Sunday, April 24, 2011
April showers bring......
Phew! I just had a scary few minutes. Technology did bite today! My computer screen kept blinking out and going black. The Tramp looked it up and it's apparently a known problem with the video card. That's a relief. I'm not in any danger of bad stuff like losing data, though we'll have to take it in to Apple for repair. A bummer, but not fatal. :-)
Today we took a drive to the State Farmers Market in Raleigh. Maybe it's the holiday weekend and the dull weather. Both today and yesterday it seemed like absolutely everyone was out shopping! Roads, parking lots and stores were as bad as Christmas. The farmer's market was jammed with people, produce, and plants. I spent a healthy amount of time drooling over the flora. There were so many people with cameras! I suppose some of them were visiting family for the holiday and couldn't resist the photo op. It looked so fun and touristy. :-) Next time I won't be shy about taking my good camera shopping with me.
On the way home we spotted the Jelly Belly bus! I didn't catch the logo on the car. It looks familiar but I can't place it. (I found a photo! It's the Sunkist Fruit Gems car. They were at the Lollipop Shop of Raleigh.)
We bought a double pink knockout rose at the market and planted it by the mailbox. I added soil and compost to the hole but you can see the big chunks of North Carolina red clay.
We moved the yellow Lady Banks rose to the back yard and I also removed the bricks around the garden. I'll list them on Freecycle and maybe they will be gone tomorrow.
We tried not to damage the poor Lady Banks rose too much. I'm hoping with the addition of sturdy trellising it will grow up to shade our porch and deck from the afternoon summer sun. Fingers crossed.
The clematis by the mailbox is going to bloom. I can't wait to see what variety it is.
Despite the brown water, when the sun came out late this afternoon there were some nice clear reflections.
The house is disappearing behind summer green. :-) When the time comes to paint the house I was thinking of a nice Wedgewoody green. Then it will truly disappear!
And today the mystery flowers started to bloom in the garden. They're primroses! I knew they were familiar!
And in amongst them are strawberries. In fact, while I was mowing the lawn, there were small red strawberries all over the place. Maybe I'll dig some out and put them in a pot. I'd rather they weren't overrunning the gardens. I also found mint. That'll take over too.
And I happened to be standing still at the right moment when Mr. Bluebird landed on his house. There are five eggs now!!
I tried to quickly change the camera setting before he flew off but I missed. I stood awhile waiting but he didn't come back. Maybe tomorrow. :-)
Today we took a drive to the State Farmers Market in Raleigh. Maybe it's the holiday weekend and the dull weather. Both today and yesterday it seemed like absolutely everyone was out shopping! Roads, parking lots and stores were as bad as Christmas. The farmer's market was jammed with people, produce, and plants. I spent a healthy amount of time drooling over the flora. There were so many people with cameras! I suppose some of them were visiting family for the holiday and couldn't resist the photo op. It looked so fun and touristy. :-) Next time I won't be shy about taking my good camera shopping with me.
On the way home we spotted the Jelly Belly bus! I didn't catch the logo on the car. It looks familiar but I can't place it. (I found a photo! It's the Sunkist Fruit Gems car. They were at the Lollipop Shop of Raleigh.)
We bought a double pink knockout rose at the market and planted it by the mailbox. I added soil and compost to the hole but you can see the big chunks of North Carolina red clay.
We moved the yellow Lady Banks rose to the back yard and I also removed the bricks around the garden. I'll list them on Freecycle and maybe they will be gone tomorrow.
We tried not to damage the poor Lady Banks rose too much. I'm hoping with the addition of sturdy trellising it will grow up to shade our porch and deck from the afternoon summer sun. Fingers crossed.
The clematis by the mailbox is going to bloom. I can't wait to see what variety it is.
Despite the brown water, when the sun came out late this afternoon there were some nice clear reflections.
The house is disappearing behind summer green. :-) When the time comes to paint the house I was thinking of a nice Wedgewoody green. Then it will truly disappear!
And today the mystery flowers started to bloom in the garden. They're primroses! I knew they were familiar!
And in amongst them are strawberries. In fact, while I was mowing the lawn, there were small red strawberries all over the place. Maybe I'll dig some out and put them in a pot. I'd rather they weren't overrunning the gardens. I also found mint. That'll take over too.
And I happened to be standing still at the right moment when Mr. Bluebird landed on his house. There are five eggs now!!
I tried to quickly change the camera setting before he flew off but I missed. I stood awhile waiting but he didn't come back. Maybe tomorrow. :-)
Friday, April 22, 2011
Technology bites (bytes?)...in a good way!!
Lots of what I post here is for sharing what's going on in North Carolina with family far away overseas (and in the US!). And it's always especially nice to receive from overseas too! This is a recently received photo of Grand #3, sticky fingers and all. Lovely!
We are so fortunate to live in this technological world where we can not only easily talk to the other side of the world on the phone, but email, text, online chat, and video chat. It's a delight to be part of this little chappie's life even though it might be many years before I get to see him in person. He can still get to know his granddad and American aunts, uncles and cousins without ever taking the 36 hour plane trip, in a way we never could just a few years ago. Amazing really. I can only wonder what communications and travel will be like when the grands are my age and keeping in touch with far flung friends and family. :-)
In other technology news-- Today The Tramp and I made a speed limiter for my Juki TL98Q. When free motion quilting, it's very hard to keep an even speed with the foot pedal and there is no speed adjustment built in to the machine. The new TL2010Q does have a speed control and a couple of other upgrades but since this was my only complaint I was pleased to see directions to make a speed limiter on the TL98Q Yahoo Group. The parts are readily available at outlets such as Radio Shack, so for less than $20 and about 30 minutes of time I'm in clover!
Woohoo! It works! It's plugged into the machine and the foot pedal plugged into it, and I can rotate the dial to the speed I want, floor the foot pedal and sew at an even speed. No more aching leg! So. Cool.
Oh oh. Now I have no excuse not to get busy on multiple Projects in Progress. Today The Tramp (he's such a sweetie!) drove me all over the place, including Radio Shack for my speed limiter bits and pieces, and Wish Upon A Quilt for some textile love. The store is having a sale on Michael Miller Krystals blenders and had a nice selection to choose from. Perfect for the applique flowers on the big mystery quilt. Love me some rainbow colors!
Be still my heart. I even enjoyed ironing them! LOL
Oh my. Now I actually have to cut into them......
We are so fortunate to live in this technological world where we can not only easily talk to the other side of the world on the phone, but email, text, online chat, and video chat. It's a delight to be part of this little chappie's life even though it might be many years before I get to see him in person. He can still get to know his granddad and American aunts, uncles and cousins without ever taking the 36 hour plane trip, in a way we never could just a few years ago. Amazing really. I can only wonder what communications and travel will be like when the grands are my age and keeping in touch with far flung friends and family. :-)
In other technology news-- Today The Tramp and I made a speed limiter for my Juki TL98Q. When free motion quilting, it's very hard to keep an even speed with the foot pedal and there is no speed adjustment built in to the machine. The new TL2010Q does have a speed control and a couple of other upgrades but since this was my only complaint I was pleased to see directions to make a speed limiter on the TL98Q Yahoo Group. The parts are readily available at outlets such as Radio Shack, so for less than $20 and about 30 minutes of time I'm in clover!
Woohoo! It works! It's plugged into the machine and the foot pedal plugged into it, and I can rotate the dial to the speed I want, floor the foot pedal and sew at an even speed. No more aching leg! So. Cool.
Oh oh. Now I have no excuse not to get busy on multiple Projects in Progress. Today The Tramp (he's such a sweetie!) drove me all over the place, including Radio Shack for my speed limiter bits and pieces, and Wish Upon A Quilt for some textile love. The store is having a sale on Michael Miller Krystals blenders and had a nice selection to choose from. Perfect for the applique flowers on the big mystery quilt. Love me some rainbow colors!
Be still my heart. I even enjoyed ironing them! LOL
Oh my. Now I actually have to cut into them......
The day after the itch
After a long day of driving to doctor appointments (ugh) it was nice to go to guild meeting tonight. It seemed like one person after another came to me to apologize for the allergy causing fabric! It was really just a few people but I think each one of them said sorry multiple times during the evening. It was nice that they cared. :-)
It was our annual Silent Auction night and I managed to get rid of a whole box of stuff I hope other people are pleased to have bought. Of course I brought home some goodies as well. Hard to resist!
Of all things, a vintage Singer buttonholer. For a dollar!
Assorted patterns, a scrap bag and a book.
A bundle and a nice storage box of homespuns. :-)
And suprisingly....a small Lowepro camera case just right for my new camera. Heh. Who'd a thunk?
This morning before I left the house I spotted Father Goose resting comfortably on the front lawn. He was still in the same area when I got home too.
Yes....the lawn needs mowing. Tomorrow! I promise! :-)
I also checked on the bluebird nest.
Whoohoo! Three eggs! How fitting that bluebirds lay lovely blue eggs. (I still don't know what happened to the chickadee eggs.) Fingers crossed for hatchlings!
It was our annual Silent Auction night and I managed to get rid of a whole box of stuff I hope other people are pleased to have bought. Of course I brought home some goodies as well. Hard to resist!
Of all things, a vintage Singer buttonholer. For a dollar!
Assorted patterns, a scrap bag and a book.
A bundle and a nice storage box of homespuns. :-)
And suprisingly....a small Lowepro camera case just right for my new camera. Heh. Who'd a thunk?
This morning before I left the house I spotted Father Goose resting comfortably on the front lawn. He was still in the same area when I got home too.
Yes....the lawn needs mowing. Tomorrow! I promise! :-)
I also checked on the bluebird nest.
Whoohoo! Three eggs! How fitting that bluebirds lay lovely blue eggs. (I still don't know what happened to the chickadee eggs.) Fingers crossed for hatchlings!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Itchy, itchy, itchy!
Today was our first really hot and humid day of the season and I just now broke down and switched on the air conditioning. Darn it. I would really rather have the windows open, but last night I tossed and sweated and itched and I can't face another night of the same. :-P
Heh. Some of us get to sleep all day if we want to.
The other itch causing factor in my day was this quilt block. Looks innocent, doesn't it. It's a swap block for the guild meeting tomorrow and while I was putting it together my eyes and face started to itch and burn. I couldn't think why! It finally dawned on me to email and ask the person who provided the red and white fabrics if she has a cat. And that was it. It never occurs to me to ask before I take swaps . And I should! I did finish the block....in between washing my face and hands several times. And I like it too! But I don't think I want to win a whole pile of them. :-)
Parts of the big mystery quilt are back up on the design wall. I've pinned on the basket handles.
And started auditioning flower shapes again. They are just cut out of construction paper. I don't like these much.
So I scrounged around online for some 60s flower-power type flowers. The kind I want to put on the new Volkswagen bus when it comes out! LOL Of course the colors aren't right but I think this is a bolder look more suited to such a busy quilt.
I've packed up a whole box of donations to the guild's silent auction tomorrow night.
And I've finished quilting this charity quilt for Quilts on Wheels. Rather than piecing, I like bringing tops home to quilt. No cat problems with them so far but I guess I should be asking where they come from too. I can be a real pain sometimes! :-)
Heh. Some of us get to sleep all day if we want to.
The other itch causing factor in my day was this quilt block. Looks innocent, doesn't it. It's a swap block for the guild meeting tomorrow and while I was putting it together my eyes and face started to itch and burn. I couldn't think why! It finally dawned on me to email and ask the person who provided the red and white fabrics if she has a cat. And that was it. It never occurs to me to ask before I take swaps . And I should! I did finish the block....in between washing my face and hands several times. And I like it too! But I don't think I want to win a whole pile of them. :-)
Parts of the big mystery quilt are back up on the design wall. I've pinned on the basket handles.
And started auditioning flower shapes again. They are just cut out of construction paper. I don't like these much.
So I scrounged around online for some 60s flower-power type flowers. The kind I want to put on the new Volkswagen bus when it comes out! LOL Of course the colors aren't right but I think this is a bolder look more suited to such a busy quilt.
I've packed up a whole box of donations to the guild's silent auction tomorrow night.
And I've finished quilting this charity quilt for Quilts on Wheels. Rather than piecing, I like bringing tops home to quilt. No cat problems with them so far but I guess I should be asking where they come from too. I can be a real pain sometimes! :-)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
10,000 hours
According to recent pop social science it takes approximately 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to master a skill. Whether or not you subscribe fully to Malcolm Gladwell's arguments, it's generally not considered a bad idea that practicing something will make you better at it. I read somewhere (I wish I could find the quote) that Harriet Hargrave says you have to practice your machine quilting everyday for at least six months before you can start feeling somewhat proficient. Sigh. So true.
Today I put the Juki back in the table and got to work finishing the quilting on a charity quilt. I also ordered the parts to make a speed-limiter as the foot pedal is the only reason I was thinking of giving up the machine. I'm not going to keep track of my hours thank you very much, that would be way too discouraging, but I do need to get cracking and get a bunch of UFOs and charity quilts quilted. No excuses! :-)
I also have a new camera with a 160 page manual and lots of bells and whistles. Urgh. I sure hope I can master the thing without 10,000 hours! In the interest of experimentation and practice I've been steadily snapping pictures since Sunday afternoon. The pond is always a good photo subject...brown though it is at the moment. The storm and flooding left lots of debris on the overflow pipe. Ms. Goose is still over there at her post under the red tree.
The ducks and geese are unperturbed...by me and my camera or the brown water.
And the turtles come to peer up at me. I don't know how they see under there!
The bluebirds have been building a nest over the chickadee nest in the box. There were four chickadee eggs. No blue eggs yet though.
Yikes! Our vacuum cleaners are multiplying. I couldn't resist a family grouping. LOL
Sitting in the living room fooling with camera settings. Pinhole setting. This could be fun.
Grainy B&W.
Oh my!
"Happy" setting maybe? I forget!
Regular B&W.
Funky frames.
Macro...which I clearly haven't mastered.
Sitting at my desk reading the manual and snapping photos. The Tramp is carefully ignoring me. :-)
Zoom!
Sigh. Maybe it will take 10,000 hours. Oh well. It's pretty hard to go wrong with pictures of the pond....or my honey! :-)
Today I put the Juki back in the table and got to work finishing the quilting on a charity quilt. I also ordered the parts to make a speed-limiter as the foot pedal is the only reason I was thinking of giving up the machine. I'm not going to keep track of my hours thank you very much, that would be way too discouraging, but I do need to get cracking and get a bunch of UFOs and charity quilts quilted. No excuses! :-)
I also have a new camera with a 160 page manual and lots of bells and whistles. Urgh. I sure hope I can master the thing without 10,000 hours! In the interest of experimentation and practice I've been steadily snapping pictures since Sunday afternoon. The pond is always a good photo subject...brown though it is at the moment. The storm and flooding left lots of debris on the overflow pipe. Ms. Goose is still over there at her post under the red tree.
The ducks and geese are unperturbed...by me and my camera or the brown water.
And the turtles come to peer up at me. I don't know how they see under there!
The bluebirds have been building a nest over the chickadee nest in the box. There were four chickadee eggs. No blue eggs yet though.
Mastering the action shot....except the cardinal stayed still!
Charlie is always interested in what's pointing at him. He never stays still. :-)
Yikes! Our vacuum cleaners are multiplying. I couldn't resist a family grouping. LOL
Sitting in the living room fooling with camera settings. Pinhole setting. This could be fun.
Grainy B&W.
Oh my!
"Happy" setting maybe? I forget!
Regular B&W.
Funky frames.
Macro...which I clearly haven't mastered.
Sitting at my desk reading the manual and snapping photos. The Tramp is carefully ignoring me. :-)
Zoom!
Sigh. Maybe it will take 10,000 hours. Oh well. It's pretty hard to go wrong with pictures of the pond....or my honey! :-)
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