Dressing Up

When I finished writing yesterday's post, I looked to my left to see this:

I think she has her eye on this quilt. Do you think it's the feminine dresses that have piqued her interest?

We did our grocery shopping in the morning, and then I went to work on some more quilting. Each little dress block has a sashing, and I'm using that same flower and leaf motif I've used for the others. This is pretty easy to stitch, and it's going well. I like it when I can come up with a little sing-song phrase that guides me. Sometimes it's something like up-down-around-point-back. In this case, it's pretty easy...just right-left-right-left to keep everything going in the right direction. Each flower stem goes the opposite direction from the one before, and the two leaves are reversed between each one.

There was just one short sashing for yesterday's dresses, and then I stitched the three remaining on the right side of the quilt.

My shoulder was starting to ache at that point, and so I took about an hour-long break. Then I went back and stitched the white border along the right side.

By then, my shoulder was telling me I'd better stop...or else. And so I did. Here's a little peek at how it's looking so far. The quilting is going well, which makes it fun to do.

Often before I start a project I like this, I'm filled with apprehension, worried I'll completely mess it up. And then when it goes along cooperatively with my efforts, it takes over my life. 

Nevertheless, my days now must be filled with variety to avoid repetitive motions on my shoulder joint. It's getting better, and I've realized I'm not thinking about it constantly. Physical therapy is helping for sure. And so with that in mind, I'm going to spend some time repotting the tomato starts that arrived yesterday. I ordered these back in December because I was worried about shortages again this year. Here I have nine Super Marzano sauce tomatoes and one Cordova slicing tomato. 

They're packed, shipped, and arrive from Eugene, Oregon, all in one day. They're in tiny little pots right now, and hanging out under the grow light with the rest of the seedlings. Today's agenda includes giving them larger pots. I'm hoping they can live in the greenhouse for the time being. Yesterday, I visited the newly-planted lettuce seeds in the greenhouse only to find the squirrels had been digging in one of them. Drat! (Shakes fist.) 

Mike still needs to trench around the bottom and bury some chicken wire. In the meantime, he laid down some fencing material that extends out some three feet from where they are digging. Then, he laid a 4 x 4 piece of lumber over the fencing material and put a brick near the hole where they're getting in. Also, we set a trap inside the greenhouse. Hopefully, that will stop them from doing any more damage.

Also, hunter cat is on the job now. (We chose the hunter green roof color in his honor.) He spent about half an hour in this position yesterday. Squirrels live in amongst the junipers next to our patio. He didn't catch anything, but his purrsistence was impurressive.

Also, he wanted me to remind you that it is rude to make comments about the size of someone's pawsterior.

This morning, I stitched the Heartland Barn block far enough to move my hoop. I'm starting to stitch the leaves on the right-side tree now.

And you can see I'm coming close to the end with this one. A few more days, and I should have it finished. I really love how this is looking. The colored leaves are so pretty in their simplicity.

This was Sadie's contribution to the effort.

We've reached the time of the year when the morning sun shines in on Smitty's pole. When I left him to come upstairs, he was settling in for his morning sunbath.

Today I'll get an early start on the one housekeeping chore on today's calendar, and then I'll get back to my quilting. It's going to be a nice day today, and so I want to get outside and do some work there too. If I break up the quilting of the little dresses throughout the day, I might be able to get more of them done than yesterday. Insofar as quilting goes, my shoulder is in charge of what does and doesn't happen. For sure and certain, I'm going to transplant those tomatoes. 

There's plenty to do, and no time to waste. I hope spring is arriving where you live too.

And, oh my gosh! I almost forgot! Yesterday as we were coming up the driveway from grocery shopping, I spied the first trillium!!!