Shaffer Quilt Challenge 2008 Version

All four quilts and their creators were finally in the same place. You might not guess that we all started out with six of the same fabrics. Some of us liked the fabric choices better than others. :) Once Carol finds her fabric for this year's challenge, the pressure will be on again. We've been taking it easy this summer so far.

www.wolframalpha.com

Decided to check out this new "computational knowledge engine" for the weather on E's and Z's birthdates--then got adventuresome and checked out Mark's and mine--we were all born on cloudy days. Mark and I were born under waning crescent moons, E under a full moon, Z under a waxing gibbous moon.

RA (readers' advisory)

NoveList May 2009 RA News: Here's teacher David Carr on the importance of reading books that are outside your comfort zone:
Throughout the term, I estimate that at least half of the class was reading in a genre they had not encountered before. The importance of this exposure in their experience was emphatic: the value of a class in RA or popular literature is not only about the books we read, and the tastes that require them - it's about the breaking-through (giving up snobbery, forgetting English Literature, remembering how to read like a child) that even enthusiastic readers may require in order to pick up something new and challenging to our assumptions.

One of the novels his class read was The Buckskin Line by Elmer Kelton. That's a choice sure to be applauded by someone in my family who shall remain nameless but who is stuck in the western genre.

Mysterious

IMG_2870, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Here's the reflection I found on the ceiling in the bedroom this morning.

Azalea reflection

IMG_2873, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Here's the azalea that's outside our bedroom window.

Rhododendron, close-up

IMG_2865, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Now if the rain will only hold off for a few days these blossoms should stay nice and fresh. Nothing ruins them faster than a lot of rain and that's what we've been used to lately.

Rhododendron

IMG_2864, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

On Mother's Day there were only two flowers in bloom at the very top of this bush (tree?)--now look at it one week later.

BooksForKidsBlog: Size Matters: <em>Heavy Equipment Up Close</em> by Andra Serlin Abramson

Memo to me:  remember this series because you have so many great-nephews!

BooksForKidsBlog: Size Matters: Heavy Equipment Up Close by Andra Serlin Abramson

Mr. Toad

IMG_2810, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

This little guy was keeping Z and me company this afternoon when we were transplanting ferns so that I could get close enough to the living room windows to wash them.

Pioneer Woman Photography - Ree Drummond

This is a post that totally breaks my heart and I am so guilty of this “foolish pride”.

Pioneer Woman Photography - Ree Drummond

Mark in Mohnton--watercolor version

IMG_0870, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Mark in Mohnton

IMG_0852, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Z used this picture for inspiration when he needed a subject for his watercolor project.

Brontosaurus Mark

IMG_2339, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Apatosaurus, including the popular, but obsolete synonym Brontosaurus, is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived about 150 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period.

The Great Canoe

IMG_2310, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Your friendly guide at the American Museum of Natural History points to an extraordinary dugout canoe--the longest of its type still surviving--which was made around 1878 by Native people from the Northwest coast.

Spooky

IMG_2304, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Erin and Alex don't look too worried about all the supernatural beings in the case behind them at the Museum of Natural History.

Mother's Day Flowers

Mother's Day Flowers, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

This is the most unusual dahlia in the bunch. Hope it doesn't appeal to the squirrels--remember last year they kept chomping on my Gerbera daisies.

Dahlias

Mother's Day Flowers, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

These dahlias are this year's Mother's Day flowers. They're planted in special moisture-retaining potting soil so should thrive in this flower box on the deck.

Finished Top

IMG_2284, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Here's the quilt top and that's as far as I've gotten. The next step is to get brave and go rent the longarm quilter at the store in Aberdeen.

Quilt Pieces

IMG_2077, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

and cut all 585 pieces that make up the front of the quilt!

Fabric

IMG_2079, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

So what could I do but order the fabric from two online fabric companies and four quilt shops . . .

Erin's Quilt

IMG_2084, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Erin gave me this book for Christmas and mentioned that she LOVED the quilt on the cover . . .

Trip to Salisbury

IMG_2541, originally uploaded by mkherzog.

Here's the sunrise on the way to Salisbury last Saturday. We had to leave by 5:30 (ugh) in order to get to Mark's meeting on time.

Heron in Salisbury - a set on Flickr

I spotted this heron in Salisbury last Saturday and spent 30 minutes taking pictures.  It was surprisingly calm given all the people and dogs coming and going along both sides of the stream.  A poodle barked and sent it flying; I was only able to keep track of it for so long, as you can see on the video.

Heron in Salisbury - a set on Flickr

BooksForKidsBlog: Bear-y Welcome Back: <em>Paddington Here and Now</em> by Michael Bond

A brand new Paddington Bear adventure—read all about it on one of my favorite blogs—booksforkidsblog—written by a retired school librarian who just happens to be Instapundit’s mother.

BooksForKidsBlog: Bear-y Welcome Back: Paddington Here and Now by Michael Bond

The Pioneer Woman - Ree Drummond

I have become seriously addicted to this blog since I followed a link from Rachel Lucas’ site for a recipe.  Ree is a fabulous writer—her description of meeting her husband-to-be (Marlboro Man) and their courtship (Black Heels to Tractor Wheels) is riveting AND she has wonderful pages on photography, cooking, gardening, home dec—it’s all good.  All this and she frequently gives away prizes in various contests.

The Pioneer Woman - Ree Drummond

Pandora Radio - Listen to Free Internet Radio, Find New Music

Z got me to try this and I’m loving creating a new radio station every day.  Started with Herb Alpert (just as I did when I started buying records)—right now I’ve got George Michael as the starting point.

Pandora Radio - Listen to Free Internet Radio, Find New Music