Mountain Therapy, Part Two

At the end of another stressful week, we finally got to our little mountain cabin on Friday night. The next morning, Charlie roused himself out of bed at 5:30 for one of his favorite pastimes, deer-hunting. It is still bow season. He did not see a buck until he was walking back, and one jumped out right in front of him. At least there is one buck on that mountain! After our usual breakfast at Mil's Stop and Shop Cafe, we headed into West Jefferson for some supplies. I had a brilliant idea to stop at Mt. Jefferson State Park. It is one of the largest peaks in Ashe County. Thomas Jefferson and his father surveyed the land along the North Carolina-Virginia border, and owned land here.

Charlie has been hunting in Ashe County for thirty-seven years, and had never been to the top of Mt. Jefferson. What incredible views!

Could you be stressed out in this location? NOT!
I loved it and took dozens of pictures. The trees have really changed color since last weekend.

If you are not able to hike, you can see the view from a drive-up scenic overlook. A short hike will take you to the rocky outcropping where I am standing.

When we finally dragged ourselves off Mt. Jefferson, I took a photo of this working water wheel fountain in a private yard. Very serene!

When we finally got to town, I took a picture of another mural of a fall scene painted on a wall in West Jefferson. Which is real and which is Memorex?This maple tree is across the street from the ABC store. For those not from the south, that is our Alcoholic Beverage Control, or liquor store. Remember we are in the Bible Belt.

When we finished our errands we drove back again on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This split rail fence is very typical along the Parkway. We stopped to buy some Sourdough Bread at the Northwest Trading Post.Can you tell I like those salmon-colored maple trees?

Here is a photo of the New River, snapped as we drove past in the car. This is the river that hosts our Fourth of July tube trip every year.

When we got home, everyone from our family "compound" was in the garden across the street at my brother-in-law's uncle's. It was time for the potato harvest.

Total : 26 bushels of potatoes and one large toad.

After the "taters" were all in the truck, I planted about six dozen more daffodil bulbs along our driveway. Charlie went back to the tree stand for another unsuccessful hunt. I got out my little baby Janome sewing machine and set up a quilting station on a picnic table in our yard. I had lots of six-inch flannel squares to sew together randomly for baby quilts.

Then I closed up quilt shop and headed out with my camera and doggy to capture more pics of our "hood" in the afternoon light.

Trees and sky reflected in the water.Peak Creek upstream.And downstream.I like this snag tree silhouetted in the sunshine over the creek.

I have lots more pictures, so tune in again to ATQ!

The Quilt-Mobile Lady

I admit it. In retirement, I have become something of a recluse. Make that "The Quilting Hermit of Wake Forest." I spent decades getting up early in the morning and working all day. When you teach, your entire day has to be planned to the last detail. You have to constantly keep children on task and engaged in learning, dealing with behavior and motivation. There is a lot of talking. I mean, you have to talk all the time. The first day of school I would always come home with sore lips, really, from talking so much. I totally enjoy the luxury of not having to rush around in the morning. I also enjoy being in my home and working on my own in peace and quiet. But, I do miss the daily contact with my teaching buddies, and all the funny and endearing things the kids say and do.


Actually, I am sending out my resume to try to land a teaching job again. No need for me to be sitting home lolling around with my husband's income facing uncertainty due to Wall Street's downward spiral. My timing on spending a huge chunk of my savings to remodel the downstairs was spectacularly bad.

Anyway, yesterday, it was time to venture away from home and into the Big City (Raleigh.) I loaded up Sweet Sue the Suburu and went on an outing. First stop, to Jean and Gary's house in North Raleigh to deliver her Oak Leaves quilt. Then, to meet with Karen at an elementary school in Raleigh where she was attending an all-day workshop. I managed to meet her in the school parking lot to deliver her three quilts. Not the strangest quilt delivery: I have dropped quilts off at a day spa and in the Best Buy lot. Since I live about fourteen miles north of Raleigh, I try to deliver quilts if I am going to town anyway, and save my clients a little gas money.

Finally, to West Raleigh to deliver Carolina Woodland Spring to the North Carolina State Fair. What a great surprise to find two very friendly, cheerful, ladies working at the quilt drop-off table. They actually seemed to like quilts, and were very complimentary about my entry. In the past there was a stone-faced old sourpuss. I don't know what happened to her, but I didn't miss her.

After that, it was a short drive to the Whole Foods store, where I selected a delicious Hazelnut-Chicken Salad and a big square of a spicy cornbread. MMMMNNN, much better than my usual yogurt.

And, since it was on the way home, a nice trip to the Triangle Town Center mall to look for surprises from Barnes and Noble and Old Navy to take to South Carolina with me when I visit my son's family in a couple of weeks.

I finally found copies of both the new Gifts and Studios magazines from Quilting Arts. Maybe someday I will finish my sewing room redo. Great eye candy in both issues!

Here is a fun little child's quilt that I just finished for Teresa, a new customer. She is a fabulous piecer. I mean, perfect! She brought me two very similar quilts. I started with the smaller of the two. It has bright commercial prints framed with black polka dot fabric and a rainbow stripe border. Many of the prints are curvy swirls and fun snakes. Now, you know I am not at all fond of snakes, but these are very cute, colorful, and non-menacing. So, I did freehand quilting with lots of swirls and curves.

I did not think I would have time to do the second one today, because we planned to leave for the mountains at noon. DH just called and says the phones are ringing non-stop (he's a stock broker) and he wants to stay and answer all the clients' questions and concerns. So, up I go to work on the next quilt. Hope you all have a safe and happy weekend!

Quilting over the Label

Have just finished quilting a very pretty quilt for my friend Jean. She is incredibly generous to her nieces and nephews, making each of them a beautiful quilt for graduation. This one is a "Washington's Puzzle" pattern made in Oak Leaves and Reels fabric. The border is a print that looks like half-square triangles- great time-saver!

She chose an overall freehand with oak leaves and other leafy designs. I like the fact that Jean sews her labels on the back prior to the quilting. She does not care if it is centered, but the label is not likely to be removed if it is quilted right in to the backing.

I am still fooling around with my new Neocolor 2 Watersoluble wax crayons. Here is some color applied to dry muslin. I drew in some seaweed-looking lines in green over the blues.

Here is the same piece after applying a wet brush. Pretty!

Then I enlarged and added more form to the seaweed with Tsukineko inks to form my version of a kelp forest.

This is just for fun, but it might make its way into an art quilt or some fabric postcards.

If anyone is keeping up with my remodeling saga:

Days until client party: 23

Kitchen painting- done

Kitchen floor- done with beautiful porcelain tile

Kitchen counters- none! They made a template yesterday and had to take off the counters.

Kitchen sink and running water- none! Had to get an undermount sink for the new counters. They are supposed to install counters, sink, and backsplash next week.

Living room, foyer, and dining room floors- none! Now I have to wait for an inspector to come out and examine the faulty wood product that is still nailed to the floor, even though the new wood has been delivered and the old wood hauled off. This is annoying! I want my floor back!

Pink Artist Project Count-Down

It's official...my little pink wall hanging is one of the many prizes to be awarded on October 16 for contributors to the Pink Artist Project.

Monica updated the list of prizes on her blog. Of course, the main attraction is the Love Squared doll, who is quilted, beaded and embellished beyond belief. Her skirt is made from 2-inch squares donated by 180 artists.

All you have to do is make a donation via Paypal to the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer fund by clicking on the sidebar on Monica's blog. For every $10 donation, you earn two chances to win a prize. The list now includes jewelry, purses, artwork, journals, and lots of other hand-made items donated by artists.

If you don't use Paypal, she has her address on the sidebar to mail money order donations. Don't forget, October 15 is the deadline to be part of the Pink Artist Drawing!

In other news, my guild sold every quilt that was auctioned off last Saturday at the Heritage Days event. They raised over $6000 through the quilt auction, and still have the "opportunity" quilt proceeds to add to the total when all the tickets have been sold. So, "Ring of Peace" has a new home. I don't know how much it sold for, but I hope it has a happy new home---and won't be used as a pot holder or hot pad! LOL! I did put instructions on the label to avoid water and direct sunlight.

ATQ Goes to the Mountains

After a stressful week at home wondering if we would ever have a floor, if Wachovia was failing, was becoming Citigroup, or was now Wells Fargo, Mr. Quilty and I headed for the hills for a little mountain therapy. Perfect weather, golden sunshine, crisp mornings, cloudless skies, and autumn color beginning to color the hillsides...yes, that did it for us!It was so beautiful that we took longer, scenic routes to go to town on Saturday morning for our errands. I spotted the quilted garage doors and barn art as we were on Rt. 16 after getting off the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. Not sure about the white on the red barn wall. Surely not gang graffiti???
Here is Mr. Quilty stopping at our favorite produce store. I love the displays of mums, pumpkins, and bountiful vegetable harvests.


When we got back to our cabin, I planted a few dozen mixed daffodils. Charlie did a little hunting (again, no danger to the deer population from his efforts) and I stitched my two little quilt bindings down while sitting outside near the bird feeder. The chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, and a few little woodpeckers emptied the feeder in one day. Then I grabbed my camera and went off with Maggy to take pictures of the pond and creek area, where no one hunts. Perfect for restoring one's good mood, with the sun warm on my back and post-card beauty everywhere I looked.

In addition to the fall color, I loved seeing the reflections of the sky and trees in the water.
The pond below our cabin was looking very serene in the golden light.

On Saturday night, we rode in the Gator to the top of the mountain for an unobstructed view of the stars. It was a great night for shooting stars. The next afternoon we also enjoyed a ride through the Christmas tree farms and along the creek.
On the way home, we took the Blue Ridge Parkway again. Here is one Happy Little Cloud in the blue sky (RIP, Bob Ross!)

The clouds were starting to roll across the valley as we headed down the hill. What a beautiful weekend of R&R!