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!