Last week, I showed you some of my hostas, and mentioned that I needed to check on the gladiolas out back. Well, they are blooming their best. They have multiplied over the past couple of years, and now are a beautiful patch of apricot flowers, amongst the weeds and poison ivy on the mountainside behind the fence.
Aren’t they gorgeous? My Sweet Babboo put on all his protective gear and tramped behind the fence to cut some blooms for me to have in the house.
Purple and orange go together well, so I cut some of the abundant hosta blooms to go with them for an arrangement in the house. I might still add a few more hosta blooms to fill in the taller part. The apricot gladiolas will continue to open over the next few days. Hydrangeas fill in the bottom.
Early one morning, My Sweet Babboo noticed that a squirrel was on the veranda, apparently looking for a meal. But I needed to make a few sandwiches for them, so it took me a minute to get that done. In the meantime, the squirrel left, and two deer came by. One was pretty slender, and stopped by the hosta bed to munch on a some of the tender budding flowers and a few leaves.
She didn’t pay much attention to me as I crept out to the veranda to get her picture.
The other one looks pregnant, and was very skittish, moving into the forest fairly quickly. Since deer in this area typically have their foals in May and June, she should be giving birth to hers soon. I hope she will bring her foal by, they are so cute with their spots.
Back inside, I wanted an egg for breakfast one morning. As I broke it into a pan, I was surprised to find a double yolk. This is only the second or third one I’ve ever seen! Pretty amazing since my grandmother raised chickens and we had fresh eggs a lot.
Speaking of chicken, next Saturday is National Fried Chicken Day. I wrote an homage to my favorite food and memories of my grandmother on my post found HERE. I lamented the closure of great chicken spots, but since that article was written, a Publix has opened here. They have great fried chicken, especially their wings. My quilting buddies often tease me about bringing it to eat for lunch at retreats and sew days.
This week it has been so hot that my Asian Salad is a good choice for a light meal. Shredded lettuce, imitation crab meat, fried onions and tomatoes with my special dressing make a tasty lunch or a side dish for an evening meal of shrimp and grits or grilled fish. Recipe on that post.
Early in the week, Gracie and one of her offspring (or at least I think is one of her offspring) came by for a meal. It is difficult to feed more than one at once, because as soon as a sandwich is tossed to one, the other one tries to steal it.
But with a little luck, I can get the second sandwich close to the second squirrel so both get a meal. Gracie likes to take her treat to the retaining wall.
On the bird feeder, My Sweet Babboo refilled it again so the goldfinches would be happy. It doesn’t take long for our local avian population to eat it.
I do love their bright yellow feathers. So many are here, the flock has at least a dozen individuals.
Yesterday, a deer came around for more hosta blooms. The ones on the side of the driveway are particularly tasty, and I don’t care if they eat those.
The two turkeys came again for more bits of whole grain bread. I almost have them to the point of trusting me. I named them Gwendolyn and Guenevere. I have no idea why, the names just seemed to fit. I call the bolder one Gwendolyn, but I cannot tell who is who otherwise.
Of course, while I was attending to them, Gracie made another appearance. I had to go back inside for a sandwich for her.
While she ate, and the turkeys were still pecking around for fallen seeds, I tried to get a photo of everyone at once. Gracie is sitting on the retaining wall to the left of the tree trunk, while the turkeys are near the driveway. I am looking over the tomato plants. Don’t look at the weeds in the front flower bed.
Over the past three days, I finished Diana’s quilt. I used the same pantograph as the last quilt, called Fascination.
I like the flowing curves, especially on quilts with lots of straight edges like this one.
I used white Glide in the top, and a light blue Bottom Line in the bobbin so the quilting would blend a bit with the darker blue backing.
I won the bobbin chicken! There was only 5 inches of thread left when I finished the quilting!
All done, I checked the back for stitch quality, and took it off the frame. Carol asked in the comments last time about the pattern. Diana says it is Breezy Windmills by Missouri Star.
I know Diana has some arthritis in her hands, so I thought she would like me to trim it up for her. All ready to give back for her to bind in time for our presentation to Safelight in September.
I have one more thing I have promised to do for Safelight this week, and I’ll bring you that later. This coming Friday is our monthly Stashbuster check in, so get your totals ready, and maybe have some finishes this week over the holiday. Have fun!
From My Carolina Home 
Bobbin chicken, lol! The quilt’s pretty. I am currently at war with all squirrels, seeing as how I don’t know which one perched his or her self on top of my concrete book reader statue and made a buffet out of my daylilies surrounding – ate every single bud! I had seen the squirrel perched about a month before when the stems were shorter and didn’t think a thing about it…..
It’s been so terribly hot here. The rain we got last night and this morning are a pittance. Hoping for more…..
Have a great, new week as we roll into July.
What a beautiful bouquet! Inspiration for a quilt if ever there was one. For my contribution to wildlife tales, Momma Raccoon brought her brood to breakfast at the bird feeder- she has 6 babies! OMG, imaging herding that little crowd around. It made me remember when my cousin talked about moving her 4 kids back to the US from an overseas posting & needing child harnesses to hold onto them all in the airport. She had her share of nasty comments about that – social media isn’t the first place to shame people – it used to happen right to your face.
I enjoy reading your anecdotes about your local wildlife. You are very kind to notice the deer nibbling your hostas was thin and hungry. Your pictures are lovely and your flowers are beautiful!
Carole, I always enjoy looking at the beautiful pictures you post and reading about Gracie’s visits. The birds at the feeder are beautiful and such fun to watch. As for my quilt, I can’t thank you enough for quilting it for me. When I read that you even trimmed it, well, there are no words adequate enough to thank you. See you Wednesday!
So fun to see all the wildlife in your yard, and the beautiful blooms, too! The gladiolas look lovely in the vase with your pretty hydrangeas. Fried chicken is a family favorite in DH’s family, also – there used to be a restaurant here that was known for it and that’s where his mom and dad always wanted to go. Too bad we don’t have Publix in Colorado! Have a great Sunday, Carole!
I always enjoy your posts about the wildlife and beautiful flowers in your yard. My husband loved gladiolas and we always had an abundance of them in the garden. The quilt is beautiful. You do such a wonderful job with pantograph quilting.
I love the apricot glads with your hydrangeas. Our turkeys are staying in the woodlands and I guess they are try to stay cool. Great photos of the wildlife!
Lovely to be able to catch up with you again! Just got home last night and got a lovely surprise. My daughter took my horribly overgrown garden and revamped it! The entire 5 weeks we have been gone she has been coming over daily in the early hours of the morning, weeding, cutting out the trees that were taking root and more. I’ll be doing a post later when the rain stops and I can get some photos. It’s enough to encourage me to get outside and try again! Sewing room has been vacant for weeks too, so I love seeing what you are working on.
good morning, always enjoy your Sunday chats. Purple and orange will work that into my next quilt. A very striking bouquet arrangement, have never since a hosta like that. Is it a bit like a Delphinam flower?
We also enjoy the birds, our complex doesn’t allow bird feeders, we have a bird bath which brings much joy to us all. We have a California quail nest underneath the honeysuckle near our back door, hatching around July 5-8 is my guess. Will be watching. This is our third year for a nest and have missed each hatching.
Canada day long weekend, rain this morning to cool off the start of the day, with lots of sports and music happening all weekend.
enjoy your day
Myrna
I have never heard of a bobbin chicken and I’m not even sure what it means but I love the name. And of course, big heart hugs to Gracie and your deer. The quilt — fantastic; wonderful colors. And the glads bring back memories. I loved your arrangement and it reminded me of when a little old man who was a viewer of our TV station would come to the building, every summer, with a big bouquet of glads for me. We didn’t know each other, he just liked me on TV! He was no spring (or bobbin) chicken back then and I’ve been gone 11 years. I’d like to think wherever he is, the glads are blooming.
love your Sunday chat with all the wildlife.
I have had 4 families gift me with their craft and fabrics so I have not
completed the stashbusters for couple months. I am trying to regift the supplies and supplies to young sewers.
Happy 4th of July.
Carole
I loved your photos.
Thanks for sharing your life with nature.
Can you tell me what a stashbuster checking is?
Maureen
Stashbusters is a year long project, with check in once a month, to help us get things finished. The goal is to have more fabric ‘out’ at the end of the year than fabric ‘in’. See this post for more details – https://frommycarolinahome.com/2024/02/02/stashbusters-february-check-in/
Such a wonderland of animals! Not many animals around here – but PLENTY of bunnies. One was sitting under a fabric yard banner of…a bunny! Finished all the mandatory quilts and trying out a fun pattern today. “Ribbons”. Nothing too taxing – hosted the 50th class reunion yesterday – I’m pooped.
Your hosta and gladiola arrangement is beautiful! What a great combination!
Jo Anne
We purchase our eggs from a local egg farm and buy a carton of double yolkers when they are available. Theyvare laid by the young hens with raging hormones, we were told! I do enjoy seeing photos of your wildlife visitors,
The apricot and periwinkle really do look lovely together! That is a pretty quilt, and the quilting is such a nice complement to the pattern. Looking forward to stash busters this week, with two bigger projects finished. We spent hours weeding Friday and Saturday because the temps were in the low 70’s…we got so much done. Today is a well earned rest day!
Your garden is looking lovely, and I always enjoy checking in on the wildlife.