Mother's Day Gifts

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers, aunts, sisters and mothers to be--every special woman who cares for family in a loving way.    I'm having a lovely Mother's Day.  It is a gorgeous day outside.  DD 1 was home for 3 whole days of help and fun.  She brought me these lovely flowers.  Don't you just love Gerber Daisies?!  The roses are very, very pretty too.  She also treated me to a certificate for a pedicure and some wonderful soap and lotion.  Best of all I appreciate all her help and the laughing and talking that goes with it.  DD 2 is in Florida and I miss her so very, very much.  We had a nice visit by phone and Skype will be later.

I got another special present today.  This is "Baby"  and again.  Baby had her own baby early this morning.  We have been checking on her often, because we knew she was getting close.  I told DD 1 that "maybe she will have a Mother's Day baby for me".  She is a good momma and very protective.  I raised her well. 

No sewing.  Just calving and now some planting in the fields.  We haven't had any rain since the snow in April.  It is very dusty in the pasture.  I'm praying for rain.  We plant with "hope for the future". 

Here are a few more Mother's Day couples in honor of this special day.

 

Another newborn on Mother's Day and an excellent mom.

 

Look a likes.

 

More look a likes.

 

Lillian and Lily are continuing to be pampered with special care.  Lily brings sunshine daily to our lives.  Her sweet personality and cute antics have won our hearts.  She is so curious and playful.  She does put her ears back when she disapproves of us, but no spitting yet.  lol

I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!  I was blessed with a great one.

It was a good year

for opossums.

These are just two of the babies that have shown up this last month.  Last night there were a total of six possums (three babies and 3 adults) on the deck looking for food.  I've gotten better about making sure the pans are empty by night fall.  I'm sure there is some kind of food available to these little guys other than my expensive cat food.

The cats don't seem to mind sharing. 

I did get a blanket made for a new baby boy of a friend. 

I used flannel and the tutorial from Fresh Cut Quilts.  There is also a video on youtube called the self binding baby blanket.  It makes a quick and easy little light weight blanket.

 

Time for harvest

The silage cutter is starting on the corn today.  This end of the field is still pretty green, but the other end has already gotten pretty dry. 

We cut the oats for silage this year instead of combining or baling it.  DH is trying something new.  So the pile already has a good start.  DH drives the tractor with the dozer back and forth to pack the chopped up corn and stalks down into a compact pile of feed. 

 

The garden is producing!  I had men for dinner, so I picked a box of vegetables.  I'm so glad my tomatoes are starting to ripen finally.  The green peppers are small, but plentiful.  I hope the freeze holds off, so I can get some more tomatoes.  There have been years when it froze Labor Day week-end. 

Look who wants breakfast.  DH has renamed "Baby".  She is affectionately called "The Beast".   He feels sorry for her being in her pen by herself, so now she has "free range" of the place.  I really don't like it.  After DH saw me running for the house from her with an empty bottle, he christened her --The Beast.   I told DH--"next thing you know, she will be on the deck looking in the patio doors".  I sure hope not!!  lol

Summer Days

 Peanut has been the only one working on the quilt this week.  What is it about fabric that seems to draw cats?  Peanut spends the hot days inside sleeping and then prowls the cool nights.  

The wild sweet clover is tall and thick this year.  The Rhino can hardly travel through it.  The sweet clover comes in two colors white and yellow.  I love the sweet smell.  We cut this and bale it for the cattle.

Actually the sweet clover is a weed.  Some people like it and some people don't.  It has a tendency to take over.  The bees love it.  Beekeepers ask landowners permission to set their hives close by.  They pay the owners in honey.  You have to be careful feeding it to cattle, because it can cause sickness if not cured and baled correctly. 

Purple prairie clover is a natural prairie grass.  It is not an aggressive grass.  It is high in protein.   Bees love it too.  It isn't as common to find it.  The Indians brewed tea from the leaves and also applied soaked leaves to wounds for healing.  It is sometimes called the thimble weed.

We took Baby to the south pasture close to home with the last of the cow/calf pairs.  These cows are old and will be sold this fall.  We have a feeder with pellets for the calves, so they get extra feeding.  The old cows don't have as much milk.  It was fun to see Baby run and jump with the other calves.  She seemed to settle in with everyone.  Guess who came home that night?  I had just mixed up the bottle of milk replacer and was headed out to see if she would come to my call.  Surprise, surprise--there was Baby.   She came home for supper.  lol  We have her back by the barn again and she can come and go if she wants.  She seems happy to be home. 

I'm off to town for parts, twine and groceries.

Happy Again

 I worked on the June Bug Quilt with the Happy jelly roll.   I forgot how "linty" you get when sewing with jelly roll strips.   lol  I completed the 21 blocks that are made from 4 strips.  I have the  21 petal blocks all fused.  I just need to do a blind stitch around them.  It was so hot and humid out today we spent the afternoon inside.  I plugged in a small fan in the sewing room to circulate the air. 

I thought you might like to see how much Baby has grown.  She gets a bottle every morning and evening.   We  feed her pellets too.   She's three and  a half months old now.   We feel bad for her being all alone by the barn, so next week we are going to take her down to the south pasture.  There is a calf feeder there with pellets and DH thinks she will come when I call, so we can give her the bottles of milk. 

It is suppose to be very hot this week-end.  I'm not sure if we'll be boating or staying inside.  I'd be satisfied to stay home and sew in the AC.  Have a wonderful week-end!

Making Progress

I finished the last two Jelly Roll Sampler blocks. Konda will be posting finishing instructions sometime today.  I'm just glad to get the blocks done.  It's been fun making the different blocks from a jelly roll every two weeks.  I've also enjoyed meeting new designers and checking out their blogs. 

I am still deciding on borders or no borders for my Pinwheel quilt.  I have the sashing all finished on it.  Rachel didn't do borders on hers, but I'm still deciding.  I think that is what makes me such a pokey quilter.  I have a hard time making decisions.

I finished prepping all the blocks for BOMs that I had in my to do folder.   I will be able to have something readily available to stitch on when I have a minute.  The Raggedy Annie & Friends block was fun to put together.  I have a couple pinwheels going the wrong way--just noticed that this morning drinking coffee with DH.  I'm not sure if I'm going to unsew or just leave it.  It's a big enough quilt I'm sure I'll be the only one that notices.  But you know how those little mistakes "scratch" at you.  lol 

I tried my hand at burp rags yesterday.  They were quick and easy.  These will be for the baby shower for Michelle's friend.  They are having the shower before the baby is born.  We don't know if it is a boy or a girl.  It's a secret.  Their theme is jungle tho, so these should be ok.

I'll have to make some more.  Two of our nephews are expecting babies in October and December.  One will be a boy and one will be a girl. 

I feel like I'm really getting alot done this week.  I think I know why--DH is busy.  I sure get alot more done when I don't get interrupted or get to have my own schedule.  :)

Remember my lovely Impatiens pot?  I found who the culprits are yesterday afternoon. 

Doesn't Striper look comfy and "innocent"?  I just laughed and left him.  Later in the day I found this:

Two nappers..............

Stretching and yawning after a lovely lay-about. 

Blogger has frustrated me enough.  lol  

I hope you are having a great week too.  Hugs....................................