Around the House – Page 8

A Post for Jody

33 Comments / August 19, 2010 February 22, 2011 / Around the House

About two years ago (or could it be three by now?), my sweet blog friend Jody posted that she had some heirloom hollyhock seeds to give out, if anyone would like some. I’ve never had hollyhocks, but I remember seeing a beautiful row of Hollyhocks at Piper’s Quilt Shop in Salt Lake years ago, so I jumped at the chance. Hollyhocks are biennials which means that they need two growing seasons to bloom.

Last year, the green parts came up, but it sure didn’t seem like they did much growing. Turns out, the bunnies were nibbling on them, so I thought that they might not return this year. They did come back and I watched that plant like a nervous hen, all spring and into the summer. Poor Jody, every now and then, I’d e-mail her wondering why they hadn’t bloomed yet. There were buds, but they weren’t doing anything. “Patience” she replied.

And finally. Bloom, bloom they did. Aren’t they gorgeous? Look at all that yummy pollen there, just waiting for some lucky bee. And I love the pretty green stars that peek out from behind the petals.

Thank you, thank you SO much Jody. I’ve enjoyed these beautiful flowers immensely and I think of you every time I see them. If you, dear reader, haven’t been to visit Jody, you are missing a true gem. Jody writes beautifully about life on the Prairie where there’s never a dull moment. Her latest post is a classic case — there’s even a very cool video that would be perfect for your nature-loving children.

And now, I fear, I owe ALL of you a BIG apology. In my last post, Karen correctly pointed out that I used the “C-word”. The shame! I make it a point to harangue anyone who uses the “C-word” in the summer (in fact poor Karen was my victim last year), so it’s especially grievous that I have sinned. What comes around, goes around. Please forget I ever mentioned it, and I do hope you’ll forgive me as I retreat to my little corner.

XOXO,
Anna

Broken Record

56 Comments / July 18, 2010 February 22, 2011 / Around the House, Quilting

I feel like it’s just a broken record around here. Nothing exciting going on, but still working on things. I spent most of the weekend painting kitchen cabinets at MeMum and BigDaddy’s. We finished up Phase2 this weekend. Each phase takes three days — two to paint and 1 to put back together. (And by days, I don’t mean full days — we have extra time to play a game of cards or run to the store or whatever.)

I figure we have about 4 phases, which means we’re about half way through. They’re going from this old little-bit-scruffy white with brass knobs,

to a softer white with knobs that are a better match to the hinges. We did discuss swapping out hinges and then decided that was just too much work for all those cabinets. I love the new handles on the drawers – very fun.

You can also see a glimpse of the pretty new corian countertops that MeMum picked out. She wants a very neutral palate and I think it will be really pretty. The kitchen will then be accessorized in blue. She has some of those old Bing and Grondahl (I think?) Mother’s Day plates that she’s been hauling around for years and now she’ll finally have a pretty place to hang them.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch, I spent a little time organizing my flours and sugars into canisters. I was tired of all the flour and sugar bags sitting on the shelves.

And there has been a little quilting. It’s been very SLOW though.

Matching all those little points is fussy work. And they’re rarely right on the money. I’m about half way through with these blocks too.

I hope you had a productive weekend and that you’re staying cool if you’re in a hot place this month.

XOXO,
Anna

Lazy Days of Summer

65 Comments / July 12, 2010 February 22, 2011 / Around the House, Quilting

Summer days around here are so lazy, it’s hard to find much to blog about. Anyone else feeling the pain? I’m pressing on with my beehive UFO — now I’m working on the borders. I took some of my little half-square triangles out onto the patio tonight to trim them up. (Love that little swivel table.)

I love being outside. I’d move my sewing room out there if I could. It’s nice to be outside where I can enjoy my flowers.

Lots of pretty daisies this year.

Oops…ugliness slipped in. More bunny carnage — hostas taken hostage — most of them didn’t make it out alive.

We have a bumper crop of coneflowers this year though.

Thankfully, the varmints aren’t chomping on these little beauties. I think the daisy/coneflower families are my favorite flowers. Although, I do love hydrangeas. And lilacs. And probably some others.

The bumblebees seem partial to the coneflowers though. Those orange buttons are full of yummy, powdery pollen and the bumblebees are picking them clean this year. It’s fun to sit and watch them busily flit from flower to flower.

And look. Another small visitor to my quilt squares. I think she was flirting with the little bee on the right side of the fabric.

Zip. Zip. Turn. Zip. Zip. New block.

Repeat.

Zip. Zip. Turn. Zip. SWAT!

No, not the butterfly. Mosquitos.

I only made it through that little green pile before I had to admit defeat and come inside. ;-(

XOXO,
Anna

Rodent Wars

66 Comments / June 30, 2010 February 22, 2011 / Around the House

If you’ve been reading along this spring, you know that we’ve been having a bit of a problem with too many critters around here.

Exhibit A — digested hostas from early May:

and Exhibit B — the presumed culprits:

A few weeks ago, I noticed that my impatiens weren’t flowering, so I knew the bunnies were dining on them. I tried cayenne pepper, as so many of you suggested, but it’s been such a rainy spring, that the pepper just washes away. Then, I sprinkled used cat litter (ewwww) around the plants, and that seemed to do the trick — within four days the impatiens had flowers. But last weekend, I was checking on my pretty-pink-lilies-to-be, and found this:

Now THAT whizzed me off! Almost all of my lilies are gone!

This.
Means.
War.

I borrowed TheBigGun from a friend of mine.

TheManoftheHouse put a delectable dinner of carrots and peanut butter in TheBigGun on Sunday afternoon, and by Sunday evening, we had a contestant.
But Wait! This isn’t a Bunny!

And neither is this:

Apparently we’re feeding a whole zoo of little critters around here. So far, the count is 1 ground hog, 1 bunny (I wasn’t here when he popped in), and 1 raccoon. They’ve all been safely relocated to a nice patch of woods by a church. I’m hoping they’ll get religion and realize the error of their ways. It’s a cardinal sin to eat my lilies.

Awww, look though. Aren’t they cute with their sweet widdle bitty beady eyes? I almost feel guilty taking them away from our smorgasbord.

Hopefully, we’ll find the rest of their friends and they can all be reunited for a weekend of repenting in the woods by the church.

XOXO,
Anna

P.S. I added Moda Bella Color cards to the shop AND the Bolts O’ Bella are once again on sale for 20% off in honor of the 4th of July!

Spring Flowers

55 Comments / April 23, 2010 February 22, 2011 / Around the House, Sewing

Hey – that was some serious fun — reading about all of YOUR recipe addictions. It seems that MeMum isn’t alone in her little clipping obsession. Thanks for all of the fun organizing ideas too. You probably haven’t seen the last of those recipes. ;-)

These are some pictures of the flowering crabapple in our backyard. Isn’t she gorgeous? I love this time of year when we get a pretty, but very brief burst of color from this tree. I know she’s a she, because she smells like a girl. I had our patio doors open tonight and the room smelled like it was full of fragrant flowers. Yum!

We used to have a crabapple that had hot pink blooms in our front yard, but it was planted in the middle of an ivy bed and one spring, shortly after it bloomed, it died. Turns out, a nasty little rabbit hid in the ivy and ate a ring around the bark at the base of the tree and killed it. We keep the base of our pretty white tree in the backyard clear so that there will be NO hiding, bark eating bunnies.

Still on the subject of flowers, I made this little pair of flowered slippers this week. The pattern is Foot Prints by Timber Lane Press. The caterpillars met with an untimely demise shortly after Christmas and my tootsies have been cold since then. I’m a big slipper wearer — both for warm feet and to prolong the life of my handknit socks.

Only problem is, these little sweeties are just a bit too snug. (Dang it BrigetteNoBlog (you need to post, hint hint) — you should have saved that snarky big feet comment that you left on one of my old sock posts for this special occasion!) They only took a few hours to make, so hopefully I’ll have their replacements done in no time.

And one last thing. I saw these cute little dollar bill shirts on How About Orange. I’ve entertained myself during BOOOORING telecons this week by wowing the guys at work with little shirts. They’re really fun and easy to make. I googled dollar bill origami and this project was by far my favorite!

So, that’s it for tonight. Have a wonderful weekend — see you again in a few days!

XOXO,
Anna