For the love of a good woman...

It must be that time of year again...

Mating Season!

Contestant #1...A fine looking fellow.

Contestant #2 coming in from the west.

Contestant #3 is looking strong, but #4 could use a pep talk!

#5 has taken the lead.

And good ol' #6 is looking a little lost.

But wait... Yes, there she is. The source of all this fluff and strut.

Well, you win some and you lose some.
Hang in there #1, maybe next time your ship will come in!

Actually, I was hoping that a couple of these toms would locked it up this morning. But, no such luck. If you have ever seen them fight...well, it is quite a sight. They sorta wrap their necks together and jump around. I really don't get it, but it is interesting to watch.
The other interesting thing they do is stretch out their wing feathers (you can see it best with contestant #1) and drag them across the ground. The noise it makes is surprisingly loud and orients each one to the where-abouts of the others especially if there are bushes and things that obstruct vision. Then, they either retreat or pursue each other for a show down.

And that, my friends is today's lesson in turkey behavior! Gobble-Gobble.

Not Again!

Do you ever run out of fabric in the middle of a project?

It happens to me all the time. I know, I know. I've told you this before, but it is still happening.

This time disaster did not befall me until I reached the last 10" of the outer border. And then it was disaster city! Just look at this fancy piece work...

And it is in several places, not just those 2 corners!

When it was all said and done, this is what I had left over...

I am so glad I didn't have to get any more creative with those scraps because there isn't much left to create with!!

D-O-N-E-!-!-!

Well, it took all stinkin' day, but I am finished!!
And now I have 90 whole days of freedom in my future.
And a nice clean house, and some fresh bread and bug-free fertilized roses!
Thanks Uncle Sam.
NOT!

Quarterlies are Bad

Today's big job is to get my quarterlies paid.

I really, really HATE this job.

But it has to be done.

So I got up early this morning to get it done and out of the way.

But first, the dog needed a walk. We walked the full 4 mile loop, which nearly killed the both of us since it has been well over a year since we have hauled ourselves up that enormous mountain!

Then I needed to rest, of course! Which I did by putting my feet up and flipping through the new issue of Country Living magazine that just arrived.

It was super inspirational, so I decided to do some serious cleaning, redecorating in the living room, and cleaning out of cupboards.



By then it was time for lunch. And hey, a hardworking girl needs her lunch.

Then I did all of the laundry I could find, cleaned off the porch and the landing, chatted with the SoCal gas men who were working on my hillside, and cleaned my studio.

But I still couldn't bring myself to start on those darn taxes.

So, I ripped out the center of my lone star quilt and started to put in a better fabric. (Yep, it was a real nosebleed! But not as bad as paying the taxes!!)

And now, of course, I am fooling around on the computer while I contemplate my next move. I have narrowed it down to either making bread or fertilizing my roses.

And then there is that board meeting tonight that I cannot possibly get out of....

This may very well still be hanging over my head tomorrow too!
Why oh why must taxes be paid quarterly when annually is MORE than sufficient!!

And with that bit of whining, I am off. Off to fertilize or bake, or maybe go see a man about a horse...or is it a horse about a man...hmmm.

Cake Flags

We just celebrated a birthday at our house.

And, thanks to the blogging world, I have discovered cake flags!

I had never seen or heard to them before a couple of weeks ago. And what a tragedy!! I could have pressed these adorable things into service years ago.

My guy loved them.
My oldest daughter thought they were cute.
But the baby....well she used a word like dippy (although it could have actually been dopey or dorky, but you get the idea).
I think this is why some animals eat their young...
Yeah, that's probably why.

Here She Is!

High Hopes Attained!

Look what a weekend with Jan Krentz will get you!

And I didn't even have to pull my hair out to get it!!

Mock Up and High Hopes

Tonight is the Jan Krentz lecture!
And this weekend is her class!!
I am so excited!!!

This is my mock-up.
I have had a fat quarter bundle of "Maison de Noel" sitting around here forever.
It is finally going to be pressed into service...As a Christmas lone star!
Can't wait to show you the whole thing all stitched up and looking pretty.