Deer's Mill Bridge

Just for fun photos that I thought you might like to see!

My husband is part of an online panorama group and he went to Montgomery County yesterday to take photographs for their current project. The above photo shows the original bridge built in 1878 and the newer bridge currently used for traffic. It takes a series of pictures that are then "stitched" together in software to make these panoramas.

I'm including additional photos for those of you who have never been able to visit one of these old bridges and see the workmanship involved. And a few more just for fun!





























This is a ceiling shot...















All this water is usually not much more than a stream, but with all the rain we've had (you can tell how green it is), the water level is really high.


Sure wish some of this rain we've had could be moved just a little south to help our Texas friends and family...

Enjoy your weekend! Mary

Clicking on a link...

Or how your blogging friends can get you into trouble! First Joanne sent us to the Blogger's Quilt Festival--and I spent two evenings and viewed 200+ quilts. And a couple of days later, Katie showed us her quilt and recommended that we view the quilts... Having already looked, I thought "well, maybe a few more have been added". Yeah, many more! And THAT sent me back to the quilt that had been lingering in my mind... This had special meaning for me and caused a shift in thinking--even about ordinary every day events.

This quilt design is from Piece N Quilt and I immediately sent an e-mail requesting the pdf file. I also noted that she did not have the Moda Half Moon charm pack. (In the meantime, I thought of another color combination when I found the Cherish Nature charm pack... You can tell I'm getting into trouble, right?)

I stopped counting how many hours I had spent searching on the internet for these charm packs on the second day. One pack came from Utah and the other from Michigan. Maybe I should have called Katie to help track it down? And the pdf file still hadn't come... So I went online and ordered the backing fabric from Piece N Quilt and mentioned I hadn't received the file. Then it quickly arrived, but I am sure she had her hands full with the Quilter's Festival.

I decided to use red with the black/white version and happily went off to the local quilt shop for the white for borders and sashings. Then I remembered the fabric from Mary Jo's Cloth Store! Perfect! The half yard I got from the Robert Kaufman Fusion line was great. Shades of blended reds that make you take a second look. But I only had half of what I needed--no problem. Just go online and order! I was delighted when I located the color and quickly placed the order... NOW I was on my way and started cutting and working on what I had on hand. Are you shaking your head and doubting my wisdom yet?

And I worked some more while waiting for my extra fabric....

And the package arrived!

And I opened it!

And never trust your monitor for color...or at least pay attention to the name of the color!
Maybe I thought it said "flamenco" and not "flamingo"? I obviously was not using my brain at all! This fabric is a beautiful raspberry color, but....

So back on the phone with one of the delightful ladies in customer service at MJ's. And since there are four shades of red in the fusion line, I sent off a sample. And a few days later they called to tell me that "my" color is back ordered.

(And yes, I have to eliminate one row on the black/white/red version--I can't count either!)

I have moved on to the Cherish Nature charm pack. What do you think? Hopefully, I'll get them done this year!




And no, Theri, I am NOT going to publish my UFO list...

Mary

A BIG box and a smaller package

First, the smaller package. Remember when Theri showed a bunch of blocks and asked which ones she should send to Mom? Hmm... Guess I should have answered because all of these showed up!

Five of them are complete with the info we are supposed to add. The sixth block says "from your darling daughter" and then "to my marvelous Mom". Which one is definitely going in the quilt? Oh, who can choose? Maybe all of them!

I think I told you awhile back that I had promised Theri that we would come to Texas in November for the Houston Quilt Show. My side of the family is notorious for being procrastinators and I have put her off for a long time with "maybe next year". One of the first things I did when I found out that we were losing my brother to cancer was to call Theri and start making plans.

One of my concerns was that this show is SO huge. I have COPD and I wondered about rest areas and how to drag packages around. Yep! Putting $$$ away for this adventure. When Theri and I were at Mary Jo's Cloth Store, I told her of seeing a shopper with a walker with a built-in seat the first day I had been there. No, I don't need a walker, but the seat looked pretty handy!

A couple of weeks ago, Theri called and said that a box was coming--but she wouldn't say what!
Look what showed up:

Yeah, no make-up, laundry on a chair (halfway to the linen closet), but the UPS truck was outside! (And yes, the framed Santa cross stitch w/beading is still on the wall because it cost so much to have it framed this last December that I am going to enjoy it for awhile yet!)

Is this a perfect fit? Did you
see the size of the bag? Wow,
we can fill it and push it around
with ease....

She found it at Amazon and it
is called StylishALL. It can also double as
a luggage rack...

Don't I have a wonderful daughter?

Mary

Hello-o-o-o.... Anybody home?

I'm still here and have been trying to blog for the last 5 days. I usually post in the evening and each time I sat down to start, thunderstorms and/or tornado warnings were in effect. That's a definite puter shutdown!

Then I got bright (hmmm) and tried in the afternoon. Just one little blob out there to the west--no problem. Well, that turned bright red (on the radar) just before it got to us. Always remember that bright red in nature means danger! Another whopper, but what a lightening show...

Then, last night, just before the ritual began AGAIN, I found a message from Katie on my g-mail (which I admit I am really bad about checking) and absolutely promised I would blog today. And Theri reminds me every night! Maybe that's all it took? No clouds, no warnings, and even the humidity (yucky stuff) is relenting.

This is certainly my month for packages! Plenty of stuff I've ordered, but that comes on another blog that I can blame Joanne & Katie for... A BIG box from Theri--and that's another blog. So now it's time to show my swap blocks (took long enough for me to get here, right?):

First package opened: the beautiful blue blocks from Canuck Quilter. Aren't they lovely?
Even better if I could line them up squarely! I thought of her the other day when another lady in the quilt shop was having a stack of blue batiks cut; I'm guessing she's starting "Outside the Box" from the August issue of APQ. Have you seen that one Joanne? You said you were thinking of blues again since you've used your stash on all of us!

Second package: a wonderful assortment from Katie. Obviously, the blocks are great! I am absolutely sure that I never mentioned the 2 years I had a frog in my fish pond, but that's what is on my scissor fob. And the fabric inside the flower petal pin holder is a baby chick...a perfect reminder of my chicken wall hanging. AND, as a special thanks for the dollie quilt fabric, she sent a Soul Mates charm pack pattern for a wall hanging or table topper. There are 2 blue birds in the center! Is she good, or what? Oops, forgot to add the wrapper for the Ghirardelli chocolate bar!

Next came Ruth's blocks. Don't you love the variety and contrast in these blocks?! The tissue holder is great for my purse and the bookmark is already in use (so it's not in the picture). Loved the postcard from Arches National Park--wow! Certainly different from my memories of taking the children skiing in Alta when they were little. Just goes to show how diverse and magnificent our states can be! I was late mailing Ruth's package---she almost beat me. But hopefully she will have surprises when she gets home!


Beth's blocks came the same day as Ruth's package. The little heart opens to make a full circle for needles. What a cute idea! And how did she know that I am forever sticking my current needle thru the edge of my cross stitch and hoping that I don't drop it somewhere?

Thanks to all of you! All of the packages are like a birthday or Christmas in June...

Mary