Project

I have a project that just came via UPS five minutes ago and I am so excited to start it. Thanks to a friend (Thanks Jean) for getting me involved in this great cause, it couldn't be more perfect that I received a farm quilt to put together.

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This great cause can be found at Downy and basically you receive pre-cut squares with directions for a turn quilt. You supply the low-pile batting and then return the quilt to an address provided. All these quilts go to kids with cancer in hospitals. I simply can't wait to complete this quilt as well as many others.

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If you are a quilter or even a beginning sewer, stop by this website and sign up for a kit.

You'll make a sick kid smile!!!

Picking

So my good friend Michelle called me up this morning and asked if I wanted to go berry picking. I have been slightly (to say the least) under the weather, so I sucked it up and headed out with her. We went to the local berry picking place called Apple Hills and proceeded to head out into a very weedy patch. Strawberry picking obviously has been going on for a little while now as they were sort of picked over. On top of that, all the rain we have been getting have made the slugs come out in full force. Lots and lots of berries with big holes in them...YUCK!! Nothing worse that picking a berry and your finger goes into it because of the hole.
Although I said the picking wasn't very good, I came home with a tray full and lots in my belly. I may make a strawberry/rhubarb pie tomorrow.

But they just may be eaten as is...

This little green grasshopper was following me up the path when I was leaving...

Now, onto cherry picking. The trees were plenty full with ripe and unripe fruit but unfortunately the rain has made the cherries split. I had to pick through the trees to find the good ones but let me tell you, there were lots!

It was a pretty walk through the trees...

And just some of the bounty.

Now I just need to get a cherry pitter.

Tres

My in-laws had told us that they have a three eared bunny at their house and lookie here who mosied himself up to our house. We have gotten pretty close to him during the day, at least a foot away without him bolting from the yard.

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Last night I had just gotten home from an extremely long, long day and was in my bedroom changing my clothes. Callie was at the window with alert ears and a wagging tail so I knew something was in the yard. I glanced out the window in hopes to see a glimpse of the skunk that was in our yard the other night but it was Tres. We named him Tres after the Spanish word for 3. I'm not sure if he was born this way or maybe got his ear caught in something and it split it, but anyhow he is adorable.

The funky rabbit eyes are due to it being dusk and having the flash on.

Yesterday on my way out to take care of my elderly aunt, I stopped by my friends house to borrow something and she had showed me a nest of 5-6 baby bunnies that are living under her kids slide. I could have scooped them all up and taken them home with me. Actually, she may be bringing them up if the mother doesn't come back. I think they are almost old enough to live on their own but maybe another week or so with their mom and they would be good to go by themselves.

So now I leave you with Tres....

Happy Weekend all

and

Happy Wedding Weekend to

Lori and Melissa!!

Yay!

(never home)makers Banana Bites

So my friend Ashley over at (never home)makers created this recipe for banana bites and as soon as I saw it I rushed to my kitchen to whip up these tasty morsels. My love for peanut butter runs deep as many of you all know so what could be better than, peanut butter, chocolate and bananas. Right now they are in the freezer awaiting to be completely frozen before I dive right in but I know I will love these goodies.

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Stop by their website right here to get the fabulous recipe as well as many others.

What's with the bowl and spoonful? Well as you can see I had some of the mixture left over and I....

Couldn't let it go to waste now could I?

Thanks Ashley for ANOTHER great recipe!!!

Jenn's Baby Shower

Yesterday was a friends baby shower which I had the privilege to make the favors and the cake. I decided after talking with her family, to go with a vanilla and chocolate cake layers (7 layers) and then fill with vanilla and chocolate pudding. I do have to say it was extremely moist and yummy.

Jenn's favorite colors are brown and blue so that was the color theme I went with.

I sculpted them out of an oven bake clay and added them to the top of the cake. Ryan loves Batman so we just had to add that to his shirt.

Everybody seemed to enjoy the cake and made a nice dent in it!!

Thanks Jenn and Ryan for letting me share in your special day!

Creative Thursday

Well not too much pottery going on here except for the last post with the wedding vase. But I have been busy no less. I am attending a baby shower...HI JENN!!...this Saturday and I have been busy making some gifts for her and the baby as well as the favors. These cute little baby faces are over 5" in diameter and turned out sooo cute. I'm sure the guests will love these favors. Tomorrow I will be starting the cake and I have a great idea for that too.

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Last night I went for a bike ride. I seriously don't know how people can bike on a daily basis. As strong as I think my legs are, they certainly we not a match for cycling. I rode from my house down to an auto place on Front Street (5 miles) to pick up my car after it was fixed. Let me tell you, I was huffing and puffing and damn, I hit every stinking red light from home to the auto place. But, everyone seemed to obey the bike laws except one jack-ass who cut me off getting on the on ramp. I was afraid of letting go of the bike to give him a nice hand signal! I don't think I'll be riding down there very often but it was a great cross training experience.

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Well, I am off to get the kiddo on the bus, work for the morning, an errand or two, home, frost the rest of the cookies and then make dinner for a friend who just had ACL surgery.

Whew....

Busy,Busy, Busy

I have been so terribly busy lately that blogging, again, has taken a backseat to my life. Last week was full of work, lacrosse games, amongst many other things. This past weekend was a full one too. Friday afternoon we sat in a very hot gymnasium to watch our kid compete in the annual dodge ball tournament at school. He had a stacked team and was determined to win. Well in the end, they walked away with the trophy and also their team (4th graders) beat the 6th graders...all of their heads barely fit out the door. It was great to see Graydon interact with his friends. I hope in the end, these friends will be with him through all his life. They all are a great bunch of personalities.

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Saturday was a long hot run for me. 7 miles in the blazing sun but I felt awesome and it was a great run. I am gearing up for a race in July up in Utica, New York. It is a 15K and I am determined to pull a great time. I have been training a lot on hills around our house and it really seems to be helping my longer runs be more time efficient.

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We had tons of mulch delivered last week...6 yards to be exact. The rest of the weekend during the day was spend weeding and mulching. We still have a lot more to do and the pile of mulch seems to be still there, without even a big dent in it. But the yard is starting to shape up nicely and I'll post photos of that later.

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Sunday night I was able to see my best friend. She lives in Long Island and I never really get to see her. I think maybe the last time was almost 2 years ago. We have been friends since 1990 and I love her to death. We go without talking for months on end and then when we do finally talk, we pick right back up where we left off. Hopefully this summer we will head down there for some family fun.

The above photo is an Indian Wedding Vase I made for a wedding we are attending in two weeks. It is for Todd's cousin and she is so excited to get it. It's made of porcelain and is slowly drying right now and will be bisque fired and glazed this week. The color is going to be a nice soft gray to go along with their wedding colors.

I can't wait to see them use it during the ceremony,

it really means a lot to me that they asked me to make this for them!!!