Back to Business

Hey, good morning! We're back home at the stationary Three Cats Ranch, and it's time to get busy. No more loafing. And if we're getting back to business, then the first order of business is to choose a winner in the Nine is Fine Giveaway. Thanks to all who entered and left such nice comments. Spinning the dial on Mr. Random, I came up with...

Looking down the list, that brings me to...

Sher S!

Sher is a long-time follower, so congratulations, Sher! I've sent you an email, so check your inbox.

In other news, I'm very happy to report that the "Kitties Without Kennels" experiment was an unmitigated success. When we opened the door to the camper, they were waiting at the door. Their being at the door let us know they were able to ambulate in the tight spaces of the camper just fine. They rode home on the comfy bed where we left them when we closed the doors. (They really like the bed in the camper.) We thought they might panic at the sound of the slides coming in, but they were troopers and barely twitched a whisker. When we got home, we didn't want them to run out the door, and they didn't. When we told them to "Get Back!" they did as they were told, and so our new method is a keeper. You have no idea how much happier we'll all be now that we aren't forced to keep them cooped up in kennels. (Sort of awesome alliteration.)

Sadly, they're going to continue to be indoor kitties, and we're afraid this change might be permanent. I took this picture of Sadie lounging on the catwalk yesterday evening. It's taken through the window of our laundry room, which explains the reflections there.

On a positive note, they seem to have adjusted to the presence of the ladder and the cat walk. The cat walk allows Sadie to be on the same level with Smitty, who usually hogs the corner shelf. We haven't seen either of them use the ladder yet, but they may have when we weren't around. Possibly if I leave a camera outside for them, they'll take selfies for us to see. Who thinks that's a pawsibility?

So, okay, in other news, I'm showing you the unwrinkled version of the I Believe in Snowmen blocks finished while we were at the lake.

Here are the four blocks I have so far for this quilt.

Also, I promised you a better picture of the finished Solstice to Solstice quilt.

Here's the key to what each block stands for. I tried using photoshop to put numbers on the blocks, but it wasn't showing up very well. Hopefully, my description won't completely confuse you, but here goes:

Starting in the upper left, the large block there is for Earth Day. To the right of that are five pieced blocks. The two in the top row are (on the left) Black History Month and beside that, the block I made to celebrate Matthew's April birthday. The three blocks in the row below those are (from the left) MLK birthday, Christmas holiday, and New Year's Day. In the upper right hand corner, the two blocks at the top are for St. Patrick's Day and April Fool's Day. Below those two is a block for Groundhogs Day.

In the next row, starting with the colorful pinwheel and the two blocks beneath it, the pinwheel was to celebrate Vernal Equinox and the beginning of Spring. Below that on the left was a block to celebrate an epic snowfall during the week. To its right is a block for Easter. The large block in the center was to celebrate Valentine's Day. To its right there are four pieced blocks. Starting in the top row of two are blocks (on the left) to celebrate the first snowfall of the season, and to its right a block to celebrate our wedding anniversary in 2017. Below those two, the two blocks are (on the left) the final block celebrating Summer Solstice and to its right, a block to mark Memorial Day.

Finally, across the bottom and starting on the left, a large block to celebrate Mardi Gras. The six blocks to the right of that are (on the top left) celebrating March, in like a lion out like a lamb. Beside that Inauguration Day and the women's march on Washington, D.C., the next day. To the right of that, a block to remind me to start my tomato seeds. In the bottom row of those six blocks is a block (on the left) to celebrate Mike's [temporary] retirement. (Rest assured, he's retiring permanently in December of this year.) To the right of that, a block that celebrated the sunshine and blue skies of our first "shakedown cruise" in our new truck camper. To its right, a block to celebrate my Cinco de Mayo birthday. Finally, the large block in the lower right-hand corner was made while we attended the High Performance Corvette Driving School in Pahrump, Nevada, which was also to celebrate Mike's retirement.

Okay...clear as mud, right? Questions welcome.

And this was my goal for July's OMG, so I'll be linking up to the party when the time comes.

And that's all the finished work I have to show you for today. We'll be unpacking the camper and settling back into what passes for normal around here. Next up on my sewing list is to make a little quilt for this spot:

It gives me a reason to make this little quilt. I picked up the pattern a couple of years ago while we were visiting a quilt shop in Astoria, Oregon. That was our shakedown cruise trip for the truck camper, and so it even kind of makes sense.

I even picked up the little buttons to embellish it. So that won't take too long. Also, I'm two weeks behind on the Tiny Tuesday blocks, and so I'll want to get caught up on those. Finally, I've committed myself to making doll quilts for the two granddaughters of a friend. I'll be starting the first of those. Get ready for some whining because my pattern is paper-pieced, and you know I'm never happy when I'm paper piecing. But the quilt will be cute, and so I'll just bite the bullet and drink some tequila as I go...or maybe some sparkling water...kind of depends on how its going.

Since I've been up for hours and haven't accomplished a darned thing, I should probably get out the cattle prod and move myself along.