End of a Nightmare!

 Well, I guess it wasn't that bad, but I did not enjoy the process.  And now it is totally finished!  Including the binding which I finished up last night.  Our local quilter, Linda Hurst, in Lima did a fabulous job on quilting it.  I am very pleased.

 If you wnat to really see Linda's quilt work, you can click on the image to enlarge it.  I know she had a hard time getting started on it (couldn't decide what to do), but she ended up being very artistic with it.  I love it!

So today I finished a baby quilt which I will photograph tomorrow and post, and then I started Phoebe's birthday quilt.  Not sure what I will do next!  I have so many projects to choose from!!!  How fun.

Wednesday Work Day

 Whenever our quilt group gathers we always begin our day with show and tell - those projects we've been working on and they're done!  This is Drin's sunflower quilt that she finished this past week and brought to our Wednesday Work Day.  It is gorgeous and her setting is really very interesting.  She did great!

 Ellen and I both started this "spring quilt" this week.  It is so lovely.  I had enough time to go ahead and finish mine and took it to the quilter today.  It will be my next "show and tell."

 Several years ago I was at the quilt shop in Bozeman and found these screen printed cowboy prints and couldn't resist them.  Problem was they didn't come with a pattern, so it took me awhile to decide what I was going to do with them and what setting would best show them off.  I finally made a decision and finished this quilt top yesterday.  I love it.  Can hardly wait to have it finished.  It will be one of my "treasures."

 The printed blocks are each and every one a work of art - literally!

 Each one is different and unique.  Sort of tells a story about our Montana cowboys by a Montana artist.

 And of course, when we have a work day we always must have lunch!  Hooray for lunch and an opportunity to set a table.  For me that's fun.  It was a cold, snowy winter day, so I decided it would be a good opportunity to look forward to spring.  I dug around and found this old cloth that was my grandmother's and decided it would be perfect.  The red plates with bright green napkins were bright and cheerful.

The hands are actually meant to hang on the wall as coat or hat hangers!  They're fun and I bought them last year at Nell's in Atchison, Kansas, especially to use them on a table.  I was sure I had some funky, cheap red beads, to drape around the hands, but alas, not to be found, so used these bangles instead. 

Mr. (Chef) Emge made lunch for us - seafood gumbo which was amazingly delicious.  We're still waiting for the recipe  8-)  as we all especially liked it.  YUMMY.  We followed that with cajun bread pudding which also turned out quite well.  We were stuffed when we finished (Drin brought dinner rolls) and could hardly make it back up the stairs to go to work.

It was a great Wednesday work day - and we're looking forward to our next gathering - and show and tell!!

A Tisket, A Tasket. . .

My quilt buddies (Drin, Ellen, Joan) and I decided we wanted to do a friendship block exchange.  So the deal was that we would each make four blocks of two different types of basket blocks and then exchange them for a quilt.  Well, we finished those blocks this week, and since I did not want this project piling up on my work table, I decided today to get the top assembled.  The fun part was choosing the fabric for the background - of course, I chose RED!!!  A deep, rich, beautiful red!  I love the way it turned out.  Now to get it to the quilter to finish it and tomorrow I get to start another project!  Oh happy day!  What wonderful memories of fun times together will always be a part of this Friendship Quilt.  Thanks to my quilt buddies!  I love you all! 

Capitol - ism!

(It's kind of like an addiction -- I think I've got it!!!)
I went to the Capitol and testified today on two family-related bills in hearing before the House Judiciary Committee.  What a privilege to participate in our government and make a stand and speak out for what I believe in.

Heavy Snow!

 YES!  It's VERY heavy and Kirk spent today going around to different places in the valley shoveling snow off roofs so they won't collapse.  He and his helper are working on the roof of our downstairs patio.  There's at least 3 feet of snow they're moving off.   

 I wish I had gone down below and snapped a pic of them working.  It was pretty impressive.  And there is already damage to the structure, but at least it didn't collapse.

 This is the front porch after he shoveled a whole lot of snow off the roof here.  Again, I missed a "before" photo!  We had ice dams building up here even with heat tape.

 It was warm enough today that I was able to get a good portion of this part of the deck cleared off.  Such a delight to sit here in the warm sun and drink some hot chocolate!

 I won't be doing any shoveling on this pile of snow.  It's laden with ice and will have to melt off - I'm hoping by May or June!!!

A lot of snow this year.  Love it!  It's better when it reaches the top of the trampoline frame!  I'm still hopeful.  It's only February!!!

Guess Who Came To Dinner!

Michelle Bachman.  She is a wonderful and inspiring speaker.  It was a real privilege to have her come address this gathering - the Lewis and Clark County Lincoln/Reagan Dinner in Helena.  But before Michele spoke to us Denny Rehberg arrived to announce that he is running against Jon Tester as the U.S. Senator from Montana.  2012 promises to be an interesting race - sure is starting early!

 Denny Rehberg announcing his run against Jon Tester.

 Michelle Bachman with her very inspirational address.

This is a photo of Steve Daines and his wife, Cindy, and children with Michelle.  Steve has declared his intention to run for the seat in the House of Representatives for Montana.  Walt and I are strong "Steve Daines" supporters.

Sterling Goes To The Capitol

(That's like "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.")  Jan Litton's son, Sterling Small, (Jan is my cousin in Billings) at 28 years of age was elected to the Montana State House of Representatives from HD 41 (that's in the eastern part of the state) for this two-year term.  So I decided I better come check on how he's doing.  Besides I've never sat in on the Legislature in session, so that sounded like a really good idea.  Besides that, I will be attending the Lincoln Day Dinner tonight at which Michelle Bachman will be the keynote speaker.   Hmmmm.

 I started off visiting the Hearing Room for the Business and Labor Committee of which Sterling is a member.

 He took me down to the floor of the House Chamber so I could get a photo of him at his desk.  Very handsome and official looking.

 This is a view from the Visitors Gallery of the House Chamber in session.  The mural/painting is a very famous C.M. Russell and has interesting stories attached to it.  (You have to come visit the Capitol!)

 The voting board all lit up showing the member's votes.

 Jeff Welborn is speaking on the floor.  Jeff represents the District where we live.  He was introducing the Dillon Junior Fiddlers who performed during the session - but I lost the photo.  Dang it.  It went off somewhere.  It's certainly not here anymore!!!

 Guess we don't need these anymore. . . .

 We have an incredibly beautiful Capitol building.  Here follows some of the colorful details from the main hall. 

 This is a view directly up into the center of the Capitol dome.

Moose Munch for Molly and Polly!

Drin has a moose cow and calf who have decided that the hay she feeds the horses is pretty darn good, so they are there like clockwork every morning when she feeds at 8 a.m.

 Hungry horses - waiting!

 Mama Moose - Polly

 Baby Moose - Molly

 Drin and Polly - too close?

Morning in the Grasshopper.