As sleepy as I am this morning I couldn’t be happier. After work yesterday I got all my vegetable plants in the garden. The seeds are to be planted tonight. Don took the day off yesterday for some home maintenance projects and got the garden all tilled up and ready to go. I spent the evening getting all the hanging baskets placed back in their spots and the frost/freeze warnings have passed.


Chelsey had friends over last evening and the grilled and ate outside for the first time this summer.


This project began last summer and completed a week ago today. Excuse the poor photography but the front porch got a facelift.
Don built the brick sidewalk last summer and put a new rail on the front porch last week. The flowerbed is filled with impatients that were planted last week by my MIL and me. With freeze warnings for the past two evenings, I’ve been tucking them in at night with blankets. I think they made it.

I close today with this photo of sign on our back porch ---the Covered Porch--- that remains out year round…

I getting My groove back…The last of the relatives have departed. I’m about to start my second day back at the office. Chelsey’s Graduation was outstanding. No tears… more of a feeling of victory I guess. She was asked to speak for Memorial Day on her Voice of Democracy and how she will honor today’s veterans. While she is not smiling-- you can tell she spoke with real conviction.
All the relatives got to hear her talk on Saturday. She spoke again at her high school graduation Sunday.
Here is a snapshot in the same pose as taken when her brother graduated two years ago. It was great having Eric home for the holiday.
Yep – I’m probably bragging…But today it’s OK that I do.

I enjoyed visiting with my Mom. My Dad shared several stories of my Grandmother quilting when he was a kid. I’ll definitely tuck those away.

It was 28 degrees this morning. I’ve been hauling flowers in every night. Mother Nature is definitely reminding us where we live. I have all of my garden plants and seeds ready to go. My dad and I bought them together. I got digital photos ready to post….probably a week’s worth. I’m thankful life is slowing down.

Gratitudes:
Safe travel for everyone home
Green Leaves on the trees
Muslin in my sewing basket

I’ve been around, just not quilting a stitch. We’ve been making preparations for Chelsey, my last, to graduate from high school. Both sides of the family are coming up for graduation in ten days. It is customary up here to throw a open house for the graduate. We’re doing a Barbeque theme, with just barbeque snack items as there will be tons of these ‘get-togethers’ the same day of ours. People go from party to party.

Eric came home for Mother’s day this past weekend. I was Queen all weekend. I really did nothing productive, but the whole family spent a lot of time just talking together.

Last week was a tough week at work. It was a great surprise to open the mailbox Friday evening to this:


It was a thank you gift from Leanne in Australia. What a treat. I think I have worn the pages out already, reading it cover to cover--- over and over again. My favorite part is the Natalie Lymer Embroidery piece in the issue.

Spring is creeping in to the U.P. I’ll probably be ‘out-of pocket’ until the end of the month. I’m definitely looking forward to a summer of gardening and quilting. Thanks for the emails checking on me. I’ll be back to posting June 1st.

Gratitudes:
Don’s Patience—So many hidden emotions about your last kid finishing school
Ransom---always being glad to see me.
Daffodils – reminding me that winter does end….

I’ve been tagged several times and finally got around to putting my thoughts on paper. So here goes:

Five things found in your Purse/Bag:

1. Checkbook with quilted checks. – No-Brainer…
2. Deck of Cards - If I’m ever deserted overnight anywhere, I have to be entertained.
3. Change in the bottom – Always a gold mine there because I never put in back in the wallet… I just ‘chunk’ it at the checkout counter.
4. A wallet with a photo of Terry Redlin’s ‘Comforts of Home’ tucked inside…My definition of Paradise.
5. A Jar of Bubbles – You know the little kid kind that has the stick attached to the top. I guess it is left over from a Sunday school class, but I’m sentimentally attached to them and they are great therapy--- Everyone needs bubbles.

Five favorite things in your Room:

1. A Treadle Sewing Machine
2. Eric and Chelsey’s first Trick or Treat Photo Together—Tinkerbell and Peter Pan.
3. A framed Copy of my Wedding Invitation – 24 years old this year.
4. A grapevine wreath over my bed
5. Bronzed Baby shoes of both my kids’ first pairs of Nike Baby Shoes. My Mother has the same of my Brother and I

Five Things you’ve always wanted to do:

1. Own Property that I could stand in the middle of and own as far as I could see.
2. Take a photography class.
3. Write a weekly/monthly column in a magazine.
4. Have a sewing room with windows and yellow paint
5. Be a Grandma

Five Things you are currently into:
1. Quilting – Embroidery on Quilting
2. Table linens
3. Rubber Stamps that speak to me
4. Old Keys
5. Lanterns – I have three…

I’m not tagging anyone but it’s kind of neat putting your thoughts down on paper and looking back later to remember--- Do you still have “that stuff”? How many of the “always wanted to’s” did you do? And what are you into now? You should play along. Thanks Caron for the idea….

I had a great day…There was chaos at home and so no one asked, I didn’t offer, so here I am.

I normally get to work at 6:00 am. Sometimes ten minutes one way or the other depending on the weather, but today I was there at 5:40 am. I tied up loose ends. Checked emails, handled a couple of parts quotes. By that time, my boss arrived and we headed toward Lake Superior. We have an outstation there and it’s opening for summer aircraft maintenance. I inventoried equipment and parts while the boss dealt with policy and employee issues. You’re thinking what was so great about that?

Well, for starters--- I drove. We all know I have a driving “history” to put it nicely. This guys gambles on me and I drive the company HUGE Chevy Silverado Cab and a half. First thing—“Bruce, I can’t drive backwards…” His response, “Sure you can…” With all the confidence to the world.

There’s a coffee shop in town that makes the best coffee, but I can’t bring myself to spend the calories on it. First stop--- the coffee shop. All the while working with me on driving the monster of a truck.

We travelled two and a half hours talking about everything but work. When we arrived, We knocked out the work. Bid our good byes and cruised through the town. It’s a college town with the workings of an abandoned mining community around Lake Superior. We stopped for lunch and a place called The Library. Decorated with old books, it was a brewery and pub. I had the best Chicken Chef salad in a while. We rehashed this morning’s meetings and checked the menu for Key Lime Pie. They didn’t have it so we decided not to settle and moved toward home.

They next stop--- a Quilt shop. We Stopped at the Portage Quilt House. He even went in. He told me not to rush, he chatted with 2 other customers and the 3 ladies that worked there. We played with a cat named Cheddar.
I paid for my purchases and we moved on. Being a businessman, we went through a discussion about how the shop could make more money. It was an awesome shop. Tons of samples, “primitive toys”, a line of needles, threads, and thimbles that were the best I’d ever seen in the U.P. --Confession—I hope I get to go back real soon. Here are my purchases. Truthfully, they are for giving away. Ever have a friend you want to remember “just because”. Not having a quilter’s resource close, I purchased these just for that.
It was 37 degrees with the wind blowing off the lake. But we stopped for ice cream just because the ice cream store was open and they don’t stay open year round in this part of the country. I opted for the Pepsi—kicking myself now—I should have done the ice cream. We got back in the truck and headed back to the office. The road meandered next to Lake Superior a ways and we noticed a statue. I told him I had to find a picture to take. “There’s your picture.” We turned down a dirt road that led to the top of a cliff where the Snowshoe Priest stood looking out over Lake Superior. It doesn’t matter what your faith is, you have to admire the work of this man remembered. Coupled with the dangerous weather conditions… it really restores my faith in humanity.
A couple of snapshots and a chat with the Sister there and we headed home.
It was a ten hour day, but I’d do it again tomorrow. Everybody needs a break from the back of the hangar every now and again. A great day.