A Day of Fun at Grants Pass

Tuesday 3 of us Klamath Falls Charming Chicks took a day for some great fun.  We left K.F. at 6 am and went to Grants Pass (first visit for me) and we went on the Hellsgate Rogue River Boat trip.  There are several trips and we did the 3 hour lunch ride.  It is actually longer.  We boarded the boat about 9:30 am and didn/t get back untill 1:30. We cruised down the river and saw eagles nest as well as blue heron and Osprey and Egrets. We also saw deer along the edge of the river.  After an hour and half we pulled up to a beautiful lodge style restaurant for an amazingly good lunch.  After lunch we boarded the boat and then the fun began.  We rode down Hells canyon for a while and then on the way back we did alot of 360 turns.  Of course we all got splashed and it was so much fun. This was well worth the cost of the trip.  Would do it again in a minute.  I hear the weekend brunch trip is fun too.  The weather was just great too.  It was a beautiful trip and when you see all the beauty in nature it makes you appreciate what God has given us to enjoy. You can't miss me in the 4th row from front in white with hands in the air.

On the way home (after stopping in our favorite Jackonsville and going to fruit stands) we stopped on the way home to pick blackberries.  Oh I got stuck and my fingers are a mess but the Jam we will have is going to taste soooooooo good!.

Another Quilt Project

I found this beautiful tapestry on e-bay when looking for wine fabrics.  It had been a vintage book cover.  I bought it for almost nothing and am now making a quilt around it.  As you can see I have sewn two different brown borders around it to set it off.  My son lives in the middle of a vineyard in Calif. and I saw this and thought of him and his family.  I have blocks with 6 different wine fabrics and 6 different solids I am putting together to make a wonderful quilt.  It can either be a wall hanging or a quilt on the back of their brown leather sofa.  I am so excited working on this.  I have so many varieties of ways to place the blocks to make different designs.  I don't want to share to much at this time.  I don't think they even know about my blog but wouldn't want to give anything away untill Christmas.  Once I get this done I will have my 2 major large projects done and then can concentrate on some small projects I want to sew for holidays.  To my fellow quilters out there happy quilting and God bless you all.

Another MaryJanes block swap

I signed up for another MaryJanesFarm block swap. We are doing 12 1/2 in blocks so that when we sew them in they will be 12 in,. blocks.  Our theme is anything Halloween or Autumn.  I chose Autumn for both.  I imagine most of the gals will do one of each.  I feel with halloween you are limited , but fall can be made into something that is displayed all year.  I did the Maple leaf, and Churn dash patterns.  The fabric is so pretty.  We didn't have a large sign up this time so I mike just make a sampler.  It is exciting waiting to see what   you get when the mail comes with a little envelope and you know a block from a fellow quilter in another part of the country has made. 

Our local chapter of the Klamath Falls Charming Chicks had a birthday party yesterday for Susan and it was much fun.  Two of the gals are getting together and going to teach us felting.  Can hardly wait.

job hunting

For a long time (at least it seems long to me) I have been looking for a job.
I took Social Security early and when I first moved here I was still on my workers comp. conditions from California and still in lots of pain and couldn't work.  This Feb. the case ended and I am cleared to return to the work field.  Even though technically I was cleared my back and neck didn't know that yet and I was still suffering many days and nights tormented with pain.  I don't say much to anyone about it but it is there.  Now I feel much better and I know I could work again.  This past week I went on 2 very different interviews and feel good about both of them.  Now I am playing the waiting game to see if they call.  I have a couple more applications ready to go out if I dont hear anything .  I can't live on my social securithy, I receive a little more than some people because I get widow and survivors benefits instead of just social security.  I am not old enough to be able to receive medicare so that is a real problem.  President Obamas health care hasn't helped my situation at all and there must be millions in my same situation.  How do the elderly survive?  I worked since I was 15 and all those years of paying in is not the reward you think it will be.  I had a private retirement fund but that was stolen on an idenity scam so its gone.  I know the Lord will answer prayer and put me in the right job and at his timing not mine.

Busy,Busy Summer

Well, I have been busy house sitting and pet sitting for some great people.

First off I watched the home of The Brannon Family.  They have lots of sheep, 3 outdoor dogs and 3 indoor dogs.  While they were gone I also was running back and forth to our place to feed the goats,cows , dogs and of course the Bird.  Mary got back from her visit to Bakersfield and now I just was at the Brannons.  I enjoyd taking their dogs out for walks.  They were so cute.  They came home and I had one night back home and then came to our Mother Hens Home to housesit.  This is Buster swimming.  He is a great little dog.  They have 6 chickens and I feed them and collect the eggs.

Last Saturday night Mary and I did one of our favorite things (being old cowgirls)and we went to the Rodeo.  Lots of fun and always good eye candy around. The fair looked very busy also. I love when the flag comes out that everyone stands up proudly.  I have loved that about Rodeo fans , I have been to other events where some people don't stand and I feel so bad for our Country.  This Rodeo has been ongoing for 17 years and are led by a riding unit of U.S. Marines.

I  also went to a machine embroidery demo and made a lovely pillow with embroidery and a monogram.  Of course that just makes you want one of the very expensive machines.  I would love to quilt fulltime and sell my work. That would be a dream job now wouldn't it?

Charming Chicks Mexican Potluck and Meeting

Our local chapter of MaryJanes Farm had a wonderful Mexican pot luck and meeting at Robins house yesterday.  She had a huge shaded yard and she along with Julie made enchiladas, tacos, lemonade and fresh strawberry,blackberry shortcake. It was delicious! We all brought Mexican dishes so we had a ton of food.  We had 99% turnout. Only one member  couldn't make it and we welcomed a new member Jane to our group.
Margie displayed her picnic totes that she made and then gave a quick tatting lesson for those who wanted to learn the old fashioned method of Tatting.  Not something you see much anymore.

We decided not to have an August meeting as everyone is so busy this time of year.  Gail has offered her home for our Sept. meeting.  It is an overnight camp out with a Hawaiian Luau theme.  We will bring food to represent that and I believe we are doing a pulled pork it a pit.  Should be alot of fun.  She has a motorhome, a teardrop camper and a tent for accomodations. lol lol can't wait.

This is our Mother  Hen Cheryl.  Love the Chilli pepper beads and sombrero.

Thank you again to our hosts Robin and Julie for a wonderful time.

Great Holiday Weekend/ What does the 4th mean to you?

What a glorius weekend!  The weather was just beautiful.  Do you ever stop to think what does the 4th mean?  To most of us we think of freedom, independance,liberty, a pariotic time to appreciate this great country we live in?  I too think of all these things but mostly FREEDOM of religion which our country was founded on.  So with that thought I became a member of the church I had been attending for over a year now.  It was so nice.  Then that evening we watched fireworks as well as watched the ones on tv from the Boston Pops  and the Capitol Court and the Macys one from New York.  Just think Americans everywhere were all celebrating in their own different ways the birth of our Country.  Monday we decided to go for a picnic which is something I haven't done in ages.  So we packed up the ice chest and my dog Gidget and drove to Fish Lake and then around Lake of the Woods.  We parked at an empty camp site (everyone was leaving Monday) and enjoyed our  lunch all around the beautiful trees that gave us great shade.  Oh it smells so good up here.  Gidget enjoyed walking and sniffing all the smells of the forest.  We took a nice walk.  We went for a ride and enjoyed the views .  Everything looked so nice and green.  Have to do this more often.  Isn't it great we live someplace we can do as we please?  Have we taught our children and grandchildren how lucky we are to live in such a great nation?  It is our responsibility to let them know how lucky they are.  Sure our nation has alot of problems right now but thank God to all the men and women past , present and future who have fought to ensure we keep our freedoms that this country was founded on.