Tuesday 19 July 2022

Nature's Blossoms, Kaffe Tablerunner, 83rd Birthday, Family,

 First of all thanks for the words of encouragement for what I talked about last post. I heard from so many of you with similar and even more surprising stories regarding episodes of forgetfulness. Leaving the house can be an adventure for some of us!!! A few of you are concerned and some not at all. Kudos to you who have had the gumption to take the test. I guess misery does love company because those stories did make me feel better. And on an encouraging note, dementia research is huge right now so who knows what they will find in the knick of time to help us baby boomers. 

Nature is putting on a show around the property...

Our form of Swamp Milkweed is in bloom and enjoyed by ants, I noted. 

Creeping Buttercup with its elegant shape and yellow shades is all over the backyard shaded areas
and the electric blue/ purple Viper's Bugloss is brightening up the trails.
Our  walks early morning and the night air is not clearing out the humid feel from the day before. This doesn't encourage me to pick up my step but that's okay. I take the time to try to name the bird songs.  And the dogs enjoyed all the walkabouts.

 Yes, I said dog-s. We had Abbey and Petey here for the weekend while the family took an impromptu trip to see baseball games between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Kansas City Royals in Toronto. They have decided this is the summer of adventures for them now all restrictions have been removed. Here is Robbie with SIL's friend who is in management with the Kansas City Royals AAA affiliate.

Before they left we got in a little party to celebrate Hubby's 83rd birthday! And his brain is still sharp as a tack! Chinese food and special cognac for toasting and a giant cake from daughter. More about that later.  It was fun. 
Robbie decided to stay over for a sleepover. He's a very easy guest, is not picky at all and brings his own things to amuse himself, mostly drawing supplies as he loves art. Here he is enjoying his morning boiled eggs. I love what he is wearing and want one. It is a Baby Yoda cosy fleecy top. 
I'm absolutely loving my stitching projects I have on the go at the moment! Moving from my Basket Case piece with its more traditional colours to the red, white and blue Wheel Within a Wheel blocks to this one below with its bright, cheerful fabrics is fun. 
I don't usually work with such vibrant colours. Someone once jokingly said Kaffe should give out sunglasses with his fabrics. :D
Speaking of which, the Kaffe runner layout got finalized and sandwiched up on Friday. With so many colours in these fabrics, it is easy to find a perle cotton that will match for a little hand quilting.
For the backing...This is the pretty fabric I decided not to cut further and use what I had left as is. With a couple of solid purples on each end, it fit perfectly.
That fabric for the binding was last used in a Halloween project. This was a block of the SAL, Sew Spooky, run by the Facebook group, Quilts by Cheri Friendship Group. It was fun to make these primitive style appliques.
This, as well as moving along those other two projects, is on my to do list for this week. 
Hope your week is fabulous and filled with enjoyable activities too.




21 comments :

Libby in TN said...

Beautiful flower photos. I'm letting some wildflowers grow in my secret garden just to see what they are. I noticed one huge one has a bloom on it so I need to go down and check it out.

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

I always love to visit and see your pretty flowers, quilts and cakes! and what a beautiful looking cake this one is. Speaking of forgetfulness - when making the pasta the other day I was going to add meatballs and totally forgot them and never even realized it until I was eating - do you mean things like that? Occasionally that happens to me and maybe more as I get older but not enough to worry me at the moment. I find I am horrible with remembering phone numbers and addresses - but who does now? with our phones holding all the information we whip them out and find it when we need it - I do think that is interfering with our memory ability.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

My kids dubbed menopause as 'mental pause' and how true that has been.
As a little side note pertaining to milkweed - have you ever smelled the flowers? They are beautiful and most people don't know.
Happy Birth Day (albeit now somewhat belated!) wishes to your hubby! Mine is celebrating his 80th on Thursday.
Working on such a colourful project can't help but give you happy vibes and I think that backing fabric is a perfect choice.

Linda said...

Hi Jocelyn - well happy birthday to your husband, and I can't wait to hear more about that cake! Is that a candelabra on top? Robby looks like a dear boy and what a joy he will always be to you. Love the Kafee project and yay on the perfect fit on the backing!
Thank you for joining with us at To Do Tuesday!

Cheree @ The Morning Latte said...

Beautiful flowers!! I'm not much of a baseball fan but the KC Royals are our team (we're 3 hours from KC) so that pic caught my eye immediately! Good luck on the to-do's!

Jenn Jilks said...

It is a wonderful life!

piecefulwendy said...

Such a fun post to read with pretty flowers, baseball games, birthdays (happy 83rd to your hubs) and that cake looks fabulous! I can't wait to hear about it. Those fabrics are so bright and pretty, which makes it fun to work with them, right?! Cute little pumpkin stitchery, too!

MissPat said...

Happy Birthday to hubby. It's wonderful that you are both so active. Is any of this heat reaching you? We're going to be near or in the 90's (F) all week. At least we did get some rain yesterday for which the poor parched plants are thankful.
Pat

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Happy Birthday to your hubby! That is a fabulous and yummy looking cake! Love the Kaffe tablerunner - such pretty color in that one. It will be fun to see your quilting in the different colors of thread, too.

loulee said...

Happy Birthday to your hubby. Wonderful to have such an easy house guest.
Lots of quilty progress as always.

Jenny said...

Happy Birthday to your hubby, oh my,that cake!

Jackie said...

Gorgeous flowers.

Happy belated birthday to your Hubby. That is one huge cake, I bet it was enjoyed by all.

God bless.

Brian's Home Blog said...

I'm glad you're feeling better and more upbeat. Those flowers sure are pretty and that cake, WOW!

Michele McLaughlin said...

Glad to hear you are in better spirits Jocelyn! I love all your photos today! The flowers are really inspiring. Happy Birthday to hubby! What a fun week! The Kaffe project is wonderful! Have a great day!

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts said...

What an exciting week! Happy Birthday to DH, your flowers are so pretty as are your blocks!

Marsha Cooper said...

Love the flowers! I had to go read the previous post.
I'm 56 and don't do the things you think my brain would be telling me to do.

My mom has dementia and I am her care giver. It's very mentally exhausting.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Pretty flowers and it is always good to stop and smell the roses. When I was diagnosed with the “stupid” issues I had, I always worried but now I do not think of them, just stay on the diet and make sure I do my exercise and keep my mind occupied. Now with Inflation and the horrible heat (up to 116) I find that Cabin Fever gets in the way some days. But I always stay moving and try to keep the mind away from the negative. You will get to a point where the 23 and Me information will just be stored away and you will not be worrying. Do all you can to do to stay active mentally and physically and you will be fine. My Mother had the big A along with her sister (the third sister did not have it but she was very active). My Mother did not exercise and did not watch her diet and took too many pills for pain. I am very aware of the genetic predisposition, but keeping stress down and moving are the best medication for prevention, if it is possible. Hugs and keep on keeping on Jocelyn.

PaintedThread said...

Is that a candelabra on the cake?? Happy birthday to your hubby!

Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting said...

Love your Kaffe runner! Sunglasses--haha! And what a cake for your DH! Looks great!

Grams Jean said...

Happy birthday to your hubby! Mine turns 83 himself this next Monday. Where did you find the tiny candelabra? It is so cute!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

Sounds like you had a great week!! I love that you have impromptu guests!!! and art!!!
The Kaffe is gorgeous!!!
Enjoy your week!