Today has started out with beautiful weather and a long list of things to do. I talked with Amanda about wedding plans and that to-do list, with her adding more to my list. Then I walked to the Assistance League resale shop where I spent the morning volunteering, stopped by the bank to deposit the certificate money for the church and then walked to church to drop off the deposit slip. (My foot is hurting less so I hope I didn't hurt it more by so much walking!)

I do want to share the quilt I made for baby Bianca. Her mommy and daddy had been calling her their 'honey bee' while waiting for her to be born so I had to use this cute 'bee' fabric I found!

Here's the front and back. I quilted it with a honeycomb pattern and little bees.

And now for MY list--

First off,  I really want to set out time to go through the pictures from my trip to Japan and fix any that really need it. You know, cropping and straightening a bit, and some need shadows lightened. But I have surprised myself because I really like most of them as I took them! Yay! Here's one of the first fun meals we had where we cooked the veggies and meat in our individual bowls of simmering broth. Yummy!

And these next two were taken at a festival celebrating Budda's birthday. So many interesting things to see but so very, very crowded! There were booths selling trinkets and booths with food lining the long walk into the main festival area. Then there was a large pavilion with musicians playing that was wonderful. The cherry trees were not quite full-bloom, but close, and people had claimed their space under the trees with big blue plastic tarps so they could have picnics.

So what would be most fun would be to divide my pictures into a 'short program' of what I think are the best to give a nice travelog story - because there are way too many for anyone to really spend the time looking at them, other than me! That way if someone is really interested they could look at more pictures but I wouldn't be boring anyone, hopefully. It was a lot more fun taking the pictures I think. 

Then second on my list - also with photos - is to work on the scans of the slides from Grandpa. They desperately need to be color corrected and fixed because many have water damage. I'd like to arrange them with stories from Grandpa and have them made into a book. How much time is THAT going to take? If I work on a few pictures everyday I may get it done in time for either Grandpa's birthday or Christmas.

And third, because not all my projects should deal with photos, I must finish the T-shirt quilt I am making for a friend from church. I have only had the shirts for almost 6 months and it needs to get done. The main part of the top is finished and I am working on borders. So I am giving myself one week - I want to take it to quilt guild for show and tell. I really need deadlines!

Another reason that I'm behind in putting up these posts is that I am now a Grandma!! My little darling has arrived May 10 (early by almost 4 weeks) and is a bit small at 5 pounds 13 ounces, but is doing fine. Her name is Bianca Ray and she is beautiful!!!

She arrived in the middle of the night so I was not there, but drove over the first thing in the morning - she's only 5 hours away for now! Look at all that blond hair! I do miss holding her!

 I've been back from my wonderful trip to Japan for 3 weeks now and am just now commenting about it. Here are just a few of my photos...

"Springtime in Japan - Textiles & Cherry Blossoms" was the name of the trip and it did not disappoint! We were told that we were so lucky to be able to see so many of the trees blooming at the times we were visiting. They were very beautiful! We got to spend a lot of time in Kyoto which was so beautiful.

We saw a great mix of gardens, pottery studios, museums and temples. The tour was arranged to go to several of the Spring Festivals that were being celebrated and if I put all the photos I took on this page it would take an hour at least to skim through them all. We were lucky to be able to attend a smallish quilt show too that was held on a floor at a department store. What a treat! The vendor booths at the end were almost as much fun to browse through as the show. I picked out some great taupe fabrics (that I have not seen here at home) to go with the ones I have been collecting. Now I will have to get going on that project - except I came home with several projects to do! Which should be first?

Being Festival time there were many Japanese tourist out and enjoying themselves that it seemed even more fun, and crowded! At one temple the young girls dressed in kimonos and went to find out their fortune about who they would marry. It seemed that all the young people love posing for pictures. Most of the people we met were very polite and helpful. I think one of the best things about the tour was the beauty of all the gardens. They were all so carefully tended and peaceful with special care in the placement of rocks and statues to the planting of each flower or tree. So many of the gardens were very old and had the feeling of a warm hug to me. I never got tired of walking along a path waiting to see what was around the bend - and many times there was a group of 5 or 6 students with their teacher. I don't know if it was a special time for field trips or if the teachers always take the students out, but it was interesting to see the kids in their uniforms out taking pictures and enjoying the gardens too.

Today my day is not starting with sunshine; it's a bit blue. My trip is coming and while very excited, I am not ready. 'Ready' is a relative term and in my case might be better if changed to 'ready enough.' I am tired, and I am worried. Have I covered everything? What might happen while I'm gone that I can 'pre-fix?' Stress can be a good motivator sometimes, and while I am much more organized than usual, it is making me too anxious. Since ironing, which still needs to be done, is probably not going to help, maybe a short walk with my dog is the best solution.

"Happiness can be as easy as opening your eyes and heart." This is what I have had engraved on a few things to remind me to look around and notice: nature, people, art, color, feelings, smells, (everything) and then see them again in my heart, with a new viewpoint. Sometimes it works.

Maybe I should take the camera on that short walk.

Oh my! Just a few days until my trip to Japan!! We were told to make or buy something small pertinent to us to give as special thank you gifts, so I made 5 little 4"x5" pouches from this St. Louis fabric to give away. They turned out really nice! The other pouch is cute with a small pocket on the outside and I like it a lot, but it has nothing special to do with my area. So that was fun to do & easy!

This trip will be very interesting and I will learn so much, but these next few days are going to be hectic getting things in order at the house. I am packed - lightly so there's room to bring back the fun things I know I will buy! - so that's not a problem. I've arranged for my dog to go play at a friend's house so my husband won't have to worry if an out-of-town business meeting comes up. Laundry will be done and house reasonably clean because I know he's not going to do much of either of those things. Two meetings are lined up to take care of business and one volunteer session I wish I could get out of, but no matter. The tasting for the reception is the day before I leave which will help get decisions made early, and that's good. What am I forgetting?!?

I want to take a few minutes to learn some basic Japanese phrases, so I hope somewhere on the internet there will be a uTube lesson! Plus I have my book to read for the long plane ride and some handwork to do. The main thing is to finish the baby quilt I want to send to Mike and Karly as an early surprise - and it has a way to go. So I need to stop writing here and go sew!

Happy April Fool's Day!!

It is such a beautiful day but beware, the weatherman says we are on our way to setting a record of heat - possibly getting as high as 90 degrees today!

So I thought I'd better take a few pictures before more of the Spring flowers are wilted by the heat. These azaleas are full of blossoms this morning. Little stars of color!

And right next to them is the dogwood tree with its delicate blossoms. I wish Spring coolness would stay longer so the flowers would last!

I am packing and getting ready for my trip to Japan, which is so exciting and really something I'd never, ever thought would be happening. But more on that later. The only thing about leaving in a few days is that I'm going to miss most of my garden's flowers! Oh well, really I should not complain and I will take photos of the beautiful cherry blossoms that will be in full bloom while I am visiting Japan!

So last Friday March 30 I went with my daughter Amanda and her fiancé Ryan to a 'tasting' for the rehearsal dinner. Oh my, such good food! We did have fun, but are trying to make things more casual - like an at home Italian dinner not a plated fancy dinner (which is more for the reception anyway.) We will start with beer, wine and sodas on the patio with a bruschetta bar until everyone arrives and gets to say their hellos.

Then we go inside for dinner with served salads, but the rest of the food we will pass around. We will have platters of spaghetti with marinara sauce, and people can add meatballs or eggplant parmesan as they choose. There will be fresh bread too, of course. Dessert is planned to be out on the patio again with a gelato cart and cannelloni. Plus more time to sit, talk, have wine or coffee and chill for a bit.

How does that sound to you? I'm hoping it is fun & relaxing!