Dan's Ramblings

Dan here ~

Thursday, finally the last couple of days I have been able to complain about the heat. The weather changes very fast from one extreme to another. I’m in the studio as it is too hot outside. Nothing I really have to do outside, I still have a couple 4-packs of wave petunias to plant up, but that is about it. I may get a few more short flowers to fill in some holes. Who knows, time will tell.

I told you last time about working on the neighbor’s woodpile. When I picked up a piece of wood I saw what looked to be a twig sticking out the end. Closer observation showed it to be a stick worm, I thought it was rather cool and was glad I had my eyes open. 

I had a hard time deciding what to plant in my planters this year. They are only a tease in comparison to my old gardens. 

Add to that, one planter is located under some dying trees infested with brown tail and another kind of caterpillar. They crap all over the picnic table as well as my plants. Also, the caterpillars would be falling all over whatever I planted. With flowers it's not too much of an issue, but I wanted to plant some beans there. I don’t know as I want to pick the beans after the brown tails have dropped their little hairs all over them. I have reactions on both arms that I believe came from contact with the dang things. 

The cucumbers and the radishes seem to enjoy the warmer weather. 

This is the planter I mentioned last time that created a little work for me this spring. I've noticed the last couple years that things didn’t grow as well in them as I thought they should. I dug around in it and found that the planter was about two thirds full of roots. They had come from the neighbor’s bushes on the other side of the fence and were taking over the bed. The planter on the other side of the house had done the same thing two years ago. My solution (which appears to be working) was to remove all the soil and lay filter fabric down and refill the planter. I laid down a tarp and proceeded to remove all the soil and do the same to this one as I did the other one. Carol caught me during the process. 

Hopefully it will work, you got it, time will tell.

We have been observing some rather large snapping turtles out front in the pond, They seem to like hanging around about 25-50’ off shore. They rise up with their big heads, sometimes the whole turtle is exposed at the surface. I observed two of them at the same time today so we know there are several.

Carol googled them up and saw they can live up to a hundred years and stay in the same general area. I told her there was a good chance that one of them might even remember her as a child. Did she ever throw rocks at them? Hmm something to think about.

While on our walk the other day, walking with my eyes open, I saw something in a tree that made me chuckle, as it showed I’m not the only weirdo around the area. 

Also saw these lily of the valley and the wild sarsaparilla. More of the spring and early season wild flowers. 

In the studio I have finished three quilts since I last rambled at you last. #27 for 2026 was made from stacked squares of 6” blocks alternated with a block made from 3x6 Diamond Rect units. Corner Pop II gave me the stars in my 2-1/4” sashing. 

2026-27

In #28 for 2026 I made 12” blocks from grouping two 6” squares with two 6” pieced blocks. Then played with my 3” sashing, quick project. 

2026-28

In #29 for 2026 I stepped outside the box. There was a bit of a math challenge with this one. Both in getting the layout to work as well as some decisions that were made based on what remained of some of the different fabrics. I still needed to sew pieces together to get a square large enough to use the when making my 12” Square in square blocks. I used them in two different blocks, I looked when the quilt was done but I could not find them. It’s a scrap quilt. I had to use paper on this one as well. Not for piecing, I don’t paper piece, but I had to draw this one out on graph paper to make it work. I thought the “Welcome Home” in the pieced border along the top and bottom was a cool touch. I have lots more letters that will show up in future quilts. 

2026-29

I guess I’ve rambled long enough, enjoy your weekend, stay safe and be sure to go outside and feed the black flies.