The "S" word

Yup - it's here - SNOW!! The temp has dropped almost 10 degrees since I got up and it's now a toasty 34F outside. I did break down and wear a winter coat this morning - but ONLY because I would have to walk to the post office at work :)  The snow is melting as fast as it falls but it's fun (on this first day only) to watch it out the windows.

Not such a great shot of the snow but it's dead on for the grey dreariness.

Google decided to clear all my unread Google Reader posts today. I was behind so it's a "relief" to not have to feel like I need to play catch up but who knows what I missed...

I guess I over estimated my hint giving capabilitites with yesterday's Wazzit post. I really thought someone would get half way close.

The 4 rectangles will make 2 luggage handle wraps. There was a finished one rolled up in the back left of the photo (and shown below). I've taken some pictures to do a tutorial next week. They are quick and easy for gifts and craft bazaars and they really do help find YOUR suitcase. I bought a green suitcase thinking no one else would have one but baggage pickup is usually so dark it's hard to tell mine from all the black suitcases.


What was I focusing on? The handle wrap is complelety out of focus



Wazzit Wednesday

Can you guess what pair of "things" these four 4.5" x 6.5" rectangles will be made in to?

Hint: They are a hit at bazaars so I'll be making more pairs as well...I'll be using the finished green/purple batik pair next week.

Wazzit Wednesday Contest Solution

As you hopefully saw last week, I posted a photo id contest for Wazzit Wednesday. Only 4 people posted guesses but let me tell you that no one should have been shy about posting a guess because I don't know how many of them I would have known if I hadn't been the one taking the pictures. I never said they were (all) vegetables but the leading photo which included the veggie garden was a big hint.

I had asked contestants to be as specific with their guesses as possible and while most people at least got it close, no one was able to guess the specific vegetable/plant (ex: peas versus snow peas). Again, I wouldn't have known myself and if anyone HAD been able to guess, I would have fallen out of my chair in surprise. So, lets get to the results...

1. Spaghetti squash - I think they're technically a winter squash but I had 2 people guess it was a summer squash and my online research said it's a very fine line now a days between summer and winter squashes. That little 3-finger squash was not there a week ago when I took the first picture. I am hoping I get a decent number of squash given the number of blossoms and distance the vine seems to be expanding into.

2. Red Potatoes - I've never grown white potatoes so I have no idea if there is a way to tell the difference by the blossoms. I was late hilling these big boys so I have seen little starter potatoes and I'm looking forward to seeing how many there will be this year. I'm hoping each year that I work the garden and pull out more and more rocks they will get bigger because little bitty potatoes don't go far, even if it's just me to feed. One person guessed potato but don't they just look live overgrown weeds?

3. Snow Peas - I did have several guesses for peas but no one guessed snow peas. I'm thrilled to report that all peas photographed in preparation for this post were harmed (eaten) in the production of pictures. How's that for a healthy breakfast, straight off the vine!? And yes, those are sticks you see there. I stick forked branches into the dirt around the pea vines as a poor man's trellis. I think next year I need taller and sturdier branches - some of them are leaning over.

4. Purple Pepper - Yup, you read that right, PURPLE! Again, they are the only peppers that I have grown so I have no idea about differing flowers - I did have 3 votes for some kind of pepper. These will start out green and turn purple as they mature. The inside stays green which means they look great on a veggie platter.

5. Tomato - I can't honestly remember which plant I photographed so it could have been a standard type tomato or grape tomatoes. I took photos of both plants to show how they are doing. Everyone recognized tomato blossoms. Anyone have a recipe for fried green tomatoes? I'm game this year to try it since I seem to have a much bigger crop on my 3 tomato/2 grape tomato plants.

Bonus - Gilt Edge Toad Lily - hey, I didn't say they were (all) veggies. No winners here but again, this is the first time I have even seen this shade plant and I didn't know if anyone would guess what they tiny flowers are. The leaves directly under my finger tips are part of the Toad Lily which is more of an upright plant. The similar leaves behind my hand are part of a Solomon's Seal which has little white flowers that hang below the leaves on arching branches.

So, of the 4 contestants - two had four correct answers and two had two correct answers. Be sure to check your emails because I decided to send a little something to everyone and a bigger something to the contestants who each guessed 4 veggies. Congrats to all!

And, just because they are my fav - my lillies opened this weekend!!!

Design Wall Monday - 7/25/11

Another Monday but finally it's raining!!! There are lots of severe thunderstorm warnings but the rain will do the grass and gardens good. Has it even rained since the end of June? Couldn't tell you because last week's heat wave has cooked my brain.

It was so hot this weekend that I only got a little of this and that done. I was able to make a quick trip to Dansville (mainly because the car has AC) for backing to my fireman quilt. I also picked up some RWB thread that I think will look great.

At the same store, I was able to get the sashing fabric shown above for my Civil War BOW. I'm pretty sure that I didn't post the last 2 blocks I did so lets just say the block on the right is a new block I did this weekend (ok so I'm still behind and this is an old block that I just got to but I promise to get the pictures (not the blocks!) updated this week). The blocks that have been posted are all together on the Civil War Quilt tab at the top of my blog. I have also drawn up the quilt in EQ (figured it was good practice for the LQS BOM we are creating) and while I haven't included the actual fabrics, I did try to pick the proper colors. Any one wanna see it so far?

I really like the brown with it's subtle stripe and swirls. My question for you, fair readers, is what to use for the cornerstones? a mix of neutrals? a mix of all my other fabrics? (to match the one border that is all squares of the fabrics used) or something else?

Also, don't forget to lend your voice to last week's Wazzit Wednesday...there are pressies for the winner that will be announced this Wednesday. Only 3 votes so far...

Wazzit Wednesday Contest?!

We're gonna play a little game today...can you guess what plants these flowers come from? Please be as specific as possible. The person who gets the most answers correct will get a little prezzie in the mail. The person who gets the bonus question will get a different prezzie. The most comments I have ever had was 9 so you have a pretty good chance of winning. Winners will be announced next Wednesday! Please make sure I have your email address if you comment anonymously. Good Luck!

Here's part of my backyard...the red and green maple trees and hammock are mine. The pool, gazebo and garage are the neighbors.

Feel free to enlarge Wazzit pictures for a better view:

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Bonus question:

Wazzit Solution

Nobody posted a guess in the comments? Did nobody have a guess or nobody read my post? Things that make you go hummmmm...

This is a tiny bit of Mom's Night Blooming Cereus. Hers was probably 6 feet tall and had run these spiky parts another 4+ feet along the ceiling. It finally got too heavy and was aiming for the floor. Dad insisted it be trimmed since it was hard to get from point A to B in the living room without being attacked by the green spikey things. It's fairly heavy for it's size so I'm glad I had that empty fishtank in the basement. It's just heavy enough to not be knocked over. I still wouldn't trust it around the cats so I normally keep it higher in a more protected area. I did check this morning and a few roots have come out. Yah me!

Here's a link to Google photos of the plant and flowers.

Wazzit?!

Can you guess what this is? I'm talking about the things wrapped in plastic and newspaper so the cold wouldn't harm it on the way home from Mom's. Let's just say it was not easy to get it into my little car quickly :)

Do these give you a hint?

I'll post the answer next Wednesday!

Wazzit Wednesday

This update has been long overdue...If you remember, way back last year I posted a picture and asked you to guess what it was. I had updated that same post with more "parts" coming through town but I never got a chance to get a photo of the finished items.

A couple weekends ago, I found these parked at a local train overpass.

Each pair of blades is on an extended rail car but further extends into the cars next to it. These things are Ha-Yuge. My shoulders didn't even reach the flat beds. The cars sitting there were about a half mile long and contained blades and hubs. The parts that passed through town are supposedly going down to Pennsylvania, not sure where the train was going.

 These are just a few of the local Windmills! Each windmill is made of three of those rounds sections I originially posted, then the hub at the top and 3 blades. They are any where from 100 to 400 feet high. Wyoming County is very hilly and windy so we have a lot of turbines around altho they are VERY controversial. If the blades are facing just the right way, the doppler rader is goofed up by showing or not showing "weather" in the denser wind farms. I thought it was funny the first time I saw it on tv.

Happy Brithday to my favorite Brother!!



Wazzit?

Can you guess what this is?

You are looking at the trailer end (which has 4 axels, 4 wheels per axel): I didn't have time to catch the cab and how many axels it had as this passed by my office this morning.

They often come by in "sets" so maybe I can get a better picture later today.

For reference, The brick building in the background is an entire block with 5 buildings side by side.

UPDATE
Based on the one guess I received so far, I think I should also tell you that I work and live in a very rural area. It's not a sewer pipe! I took friday off and drove to the "big" city to do some Christmas shopping and saw two more pieces (yes, these are each one-third of the final product) drive buy. I did park to get these but it's hard to focus on a moving object. Traffic was stopped before the first picture below for the semi to go underneath the center of a flashing light.


shows the semi and part of the entourage. I think it travels with at least 4 or 5 support vehicles and a state police vehicle.



hmm...the tail end seems to be closed off rather than a blue tarp. maybe this is the top piece?

Wazzit Wednesday

Do you recognize this cactus? The picture doesn't show the plant very well, altho it is in the background, but this was the last picture on my memory card. The plant has lethal little spikes and is probably 4 feet wide and 3 feet tall. The leaves are flat but there are also triangular sections of "stem." These blossoms are probably as big as your hand and dribble a sticky liquid onto the table cloth. We have no idea what it's called and would appreciate any insight. There are probably 6 blossoms on it right now as it seems to love the heat of late and the west facing window. I can take more pictures if that would help you figure out what it is. Anybody have any ideas?

Wazzit Wednesday

Well....I thought that Wazzit Wednesday had a better ring than Wazzit Friday...that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

Did anyone guess what they were???

They are luggage tags. They also hold gift cards or insert cards that say "Do Not Disturb" or "Happy Birthday" and hang them on a door knob for a neato surprise. I'll have them at my Christmas Bazaar booth in just 17 days (but who's counting).

Wazzit Friday

So ... can you guess what it is? I think I gave a little too much of a visual clue but maybe not...

I'm working on projects for the Christmas Bazaar at the local church. 28 days and counting. I've completed several table runners with a lot more waiting to be quilted and bound, tissue pockets and the wazzits shown here. More pictures to come...