A Brace of Quilts

Today I have finally finished this sampler quilt (from Lynne Edwards' books) and named it Second of a Brace, "The Pear Tree Without the Partridge".

This quilt has had a long gestation period.  I started it to learn how to quilt, to try lots of techniques and find out what I liked and what I didn't.  The plan was that the nine block quilt would drape over one of my sofas.  I finished the quilt top in August 2009: Sampler quilt top finished

One of the first projects we did when Country Roads Quilters started was a Fat Quarter Frenzy

and I made a quilt of that design in 2012 which I gave to Daddy, it was One of a Brace  (scroll down to the end of the frosty post). I then decided that I would finish the green sampler quilt for Mummy, it would be the Second of a Brace.  Mummy died before the quilt was finished and I put it away, wondering whether I would ever finish it.

In May 2015, after Daddy died, I decided to finish the sampler quilt in memory of my parents and complete the brace.  Daddy's quilt was machine quilted, the Pear Tree quilt is all hand quilted, it has been slow-stitched and very good therapy during a difficult year.

And today, it is finished.  Next weekend, just a few days before what would have been my parents' 59th wedding anniversary, I shall take both quilts to a family picnic in a special place where we will be scattering Mummy and Daddy's ashes.  I think they would like that.

Lunch at the Diner

I had a very tasty lunch with my special people today.  It was DS's choice to go to the Jubilee Garage and I have to say I wasn't over keen, not being a great fan of burgers and hot dogs, but it was his birthday (28, how did that happen?)  Anyway, it turns out that the food is beautiful, very authentic, very tasty.  I had a cheeseburger and it was a delicious piece of meat, as good as any of the diners we visited in Florida a few years ago when we rated our burgers out of 10, mine was easily a 10/10.  The Jubilee Garage was once a garage and was decked out with car parts, oil cans etc etc, a good atmosphere with the Olympics showing on televisions around the bar.

Here we are, ready, steady, go:

My DS, David, and his fiancee, Jessica, 

tackle a cheeseburger and pancakes and chilli with fully loaded fries:

Little GS, Sam, prefers Grandad's chips to his own meal:

DD, Saz, was beaten by the large portions:

But Jessica and David had forgone breakfast and emptied their plates:

Next time we're going to go for a shared nacho platter and leave room for desserts!

A New Kid on the Blog

Sorry about that excruciating post title, I couldn't resist!
My DD, Sara (Saz),  has just started a blog and I just want to introduce her to you and I hope you will go over and support her.  As you know she has the wonderful Sam for her son and is doing a great job of bringing him up and doing all sorts of other amazing things too, I'm very proud of her.  Her blog is called Tulips and Cherry Trees and I can promise you there'll be lots of pictures of my wonderful GS Sam.
In case you just can't wait...Sam stayed with us last night as Saz was doing a Latin exam today, I couldn't resist taking his picture when he'd gone to sleep, bless him.

A Day of Surprises

I went for a walk with my grandson, Wills, this morning to take all our bottles to the recycling bank and he spotted this amazing bracker fungus on a tree in the village.  I only had my phone with me but took this picture.  It is really large and so rich and velvety and seems to have a whole range of creatures living under the shelter of it.
Then getting the washing in this afternoon I spotted this incredible moth, it showed flashes of orange/buff as it flew away and I believe it was a Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) but I'm happy to be corrected on that.

On a non-nature note I had a wonderful surprise today when my daughter, Sara, and smaller grandson, Sam, arrived here to go out to lunch, with my big boy, David, in their car.  Wow, smiles and hugs and tears, it was so great.  He's up from London for a few days and wanted to surprise me, he certainly did that, I was a very happy Mummy.

Lunch at Townley's in East Kirkby (good, home-cooked meals and a fantastic on-site butcher).

David with his nephews.

Sam in his Uncle David's shoes, with Grandad for support!