2022 Tuesday To-Do #18: Where's The Slow Lane?

Hello, Do'ers and welcome to another week of doing.

Time to link up with Texas Quilt Gal and show our stuff.

How was everyone's week?

I've just finished writing up this week's post (below).

It has a real "out of breath" feeling to it, and the irony

is that Jimmy Buffet's "Slow Lane" just came up on

my playlist.  So, while you read it, it might be fun

to keep that in mind and have a good laugh.

I even linked it for you if you've never heard it

and/or want to listen in while you read.

You're welcome.

On to my last two weeks...

1) Quilt up Serenity

DONE

It's bound and labeled, too, so it's a complete finish!

I just need a good day for a photo shoot.

2) Make 5 wave blocks 

DONE

(Holding off on pics till I get a little farther along)

3) Make small items for longarm guild table

at quilt show

Not done.

I received a personal phone call requesting 10 items

(table toppers, etc) to be sold at the guild's table.

I want so badly to help out here, especially as a

new member, but even in the strongest moments

of my people-pleasing nature, I know I just can't.

I. Physically. Can't.

And I'd love to because I have some orphan blocks

that would be put to great use here.

Being one of the smallest words in our language,

it's amazing how hard it can be to say:

No.

There.  I did it.

Wow, I didn't expect this but now that I wrote that,

I feel it is completely the right thing to do.

3) Finish weeding garden paths

and prune tomatoes

DONE

Once upon a time, I could spend an entire day in the

garden.  Eventually we get too old for that stuff, right?

Now I set the timer on my phone, and when I'm done

I hop in the pool to cool off.  Let's face it:  weeding is

never really done till winter but I'm managing them.

By the way, I've had a request for a full garden pic.

Asparagus ferns in very front-left, and the pepper bed next.

A couple lost to storm/wind damage--no worries, still

have plenty.  Tomatoes, cabbages, eggplant, beans, onions,

carrots, beets, etc all in the back.  And the "forest".

I usually post lots of these but there are many reasons

I haven't this year, time being the main one.  Because it

has always been a major happy place, I usually keep the

garden in pretty tip-top shape.  This year I've only put a

fraction of my usual time in out there, and I've left three

beds completely empty.  In the far back of the pic you'll

see the result of my brilliant idea to let the volunteer dill

and sunflowers do their thing.  With all the rain, I couldn't

get in there anyway but then things got completely out of

control (and full of mosquitoes) so now now it's a forest.

I'm not touching it till we get a cool spell.  If that's fall

then so be it.  The chickens will enjoy the dill and 

sunflower seeds immensely.

The OCD side of me is shocked  this is going on;

the other side of me could care less.

The beds need re-done badly but because I am still

mulling over the design, there they sit.  I have put in

20 years of work into this space but now it's too big.
I don't want to take care of it all but I can't let go either.

 Maybe God will reveal the next step?  (I have been giving

some thought to growing and making our own whole

own whole-grain mustards but I need to research it.)

Random pic of hub's blackberries and grapes.

(And weeds.)

More random:  Fresh green beans have hit the table!

Yum! 

Sorry, not a lot of flow to this post today!  Just

another indicator of being pressed for time, I guess.

And I miss writing.  It calms me.  Someday soon.

Anyhoo...

With so much going on around here, I had to skip

last week's link-up.  Some of the main highlights

of the last two weeks:

* Cadet flew out for leadership training

*A sister visited

*The last harvest (more in a bit) happened

*Golfing 3-4 times per week, trying out drivers now

*Attended the Wichita Open

(top 25 qualify for the PGA, including the above 2)

*A family reunion

*Orthopedic dr sent me back to PT (more in a bit)

*Hedgehog sitting for my daughter

(They're cute but messy.  And prickly!)

*Quite a bit of quilting

So let's visit a couple of those, starting with the last

harvest.  There's a complicated matter I've been

handling for years that's now coming to an end.

As a result of that, I found myself watching the very

last harvest to take place on the last bit of ground

that's been in our family for over 120 years.

All those years.  And just like that, it was over.

It was a little like saying goodbye to my dad again.

I could've let myself get pretty emotional but...

well, change happens.  And a great pressure will

be lifted so there is a positive side to it at least.

Now for the "bonus" quilting I've been doing.

All That's Christmas is quilted and trimmed,

just awaiting binding.

The larger version, All That's Christmas II,

is about half-way quilted.  I'm praying the

thread I chose sees me through to the end.

It'll take a miracle.

Above, Serenity, All That's Christmas I & II.

Things are getting done!

Housekeeping

That subtitle makes it look like I might have actually

cleaned my house, but no--blog housekeeping.

One reader asked to see my book holder, minus the book.

I honestly can't remember where I purchased this but I

think it's more for holding pictures--which is what it was

doing before I stole it from another room in my home.

(Everything is fair game for the sewing room, right?)

It takes up quite a bit of room on a surface that is

too limited anyway but it has taken me quite a few

blocks to get that layout imprinted in my brain.

Thus the book.  

I've also had a request to go over how I do my

quilt labels.  This is something I've meant to do

for a couple years.  I've even taken the pics for it,

but somehow I haven't gotten around to it but

it's now on my to-do's and should be showing

up in a post later this week (hopefully, tomorrow).

Just a little reminder to the few no-reply followers

out there:  I do see you and read your comments.

I know I've said that before but I just like give an

occasional shout-out of appreciation.  I have

considered putting my replies on my blog but I like

 to keep the option of being more personal in my

replies; some things just don't need to be out

there on the Internet, you know?

And next week?

1) Finish both Christmas quilts completely

 2) Hope for good picture-taking days

3) Make post on labels

....and heck I don't know what else!?

Just keep at it!

Happy quilting!