Saturday, June 11, 2022

Of Quilts and Flowers

 We finally had a day or two of sunshine between long spells of rain and gloom.  Yesterday was a beautiful day for wandering about the yard a bit and taking some photos of this smallish finish.

Finishing at 57x60 inches, a good snuggling size but not too big for a youngster to carry along for a backyard picnic and playtime.  This will be going into our donation bins at quilt ministry next week.  


Poppies have finally begun to bloom.  Everything seems late this year, probably due to the dank and cold weather we've had.  

This quilt was born of a big pile of 2-1/2 inch leftover squares from who-knows-how-many other quilts from the past ten or so years. The maroon alternate blocks are from a piece bought online several years ago in a failed attempt to match some solid fabric that was running short.  It finally found its home here.

I don't think I've posted since before the holiday weekend.  We had a grand time with the grandkids, though they unfortunately brought along an unwelcome visitor, and we tested positive for covid a couple days after they left.  Granddaughter developed a sore throat the second evening here, and though they left for home the following morning it was too late.  Most of their family now has the dreaded plague, though everyone had been vaccinated and boosted.   We are now in recovery mode, only the lingering fatigue and occasional dizziness remaining.  But, and you know there's always a "but" - I probably also have contracted lyme disease.  Seems I'm a bit of a tick magnet this year, having been bitten three times in the past month.  This last one has produced the red bulls-eye telltale sign.  So, off to the doctor I'll go on Monday to see if this is the real deal.  Hopefully they will just call in an antibiotic script and that will be that.  Always something it seems.

Anyhow, back to the quilt - when it came time for binding, I had in mind something multicolored with pink or purple.  But, knew I didn't have the energy to pull all the bins from the closet to find something. Opened the closet and there right on top were two cut-offs from the backing of the purple quilt shown in my previous post.  Serendipity I tell you!  Not only that they were wide backing pieces - nice and long - and only two lengths plus a bit more accomplished the binding.  Yay for keeping things simple.

The hayfield in the background is now well over waist-high and prime for cutting.  We've not heard from our local farmer who cuts and takes the hay each year.  They are pretty much subsistence farming guys, and I'm sure are having difficulty finding the money for diesel fuel in this economy.  We've noticed a number of fields along our road that have always been planted are lying fallow this year. Hard times are coming, way beyond the imagination of the younger generations I'm afraid.

So, what else is blooming out in the yard?  A few peonies have begun to open.


And the gentian put out its first blooms yesterday.

The rain toppled our favorite iris but I was able to salvage part of the bloom for the little bouquet on the bistro table.

The porch is abloom with hanging baskets, always a welcome springtime treat that lasts all summer long.



One final photo for Lizzy, the quilt sloppily slouched across the garden bench we found at the local second hand shop, with the pillow covers stitched from someone's cast off home dec fabric from the early 2000s.  Just a bit of clashy boho madness ...

If you're still here, thanks for rambling along with this cloudy covid-brain.  Next time will be better ...


12 comments:

Janet O. said...

Personally, I thought this time was good! I love the scrappy goodness of the quilt, and the way it re-homed this and that—even the binding!
The flowers are all lovely, and I appreciated your insights into the difficulties of the local farmers. Three years ago we were oblivious as to what was coming around the bend!

Chantal said...

So sorry to hear you are not feeling well. Sending good energy your way with some prayers for a speedy recovery. Love your finished quilt. It uses up a lot of leftover goodness and I love that. The colour combo is nice too. Great job! Although the prices at the grocery stores are horrendous, I know we haven't seen the worst of it yet. This Covid nightmare is just as bad as a war in the sense that it leaves a great depression behind with lots of hard times financially and emotionally.
Beautiful flowers. ;^)

Lizzy D said...

Hi! I'm glad you're feeling better and hope the lyme disease is caught early and is treatable.

I love a classic patchwork quilt like this one, so pretty.

Your flowers are so beautiful. I always want hanging baskets like yours, to draw the hummingbirds and bumble bees---but am discouraged by the wind here, worse lately than ever it seems.


Feel better, rest often.
love

lizzy

Angie said...

Love the clashy boho madness! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who buys chunks of fabric in hopes they will "work". Sorry to hear the eagerly anticipated visit wound up with an uninvited visitor. Hope you're feeling well soon! Thanks for the garden tour - I love seeing what's growing in everyone's corner of the world.

Nancy said...

I have to be reminded, again and again when I seem them, how beautiful simple quilts can be. Almost soothing in the repetition of color and pattern. That's a beautiful finish, Pat.
I love your Boho garden bench and pillows. Delightful.
Your flowers in hanging pots--what kind is the first one? I like it a lot. Of course, all your flowers are beautiful. And how fun to see those poppies. We had them at our old house but not here at this one. The yard and grounds are becoming too much to keep up, let alone adding more flowers. I've noticed many fallow fields in our area. In May I thought the farmers were waiting for either dryer weather or the safe-from-frost date, but I guess not. Hard times.
I can't tell you how sorry I am to hear you have/had Covid. I had it in December/January and am still dealing with tiredness. When you said there was a "but," I was hoping for something good. And bitten by a tick and Lyme! I hope not Lyme and I hope if so that it's treatable with no side effects. Sometimes it seems like life comes at us full speed. Prayers for you.

Kyle said...

Oh, gosh. What a start to summer. Hope you feel better quickly. Your quilt is wonderful. A simple pattern is the best use of some many bits and pieces. You needed a little good luck finding the binding fabric just waiting for you. I love it when something good and easy comes along. Take care.

Hill Top Post said...

Purple has only recently become a new favorite color of mine...well some shades of purple, but not all. Your latest finish is wonderful and could easily become a favorite of mine. We are dreading the next fillup of the diesel tanks! Farming is definitely no gold mine these days.

Robin said...

I love quilts like this with no pretentions just available for snuggling and using and using. It looks great. What luck to find a suitable binding fabric without any extra effort. I need to dig into my neutral bins for corners on a scrap quilt and I just haven't gathered up enough ooph to do the digging. I'm so sorry to hear to have been ill but grateful it wasn't really serious. Enjoy your beautiful flowers.

Nann said...

Lyme and Covid -- yikes! Hope you got diagnoses in time for the remedies to work. Lovely scrappy four patch quilt and wonderful flowers!

audrey said...

What an excellent use of the scraps! Love the darker feel to the whole thing. So sorry about your recent bout of sickness and of course the tick bites. Crossing my fingers for you it's not Lyme Disease!!

Cynthia@wabi-sabi-quilts said...

There is nothing better than a four patch in my mind and yours is terrific. I love the dark setting squares and they really set off the array of lights and brights. Beautiful flowers too. But, so sorry you had Covid (it seems like so many people are getting it now) and hope you get treated early and well for Lymes if it's Lymes. "Ugh" is the word that comes to mind!

Barbara said...

Love your simple little quilt! It is so appealing and a great way to use up leftover squares and that maroon solid pulled it all together. Your flowers are beautiful! I really like that gentian :) I'm so sorry to hear of your Covid troubles and now Lyme disease. Hopefully, that antibiotic will take care of it! Happy 4th!