Peace and Quiet?

June 7, 2018
Radiant Beauty Quilt, Lori Kennedy

Garden

Good Morning, Quilters!

You may have noticed a slow down in blog posts lately…

I haven’t forgotten about you!

BOCCE BALL FIRST!

As I’m sure YOU can all relate, some times we have to ditch our pet projects for family.

The past few weeks have been a time of great transition here.  My son is home from college…(Extra cooking, more trips to the grocery store, and laundry galore!)  My Mom has come for an extended visit (Looking through photo albums, discussing family trees and watching Chicago Cubs games) and my daughter is getting married…(List too long to type!)

Pergola, Bocce Ball court

ADD TO THE ENTROPY

And since that doesn’t seem like enough to do…

“WE” decided to add a few more projects!

We have to work on the garden,

add a pergola,

create a sandbox,

and build a Bocce Ball court!

Seriously!???

Ladies Bike

A LITTLE Peace and Quiet (P&Q)

For some of us, P & Q means piece and quilt

And usually the Piece and Quilt is synonymous with Peace and Quiet, but not at my house, not now…

So I bought myself a bike–an old-fashioned, up right girls bike–and I even got the basket!!!

I’ve been exploring the bike trails of Minnesota…

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Any family transitions at your house?

Any summer projects?

What do YOU do for P&Q?

We’d LOVE to hear!

Your Tranquil, but Non-Quilter Friend,

Lori

 

 

Share:

43 comments

  • Pam Hotle

    I got my first girl’s bike last fall. Have not ridden it much and not at all yet this spring. Even though my hubby is a biking fanatic and has ridden over 1000 miles since January (some on a stationery bike).
    I have 7 new babies coming in my family that need quilts. Two of them will be my grand babies.
    Your backyard is fabulous!!

  • Mary Whitaker

    I have been unable to download “see more of this post” for yesterday and today (Monday)

  • Sue Hoover

    For P&Q I enjoy walking my dog every morning. We walk 2-3 miles most morning and then return to do a little yard work. It gives me a chance to line up what I plan to get done for the day. I love to experience God’s gift of all kinds of weather. Gracie & I walk in the sunshine, the cloudy, the rainy, the snowy, the just-plain-cold. Mother Nature can throw what she wants at us — for the most part we’re there every day. (We don’t walk in the thunder&lightning or if it’s raining with a lot of wind.)

  • Quilting a bit while I can. My spring was spent waiting on tests and doctors. ….and new grandbabies. One grandson and one granddaughter within 9 days of each other. Summer will be spent on major surgery for adrenal cortical carcinoma (July 5) followed by recovery time, followed by chemotherapy and/radiation. And another grandbabies in August. Meanwhile 2 kids off to work at summer camp and a quiet house with just my 15 y.o. Daughter , hubby and me during the week, but wonderful crazy, noisy Sundays when married kids and 8 grandkids, 2 unmarried sons, a niece and grand nephew and my sister, brother and SIL gather for dinner at my house. Life is beautiful!

    • Marta

      Your situation will for sure be in my prayers. #1 advice stay hydrated always…and #2 accept living one hour and/or one day at the time during this season of your life. My quilting kept me going and my family and the Lord. I was DX stage 4 in 2012. I’m still here and enjoying grands! #3 Read some Inbox Jaunt every day when you can. Lori and Co. are great encouragement and inspiration.

  • Penny M

    Well, let’s see. We are having company in August so in the guest room we tore out the closet and re-rocked it, scrapped the nasty ceiling and re-mudded, and tore up the floor so we can put down hardwood after the room is painted. I was gifted a Gammill long arm so we are building cabinets for the basement after we got rid of the pool table to make room for the long arm. And I am setting plants in the 14th – 4 foot by 12 foot garden bed. Have also been helping a friend pack up to move this week.
    Um, when do the lazy days of summer start?

  • Arvilla Trag

    Summer project: a queen-size, one-block wonder quilt with a 36″ diameter pink rose in one quadrant (27 shades of pink fabric). Household transition: we have been in varying states of construction since January, and in mid-August will be doing a kitchen addition/remodel – during the height of canning season. We will have been under some form or other of construction for almost one whole year. Pass the Bailey’s, please. For peace and quiet: I take my Kindle out to the patio and read. If that doesn’t work, I go to the library.

  • Rosemaryflower

    I hope you enjoy your family. Doing laundry together is family time, just as much as tramping through the woods for three miles on a narrow path talking and laughing.
    It is warm here.
    I have been doing yard work in short spurts, house work in short spurts, sewing in short periods of time, mostly after dinner. My me time is when I climb in bed. ha. ha.
    I like your new bike with the basket, that is great for carrying the cookies.
    We live in a park (Broadlands, Virginia), there are trails all over the place. I enjoy walking more than biking.
    I love helping with my grand babies (3 now from 2 daughters) and always taking care of my daddy. Everyone thinks I have nothing to do 🙃😂

    • Rosemaryflower

      OH forgot, I really really really enjoyed reading all of the comments here. God Bless all of you🌷

  • Karen

    I have always wondered how you got a blog, a motif, or a quilt tip together each day and shared so much with us. Summer is a time to take some ME time also as well as all of the above. Enjoy your family. I’m struggling with with my 5 flower gardens and 2 huge vegetable gardens as they have been invaded with lots of grass and weeds. I have been able to get one quilt done for a niece getting married. Just have to do a label if I remember how to use my embroidery machine to make it special. They say the work keeps our minds active and well so sure do hope it works as the years are passing. Happy Summer. Its hot most of the time in Iowa already.

  • My husband and I bike regularly and are looking to find some new paths. Where in MN do you ride and can you recommend some nice paths? We ride a lot of the rail to trail paths and one year rode across Wisconsin almost entirely on trails. I don’t get much quilting done in the summer either because we are out riding as much as possible. Enjoy your rides.

  • Ellen

    The last day of school was yesterday. I’m going to a friend’s cabin tonight, then looking forward to planting my new 9to me) yard–lots of bark areas, ripe with possibility, and a wonderful patio. I am converting disapidated wooden raised bed gardens to galvanized horse troughs (movable, sitting on furniture dollies). I’m looking forward to starting each morning with a bit of quiet time on the patio, and probably some “dirt therapy!” Then when the day warms up, it will be time for indoor projects and quilting. I care for my sister with disabilities, and also my mom (neither of them in my home, but still a lot of paperwork, doctor’s appointments, etc.), so it will be nice to be able to do that during the day. Mom “sundowns” quite badly with her dementia, so not having weekends be my only time to spend with her will be nice!

    • Marta

      My fatherinlaw had sundowning too. We planned “parties” or celebrations about 5 PM with him in nursing home.. maybe ice cream party with polka music from radio or recording..maybe balloons to twist into animals.. anything we could think of.. It really was successful most of the time. With my mom who had been a seamstress for 70 of her 78 years, I took a variety of fabrics in a box. She really enjoyed just touching them and folding them and rearranging them. I was sorry I couldn’t take her out to a fabric shop but her broken hip prevented an outing.

  • Sue in MN

    If you’re biking on the Gateway trail and see a guy walking a black Lab and a shaved down Pomeranian( Petsmart grooming fail) say Hi. My DH walks the girls most mornings. Your neighbor in Grant!

  • Suzette

    Your yard looks heavenly! 😍 I hope you and your super-cute bike enjoy many, many miles together. I have been hitting the gym and pool faithfully in order to regain leg strength after 2 hip replacements. Feeling good! Next Thursday I’m off to Spain for 2 weeks on a long-planned girls trip. While I’m gone, our complete kitchen and bath remodel will finally begin. I’ve been emptying cabinets and packing boxes, and will return to a construction zone (and hopefully not divorce papers!). My sewing room is being neglected, but I plan to escape there while the downstairs is torn apart and reassembled. I just turned 60, and I’m having the time of my life!

  • Karen

    Pretty much all of last month was spent babysitting either the grandkids (2 1/2, 10 mos, 4 mos), or the 2 Grand dogs. Of course when the Grands came, so did their parents. Zero time was spent in the sewing room. Now I’m trying to get caught up with the yard work I couldn’t do either. I’m slowly working my way back to my normal routine, but we are still busy running to visit and do work on our property in Michigan’s UP (no building or electricity so not a lot of sewing there either).

    • Reberta

      Interesting to know I’m not the only one to call her kids’ dogs granddogs. They are family, after all, aren’t they?

      • Granny G

        You’re right Roberta, they are family – definitely. Our dog is a gentle giant bit bull mix; he has a PB head and the body of a large boxer or a small mastiff. Our grand-dog is a pure blooded PB. I know many people are terrified of these animals (it’s true that some of them are bad) but ours are sweet, loving, playful, gentle and devoted to us. We couldn’t love them more. Long walks with my big boy is part of my P&Q. He walks at my pace, doesn’t pull, doesn’t startle at anything, and doesn’t charge people or other dogs, so our walks are very relaxing. And when we’re done, he cuddles up on his bed and I go back to my sewing machine!

  • Reberta

    Lori, thank you so much for sharing your life with us. Your home is beautiful and so are you and your family. I have just returned to piecing after too many months of “I’ll start tomorrow.” So many patterns, so much fabric, so many ideas. Too hot here in Nevada to spend much time outdoors, so it’s the perfect time for my P&Q at the sewing machine.

    • Marta

      Say Hello to our son in Nevada, He is the one who grew up in FL and would love some rain and humidity.

  • Theresa

    I managed to trip over a bag of mulch and have an external fixator, on my right wrist. If you don’t know what that is you are lucky. Only six weeks to go. So I am quilting vicariously through all of you 😂

  • Granny G

    Your life is certainly full, Lori!

    We have just learned that my husband does NOT have any coronary artery blockages (thank the Good Lord above). My only granddaughter is coming to visit with her 18 month old daughter, our first great-grandchild who we will be meeting for the first time! Our 2nd oldest grandson has just become engaged and we’re going to his engagement party later this month.

    My favorite P&Q activities are reading and walking our dog. I envy you those lovely bike trails. I’d like to combine a nice ride with the dog tagging along (nice exercise for both of us) but all we have are hilly back roads and the old knees can’t do them anymore.

    My life is blessed and I am grateful, so to all of you fellow Lori-followers who are dealing with the stress of loss, sadness or illness, you are in my prayers. May the Lord bless you with strength, comfort and peace.

  • Myra Ungerman

    I agree with Mitch Ke. My motto is work doesn’t have a gender. If you eat from a bowl/plate, etc., you should know how to wash it. If you wear clothes, you should know how to care for them. It paid off when my son called after the six week Air Force basic training and thanked my husband and myself for teaching him how to work. He said a lot of the other guys were clueless. Made it all worth while.

  • Your next project should be a cover for that sandbox. Otherwise cats in your neighborhood will LOVE their new toilet.

  • Karen

    Yes, how things change so quickly. I usually am caring for my granddaughter, but for the month of June her grandpa has offered to do it so that I can care for a friend with stage 4 cancer and kidney failure. So I pack up my car and move to her place during the week and come home on weekends. She deserves it, as I know she would do the same if roles were reversed. It is quiet though.

  • You have been busy!
    Enjoy the time with your family and the summer!

  • annthompson51

    My first impression of your initial photo was: They don’t have deer?!? The lovely flower would be gone in a heartbeat at our house.

    What a wonderful family adventure you’re enjoying, but I know it comes with a huge investment of time and energy.

    May blessings abound!!!

  • Maureen B. in B. C.

    Yikes, what plans. Remember … You’re the “calm” one. 🤗
    I’m off to Kelowna to spend some quality “girly” time in the wine region with two girlfriends of long standing — 40+ years. No quilting for me either for at least another week. I’m still reeling from the amazing quilts viewed at the Canadian National Quilt Show last week in Vancouver. Holy cow there’s a lot of amazing talent out there. I keep hoping some will rub off.
    Happy building! A pergola will be lovely, when done.

  • Deb Mac

    Oh, Lori, I feel for you. Life happens and we have to make the best of it as best we can. In the last 2.5 years, our family has had 8 weddings (1 our daughter’s), 9 funerals (my mother’s after living with Alzheimer’s and all that entails), 4 babies (1 our grandson) and 4 more babies on the way! Talk about transition!!!!! At the first of this year, I wanted to get new kitchen cabinets which morphed into a modest kitchen remodel, remodeling 2 baths, and adding a main floor laundry room. We were in the final stages of planning (literally had contracts on the table waiting to be signed) when my husband was offered a dream job almost 200 miles away. So for the last 6 weeks he has been working away. I quit my dream job last week and started my new job as packer/trasher/cleaner. After 16 years here, absorbing “family” treasures and not having our 2 children completely moved out, I am putting our lives into boxes while going from tears to laughter. Lots of memories. I am rather stunned at how quickly life changes. Enjoy your bike rides and I will enjoy “The Ghost of Dibble Hollow”. Cope however you can.

  • Why are you doing your son’s laundry? I remember the day my daughter thanked me because some of the other college students were clueless.

    • LAURIE BIUNDO

      My boys have been doing their own laundry since the were 10. They also cook and know how to clean their apartments. I was determined to teach them early on.

      • That’s about the age I taught my 3 sons to do their own laundry. My daughter learned how to mow the lawn at about 12. They all pulled weeds and shoveled snow. One of my daughter’s in -law tells me “Thanks for raising Bill to be such a wonderful man.” Isn’t that nice.?

  • Cheri

    Oh my goodness Lori, you are a busy gal!!! Me too, however I think having a husband with a broken hip, healing now, but can’t dress himself is the strangest thing! Never thought I would need to dress a grown man and care for a 3 month old at the same time! My daughter went back to work and cannot find infant care so I will have Emma until the first of the year! Not much of a Quilter right now, but I did purchase a 6 month old Simply Sixteen and cannot wait to get a new frame and get it up and running! Until then, I will care for these precious people and have some P & Q with reading stories.
    Hang in there, winter is just around the corner😆

  • Debbie Horton

    A couple of weeks ago I had a total knee revision surgery – 2 of the 5 metals I’m allergic to were in the previous knee implant. I’ve been fighting for 2 1/2 years to have a revision. I am doing fantastic, but my piecing world is on hold. Enter cross-stitch! I’m finishing up some UFO’s and enjoying lounging outside as I can.

Comments are closed.

Discover more from Lori Kennedy Quilts

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading