I Like Thursday: Smartphones and Sewing

Missed last week's I Like Thursday.  Too many distractions (and not enough photos).  I pulled myself together this week.  I enjoy writing these posts and it's nice to be back.
 

The new house has no cell service.  So I bit the bullet and moved from a dumb phone to a smartphone (so it will work at the house through the WiFi).  Spent hours on the phone with tech support:  between the age of the phone, the limits of my old plan (I don't think they even offer it any more), the spotty connection I have at my place, it took us three days of attempts before the phone number was successfully switched over.  I was pleasantly surprised with the three tech support people I dealt with for knowledge and patience.  (Although it would have been nice to know that the spotty connection would cause so much trouble - I'd have tried activating closer to a cell tower.)  Spent another day with setup and understanding how it all works.  My brain is full.  But it's done!  I'm officially in the 21st century.

NYB Goosed B Blocks

The original B blocks looked so bland next to all the other NYB blocks I've made.  Plus I didn't like how a couple of them were pieced together.  I decided to jazz them up with some mini geese by modifying the inside strips of the E block to replace the plain B block center.

I didn't like the yellow on yellow on the first block, so I replaced the rays with rusty red, then replaced the center to match.  The second block retained its original oranges and blue with only a row of geese added to it.  I decided the last block would require too much rework, so I left it intact (lower left).  The last block was created from scratch.

These geese were tougher than the others I did.  Too much ironing caused part of the freezer paper to permanently adhere to the fabric.  I had to soak and pick it off.  I was careful after that.  The seams were thick and the whole piece was prone to shifting.  I'm glad it wasn't any smaller!  I don't think I'd attempt this with the 8-inch pattern.  I love how they look, though.  Well worth the trouble.

Boston Spring Pignic 2019

Once again we managed to hold the Spring Pignic on a glorious day.  Lots of lovely green grass and clover.  Happy guinea pigs.  Only one pig banished to the Time Out pen (and for once it wasn't mine!). 

This pignic was a smallish group of 17 sows and 15 boars.  Some great piggy pair names:  Milk and Cookie, Betty and Veronica, Simon and Garfunkle.  There were a few big pigs; a big loafy boar named Paddy beat them all weighing in at 1452g.  The smallest adult pig was Baci (a skinny pig - I wonder how much weight of a guinea pig is fur?) at 809g.  There were a few new faces and lots of familiar regulars.  I also added a few new names to my pignapping list (Max is lucky he's a boar - he's still at the top of my list).  I was busy inspecting pigs and answering question (always a pleasure), so I don't have many photos.  Just a few here.

NYB Modified I and J Blocks

These are the last of the new NYB blocks.  The one in the upper left is an F block inside with a J block outside.  To the right of that is a C block inside with an I block outside.  (The bottom two blocks are regular J and I blocks for comparison.)

I'm going back to the B blocks next - they need to be jazzed up a bit to fit with the rest of the blocks.  One is getting a modified center, another some serious rework, and a third I'll make from scratch.  So close!

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Confessions of a Fabric Addict - Can I get a Whoop Whoop?
Sew Fresh Quilts - Let's Bee Social

I Like Thursday: Outdoors, Indoors, New Doors?

Last week I enjoyed a class on mushroom hunting.  Learned a bunch of things about local mushrooms and how to identify edible mushrooms.  I'm curious, but not ready to make the jump to become a mushroom hunter myself.  However, while hiking over the weekend, I was delighted to find evidence of someone hunting mushrooms near Kripalu.  These look like Dryad's Saddle mushrooms, and had a series of cuts in them.  I found large red mushrooms further along that look like they had been harvested as well.

Chick Yoga Weekend XVII

This year's trip to Kripalu was just what I needed.  It took a full day of beautiful weather, good food and fun friends to let the mind calm and the anxiety to let go.  But it happened.  I feel so much better.

Four of us met for lunch on Friday, excited to have a few days off.  We arrived at Kripalu early, but they had our room ready - a six-bunk room just for us, overlooking the lawn from the quiet third floor.  Added bonus:  it had a sink.  Yeah, the stupid little stuff that floats our boat.

I Like Thursday: Plants, Green and Goofiness

One last I Like post for May.  How can June be around the corner?

My rosemary survived the winter.  It's happy to be on the deck.  My dad gave me a pot of Russian red kale, which has been growing like crazy.  I also planted some sage seeds I got last year.  I wasn't sure if they'd germinate, but they did!

I like the feeling after swimming:  a complete reset of my attitude, more than I can get from a walk.  Makes me think of Temple Grandin's hug box.  I come out of the pool feeling both like I've accomplished something and totally relaxed.  I wonder if it works kind of the same way?

NYB Geese & E Blocks

Another set done!  This is the last set of three I'm doing.  I'm getting close to the end (although recent events may prevent me from finishing them by the end of May as planned).

These are a modified E block (seen in the lower left).  I modified the inside ring with the dental look like the last set I completed.  Then I modified the outside ring to include a set of triangles like flying geese.  The inner triangles were simplified (single fabric instead of two-tone). 

Next up is another I block, a modified J block and reworking the three B blocks.  So close!

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My Quilt Infatuation - Needle and Thread Thursday