I had all good intentions of getting some sewing done this past weekend, but you know what happens sometimes to best laid plans. Friday was spent entirely on Shop Hop, visiting four stores over 90 miles apart, plus lunch with a group from our guild. The promised rainy day on Saturday canceled a car club drive, and I thought maybe I’d be able to spend some time on a new project. But as that day progressed, I got busy cleaning the house, and it just got away from me. I did a deeper clean than my usual, and it took most of the day. It is great to have a sparkling clean house, but I was too tired to start something later in the day. Add to that a meeting of the Chookshed Stitchers, my blogger buddies from all over the world who meet on Zoom from time to time, and I got nothing done. But, back to Shop Hop, I was pretty good, only picking up 3/4 yard total in the form of 3 fat quarters that were gifts from the stores for being in a group. Our leader made us little yellow ribbon bows with thread spools to wear showing we were all part of a group. The two solid color pieces on the upper left here are wool, and I’m not adding those to my Stashbusters count of quilting fabrics. Wool is a whole other stash, LOL, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
The only thing I did manage to accomplish was to add a batting layer to my cardboard display board for a class I am teaching on Thursday. I’ll be in Landrum to speak to their guild with my Scrap Dancing program, then teach my To The Nines quilt pattern.
In the garden, my tomatoes are coming along.
The squashes are running over the edge of the planter.
It looks like I’ll have some little grape tomatoes soon.
I think this is a spaghetti squash, but it might be a pumpkin. I hope it gets ripe this year. The one like it last year never did ripen.
Lots of basil is growing between the tomatoes and squashes.
On the circle, the hostas are still blooming more than a week after they began.
On the veranda, my toad lilies have put out long fronds which should be covered in blooms in September.
I am hoping that this heartleaf brunnera will bloom this year. Last year it bloomed in May, but this year so far it hasn’t bloomed at all.
I’m not happy with the torenias I put in the hanging baskets. One has died, and the rest had one round of blooms and it looks like they are done. I’m going to get some petunias to replace them, at least I know they will grow well and the hummingbirds like them. I have seen just one hummingbird this year, but since my good camera died, I didn’t get a photo of it. But Oliver was looking particularly cute with paws folded, patiently waiting for someone to notice and perhaps offer a peanut butter treat.
Back in the sewing room, I have pulled the quilts I plan to enter in the Mountain State Fair, and hung them on pant hangers in the laundry room. This will keep them from creasing while they wait for the turn in day in September. I’m also starting to think about what recipes to enter, and whether or not I have any crafts for this year. Reading the catalog, I was surprised and pleased to see that a papercrafting category has been added! So, I need to do a bit of stamping this summer.
What is happening in your garden and sewing room?
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From My Carolina Home 
You are one busy lady. I think I am busy but boy oh boy am I wrong. Love to hear all about your busy life. Love the hostas under the tree. Beautiful.
I love how you write – maybe a book in the future?? Loved your descriptive of Niagara Falls – never been there but would like too. Someone said to plant basil with tomatoes to make tomatoes sweeter – is that why you do?
Thank you, Dee
Shop hops are fun! Glad you were able to go and came home with some freebies. The batting covered display board for the class you’re teaching looks very handy. I’ve lots of green tomatoes, too – ready for them to start ripening!
My garden is gone. Too much heat. The only thing that has survived is Basil, which I have never been able to grow before. Sewing is not going too well. Even though I am inside, the heat zapps my strength. The only thing I have accomplished is sewing the tea towels.
I think your light colored ball is a round, or 8 ball, zucchini. I am growing some. Perfect for scooping out and filling with favorite stuffed zucchini recipe.
My petunia flowers were all eaten by a woodchuck ( groundhog) while I was away last week. Also squash leaves and tomato flowers. But I had lots of yellow and red cherry tomatoes and 5 Kirby cucumbers. Small yellow squash not ready yet.
Made 2 simple 4 patch quilts with alternating print blocks. One baby sized 36 X 42 and lap / twin size 60X72. Just tops but pleased with my cabin porch sewing in the mountains. Also 6 hot pads.
Back to job today.
So much happening in this post…… Lovely to see you with the Chookshed Stitchers……
Hope you get some nice tomatoes soon…..
Oliver came in close for his treat. Next he’ll be knocking on your window. Yesterday I pin basted a king size quilt & managed to get in a few lines of quilting. It seems to take more time to move out the furniture/fixtures, set up/breakdown the tables, & move things back than time spent pinning. And that’s why quilters buy a long arm!
I don’t know how you manage to have time to clean with all your sewing and gardening — and that’s both more fun and looks just fantastic. Love the quilts you are taking for entry and delighted to see Oliver again. It all looks great!
I have a doe that comes close to my fence every time I step outside – she knows that I throw veggie scraps over the fence so she is ever hopeful 🙂 My garden (in central Texas) is struggling with the >100 degree temps we’ve had for so long, but I put a shade cloth over the whole thing so I am still getting some tomatoes – I only planted cherry tomatoes (4 varieties), and I tend to eat them all while perusing the other plants, lol. I lost 3 zucchini plants to the dreaded squash vine borer, but have been much more vigilant destroying their eggs on my remaining 3 plants, and they are rewarding me with several baby zucchini. My basil (both sweet and lemon basil) is doing outstanding also. I have done almost no sewing lately – I should since it’s much cooler in my sewing room than outside, but I am such a summer girl that I have to get my hours outdoors. You were far more disciplined on your shop hop than I was on our spring one – I bought a LOT of fabric and removed myself from the stash busting challenge after that 🙂
Everything looks so lovely and lush : You have a green thumb!
Love the garden – always a pleasure to “walk” with you and see all the blooms. A REAL Shop Hop – how fun! Off to “Sewing for the Kids” that are at the kid’s nursing home near here. Mostly twin or a bit smaller quilts, colorful fun quilts.
Thanks
The garden is looking great! Always fun to watch things grow. Lots of nice fabric and quilts.
Sounds like you have a lot going on. Thanks for the update on the sales.
Busy and happy I think! Your veggies are looking good. hope you get more sewing time this week!