The Ugly Dog Club left behind a new friend for me yesterday. Isn’t he stunning?! He almost doesn’t look real, his color and design is so aesthetically pleasing and perfect.

But, alas, he is real, and he’s driving my poor Buddy the WonderDog crazy. Though, on the bright side (though not very bright for the bird),  he will probably make a fine dinner for an enterprising young coyote by the end of the week.

Now for the top story: I mowed my lawn. See?

I know, I hear you saying, “What? So what? People mow their lawns ...

My daughter Tara designed the layout of this page, I wrote the story. Isn’t she awesome and talented?! Her editors have nicknamed her Tara “Awesome” Leonard. Yup, she is that awesome.

We had lunch on Monday at Santa Lucia to celebrate. We also had gifts for each other. I made her a purse, she bought a beautiful handful of fat quarters (yay!) for me.

Below you can see a picture of my latte. Num!!

Life. Is. Good.

I hope you like it, Anne.

Someone needs to be checking their mailbox this week. Who? I’ll give you a clue, her name is NOT Anne.

And just so you know how much you are loved, O Gifted One, I put pockets inside. I NEVER put pockets on the inside. But I just had the feeling that you would feel lost without your inside pockets.

“Life is a very narrow bridge between two eternities. Be not afraid.” —Rabbi Nachman of Braslav

This entry in the Napavine Funtime Parade is from the Willapa Harbor Quilters. What say you, quilters, want one?

My new tote bag, and boy is it ever green! The deep pocket in front is the perfect size to hold my reporter’s notepad and pen and every time I look at it I am reminded of a really wonderful week I spent with my sons fishing at Sprague Lake. That’s Stosh and I in the picture, we caught the most beautiful string of Channel Cats you’ve ever seen.

I stopped by Ruby Street Quiltworks yesterday on the way home from taking my mom to see her doctor. (Go here to see the saints I met yesterday ...

I actually spent time in my Studio today, yay!

This is “The Bella Bag” by Heather Mulder Peterson, an Anka’s Treasures pattern.

So cute, so easy. It comes in three sizes, I made the medium size. Large just seemed too large and the small too small.

I was a bit worried about the grommets, but they were SUPER easy to install. Snapped together so easily. No hammer and form to have to mess with, like in the olden days of sewing yore.

I think it only took me under two hours to put it together from start to finish ...

And not one single minute in The Studio … except to deposit newly purchased fabrics, that is.

“To become something new we must consciously do something different than we have been doing.” — Joan Chittister

I mix my own tea blends and use tea filters from a local tea shop. To the left is a Jasmine Dragon Green Tea & a Roobios. To the right a Green & an Earl Grey.

Sun Tea is not the nation’s number one summer killer, but you must be aware and take care.

Warm water + organic material (tea)  + time = a jar full of bacteria. And that—to use a technical term— is icky.

And yes, I know, sun tea is a summertime tradition and it is just plain good. But there is a safer alternative: Refrigerator Tea.

And even if ...

Shared with me by Robin M., give a listen, it’s good stuff and sure to make a quilter smile:

In a small community, the details of events such as a Moo-Off at the local grocery store becomes front page news

“The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own.” —Benjamin Disraeli, British statesman

I think we should all take our turn at being thrown into a room and forced to spend the day with 5 people we don’t know and probably will never meet again. I didn’t think that yesterday, but I’m entirely convinced of it today.

Entirely, happily, exhaustedly convinced.

I had ...

I went to a mini hydroplanes race on a private lake in Adna, a driving demo by the Queen of the Netherlands Royal driver, a water skiing/wakeboarding event on another lake and then I (last picture) told that guy in the middle of the picture “Happy Father’s Day!”

Isn’t she gorgeous? I met her while she was working at the Sweet Briar Herb Farm of Onalaska booth at the Community Farmers Market in Chehalis.

I interviewed the farm owner for a story, but while I talked to the herb grower, I kept my eye on this beautiful gal, knowing I needed to talk to her.

My son Shane would like some sort of hole punched into his nose and I wanted to talk to her about hers — and she was delighted to talk to me about it. What a doll!

Did you know that thing can be ...

Those two teasers cuddling the banner are my stories. That’s what I’ve been doing lately, chasing after stories for the local newspaper. My studio is getting dusty.

Maybe next week?

“Life is a very narrow bridge between two eternities. Be not afraid.”
—Rabbi Nachman of Braslav

My grandson is staying the night…that is if his mommy can stand to let him stay. She was a bit teary leaving him. And I can’t blame her a bit! He’s a real doll, it’s going to be hard for me to give him back tomorrow.

I have another coverlet on my design wall. Won’t get back in there until later this week, I imagine. I have 5 news stories to write this week.

Gotta go!

“Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every ...

I just finished my BFF’s “Heap O’Happiness” summer quilt, click here or on the thumbnail for a larger view.

I used one layer cake (40 10-inch squares) and two yards of backing. There is no batting. I just stitched around the outside, right sides together, left and opening and then turned and top-stitched around the edge.

Presto Chango! A summer wrap in no time flat!

Here you see the Heap O’Happiness quilt folded up and on its way to the post office. It’s 43″ x 68″, but easily fits inside a large Priority mailing envelope (because ...

Poor kid! His granny kept sticking this obnoxious camera in his face with a FLASH smacking him right between the eyes…

I began my weekend retreat last night with a little pampering:

Jan L. gave my mother, daughter and I facials and a quick makeover Wednesday evening. Oh my! And just look at the bag of goodies Jan delivered yesterday! Wait until they see us at church tomorrow, they’ll be stunned by four generations of GORGEOUS! (The fourth generation is only 7, she doesn’t need Mary Kay to be gorgeous.)

That takes care of the Beauty, on to the reading:

Yes, you DO see eleven books on news and feature writing! Let’s just say I have a friend ...

Shhhh! Don’t tell Buddy the WonderDog, but he got within 20 feet of this Wild Hare this afternoon.

This is about as wild as my life has gotten lately…and that’s a GOOD thing!

Today I’m off to town to mail a quilt, buy some tea brewing supplies and join my mother and daughter for a Mary Kay makeover. Sound like fun? I think so!

“When a man is sufficiently motivated, discipline will take care of itself.” –Sir Alexander Paterson

Earlier today I asked a friend if she thought they sold “discipline” on Amazon.com. She answered ...

…Dad on the tractor with the brush hog.

Apparently he is concerned about what the blonde pony-tailed runner might think of my front yard. He also brought home some nuts and seeds for the birds. What a great guy, eh?!

Before, during and after.

There are still ladies that go to “the beauty shop” to get their hair “done.”  Remember when “done” meant that your hair was tortured into a “Do” and then shellacked into place?

I have great memories of going to the beauty shop with my grandma. I remember the first time grandma let me get highlights. Geez, grandma, look what you started!

I loved sitting in the beauty shop, waiting for my grandmother, listening to my grandma and Inez gossip. Do you have any beauty shop memories to share?