Hi everyone! Yes it is Saturday. I know it's not blizzards or tornadoes or other big scary things in the news, but yesterday as I sat down to write my Friday blog post, the power flickered, then heaved a big [imaginary] sigh---and died. No excuses, it was sunny, warm-ish, not a speck of wind. A month or so ago when this happened the power company said a mylar balloon blew against a transformer. Hmmm? The transformers must be very delicate if a stray balloon knocks them out. No word yet on this one and the power did return around the time I got all the candles lit, the lanterns and flashlights set up.
Glad my Irish Soda bread was not baking--it's in the oven now.
To be followed by asparagus/ goat cheese quiche.
[recipe from my brother], his is spinach/cheddar.
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Anyway. A month or so ago I fell in love with a Halloween quilt posted on one of my Facebook quilting groups. Made by Vicki Stidham who kindly said I could show her quilt here.
This is the pattern, though I think I will enlarge the blocks.
And so off I went to find appropriately colored shirts to add to my already robust assortment.
These were a bit less expensive than the blue plaid I showed a few weeks ago. Around $9.99 each.
I also found a few non-quilting treasures, a couple of bowls. The Polish pottery with the stars is for Mo, who likes a straight sided food or water bowl. $1.00
And the art glass bowl is odd for me but interesting. My fave green, my only green.
I bought it for possible summer display of my art glass marbles from Cape Cod. There was a gallery there, in Orleans, that specialized in glassworkers' art; each visit I'd buy a marble. [as I recall in range of $30-50.oo each]. I put the marbles away because small children especially guests/ playdate kids, wanted to handle them. One child put some in his pocket to take home even! So they languished in the highest cupboard above the stove. My quandary now--I'd love to re-seed my beach's seaglass with them, casually dropped now and then. But is that littering? And--maybe sucked up by the Big Trucks? Or simply lost in the acres of sand. That might be bad or useless....So here is a bowl, I'll look at them this summer and consider.
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After hours of shopping my friend and I were tired and hungry. Too early for dinner? Nope! We decided on this cute and very popular taqueria by the thrift shop.
Not as wonderful as our old place [that fought back after H Sandy, only to be defeated by Covid ten years later]---but delish! And friendly service too.
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Back to the thrifted fabrics from upcycled shirts. From Penny in South Africa, her beautiful presented thrifted plaids will also go into the Pumpkin quilt. Just a serendipitous gift from her recently.
From Nikki [our Sparrow Mail carrier over the many miles], formerly of SA, now relocated to the US: gift of these fabulously vibrant South African shwe shwe prints. Mine from Nikki have the large trademark DaGama Three Cats printed on the reverse, always makes it so hard to cut into. You can read more about shwe shwe HERE or search online.
Last, recent great book gifts from Penny and Lori D, feeding my current uplifting brights-are-good mindset. Gorgeous books by Kaffee Fasset, and a darling inspiring Christmas project book by the designer of the Pumpkin Quilt, Cheri Saffiote Payne.
Look at the pages in the Kaffee book, fascinating record or his fabric designs c. early 2000s I think.
All the books are vintage, exceptional finds. Thanks you dear friends.
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The soda bread is fragrant and evocative of so many St Patrick's Days and Parades in both NYC and Chicago. In Chicago, they dye the river green! Or used to anyway. I was fascinated always.
Mo and I wish everyone a Happy St Paddy's Day---lots of green beer.
[not this year's pics, but the OC just arrived 2024]
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