A visit to JMU

To catch a couple spring JMU women's soccer games tomorrow, we drove down today and stopped at 1623 finding Olivia and her roommates playing bananagrams! We then took the girls for dinner at a Greek restaurant in downtown Harrisonburg. Fun and good food all around!

DC Cherry Blossoms

Last of the beautiful Cherry Blossoms on the Ellipse in front of the Jefferson Memorial. It's the hundred year anniversary of that special gift from Japan. .

The Lucky Dog gets sheered!

Thankfully, our 10 year old poodle mix, Lucky, was very patient with me while I sheered off six months of very thick matted fur growth of his "winterized" coat!  Ah, I bet he feels 10 lbs. lighter and he's still quite cute.  When we first got him I was adamant I would do all his grooming, and was "fired" by all the neighbors for bad hair cuts on him all those years ago!  But I persevered, and he looks pretty good today (and he takes in all in stride and never complained once of those bad hair cuts anyway!).  Of course, I miss a few spots here and there and will cut a few loose strands over the next week when I see them....He's a "Lucky" dog!

BSoleille, finding the bright side of doggie hair cuts!

terri

Tip toe through the Tulips

On a dog walk this afternoon I noticed some beautiful tulips popping up all over the place that I simply had to take photos of their sheer beauty.   Here's a red beauty I could not pass up; a small blessing for sure!

BSoleille!

terri

$1 off coupon used

I went to do a little grocery shopping today and bought one of those already made rotisserie chickens that are quite delicious, but the best part was finding a $1 off coupon on the shelf above them in the case!  For $3.99 it fed a family of 3 hungry souls!

BSoleille!  Finding the bright side of shopping!

terri

Behind every good quilter....

Is an equally good and supportive husband, or significant other.  My guy is the best when it comes to supporting my quilting "habit", thankfully keeping good humored on crock pot dinners (or no dinners), the laundry piling up when the hours slip away from me while at my machine, quilt meetings or retreats and not caring or really asking about my "stash" of fabric and other quilting accouterment must haves to keep me stitching!  My photo today is the two of us at the quilt show over the weekend.

BSoleille!

terri

Wonderful Quilt Show Weekend!

A big thank you to the Southern Comforters Quilt Show Chair and everyone who made the 2012 Quilt Show a spectacular event this past weekend!  I had a ball talking to everyone who came into the Featured Quilter Booth and was delighted with an outpouring of love and support from my local friends, quilters and non-quilters, staff members from Georgetown, and my biggest supporters of all, my husband Bill, my kids Olivia and Ryan, and my sister Kimberly who flew in from Cleveland, Ohio to be here for the weekend!  I also want to thank the many well-wishers who sent me wonderful messages and flowers because they could not travel this weekend from afar!  I cannot thank you all enough!

My photo is in a quiet moment from Friday night set up (I am too tired today to download all the photos taken from today to include, but will tomorrow)

BSoleille!

terri

Southern Comforters Quilt Show Underway!

A great crowd of people came today to see the beautiful quilts in our annual show!  I had the chance to visit with many people in the "Featured Quilter" section of the show which is an amazing experience.  I am humbled to share my "life story" in quilts from the past 25 years and will do more of the same tomorrow.  Surprising me was my daughter Olivia who drove up from JMU to make the day complete!  I am loving every minute of this....and very thankful!

BSoleille!

terri

Visitor from Cleveland!

My sister Kimberly Kocan flew in to town for the upcoming quilt show this weekend.  We hustled down to one of my favorite restaurants in Eastport, MD - Boatyard Grill!  Crab cakes sandwiches all around (except for Ryan).  That's a double blessing for sure!  Later today, set up!

BSoleille!

terri

Daughter done with teenage years....

A big shout of Happy Birthday wishes to my baby girl, Olivia, who is 20 today!  This beautiful, kind and compassionate young lady is truly a wonderful blessing in my life, and I am proud to be her Mom!

BSoleille...children, the best gift of all!

terri

Flowers for Olivia

Thankful that the beautiful tulips sent yesterday arrived at my daughter's apartment safe and sound on the eve of her birthday! She loved them, that's the true beauty!

BSoleille!
terri

On Capitol Hill

Today was a special day, not only the first day of spring, but that I was invited as one of the six parent panelists in the Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation Symposium encompassing leading psycho-oncology researchers and clinicians and members of Congress regarding the state of psychosocial care for childhood cancer patients and their families.  It was simply a powerful day, and I am truly honored that the founding members of the Mattie Miracle Foundation, Vicki and Peter Brown, extended the invitation for me to be a part of the first Childhood Cancer Psychosocial Symposium and Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill.

I am including two photos today, one of the Capitol Dome around 7:45 am with the rain clouds blowing away and the "bright" of day breaking through, and the parent panelists with Vicki (in purple suit) and Peter (with orange tie).

BSoleille! Hoping to find bright solutions to cancer fighting families!

terri

My Mom's 3rd year Anniversary

Thankfully, my Mom celebrates three years of successful living in assisted living in Cleveland, Ohio, today!  Initially it was a tough move, but it has been the best decision for all of us knowing she is safe and well taken care of with three squares and nice view of Lake Erie from the 6th floor dining hall.  Can't beat that!  Photo taken this past December at her 80th Birthday Party.

BSoleille!

terri

Tacos in a bag!

Due to the warm temps, my family suggested a summer favorite for dinner - taco-in-a-bag, a swim team staple during the summer months!  Ground turkey, lettuce, salsa, onions (not today), cheese and salsa over chips (fritos, or doritos, or tortilla) that was delicious!  Thankful for that.

My photo is one more from the yard..... BSoleille!
terri

Brilliant sunshine, loud chirping birds and

Flowers are all in bloom...everywhere you look.  Today I grabbed my camera and took photos of of what I had in my yard, and I think this is the last of the daffodils because it has gotten too warm!

BSoleille!

terri

Show ready!

We are one week away from the Southern Comforters Quilt Show, and I think I'm show ready!  My photo today is from the other night, but the flag pictured is where I got my start in "quilting".  My Mom taught me how to crochet, instead of quilting,  and I crocheted this flag as my 'visual' for an 8th grade civics report on Betsy Ross, the flag maker of Philadelphia! And the best part, I still have the report and received an A+ for my efforts!  Actually, this flag was displayed in the front showcase at Charles A. Mooney Junior High School in Cleveland, Ohio!  (I wish I had a photo of me with it in 1978 too)

BSoleille!

terri

No Spring?

The weather in Maryland the last few days have been near 80 degrees,  and I love the temps being this warm; so nothing wrong with that except that we are technically in winter and had no spring yet.  But one cannot help but look at the bursting of buds that are really full blown flowers (at least on the trees) - on March 15th no less?

My photo today was taken at almost sunset, it's a weeping willow tree budding out, and terrific under the setting blue sky!

BSoleille!

terri

Trunk Show at the Guild

My quilt guild's program chair asked me to do a trunk show of some of my quilts for a sort of "preview" before the show the weekend of March 24, 25 in Bowie, MD.  I was quite nervous at first, but then was able to be "me" and talk about how I got interested in quilting, showing quilts and giving tidbits about my life in quilts over the past 25 years!  The blessing was bestowed 14 years ago when I joined the Southern Comforters Quilt Guild; as many friendships were built with incredible women from all walks of life- our common bond - quilting.....

Photo was taken tonight at the meeting during the trunk show!  This is an Ohio Star block quilt that was made in 1992, machine pieced and hand-quilted!

BSoleille!  Finding the bright side of  quilting over the past 25 years!

terri

Glorious Day!

Not only was I able to work on quilt show related stuff,  I was able to get outside this afternoon for the first bike ride of the season, albeit a little rusty (not the bike, me!)  Nevertheless, it was a nice ride with the wind at my back (for half!).

Photo taken on the Crofton Parkway while riding-love the long shadows right now!

BSoleille,

terri

Cookies from Jan!

As much as I love technology, there is something a sewing machine, iPad, iPhone or computer cannot do- and that is to make COOKIES!  Today after my run, I went to check the mail, and lo and behold, on the doorstep was a fairly heavy box from my sister-in-law Jan!  Once inside, 2 packages of our favorite cookies (oatmeal raisins and blonde brownies) were opened to delight!  Cookie blessings, yummy!

BSoleille!

terri