April - It Came and Went

 Still reading many books each month and this month besides taking care of some remaining items from Mom's life, many seasonal chores, the athletics for the grand children, and the WIPs I wanted to complete I was again really busy.  A quick recap follows.

Books read since I last shared:

Mom's stuff: though she gave away most all there are some sentimental items I received and another quilt (the Solids in Spiral) I brought to my Long arm quilter just last week.  Still need to attend to much of it as I am mourning and somewhat growing and getting away from my "life's feeling of overwhelm".  Thankfully, I keep telling myself    I don't procrastinate   , that alone is helping.  

Seasonal Items:  Besides the winter blow down, raking the yard and lawns, blowing the landscape around the home, cleaning out the gutters (PHEW! that alone took 2 days), deadheading and pruning shrubs and the flowers , fertilizing the fruit trees and evergreens I managed to get it all done.  Happy and glad I obtained nearly 141 miles walked as I went about it. Another WIN.

Disregard that wheel barrow full of fire logs back near the gate, while going for a hike at a favorite spot of mine, the Power Company had cut down sections of trees in their way, thus leaving a mess.  I helped them  out and brought home some useable awkward sections for my fire pit enjoyment.  lol  

The gutters needed replacing so while still on target I inquired with the Leaf Guard company.  Their quote made me stagger.  I kid you not, so I opted to go to the same company that installed the earlier out of date system 25 + years ago and was happy with both the result and price.  Two areas of concern were the black ice build up near my front and side door entrances.  It seemed to always drip from the seams or over flow them causing icicles and more drips.  Of course sure enough those areas would  freeze in those most critical areas.  I'm assured those days are done with.  

The other area are the 2 downspouts.  The one newly installed near the front door I want to landscape into its environment and this is how it currently looks in the above photo. 

Not Pretty.  ;-(  

Initially they laid that 4" PVC pipe just next to the paver bricks.  NOPE! What an EYESORE for the first impression of my home.  

So I asked them to angle it backwards into the rock area not the patio so it would not be able to pool there on the step area.

 The other downspout is my access point to the hose manifold area so I asked if they could use the 4" PVC pipe for sturdiness and I'd purchase landscape blocks to elevate a bricked patio step for use.  

They tried and here it is to the left.  

They used a cut piece of pine bough timber to support the patio bricks that had been thrown in there initially and temporarily.  They tried to make it nice while workable.  I see when taking the pic that the alignment and the pitch is off now, so more potential problems down the road....   A for effort anyways.  As they mentioned, they don't dig.  lol

So both of those tasks move onto my May chores.  

The two youngest Grands:  

The youngest grands are both enjoying their sports and doing well scholastically.

PGS#3 pictured on the left is an 8th grader, high honor roll student who also happens to be on the Varsity Hockey team.  A once in a lifetime chance occurred for him this Spring at the end of the Hockey season that I haven't yet shared.  His team made it to the NYS Final Four Competition.  Fanfare upon their departure to Buffalo, NY for the weekend to practice and then compete.   I'll do a separate post for that.  

He's close to 5'10" here and he's solid with a-lot of muscle.   Awhile ago as he was going through a rapid growth spirt (about an inch every 6 months), I asked him if he hurt.  He'd inquire...What?  I'd reply growing so quickly with one part not quite corresponding to the next part's growth?  "NO"  was his reply and I think he assumed I was cracked!  lol   Soon after I asked him what his goal was since I've always maintained that we manifest our destiny and futures dependent on our life choices, and then again he looked at me like, WHAT?  I clarified, "How tall are you going to be? What's your desire?"   Being a teen, he didn't care of course.   LOL  

This past week,  PGS#3 stole the winning run on an err when they tried to throw him out on 3rd.  Game Over.

🎤mic drop.

PGD#1 Was noted as "Player of the Game" with the win 2 weeks ago for her softball team.   All in all, great times to watch especially as she'll graduate in June and has committed to Oneonta for the fall- pursuing her dream in the Medical field.  I'll share one of her Senior Pictures below with some of her talents, not too shabby for an High Honor Roll Student!  Truly, during her photo shoot she had over 50 pictures taken and not 1 shot was off.  She is beautiful and very photogenic.

I'm proud of all my grandchildren and children too for that matter.  Good Peeps - all around.

WIPS:  Managed to get my Spool quilt center top assembled (believe that was done in March) but there she sits.  Am auditioning border treatments and made a couple of purchases to continue but my creativity breaks slam down hard and I know it just isn't quite right.  So I'm percolating that project.   

Did complete a Needlebook for one of my stitching bags.  Included a corded lobster claw loop to help stuff stay inside if needed and also placed a magnet under the applique on the batting page as a just in case and then don't you know I had a bugger of a time getting that snap adhered correctly.  Third time was the charm truly.  Sewed the binding by machine and then  hand stitched the interior side to close it.   

I cross stitched a piece from Melisa of Pinker n Punker Quilting that she gives out often and are so nice.  

I used her "HIVE in a Jar" but refrained from using the jar effect. I also created 2 smaller designs.   Another hive (due to an error in counting I went with it and made it up as I went designing my own nine patch crosses on it) and for the flower part I duplicated it close enough to Melisa's design on the larger piece, but added stitches and bees to fill it in more for the backside of the scissor fob.  Luckily, I've been able to slowly immerse myself from following the directions entirely and make these stitchings uniquely my own.

Am planning on making another needle book with that larger stitched piece and the 2 smaller parts a fob to complement them.  Then of course I plan on making another project bag with BEE stuff with the same fabrics.   lol   Wish me luck!

Sorry, so much for a quick recap. But that just seems to be the norm around here.  lol

TTFN