Back from Michigan!

I took a little trip to Michigan to visit my family and had blog posts scheduled so y'all wouldn't miss me too much. I tried to escape the Atlanta heat but when I arrived in Flint on Wednesday it was 93 degrees!!!!!!! That is not Michigan weather for June. Of course yesterday and today were perfect perfect perfect weather-wise and it made me not want to leave.

I was able to visit with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as my parents and their dog (Princess) Shiloh (the most spoiled dog on the planet), brother and sister-in-law and my nephew-dog Jack.

I also did my part to help the Michigan economy and went on a little quilt shop hop (more in another post).

Returning from a trip is always difficult, you are sad that you are leaving the place you are visiting, you are happy to be in your own house, even happier to see the cats who missed you and let you know how much by meowing and following you around, and then there's all the laundry and getting ready for work and.. and.. and..

What made getting back a little better was a package waiting for me...

My very own super extra special bag made by the fabulous Anne and Chelsea Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs
And a very sweet note from Anne. I ADORE this bag and can't thank Anne enough for her great giveaway. OK cats are misbehaving and I better get them settled down.

Post #250

Well this is my 250th post and to celebrate all my ramblings and lots of cats photos, I'm having a giveaway!
The giveaway is: the book Just Desserts: Quick Quilts Using Precut Fabrics by Eddie McGinnis and four Moda charm packs (PS: the charm packs don't necessary go together but hey it's a giveaway). I may or may not surprise the lucky winner and myself and add some things to the giveaway who knows. It will be a surprise for both of us.

Since this giveaway has a vaguely summery theme (dessert, petal pushers, summer nights, cookies) and I really wish I could be somewhere other than hot, humid, smoggy Atlanta in the summer, to enter the giveaway comment on this post and let me know where you would spend the summer if money was no option (of course).

Winner will be chosen by random number generator and random number generating magicness will happen on Friday July 3rd. Deadline for entry is 5:00 PM EST on said Friday July 3rd.

Is there a sculptor in the house?

Edgar Poe would like to be commemorated in marble.
Similar to the famous New York Public Library lions
I call this his "meatloaf cat" pose because he looks like he could fit in a loaf pan--a large loaf pan...
Edgar Poe is not amused.

Gomez is a cool cat

'nough said.

Block of the Month

I finished the first block for the Designer Mystery BOM from Fat Quarter Shop. This is a great BOM and if you haven't joined click on over to Kimberly's shop and sign up. Don't forget to get the finishing kit because you will be so happy you did when UPS brings it to you. I'll wait right here.
Wow that was a long time. What else did you buy???!!!??

Recession Garden Update

I meant to post this Sunday so consider this old news LOL! The Recession Garden is doing great thanks to the extremely hot and humid weather.
The tomato plant that is outgrowing its cage is an heirloom tomato called "Mr. Stripey". Mr. Stripey has flowers but no tomatoes yet. I wish Mr. Stripey would get his act together and put more energy into tomatoes than trying to escape the cage. He may need a high-rise cage soon. Yellow squash is taking over the right side of the garden. We are going to have yellow squash with every meal I think this summer. Yellow squash on toast with eggs, yellow squash sandwiches.... In fact, this is the very first harvest from the garden hmm what do you know...YELLOW SQUASH! This yellow squash ended up in stir fry. Yum!
I snapped this photo of one of my lace-cap hydrangeas before the sun got too hot. Hydrangeas are very melodramatic and if it gets too hot in the afternoon, they lay down their leaves and look all droopy and wilty. Then perk up in the evening and morning. Southern belles, what can you do! I'm really happy that all my ornamental shrubs made it through these past several years of drought. I practice Darwin-style gardening. No watering except for the veggies.

A Bit of Culture and A Big Surprise

Well another roasting day here in Atlanta (upper 90s). Got up this morning and decided to spend the day at the High Museum of Art in nice icy A/C. The new exhibit is Monet's Waterlilies and there are four waterlily paintings on loan from the Museum of Modern Art. Here is Claude in his garden.
Impressionist paintings are amazing in real life with all the color and texture. There was also a really interesting photograph exhibit of Richard Misrach's On the Beach series. It was lots of fun and a great way to spend a too hot day. Lunch was a trip over to Howell Mill Road to Taqueria del Sol, one of my favorite restaurants. I always have fish tacos and queso dip and chips. Today was a perfect day for a margarita on the rocks with salt so I had one of those too. A toast to a long hot summer in Atlanta.

I came home and was checking through blogs in google reader. To my huge surprise I won a blog giveaway!!! Good golly miss molly, it was the way fab bag sewn by Anne Sutton and her talented Chelsea!!! I nearly fell off the couch! See photos of the stylin' tote I will be toting soon here. I'm so excited I can't stand it.