Monday 13 July 2020

Garden Glories, Medallion Stitch Along, Quilt Bible Blocks

The Yucca is in bloom. So pretty but it has the briefest of blooming times; if you blink you would miss it. As soon as the top blooms open, the bottom are beginning to wilt.  It is also a difficult plant to prune as the leaves are very tenacious and tough. Just cleaning out the dead leaves from last year provided an arm workout but then I do have puny arms, strength-wise. 
Finally, rain in downpours recently and everything looking lush in this corner of the front garden this morning. Except the poor sun scorched lawn. The hydrangea are beginning to blossom which signals summer to me. 
Two of the yellow flower plants are also in bloom, the Moonbeam Tickseed and Brown Eyed Susans.
Here is a close up of a wild Brown Eyed Susan...they dot the trails and meadow near the pond.  I find them delightful.
❓I've been asked about these close up photos. Both my cameras are point and shoot models and the smaller one has a macro setting which enables close up shots. The other has a better zoom ability to capture the birds. With a point and shoot camera, anyone can take these photos especially of flowers as they are stationary subjects (except if it's windy). The birds are a whole lot trickier.
 I also do not have a photo editing program, just what my Acer with Windows 10 built in provides which is pretty basic. And Blogger is not known for reproducing photos well, sadly. But as an amateur, an avid one though!, it is all good to me. 

I have two more of the Quilt Bible blocks stitched.  I liked this colour combination.  I always start from a point of trepidation and begin to feel better as I go along.
 Block 59, Louisiana from the Pinwheel section.
Block 129, Grandmother's Choice  found in the 9-Patches section
I have two more cut and ready to sew which always makes me happy to get back to the machine. Will be sewing those this week. 

Frederique at Quilting Patchwork Applique has provided This Amazing Post chock a block with many of the SAL's for 2020. Interesting to see that there is something for everyone in this group, I think.  Enjoyable reading to go through the list. Thank you Frederique! And just a heads up, Frederique is hosting her own lovely summer QAL -more about that here.
                                                     

For EPP stitchers, I am interested in this particular SAL and think you might be too. Free patterns for a pretty Medallion quilt being run through this Facebook group...Claudine's Quilt Quilt it & Dotty (yes, quilt is repeated in this tag)
I've made a wee bit of a start. Never made a medallion before; I know they are popular with the European stitchers-wish me luck. Hopefully more veranda stitching this week will prove whether I can do this or not. 
We are doing quite well, all things considered, and keeping ourselves safe and busy right here on our patch. Hubby has been a true Mr. Fix-It during this quarantine.  And for me, the garden brings lots of chores as well as all the beauties of the season. We avail of curb side pick up whenever we can. This week I hope to do another pick up at the local nursery; I was very pleased with my order from them before. They still have geranium plants in different colours including an interesting one in variegated pinks.  I would love to add that to my little inventory in the outside pots with the plan to bring them indoors for the winter.
Hope everything is likewise busy and safe with you!


 







28 comments :

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

I have never done anything to our yucca plants for pruning -I just let them be in fact I didn't know I was supposed to be clearing away dead parts lol They do bloom fast and don't last a long time like they do in the western states.
we continue to stay home too and have done a lot around the house and yard to stay busy, read a lot too
Love your blocks and the EPP

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Oh rain!! In Indiana we complained about having too many rainy gloomy days. Here in California we wish for just a few drops!! Sprinklers run constantly. There are Yucca all over the mountains. I never noticed that their bloom time is so short. Perhaps I missed that because there are so many. I'm going to check out your link. I love applique.
Be safe and stay well.
xx, Carol

Michele McLaughlin said...

Staying home here too and so enjoying your photographs! Your garden is lovely and I am just envious that you have the black eye susans growing wild! What a wonderful post! Your blocks look fantastic! Enjoying your progress! Have a wonderful day!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

We had some very welcome rain here too, gentle rain at times, the kind that soaks into the soil and does some good. But I always wonder what strange rule exists that the weeds seem to benefit the most of all!

Kathy S. said...

Thanks for commenting on my blog. I stopped to view yours and YES!!! we do have a lot in common.

I transplanted a few yucas into my chicken run this spring. I’m surprised one of them bloomed this year. Some years my regular patch of them doesn’t bloom at all. This year was a great year for blooms. This morning everything in our small Ohio property was so lush. We really needed that watering from God. He’s the best!

PaintedThread said...

Blocks are lovely, as usual. Love the brown eyed susans as well. Yay for rain. :-)

Brian's Home Blog said...

Such glorious flowers and those blocks are stunning!

Ruth Hiebert said...

Beautiful flowers from your yard.

Jenn Jilks said...

You are right about the yucca! I do love them.

Snickelfritz said...

One year my son brought me a yucca he had dug up beside the railroad track. Before I knew it, I had yuccas coming up everywhere and they were a bear to dig up because their roots go so deep and spread. My love affair with yuccas ended then, but I do love your Brown-eyed Susans and your tickseed, a plant I just discovered this year and is in my garden also. You certainly have a beautiful garden.

audrey said...

I tend to start a lot of things quilty-wise from the point of trepidation! Your last block has me sighing with pleasure. It's been on my bucket list for years now!

Gardenrelish said...

Your have a beautiful garden. Hydrangeas are one of my favorite plants; they are romantic and pretty. Have a great week.

Needled Mom said...

I always enjoy the blooming yucca on our hillsides. Yours is beautiful. Love the closeup photos of your flowers. Your quilt blocks look so nice. Good luck with that medallion. They do seem to be making a resurgence in quilting.

Karen said...

Beautiful blooms!

kiwikid said...

You have a beautiful garden, the yucca flower is beautiful. They are difficult plants to deal with though. Your blocks are beautiful. I love the name Moonbeam Tickseed, have not hear of that before. I am off to look at the Medallion sew along, although I do not need to begin another project!!

Sandra Nachlinger said...

I enjoyed seeing your beautiful quilt blocks. Good color combinations. That medallion looks difficult.

Linda said...

Your yucca is pretty. We had some back in the 1970s but none since then. I like the color combo on your blocks too!
Frederique is also having her own Summer QAL that starts tomorrow.

Vicki in MN said...

Glad to hear you are doing well and are being safe. I love the brown eyed susan's! Your QB block is so sweet.

MissPat said...

Your photos are always delightful. I love seeing your garden grow. My Yuccas are done blooming and yes, like the iris and other plants, the blooms don't last long enough. I'm taking a break from any new QALs as I have too many UFOs and WIPS that must be moved forward, but it's been too hot to sew in my studio. We are staying home mostly, too.
Pat

Tanza Erlambang said...

flowers in the corner look so beautiful....

NCSue said...

What a lovely garden!
Thanks so much for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sunflowers-beauty-on-stem.html

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Your garden is always fun to virtually stroll through. Thank you for the links to the sew alongs - some fun things!

Roseanne said...

Hi Jocelyn! Thanks for the walk about this week. I just LOVE seeing tickseed - it always looks so fragile to me. I had a patch at our old house of the pale yellow and pale pink together. And black-eyed Susan plants are a favorite of mine. I adore your fabric choices for block #59 - that pinwheel really shines. Thanks for linking up this week. ~smile~ Roseanne

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Your yard is looking wonderful, Jocelyn! Some rain would be welcome in our part of the world, too - it's hot and dry here. I always enjoy seeing your blocks from the Quilt Bible. Pretty color combination! I'll have to check out the links for the QALs - thanks for sharing them!

Eva H. said...

I love flowers yucca.My dad had it on our garden.I like to watch your wonderfull patchwork work.
All the best to you and your family Eva

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

I have always appreciated your photo shoots. These did not disappoint.

Nancy said...

Seeing your yucca flowers reminded me that in El Salvador people use them in recipes. I remember seeing people taking them to market to sell. I did not ever try them.
Your medallion is beautiful. I hope the stitching of it is going well.

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Lovely flowers, and beautiful blocks!
Thank you for mentioning my summer QAL ;)