Over the weekend we went on the local Pond Tour and visited all ten of the water gardens on display. We started early and by the time we finished Saturday afternoon it was in the upper 90′s, the heat index was well over 100 with the humidity. Really, only one of the gardens offered much in the way of inspiration, but that one was worth the trip! The water garden/koi pond was well established and beautiful but the whole surrounding area was amazing with huge hostas and gorgeous flowers. There was a coneflower – Echinacea Hot Papaya that was “to die for”! I went to town on Monday and bought one for MY garden.

The one on the tour was huge, loaded with big pompom flowers with a depth of color that was actually quite red. I can only hope that this one will mature into something similar. I also got an Echinacea White Swan and a Butterfly Weed to add to my space.

The goat quilt is finally finished! It seems like everything takes so long now with so much else going on. I put in the last hand stitches on the binding yesterday evening while watching TV.

It measures 20 x 27.5″ If you scroll back to June 13 you can see the original photo that I was working from.

The background fabric is a piece of home dec fabric, a sample that I’ve had a long time. I liked the geometric qualities that it had. I had nothing that gave the feeling of the chain collar but I think the red is dapper. Just right for this country kid come to town for the 4-H Fair!

Close up of the eye. I LOVE that fabric in the eye and use it a lot for animal eyes. I will add a little white for sparkle so I guess it’s not quite finished after all!

We ordered the tile for the floor yesterday and have a couple of more sub-contractors to schedule which is part of the reason I am so behind. It’s sure not like on TV where everything gets done in a hour!!

For the past couple of weeks I have been tuned in to these wrens nesting in an ornamental birdhouse by my deck. It’s time they fledged and I spent yesterday afternoon and evening out there waiting for it to happen, and reading “The Husband” by Dean Koontz.

I’m sure the parents are more than ready as they have the never ending job of bugs in, poop out all day long.

Can’t tell how many there are as the most that can be seen at any time are two and the decorative birdhouse cannot be opened.

They have never shown any fear or concern about people on the deck or even the dogs. But yesterday one came in with a nice bug and immediately went into such a display of anger that the bug was dropped as the scolding and posturing went on and on. I had to get up to see the cause of the concern and there at the bottom of the tree was a huge black snake! I scared it away but still the bird ranted on. I got up to check again and saw nothing. When I sat down again she flew to the railing maybe 5 feet from where I was, looked right at me and jabbered something that I think was “Thank you!”.

They are getting braver, perhaps they will fly today.

Needless to say, I have not made much progress on the goat quilt!

Monday we had an appointment in town and Tuesday I drove up to Lawrence for the Kaw Valley Quilt Guild meeting so very little was accomplished here on the goat quilt. I was pleased to find out that I got TWO Viewer’s Choice awards at the Kaw Valley Quilt Guild show this spring! they were for “Lazy Afternoon” and “Watermelon Wine”. I showed “Longhorn Splashdown” during show and tell and quite a few people came up later to have a closer look!

On the way home I saw a 50% off plant sale so of course I had to stop. It was mostly annuals and hanging baskets but tucked away in the back were a few shrubs so I got a Black Lace Elderberry which has lacy black leaves and pink flowers. Very cool!

I have to go to town AGAIN today – so I’d better get off the computer and sew a few seams!

OOOPS!! This was meant to be published on the 9th………..

Wow, it’s been a couple of busy weeks since I visited the blog!

I have decided to do some redecorating, so that involves quite a lot of decisions and I am not doing so well. Right now I have 5 tile boards in the living room and I can’t seem to settle on just one. I want to get rid of the carpet and what I’d really like is a nice hardwood floor but that is not practical with the big dogs.

I thought that some sort of stone would be nice and sturdy, but it turns out that is not so. Either it is too soft and would be scratched by the dog’s big toenails or else it would require a lot of maintenance. I’ve been convinced that porcelain tile is the way to go, but which one??????

A few years ago, I took this picture at the 4-H Fair of an engaging young goat looking for attention. I thought it might make a nice subject for an art quilt.

But then David Taylor made a prize winning goat picture quilt and I filed mine away, not wanting to seem to be copying.

Now, however, I have decided to go ahead with it. His is an Alpine goat done in applique. Mine is a Nubian, pieced. A goat is a goat, no one holds the copyright on goats as far as I know, except maybe God! But still, I expect someone will say I copied his idea even though I took my own photo before he made his quilt, so I consider mine to be original.

It’s about half done, so stay tuned!