Where has the summer gone?

I can't believe I haven't posted since July.  Although I've taken lots of pictures of our mildly amusing summer adventures, I haven't finished even one of the projects I promised myself I would work on.   Now that my children are back at college and our life has resumed its quieter pace, I'm hoping I can get back into the groove.

This is the first time since we moved into our summer house in 1976 that we have spent the entire summer there.  My Viking daughter loves the lighthouse at Montauk Point which is at the end of the South Fork of Long Island.  She climbed the tower twice this summer.  She would have visited more often, but at $8.00 to visit the lighthouse and $8.00 to park it adds up to an expensive hobby.  When you are at the point, the next stop across the Atlantic is Portugal.

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This is the view from the top of the hill outside of the lighthouse.  The cement guardhouse was part of the Coastal Defense System during World War II.  A Nazi submarine actually dropped off a few soldiers who were planning acts of sabotage in New York City just of here in Napeague.  They were detected by some local fisherman and picked up before they could do any harm.  Just beyond the bluff is Camp Hero which still has the cement bunkers that housed large canons ready to defend the East Coast.

This picture was taken from the window at the top of the lighthouse looking out toward Block Island Sound.

This view from the same window looks toward the Montauk State Park.  The building on the hill to the right of the parking lot is a concession stand/gift shop.

The lighthouse is still an important navigational aid for ships on the East Coast.  This is the light in the top of the tower.  The original lamp was fueled with whale oil.

This is the view out of one of the windows in the tower.  

When we visited Cape Cod in May, I was enthralled with the lighthouses.  It's wonderful to know that we have this fantastic national treasure commissioned by George Washington right in our own backyard.  Well, it's about 20 miles away.

Day Lilies in Bloom

The perimeter of our pool is planted with perennial flowers. At this point in the summer, the day lilies dominate the garden. The highest concentration of blooms is usually the third and fourth week of July. During that two week period we average between 85-100 blossoms everyday. This year many of our plants are flowering about two weeks earlier than usual. Unfortunately, a few of the lilies that usually bloom in August are starting to open. That probably means that garden will have bloomed itself out by the first week of August.
It definitely makes me happy to wake up each morning and greet the day by checking to see which of the lily blossoms  will spend their one short day with us.

Russian Sage

I bought a small Russian Sage plant many years ago after reading that it was named plant of the year (I can't remember which year).  We planted it in our perennial border next to our lavender, but it soon grew too large for the area and started to choke the lavender.  It is now in our herb garden, although the owner of our local nursery told us it was not edible (according to online sources the flowers and leaves are edible but do not have the same flavor as regular sage, I have never tried it).  It requires no special attention and is very tolerable of dry soil.  The leaves are feathery and the delicate flowers are light lavender.

Makes Me Happy Monday - July 11, 2010

It is a gift to be able to spend our summers close to the water.  The temperature has been sweltering for the last two weeks and it has been too hot and sunny to be out on the water.  Usually, we can count on a sea breeze to keep things pleasant, but it has been too hot to even move.  Yesterday after church, we took our kayak out to the harbor.  Retired guy does most of the paddling while I get to take in the view.  After Saturday night's rain, the air was a little cooler and the egrets, ospreys and cormorants were out in the salt marshes hunting for lunch.  It makes me feel happy and blessed to be able to be so close to nature and to  have someone who is still willing to row my boat after 37 years of marriage.

Finally something to post! Stash Report 6 - 27 - 2010

Finally, some completed quilts.  Some of these quilts appeared in the blog when they were works in progress.  I haven't posted stash results for months.  Today's report confesses some additions (part of the yardage is for a Civil War block swap due August 15th).

Year to date used:  28.5 yards
Year to date added:  34.75 yards
Used this report:  13.5 yards
Added this report:  10.75 yards

As the sun faded behind the trees, I was able to take some photos of the quilts I've finished within the past two weeks. With eight quilts finished, I am three quarters of the way to my goal of completing 10 quilts to donate this year.

The quilt on the left was a Quilts for Kids kit. I used my own stash for the quilt on the right which will also be sent to Quilts for Kids.  The colors are almost blindingly bright in person.

The 2 quilts below will be sent to Wrap Them In Love.  The yellow and green Disappearing 9 Patch blocks were sent to me by Brenda Lou of Scottie Dog Quilts.  Quilters at her retreats donate blocks to be put together for charity quilts.  She also sent me the handprint fabric used for one of the backings.  I have enough yellow and green blocks to make another quilt.

Front                                                                                          Back

Two more for Wrap them in Love.

One for Project Linus.  The borders surrounding the "Eye Spy" panel are not as blah as they appear in the picture.  The fabric  is white with primary color alphabet letters.

This one is for Mission of Hope which is part of Denise Russart's Yahoo Group, The Quilting Post.  The quilts are distributed to shelters for battered or homeless women

Front                                                                                               Back

I am assembling the backing for one more quilt which should be finished by tomorrow.  I have a pinwheel baby quilt that has been begging to be finished.  Hopefully, I can get back to my Jambalaya batik quilt for the "Too Good to Cut" challenge.  Don't forget to visit Judy L's blog to see other blogger's stash use.

AccuQuilt Go Giveaway

If you are interested in winning an AccuQuilt Go cutter, visit amys creative side.  She is hosting a giveaway.  It sounds like a wonderful system.  Maybe having one would help cut down on my ever looming stash.  You can enter by clicking the button on my right side bar.  The winner will be drawn on Monday, June 14th.

The wonderful world of blogging and Bunny Hill

The blog world is a wonderful place to discover quilt designers, patterns, fabrics, and tutorials with exciting new techniques.  It's also a great way to connect to people and ideas that would be totally out of our reach without the internet.  I rarely have anything exciting to show or write about on my own blog because I am too busy reading other blogs full of the minor and major happenings in the daily lives of other bloggers.

One of the designers I follow  has a lovely blog full of inspiration and warmth.  Each time I visit Anne Sutton at Bunny Tales, her blog for Bunny Hill Designs, I feel as though I am having a cup of tea with an old friend.  I love hearing about the antics of her furry friends (especially my favorite Mooch the cat).  The pictures of her beautiful home are always so warm and inviting they make me feel as though I am sitting right there, even though I am in NY and she is in California.  Anne not only designs fabric and patterns, she generously offers a free BOM.  

About 15 years ago, I was visiting a little vintage shop and spied a pink 3 piece Depression glass child's place setting.  My beautiful cousin Teri collects antiques and I thought I would save it for her first child.  A few years later, she gave birth to lively twin boys.  Alas, the dishes have sat wrapped in their original tissue paper waiting for the right moment to be loved.  When Anne posted about finding things to decorate her booth at Quilt Market, I knew, at last, the dishes would have a good home.

Yesterday, Anne posted a picture on her blog of the dishes in her booth at Quilt Market.  While this is not earth shattering news for the rest of the world, for me, it was like receiving a hug from an old friend I have never met.

Here is one of the pictures I sent Anne to tempt her.

Thank you Anne for taking a little piece of me along to Quilt Market.  I had lots of fun.