How Morpheus Spends the Day...

What do you think he is working on? A blog? Updating his status on Catbook? Ordering catnip toys and cat treats? Designing quilts on EQ6? Writing the Great American Novel?
Trying to take over the world...

An Enormous Soggy Floody Mess

(This is the Downtown Connector (I-85 & I-75) at Freedom Parkway about 4:00 PM 9/21/09 photo from ajc.com)

Atlanta is one big flooded mess with Interstate highways closed, schools closed, mudslides, bridges washed out, people trapped, houses floating away, and sadly six lives lost. It has rained every day since last Tuesday, I think, we sort of lost track here. Not just drizzly rain but rain-rain, interspersed with torrential rain. We usually have this kind of rain when a hurricane or tropical storm goes through but this is a stalled out low pressure system or something that just won't go away.

Last night at about 2:30AM until about 4:00AM, the cats and I listened to windows rattle and heard a flood of rain fall and watched the lightning during one of the worst storms I've been through at my house. I was so thankful that I put a new roof on the house and that my house is on high ground on tall, sturdy foundation.
(A mudslide that covered east and west bound lanes of U.S. 78 at Hugh Howell Road. photo from ajc.com)

I watched the rain from my office window as the storms came through from Alabama and periodically checked the latest weather and road reports. If you are not familiar with Atlanta, we have three main Interstates (75, 85, and 285) and not much in the way of alternate roads to get into and out of the city and surrounding suburbs. In the morning, Spaghetti Junction (intersection of I-85 and I-285) was closed because of flooding. Luckily I found out before I left day job to go to Starbucks that the main Interstates (I-75 & I-85 called the Downtown Connector) through Atlanta were closed due to flooding. It took me an hour to go about 10 miles taking back roads. We were slow at SBux because I think everyone was still stuck in traffic all night or were shopping for boats....

The latest news says that nearly all of the metro area schools are closed on Tues. (at least there will be less traffic!) and the Chattahoochee River is expected to crest above its record 1919 level. It's never boring living in the ATL....

PS: latest weather reports: chance of rain from high of 60% to low of 30% chance Tuesday through Saturday. I may start carrying some flippers around.....

East Cobb Quilt Show Report

The East Cobb Quilt Guild puts on a show every other year and as in the past, this one was spectacular. Nearly 400 quilts!!!! There are some exceedingly talented quilters in the ATL let me tell ya!! One of the best things about the show was seeing all my friends!!! Many of my quilty friends are retired and attend the Friday daytime Thimbles and I don't get to see them much.

S. went with me after promising not to fidget, whine, complain, or ask if it was time to go yet. (note: S. is not three; he is 44....). I also promised to treat him to BBQ if he was good. He also got extra bonus points for saying in the car afterwards "your quilts are just as good as some of those in the show." One of those out-of-the-blue boyfriend-sayings you wish you could frame and keep forever.

OK so onto the photos. I didn't take nearly as many photos as Pat so if you want to see more check out her blog. The show was crowded, which is a great thing for the guild and the vendors, but made it hard to take photos without people.
This won Best in Show--as well it should!!! Hand appliqued and hand quilted Baltimore album quilt--makes you want to swoon. (Aside: no, Mom you don't have time to do this one!!!!!!)
Here is a detail
I loved the color combination in this quilt.
It just sparkles.

Here's a great scrappy quilt with a fabulous layout.


Here is a miniature quilt that blew my socks off!!!
Those little paper-pieced blocks are probably an inch square!!!!!

I was amazed at the machine quilting on this one.
This was one of my favorite quilts at the show because (1) I love art history (2) it's a unique pattern and (3) S. knew all the paintings that inspired it (I misidentified two).
It's called "Sunbonnet Sue Goes to the Museum"

Here is a detail Sunbonnet Sue as "The Scream"

Here are some overall views
the vendors are along the second floor with the open first floor display area.
Melisa of Sweet Home Quilt Co. had a booth there and it was packed the whole time. The Little Quilts booth was packed too. I had already made plans to visit Little Quilts while I was way over there in Cobb Co. anyway. S. waited in the car, listening to his iPod
I did get a little bit of fabric goodness. Some Jo Morton for an antique-y Halloween quilt I'm planning to make, a bundle of Abe Lincoln Bicentennial fabric, and a French General needlekeep that was a gotta-have. I successfully resisted getting the Lincoln Bicentennial kit that I am coveting and I will be happy with my little bundle.

After a huge lunch of BBQ pork, okra, and cole slaw and a couple of gallons of sweet tea at Williamson Bros. We were homeward bound before rush hour traffic started to get too bad (ie: at 2:30).

A truly great day!!!! I think S. even enjoyed it.

Furlough Friday #3

Well it's another Furlough Friday and again I found fun things to do. I thought I would stay home and not spend any money on Furlough Fridays but so far I have gone to the movies (July) and saw John Oliver perform (August). Later today (since I'm writing this at 1:13 AM), I am going to the East Cobb Quilt Show!!!! Can't wait! 400+ beautiful quilts as well as some vendors. Also in the vicinity is one of my favorite BBQ places (Williamson Bros.) and Little Quilts. I have my camera, fresh batteries, and a little (very little) spending money in case I find something that is a necessity. Stay tuned for photos and a report....

Recession Garden at the End of Summer

As summer draws to an end, I thought I'd post some last photos of the summer garden. The okra plants grew the best and were over 12 feet tall!! Fresh tomatoes were fabulous. I can't believe I have to wait until next summer for more.
Okra and okra flowers. It reminds me of a hibiscus. There is a little okra below the flower to the right. It's ready to pick. If you let okra grow too long, it is impossible to cut and is really woody.

S. and I had so much fun with the summer garden that we planted a fall recession garden too. In Georgia, we are lucky to have two growing seasons. In the fall, lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets, and other tender veggies are grown; the summers are too hot. So another raised bed was built and two rows each of mixed lettuces, carrots, kale, and bok choy seeds were planted. We should have planted these two weeks ago but oh well, if it grows, it grows. I LOVE me some kale and am wishing for bushels.

Silver Thimbles Report, BOMs, and Henry V

I'm watching Henry V. I love me some Shakespeare. I think if I were stranded on a deserted island and could only have one book, I would choose my copy of The Riverside Shakespeare.

Yesterday was our monthly Silver Thimble club meeting. Here is the super fabulous new pattern by Pat and a kit to make the quilt.
As you can see, mine is still sealed in the bag because I need to finish the projects I'm working on now before I dive into this one.

I forgot to bring my camera and take photos but Pat has some great ones on her blog.

My latest project is these wonderful elongated nine-patches made from Moda's "Wildflower Serenade". The pattern is by Heather Mulder Peterson.


I received both of my BOMs in the mail on Saturday and made them today.
Here is the September block from Little Quilts
and
block #4 from the Fat Quarter Shop's 2009 mystery BOM.

I can't believe the weekend is over with already. How did it go by so fast???!!!?? It will be a short week for me as I have another Furlough Friday....

Morpheus Makes a Quilt--Fini

Pretty much a lazy Labor Day around here. I finished the final borders on Morpheus' quilt.
I will get a better (complete) photo this weekend at Thimbles when I have a couple of people to hold it up.

Morpheus completely took the day off and didn't even supervise. He spent the day sleeping on clean laundry or sleeping in a sun beam.

He did appear for a last inspection.

Pondering his opinion

"OK now let's hurry up and get this quilted and bound so I can shed all over it..."

Labor Day Weekend

I haven't been as productive as I thought I would be this weekend on the sewing front. Yesterday, I *had* to go to Sweet Home Quilt Co. and get some thread. I only had one extra full spool and half of one on the machine. It was imperative you see. I also needed to see Melisa, check out what was new, and pick up my copy of Quilt Sampler magazine. Karin showed up also so I hung out there for awhile.

I finished sewing the other half of Morpheus' quilt together and sewed on two of the three borders. Morpheus took a paws off approach yesterday and decided that cats need holiday weekends too. He spent the day lounging on the couch with Stella and
perhaps, perusing my magazine...

Today, I worked at SBux and didn't do much else because my allergies were really bad; must be ragweed season.
Gomez has been in rare form today... Interpret as you will...

Jolly Jabber Giveaway

Have you signed up for the great giveaways over at Fat Quarter Shop? Check out their blog and then check out the most fabulous Civil War BOM. Unfortunately I have to pass on this BOM but it is a beauty.

A Remote Hello

Hello from the car repair place! Because when it rains, it actually hails. My beloved truck Xena is getting some work done. Bless her heart (engine) she is entering middle age and needs a new radiator and the usual tune up.

Apparently no one got the message that I have already done my part to help the economy with the new water heater and dryer this year. Hello whoever--I am done OK. Please no more expenses. OK thanks! Oh well c'est la vie. I am very happy I brought the laptop so I can spend a couple of hours reading blogs and surfing and whatnot while Xena gets her new parts.

edited to add: Karin's comment is referring to Xena being stolen in January. Not again! It's just some typical, but not welcome, aging vehicle repairs.