Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Everything's Coming Up Flowers


Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
~Rabindranath Tagore

We had a very overcast day yesterday.  The morning was almost like beach weather - cool and cloudy.  I think we saw the sun for about an hour.  The clouds continued through the rest of the day.  So strange!  We have been about 15 degrees below normal for our high for this time of year.  I'm not complaining but it feels so odd to still be in my sweatshirt all zipped up in June - and even with the hood up first thing in the morning!  They are predicting normal temps by the end of the weekend.  That means we will be in the low 90's.  I'm not looking forward to it at all.  This has been one of the longest springs that I can remember.  Am I complaining?  Not one bit.  Now I know why people cram themselves into the Los Angeles basin - it's to enjoy the temperate weather.  The farmers are not happy as this is not good crop growing weather.  However, my hydrangeas are absolutely loving it and so am I :D

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PHOTO FACT OF THE DAY

Roses

June is National Rose Month.  Have you been enjoying roses in your yard or neighborhood?  My Dad used to have 52 different varieties in our yard when I was growing up.  Here are some fun facts about roses:
* Roses are valued for their romantic symbolism but their blooms are also edible. No, they don’t taste like chicken. Rather like the flavors of green apples and strawberries.
* The rose family also includes pears, apples, cherries, plums, peaches, apricots, and almonds.
* The rose is named as the favorite flower of 85% of Americans.
* A fossilized rose - over 35 million years old - was found in Florissant, Colorado.
* Rose hips contain more Vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable.
* The oldest rose in the world has flourished for over 1,000 years on the wall of Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany
* There are more than 15,000 different types of rose species and cultivated varieties worldwide
* Among the 50 U.S. states; Georgia, Iowa, New York, and North Dakota list the rose as their state flower
* The most expensive privately developed rose specie is the Juliet. An English breeder spent 14 years and $5.5 million dollars to cultivate this apricot colored variety

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SWAP FLOWERS

Yesterday I managed to make one of two flowers for my swap partner.

Jane, my swap partner in the Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap, asked for modern fabrics for the petals with a white center.  Would you consider the fabric modern?  I'm always confused about the term "modern".  She also requested that all the petals be the same.  I still have to make one more flower for Jane before putting this one in the mail.

Last week I received two flowers from my swap partner......

Marina made these two beautiful flowers for me!  I especially like the blue flower made with the sweet rose fabric.  Thank you so very much, Marina!

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ANOTHER FLOWER FOR TODAY

Yesterday I also made a hexagon flower for One Flower Wednesday....

Remember that wonderful fat quarter I received awhile back for my birthday?  This is one of the flowers I have created from that bright, wonderful fabric.  Takes me back to the psychedelic colors of my teens - lol!  I love the little paw prints in each of the paisley shapes. 
If you would like to see more hexagon flowers being created out there in blogland, Karen of Journey of a Quilter has provided us with a link up page to make this search easy.  Thanks again, Karen!

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TODAY'S GOAL

Today I would like to make one more swap block.  And, if given the time, I hope to start stitching the binding onto the road way quilt.

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GIVEAWAYS

Ruby Slipperz is having a giveaway.  You could win a copy of Quilter's Cookbook.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 10, at midnight.

Gen X Quilters is having a sponsored giveaway.  You could win a Fat Quarter bundle of Honey Child from Swell Cloth.  This giveaway ends Saturday, June 11, at 11:59 pm EST.

Fabric Worm is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win Mosterama in Fat Quarters.  This giveaway ends Monday, June 13, at 8:30 am PST.

1 Choice 4 Quilting is having a "super Awesome" giveaway.  Shawna is giving away a Swell Everyday Bag from Moda filled with lots and lots of wonderful, awesome things.  This giveaway ends Monday, June 13, at 10:00 pm EST.

The Quilting Pirate is having a Manic Monday giveaway for June.  Toni is giving away two each of 24- 5" charms of Batiks.  This giveaway ends Sunday, June 12.

My Patchwork Life is ready to send the Traveling Stash on its way.  The box is filled with all sorts of goodies.  This giveaway ends Friday, June 10, around dinner time.

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FINAL THOUGHT

Have you ever wondered what goes on in your dog's or cat's minds?  Do they think we are some super beings put on this earth just for them?  Sometimes I will look over at either Weasley or Snickerdoodle and they have a look on their face of such delight that says "Really?  Are we going to do something fun?"  Or, if I've accidentally disturbed their sleep they can both give very perturbed looks.  And then their is always what we call the "Evil Eye" look.  When they look at you with total disgust of "How could you do that again - was that really necessary?".  Then there are the dreams - with little barks and running feet.  Are they chasing a cat out of the yard or, in Snickerdoodle's case, is she chasing that ball just one more time?  I would love to know what goes on in my two pups minds.  Oh, to be a mind reader - or maybe I would be disappointed - best not to know and just wonder.

They never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation.
 ~Jerome K. Jerome

33 comments:

Donna said...

Florida is muggy and hot - just what we expect in June! Cha Cha cat us an expert at expressing herself!

Lynda said...

Love all the hexie flowers. We've had nice warm weather although this morning it is a little cooler and windy. Perfect weather to work in the yard.

joe tulips said...

We had a blast furnace yesterday. Way to hot (100)...at least cooler temps are in the forecast! I am looking forward to some sweatshirt weather!

nono said...

The flowers are so pretty. We replaced some roses that were damaged during the winter, and they lost all the flowers already : (.

Needled Mom said...

We are experiencing the June Gloom here with the cool and damp weather. My roses are NOT happy.

I LOVE the paisley hexie!!! The paw prints are so cute. All of the hexies are great. You do such a great job of keeping up with them.

Send some of that heat our way!! Our farmers can use it.

PolkaDotClassic said...

Love the colors in your little flower.
Have a Wonderful Wednesday
Marta

Marcia - Crafty Sewing and Quilting said...

Love your flowers - especially the one with the paisley fabric.

You can have our 90s in Wisconsin...I'll take the 70s everyday of the week!

rubyslipperz1052 said...

your hexies and the swap look like so much fun...I'm jealous =D

I'm going to work on those words of wisdom at the end of your blog...=( I'm such a Chattie-Annie! I always seem to get so excited that I forget to ask questions...I need to learn also to take a breath...=P

hugZ,
annie
rubyslipperz106.blogspot.com

Lynette said...

Wow! That hexie is amazing. :)

Birdie said...

Simply beautiful!

Linda said...

The roses here in the valley are gorgeous right now!!!I am in awe!
I would love the see the 1000 year old rose bush (vine) in Germany!
My favorite of the hexi flowers you showed today is the psychodelic one! I love the bright colors contrasted with black.

Ric Rac and Polka Dots said...

Hi,
I'm your newest follower. I love the pictures of your flowers, so pretty. I also am really enjoying the hexagon flowers. I might just try hexagons this summer. I can do them while sitting outside. Hmmmm, should I really start another project? Or finish one I have already started? Oh what the heck, I can always finish them later! :)
Please come visit my new blog, Ric Rac and Polka Dots. It is brand new, but I have lots of things planned to share with everyone, and it will be a lot of fun! I hope to see you there.
Julie

Maria said...

All the hexies are lovely Linda.

Oh how I would love to grow some roses.We have bore water and it is too salty for them.

Megan Harmeyer said...

I would love to be in that weather!! Heck. I'd just like to be out of the smoke. That blue and black hexie is BRIGHT, but I like it! And I'm with you: I like the blue roses better out of the two hexies you received. Love the brights of the paw print flower (and the flower in the middle is a nice touch). I can't wait til we can get a little doxie. Some day.

Shannon said...

We have had some very cloudy days here. The crops around my little town are all having a hard time as well. "modern" is a hard one for me also. I just don't get it I guess, but your flower for Jane is very pretty. I love your paisley/paw print flower, so colorful! We have amny animals and I always wonder what is going on in their heads. They have such human responces to things that I wonder if that is how they were made or if it from years of living so close to humans. LOL!

Jodi-JoJoMia's Place said...

I love your hexies! Yes, I would consider that blue one you made to be modern fabric because it is bright and just looks like something new. I am sure she will like it. It is hard to classify something as subjective as fabric design, unless it is a civil war repro or 30's print, it can be whatever you want it to be!

I think it is funny my one cat, Gary, loves to sit on everyone's lap, but ONLY when I am home. If I am gone he keeps to himself. I always wonder why?? He sits on everyone else's lap just as much as mine.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

You just amaze with each new Hexie flower. Just love the paisley paws! I had my chocolate ice cream yesterday by the way.

My cat is so empty headed, I don't think there would get an answer. She's the queen and doesn't have to think.

Glad to see the Traveling Stash again - where did the other box go? Kelly gave out two.

Anonymous said...

Linda, I've always wondered....how do roses have hips?! LOL
Love your flowers!
Jacque in SC
quiltnsrep(at)yahoo(dot)com

Marieke said...

Wow: what a great flower you've made for one flower wednesday. That looks wonderful. So does the flowers you recieved from your swap partner. Enjoy!

Sheila said...

All of the flowers are wonderful but my favorite has to be the one you made for this week , those paisleys are just so cute.

Joanna said...

The hexie flowers just keep getting better and better.

Pat said...

You've done it again...another cute hexie!

Gene Black said...

We are having a way too hot June. It has been high 90s every day for a few weeks. I am feeling wrung out. I envy your cool spring.

Karen said...

I really like your swap flower and would consider that modern, with such excellent fussy cutting too. Marina's flowers are beautiful and what can I say about your flower.... :) :) :) :) Love it!

Char said...

I often wonder what my cat is thinking.

Lana said...

Those are definitely some of my favorite flowers you have ever done! I say that all the time but these are gorgeous!!! Great post today!

Miss Hillbilly said...

WOW!! That is a great flower today. Very very cute!!

Kathryn said...

I drove through your neck of the woods on Sunday - going from Lebec to San Francisco. We were amazed at how the terrain went from mountains to flat farmland in just an instant. The groves of trees (?almonds or olives we thought) were beautiful. We're doing a drive from PA to San Fran and back and are having a great time seeing so much of the country.

I'm joining the hexie swap group starting in July so I can join the fun. Yours look great. Kathie L in Allentown

Barbara said...

Your hexies are all so cute. I love your One Flower Wednesday. You have a good eye.

Kathy H said...

All those flower blocks are great and I think the blue one looks "modern", especially with the little dots.

Vesuviusmama said...

I always wonder not just what my pets are thinking, but all the animals I see. When I pass an ant, what is going through its mind? What is that bird on the line looking at? Have you read "The Art of Racing in the Rain"? I highly recommend it - loved it, moving drama from a dog's perspective.

Your hexies are wonderful - I especially like the one with the paisley. Paisley is so darned fun!

merumo said...

You make such a fun flowers, did you know that? I enjoy the fuccy cut petals a lot and yours are always so pretty! The exchange flowers are looking yummy, too :)

quiltzyx said...

Oh! I love your hexie flowers! Especially the paw print paisley one. It really makes me smile! :D

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