I got the quilt block put together - though it took me three times as long as it should have.  I was 'directionally challenged" on this one...I had to put the blocks together a few times before put them together right.  I had the whole thing sewn together once, and realized that I had flipped an inside block, so that the pretty dark brown square shown here wasn't a square.....

I started the second block from Month 2 - I wasn't quite as challenged, but still had to rip out a few blocks.  I tried being very careful on this one - more so than normal - because of all the triangles.  

They turned out pretty good!!!

Here's the two completed blocks for Month 2...

And Month 1 and 2 together.

Poor Jasper.....Indy LOVES her - I don't think she's that fond of him......

One of my yellow roses....

And the quilt in-process....

I didn't realize how much I preferred piecing the quilt to applique, etc. until I have both going at once. The current quilt that the club is doing is all applique, and I'm having a hard time making myself work on it - especially since I have this fun new quilt to work on!  I did one-third of the half-square triangles on Sunday, and did the rest last night.  The next block is ready to piece together!

Another productive day inside and out!  I need one more day of the weekend so I can rest.....

Yesterday, I tried to finish up the irrigation project that Ralph and I started - he had changed out the heads of several sprinklers in the back yard, but one needed more than that.  I ended up digging up the whole sprinkler, but still didn't get it fixed, so it's time to call in the professionals (Ralph thinks there's a leak in the line and the sprinkler isn't getting enough pressure).  We have all but two sprinklers working now - a big improvement!  I also got the weeds sprayed, cleaned the pool, weeded the garden, etc. so I did get something done besides laundry while it was cool outside!

When it started warming up outside, I went inside to sew.  I finished the blocks from the first month of my quilt.  I had finished half of the set Saturday, and yesterday I got the second set done and the material cut for the second month!  All while watching/listening to the Giants play.

Then, Alli and I went outside to play.....

My garden is beginning to take off - I have baby tomatoes....

Blooms on my cucumbers....

Blooms and very small babies on my peppers....

And blooms on my eggplants...

Busy, busy, busy.....that's what it feels like around here.  Time to slow it down a bit I think!  Between helping Margene pack, move and drive back to Georgia, the last couple of months were busy!  Then I had to play catch up at home once I got back - the yard missed its spring cleaning.  I think we are back to as normal as we get now.  

There is still drama though - as usual.  Ralph's kidney functions have declined dramatically, and he spent the 10th of May in the hospital due to symptoms of kidney failure.  He has an appointment to have a catheter implanted on the 29th of May, and once that heals, will start at-home dialysis.  That will help many of his current symptoms, once it up and rolling, but for now he's pretty miserable.  In the mean time, he can't get around much, so can offer limited help with Alli, the house or the yard.  (though he did get some of the sprinkler heads replaced for me yesterday.  By the time I got around to them, it was HOT outside and I decided to wait until the morning....procrastination paid off!)

Since it was hot outside, I spent the afternoon sewing.  Here's the very first block of a new quilt I started.....

The quilt is "Batik Sampler" through The Quilting Company, and is a block a month project.  Unfortunately, they didn't have the material when I signed up, and they ended up sending 3 months at one time, so.....I was behind before I started!  Here's the final quilt...I have a ways to go, I think.

Ralph was very happy to see me come home - he even got me flowers!

And my remaining rose tree was happy to see me, too! (and then that night it rained - it wasn't quite so happy after that....)

Picot is helping.....

This weekend was a yard weekend.  I had Ralph show me how the sprinkler system worked, found the sprinkler heads that need to be replaced (that's a job for later this week or this weekend, the supply store was closed on Saturday) and planted and re-planted flowers and shrubs, moved gravel around, weeded the garden, mowed, weed-eated, etc.  I also scrubbed up the Moi (I think that's what they are....) heads and painted them black again.

Then I rewarded myself with a quick swim (because the water is still COLD!) and a glass of wine before changing gears and fixing dinner.

I also finished up a baby blanket I started on the Georgia trip.  I crocheted at night at the hotels and while Margene was driving.  I got most of it done that way, and just added a few inches to it once I got back home.

AJ sent me some pictures from a trip the CSU students did - beautiful!!!

These are photos from the Lake Zwerner Trail - a 3.5 mile trial around a reservoir near Dahlonega.  It's a pretty little lake, and the trail is an easy walk (though we only walked a mile in and back - we had other things to do on our list that day).  We did run into a fisherman on the trail that told us his wife got chiggers from an area we had just been to (a little peninsula with a bench swing) so Margene wasn't quite as happy about it after that....

Here's a picture Margene took of her feet at the infamous bench swing.....