Fall

 I think it's about time for fall around here, although judging by the weather we've had lately, it's still summer.  But...the last couple of days have been cooler.  My mums are in full bloom ( the tree is still green).

 Some grandsons are happier than others.  Boys will be boys.  Gabe has a grasshopper in his hand and Timothy is mad about something.  Typical.  And the sun is too bright for everyone. 

 So...even though it feels like summer outside, I'm going to push the issue and decorate for fall inside.  Yes, I know I show this quilt every fall, but it's one of my favorites so you have to see it again.
Fall for me means....birthday!  Yes, another birthday party.  This time with the family and celebrating with my son-in-law Patrick whose birthday is 4 days before mine.  My daughter Calista made this huge and wonderful red velvet cake for us.  I have one more party coming up tomorrow at the Cotton Patch.  Then the "season" of my birthday will be over and we'll start thinking about Thanksgiving.....NO WAIT!!!

There's something else to think about before Thanksgiving.  I'm going to HOUSTON!  Yes, the International Quilt Show in Houston!  My bff  Leslie and I will be at the show for 2 days plus the pre-view.  We're so excited.  I'm sure I'll have lots of pictures to show when I get back.

More Vacation Pictures

I forgot to post this picture taken in Owatoma, Minnesota on our way back from Michigan.  We stopped in this little town because the shop is called Cotton Patch--the same name as the shop I work at in Tulsa.  The quilt was designed by the lady who is the store owner.  I bought the pattern and someday I'm going to make this quilt.

I bought this little quilt in Shipshewanna, Indiana.  It's a real Amish quilt.  I hope you can see the lovely hand stitches in the picture. 

The red border contains the initials of several Amish women who make these quilts and sell them.

Let the PARTIES begin!

Soon I'll be having another birthday.  It's one of those big birthdays with double digits that are the same number.  Makes me feel old.  But...parties help!  So let's party.  I had the first one of the "season" last week.
My stitch group met to finish up a bunch of charity quilts.  We had so many to finish up that we decided we should spend the night.  So our gracious hostess Emma let us sleep over at her house.

We had a party!

Coleen made this delicious chocolate cake. 

There were presents!
We played "Fat Quarter Craps"  (I didn't win)

I made popcorn and peanuts fried in bacon grease just like my dad used to make.  Yum Yum

And at some point amid all this partying, we finished 12 quilts.  We had started some of them at our retreat in April.  We also got 7 tops done.

Friday, the partying continues.  I'll have my whole family over to celebrate.  Tomorrow is my son-in-law's birthday, so I guess I'll share! haha  (He's worth it!)

They have quilt shops in Michigan, too!

While on our vacation in Michigan, my husband was so gracious and stopped at any and every quilt shop that struck my fancy.  Let's just say that I helped out the lagging economy.

These quilts were in a little gift shop in Ontanogan.  The lady who owns the shop, Edna Yonkes is a prolific quilter.  She had lots of little quilty gifts for sale in addition to these beautiful prize winning quilts on display. 

 These quilts were displayed in the work/classroom of a Ben Franklin store in Marquette.  There was lots of fabric here and the lady who helped me was so nice.  She gave me a map of all the quilt shops in the Upper Peninsula.

 I think this next one was in Isphaming, Michigan.  Again, really nice people.

Still Life

It's been a long time since I've posted, but there is "still life" here at the Marler household.  We've been back from our wonderful 11 day trip to Michigan for about 9 days and I'm finally starting to feel back to normal, so I went into my sewing room today and made these.  I guess I'd call them "Still Life".  Notice that I used a shadowing effect which makes them look 3 dimensional.  They're for a block exchange with my stitch group. 

The first four days of our trip were spent in Kalamazoo (yes, there really IS a Kalamazoo).  Tim and I attended Western Michigan University there in 1976-77.  The Eastern division of American Association of Petroleum Geologists had it's anual meeting so we got to reunite with friends while there.

This is Jan Fowler.  She and her husband John were our neighbors when we lived in Kalamazoo.  She and I took a guided tour (directed by Tim and John's former geology professor's wife) to Shipshewanna, Indiana (Amish and Menonite country).

 Everything was decorated for the fall seasons and there were quilt shops everywhere!  If I had had more time, we probably would have come back totally broke!  haha

We were excited to get to meet John and Jan's son, Jacob.  He works in Michigan and is in the United States Marine reserves.
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The subject of the Marines was very near and dear to our hearts while we were gone because we knew that our son was contemplating joining.  Sure enough, before we got back, he had sworn in and is headed for San Deigo on April 11, 2011.
As as mom and dad, we are so very proud of him, yet also so very scared for him.  But...we get him for the next 6 months.  He has moved back into our house until he leaves.  He continues to work and is changing into a strong and determined man right before our very eyes.



Lake Superior at Marquette.

 We got to see some beautiful country while in Michigan.  Plus, we got to see 3 of the 5 Great Lakes.


Here I am on the shores of Lake Michigan in Holland.



Arch Rock on Mackinac Island on Lake Huron.

And...we got to see some of the most beautiful trees I've seen in a long time.  The pictures do not do them justice.

We got to stay in this beautiful place.


The Dapple Grey Bed and Breakfast at Eagle Harbor, Michigan on the Keweenaw Peninsula.

 Lake Superior was litterally right outside our bedroom window:

Yes, it was cold that evening.  Luckily, Tim had the down jacket I made in 1976 for our winter in Michigan.
No "Still Life" here.

Even though it was cold that evening, I was surprised to see the tomato plants were still producing.  And aren't the mums beautiful?!

The next morning we drove 2 hours south to dig in an old copper mine.  You might find yourself asking, "whose idea was this?"  Well...it was Mike's.  He's a geologist and he works with Tim.  It was an experience I'll never forget.  It started out with this beautiful rainbow over a valley of beautiful trees.

I grew up in Caledonia, MO so the name of this mine was pretty cool.  Now to be honest, I probably spent more time in the car with the heater running than I did digging in our pile of rocks looking for copper, silver and various other minerals.  I really had no idea what I was doing.

But at least I had fashionable boots for the job!  Can't say much for the pants, but with the long johns I had underneath, I was able to stay reasonably warm.  Until....the rain.  I think I found something.  I'm just not sure WHAT!

Lucky for me, there were 3 geologists who knew what they were looking for.

That's Mike on the left, Tim in the middle and the man who owns the mine on the right.  I forget his name. But he was  very nice.  Later we went to his rock shop and I bought some Caledonia mine t-shirts and some...rocks.



We came back in time to take in the Tulsa State Fair where I had entered 3 of my quilts.  The bright one on the right is mine.  And it has a blue ribbon!



This one didn't get a ribbon.

This one got a red ribbon.

Our daughter Calista brought home a few ribbons, too.
The pink socks are hers.

There was no "still life" while we were gone.  The grandkids continued to grow and change.

Gabe got contact lenses while we were away.  Here he is playing the Amish made marble game I brought home.

And  Timothy got glasses!  What a handsome boy!

And of course, Wesley got bigger.  And cuter.

I plan to add some more vacation pictures soon.  Until then...