Where'd He Go?????

Very early yesterday while searching for fabric to use as backing from my stash, I discovered a large amount of paisley fabric I had forgotten about.  Because I need to layer my quilts on the large Lions Table over at the community center, I decided I sit and sew the whole day, the first day without plans for it in a long time and so I made these log cabin blocks.
Once I get the whole thing sewn together I will still need borders, but I couldn't resist sharing with you. 

The colors are red with green paisley print with unbleached muslin. (why don't digital cameras give true colors?) 
It will measure 58" by 58" once the last huge block is attached.  Then a nice wide border and it too will be ready to sandwich.
Log cabins are so quick and easy to sew up, the cutting is what takes a bit of time.  A huge pile of 2.5" strips and Bob's your uncle!  A Log Cabin quilt top.  Of course it will look so much nicer once the border is sewn on don't you think?
I am pleased with the layout, I didn't like the staggered look, nor the fields and furrows, I thought this looked good to me with good space for quilting.
I have lots of the paisley print left so I can have nice wide borders.
I think I could make some piping using the unbleached muslin along the paisley border, it might just look all right?  Have you ever used piping to enhance your quilts?
Getting this far was great but I was finally so tired and decided that I could cut and sew the borders this weekend.  
There wasn't much on tv so I went web surfing and stumbled across  Cathy Miller, the Singing Quilter.  I confess I had heard of her some years ago but never really went looking for her, but my web surfing led me to her web site. She's a good read and her travels are so interesting and the people she knows in the Quilting world is astounding. If you have time and want to meet this interesting woman, you can find her real easy just click here!  If you haven't met her before your infor a real treat, I decided she was someone I wanted to follow, so that means I get to be informed of all her adventures, she's actually making ready to go to Australia. 
For the most part my camera is always at the ready, I got these pictures of the storm last night.  What weird and wacky weather patterns we seem to be experiencing lately..... 

just before a loud clap of thunder this is what the sky outside looked like.   Then just as it happened on Wednesday evening another rainbow appeared above the Bay, only this one larger and more colorful than on Wednesday evening.  Can you believe it?  

Then, me being me, I just had to get myself out there to find that pesky leprechaun to see where he was going to hide that pot of gold, I figured two fantastically beautiful rainbows can't be happening all that often so there much be a leprechaun very near at hand, I was going to find him with that pot of gold this time and finally become rich!!!  For my foolishness all I got for my trouble was a good soaking, no hide nor hair of him or his pot of gold!!!! Sneaky little man disappeared into those sparkling green trees, and I lost him!  

Drat and double drat, but I did manage to snap off this beautiful picture of another much larger rainbow and a soaking......LOL Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by to visit with me today, I sincerely hope your day will be filled with sunlight and laughter.
Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.  ~Guilaume Apollinaire

It Came, It Conquered, It Left

I just have to share these pictures with you.  One hour is all it actually took to come through and leave.  Last night at dinnertime the sun was shining so brightly and all of a sudden it began raining!  I am forever taking pictures of cloud formations and this afternoons' panorama made me run and grab my camera.  I realize there are trees, houses, hydro poles and wires in some of these, it cannot be avoided from my vantage point upstairs, but, I can never get enough of clouds and the vistas some of these pre-storm formations which send my imagination soaring.    As a child I would make up stories about those far off places I could envision in those cloud formations,  just before a storm, or, when sitting in the back seat of my fathers' vehicle seeing those beautiful cloud lands in the distance as we traveled home.  
Last night looking beyond the horizon I saw clouds that looked like mountains and blue sky that looked like a body of water patiently waiting for people to sail on it, well, that was my imagination working, what it was was a a heavy cloud formation bring with it a heavy rain storm.  I also heard thunder in the distance so I knew these were a prelude to what was on its way, we were in for a thunder storm, so I decided to take it in its progression.  I took over 100 photo's and these are but a few.

There in the back, can you see those mountains I saw?

After I took the picture above there came such a heavy loud boom of thunder that it made me jump, I wasn't expecting it to be so close.

Then the rain came so fast and so heavy I could hardly see through it.

Even the wild rose bushes (guess they should be called trees now) were left with broken branches. 

In less than 5 minutes it went from really dark to light again leaving behind a a freshness to the greenery that was sparkling.  And above us a rainbow which needless to say I just had to take a photo of to share.

The storm has not entirely left us and was still rumbling out there but it seemed like it was moving eastward away from us.  I have to say all of my mothers' beautiful,  full and luscious peonies are well and truly destroyed.  Every year mother falls head over heels in love with those beautiful peonies and in a matter of days after flowering a heavy rain comes along to obliterate them.

After it all we were treated to a very pretty sunset.  Guess if the old refrain of red skies at night is true, then today should be a beautiful day.

Hoping all is well in your area and that you experience no flooding as this particular storm sure dumped alot of water on us in such a very short span of time. 

Our Town has had work done over the past year with storm sewers and sidewalks and new road paving undertaken, I can only hope that the damage a heavy rain such as we just had last evening will no longer be a flood threat to those along the route where the work has been done and I believe finished as it applies to the storm sewers and proper drainage.  I do know that my car got a good washing and the gardens and lawns in our Town certainly received that life giving nutrition from the heavens and even with some destruction to those heavy headed peonies, it was worth it.  I have been seeking a rain barrel for the collection of rain water, so far I have not found one (their so expensive)and I want one for free!  Can you imagine the amount of  free water I could have collected last night?

I am off to sewing club today, taking this quilt along and hope to have all borders finally attached.   Please, cross your fingers that one or two more people show up and that this club may eventually take form and shape.  If  the club does not grow a little more by the end of July I will have to admit defeat and shelve it for the summer and try again this fall.

Don't let anyone steal your dream.  It's your dream, not theirs.  ~Dan Zadra