LOVE OF BARNS

I've always loved barns - no real reason why, but I do. I ran across these pictures tonight of some barns I photographed a couple winters ago and thought I'd share. They are all so different and yet so welcoming.

The Calm Before the Storm

This last one is my favorite with all the stone and warped barn wood. I love how the doors were hanging askew too.

 

I was able to capture these yesterday while it was spring like. Just look at all that grass peeking through.

It's hard to believe that the next three pictures are of the same farm. I just love barns!

Look close at picture above and you will see there is a ghost hanging in the loft window. A Halloween leftover?

ONE FULL SIZED QUILT ALL FINISHED

She sewed her strips and pressed her binding.

She wants to get it really straight so she is pinning her binding to her quilt.

All pinned and ready to finish.

Slow and sure wins the race!
Tied and trimmed and ready to bind tomorrow.

ALL DONE!
And boy is she happy about that!

QUILT CAMP UPDATE

Her individual pieces were all sewn into squares and now she is "squaring" them up.

Fortunately I have a king size bed so it makes it easy to lay out the pieces and decide on the design. She laid it all out, used her kaleidoscope and changed many pieces many times until she was happy.

She is starting her row piecing.

Here row 1 and 2 are all sewn together.

I told Am she wasn't the first.
Every good quilter has had to rip out a seam or two or three and start over!

Hard at work!

Rows 4, 5, 6 and 7 are all done!

She's working really hard today! I love her dedication and drive to finish.

She's just about had it for today!!
When she finishes tying her corners, we'll trim the edges and
set it aside until tomorrow when we will tackle the binding.
If all goes well, she'll be done tomorrow!

QUILT CAMP CONTINUES

We stayed up late last night reading, chatting and watching an old movie so Am is getting a bit of a late start today on her quilt. It makes me smile though. We have her all set up at the kitchen table with my old sewing machine, all her cut squares, her instructions, the ironing board nearby and she is singing away to her iPod as she creates her squares. She is making great progress.

Her first finished square ever.

Underground Mine Tour in Vulcan but we didn't see MR. Spock

We took advantage of the wonderful weather and decided to trek to Vulcan (unfortunately Mr. Spock didn't join us) for the Underground Iron Mine tour here in the U.P. The first time we tried to do this, we hadn't brought jackets and even in July they are a necessary evil. As you progress down the mine (400 feet deep and 1/2 mile underground) the temperature drops to 42 degrees almost immediately! So this time we brought jackets and stayed toasty for the tour.

The mining began as exploratory in 1837 when Michigan became the 26th state and took MANY years to produce a profit.


The mine was closed after WWII in 1945 when the prices for iron took a drastic drop and the mine could no longer make a profit.

Am was so chilled she even covered her ears!

P.S. Note to those who actually care about common courtesy and respect for others: If you are taking your children on a tour that requires others to pay for their tickets, then please curtail your small children's activities and speech. No one spends their hard earned money to go on a tour to NOT hear it or see what is going on because of your inability to discipline your children and keep them respectful of others.