Tuesday, May 3, 2011

What About May?


Sometimes I suffer from indigestion of the mind.
~Carrie Latet

This promises to be a busy week in the sewing department.  While working on my monthly mini quilt yesterday, it occurred to me that Sunday is Mother's Day!  Where was my brain?  Lost somewhere in the outer reaches of Mongolia I guess.  All the ads in Sunday's paper must not have connected to the "Alert" center in my gray matter.  It's not that I don't know what I'm doing for my Mother for Mother's Day.  It's the fact that I still have to make it.  It's just a small table mat so it shouldn't take more than two days to make.  I even talked with my daughter about her coming up for my birthday weekend instead of Mother's Day weekend and the little alarm bells still didn't go off.  Maybe it's time to get my internal ears checked for a hearing aid, or better yet, a reset of all vital control centers in my human vortex - lol!

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Asparagus

May is National Asparagus Month.  Did you know that the plants are either male or female. The female produces seeds, which not only reduce the size of the stalks, but also crowd the beds with seedlings. Since the males do not expend energy making seeds, their stalks are larger and more desirable. New cultivars have been bred to produce only male plants for more cost-efficient crops.  Asparagus is one of the few vegetables that is grown as a perennial, since the plants have about a 10-year life.  Ancient Chinese herbalists have used asparagus root to treat many maladies from arthritis to infertility. The root contains compounds called steroidal glycosides, which may have anti-inflammatory properties.  The asparagus growing beds in Northern Italy were famous during the Renaissance period. These graceful spears have always been a sign of elegance, and in times past, were a delicacy only the wealthy could afford. Roman emperors were so fond of asparagus, that they kept a special asparagus fleet for the purpose of fetching it.
So enjoy this wonderful vegetable that turns urine quite odoriferous.  It is what we commonly call "pee stinkers" in our house - lol!

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MAIL CALL

Yesterday I received a squishy envelope all the way from Australia.


Lynette was my swap partner in the 6 Inch Block Swaps Australia.   She made these two wonderful blocks and included a postcard depicting wildlife of Australia.  I have never seen the blue and white block before.  Thank you so much, Lynette!!

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MUG RUG SWAP ADVENTURE 2


Leona, of Leona's Quilting Adventure, is hosting the Mug Rug Swap Adventure 2.  She is taking sign-ups now through the 14th.  I had so much fun last time that I have signed up to participate again.  This is a secret swap so your partner doesn't know who you are.  The mug rugs are to mailed by June 30th.  Don't you want to join in the fun?  Just click on one of the two links above or on the button on the right sidebar.

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MAY

Yesterday I worked on and finished my little mini quilt for May.....

This stands in my entry way for all to see.  Did you take a close look at the center of the flower?

  I think the flower is dreaming of what it would like to be when it grows up :)  I tried doing some fmq but tore it all out.  Instead I just went around the outer edges of the applique with a regular foot.  This allowed my stitches to be more even and I definitely felt more in control that way.  Whew!  Now I have a few weeks before I have to make the June mini quilt.

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I will make a hexie for One Flower Wednesday.  I will also begin working on my mother's table mat.

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GIVEAWAYS

Rocknquilts is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win one of three adorable patterns from B. Bumble and Company.  This giveaway ends Monday, May 16.

Fort Worth Fabric Studio is having a giveaway.  You could win a book titled Inspired by Zentangle fabric arts, quilting and embroidery by Suzanne McNeill, a pattern by Elemental Visions, designs by Wanda Nelson, and a charm wizard quilt ruler by Far-Flung Quilts.  A winner will be drawn on Thursday, May 5.

Jaybird Quilts is having a giveaway.  Julie is giving away a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 3.  She will pick one winner at the end of the week.

KoolBenz is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a 10 piece half yard bundle of Amy Butler's Soul Blossoms.  This giveaway ends Friday, May 6, at midnight EST.

Happy Quilting is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win two charm packs from Burgandy Buttons.  This giveaway ends Friday, May 6, at 5:00 pm EST.

So Dang Cute is having a GO! Baby giveaway. In addition to the GO! Baby cutter they are also giving away 3 dies.  This giveaway ends Saturday, May 7, at 8:00 pm MST.

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FINAL THOUGHT

We enjoyed beautiful weather over the weekend and yesterday.  Now we are on the march up to summer.  I think it might be here by next week.  My DD#1 lives near Albuquerque and she had SNOW on Sunday!  Can you believe that?  She kept texting me how cold it was - 29 degrees around noon.  How can I convince her that summer is just around the bend when Mother Nature is still throwing winter at them?  It has gotten warm enough here that I have to close the windows in the afternoon to keep the cooler air inside.  Tomorrow I will probably have to turn the ceiling fans on.  Hopefully it will be a few more days before we have to start running the expensive A/C.  But we do what's necessary.  I don't tolerate the heat well and definitely sleep poorly if the house is too warm.  So many people say they love the hot weather.  I just tell them "You can always pile on more clothes to get warm but you can only take off so many to stay cool"!

Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while.
~Kin Hubbard

Today is Tuesday - make your terrific!!

30 comments:

Barb said...

So love your mini quilt....hate asparagus...sorry!

Maria said...

Great opening quote and your post I can relate to that too.
I too HATE asparagus.
Lovely 6" blocks.
Hexies are addictive. I have just started them.

Brita said...

Love asparagus, and love your little May quilt. I have a terrific book, "Motif" that has cute small patterns that I thought I would make each month and change them out. But I haven't. You've inspired me! Continue having a glorious MaY!

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Great mini - wonderful welcome for your entryway. I have never seen that block before (Aussie Swap) and I find it rather nice - may have to try it. I haven't had any asparagus in a long time - and I like it, with dill sauce. I hope to get my blockapalooza quilt totally assembled into a flimsy ready for the long armer. Funny, I had the back done before the front on this one.

Lynette said...

Wait! Mother's Day is *this* Sunday??? whoa. lol Guess you weren't alone!

Cheryl said...

I always enjoy seeing your monthly minis. I have thought of doing a monthly free mini pattern at the shop where I teach, but just haven't gotten myself organized yet. I love asparagus and it grows wild at our cabin. Now that I know it's anti-inflammatory properties, it will be in my diet as much as possible. You are always a wealth of info.

Staci said...

Love asparagus, we had roasted asparagus with dinner last night, and I wish there was more!
Your mini quilt is just darling! I love those 6 inch blocks. The blue one is new to me, too.
We are supposed to have 90 degrees every day for the rest of the week. The crazy part is, our last frost day is May 31st. It might be 90 now, but it could still snow this month. (It has the last two years). I'm getting eager to plant flowers and tomatos and basil, but I learned my lesson last year!

Sandra :) said...

Your mini quilt is adorable - what a pretty way to greet people :)

After years of Mother's Day failures I have things in hand now - I tell hubby he's taking me out for supper on M.D., and I tell the boys (20+22) what to get me :D I wish it was different, but at least they don't argue with me when I make my requests, LOL!

Wendy said...

I like your May mini quilt. It is SO sunny and although I'm enjoying the sun right now, I'm really dreading the extreme temps that are sure to follow eventually. We just keep going from one extreme to another it seems.

Lynda said...

Love your May flower and the rose in the center is fun. I've never seen the blue block before either. Love asparagus...we had it in stir fry last night. Supposed to be in the 70's this week.....ahhh bliss!

Impera Magna said...

I love asparagus and almost OD on it when it's in season.

Love your May mini... esp the rose in the flower center! Great job....

Linda said...

I loved the May mini-quilt and the facts about asparagus. My mother used to grow it and has talked about growing it again.

Needled Mom said...

Your May flower is so cheery!!! Perfect for the month.

I love asparagus. I remember as a child going into the ditches to pick it in the midwest. The wild ones are so much better than the ones at the store or Farmer's Markets.

I'm signed up for the Mug Swap too.

You cn send all of your extra heat my way. I love it.

Have fun sewing.

Sallie said...

Love your mini quilt. Your philosphy is the same as mine - "You can always pile on more clothes to get warm but you can only take off so many to stay cool"!

Joanna said...

Your mini quilt is very sweet; love the rose in the center.

WoolenSails said...

I love the may piece, that is a nice idea for each month.

Debbie

Anonymous said...

I love your May Quilt! It's beautiful!!
Asparagus is yummy if you wrap it in bacon and grill it...
Thanks for blogging about the Mug Rug Swap Adventure! Round 2 should be alot of fun!
The weather this year seems t be a bit wierd..90's in Florida and 40's in Pennsylvania...sometimes I findinf myself missing Florida..lol Have a wonderful day!!

Megan Harmeyer said...

The May mini quilt is so cute! I like the rose shadowed in the center. Mmmm...asparagus. Well, I think the snow on Sunday was one last glimpse of winter because it's supposed to be in the upper 80s by the end of the week. I think I'd rather have snow.

Anonymous said...

What a terrific way to celebrate Tuesday! Loving your mini quilt! Just beautiful.
Jacque in SC
quiltnsrep(at)yahoo(dot)com

Catskill Quilter said...

Hey, Linda! Congrats on winning One More Quilt's giveaway! I loved the asparagus info; I remember carrying out coffee grounds to put on my grandmother's asparagus bed as a child.

Leslie said...

We are expecting 86 degrees in Alameda, CA tomorrow. For us that is really a hot one. Living near the San Francisco Bay generally keeps us pretty cool. I might have to find a pair of shorts. LOL

Mary Ann said...

Love your mini May quilt and absolutely adore asaparagas! I love mine white, from Germany and covered in butter-lemon sauce!!! If you hate green asparagas, try the white kind - so much better! Thank you for the 'shout out' about the www.b-bumble.com give away at RocknQuilts!

Barbara said...

Your mini for May is lovely! The blanket stitches are exquisitely perfect! I don't know what fmq means, but the outline quilting stitches are perfect. They highlight the design elements. Wait, it just came to me -- fmp: free motion quilting. Yes! But I still like what you did best by outlining. :)

Barbara said...

PS: Of course that was supposed to be a "q" not a "p". Think I better shut down this computer and my brain for the night. ;)

Toni said...

LOL...I love the quote and soo can relate to it...I think? :)

I love asparagus!! Yum!

Cute quilt Linda!

And I hear you on forgetting days...I totally forgot my Manic Monday offer yesterday - DOH!, so I'll have to do it next week!

Can't wait to see your productive sewing week!

~Carla~ said...

Your May block s so "sunny & fun"! I love it!! Do you have all your blocks in one place where I could see previous blocks?

Thanks for the link to the mug rug swap! I joined!! :)

Miss Hillbilly said...

Love your May block!!

We make an asparagus soup that I thought my hubby loved...turns out not so I tossed the recipe. Well, at least I liked it and I don't like eating green. I just do it because I have to.

Valspierssews said...

Love you May quilt and I love asparagus. Saw you had a win. Well done.

Gene Black said...

Mmmm, I love asparagus. I also think the blue and white block is adorable. Did she send instructions on how to make it?

Your mini quilt is very sweet.

I forgot Mother's day until I was sitting with Mom today and they mentioned it on the news. I said, "Oh no, I forgot about that" Mom said "well just keep forgetting" LOL - then she told me that she really doesn't need anything. I think a nice plant will be a great way to forget about it.

quiltzyx said...

I was never a fan of asparagus when I was a kid. Maybe because my mom overcooked it & made it too 'wiggly'. But a few years ago, someone brought a veggie platter to work that had some lovely raw asparagus in it, so I tried some. NOW I'm a fan! Especially if it's raw, but even cooked, as long as it isn't 'wiggly'! lol

Your May quilt is very cute! Good choice with the rose in the center.

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