Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Quote for the Day!

Optimist: Person who travels on nothing from nowhere to happiness.
-Mark Twain

Monday, February 14, 2011

Window to Another World!

  HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!
     It's a window to another world.  A world of light, sunshine, shade, and shadow.  A world of warmer temperatures and thoughts of spring.
    (Or maybe some boys out of school for conferences and with nothing to do just tunneled through a great big pile of snow off a parking lot.  Hey, you spin it your way and I'll spin it mine.  HA!)
     After waking up to a record low on Thursday morning of -15 degrees with 12" of snow on the ground and then Sunday the high for the day was 60 degrees with rapidly melting snowfall , living on the plains of Kansas can be quite an experience.
     Unfortunately the warmer temperatures did some damage to this window/tunnel.  The top had caved in when I saw it again on Monday morning.  I still think it's unique and different.
     The weather forecast for this next week is 50's, 60's, 70's.  I know we're not out of the woods yet as far as the snow goes, but I will take the welcome break.  It gave me time to clean up from all the snow, salt, ice melt, and sand.  So, unfortunately, I didn't get my challenge quilt finished.  I thought I'd have it ready to unveil today.  But have no fear, I will have it ready to share next week.  (I have no choice as next Monday is the quilt guild meeting.)  Have a happy day!
                                          
                       

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Sub-Zero, Again!!!

     If I wanted to see snow day after day and if I wanted to feel sub-zero temperatures followed by ridiculous wind chills against my bare skin, I would live in Alaska.  But I don't live in Alaska.  I'm a Kansan.   I'm against snow day after day, sub-zero temperatures and  ridiculous wind chills (-17 degrees, seriously?)  I'm agin' it!!!
     This time we had 11" of snow and some parts of Kansas had 20" of the white stuff.  I stepped outside in a -2 degree temperature to take yet another snow photo and it was just all to depressing.  However, warmer temperatures are on the way---50's by the weekend and 60's next week.  Hallelujah!
     I have spent my time indoors wisely, though.  Silver Needles Quilt Guild (I'm a member, the President this year, and possibly still the newsletter editor <3years in a row?>) had a fabric challenge this year.  Members purchased a fat quarter of "Electric Mosaic Mambo" and then had to construct a project, not necessarily a quilt, and the challenge fabric had to be seen on the front side of the project.  I had decided not to participate since I only had a month to put it all together.  But then I saw another member who was working on her quilt at the last meeting with only a month to go and I thought "why not".  If she thinks she can throw something together within a month, I certainly can, as well.
     Tonight I will start the quilting, the top is more or less finished at this point.  Then I have the binding and I'll be done.  Just in time, too.  We meet and judge the projects on Monday, February 21.  I don't know if I'll win anything or not, but my little quilt is very striking.  I plan on entering it in the Tri-Rivers Fair this year.
     I was so inspired that I started on next years challenge quilt, where we are to quilt a favorite poem.  I have the top put together but that is as far as I've gotten.  I'm going to finish it up as soon as I'm done with this years challenge quilt and enter it in the Tri-Rivers Fair, too.  I may even put them both in the Silver Needles Quilt Show in October.  They are both quite unique!
     Watch for the unveiling of this years challenge quilt, next week.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Reality v Fantasy!

     See the snow. . .this is my reality.  I am growing tired of white in all its various forms of snow and salt residue.  I am growing tired of cold and sub-zero temperatures.  I am growing tired of wind chills.
      Before this latest snow storm (which was suppose to be much worse) we had a couple of days where the weather got up to 60 degrees.  It was beautiful, like spring had arrived early.  People were out walking,  playing and running around without their heavy winter coats and gear on.  Of course I was inside, throwing up and well, you get the gross yet colorful picture.  Thank goodness once I was feeling better, it was cold, with blowing and drifting snow, and sub-zero temperatures again.
     Right now, the photo to the right is the fantasy that I hold within.  Green growing things, warm breezes, flowers, blue skies, and warm temperatures.  I know that this time of the year also has it's own unique challenges, but hey this is a fantasy, right?!  So, of course, everything is picture perfect, in my fantasy.  And the temperature never goes above 75 degrees with very low humidity.  And every day is Saturday.