Quilting and other Things

 The main goal for this month is to get the borders on the Longtime Gone Quilt and make the binding.  I've made good progress so far.  Three of four rounds are done.  I added a white, a blue and a white.  Next up is another blue in darker colours.  Then I'll make blue binding.  Class is the 17th so I should be ready in time.  I'm hoping the quilt studio will open soon and I'll be able to start booking appointments to go use the long arm. I picked up the three black fabrics that I'd ordered for Moondance.  I think atleast two of them will work.  I need 16 squares and a rectangle.  I'll double check the three once they are washed.  The third might well work.  A lot of the applique lands on these squares and the rectangle for the pillow row.  It would be nice to get the applique prepped and confirm if the fabrics I got will work well. I got for a walk on a path in a green belt close to where I live.  In 2012 they p...

I spent most of Saturday work on  Road to Llano. The top wasn't wrong sizes it was just in need of a really good pressing.  Whew.  While cutting out the borders in the afternoon, I also got the binding made.  Feels nice to have a top to add to the to be quilted pile.  Sure takes a lot longer when you have to do your pressing :) I prepared a few extra half square triangles as part of stitching the top together. In the afternoon, I took a short break and went for a walk.  It was sunny when I was getting ready to go out.  Before I was half way through there was little snow flurries. There were lots of ducks on the creek and several black and gray squirrels.  Then this handsome fellow.  He left a few moments later.  Guess there were no good pickings in that area.

When I was a very little girl, my parents got me skates and took me out skating. Apparently I told Dad that we needed to take those skates back because they didn't know how to stand up. Eventually the skates did learn to stand up -- more or less and so did I. Tonight I went over to the community centre behind the house for the fun skate. It's the first time I've skated in 15ish years I think, The last time I remember skating is when we would go over to city hall at lunch time on Fridays. Tonight I only skated for 20 minutes. My legs were getting very tired and I decided to make it short and not take any chances. The little ones around me were bouncing back up almost as fast as they fell but I'm not short enough to do that any more. Next Friday's fun skate is cancelled at that arena so I'll have to look for an alternative.  I also need to find somewhere to get the skates sharpened. 

I've known the gardens were there for a long time but I've never remembered to stop in the spring for a visit. This year, I finally took time to go to the Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens. Actually I've made several visits. The first visit in mid-April was when the Magnolias and Azaleas were in bloom. Its also when Dad got his new little camera so the pictures of Dad and I and of Mom and I are some of the first pictures taken with the camera. Apparently, the flowers start blooming in April and go through to the end of June. In mid-May I went back and this tree was in bloom. I'm not sure what it is. It has tiny flowers like a lilac but they are all over the branch. Its very beautiful. (Its a Red Bud Tree -- Thanks Elaine!) The fruit trees and rhododendrons had also started bloom and the bees were very busy On the May long weekend, after Dad and I went hiking, the three of us went to visit the gardens again. I think I'll try to swing past the gardens ag...

On Good Friday afternoon Dad & I went for a walk along the waterfront trail. The pussy willow was budding. Sure sign of spring. From the path, we could see this old? graffiti covered water tower The waterfront trail also encourages bikers. This one was strapped to one of the trail signs. On Easter Sunday, I went for a walk at the creek near my home. The trees were budding. This Cardinal was very cooperative. They don't usually hold still for photos but he posed in the tree. He also posed by the creek where he enjoyed an afternoon drink.

On Good Friday I got up early enough to head down to see the sunrise at the waterfront.  Got there a little later than planned but the sun was still on its way up. The birds were just getting up And there were lots of great reflections.

This is one of the photos I took on the first day of spring down at the Mississauga waterfront. The temperatures during the week had been up around 17 - 19 C. Saturday, the temperature only made it to 7 and the sun forgot to come shine. Had fun taking photos anyway. Others photos from the last couple of months are here

I was up early Saturday morning so went down to the lakefront and took some sunrise photos. Of all the photos I took yesterday morning, this is my favorite. Ten others from my morning session are on flickr here .