Happy Father's Day

 

It appears that Fathers in my area have not been overlooked on their special day. 

It was slim pickings for cards at the grocery store. 

Dad, as a cherubic toddler

Dad was a man of many talents. 

I never knew he could play the accordion, but recall finding this one in the attic.

Mom and Dad, perhaps at some sort of mixer during their college years. 

My Dad insisted on a Father/Daughter dance at my wedding.

Dad's manner of babysitting! 

Dad at 96, a year before he died. 

He never lost that smile and the twinkle in his eyes! 

Happy Father's Day.

You are always in my heart. 

Jasmine on the Move

This is Asiatic Jasmine. This is a hardy evergreen vine-like woody plant. It is native to Japan and Korea, hence its common name. The vines create a thick, tangled blanket that chokes out other weeds. It makes a great ground cover. It isn't picky about soil. It survives drought. It survived our freezing temperatures. It seems to thrive in our relentless sun and heat. It doesn't seem to mind if the dogs curl up in it, where they are almost covered by the runners (although I do occasionally wonder if there are any snakes curled up in their as well!). I recently learned that in the spring you should actually mow it! This is supposed to encourage new growth. Judging by the looks of our jasmine patches, I'm not sure it needs much encouragement!  

We are putting a small patio between the pool area and the garage. The guys were here to begin the preparation a few days ago. I asked if they might be able to save some of the Jasmine as I wanted to move it to the other side of the house. They dug it out in large slabs and hauled it around the house with the tractor. The information on transplanting jasmine suggests handling the roots gently - ha! These hunks were dug out and partially dragged into place. The information about planting also suggests doing so in spring when temperatures are lower. I think it was 95° the day they moved it, with a heat index over 103°. Not exactly cool.  I needed the Mister on his tractor to push the heavy slabs; they were almost 10" thick and included the greenery and vines, the roots and a fair amount of dirt. As best as I could I jig-sawed the pieces together., filled the edges and cracks with soil, and watered the heck out of it. I'll see just how hardy this plant can be, given time! 

This is the bank that was previously planted in Cast Iron Plant.

I moved many of the plants to a shadier area in our garden in May.

Cast Iron Plants, according to what I've read, do not care to be moved. They don't like their roots to be disturbed. Well, it was either disturb their roots by moving them, or watch they struggle in the newly sunny area created when some trees had to be removed. 

I can't say that the Cast Iron Plants are now thriving, but they haven't died, and don't look like they are struggling. The newly moved Asiatic Jasmine is in the background of this picture. 

 

Just Peachy

Shortly after we moved into 'The Hacienda' we purchased two peach trees. They made it through their first summer. Winter was tough for them. The trees had some blossoms, but the cold weather did them in. We didn't hold out much hope for any peaches.

But...one brave peach held on! We watched through the spring. It continued to mature. It grew, it began to have a blush of color...and finally, I found it on the ground, probably just after it fell. A nice, plump peach. Our only peach from either of our trees for the year. Not much of a crop.

But...

It was good!

Yum!

Now....That's Hot!

 

I checked on our weather using Weather Underground. 

This is what came up....

Seriously?

Do you see the "like" temperature? 

Is that's supposed to be the heat index?

It looks like I could do some slow cooking just by putting the pot outside! 

Regardless, I'm quite content to stay inside!

State Quilt

 I've been 'mum' about this from the onset, but decided I just had to share. As I have posted previously, I am in charge of the annual quilt challenge for the CCCQ guild. In honor of the 250th Anniversary of our country, the challenge is to pick the name of a state from a hat, and make a quilt about that. 

The state that I drew was Delaware. I did a bit of research. Delaware's State colors are buff and colonial blue. Delaware's flower is the peach blossom. Delaware is the 2nd smallest state, after Rhode Island. 

For some reason, I searched online for a Delaware 'doll'. Lo and behold...a doll showed up on eBay. She won a blue ribbon in 1961 at the Delaware State Fair. 

OMG, she was darling. I am not a doll person, but I had to get her. I won the eBay bid and she was on her way. As far as I can tell she won the ribbon for her hand-made outfit. It is all delicately stitched by hand. When I get brave enough, I will wash and iron her dress and pinafore.

Next, I decided, since Delaware is a small state, a small quilt is in order...one using the state colors and the state flower. A quilt that would be a perfect quilt for this doll! 

So began the collecting phase. I picked up fabrics in California and locally, and finally settled on a pattern.

Here are a few of the early contenders.

I decided that my doll quilt would be made of two different blocks. The first, a nine-patch that finishes at 1.5 inches, and then another square within a square,  with the center set on a diagonal. 

I experimented with doing some embroidery for peach blossoms, the state flower. 

Although I liked the way it look, I decided to use the floral fabric I had found. 

I began cutting, stitching and ironing. 

It slowly came together. 

Now to decide whether to go with the norms of turn of the century, and have no border, 

or whether to add one. Your thoughts?

Games Corgis Play

 I discovered that our Corgis love to play, "Where's the Corgi?" If I'm changing the sheets on the bed, or handling large towels, or changing out the sofa cover, they love nothing more than to have me cover one of them, and ask, "Where's the Corgi?"

The other Corgi moves in, and they wrestle in play, one under the covers, the other on the outside. They've also played the game with one on either side of floor to ceiling curtains. To date, they have not torn holes in any of the fabrics...well, the gauzy sheer curtain did have a few pulls, oh, and the quilt batting hanging from the belly bar of my long arm machine to the floor had a few holes.... but, what's a little damage when so much pleasure is to be had! The game goes on....

and continues until the missing Corgi tunnels out of the fabric.

There's the Corgi!

Games Squirrels Play

Apparently Kaitlyn has a new friend. I have noticed her hanging around the base of this oak tree several evenings now. Today I watched from the kitchen and snapped pictures of her antics. 

Kaitlyn is mesmerized by the squirrel up in the tree.

The squirrel seems to be having fun moving around the tree, and teasing Kaitlyn.

First she is here....then she is there!

Kaitlyn peers around the left side of the tree....

While the squirrel comes down the other side, shaking her tail and chattering at her.

The squirrel is leading Kaitlyn on a merry chase from her 'handicapped' position on the ground. 

The squirrel is playing hide and seek!

Twice, while I was watching, the squirrel came down the tree, 

coming within a few feet of the ground.

Catch me if you can!

What a tease!

"Which way did she go?!"

Poor Kaitlyn just can't get a break!

But the squirrel seemed to have a great time!