Patriotic weekend

Can hear the music I'm sure if you try real hard you can.

Saturday night we went to a concert by the Mormon Ensign symphony/choir. It was a satellite choir like the tabernacle choir, but not so famous and was held at the high school near us. There were 120 voices and a 60 piece orchestra. Anyway, the theme was patriotism and they sang songs that just made one weep, especially when the military posted the colors. Then about half way through the concert, they had each branch of the military march down two isles carrying the American flag and the flag representing their branch while the choir sang their anthem. Their was one female and one male of each branch and a big screen showed the emblem.

Some of the songs were old folk songs like, Cindy Cindy and Shenandoah and really brought back memories of learning those songs in primary school. Then they sang you're a Grand Old Flag and the Battle Hymn of the Republic. This song was sung at Robert Kennedy's memorial service. Not that I am showing my age or anything like that. It was one of the nicest concerts we've been to in a long time.

It got us pumped for the 4th of July and renewed our sense of patriotism and made us appreciate all the more what a great country we live in, despite all the woes we are going through now.

blocks for GD quilt

I made a pact with myself that I would give up pleasure reading and quilting for the summer and concentrate on the yard work (which I do not enjoy at all). Well, I have been doing pretty well. I haven't had my nose in a novel since the last Jennifer Chiaverini book, The Union Quilter. It was not her best book by a long shot and I had to plow though to get finished, unlike others where I couldn't put it down. Anyway, long story made short, I started a new quilt last week.(so much for deals made with myself). My 13 year old granddaughter still sleeps with her quilt I made when she was born and it is pretty raggedy.

I am making her a lap quilt in a size more appropriate to her age. She wanted blue and I had purchased a kit from Connecting Threads, so I think this will be the one. I've made 10 blocks so far and I am not pleased with the amount of brown in it, so I'm not too sure what I will do. I'll go ahead and finish it and see how I feel at that point. It may grow on me, I don't know. The directions have you make those large corner triangles out of 1/2 sq triangles and squares. Why on earth didn't they just make a large triangle. I have it already cut out so can't change, but what a waste of time.

I also ordered some red fat quarters for another quilt I am planning and was not pleased with the quality of the fabric and decided since they were red, I would prewash them. Some came out so bleached out that they look peach colored. I don't think I will be able to use any of the collection. I should have sent them back, but had put them aside for too long before I discovered the problem. I used to get things all the time from them and was pleased, I hope this is an isolated problem, not a trend. How about you, have you ordered from them and what was the outcome?

Till later, Carline

Quilt patterns everywhere

When we visited St. Patrick's cathedral in Dublin, I was pleased to see these tiles on the floor. At this point, we had discovered that my camera wasn't working, so all pictures were taken with the I-Pad. It takes great pictures outside, but not so good indoors.

I love the colors and variety here.

Another thing I was so mistaken about was that Ireland was mostly Catholic and that St. Patrick's is a Catholic cathedral. NOT! It is Angelical and that is also the main religion in the country. I guess an old dog can learn!

Yesterday, I went to the chiropractor and got my "sitting in a plane" body adjusted. I have been so miserable and today it seems much better, Yey.

I cut out a quilt for my granddaughter and got some of the 1/2 square triangles sewn last night. There are 240 of them to do, so it will take a while.

Take care and make it a good day.

Carline

Land of Castles and rock walls

We just got back from a wonderful trip to Ireland. I have wanted to go there for so many years, I can't count them. My great grandmother was born there and for years I have had this trip in my bucket list. I discovered what county, Tipperary, she was from and convinced my husband that he could drive a right side drive car on the left side of the road, and off we went.

I will have to admit that the driving thing was pretty nerve wracking to say the least. I have never seen such narrow roads and they expect more than one car at a time on them! We survived, but barely.

We flew to Dublin and drove clockwise from there around as far as we could, then dipped inward to the counties that are inland. We had planned on going up to Donegal to visit Micki, but time got away from us and we weren't able to make it. Maybe next time. I live on the Northwest part of the US and I have to say that the weather and terrain was pretty much like home, rain and all (without the gale force winds). We didn't get very good weather but didn't let that spoil our visit. We just hunkered down, bought hats and forged ahead.

I think there is a castle about every mile or so and we just loved exploring them. I will post more pictures later as I sort things out. Right now, I'm trying to get the house in order from all the unpacking and having my son and grandson housesit, but that's another story.

I have a baby quilt that I had tried to finish before I left and the baby is due in 20 days so I'm going to spend some time doing that today. It is another I spy quilt and I have to say, after this, I never want to do another one. It turned out ok and is easy, but I'm tired of it after making two in 6 months. They are pretty busy.

I hope to be better about my blog going forward, I have been awful about keeping up.

Carline