Purple Rainbow Challenge for July

 Oh man - july went fast - and I just never got ahead of it!!

Now worries - I still plan to stitch some Purple in August - along with the Orange Angela called for

I did , however - pull what Purple yarn I had and knit up some hats for Operation Christmas Child. Two of them you have seen - but I wanted a true *purple* photo.... you know - for posterity!!

I have just a little bit of Purple yarn left - so will work it into another hat , with the little bit of Lime I have left over. We shall see how far they go... I may have to add a third color! BUT!! there are the 4 that I finished for July

And I even found some Orange ( ish) yarn in my yarn bin.... 

I also finished up this little quilt. I did not make the top - I really think that San ( GypsyQuilter) did , but I can't guarantee it. Now it is all finished and will head out to bring some comfort.

Go check out everyones Purple RSC items at https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

A Patriotic Finish.... and Finished.... ( or not) Friday!!!

 My Finish for this week is a little lap quilt... With some of my Patriotic Leftovers.

It is going to my Local Hospice for a Veteran in their care.

I think it turned out kinda cute! and it will hopefully bring a little cheer.

And I like that I am able to finish some of my smaller projects and find a home for them. I don't think I see the end to the finishes any time soon.... but I may be slowing down a bit....

This is me trying to be artsy.... hmmmmm... it was worth the try haha!

This is my Favorite photo of my Barn Quilt

Now it is your turn to show off your Finishes ( or not) this week.

But there are conditions:

Tell me your most favorite way to eat Zuchinni.

I printed all the ones from last week - but I have even more zucchini... and baking... not happening until the temps drop.

Provide a direct Link to your post

and

Visit others.. Spread the love

( oh ya - and link back to the post... get more people seeing all the pretties!!!)

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Colorado Ghost Towns - Keota

 I have always been intrigued by Ghost towns. We have quite a few of them in the mountains, and I hiked to one that was really cool. But .. did you know there are some out on the Eastern Plains of Colorado?

I have actually been thru this one on the way to a hike, but didn't really explore it much - so of course!! I had to go back!!

I googled the directions, and we found a back road. Back road for Serious!!! it was gravel the WHOLE way... which of course - I LOVED!!!

We came across a Patriotic Field - I loved it!!!! 

and I found a BARN QUILT!!!

I loved that we could find old houses/barns that are still standing - but the clouds just show you the vastness of the plains. I do like to see forever - but this area defines *forever*

James Michener used Keota as the headquarters when he was writing and filming his series Centennial

I don't know if you have ever watched that - we gave it a try and it is a LONG epic show.... 

the town of Line Camp in his novel was based off of this town

It amazes me that these structures still stand - I can not tell how old each one it - but can you imagine building something that stays that long?

I can't seem to find exactly what this building ( below) is - but based on the rooms I am going to think it was a boarding house.... My opinion only ,

This is the Water tower - its not in use anymore, and I bet the water now would be bad.... I bet there is gunk in there!  But I thought it was funny to see the old water tower with tanker on the ground.. do you think that has water? and the truck with equipment.  they say the town is abandoned - but we saw signs of life around the tower.

Keota dates to the 1880's when sisters Mary and Eva Beardsley built a homestead here. The history I could find said that the sisters along with their brother came out to homestead (under the homestead act of 1862)      The sisters sold their homestead in 1888 to the Lincoln Land and Cattle Company. 

A few more farmers and ranchers also established roots at the spot.

they say this was the general store and post office .. there was a mailbox out front! 

I just like the shadow play on this one.... 

This was the Methodist Church 

Just a town view - with a foundation still on the ground.

Keota was also a station stop on the Old Prairie Dog Express of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad. 

The railroad was mostly used for shipping cattle from Cheyenne to Sterling. It was abandoned in 1970 and they removed the track in 1982.

The school started ion 1888 and closed sometime in 1951. the school house was torn down - but I believe the foundation in the photo above is what is left of it.

And of course! I had to find the cemetery!!!!

It was only 425 thousand degrees outside - but I think this might be the oldest headstone in the cemetery.

It was a fun little trip. We learned that Ghost towns do not have working restrooms, or even gas stations haha!!  Okay - we knew that - but it was so amazing to see that it was just open space - with nothing like retail to ruin it.... I loved that feeling.

Hope you enjoyed our little trip 

Linking to:

My corner of the world

Through my Lens

A Fall Mystery quilt Long May She Wave

I have been asked a few times when the next Quilt of Valor mystery will start - and I drew a blank!

I was afraid my mind had dried up... but!!
Sunday night I was drawing and BAM!!! It came to me!!!!

So!! I drew it up, have tested a block - and will go into full pattern design mode this week...

All this to say.... mark your Calendars.

Lets Plan on Fabric and Cutting Instructions coming out about Sept 7th

and the first clue September 21st

and a new clue each Wednesday until we are done!

It will finish at 62 x 81 inches


This one will use the Easy angle and the Companion Angle rulers

If you don't have them - maybe find a Joanns coupon and get them on discount.

Or try here on Amazon Easy Angle  Companion Angle (commissions earned)



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Blue Plaid Steppers and !! FInished ( or not) Friday!!!!

June's RSC color was Blue - and I ( of course) had blue plaids - so I started cutting them up... I might have cut a lot - but - on these quilts - they are truly scrappy ! I just grab a stack of leftovers , cut them to 3 1/2 x 6 1/2 and stitch until I run out....

This is the quilt I came up with!

You might wonder about my set up.... well..... I had a friend that needed head shots for their business profile - so I set up my light studio and backdrop to do them

And it was only 400 thousand degrees outside 

And I thought Heck fire!!! Hang a quilt.... it should work.... and I think it did....

a close up of the quilting.

I am pretty happy to get this one finished. I have been commissioned for a lot of Memory quilts. And I really like doing those. I just forget that sometimes there are a lot of small pieces, and a LOT of cutting involved... But I am glad to be able to do them ;-)

Now it is your turn to show off your Finishes ( or not) this week.

But there are conditions:

Tell me your most favorite way to eat Zuchinni.

Provide a direct Link to your post

and

Visit others.. Spread the love

( oh ya - and link back to the post... get more people seeing all the pretties!!!)

Link up here:

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

****The end***

A Little Mountain Trip

 I really love that we are able to take day trips - and get somewhere really cool to hike.

I am not a fan of coming home to chores tho - those should just automatically be done! ( By who.?? Who knows???)

This day hike was awesome - and of course I took a million photos!!!!

But - because I know you probably have other things to do... I am limiting it to 500 😂

This is where our Hike started! I mean really - how can you not fall in love with that?

And here we all are - just to prove that we were together.

There was a little bit of a storm moving in, ( rain) and the clouds and the sun - I think made a perfect combination over these mountains.

I think clouds add Drama to Black and whites! and of course - B&W is one of my favorite looks!

A While ago I took Ricky Timms Photography class and he taught us the way to stitch your photos together to make a panorama.  I know there is a function on the cell phone too - but! I wanted to see if I could do it post processing.... 

And a FISH!!!! The water didn't look that clear to me - but we could see a ton of fish!!!!

Of course, about a mile into the hike - that rain that was making the skies so cool - got us. Puppy got wet and he was funny. I thought he looked so sad here, but he is not. He trekked through more mud and water than he has ever done - he was a champ!

We hiked one trail and then came back to the car to head to another trail. from trail two you could see where we had gone on trail one...

This is what we discovered on trail two... my new retreat location. And Air Conditioned cabin with bunk beds still semi standing!!  I will be taking reservations as soon as all the snow melts ;-)

I just fell in love with this area - so don't be surprised if I go back and take even more photos!

See... Still snow....

Linking to 

My Corner of the World

Through My Lens

Patriotic Steppers on the Design Wall

 My amazing awesome QOV friends got together this Weekend for a Sew day and we DEMOLISHED the 3 1/2 inch Patriotic Strip bin!!!!

IT WAS AWESOME!!!

We had stitchers, and we had a cutter, and an ironer , and a design wall putter upper......

We went SUPER SCRAPPY - and this whole top was finished by the time we left!!!

and then we went PRETTY SCRAPPY - and this one is pinned and ready to be rowed

and then we tamed it down.... just a teeny little bit

and this was pinned and ready to be rowed

and then I forgot the photo of the stack of blocks - but we finished another 48 for another top and have 14 left in the pile.... 

So a Minimum of 4 tops.... maybe 5 ( if I get in action!)

What a day!!!

Block Instructions

Linking to:

DEsign Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Midweek Makers

Purple Hats ( RSC) and !!! Finished ( or not) Friday!!!

July's Rainbow Scrap Challenge is Purple

July is halfway over..... gulp.....

I still have June's to finish... and a few other things.... so!!

Instead of Starting A Purple Quilt... I went and found my Purple Yarn and added a few hats to the "Not shown on the Blog"  pile

I got two Purple Completely done and one is still on the loom ;-)

These are my hats for June and July

( see blue for June

Pink and Green because I like them

and the left two with purple)

This is my Favorite one of the bunch

These will all go to my Friend M for her Operation Christmas Child projects - she aims to fill 700 boxes this year.

And now.... it is your turn!! Link up your finishes for this week!

Help us make the linky party grow and Provide a link back ON YOUR POST - to this post.

Visit  as many as you can!!! Leave some Love!!

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Linked to:

Peacock party

Around the Ranch Day 2

 I am so glad that you laughed with me at my Day 1 photos... you just never know what you will see.... and some days you do know , but! they strike a funny pose....

July is Monsoon Season... but not like the monsoons that you get on the coast or in the islands... but the weather pattern ( if we are not in a drought season) is beautiful in the morning - and then these storms roll in over the rockies and dump on us on the plains...

This is just watching one roll in... and if we get moisture - the happier I am.

The last couple of years we have just got the weather with no moisture - this year - rain ( please don't let me jinx it!! we still need it!!!)

One of our neighbors no longer has animals but they have this amazing hay field. They have been awesome enough to Hay it and let it all come to my house....

I am the driver - usually the kids throw the hay on the trailer and K arranges it... this year

We are all on our own... don't you feel so sorry for us?  Just kidding - we can do it! it exciting that our kids are getting some great opportunities this summer.  ( I still want to make them feel bad so they work hard when then do come home ;-)  )

Happy Photo of Puppy!!!  I was allowed near the garden!!!  I wasn't quite allowed to do anything in it! BUT!! Progress ...in letting me near.  so Puppy had to sit on the grass and watch.

He was ready to snitch on me if I got close to a plant tho!

Sometimes I try to Multi Task.  Red thought maybe he could answer an email or two as well.... 

As you might have guessed I love to watch the weather. I remember as a kid sitting on the porch with my Grandpa watching a storm come in - and I guess that never left me.

If you notice the sun setting and to the left is actually pretty clear - but the clouds rolling to me were a big storm setting up

I have cats!!! And baby Kitties!!!  

I loved this momma showing baby how to drink out of the pan. 

PS - I do have smaller pans for them so they don't have to be big kitties right away - but this little kitty is very precocious. He figured out how to run up the tarp straps - another photo I will try to capture!

The End

( But is it???)