Dan's Ramblings

Dan here ~

Thursday, a rather hot one today. I guess it is summer it might as well be hot now. 

I picked blueberries this morning, now that was a hot endeavor. I was pleased to see the bucket full.

I enjoy picking them but it could have been a little cooler. I’m up in the studio now trying to cool off and enjoy the quiet.

In the studio I’m working on #20 for 2025, I have a little more than one half of the blocks made and framed. I think I am slowly coming to the conclusion that quilting is very repetitious. I guess I knew that though. 

Here are a couple of the blocks, there are several different varieties depending on the sizes of the blocks used. 

The bins I work from are slowly becoming smaller. Most of what I have been pulling out of them though is often multiples of four. Four lights, four darks etc. Only real problem is I need to find something to do with all those that are singles, doubles or triples of a particular fabric. I thought I was being rather scrappy but maybe I need to go even further down that road. I suppose that all four V-blocks in a star do not need to match or even be close. I guess I’ll have to try that. I currently am working on a pile of four of a kinds of 3-1/2” squares and I am turning them into 2-1/2”  V-blocks. There is a little bit of waste this way but I try not to loose sleep over it anymore.

We are off to Augusta tomorrow for 2025 Maine Quilts. I used to have a lot of fun vending there. I guess those days are over. As we age there are many concepts and ideas that get left behind. I have given up the idea of being a master guitar player, no more patience to practice than I ever did. I guess I’ll stick to quilting. I’m already half decent at that. At least for now. Time will tell. 

I am actually going to go “shopping” at the quilt show. I never did much of that. I will be looking for “fussy cut” fabric for my stash. (like I really need it) I also may be looking for a way to utilize some of the leftover large spool thread that Carol used to use but Lena does not like. I am already using unneeded bobbins from the longarm and rewinding them for my machine. They work fine. We have a number of spools that I could use up and get rid of it. 

It will be a different kind of day anyway. It’s always fun to see the quilts and see familiar faces. Don’t expect me to remember your name or at least not until later, another of those getting older joys. Memory comes in it’s own time, not necessarily when I want or need it. It’s scary I seldom know what day it is. I hope I’m never in an accident, I can picture the EMT hovering over me, asking me what day it is as I stare blankly back at them. I only hope I can explain that I had no idea what day it was before the accident. Hope to see some people I know at the show or that know me.

My lily that moved here from Rangeley has begun its blossoming season. I believe I counted 20 blooms this morning. 

They open over night, so every morning brings new blooms. Another lily is almost ready to bloom as well. It is lot shorter than this one. There are a lot of buds on this one as well. Can’t wait to see them, I think they were maroon, time will tell.

It appears that half decent weather will continue into and through the weekend with possible storms as well. It is Maine. Not as hot as today, but that is fine by me.

Stay safe and enjoy your weekend.