Hey!

Our wedding was many years ago.  The celebration continues to this day.  

~Gene Perret

Hello!  Hi!!  I'm back!!  I sure missed all of my blogging friends but I did enjoy my time off.  While I was away we were lucky enough to be able to spend 5 days in Santa Cruz at the family home.  The weather was beautiful, even the one day it rained.  We rested, ate too much, visited the Boardwalk, and just enjoyed life, each other, and our fur babies.  Luckily, we returned to moderate temps but that has since gone away.  We are definitely into summer with our highs breaching 100 degrees (of more), and to think, we only have 3 1/2 more months to go.  Yesterday we celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary!  We were quite young when we said our vows (at least by today's standards) but it has been a wonderful journey through life together.  There is nothing better than being married to your best friend and sole mate.  

I have to admit that I really enjoyed my time away from blogging.  So much so that I will be taking off some more time.  Writing the blog today was very much a chore and not something that I found fun.  I am looking at taking off until August 1.  Blogging is meant to be something fun for me and not a daily or weekly duty that I feel I must do - I must want to do it.  However, I will be checking on your blogs from time to time - I have to keep up on what's going on in my friends' lives.  Hopefully you will be around when I return, but if not then I fully understand.  Oh, and just in case you are concerned, I will be keeping up with the Doll Quilt Swap, Let's Bee Together, and Block Swap Adventure.

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Elephants

Elephants have always amazed and intrigued me.  I love the way they lumber around and their babies are just too cute.  Here are some fun facts about this large creature...

1.  The elephant’s closest living relative is the rock hyrax, a small furry mammal that lives in rocky landscapes across sub-Saharan Africa and along the coast of the Arabian peninsula.  

2.  Elephants don’t like peanuts. They don’t eat them in the wild, and zoos don’t feed them to their captive elephants.

3.  Elephants prefer one tusk over the other, just as people are either left or right-handed

4.  An elephant’s trunk has about 150,000 muscles and no bones: these features make the trunk very flexible.

5.  Elephants can hold 4 gallons or more of water in their trunks at one time.

6.  Elephants drink about 50 gallons and consume 400 lbs. or more of food each day.  Elephants eat about 16 hours a day.

7.  An elephant sleeps an average of 2 hours during a 24-hour period.

8.  An elephants' skin is an inch thick

9.  Elephants use their feet to listen, they can pick up sub-sonic rumblings made by other elephants, through vibrations in the ground

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MAIL BAG

While I was on break, I received some wonderful things in the mail....

These two 6" blocks were made by Ann W. in Australia.  Ann was my January 6" Inch Block Swaps Australia and these are replacement blocks. The original blocks she made were lost somewhere across the great blue expanse that separates our countries.  The corner squares actually have a lot more green in them than the photo shows.  I love the center square fabric selection.  Thank you for the wonderful blocks, Ann!

My Block Swap Adventure partner for June was Shannon B from Georgia.  She made me TWO beautiful blocks!  One block was for the normal monthly swap and the second "as a thank you for all your had work and time as hostess".  That's so nice!  Shannon also told me that the blue floral in the middle of the bright batik block was from the Atlanta Shop Hop Batik from 2005 and that Hoffman produced this batik exclusively for the shops during the hop.  How cool is that?  I have to admit that the batik block is my favorite - bright colors on black just speak to me.  Thank you Shannon!!

Last month I won this fun book!  Beaquilter had a giveaway and I was the lucky winner.  The book has all sorts of wonderful ideas and it is even signed by the author.  I have been building quite a stash of buttons so maybe this is a way to use some of them.  Thank you, Bea!

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A BIT OF SEWING

While I was away from blogging, I did manage to spend some time in front of the sewing machine but not nearly as much time as I had hoped.  Here is some of what I created......

These two blocks were made for Erin, the June hostess for Let's Bee Together.  I really like the white on white fabric she sent out for us to work with and the scrap fabric was fun.  Erin requested that these blocks not be cut down to size, allowing her to complete that task.  These went out in yesterday's mail.

This is the little quilt  I made for the June Doll Quilt Swap.  The theme was "Something old, something new, or something blue".  Guess you can tell I went with something blue.  The star blocks measure 3 inches square and the entire little quilt measures 16 1/4" x 20".  I found this pattern in a book titled "Small Quilts with Vintage Charm" by Jo Morton.  I followed her directions for making flying geese and I have to say it wasn't my favorite method.  This quilt is traversing the country all the way from California to Wisconsin.

I did make two more Loving Hands quilts but they look very much like the two I made for May - only the center panel is a bit different.  I worked on a couple of small cross stitch project for World of Charity Stitching - one was a repeat of the Scroll block I made and have already shared and one I'm not quite finished with.  I began a major FPP project and will be working on that for awhile.  I have to do most of my sewing in the morning hours as the sewing room gets very hot in the afternoon sun even with the A/C and ceiling fan running.  

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FINAL THOUGHT

Look for me August 1.

Sailing Away

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time. 

 ~John Lubbock

Boy this was a short week!  I still don't have my mind wrapped around the fact that it is already Friday.  Yesterday was my sweet DH's birthday.  We started the morning off with gifts and then he had to spend it like he does every other Thursday by going to work.  I did make a lemon cake with lemon frosting that tasted oh so good - lol!  Maybe by the end of the weekend my brain will be back in sync with the days of the week.  We have no big plans for the weekend - just some R and R.  What are your plans for the weekend?

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LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Centipede

The only time I've come across a centipede was in New Mexico at DD#1's home.  Thinking about all those feet crawling on me gives me the willies - lol!  Here are some facts:

* The amount of legs a centipede has varies on the species. But, centipedes usually have between 30 and 350 tiny legs.

* Some people mistakenly believe that centipedes are insects. However, they are not classified as insects because they have more than six legs. They are part of the arthropod family (that includes insects) and are in the myriapod class.

* The length of the centipede's legs increase as you go down the centipede's body. This prevents the centipede from stepping on his or her legs. It also helps them to move quickly in a special rhythm

* Centipedes hunt for their food. They search for spiders, worms, flies and other insects to turn into a meal. Some of the larger centipedes will even eat slugs, snails and small lizards. Some centipedes will even eat prey that are as big as themselves.

* The majority of centipedes are brown, reddish-brown or yellow. However, in some places in the world, you can find centipedes that are blue, bright orange and red.

* The most common place for centipedes to live are forests around the world. However,they also reside in caves, deserts, gardens and grasslands

* Some centipedes are only an inch or two in length. However, some centipedes are much longer. In fact, the Peruvian giant centipede can be up to a full foot long

* Some centipedes can live up to six years

* Some enemies of centipedes are birds, toads, shrews and frogs. Centipedes can try to defend and protect themselves by producing a sticky and smelly substance. They can also pinch their prey using their hind legs.

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A LITTLE FINISH

Last week I was able to finish a small quilt I was working on....

Summer Sailing measures 22" square.  Each sailboat square is paper pieced and measures 4.5" square.  I should have paid a bit more attention to how the sky fabric was going to lay but I'm still happy with how this turned out.  This will be going up to the family vacation home in Santa Cruz - a home located across the street from the yacht harbor so the sailboats are very fitting.

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STITCHERY UPDATE

I wasn't able to get much stitching in this week so there wasn't much to show.  Maybe next time - hopefully.

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BEE BLOCK

Last week I also made a Bee block for the May hostess of Let's Bee Together, Ann......

I love the fabrics she sent for us to work with.  The block she selected was a breeze to make.  Ann should have a wonderful quilt when she receives all of the blocks being made for her.

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FINAL THOUGHT

I will be taking a small break from blogging.  DH has taken a few days off from work and we will be relaxing and enjoying each other's company.  I will return on Friday, June 15.