hello Monday ....

   there are no words -- it's just Monday. 

   kind of foggy here in the Valley -- no, it must be my dirty office windows.  another project on my endless project list is windows -- wash the freeking windows.

  another weekend at the lake -- liking lake life.  sat around most of Saturday, well, read my book, crochet and ripped out bad stitching.  made it into downtown Cleveland for a retirement party -- did a lot of crafty stuff yesterday -- restocked my card supply and a few scrapbook pages ....

  and then home for laundry, a garbage run, a garden drive and some quilt back selection. 

  happy Monday y'all ....

diva




 

Weekend # 4

 

 

I spent an hour ripping this crap out of a quilt .... I didn't properly thread the long arm when I changed thread --- and really didn't pay attention ..... argh.

 

 

Jake is a pampered pooch.

 

The aforementioned ripping was on this one ... it was the top row and the overhang on this project.   Now that I see the picture I see the wonkiness of the batting ... it was a "frankenbatt" I whipped up .... the wrinkles should wash and dry out with the first washing.  I re-loaded it on the long arm early this morning (not fun) and re stitched the mess.  ready to be bound.  Constructed with some fat quarters, etc from the scrap box ... I've made use of every scrap from that darn box! 

 

 

Mrs. P -- with 17 hour of daylight for another 3 weeks --- I'll be productive!  And I'm still on busy season hours -- up at 5 ... work by 6 .... generally home by 3 (usually 4 to garden, sew, laundry, clean, read) .... lake on weekends!  It's a good life ....

 

 

 

early riser = finished projects

 

Harry supervised the pix taking this morning.  He wasn't fond of the wet grass.

 

 

quilted with wavy wonky lines

 

 

straight lines on this one ... sorry fuzzy picture

 

 

batik back on the little one -- black polka dots on the other

 

 

orange dot binding

 

 

So, I've been up and functioning since 4:30am.  Finished the binding on these two, cut out binding for a "turning twenty" that I finally got quilted last night ... and attempted to quilt a throw ... 1/3 of the way thru ... I noticed the tension was bad.   Fixed tension and finished it.  Took it off the long arm and am prepared to rip rip rip ....

 

 

before & after

 

grass is dying and some weeds (grass) is popping up in between the rows... not bad peeps ...

 

 

 

and I came home to this !

 

 

Project #3 was to mow the office lawn.  Done.

Project #4 was to sweep the office garage. Done

Project #5 was to get Dad to till the patch.  I came home from the office and he was at it (without asking).  Done

 

 

The babes and their Mother.  Mean little babes -- hissers and spitters.

Lots of attitude for small creatures!

 

First coneflower on Daisy Lane.

 

 

Projects 6 - 10 all involve work at the office.

 

6 - cut the brush out of the flower beds

7 - XXX Corporate Tax Return

8 - XXX financial Statements

9 - XXX's payroll (finally)

10 - T's estate tax return.

 

 

Unfortunately - 6 thru 10 will keep me at the office most of the day .... playing hookie and leaving early yesterday was probably not the best of ideas -- however, it felt good.

 

 

 

 

 

Project #1 and #2

 

bought a flag and pole kit

and hung it

makes the old building look pretty darn good

 

Project #2 ... hoed the melons ... no pictures ... they pretty good too --- weed control for the next month and then it's on to enjoying the goodness.

 

 

 

 

a day in the life of a

county commissioner/certified public accountant/gardener/quilter/diva

so Tuesday ...

1.  finished up a payroll (6:00am)
2.  attended County Board meeting
         with pretty routine stuff -- a couple of hearings and the usual
3.  back to the office for an afternoon of the "stuff"
4.  finally paid off my mortgage
5.  went to Mankato for a R9 meeting (that I almost forgot)
6.  received an "unknown" call on the cell ... don't answer "unknowns"
7.  check the email on said phone

a freeking metro TV producer (channel 5) asking questions about the "Gravel Tax" public hearing and subsequent resolution -- wth.  So, I called her back (from the parking lot of the grocery store -- always an entertaining place) ...

8.  Chinese for supper ---
9.  Walked the patch ... weeds are dying -- plants are growing
10. Hello sewing machine ... finished quilting a crib quilt and cut the
           binding .... worked on finishing piecing another strip crib quilt
           it takes longer to cut the strips than it does sewing 'em together

Wednesday will be dull.

M



 

life at the lake (picture heavy)

it's a jungle going down the steps to the lake

 

looking toward the other side of the point

 



Jean is up there reading on the deck ..

 



into the bay

boom!

nothing beats a Monday morning Thunderstorm to get the world up and moving.  Lots of wind, some hail and a lot of rain ....

so the only thing accomplished on my list for Sunday -- lake time and a nap.  The late Saturday night and early Sunday morning in the patch must have done me in ... the nap was 90 minutes .... 'twas a good thing.

Happy Monday (says no one ever) ....

M
 

and on the longest day

   the summer solstice --- this Diva did the usual .... or the new norm.

   made it to the lake and then came home at 8:15 for a little weed control
   after the rain yesterday (1/2"?) ... it was time to spray
   I started at 8:30 will a slight breeze -- so I did the edges and paths
   I was out there until 9:30ish ... almost needed the headlights on Bessie.

   and at 5:15 this morning .... I did the other 9 rows. 
   DONE DONE DONE
   Only 4 of the 9 truly needed some control

    All of it will need to be hoed this week ---

   No rain for 12 hours please.
   Next weekend it will be ready for the tiller man.    

   The skeeters and gnats were nasty -- I had to use bug spray for the first time this year.



   Today's agenda:

1.  sew (machine quilt a crib quilt on the B)
2.  sew - load the long arm with the Turning Twenty
3.  homework -- meeting prep
4.  lake time!
5.  laundry

t g i f ....

 

 

The first coneflower of the season .... up in the crp acreage. 

I love the "tutu" ones ....

 

 

Today was project day on 3rd street -- as in tackle the nasty projects -- get 'em done, get 'em out of our hair  ....  it was pretty successful actually.  Not many interruptions so I was able to FOCUS. 

 

Home to wander the patch, sew a bit ... I spray basted a couple of crib quilts to machine quilt this weekend.  I took my best (oldest) sewing machine to the lake.  Yes, I sew at the lake.  Rain is in the overnight - early morning forecast .... so .... sew it will be. 

 

Mom and I walked the walk at the Relay for Life ... a celebration .... they hadn't lit the luminaries yet ... it's pretty windy so I'm thinking they may not. 

 

 

M



projects

   the never ending projects are piling up again.

I forgot the iPad at the office last night so I was up early with nothing to read ... I came to work .... so since 5:50 am .....

Shopko run for ink ($110 later)
Office lawn is mowed
Office lawn has been treated for the nasty weeds
   (not sure if it will work)
Home for a shower
Switched wheels with Mom

Payroll is done
Financial Statements are done

Getting ready for appliance recycling .... Mom's vehicle has a load.

Last night was a Mankato dash
   Haircut from Mr. K
   Joanne Fabrics (burned up a gift card)
      the power went out so I shopped less.
   HyVee for takeout Chinese ... where Saturday Cindy was busy
                 shopping.

 I'm going to the patch tonight -- always restores my soul.


Diva


 

Semi Wordless Wednesday

 

the "deer" cam is now located on the chicken run

something attempted to get in ..... hmmm

and the only picture ..... was a freeking squirrel

 

 

the repair job

and the camera .. green thing just about dead center of the picture

 

these adorable birds are not "chicken on a stick"

so .... it's been ....

a wacky, entertaining, tiring and exhausting 7 days ...

the 8th day promises to be just as goofy ...

I've had a Board meeting, wacky ditch hearings, 16 hours of continuing education (8 web-based & 8 live hours), craziness at the office (IRS notice mailings again) a baby shower, a funeral, mowed lawn, hoed the garden, watched 4 bagpipers invade the Redmen (that was freeking cool) sewed up a boat load of strip quilts and still managed a couple of hours in at the lake.    ....   and I finished a book.

my day started at 6:00am yesterday (yes, I was at the office at 6:00am on Mad Monday) ... off to conference until 4:30, meet and greet with City Council members at the Treaty Center from 5:15 - 6:45, and ended the evening with Planning/Zoning at the Govt Center.  Home and bed by 9:30.

and now I'm busy diagnosing computer issues.  my new keyboard and mouse started getting weird and my normal fix of batteries is not solving the issue ...

I think by Thursday I can chuck it all ... except the garden and the quilting.

pooped Diva




 

zeeee Fog ....

 

this is the view from my Sunday morning office....

it was me, the chirping birds and the fog

it was actually quite peaceful

 

 

yes, I hoed -- all of the squash, most of the pumpkins and a spot here and there.

My glasses kept steaming up so I truly saw very little ..

A herd of whatever could have approached.

I went' out at 6:15 and by 7:45 ish ... got hungry (and thirsty!)

 

 

good morning girls ... next up is cleaning your coop

 

 

the field road ...

the patch is straight ahead.

 

 

shades of June

Wordless Wednesday

crazyness part deux

 

wedding table flowers ... real and gorgeous

 

Sunday supper rain .... at the lake

 

 

Monday night -- the un-hoed squash & pumpkins

notice the two "greener" strips ... the only "green" weeds in the patch ...

pre-emergence weed killer seems to be working

 

and the hoed watermelons ...

 

 

Harry -- taking a break ...

98' today -- roasting in the heat and humidity

rain and storms on the horizon

 

back to normal weather tomorrow

and back to normal work for me ... hopefully