We finished the new rock work for the pond and I think it looks better than before the leak! These are all rocks picked up on our property. They match the rocks on the side of the house and the fireplace.  Often you can see fossils embedded in them, like little scallops or clams as this used to be a sea!

I wish I had put the cushions on the furniture before I took the photo, but you can see a bit of the hammock down in the shade garden where I like to read.

The stuff floating and littering everywhere are tiny flowers off the tree that is over the deck. We have had wind and rain and it is a mess! I blow the deck off to try and lessen the amount that gets in the pool but it is a loosing battle for now. The filter needs cleaning often.

Some of the rocks are BIG and HEAVY! Thank goodness my husband is a willing helper!

“Longhorn Splashdown” 47.5 x 33.5″ Done at last!

The good news is – the missing quilt, “Mon Grand Pere” is found and not a moment too soon as it has been accepted along with “Lazy Afternoon” to hang in New Visions’ “Culture and Agriculture”, a multi media exhibit in Wisconsin – their 24th annual exhibit of art with an agricultural theme. I don’t usually enter shows that are not primarily quilting except for the local art guild, but this one seemed right up my alley!

The bad news is – I have been so busy lately that I missed the deadlines for AQS Knoxville and Aullwood Audubon shows!

I had hoped to get the binding on the Longhorn quilt yesterday but it was a rare lovely day with no rain so we tackled the damage that occurred last winter to the fish pond/water garden. This involved resetting all of the rock work for about half of it and it is pretty good sized. We got a really good start and will be able to finish in another day, but not today. It’s raining. Again.

No problem, I’ll finish the binding instead!

The good news is, my entry to Celebrate Spring in Chicago, “Spring Burning” sold! That was an unexpected surprise. I hope the new owner enjoys it a whole lot!

The bad news is that my prize winning entry to Denver Int which closed May 2 is not home yet and I’m getting worried. Mon Grand Pere is a favorite and I don’t want to loose it!

All four of the Azaleas I planted this spring are blooming. Crossing my fingers and hoping they survive Kansas. We’ve been having cool, rainy weather which is perfect for them, but summer is coming! I finished the quilting yesterday on the Longhorn piece, blocked it, and now just have to square it up and bind it and it will be done.

Wow, it’s been a week since my last post – times flies!!

I was really working hard to finish the Longhorn before my trip to Lincoln, Nebraska, but that didn’t happen. I still have just the “splash” to finish. With Mother’s Day in there, I had to quit and get the quilts organized on Saturday to pack Sunday evening for an early start on Monday.

Monday turned out to be a stormy, rainy day so the drive was NOT fun. That kind of torrential downpour that makes you want to stop and have a gooey dessert and wait it out. But there was not time for that so I just pressed on. I had a lunch date and a personal tour of the International Quilt Study Center/Museum planned. Fortunately about an hour and a half into the trip the rain cleared and I was only a few minutes late.

I had a wonderful time in Lincoln. What an amazing resource they have there in the Quilt Museum! The guild was warm and friendly; an inspiration with all of the activities and public service projects they have planned. The Coneflowers workshop was full, with a waiting list and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Some really beautiful works were started.

Yesterday was spent putting quilts away and dealing with inventory and book keeping for the trip, shipping orders and generally wrapping up loose ends. Today I will get my suitcase unpacked and hopefully back to normal – whatever that is! Since we’ve had so much rain, I hope it can include some weed pulling!!

I received notice that “The Merchant’s House” has been accepted to “Tactile Architecture” and will show at IQF- Houston in 2010, Cincinnati and Long Beach in 2011. They said “many” were entered but only 33 quilts were chosen, so I am honored to once again be a part of it!

The Orioles are back and both the male and female are enjoying the Hummingbird feeder. So far we have seen only one Hummingbird.  The Bluebirds are already feeding babies in two of the boxes and nesting in a third.  They are so pretty!This feeder, along with a sunflower seed feeder hangs by the window where my sewing machine is, so I get distracted quite a bit!

Progress is slow on the longhorn, but only the sky and water remains. Yesterday I worked all day at the Topeka Art Guild Gallery. It was a slow day so I got a LOT done on my book keeping so I don’t feel like it was lost time.  Today I need to go get a permanent so again there will not be a lot of time to sew.  It’s just one thing after another around here!!

Saturday I attended the KAQ annual conference in Topeka and thoroughly enjoyed the two presentations – Ruth Bowman on design and Sherry Best on submitting work to a gallery. I came away with new ideas and renewed vigor!

I also came away with a stuffed pig!

How cute is that! This was Lauren Fallis’s show and tell and since it was also for sale, it came home with me!! When I first saw it I thought it was made from the same fabric as this throw but, no, it is made from Lauren’s own hand dyed and printed fabric. From the tip of his hand sewn snout to his curly tail he measures about 23″.  I love it! Thanks Lauren.

Sunday afternoon I went to Topeka Civic Theater’s “Taming of the Shrew”. Now I don’t usually like Shakespeare but this was really good. They didn’t try to do accents and dialect so it was understandable and very well acted, even at times humorous.

Yesterday we had an appointment and errands in town so I continue to not be finding time to quilt. Today looked pretty open but here I am still at the computer with the morning half gone! I guess I really need pressing deadlines.

Living out here in the country, you never know what you’ll see out the window. This couple was just passing through. We asked around, but no one knew them. I was glad there was a fence around our place!

After driving out to get the patterns yesterday, having lunch and tracking down a plumbing supply place for a part to hook up the new dishwasher, there wasn’t a whole lot of day left to quilt so I spent it pulling weeds. It’s hard to resist when the ground is just right after a rain.