We have a hedge of lilacs...
this is a quick watercolor sketch of my small green pitcher filled with things from the yard.
Ah....SPRING!
(watercolor by Lila on hot pressed paper)
Friday, March 30, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
More lavendar ideas....
this is a floral designed by Amy Butler....fabric from my quilt shop days.
She has a lovely website with free patterns and a
free pattern for a lavendar eye pillow!
(this takes awhile to download so be patient).
Monday, March 26, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
More Blossoms!
It is cherry blossom time....I saw many cherry trees in Atlanta...In front of my daughter's home for one place.
My granddaughter gave me this art work which she brought home from school. I love it! It is so "Zen" and was done by blowing wet paint around with a straw, a project which I remember doing in grade school. I loved it then, and I love it now! I think I even see a bee approching those blossoms!
Yesterday, as I drove to work here, I saw that our mall is surrounded by blossoming cherry trees! How did I miss those last year? Must have had something else on my mind!
(Photo from Apricot Cafe flickr photos)
Thursday, March 22, 2007
The Redbuds are in bloom!
When I returned home yesterday, it was cool and very windy (we are close to Oklahoma where "the wind goes sweeping down the plain"). Everywhere I look I see white blooming pear trees and rosy redbud branches!
I think it is time to be away from blogging and in the garden...I need to be up and moving!
(photo from Flickr photos by jaki good)
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Love is..........
A warm rice pudding on a cold
St. Patrick's evening in Atlanta!
Our puddings were baked but there are recipes for boiled and creamy too!
What wonderful comfort food, requested by my daughter, in bed with a little head cold and fever....It is nice to be here to help!
I can't believe I found this....I also can't believe that it "IS"...that it exists!
Indigo Pears ©2004 Elaine Hickey, West Falmouth 46x46. Includes hand dyed indigo and hand painted fabrics. Hand appliquéd, machine pieced and quilted.
I found this quilted wallhanging photo while working on my daughter's computer...trying to get to my blog!
It just goes to show that there really is nothing new under the sun...and maybe we quilters tend to think alike...I named my blog for indigo which I love..including indigo fabrics and for pears which turn up in many of my watercolors.....
Elaine Hickey obviosly love indigos too! I like the still-life arrangement...including how she has broken out of the square frame on the left with a pear "shadow"...the soft stripe used for a curtain behind the blue shapes.....this was in an on-line quilt show.... I'd like to see more of her work, and get in touch with her!
Oh!... and here are more lovely fabric pears!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
We found banks of pink tulips around a fountain
yesterday....we sat on wrought iron benches and enjoyed the sound of flowing water and spring breezes!
I am having a lovely time in this area....besides the lovely spring blossoms....I am reading books with grandaughter Lilia and visiting "Whole Foods" with her mom.....son in law, Bindley is feeling better all the time and his hand is healing nicely!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
I did find time to bake and tried the recipe
mentioned in the linked blog earlier today!
I used what I had in the house...golden raisins instead of currents...The Irish Soda Bread actually was quite good , especially with a large cup of fragrant tea!
I'll be having a break from blogging for the next week...as I will be visiting in Atlanta...not sure how much computer time I'll have!
Irish Soda Bread....
I've been searching for recipes using oat flour and came across this one from Wales...I think it is too large and where are the eggs?..... the internet has so many to choose from.....
IRISH SODA BREAD
1 lb (450g) wholemeal flour
4oz (110g) plain flour
2oz (50g) rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 quarters of a pint (450ml) buttermilk
Combine the flour, oats, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add enough buttermilk to form a soft dough and turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead the dough very lightly and do not overwork or bread will develop gluten and become tough.
Shape into a large round and place on a greased baking tray. Cut a deep cross in the top of the round.
Bake at 450F/230C for 8-15 minutes. reduce temperature to 400F/200C for 20-25 minutes until load sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
Eat whilst still warm!
I continued my search and found a lovely post in a foodies blog....I will use her recipe from the old family cookbook treasured by her mother. I will simply substitute my Hodson's Mill oat blend flour for the ordinary flour....I'll make a mix of the dry ingredients , put them in a ziplock bag and I'll be ready to make this for the family in Atlanta...(May have to omit the caraway?...no they are sophisticated palates, not picky, even my granddaughter!)
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Still dreaming of spring and loving the blue of the robin's egg...
My "Simple Sunday" post for today!
(photo from Google images file)
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I'm not doing too poorly with the "FindingWater", considering that our time "changed" and we lost time/sleep this week. (If I weren't so sleepy, I would read Chapter 4....)
I have done morning pages a lot...not easy when that is about the only time I have to communicate with HH before he goes to work...so I try to do them after he leaves and before I am off and running myself!
I went to a flea market for my artist's date this week...but found it mostly depressing to be in with "old" stuff when the world is so lovely outside with "new" emerging. I did buy a large coffee mug made in Italy for Starbucks....to enable me to take a really big drink along when I step out to sit and "be"!
Then I visited a gallery where my paintings have been hanging...I need to take some new ones for them....so that is a good feeling...now to paint ( instead of blog?)
A test I found on Janet's blog....
(it says, Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence)
| Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence |
 You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator. |
Friday, March 09, 2007
Thursday, March 08, 2007
This is the
Butterfly
Queen!!!!!
(sorry, Blogger messes up my layout!
that's "butterfly queen")
I've decided to do the art give-away too!
My offering is the 4x4 of the butterfly queen and the collage of the butterfly queen's home.
The collage is in a mat now and is 11X14.
The drawing on March 21st will determine one winner of both items.
To enter the drawing, just leave a comment after this post...or mention entering in a comment later.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
I'm so glad that I didn't give up chocolate for Lent...
this is the dessert from the birthday dinner we had for one of my friends,Tracie, tonight.
She is also a friend who loves the moon, so we presented her with a moon doll and a small moon quilt.
You could say we had a very good time, and Tracie was really surprised to receive one of our dolls!
Remember when spring and Easter meant new shoes?
I'm playing with 4x4's today and hope to catch up a bit on the Finding Water...chapter 3!
Blogging has helped me locate even more "believing mirrors" , who reflect back to me my strengths and give a clear reflection of my best efforts. Encouragement without being mushy.
Thank-you...and feel free to offer constructive insights!
Here are more of my 4x4's from today.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
My day off today...I tackled the borders and made the backing for this quilt top.
It is called "Teton Meadows"...because my son and his fiancee met in Wyoming in the summertime. Mountain wildflowers, which were abundant then, are the theme for their up-coming August wedding.
I tried to capture the many colors of wild flowers and used a lot of white to keep it light, airy and very traditional.
It will be going to the machine quilter soon. She will do a lovely job and embellish the surface with swirling stitches!
Monday, March 05, 2007
Two recent ATC's remind me that even though life has its rough spots, joy and happiness prevail!
I did see the moon in its lovely, golden, just-risen state yesterday evening on the way home from Mass...as we crested a very tall hill coming east...the moon was huge, on the altered horizon caused by the the hill! ...this has always been always one of my favorite places to watch for the moon!
Thank all of you for your prayers for my daughter's family...I may still be leaving to be with them this week when my son-in-law comes home from the hospital! Off to work now!
Sunday, March 04, 2007
I was so looking forward to seeing the full moon this weekend....It is so beautiful and ethereal....but of course sometimes a dark cloud may cross it.....
As seems to have happened to my daughter's family!
Her husband, who is an aircraft mechanic...working with his expertise and his hands for years....was injured Saturday morning.
the bones in his wrist were crushed, and he is now facing
lots of "down-time" and a bit of an unknown future.
As he heals, he will be at home, but unable to drive or be of as much "help" as he usually is....an interesting change of pace to say the least, in a young marriage.
Because they do not live close by, these times really make me miss my children...and I'm having to decide whether to rush in and "help"...or just leave my plans, to visit after Easter, as they were...?
Right now, I'm feeling like they will grow by handling this together....even though my daughter suffers from cronic fatique syndrome, and is just now learning how to take care of her own health and pain!
So, I'll probably stick to my plan to visit them at home in Atlanta, next month!
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