Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving a few days late.... but I have good reason....

I left again....   you probably don't know this - but I am really a homebody! Or a state Body? I really don't need to leave much, and this last month - that's all I seem to do! and!!  I survived ;-)

For Thanksgiving we headed out to see one of my kids - all of us had such a great time - and I took a gazillion batrillion photos ( surprise)

So I thought I would start with the Selfies and the Us-ies  ( Not sure if that's a word - but I like it!)

You'll probably never guess where we went?

 And just so you know

We are not the most practiced at Us-ies

We would not give the Kardashians a run for their money 

At night....

there is hardly anyone around

Except the guards

They are much nicer without people ;-)

We used public Transportation

At the top of Arlington

Thanksgiving Day

This is the one day we just hung out and did nothing

It was great - well - I guess we did do something

I cooked - They ate

And the city is being decorated for Christmas

This was my view from as we left...

I might have Cried

we walked just a little bit each day

I need new shoes now

Hope you all had a great one

I am off to read blogs and catch up

and decorate my house

and start the On Ringo Lake Mystery

and pick up the mail

and get groceries

and..... shew - you know!

Scrappy Hearts Quilt

Progress!!!!

My scrappy Hearts Leader and Ender Blocks are now a quilt top!!

Whoot Whoot!!

So here is it as it is growing - and then I ran out of strips - so instead of going to dig in my fabrics like any good stashbuster would do - I simply stopped - and started laying it out!

and then - with each bottom of the heart I ended up with half squares

So they became a border!!

Yay!!

Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving

I will see you after Turkey Day!

On Ringo Lake Fabric Pull

Whoot Whoot - I am making it though my to do list a little bit... and on it was to pull some fabrics for the

On Ringo Lake

Mystery by Bonnie Hunter

Every year millions upon Millions of quilters join in - and some! Even abandon Black Friday.... and every year I promise that I am going to keep up, and every year I participate.... I do not.... so I am shedding the expectations - I am joining in for the fun - and Next year about this time - I hope to have a finished Quilt top....

(ps - that's the stage of my last mystery EnProvence - Quilt top..... oops)


Alright - here are my fabrics:

I didn't really find any Coral/Peachy Colors - but I thought Orange would look pretty cool - So we will see - as the mystery gets going I have been know to *Find* more fabrics to add.....




Linking to:
Busy Hands Finished or NOT

SkyBall Day 3 and some QOV photos

Day 3 at SkyBall was a formal Gala

But before the Gala anyone who wanted to could go see the World Premiere of a documentary called

"Journey Home to the USS Arizona"

It Was AWESOME

And it will soon be playing on PBS and other places -

in the meantime you can see the other 18 documentaries Tim has produced 

Here - 

https://wwiifoundation.intelivideo.com/

and you can watch them!

I had the privilege of speaking to a 102 year old Veteran.

and he was  pretty cool ,and all relaxed

And then I learned who he really was!

LT  Cole from  Doolittle's Raiders!!

Oh my gosh! Does that make history really come to life

You have to go watch his film - seriously - Really Seriously!!

Oh and! Go eat some Jelly Bellies

The Jelly Belly people were there and supported this whole thing - 

And I met the owners - Its a family owned company - such cool people!

Alright - Back to the Gala: 

I should have had someone take a photo of me - I actually dressed up...

with real dress up clothes

and Holee Cow - people were in formal gowns - and Shew! 

What a night

The Medal Of Honor Recipients were honored

The different foundations that the AirPower Foundation supports were represented

an amazing Veteran who was burned over 75% of his body and lost 2 arms spoke to us

and the Beach Boys played

All of this is awesome and was so amazing

But I still love Honoring our Vets with Quilts of Valor

so on Thursday before Veterans Day these Three received their QOV's

and then these 10 received theirs

I love this!

I love it!!

it was good to get back home

I sorta like my house,

but what an honor to attend the SkyBall Gala

SkyBall Day 2

Day 2 was just as exciting for me, but it was way Different

Where Day 1 was more intimate, and smaller numbers of people - day 2 was flooded with people!!

AND!! we were at an Airline Hanger!!  Too cool - and!!! there were planes - lots of planes - and I was in awe!!

Look !! An Osprey!!

I volunteered to fly it - and no one took me up on it 

so sad!!

BUT!

We travel with our own VietNam Vet

and this pilot wanted to meet him - 

so after he was done with our Vet - I stole him!

He gave us a personal tour, and I almost convinced him to let me fly

Instead he volunteered to take a photo with me and R

and Look!

Another plane

and a C-130

and a plane that was a three War Veteran plane

It served in WWII, Korea and VietNam

25 Missions

It was so cool

After touring the planes we headed into the hangar and I was so in awe 

I put my phone in my pocket  - and that is all

Gary Sinise and the LT Dan Band played

and we were entertained by Terry Fator

we watched 3 Veterans receive lots of love and care

and we learned about the new IWheelchair and the ExoSkeleton

So much info!!!!

SkyBall part 1

I had an opportunity of a lifetime.... and I took it!

I was invited to Dallas , Texas for SkyBall , and the Medal of Honor Societies Gala - and wow - what a three day event!!

The first night was the 

THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR SOCIETY BOB HOPE AWARD GALA

TO BENEFIT THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOUNDATION

... there were over 17 Medal of Honor recipients there - I think I tried to meet them all - what an honor and a privilege -

15 were from VietNam, 1 from Korea, and 1 Iraq wars/conflicts - and Wow.....

It was so great, and I was so busy learning about these veterans that I didn't take any photos of them with me - can you believe it?  Plus - they were probably photo-ed out!

That's my shirt - I loved it!!

This is the hallway you walk down to the gala

I only tripped once..... that anyone saw!

(Ps I was wearing heels - *gasp* )

They had a great program

Americas Tenor 

(that's how they introduced him and I can't remember the name, and I am too lazy to go get my program to tell you)

Sang with a group of kids, and the kids came and stood by a MOH 

This was mine ( okay - he was at my table ...Robert Ingram)

and Look!

I met Gary Sinise

LT Dan himself!!

Okay really he wanted to meet me, I could see it in his eyes 

I mean really - I am So much more of a celebrity than him right 

Ha ha ha

What a great guy!

So kind and gracious

I was sitting by him, you should have seen the way he interacted with people

I tell you - if all celebs were like him - it'd be a better world!!

Then - he and Tony Orlando!!

Singing "Tie a Yellow Ribbon"

and Surprise!

I knew every word!

Thanks to my Mom and Grandma playing it on the piano so many times

*or rather!  having me and my brother play it on the Player Piano for them*

Seriously 

This was such an honor to be a part of

They award a person the

 " Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment in Support of Our Nations Military"

Terry Fator was the reciepient

You should look him up!!

And that was day one.....

Quilts of Valor Colorado

Veterans Day is Coming up - and this last week we have already made a lot of awards of QOV's - so in the future - you may see some of these loving on their Veterans !!!

But for now - I used my trusty little point and click and shot them for inspiration and for Oohing and Ahhing over!!

this first one is a QOV Stars Group quilt that I quilted

Isn't that star so cool??

It's called Pats Star from the Quilters Cache

This one ( below)

Is from Connie and Kathy 

This one is the block drive blocks

Topped by Me and Quilted by Pattye in New Mexico

and anther Topped by Me and Quilted by Pattye

and a third one

Topped by Me and quilted by Pattye

I sure hope she didn't go crazy having to do 3 of them -

but I so appreciate out volunteer!!

This one below

is from Linda and the Chaffee County Quilters

It's plaid....., love

And below

Put together from Sheree

and quilted by Deb S in Colorado

This one was put together by Ethel and also quilted by Deb S in CO

And the last one for today 

Put together by Diana and the High Prairie Quilt shop in Parker Quilters

quilted by Deb Y in Colorado

Did you find one or two that sparked your creativity??

PS - Annette - who is making a QOV for her DIL in the Springs?  I need your email to actually reply so I can help you - you can leave it in the comments - or get mine from my profile....t hanks

Monday

It is that time of year where there is a bit of secret sewing going on.... and on that front - I am making a secret quilt for a secret somebody - and I finished the top!! Yay!! I am so excited - and it turned out so cute, and I know it will be loved...... and!  I can't show you   *sigh*  

Now on to the back!!

I also glimpsed over Bonnie Hunters new Mystery * On Ringo Lake* and the colors she is using are some of my absolute favorites  - so today - it is search through the stash and find those colors!!

And so - because I have no photos of those to show you yet.....

My Ranch Photos A Day!!!

This is Saturday:

Happy Trails to you...

And Sunday

Cleaning the Corrals

and this was just the afternoon

Puppy likes the sun, and hanging out with me,

He is behind my sewing chair

Soaking it in

I am starting a new project - I may actually have some quilting

that I can show sometime soon ;-)

Happy Quilting

Trimming and Prepping and *gasp* organizing!

Does any one else struggle with their schedules when it starts getting darker longer, each morning?  I am a sort of Rise with the Sun person.... or just a little earlier - but I tell ya! The sun not rising till after 7 is sure messing with me!!

I get up and think its the middle of the night - and then I hear - "come on - lets go, you need to give B her medicine"   B - my Horse, will only take it from me - go figure  ......

after chores I got all sorted out sort of - My leader/ender project had gotten way out of hand - so I got it back to organized:


Truly - that's organized - I now know where I am in all these parts to make::::

This Block

Its a great scrap Buster!

and the kids that my son is stitching with - this is their stack of blocks

I squared them for them

(These are the Kevin the Quilter 2014 Block drive block pattern)

AND!!  I made a few Superhero Bowl Cozies

I sold some of them, and my son wanted one - so I thought - maybe more will sell?

And then!!  ( like a TV Commercial ) Wait! There;s more!

My blogging friend Snowcatcher - Go ahead - click her linke

She is just an amazing Photographer - as well as quilter, stitcher, and book writer!

Started a November Project with her photography

And I thought - Wow! I want to do something like that

Mostly to get me outside, doing fun things in the Fall/Winter

Instead of just chores

So I thought! What a bout a Ranch Photo a Day?

I like my place - I like to walk.... hmmmm

Short ! But Super Sweet!!

Good Morning !!

I have a short but SUPER sweet QOV show for you this morning!!

Hope you are ready?  I haven't even started breakfast yet - so .... hopefully no one is hungry quite yet!

This Beauty Above is from the PAtchwork Quilters

and was Quilted by Ingunn

And Below was pieced by Dianne L

and Quilted by Ingunn

This beauty was Pieced by Ethel and Quilted by Me

Heres the back

And this is her Newest one Pieced!

( still needs to be quilted)

My son and I were reminiscing - 

He is working with a group of kids to make some more Quilts of Valor  - So we were talking about his very first QOV - and how it was chosen to hang in the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum.

There was an Exhibit called "Quilts at the Hands of Men"

he was the youngest Quilter - and had such a blast!

That is all Folks - 

Go have your breakfast and get to work

Ha hA!!

Linking to:
Sew Some Love