie quilts...I love how the dark grey in the courthouse blocks stands out forming an "H"...her name is Hannah.. so cute that it shows up that way.  Hannahs husband is tall.....6' 4" so I am making the quilt extra long. since Mr. Ourdoors is also tall it is always a concern to be sure the quilts I make are long enough.  My quilting frame will hold a width of 94 inches and the length can be endless...this quilt will be 96" long, that should keep Mr. Bens toes covered!   Grandaughter wrote their wedding vows on two of the blocks and they will be incorporated into the center of the quilt along with their names, wedding date, location and their theme "sweet love" embroidered on one of the blocks.  This has kept me busy this past week and the quilt should be ready to load up onto the quilt frame in a day or two...can't wait to get started quilting it...love hand quilting my quilts!

Mock orange and butterflies

Our yard seems to be full of butterflies...all shapes and sizes, colors and brightness!  I had noticed them on some flowering ground cover and when I mowed last evening they were also in the yard...everywhere!  So pretty and so very hard to capture on my camera but nonetheless I took many pictures.  The mock orange bush is in full bloom and the sweetness of the smell is wonderful!  Mr. Outdoors picked me a bouquet and I am loving them!  Thankful Thursday!

A little cooking

Have you ever tried Pioneer Womans cornbread recipe?  It's a keeper for us, we love it!  As you can see Mr. Outdoors has his butter and molasses ready to indulge....; )   We made tamales yesterday and they are so good and  nice to have some in the freezer for those days you don't want to cook.  I like using a pork shoulder roast for my tamales, seems to have less fat and such a great flavor.  Seasoning the meat for tamales with the chile ancho is my favorite.  Windy and nice Wednesday for us...love these cool mornings....windows open and birds singing!