Old Cats and Other Things

We have a cat club, that has taken to hanging around our yard. Over the years, they've come through one at a time, slashing and snarling their way through our lives. Visit enough, beat up my cats, and spray my house one too many times, and you get a special spa treatment, free of charge. Twelve hours later, their fight has been removed, they disappear for a week or more, and then they come back. Sometimes they stay.

Yesterday I spotted our surliest clients against the fence, looking oh, so mellow. I don't suppose you can see the one behind the bush? He's stretched out on his back. I only saw him because the tip of his tail was twitching. Like a lion.

Hey! You woke me up! As long as they are not beating up my cats or spraying my house, they are more than welcome to just hang out and even grab a snack or two. They've paid the price for the privilege, believe me. ;)

Malcolm has taken to sneaking outside. I think he's jealous of the visitors. Here he's investigating a feather. He's glaring at the door, wondering why I keep closing him on the outside. He wants it all. He can't have it. ;)

In contrast, Charlie has become Mr. Friendly, deciding that he wants to be my best friend and help me ever-so-much. Of course he only wants to help when I'm trying to work on the computer or do some beading.

Yesterday I went to a bridal shower for one of the girls in our College/Career Fellowship. You may be familiar with the "make a gown out of toilet paper" game, but it was a new one to me. Duct tape would have been useful. ;)

Our group actually won the competition. Here is Naomi, our model, with Amber, the bride-to-be. Amber selected the winner modeling "the dress she might consider wearing." ;) The photo does not show the simple elegance of our design. The top had a layered off-the-shoulder look, set off with a small flower on one side. We also had a big bow in the back. :)

I found more sweet peas at the Farmer's Market. This blue-violet is the color I remembered sweet peas being. I need to take the bouquet back to my stash to do more "shopping" and expand my sweet pea fabric palette.

Too much fun...

Inspiration

I think I have Sweet Peas on the brain.

As a girl, they were always my favorite flower. Don't ask me why, I think we only grew them once, if that. Maybe it was the mystery of how something that looks like a dried up pea (I do not care for peas, at all) can turn into something so lovely.

In any event, strawberry season is also sweet pea season. One of the strawberry stands that I frequent sells posies alongside the strawberries. I bought some on Sunday, and realized that my stash is quite limited, when it comes to the colors of the sweet pea. Time to go shopping.

I already had the bulk of the mediums to lights, it was the range of darks that was lacking. After taking the picture, I found some more red violet in my purple stash. I'd been looking for it among the pinks. ;)

I'm thinking of taking these with me to Asilomar later this month. What better way to familiarize myself with an unfamiliar palette? If it looks good in sweet peas; hopefully it will look good in a quilt as well.

And speaking of Sweet Peas, here's a cutie...

yep. Needed another baby fix. I wonder if she slept last night?

A Little Bit 'o Shopping

While I was in San Carlos, I took a few minutes to duck into The Laurel Leaf, a few blocks from Penelope's abode. How thoughtful of her to live so close to a quilt shop!!

I didn't find what I had in mind, but I came out toting a bag anyway. Not exactly the "light lights" or "dark dark" that I was looking for, but they might work for another project.

This morning, I spotted yet another new-to-me iris, blooming for the first time. I am guessing, when I identify it as "Inyo." Inyo's description is: deep smoky violet self Beard – violet/blue
Finally, I've had sweet peas on the brain, since visiting Sweet Pea last week. I even went to the Farmer's Market yesterday, looking especially for them. To my dismay, there were sweet peas in every booth, but none were for sale. Apparently all of the farmers bought them from the farmer who actually grew them!

I lucked out this morning at the strawberry stand, and purchased his last two posies.

When I climbed in the car, my husband said, "I thought you were going to get sweet peas?" "yes." "Well, where are they?" ???? "Next to the strawberries." "Where?" "Sweet peas are FLOWERS." OHHH. He thought he was getting an extra veggie for dinner.

ahhhh, isn't that sweet? ;)

And now for my baby fix...I'm almost out of pictures to share!

Sleep tight, little Sweet Pea!