One of My Favorite Things

Lunch with my quilt buddies on this "spring" day!  (Well, it hasn't snowed yet today - it MUST be spring!

 My table theme was set by my beautiful quilt cookies from 2 Cookie Momsters.  Those two moms are incredibly talented and are doing amazing and creative work.  I am so proud of them both.  (Lori is our neice!)  Check them out on Facebook.

 If you click on this you can see the image full size.  I didn't arrange them very well, but I didn't realize it till I saw it in the camera - and by then I had given away all the cookies!  (Well.  We did eat some!)

 Some of the cookies I put in cello bags and used them as table favors.  Love it!

 We celebrated Ellen's birthday and Drin brought the cake!  Wow!  She is now out of the dog (ding dong) house!  She has redeemed herself. . . .  It was ice cream and it was pretty darn good.

 I have so very much enjoyed my quilt buddies this winter.  We have met most every Wednesday during these long snowy days and have had much  fun together - along with accomplishing a whole lot of quilt projects.  Drin, Ellen and Joan and the time we spend together mean a lot to me (friends are important!) so I put together a goodie basket for them which included their choice of a quilter's tool caddy all made up from my Asian collection.  (I love Asians - they are so beautiful.)  We probably won't work together again now till fall - we're on to hiking season!!!  (We have incredible hiking here in these mountains surrounding our valley - gotta take advantage of it - great opportunity for photos.)

 Of course, we always do show and tell.  Ellen brought this fabulous quilt to show us.  It is completely finished.  It is king size.  And it is stunning.  She does incredible work - and FAST!!!

 And this is a top that she has just finished - probably lap size or wallhanging.  It is now off to the quilter to work her magic on it and turn it into a work of art.  Never a dull moment in our group!

 I totally reorganized my quilt cupboard and pulled out a bunch and found places around the house to display them.  Love the colors!  They make me happy.

 My newly arranged cupboard displaying my friendship teapot quilt.  They're all special.

More of my fun projects.  Out of hiding!

Spring Time in the Grasshopper Valley

This is what our back yard looks like today.  The Gang kids dug out forts and caves out there and this is what it now looks like today.  There's still mostly about 2 feet of snow in most places. . . .

 I think this snow off the roof now piled up on the dining room porch might still be there when I come home in June. . . .

 Because we have so much gravel in the driveway, the mud isn't too bad as the snow melts. . . .

You can see how high the snow still is as you look at the horse hitching post. . . .  I'm really looking forward to my visit to Kansas and Ecuador next week.  Should be nice and warm and sunny. . . .  Wonder how much snow will be left when I come home. . . .  (It has snowed every day except two in my memory of this winter.  Seriously.  Today.  Yesterday.  The day before.  And the day before that. . . .

The End of a Dream

It looks like Walt and I have traded in our horses for bikes.  They're much safer.  But it's hard to give up a dream.  Building our retirement home in this valley and living here very definitely included horses.