Thursday 25 April 2019

Costco Haul, Spring Strings

Something larger than a mouse stirred last night.
It clambered noisily across our veranda loud enough to wake me and make the dogs bark savagely; Murphy with her hair all standing along her back was especially upset.  A deer comes to mind but why a deer would be up on the veranda, I do not know. Murphy wanted to go out to do battle but of course, I kept her in. She is quite often misguidedly brave!
 Then sleep was not an option for me. Drats!

It seems like the world has awakened around our house; everywhere I look I see birds.  And down at the pond, the peeps and other frogs have begun their annual spring serenades. Noisy little critters- however their song is music to our ears anyway.

Did you hear about Gwen?
This is a book I bought a few years ago.  With all the string flurry going on, I got it out to have a look.  Gwen Marston was one of my favourite simply because she, like Cheri Payne, emphasized having fun and enjoyment first and foremost with your quilting. Now Gwen obviously had a flair for matching colours and fabrics too. I was sorry to hear of her recent passing but her quilting legacy is firmly established and will continue to be celebrated.
                          
I've had a busy week but did manage to finish four more of the Spring Strings blocks. Enjoyable stitching but many more to go!


My Costco Haul
I don't go to Costco often mainly because it offers a crowded kind of shopping feeling. But I'm lured sometimes because of the special items I can't locate elsewhere. Or the more economical pricing of dearer items such as the quinoa, pumpkin seeds and coconut flour.  That Goldenberry Power Mix of dried fruits is delicious, as are the little lemon curd tartlets.
 Please do share with me what you find at Costco that I should be buying.
A couple of Easter gifts to show you.
Hubby's new egg cup. Boiled eggs in egg cups remind him of when he was a boy.

And a lavender Hydrangea plant which I love and hope to successfully plant outside later on.
I'm calling this one below a Purple Finch and I was happy to get a photo of her, albeit through my window. She was smallish and loved the sunflower seeds. After two days of lunching, she must have moved on...no sightings since. And if our temperatures remain above zero, I should no longer have to take photos from inside!



Things are warming up here. Hope the weather is exactly the way you want it wherever you are!
As always, linking up with the I Like Thursdays party at Not Afraid of Color. Also linking with
Busy Hands QuiltsMy Quilt Infatuation and Paying Ready Attention.





19 comments :

Quilting Babcia said...

With your dogs' hair standing up on their backs might it have been a black bear that made a visit? In these parts we were warned by DEC not to leave bird feeders out after April 1 because the bears went into hibernation hungry last fall. Hubby ignored the warning and last week we were visited by a bear one night who destroyed one suet feeder and made off with a second one after pulling down the pole it was on and part of a split rail fence. Lesson learned!

MissPat said...

Ooh, I hate when I hear odd noises in the night. Several times a year I hear the pitter patter of little rodent feet running through the walls and sometimes in the ceiling above the living room. Freaks me out every time,but they always seem to go away the next day.
A word of caution on the hydrangea. The florist hydrangea sold at Easter rarely survive being planted outside in the north as they are less hardy varieties. But you have nothing to lose to give it a try.
I don't buy a lot of food items at Costco because the quantities are too large for two people. Mostly buy cleaning products and paper goods. I have enough parchment paper to last the rest of my life, But I do buy the Kirkland brand ground coffee and their rotisserie chickens are large and juicy. We have a spate of cold, rainy weather on the way, that may head your way unfortunately.
Pat

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I was wondering too if it was possibly a bear? glad no one went outside to check! I don't have costco here near by we do go to Sam's club now and then but I didn't renew my membership this year as we really didn't go often as even that is 45 miles away. The items you got look good! I have none of Gwen's books but I have of course heard of her

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Wonder what was on your porch - there would be no more sleep for me after that either! I'd be installing a motion sensor light I think, just to be on the safe side. As for Costco - for us it's always their Kirkland brand of toilet paper, paper towels and facial tissues and often a chicken too. In the fall I buy a giant bottle of time-release Vitamin C and it lasts all winter. If it weren't for those things we probably would let our membership lapse. Oh....and their pumpkin pies in the fall are amazing!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I hope you aren't disturbed by porch noises in the night too often! I wouldn't sleep another wink either. I didn't know anything about Gwen Marston until I started reading about her passing, so I checked one of her books out of the library this morning. I'm looking forward to delving into it! Your Spring Strings are so pretty!

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

Your spring strings are gorgeous. What a sweet little bird. LOL I was recently woke up by what sounded like a person coming up my stairs. Um it was the cat, she is not light on her feet. She stomps up and down the stairs all night long.

Suzanne said...

Beautiful flowers and sweet birds are a great sign of Spring.

Beverly said...

I do so enjoy reading your blog !
I have not tried the lemon tartlets but they do look good. We always get their Kirkland coffee and lately we have been picking up a pack of frozen lobster when we go.
You do much better at taking pictures through your window then I do --- that little bird is sweet.

Beverly said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shortbread and Ginger said...

Love hydrangeas, they are my favourites!

Michele McLaughlin said...

Wishing you warm days soon! I love the hydrangea! It's one of my favorite plants. Those lemon tarts from Costco look yummy!!! Have a great day!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

My grandson spent the winter in the mountain region of Oregon. When Spring arrived, so did the bears. He has since moved down to California. Bet you had a visit from a bear! We have a raccoon visitor each night. The other day I took a dead fish from the pond. I left it on the side of the pond and forgot to go back and get it. In the morning it was gone. I suspect that raccoon made it dinner. Aren't you glad that Gwen Marston wrote books to carry on her legacy? We went to Costco once when they first opened in our area. It's a little drive away so we didn't buy a membership. We used to shop at Sam's Club when we had a membership through Terry's job, but our local store has since closed. I find that I am shopping on line more and more, especially with free shipping and the cost of gas skyrocketing here. I'm waiting for warmer weather too here in Northern Indiana.
xx, Carol

Brian's Home Blog said...

Those things that go bump in the night are never fun at all!

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

Scary sounds on the porch. I wouldn't go back to sleep either. Yes, that was so sad about Gwen passing. I saw interviews of her in the Quiltfolk book and she seemed down to earth and so talented. Luckily, I don't go to Costco. It was just to enticing for me and way too busy. Heehee. Oh, those hydrangeas are so pretty. Enjoy your day! mary

Jenny said...

It's always interesting to read what is happening in your part of the world. How scary if your visitor was indeed a bear, as several of your readers seem to think. No bears in New Zealand to scare us in the night, thank goodness.
I do like your string flower blocks. I have a whole bunch of nuetral diagonal blocks I made for a project which didn't continue, so maybe I could do some sort of applique on them?

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Your thud reminds me of that story by Thurber of what happens to a family when something goes bump in the night, which I read a long time ago in my kid days. I wonder if I would think it still funny. Next time I'm at Costco, I'll look for the coconut flour. I like to buy organic olive oil and coffee there.

Snickelfritz said...

A friend of mine use to go to an island off the coast of Michigan and take quilt classes with Gwen Marston many years ago. I think it was called Beaver Island. I always wanted to go, but never had the chance. Really wish you knew what was on your veranda. Could it have been a bear or do you have bears in your area?

QuiltGranma said...

I LOVE the dried mango strips I've gotten at Costco! Perhaps you might want to invest in a motion sensor camera for sightings of whatever was on your porch.

Jenn Jilks said...

Maybe it was just a raccoon!
How wonderful to leave a legacy behind!