Facing the Bears

Good morning, my friends, and happy Cinco de Mayo. Also, Happy Birthday to me. This morning I've been humming the lyrics to "When I was Seventeen..." (and dyslexic). It's going to be a good day. As I think I mentioned in yesterday's post, I'm meeting up with Matthew early this afternoon at the River View Cemetery. At my age, it's never too early to start planning. (Just kidding, of course.) We're actually on the hunt for the grave of Virgil Earp...you know...Wyatt's brother. He's buried near his daughter right here in Portland. 

Yesterday, I spent some time perusing the cemetery website. As it turns out, it was kind of interesting. The cemetery is very old, and the graves of many people for whom Portland streets are named are buried there. They actually list a historical tour, and one can visit the graves of these folks. We're going to find the grave of a legendary lawman of the old west, but it could turn into something more interesting. Of course I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

Getting back to yesterday, I took the first stitches on the first of three blocks for the "S" is for Sew project. This one says "Measure Twice, Cut Once." Of course if you're like me, you add on those extra words, "Then, force that sucker to fit."

After that, I did my morning round of the house to see the blooming things. I stood back for this picture of the rhododendron. It still has more flowers coming, but it's looking so pretty right now. The sign there on the right was something we picked up at a garden junk art show many years ago. It's a shovel with a broken handle, and the sign says "Garden of Weeden."

To the right of the rhododendron, the chive blossoms are just now starting to open. I need them to open within the next few days. It takes two weeks to make chive blossom vinegar, and time is running out. We leave on our trip three weeks from tomorrow.

Finally, finally, finally, the upper poppy has a bud on it. The poppy below, by the greenhouse, has had buds for a while. This one gets less sunlight, and so it was slower.

I stood back for this one too. That's our dappled willow tree, and there are three different colors of azalea surrounding it. 

There are more flowers appearing on the lithodora.

And the clematis is putting on its best show right now. The original owner of our home planted this one, and it has been a prolific bloomer as long as we've lived here...nearly 23 years.

Back inside, I finished the top-stitching and the faces on the bear family.

Here's a little close-up.

Then, I added a strip of the focus fabric below.

And then, I started adding patches to the quilt. I'm trying to mimic the colors shown on the pattern cover, and this is what I have so far. It just needs four more rows of patches (cut to 4-1/2 inches), and then borders, and I'll have a finished quilt top.

I'm still waiting for the fabric I mentioned yesterday, currently on a scenic tour of the City of Portland. I note that it's back in Hillsboro, where I live, this morning. Hopefully, I'll receive it today or tomorrow.

So I've already told you how I'll be visiting a cemetery for my birthday. Birth...burial...who can say what we should be celebrating today? That's the spirit, right? But if I decide not to take up residence in the cemetery this afternoon, Mike is taking me out for dinner tonight. With sunshine and mild temperatures expected, it's going to be a good day, I think. I hope you have a good day too. Don't drink too many margaritas. Unless you day isn't going well, and then, definitely drink too many margaritas.