Purling Oaks

Some Saturday random

October all ready?!?  Where did the time go?  :D

Some Saturday randomness for you all since I clicked over to this compose page in an almost random manner.....

• I was the recipient of a flu shot Thursday, my first ever.  Thursday "day" was fine but that night and last evening were not so fun due to major muscle freeze on my left side, despite a massage on Friday.  I'm trying to keep it mobile today and I took some Advil so I'm crossing my fingers for better sleep tonight.
• I am happy to be home but I am missing being at Rhinebeck this weekend.  Last year was fun and I intend to make it to the festival next year, if at all possible.  I am really missing the people part.
• However, I'm missing Rhinebeck for a good reason.  My mom's family is celebrating Christmas early with our annual Lutefisk gathering Sunday.  No, I don't eat lutefisk but it is a family tradition to at least smell the stuff and I'm all for traditions.
• A monarch butterfly was waiting for me when I arrived at the DC apartment last Monday.
  
• A chrysalis had been hanging from the doorway of my basement apartment when I left ten days before but I just didn't register that a monarch would emerge from it.  (Thinking about other things, I imagine.)  So, excellent timing, Butterfly, to greet me before heading out on your journey.  
• Have I ever mentioned that I love this variety of butterfly?  That as a child, I made construction paper butterfly wings (in orange and black), had my mother pin the wings to the back of my shirt, and ran down the road imagining the beauty of wings sprouting from my body? I'm still smiling thinking about Monday's happy occurrence.
• The trees are far more bare today at home in Wisconsin than they were a week ago.  
• I had a nice week of (almost) stay-cation before returning to see my doorstep visitor.  
• I started a sourdough starter.  That sounds odd but I think you know what I mean.  Now we just have to keep using it and feeding it in hopes of it developing a nice tangy flavor....probably in six months or so I've read.
• I made a skirt and top without using a paper pattern that I felt confident enough about to wear to work.  (IPhone photo in the apartment hallway.)  Nothing fancy but I'm pleased with myself.  :D
  
• I walked home one night this week and was able to take this photo from the National Mall:  
  

Cathedral window quilt details!

Well, as long as I'm waiting, waiting, waiting for the coffee to drip this morning, I thought I should make good use of this time to show the quilt.  (Keep in mind that I am writing this coffee-less.)  (ETA:  TypePad recognized my weakness and chose to eat my first post about the quilt this morning.  The beast.  I also hate their edit/format functions.   I'm afraid to change anything in this post for fear of losing it a second time. Yes, only half a cup later.)

Yes, I am adding "run vinegar through the coffee maker" to the list that all ready has "get Jeep battery checked" and "be thankful for your AAA-membership" on it.  (It was a later than usual night last night.  *blink*)

Here are the photos of the quilt from last Saturday.  In the photo from left to right are Maddy (not her "real" name but she answers to it), Millie, Sandy, and my mom, Dorothy.

 

Large, isn't it?!  It certainly covers a queen-size bed amply.    

More details:  

 

Sorry about the lighting in the latter photos, but I think you get the idea.  That is a whole lot of handstitching!!  In case anyone is clicking in from a search for cathedral windows, this quilt was purchased or won at an Amish quilt auction near Shawano and Bonduel (Wisconsin) that occurs twice a year.  A talented quilter produced this wonderfulness that now represents precious memories of a fun, chilly day in May with my mom and friends.  When I'm at POE, it will remind me of happy memories every day.  I like that strategy.  

Clever girl.  :D

Happy Friday!
 
 
 

Semi-hiatus, you think?

Oh my, bad blogger.  If blogger is actually a good descriptor.  Is that a word?  I suppose I'm on a semi-hiatus while I'm getting settled.  Yeah, that's it.  Semi-hiatus.  Ha.

Well, life's been busy.  I am so behind in reading blogs and generally keeping up with life in general.  If this experience teaches me anything, it will be to use time efficiently.

It took me a while (and mucho grody bathroom viewing and rudeness) but I found a *really* nice apartment (and landpeople) in DC last week, nka Purling Oaks East or POE.  Now to just furnish another place to live.  You realize, it has been ages since I've done this.  It is kind of exciting and, yet, not.  Especially when you realize you almost forgot to add a kitchen waste basket to the list.

This weekend Mom and I joined her friend, Millie, and two of her daughters to attend an Amish quilt auction near Bonduel where I bid on and won a lovely Cathedral Windows quilt.  Handstitched.  Oh my.  All that hand work.   It made up for being frozen under a big tent.   And it will be a beautiful addition to POE.  Photos later.  Really.  Come on!  I'm trying to blog from DC.  Give me some credit.  :D  (Unless you are on Facebook and you have seen some photos all ready.)  Besides, I totally did not buy any of the delicious Amish-made peanut brittle.  Really.  Although I wish I would have.  I'll remember the day each time I see the quilt.

My memory has been patchy lately.  I read it could be due to stress or lack of sleep.  Oh.  :D  I think another symptom is rambling.