'Some Bunny Loves You'

A baby quilt for a special baby..
I made this quilt a few months ago.  It had to be ready for the baby's shower back in June.  My machine was giving me problems and I didn't know the baby's name.   So I never got the label put on and I forgot to get a photo of it.  But now that we know it is a healthy baby girl, I asked for the quilt back so that I could put the label on.  (No quilt is complete without a label, you know)  And, since I had it back in my hands, I took the opportunity to get this photo too.  But those aren't my hands. Thanks DD for holding it up for me.

A Day at the Zoo

Yesterday was a very hot day!  Not just for a summer's day, but especially for a day in September, after fall has already arrived.  The high was 32C but with the humidity it felt like 40C.  We needed an escape.  So we went to the zoo.  That is not really an unusual destination.  You see, we are members of the Metro Toronto Zoo, so we go often.  I take Wheeltrans and my DD drives over with William.

Here he is studying the map.  What shall we do today?  He wanted to see the giraffes, but we never made it there.  There were too many distractions along the way.  Because it was so hot, we went to the splash pad, which had been opened for the day, especially because of the heat.

We battled thousands of people to use the equipment.  I took this photo with my telephoto lens.  It was very difficult to get a good picture with so many people in the way.  But here is William just coming off the slide.  That's his favourite!  The rest of the time he was kind of a blur as he 'flew' back over to the stairs to go up again.. I love to see him having fun.

Today will be another scorcher, but I think I will stay home and do some sewing.  I'll try to post something quilt related in the next few days..

Kaffe Fasset Hearts

I was getting kind of bored doing the little white hexies for my colouful hexie project that I showed you a while ago.  So I decided to switch  to Kaffe Fasset fabrics, just to keep things interesting.  I am doing hand appliqued hearts and machine sewn nine patches.  I found some light yellows in my stash, so I am using that.

This project is going to take me a long time.  But that's okay.  I am in no hurry.  I love hand applique and my machine is giving me woes.  It keeps jamming up and stopping on me.  And also, the light doesn't work any more.  I may have to buy a new machine before too long.  Anyone got any ideas as to what I should get?

Some Baking

I planted some zucchini plants this spring.  They are producing well.  I also planted a striped variety.  It grew under the others and one of the zucchinis was missed.  It just grew and grew until I got this:

It's huge.  I don't know what I am going to do with it.  I did have some smaller ones that are delicious in salads and as vegetables.  They also bake into delicious cakes and loaves.  Here is a zucchini loaf I baked yesterday.  I usually put nuts or raisins into the mix.  But this time I used mini chocolate chips.  We'll have to see if it is as good as the others,

Then, because the kitchen was only about a 100 degrees, (LOL) I baked a lemon pound cake.  Also haven't tasted this one yet, but it smells heavenly.

Today I am going back to my sewing.

Colourful Hexies

I needed something to keep me busy during the hot summer months.  But those hot months never arrived.  We had lots of rain though.  So I worked on the hexies when I couldn't go out. This is what I got done so far.

It's all made out of scraps.  And a large piece of white on white that I found in my stash.  This should keep me going for some time into the fall and maybe even into winter.

At the Zoo

Well, that last post was easy.  A little too easy.  I am wondering if I can do that again.  So here is another post.  I became a member of the Toronto Zoo a couple of weeks ago.  I think it is the best thing I have ever done.  I love the zoo!  And William does too.  Here he is looking at the huge fish in an aquarium.

Gosh!  Those fish are almost as big as he is!

A Picnic in the Park

I finally have a new computer.  It's a laptop and I am learning how to use it.  Everything is new to me and I am a slow learner.  So this is sort of a test.   My DS came over last evening and showed me how to download the photos from my camera.  It really wasn't very difficult, but I could never have done it on my own.

This is William in the park.  He is sitting on a picnic quilt I made a few years ago and waiting for someone to toss him a ball.  

Happy Canada Day

I am proud to be a Canadian.  But not so proud of all the things our country has done throughout the past 150 years.  The Japanese who were living in B.C. and considered themselves to be Canadian were not treated very well during the Second World War.  Our native peoples have also had a bad rap.  From residential schools to having their lands taken from them.  They were here first, bat that didn't seem to matter.  'O Canada our home on native land'. 

In the 1920's there was an advertisement in one of the Maritime newspapers for the sale of a slave.  And we thought slavery only happened south of the border. 

The Chinese built our railroads.  In the 50's Italian men were recruited for the construction industry. Jews were often discriminated against.  We begrudgingly allowed a boatload of Tamils onto our shores when they had no where to go. 

And now the newcomers.  Will they be treated alright.  It seems that way so far.  But who knows what will happen in the future. 

I immigrated with my family in 1957.  I was almost 9 years old at the time.  I didn't want to leave The Netherlands - my grandparents and aunts and uncles and my school friends.  I thought I would never see them again. 

I spoke no English and had to attend a new school.  Everything was new to me.  I thought I would hate it here.  But then I saw the stores.  You could buy a gallon of ice cream and keep it in the fridge.  This was new.  We never had a fridge in Holland.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven. 

I learned to speak the language without any problems.  I was able to go to the library and borrow books.  That was exciting,  I made new friends.  It was all good. 

We became Canadian citizens three years later.  Now I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world.

I was working on a few red and white quilts for Canada Day.  But they didn't get done.  I am also busy putting the finishing touches on a couple of baby quilts that have to be done next week.  I also have a few flag pillows that I am working. on.  Also, not done.  But I did manage to go to Sheridan Nurseries last week and buy a couple of flag plows.  Here they are.  I love these things.

Yes.  I am happy and proud to be a Canadian.

 

When Life Gives You Rain

Our weather is crazy.  Rain, rain and more rain.  Everything is flooded.  The Toronto Islands are swamped.  Sandbags everywhere and still the water in the lake continues to rise. There are gigantic carp swimming in the baseball field.  Ducks have taken over as have the Canada Geese.  Rouge Beach at the end of Lawrence is flooded.  If you go there don't expect to get a parking space.  The water has overflowed and the whole park is a swamp.  It's the same everywhere.  I am straining to keep my garden alive, not because it is dry, but because it is too wet.  My plants are rotting.

But with all this rain. I have been busy in my sewing room..  I am making two baby quilts that I can't show yet.  One has to be done in the first week of July and the other one should have been completed in March.  I'm working on it.

Also working on a red and white quilt for Canada\s 150th birthday.  I found it when I was cleaning up,.  It was originally meant to be a wheelchair quilt, but my mother has since died.  So I decided to make it a bit bigger. 

I thought I had completed required number of blocks, but then it seemed as if I didn't have enough.  I knew they were somewhere in that mess of a sewing room of mine.  So I spent the day yesterday cleaning up and low and behold, I found the missing blocks.  I think I will make a few more and make my quilt even bigger.  But then I will have to have it quilted by my longarmer.  I hope she can do it before the 1st of July.

I have also been working on a scrap quilt.  Little 1.5 by 3.5 scraps.  I thought I had millions of them, but now I have run out.  Time to put this baby on hold until I have some more scraps.

 

And another ongoing scrap project that was in my way.   More on this one later.

 

 

 

 

And here is a scrappy Canadian Flag.  I saw this on Pinterest and decided it had potential.  Don't know what though.  Any ideas?

 





 

As you can see, the sun was shining when I took these photos.  But the sky was thundering and the rain was pelting down.  Like I said, "Crazy weather".

 

 

 

 



Busy Weekend!

We have had rain, rain and more rain.  For a whole week, nothing but rain.  The homes on Centre Island are being washed into the lake.  The beach at Ashbridges Bay is swamped.  Even as far out at Bowmanville the waters threaten the houses and sandbags need to be used.  It's the same in Quebec. 
But now the rain seems to have stopped.  At least where I live.  It is very cold though.  We had frost last night and will likely have more of it tonight.  But I have kept warm, dry and busy this past weekend. But now I am exhausted. 

On Saturday I went to the Rouge Valley Quilt Show.  I used to be a member, but when they changed venues, it became too difficult to get in and out of the church.  It was not wheelchair accessible.  There were no elevators and I could no longer walk up and down the stairs.  Unfortunately I had to quit, but when I heard they were having their quilt show I decided to go to the community centre to see my old quilting buddies and the gorgeous quilts that were on show.  I wanted to take lots of photos, but it was too difficult to get a good picture from my wheelchair with all the visitors that were there.  I did take a photo of Sandy Sinoco's hand appliqued quilt.  I love her work.  It is all hand done. It's gorgeous, wouldn't you agree?

 

Then on Sunday my daughter wanted to take William to Vandermeer`s.  It`s a garden centre.  I love that place and I went with her.  William only went to look at the fish and turtles.  He just loves those fish! 

 

 

 

It was a fun day.  William enjoyed himself and I bought a few perennials.  



Buds

Happy Earth Day!

 

 

My Red Hexie Top is Finally Finished

I started this two years ago   I often left it in the bottom of a bin and worked on other things.  But since I had trouble getting out of bed, walking around and sitting at my sewing machine, I decided to finish this top.  I am very pleased with it. 

Last weekend was Easter.  William loves to colour eggs.  Here he is, hard at work.

Wishing everyone a very happy weekend.  Our weather is going to be cooperative and nice.

Bruce's Mills Maple Syrup Festival

We went to the Maple Syrup Festival today.  It was the last day of the festival, so it was today or never.   Luckily for us the weather was not too bad.  It was kind of cold in the morning, but the sun was shining and it became warm by lunch time.

William loved the wagon ride, the birds of prey and tasting the maple products. 

Here he is on the horse-drawn wagon,

 

 

The birds of prey fascinated him. He gently touched the owl.  He just loves animals of all kinds.

 

 

And of course the maple lollipop was his favourite.

 

 

 

 

I have not found my missing posts yet.  But maybe it won't matter too much.  I didn't post very often last year.  I was not well and neither was my camera or computer.  I will try to find the photos of the quilts I managed to finish last year.  It will be just for my own use.  I hope you will find them interesting too.

Oh, No!

I seem to have lost a whole year's worth of posts.  What happened?  I wanted to show you my finished red hexie top.  But I could not.  And when I tried to find it, I noticed that all my posts from last year are gone.  So here it is.  I am going to try again.

 

First Finish for 2017

I've been sick.  For two weeks.  They were the worst two weeks of my life.  But I have been feeling a bit better over the last few days.  And I was able to sew the binding onto my Shadow I Spy. 
I had it quilted by Janet Chisholm.  She actually finished it just before Christmas, but I was not able to do anything with it.  On the last Friday of the year I picked it up and took it home, intending to finish it before the end of the year.  But, like I said, I got sick.  A nasty flu.  But - better late than never.

 

William really loves this quilt.  It contains all of his favourite things.  From strawberries to fish.  He loves sitting on it and pointing to everything.

 

 



He also uses it as a play mat, driving his favourite trucks all over it. 

 

So this is officially my first finish of my 17 for 2017.  Now onto other projects.  I am linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts.

 

Day Lilies, a Flimsy and a Zucchini Recipe

Several people asked me for the Zucchini Pineapple Loaf recipe.  So I will add it to the bottome of this post.  But first I want to show you my scrappy flimsy.  I started this a couple of years ago, but put it away when my machine started to give me problems.  I sewed a couple more rows and now I think I have had enough of this one.  I am calling it finished.

This quilt top reminds me of the Day Lilies I have blooming in my garden at the moment.  I love these.

This is a gorgeous peach coloured one.

Another peach coloured one, except this one has a dark centre.

A double peach lily.

A yellow day lily.

I have more, but I will save them for another day.

Now for the Pineapple Zucchini Loaf recipe.  This is from a "Company's Coming" book by Jean Pare called "Muffins and More".  It is my favourite book by her.

Zucchini Pineapple Loaf

2               eggs

1/2 cup     cooking oil

1 cup        sugar

1 cup        unpeeled, shredded zucchini

1/2 cup     crushed pineapple, drained

1 tsp         vanilla

2 cups       all purpose flour

1 tsp          baking soda

1/2 tsp       baking powder

1/2 tsp       salt

3/4 tsp       cinnamon

1/4 tsp       nutmeg

1/2 cup      chopped nuts  (I have used 1 cup raisins instead of nuts and it turned out great)

Method

Beat eggs, oil and sugar.  Sir in zucchini, pineapple and vanilla.

Measure remaining ingredients in another bowl.  Stir.

Pour all at once into batter.  Stir to moisten.  Pour into greased loaf pan 9x5x3 inches.  I use a bunt pan sprayed with PAM.  Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 1 hour.  Test to see if it is done.  A toothpick will come out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Turn loaf out to cool on a rack. This is delicious if cut into slices and spread with butter.  Yield 1 loaf.

I am linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.

Zucchini Love

I was cruising around blogland this morning and I saw a delicious lemon zucchini loaf on Em's blog. Since I have a lot of zucchinis in my garden right now, I decided to bake one.

I got all of my ingredients together.  And I was off!

The lemon loaf never made it to the photo shoot.  So much was eaten that it looked a mess.  But it was truly delicious!  I had more zucchinis, so I baked another loaf - a pineapple zucchini loaf.

This one I am going to put into the freezer and save it for the weekend.

More Red Hexies and a Trip to the Beach

I worked on a few more red hexie flowers.  I thought I had made at least ten, but now I can't find them all.  So here are eight of them.

There are not many red flowers in my garden at the moment.  But there are lots of sour cherries.

Yesterday we went to the beach.  William had a terrific time.  He crawled after dogs.  Tried to eat rocks.  Played by the water and had lots of swing time.  We brought our lunch and really enjoyed ourselves.

Talking to some of the day campers.  William certainly attracts a lot of friends.

He loves the dogs!  This one was just too cute to let it get away.  So he chased it.  With his mother is close pursuit.

He loved the swings.  So did his Mom.

  

Edit:  I found the other red hexies.  I had made 11 of them.

 



Hope you have a great weekend.  And a terrific 4th of July to my American friends.


 

A Special Hexie Flower for Today

Happy Canada Day

Our country is 148 years old today.  So here is a special hexie flower just for you, Canada!  

Happy Birthday!

Linking to the Needle and Thread Network.

Some of This and Some of That

We've had lots of rain and my garden is doing great!  My sewing... not so much.  But I did get a flimsy finished.  It's going to be a picnic quilt.  I used lots of scraps.  This was my 'get myself going each day' project..  My DD asked me to make a picnic quilt for a friend of hers.  There was to be no expense involved, just lots of scraps from my stash.  I was only too glad to oblige.  It will measre about 56 by 56.  Now to get it quilted!

I think this quilt has a sort of orange feel.  I guess it's that cheddar sashing.  So here is an orange plant that is blooming in my solarium right now.  I got a small piece of this from a quilty friend.  It's a Clivia.  I have never had a plant like this before and I was thrilled when she gave me a piece.  The flowers are a lovely orange colour.

And now another thing that has taken me away from my sewing machine.  My DD went strawberry picking and we made 3 batches of strawberry jam or about 28 half pint jars.  It is delicious!  We couldn't keep William out of the action.  Here he is testing out the canning pot for size.  Yup, it fits!

I also made 4 more hexie flowers for the red quilt.  I'll show you when I get them sewn on.  We have a busy week ahead.  Lots of end of the school year things to tidy up for DD.  That means I'll get to babysit William.  Yay!  I love doing that.