Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Twilight Zone...

Greetings...from the Twilight Zone! Now, the quilt above is not from the Twilight Zone, I just wanted to show that I have been working on the hand quilting. Many of you will recognize the Gwen Marston design. I am so loving this quilt! It is square (mostly) and true, and the secret to the easy hand quilting? SILK batting! I have the worst habit of hanging on to "stuff", and hoarded that little piece of batting for years. Why? I so have enjoyed using it in this quilt! The needle goes through just like nothing is there, and I have been trying to make even tiny stitches, and sometimes even succeeding. Fun!!
Now, for the Twilight stuff. Above is a rock that was found in a canyon near our farm...and I am sure you can see the face. The stone that is the "eye" is a piece of quartz, I think, and the rest just plain granite rock. A little creepy...a little Halloweeny...neat rock, huh? We call him (definitely a male rock) the Spirit of the Canyon.

Now above is just plain weird. See the green on the edge of the grass, on the curb? I wondered...and then looked over and a guy had a big truck with spray paint and was painting the grass green. This is while we were traveling. No kidding! Twilight.....mmmmmmm........
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Pets:
Well, our goldfish has succombed. This AM, he was begging for food and ate well, and tonight alas he is gone to fishy heaven. I think he had a good run, over 4 years old.
Rusty our poodle is declining...I took him to the vet and he is totally blind and deaf, and has heart trouble, and has had a stroke recently and profound dementia. Generalized weakness...only thing is, he eats like a hungry trucker and still has some waggy tail moments. I will do my best for him, but will not allow him to hurt...that is just not fair. I got a couple kinds of pain meds from the vet. 16 years old is a pretty old little poodle!! He has been a wonderful friend for so many years to our whole family.
That's all from our house...worked today and came home, vacuumed out the cars, made guacomole for dinner, walked 1.5 miles, and and now writing to you all!!
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Gratitudes:
Yummy avocado!
A washer and dryer
Special friends.
Quilting and quilts and quilters.
Have a Wonderful Day!!
Julie



19 comments:

Quilter Kathy said...

Very twilight zone...silk, stone, and spraypaint!?!
Sorry to hear about your pets...it is so stressful when they are unwell and struggling, eh??

The Calico Quilter said...

It's tough watching a beloved pet go downhill. Their lives are far too short.

As for the painted grass, I am told that people with less-than-wonderful looking yards sometimes spray on a special kind of non-toxic paint on the grass when they're trying to sell their house, to spiff it up a little. The illusion is more convincing when you don't get the paint on the sidewalk. It looked like that yard was planted with a hot season grass that greens up late in the spring, so maybe they just were tired of a brown lawn.

Amelia said...

Are you sure it was not some kind of fertilizer in a liquid form tinted green so they could see where they had sprayed? I have seen it that way here in Oklahoma.

Sorry about your pets...they become so much a part of the family it is rough to see them suffer.

Enjoy the warm dry weather!

Karen said...

I do recognize the Gwen Marsten design. I don't think I have ever tried silk batting. Have used wool batting and it quilts easily.
Your rock does look like a face. I think I saw something about painting grass green on a home selling show. They used it to freshen up a lawn before an open house.

MARCIE said...

Love your quilt Julie! Very dynamic! Re: the grass. When we were in Vegas my brother has fake grass! It actually looked great! It was just on the side yard next to his golf green. The rest of the yard was beautiful with rocks and flowers and bushes. Your rock is great! Does he guard your door?

Sherri said...

Love your quilt...and the rock...amazing...and the grass...it's so hot here in southern Nevada I'm thinking painting the grass would be a great idea!

Sara said...

I admit, I don't see the face...maybe just me. But painting your grass...that's weird!

Love the quilt!
Sorry to hear your pets are not doing well!

Paula, the quilter said...

That is really a strange way to 'go green'. It could be worse: concrete painted green.

Nancy said...

Painting the grass???????? How odd.

Can't wait to see what else you're up to.

Hugs,

Nancy

Kristie said...

I have never heard of anyone painting their grass!! That is ODD! :) Love that rock!

So sorry to hear about your fish and certainly your poodle. They are just sweet little dogs!

I have never tried silk batting but have heard that it is wonderful! May have to try it sometime.

Have a wonderful day!
Kristie

Betsy said...

Julie the quilt is lovely and your quilting looks superb. I will have to look for silk.

Stephanie D said...

I've heard of painting grass before putting a home on the market--probably heard it on HGTV. It's better than the orange currently on parts of my yard from the AT&T dude yesterday.

My daughter's 16-yr-old cat is back on thyroid medicine and the vet is advising her to cut back on the pain meds because his liver enzymes are a little out of whack, but Hey! The cat is 16 years old! How long do we want that liver to last anyway??

Darcie said...

Love the quilt!!! Mmm...silk batting. I can only imagine. Will you have enough for more projects?!

Love the rock! If I had more muscle, I would have every funky rock that I could spy right here in our yard!

I know that you'll do what's best for Rusty. Please give him a tummy rub from me. ;-)

Oh...and you'll be soon getting a package (a BIG package) of goodies!!! ;-)

Hugs always.

Rachel said...

I had a boss once who did that on his lawn...I would think it would kill any grass that is there but whatever! :)

*karendianne. said...

Greetings from the supersoaker isle. :) So happy to be here at the Twilight Zone.

Neat that you're doing work with silk batting. I have to say (from personal experience and seeing my wall displays) your stitches are always even and tiny but I'll play along.

Cool rock. Definitely trippy. I'd be holding onto that one as well. Very neat actually. Neat and cosmic trippy!

...and I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your fishy not to mention the aging process that is taking hold of Rusty. My heart goes out to you my friend. I hope you'll keep up updated. 16 years is a whole lot more than most of us ever get. The most I was able to cater to and care for was 14 years, which for a large breed is good but still nothing like your Rusty.

Gratutides: You!

Teresa said...

Your quilt looks great. I have not tried the silk batting yet, but would like to give it a whirl.

So sorry about your pets. They do have a way of becoming members of the family and holding a special place in our hearts.

meggie said...

Your little doggy pal has indeed had a good long happy life.
I learned today, that my son's dog has died & they are messing him about, with adopting a new one. I wish I lived close, I would get him a puppy, as he loved his dear old Ralph.
Loved the face in the rock!! Sometimes that green spray is a fertilizer.

Libby said...

I wonder how many will resort to things like painting their grass around here this summer. Water rationing isn't easy and folks do love their green, green grass.
Can you tell me - is the silk batting thin? I'm thinking ahead to my hexagon project. There is a LOT of seam allowance on the back, so I'll be in the market for a super-thin batt to quilt it with.

Marilyn Robertson said...

What a cute little quilt! I haven't quilted with silk batting yet, but I do like working with the wool batting. As far as painting the grass green - I guess he doesn't have to worry about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence any more!

Puffins and purples!!

I was tempted by Puffins...a squirrelly breed!!  LOL!  This fabric was shared with me, and I have been loved these bright, candy corn colors...