Last year's Mother's Day present and the contest between Native Plant Strawberries and Hybrid Strawberries

So last year I received 6 strawberry plants from my #1DS for mother's day. They were planted in an ideal spot and they yielded
a few strawberries last year. This year is my suprise after a great rainy season and ignoring them pretty much, I got a good
plate full of strawberries. Amazing! I also planted native strawberries this year a couple of months ago. One or two little
berries have been here and eaten. To make it a fair contest, I will have to wait until next year to see what both yield but for
now I have a beautiful plate full of hybrid strawberries. This was a great mother's day present and suprise. Thanks #1DS.

Baskets

Here are two baskets. One from Blackbird designs and one slightly smaller that I thought I'd do for a group exchange requiring
a 4" block. Both sizes will be my on-going lunch time projects. I have wicker baskets all over the house and love to use them
for produce, garden harvesting, fabric collecting, quilts, towels, perfumes and the like. My favorite baskets have been found
while with someone special. I have a huge basket from the Napa Valley that I got with my daughter when she was 5. We filled
it while shopping for picnic treats and some herbs from a farm store. Another favorite is a huge basket that was filled when
I won it at my guilds holiday party. The fabric and the books in it I kept. The wine theme and accoutraments went to a co-worker
that has a hobby vineyard. Baskets are fun to get and give.

Latest lunchtime endeavors

The first is a 4"by4" patch and the second is now 7"x7" but will be squared up to 6.5"x6.5".
These were at my at work lunchtimes and today we drove to the native plant nursery in Tilden Park. Since it was
a clear, bright sunny day at the top of Grizzly Peak we had a treat and were able to see to the Golden Gate Bridge.
I got some edible native plants, some strawberries(very tiny berries) a flowering pink current plant that will have edible
berries come August and I had to get these, a thimbleberry plant. I actually got two thimbleberries( no thorns/sweet berries).
These will produce later in the season.
Looking forward to lots of berries but mind you all these plants are babies. I did have 2 strawberries today while weeding
the strawberry plants I got from DS last year. Thanks DS.

When the cold wind blows by Adams and Allen

There is a cold wind blowing and the promise of thunder and lightening. Not the crash and boom thunder then lightening but
the far off distant sounds and then pelting buckets with small-small beads of hail. That is the forecast for tomorrow. The wind
is howling at my wndow seals and it's a burry day.
There is ginger in my tea again. Friday I showed off my hand made quilted treasures and today I found a place for them is
a 80x80 size quilt in WTCWB's by A&A. This all makes for cozy nites ahead.
I will go to bed with dreams of these.
And prayers and memories for the passing of my dear young aunt. Her wish was to live and she did. This I will remember
for all my days. Live while you are alive.

fresh ginger is peeled

And put into a food processor then add a swish of water. Strain the ginger with a tea strainer and heat the fresh ginger
tea and add a constant comment tea bag. Instant goodness in a cup of tea.

Next, go to the closet where all the fabric for the quilts in planning await. Pull out blues. There I have it enough for 2 curtains
and muslin for the lining. It's a go.

Tab curtains.

I have a sore elbow from hand quilting fast. I for now I will let my machine take over. There is nothing like hand sewing for me
though. It is bliss.

Hand sewing for me is, sitting next to my grandfather watching tv in the afternoon. It is praying without doubt. It is the most
hopeful feeling.

Revelling

Tontie I will be revelling. My daughter is the graphic designer for this poster and for the button for this event. We and she
usually watch TV and hang out at home for new years eve. But tonite we will be out revelling and attempting to make it to
see as many of the venues as possible. One of the venues will feature a film that will be shown at the Sundance competition
in January which was a capstone for one of the film majors at CSUMB.

Revell if you have the opportunity. Have a wonderful New Year.

Out with the old and in with the new

In 1999 I took a quilting class at the community adult school. The teacher in the fall quarter of 1999 was all about getting
things done before the turn of the century and how the quilts finished in 1999 would be more valuable than the ones done
in 2000 and beyond. Um. Well that century is gone by, by 10 years and there will always be quilts to finish. My theme for
the decade will be out with the old and in with the new. I am hopeful that this will allow me to focus on finishing.

What is it like to finish a quilt? It is the answer to a prayer. It is a dream come true. It is many hours of work that actually
is visible. It is going beyond all the mistakes, miscalculations, procrastination, or a leap in learning and skill to put together
the tangible. It is a cozy nite under the warm cover. It is what started as play, fun, choosing, planning and become something
to enjoy for the memories it has made in the making and the giving or the keeping. Something of the maker and something
in the quilt itself.