Blizzard over, time for quilting!

These photos are for my own journey - everyone else in this part of the country has similar photos.  It's been a doozey but thankfully no downed lines, no outages, and temps remained tolerable.  I couldn't get off the deck or anywhere else to take better photos - waaay too much snow, but we all agreed, we were fortunate.  Conditions were NOT fortunate toward the other (eastern) end of the state, where  sadly, floods caused terrible damage.  

Quilting photos are at the end of this post.  

 There is a garden gnome under that 4 ft. drift.  

 My neighbors back door, with a huge drift OVER the fence and right against her back door!

Huge drift (can't even see).  Getting into garage is impossible for now.   Homes are close together - finding somewhere to put snow is an issue.  

To self -- Remember to send a Thank You to the Bulldozer angel who wouldn't accept pay for clearing out the back driveway, and another Thank You to the family who cleared off the snow several days earlier, from the previous snow.  We have wonderful friends and neighbors, even if we don't know them.  
--------------------------------------

OK, Quilt-y stuff now.  I am working on a light/dark zig zag, 60 degree  triangle quilt  inspired  by Bonnie Hunter (free pattern on her site).  This is one of 5 projects, made from the box of scraps given to me.  I am proud of ME for using the gift.  And there is still more left over - perhaps a 6th project?  

Here is how I'm quilting the sides and the light triangles.  The lights are ruler work, the darks are more traditional (free-form) quilting.  It's taking a LONG time, even with this minimal quilting.

 Below - a proper ruler (left one) for Machine Quilting on a DSM, and my standard quilting ruler.  Since my quilting foot does not hop, and because of some interference with machine hardware, the slimmer  "wrong" ruler works well, while the "proper" ruler is less used.  I also replaced the larger, easier to handle screw that holds the foot on.  The replacement is very small, making ruler usage visually easier but I'd better not drop it while screwing that tiny thing in place.  

Below - The mess under the needle.  I have 3-4 rows MQ'ed.  Slow going with that ruler work, but I'm still a beginner. I've succumbed to frequent unstitching.  Solution seems to be where I position the ruler - on the seam or off the seam.  

Triangles seem to invite these wedge lines.  I am drawing the lines with a Frixion pen. They come out with the iron.  Seems like double work to draw them, then use the ruler to stitch them.  Stitching them without the ruler ALMOST produces the same line.  mmmm gotta work on that.  

More, More Farm Girl Blocks, and Blizzard

Yep, still more blocks for Farm Girl Vintage - I am getting close to the suggested 48!  The whole point to this lovely project was to make a quilt that took "a long time".  I'm trying to appreciate "slow progress". 

In the meantime, here is outside our front door, Christmas Day.  I just HAD to get out of the house.  Blizzard warnings and whiteout conditions kept most folks indoors.  The fresh air felt wonderful, but in a matter of minutes, my cheeks were feeling frostbit -- wind was terrible.  I walked only half a block one way then was sorry and came back inside!  Dh decided I had lost my mind.      

 A big "thank you" to the unknown folks who cleared off the sidewalk , the first time - they are so bundled up that we hadn't a clue!  By morning, the sidewalks needed it again, and "someone else"  cleared them.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Blizzard for Mother's Day

Spring  2015 Mothers Day, May 10.  It's somewhat subsided now, Yesterday evening and last night was a real blizzard, preceded by 3 inches of much wanted rain.  The snow accumulated to about 10 inches.  My lawn is/WAS lovely green, poppies WERE about to bloom, I had just weeded some of my gardens, I had been sitting on the deck enjoying bluebirds and finches on the feeder ...

I caused it all, by moving the snow shovel from the deck to the garage a few days ago. 

Blizzard - I shoulda stayed home!

We had plenty warning - our NOAA weather alert went off 2 days ago that we were going to get "hammered"! Paula, the Quilter, who lives west of me, in Colorado, also sent me a warning e-mail! 8-))) Yesterday, I stopped for bread and milk, but the store was well-picked over and nearly OUT of milk!

Last night the wind picked up and by this morning, it was zero degrees outside, wind of about 35 mph, and snowing, blowing, with about 8-12 inches on the ground, with huge drifts. Uhhh, ok, I'm Swedish, I can take this. Get the fireplace going to take the morning chill off the house. (God bless the makers of Electric Blankets!)

I still have work at my office that must be done - uhhh, my car was purchased when I lived in a warm clime and it doesn't function on snow -- too low, too light. No problem, DH has 4 wheel drive, except this morning, it won't start, expressing itself with bizarre noises from under the hood!

This is the view from my front door.

OK, now we have a problem. DH insists he has to do the snow blowing. Hey, we've been senior citizens for several years, the weather is frightful, it's easy to get disoriented, drifts can hamper normal balance, and we can't get anyone to the Dr. or hospital if there could be an injury - let's rethink that snow-blowing thing.

After much nagging, he promised to NOT haul that machinery out.

OK, I have to get to my office, really only blocks from my house, so I can walk. Bundled up, wind was at my back, had my cell phone and promised to call home the minute I made the 15 minute walk, only this time it took 25 minutes - husband was getting ready to call Emergency to find me, thinking I'd gotten lost under a drift. (I didn't tell him I really DID fall down in a drift!), but managed to arrive in one cold piece. It's hard to SEE your footing during a blizzard, when you can't tell the road from the curb, or yards. The roads were terrible -- forget using sidewalks! There is no one at my office - it's ME this week! The door was drifted shut and I could barely get in, which made me question my decision making ability.

There had been no auto-rescues for my husband's vehicle at home, so when I was ready to leave to walk back home I called him to watch for me, just in case. This time, the wind is in front of me, and a person gets very cold very quickly! When I covered up my face with my scarf, the condensation from my breathing fogged my glasses so I was nearly blind. Whiteout conditions did not make things easier. I was hoping someone would pick me up, but oddly, no one offered! By the time I walked the entire 3 blocks (yes, that's all!), and trudged through the drifts in my own front yard, I was totally exhausted, and DAZED, mentally confused and had a horrible headache. I truly did not know what day it was!!! How did people ever live in this weather -- however did the native Indians manage as well as the early settlers? Remember, this is the climate with not many trees for firewood!

I'm glad to be safe and sound and even found some chicken and noodles in the freezer.

We are still a little concerned about no usable transportation/cars at all - this is a new experience! Kinda scarey!

"Hey, babe, turn on the Electric Blanket!!!"

Separate subject -- 53 Pineapple Blocks on the Floor. Guess I am staying home for a few days and going to sew. A kind Anonymous neighbor snow-blew the entire block so that issue is taken care. of. 8-))

Happy New Year 2011 Everyone - thanks for all your kindnesses, advice, visual stimulation and friendships! 8-))))))

Fashionable Shoveler

This is going to be my PROOF that I DO shovel snow (as DH publickly claims I do NOT!). This is the front walk going out to the street.

What the photo does not show is that it is blowing about 35-40 MPH. I do NOT own appropriate blizzard clothing (hat) that would hold up to that blowing snow, so I grabbed that fashionable chapeau to keep my head from blowing away. Shoveling in heavy wind is kinda foolish, but the fresh air felt good. Temp was about 25, and there is 8-12 inches on the ground. All this part of the state is shut down, I-80, the main Interstate across Nebraska is partially shut down - yes, large gates getting onto the Interstate are closed so you cannot get ON the Interstate. Our planned evening entertainment, provided by Carnegie Arts Council, has been cancelled. I am sure it is much worse north of us in South Dakota. This is the season when calves are born, so bad weather is very serious for the ranchers.

A kind (but unknown) neighbor, shoveled/snow-blew the walk for our entire block. 8-)) Some mornings, when it has snowed, the snow blower owners try to get out earlier than the next guys -- kinda funny to hear all the equipment firing up -- reminds me of the "Conga Line" in the movie Airport! LOL

This moisture is very much appreciated, even if inconvenient.

BLIZZARD!

GET OUT THE SNOW SHOVELS, FIRE UP THE WOOD STOVE - WINTER HAS ARRIVED!!!

Thank goodness it is not terribly cold - just VERY windy and snowy. The wind kept me awake last night, and by 8:00 am, I had already done some of my shoveling. I LOVE the first snow of winter. 8-)

Photo to come later today.