Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Slow Progress

But, progress is progress, no matter how slow!

 This block is going to be 20" so I couldn't get very many arc pieces on one paper. 
 My goal is to get at least one piece done every day. 

I'm making another little quilt using this as my leader/ender with the paper piecing.

Oregon is on FIRE! Air quality is considered unhealthy in most places. Ash is falling..... 
People still dealing with the storm, Harvey. Heartbreaking!!
Love to you all!


Monday, August 28, 2017

Possible Eclipse Block

I was keeping my eyes open for something that would spark interest for me to make a quilt to commemorate the 2017 eclipse. The International Quilt Study Center and Museum made a short video about some terrific quilts. It is called A Rare Occurrence and you can see it HERE.


 A friend drafted this in Electric Quilt for me. Thanks Paula!!

And I have the center ring paper pieced. Next up, I'll paper piece the outer ring. I'll applique the center onto the outer circle, then applique a blue center circle. I plan on making it 20" and it will be a one block small quilt. This may also be a test block for a wedding quilt!

Next Friday September 1st I'll be starting our fall quiltalong- its called Palmateer Point.

Prayers to all those who have been affected by the hurricane. It breaks my heart to see such devastation.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Friday Fun!

Happy Friday Friends!!


 I received my first package of dresses for Colombia today! Thank you Delleen! They are very sweet!!

 My little apron from Ghastlies is not very flattering, but I think it's cute. I think if I use and it wash it a few times before Houston it will soften up and not accentuate my hips quite so much! LOL
 I thought the buttons looked like weird eyes so I opted to remove them. I think it would be cuter without any pockets but I do think having pockets while working Houston will be very helpful!
 I'm happy to know Elsa likes Rene's fiance! She was ready to go back to Portland with them. 
I loved this book, although it felt like it took forever for me to read. I have been exhausted and some nights could only read a paragraph!

My Instagram feed for the week. 

I got a little start on my Eclipse quilt (its going to be a little quilt) and hope to show you something on Monday. We are going camping this weekend so no sewing on my agenda.
Have a wonderful weekend! It's the last weekend in August! How is that possible??

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Totality Finale

Wow! All the build up for the eclipse was really worth it! It was something I won't forget for a long time. I'm going to make one final post, then it is back to quilting!

 Here was our eclipse eve sunset! A precursor of things to come!

Eclipse morning I rode my bike to work. 
 And took a few photos.

 People were up and moving early on Monday! Here's our park already filling up.
 Here's a big hill overlooking the town. 
 We were open for business but when it got close we locked the front door and got ready!
 The temperature started to fall and my wisecracking son came out of the store with this jacket on! I love this shot!
 Here was a shot taken with my iphone. 
 And these two my son took with his camera!

This is the other side of our business during totality. I really didn't think it was going to get as dark as it did.
Our little town made a lot of news and even 2 pages of The Wall Street Journal!

This was in town and cool to see.

And this was Monday's sunset to top of a terrific day!

I'm loving seeing all the great photos from everywhere! It was quite an event!!

Love you all! Thanks for reading!

Friday, August 18, 2017

Total Eclipse of the Sun 2017

 Hello and Happy Friday! It's been a crazy time leading up to the Total Solar Eclipse (or partial depending on where you are) and the pre weekend is finally here! The eclipse takes place on Monday.  Organizers in my town have been working hard for 2 years to pull off a big event. Solartown and SolarFest.
 A farmer, using GPS and NASA coordinates says this is the center of the line in Madras. I'm not sure who painted it, but I went looking for it yesterday and found it! I told my niece we were taking a little field trip from work and surprised her.




 I've been snapping a few photos around town this week.
 Certain roads will be closed to most traffic for emergency personel to respond quickly. Passes were available for locals and people who live in the "closed" areas.  If you look behind there is an empty lot that will be turned into a food court.
 Lots of porta potties all over town!
 Several farms have turned into tent cities,
 And some have tried to "sell" spaces in dirt and stickers! Ugh!
 Our fairgrounds is the main headquarters of SolarFest. There will be lots of food trucks, music, and shuttle buses.



I believe this grassy area will be full f tents this weekend. Our town of 6200 is supposed to have up to 100,000 visitors! NASA and Lowell Observatory are putting on some great free events too!
I couldn't resist!

On this map my town, madras is about right in the middle and on the line of totality!
This is what I was reading about the difference of being on the path of the eclipse or not.

For those outside the path, there is no dramatic moment of totality, no dance of Baily’s Beads around the edge of the moon’s disk, no intense darkening of the skies, no stars and planets suddenly revealing themselves against an impossible twilight, no corona flashing into view (the otherworldly beauty of which makes even veteran total eclipse observers gasp in amazement), and no primordial fear which sinks ever so slightly even the modern heart. There is no pitch-blackened disk of the sun, no discernable temperature drop, no impossible nighttime during the day, no scintillating chromosphere or glorious prominences, no 360-degree sunset effect around the horizon, no uncontrollable shouts of emotional overload from the assembled crowd, and no lingering post-eclipse sensation of certainty that you have just done one of the coolest things you’ll ever do in your life.
A partial eclipse is interesting but forgettable, while a total eclipse is a memorable, life-changing event which burns itself into memory – and never fades. And so we, who have seen this sight, ask you to join us on this momentous day, and do everything you possibly can to see it with us. But you must remember that “close” is not close enough; in order to see the eclipse in all its glory, you simply must…
Get thee to the path!

Kind of silly, but I'm excited now that the event is almost here!

We had a traffic nightmare on Wednesday. 30,000 people were heading to Big Summit for a Symbiosis Gathering in the Mountains.  Here was an aerial view from today.


You all have a great weekend! I'll be working and hopefully meeting some visitors to my little town.

Love to you all!