It's always nice having Alex around; he's enjoying a little down time after the past month of activity.  Thursday he and Tom dug out the leftover lantana stumps in front of the Back 40 hedge (making it much easier to mow) - and he offered to let the irrigation water go at 12:39 that night, which was an added bonus for us. Looks like the yard got a good drink. Everything is certainly sprouting and greening up nicely, enjoying Spring.

Yesterday I finished binding Gordon's quilt (everyone loves the quilting I chose for it), and started in on Sierra's.  (The blue binding Marcie gave me looks great!)  Still haven't gotten back to the t-shirt quilt (having issues with it, and putting that off) and then found out yesterday that Irene is having such carpal tunnel issues that she's not taking in any quilts at this time.  I'd planned/expected for her to quilt it (and get it back before I head to the hot springs) so will have to think about a Plan B! 

Did pull out the chicken top to make sure it was ready for quilting at my May appointment, and may be adding a border to it. Time will tell.

Friday DJ came over to go over some work schedule stuff with Alex, and brought his dog Oliver (a cutie about Tyga's size) to play in the Back 40 with Tyga.  Too bad it was quite muddy around the edge of our yard (and with puddles of standing water in low spots) so they couldn't come in and visit Latina when she was over.  She did get a little mud on her paws - but since she's so tiny and barely weighs anything that was easily remedied with a paw-dip in the pool.

Tom had a knapper from Tucson, John, up to see the museum.  So we were 5 for dinner last night, and used the bench for the table for the first time. Glad I peeled/diced the entire bag of potatoes; we made serious dent in the mashers, and killed the crocked roast.

I'd arranged pick-up times with Marcie and Perri for this morning trip to Quiltapalooza - until I spoke with Wanda and she pointed out that's next Saturday.  So we'll just have to find some other trouble to get into... 

It was an uneventful annual check-up with GP this morning.  I had hoped to be able to schedule an appointment (for her to administer a local and dig the remainder of the thorn out of my pinkie finger; I've been working at it for almost 2 years.)  Turns out she doesn't do that - and says it may have developed a cyst and I need a  hand surgeon.  At least I know a good one!

 Picked up a couple more books at the library, and then stopped in at Ace for another "box" of mouse poison for the car.  The first one we taped in there, after discovering a rodent nest on the battery, was chewed to pieces and the block of poison gone.  Assume that critter is no longer with us - but of course there could be more than one rodent around.  Definitely don't want my wires, hoses, belts, etc. chewed!

An impulse purchase at Ace was a hummingbird feeder for the front porch, and it had already attracted business within minutes of filling and hanging.  I do enjoy sitting here in my chair watching them feed.  Also cleaned and filled the triple feeder out back, so hopefully the hummers will also notice that I've done that.

Now for some more quilts from Saturday -

I have a special affinity for star quilts:

Ellen's is gorgeous - too bad colors are washed out in photo.  When she showed it at Foothills, we practically had to twist her arm to enter it!

Notice the Big Dipper?

Some of the critter quilts:

This is the pattern that Patti and tried to do;

we finally gave up after too many mistakes.

Barb won these cute owl blocks at Night Owls:

This wasn't technically in the show, but hung in Gina Perkes vendor booth. 

(Yes I did get permission from her to snap a photo for Mom.)

geometric designs:

and color

a different shape

This quilter did a wonderful job on her Row By Row! 

(I just keep collecting the patterns each summer from around the country...)

This was an incredibly creative political quilt - each block has something that pulls out or unzips - and I would have liked to take a bunch of close-ups, but we had to zoom over to the auction.

Picked up my quilt from Sharon today, and was pleased with the judges' comments.

And to my surprise, it was considered for a ribbon in the Group category!

Latina spent the afternoon here while Marcie schlepped down to the VA for a doctor appointment, and Tyga was also here for a good bit of that time.  He would have liked to play, but she's still hesitant around other dogs.

Alex was here a bit before and after his tax appointment today (he got better-than-expected news in that department) and caught us up some on his time in Texas.  The weather didn't cooperate the day they guys planned to go sky diving again (too windy) but otherwise the past month went well.

Got most of the binding blind-stitched on Gordon's quilt, and finished up Doc Martin.  Now will have to wait until the Fall for Season 9.

Wanda came by yesterday to hang out in the "park" with us (and took home some of the green fabrics Marcie and I had culled from my scrap bucket for her QAYG project.)  She and Marcie both admired "my" quilting from yesterday. 

It helped that I'd already ripped out

the drunken sailor basting from both quilts. 

I'd also made up and attached the binding for Gordon's quilt, so maybe I'll get some blind-stitching done on it while we wait for Sharon and Linda at Foothills this morning.  Unfortunately the binding (five WOF strips) jussssst barely meet, so I figured that <sigh> I'd need to cut and add a sixth one.  Happily Wanda, acting as the quilt police <g> gave me 'permission' to just join them as a straight seam (think I can overlap them 1/4"!) 

None of the blues in my stash match the inner border of Sierra's quilt, so I thought I'd need to go shopping for a snippet <g>, but Marcie found a length of already-made bias binding leftover from one of her earlier projects that is a damn close match. 

She and I are looking forward to getting back our quilts this morning and seeing what the judges had to say about them.  Wanda got great positive comments on hers, so it's even more surprising that it didn't capture a ribbon.

Another early wake-up, at 4:30.  But since I crashed EARLY last night I did log almost 8 hours sleep.  I would be happier, thought, if I could just adjust the part of the night when I do that!

Time to post another bunch of quilt show pix since I would like to be done with last weekend's show before I head to the PAQA show this weekend!  So it's off to the main room to view those quilts.

These wonky houses were adorable - and the fabrics she used

are much brighter than my photo would suggest.

There are 154 houses in this one, each sewn from a different fabric. 

Another fun scrappy idea.

Blurb says it took her 75 hours to free-hand quilt this Double Wedding Ring on her long arm!

Cheri's Irish Chain quilt for her husband Bob in celebration of his Irish roots.

Always enjoy reading the background info on the quilts.  This is why you might not want to bring one of the kids with you to a show.... <g>

OOOH - pointing out pretty fabrics!

One day I'll get around to sewing my strings/strips together....

Fun quilt - though Alex texted me back that Tyga's quilt is WAY cuter.

Battery alert - check back later for more PIX.