Friday, March 22, 2019

Wildflower wander/wonder

As many times as I've posted about wildflowers, when spring comes to the Hill Country, I can't help but post again ...

Prairie fleabane

[c Bitterweed (I think ... maybe)

 

Prairie verbena

As always, looking for bluebonnets ...

So after dinner I went back out and this is what I found ...

A tiny little succulent that looks green when viewed from overhead, its subtle coral only visible when viewed from ground level. And it was everywhere I looked, just waiting to be discovered.

Note: video deleted

16 thoughts on “Wildflower wander/wonder”


do i understand correctly that these are a First Time being at your Place???? and “all over”???
this is Very Exciting!!!!!!!
and i miss wandering Out there with you…more please
it’s me, grace…., love,

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  1. Grace – they are new to me, but have probably been here all along, waiting to be recognized. And yes, I will continue to wander and wonder

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Haven’t seen that succulent growing wild but it’s about $2.50 for a 1/2 pint carton at Natural Gardener, it makes a nice grown cover/ potted plant.

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  1. Fiona – I likewise love seeing the incredible diversity of the flowers Barry photographs in your world … and the raw beauty of your Scotland home away

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  1. Nancy – I do love the delicate blush of color at the ends of those tiny petals! And I’m now thinking I may finally be able to give a sense of our land through video!

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The first sighting of cyclamens in the yard are a happy surprise every year. Thank you for sharing, especially loved how they quiver in the breeze.

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Hi LA – a delight to go wandering with you – the short videos can make it all the more real and personal. The wild flowers are gorgeous – and seem to be growing in a pretty tough and rocky environment. I never tore of the renewal of the seasons and discovering tiny wild flowers and other bits. Enjoy. B

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  1. Barry – I am always amazed at the detail of your floral iPhonography … now I’m wondering how far I can push the video idea while keeping it short and sweet.

    And yes, the flood plain is like a moonscape during the mid-winter and mid-summer dormancies, so I never cease being amazed at how much manages to grow on it between-times.

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  1. Jude – thanks for the name … there is so much that we don’t notice or attend to for want of an understanding of its place in the the world. Naming is the beginning of understanding …

 
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Sunday, March 10, 2019

Bibli-olio

I thought I was coining a new word, but not (I just Googled it and it already exists). Still, I'm liking the combination of the more familiar "biblio" with the crosswordese "olio" ...

And so, today, a miscellaneous mixture of books, beginning with a new library book that may end up as a purchase ...

And notice the new-to-me DMC Coloris threads found at Michael's, that perfectly match one of the author's opening statements that we need more bright colors in our lives (Cursillo friends will surely be taken with the similarity to "De Colores").

If needed, proof positive that colors elicit joy can be found in Judy Martin's latest post: https://judys-journal.blogspot.com/2019/03/isla-mujeres.html

There's also this sweet little book ...

which led me to a great linen source (Gray Line Linen). The author also has a blog, Miniature Rhino, which has been added to the Kindred Spirits list on my old blog. The book is nicely designed and such a simple pleasure to look at ...

Two other books entered our home as the result of local lectures we attended ...

The first got a great write-up in the Austin American Statesman and will surely be a big hit with South by Southwest attendees this month.

The second is a retrospective of local artist Randall Reid's assemblage art. He gave a great talking tour of his recent exhibit at the Davis Gallery in Austin and the book naturally came home with us ...

Last, but not least, I'm very much looking forward to adding an upcoming release to my bookshelf ...

Author Anna Quindlen has captured so much of our shared cohort's lives in print, so it's no surprise that she's at it again, just in time for (grand)Mother's Day ...

 

9 thoughts on “Bibli-olio”



Such a fun post! That stack of books peeking out from the background! Do you know Anna’s A Short Guide to a Happy Life? Did you like Obama’s book? After reading Michelle’s, I’d like to read his next.

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  1. Nancy – Yes and Yes (although in truth, I rarely remember what I read, just how I felt about reading it). Organizing my memoir collection by author is one of the few librarian conceits I have held on to … if I had made the view a little wider, you would have seen “Ruined by Reading: A Life in Books” by Lynne Sharon Schwartz with this one memorable quote:

    “I don’t remember much of what I’ve read. My lifelong capacity for forgetting distresses me. I glance at a book on the shelf that I once read with avid interest … and while I struggle for the details, all I recall is the excitement of the reading.”

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LA – I’m not sure one can have too many books entering one’s life – they uplift and inspire in so many ways. And of course we can gift them on when they have travelled with us for a wee while. Go well. B

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  1. Barry – Exactly! There are never too many books, but I’ve gotten choosier over the years … “weeding the collection” to make room for new/old treasures

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I really like the look of the wee one make and mend – that’s about where my sewing is up to, so shall hunt it out I hope. Also I love the alphabetical order of your books. I seriously thought everybody did this because it makes sense; but apparently not! Randall Reid’s work looks beautiful as well – a wonderful gathering of bookiness into your world. And I am completely and utterly with you and Sharon – I don’t always remember the content, but oh do I remember the feeling…

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Fiona – books have always been my joy … one of many reasons why I so love your Thursday Thoughts

 

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Thursday, March 7, 2019

How it goes

This is my new favorite wonky log cabin square ...

And I confess, when we bought the flower-sprigged romper for P's first birthday last spring (yes, we really do call her "P" as well as Parker Mae), I knew it would end up on the cutting room floor.

Anyway, it's been a while since I documented process, so here's where I am at this point in my patchplay evolution.

I start by ironing about a 1/4" edge on two pieces of cloth, then line them up, right sides together ...

and overcast stitch them together with a single strand of floss on a #10 John James big eye quilting needle ...

I know that's overkill, but I love stitching seams this way and I'm in no hurry.

After seaming, I iron the pieces ...

seen here from the back ...

Next I turn under a new edge using a piece of cover stock to hold a straight edge on the pieced section ...

and on the strip of cloth that will adjoin it ...

ending up with strips like so ...

When I want to get wonky, I press some of the edges at random angles ...

which necessitates some trimming after the fact, usually done with coverstock tucked under the seam to protect the pieced square ...

What I especially like about this process is the flat seams that result ...

And I'm fast becoming a fan of cotton cloth patchplay ...

which is a good thing since P doesn't have any linen hand-me-downs ... yet.

18 thoughts on “How it goes”


  1. Mo Crow

    your stitching is so beautiful!
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    • What an adorable little girl! She must bring you and Don so much joy, along with your other beautiful grandchildren. This particular log cabin square is especially engaging. I can feel the memories pooling within it.

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      1. Dana – thank you … yes to the joy of grandkids and so happy you are about to embark on that wonderful journey (and I don’t know if you’re an Anna Quindlen fan, but I am so looking forward to her new book entitled Nanaville)

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      1. Nancy – thank you … we love our P … and tiny stitches do so make me happy (and I believe it was a gift from the universe that I am extremely nearsighted, which helps immensely)

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    • LA – that is so much work – bit like my hammer strokes – nobody realises just how many stitches goes into the work. Go well. B

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      1. Barry – I quite agree with you on the similarity between stitches and hammer strokes … and while the term “work” certainly fits completed pieces, I do love using the term “patchplay” to represent the joy I experience in the process. However, it’s a good thing I’m not in production mode … we’d starve given the long time-frames for my projects … ha!

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    • I love this post Liz – thank you for sharing how you manage those stitches and straight, yet wonky lines. I had no idea. I love the way you stitch them together!! The fabric in this one is bursting with personality – like Miss P herself I imagine. Go well.

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      1. Fiona – I was never properly schooled in quiltmaking, so when I discovered Jude Hill’s Spirit Cloth 101 workshop online, my mind was the proverbial blank slate. Still, as I’ve often said before, “I never follow recipes.” Jude certainly isn’t prescriptive, but early on I found myself riffing on her paperless patching technique. The resulting “patchplay” gives me ample opportunities to stitch and stitch and stitch somemore … all the while recalling fun times with Miss P.

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    • Oh this video of Miss P is so delightful. There is something so joyful when out little ones engage in conversation, Pop Pop’s quiet voice, responding, Parker’s exuberant conversation and her yah! just melts my heart. Videos of our little ones learning to roll over, walk, dance, speak, etc. are the best movie reels to hold in our heads and hearts. Your wonky, colorful, memory filled squares made from Parker’s clothes are happiness in cloth…

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      1. Marti – mobile phones and social media get a bad rap, often well-deserved … but the incredible up-side for me is the increased contact with our kids and grandkids. Whether it’s texting with 15-year-old Logan, FaceTiming with the families, or making (and receiving) videos that capture snippets of real life, I do believe we are all closer as a result.

        And then there is the simple old-time pleasure of stitching patches of cloth together as a tactile memory-holder.

        The best of both worlds …

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      1. Thanks Joy … so glad you found your way here. I think I left a comment on your Second hand sheets blog, but I’m not sure if it “took”

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