Looking out the front sliding glass door on a rainy day this past week, a wet and bedraggled looking Gracie was sitting at the doormat, looking hopeful. It is apparent she still has pups in her nest. Of course she got a nice, fat, peanut butter sandwich.
It was still drizzling, but she took her treat to the retaining wall where she could eat under the canopy of the tree.
Back on the veranda, the dahlias are sprouting. I have these in a pot so I don’t have to dig them up for winter, I just take the pot to the Carolina room.
Next to the dahlias, the tomatoes are growing in a deep pot. I can’t wait for summer sun ripened fresh tomatoes.
The pansies next to the other pots are blooming profusely. I deadheaded them once already, and they promptly produced a bouquet of yellow happy faces.
The geranium is happy too.
Remember the strawberries from the farmer’s market? I cleaned and sliced them, and put them in a container to chill. After dinner, I served the fresh berries with some chocolate syrup that is laced with bourbon. Yum!! Want some? Evan Williams Chocolate Syrup on Amazon.
That gorgeous yellow squash became a meatless main meal. I sliced the squash, and steamed it. While that was going, I put about a 1/4 cup of chopped onion in a skillet and sauteed until soft and translucent. I added sliced baby bella mushrooms. Then I mixed a cup of ricotta cheese with one egg, added a bit of seasoning, mixed everything together and poured into a baking dish. Then I topped it off with cheese, and baked for 30 minutes at 350º.
In the sewing room, I thought I would use these Paris theme fabrics with some spoon fabrics sent to me by a reader. I had in mind a disappearing nine patch, with the Eiffel towers as the corner patches that don’t get cut, the other black fabrics in the remaining patches with the white with black words in the center. The light spoon print was going to be backing. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough of the white to make this work. Using the light spoon print for the center won’t work either, as the print will be completely lost. Ah well, back to the drawing board on this one. I might be able to find a different black on white print, but I like the French words on this one. I need another quarter yard at least.
The Garden of Quilts show was a huge success, with a line out to the parking lot to get in on Friday before the doors opened.
I entered five quilts in the show, and was absolutely thrilled to win two ribbons!! First Scrap Dance Quadrille.
Second place in Pieced Quilts, Medium Size!
The Japanese fabrics quilt called Yugana Tsuru (Graceful Crane) also placed.
It won Third Place in Special Techniques, encompassing traditional piecing, applique, trapunto, embroidery and beading.
I’ll bring you more on the show this coming week. Today I plan to rest and relax after the craziness of this past week. Then, I have a few days to play at home to finish my Project Linus quilts and maybe start another project.
What is on your agenda for today and this week?
From My Carolina Home 
Our show continues today so I have 1 more day before I get to decompress. I love your overview photo. You can feel the energy with people bustling about. Congratulations on your ribbons! I love all your patterns, but there’s something extra special about Quadrille. So happy for you.
Congratulations on the ribbons, very well deserved! The strawberries with bourbon syrup sounds so delicious, I’ll be looking for that syrup this summer 🙂
Look at all the people at the quilt show! Love how the quilt display is in a zigzag pattern and the black drapes in the foreground set off those quilts nicely. What an awesome job the quilt show set up team did!
Congratulations on earning ribbons! Happy for you and hope you are walking on cloud nine!
I like to put flatware themed fabrics in my scrappy quilts. I live in a municipality that manufacturers the only flatware still made in America. The knife, fork and spoon designs make me thankful for all this manufacturer has done for the town and its people over the years.
You deserve some rest and relaxation! Treat yourself!
Jo Anne
your quilt entries are beautiful, I am so happy you got some winnings!
I will need to go strawberry picking some time…. store strawberries here are awful.
It is so nice to see the lovely Gracie back, She needs her treats!
Congratulations on the ribbons! Glad the show went so well. Like you, I’m looking forward to those first tomatoes.
Congratulations on the ribbons! Winning just seems to put a real spring in your step. I also love the unique headers on your ribbons. My big whoopee for the week is leaves appearing on a couple of Pecan Tree baby seedlings from a tree my father planted in my yard 1993. The 1993 tree came from a tree Dad planted in my childhood home in 1965. The squirrels manage to get all the pecans so I don’t know if they are any good, but the shade from the tree is very welcome in the extreme heat of the Texas summer. Hope your rain lets up soon.
Thank you! The show was indeed inspirational!
The squirrels here get all the walnuts, the bears get the clingstone peaches. At least neither one of those like tomatoes, LOL!!
I enjoyed your Sunday Chat post. Congratulations on the ribbons, so deserved!
Congratulations! They look fantastic.
Carole, your winning quilts are beautiful, congratulations! You’ve certainly been busy all spring.Gracie, I’m sure, is most appreciative of the protein you’re providing.
My spring garden chores of amending, planting, trimming amd mulching are nearly complete. It’s a good thing, too, as we’re heating up to 90° this week. That’s way too hot for me for anything but watering. Walking starts earlier and earlier, the hotter the forecast gets.
I hope you have a great new week.
congrats on the ribbons! always affirming to garner those…i so miss my garden and pretty flowers…what i’d really like to have is a container of cherry tomato plants…so prolific and delish! talk is of erecting planters here but not yet i’m afraid…
Congratulations! And the squash casserole looks and sounds delicious! We did a lot of garden/yard work yesterday, but it isn’t as photogenic as yours. Maybe in a few weeks.
So glad your show was well-attended, and congratulations on the ribbons you won! I’ve got my tomatoes in and flowers blooming, too. It’s such a nice time of year. Enjoy a restful Sunday, Carole!
WOW So much wonderfulness! Your new “pet” is certainly lovely! Thanks for the recipe – that will be dinner tonight! Quilt Show! WOW Love the Scrap Dance Quadrille – I made that one too but it certainly isn’t as nice as yours! I gave it to a neighbor as a wedding gift and they love it too! Thanks!
Congratulations on your winning quilts, they are beautiful! I can’t wait to have fresh tomatoes and your squash dish looks delicious! Happy Sunday!
Wow! Congratulations on your wins, all well deserved. (I like the future Paris piece, too!). Gracie’s PB sandwich is darling and all looks good in your garden and pots. No agenda today, which is very nice! Happy week.
Dear Carole,
Congratulations with the two Ribbons. Both quilts are beautiful. I love the soft colors of the first one and the Quilting is fabulous. The second one is so different and also beautiful. It must be wonderful to be able to make such beautiful things. And we are happy you share with us.
I made a little quilt with embroidery blocks ( handmade) and it-s the quilt for the Spring this year.
Live is busy with caring so just a little time for quilting and the garden.
Greetings from Holland , Marjolein
Congratulations on your ribbons. Your original Scrap Dance designs are such a delight to make, and I can understand how a judge would chose it. Your Japanese themed fabric with the cranes is wonderful with all the beading too. Well done. Rest my friend. We are 90% packed for our grand adventure, and I have a quilt bee today. Might finish putting 3 rows together of a string quilt that is all webbed but has been sitting since April. Packed some fabric for a purse to sew too. Probably won’t get both done, because we visit a lot during a bee, but I will try to at least get the purse cut out .
The three of us caught a bus for a dinner & theater expedition on Sunday. We saw Singin’ in the Rain and it was great. This week I hope to finish up another Chubby Charmer tote and maybe start laying out plans for the quilting on a top I just finished up. I really need to get my herbs planted into the ground also but that involves a bit of weed control. Ugh! Looking forward to a good week and wishing you one as well!
PS Looks like a wonderful quilt show and congratulations to you on your ribbons. Love the picture of that sweet little Gracie too!
I think it’s so cute that that squirrel returns often for a sandwich! Congrats on the ribbons, that is wonderful!
Jenna
Your quilt show looks like it was a huge success! Congratulations on your ribbons!
Hi Carole. Your Sunday article about the show just popped up on my news feed. I knew you had a blog, but not being one to follow blogs, I had never looked you up. What a wonderful surprise. Congrats on your well earned ribbons. And I am signing up to follow you now!
BB