Are you hungry?

I wasn't but I am now!

The aroma wafting through the kitchen is intoxicating.  Is there anything better than home baked muffins for breakfast with a fresh cup of coffee?

Just out of the oven and waiting to be devoured...

Mmmmmmmmm...

Easy-peasy and oh soooo yummy!  Here's the recipe if you care to make your own.

Blueberry Muffins

2 C all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C butter, softened (1 stick)

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1 C milk

1-1 1/2 C blueberries

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  

In a separate bowl, cream butter with sugar.

Beat in eggs one at a time.

Gradually stir in milk.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Pour in liquid and stir just until moistened.

Gently stir in blueberries.

Spoon into well greased muffin cups, filling to the top.

Bake at 375 F for 25-30 minutes or until tops are firm to the touch.

Ollie helped, of course...by hanging around and waiting patiently for anything that might fall on the floor.  

Gee, this waiting is hard work.

I think I'll have a little snooze and wait until later.

Zzzzzzzzzz.

One of the gals from my quilting guild just recently moved to Kuwait to be closer to her children who now live there.  She decided to sell all her sewing and quilting supplies and offered them to the guild members first.

I couldn't resist and the price was an absolute bargain.

Ever since I started quilting, I've been a Bernina gal...but from what I hear, I can quickly become a Janome convert.  Now I just have to learn how to use it!

You're welcome to come on over for coffee and muffins and at the same time, maybe give me a lesson or two?  

I'll even make lunch!  

I'm Getting Excited!

I received an email from my friend Alice just the other night to let me know that she had finished quilting my Comfort & Joy quilt and included a few "sneak peek" photos just to tease me and I thought I'd share them with you.

She is one amazing longarm quilter.  Just have a look at these close ups!

I absolutely can't wait to see the entire quilt up close and personal.  Hasn't she done an amazing job?  And I think she's working on my Wish quilt at this very moment.  With any luck, I'll have them both back either next week or the week after.  If I sound impatient, I most definitely am!  Woo hoo!  

If you missed them, you can see both flimsies here in my last post.

It was a beautiful day yesterday so Mr. Painted Quilt, Ollie and I went for a drive through the countryside to enjoy what remains of the Fall foliage.

Before we headed out, I took this photo standing on the road in the front of our house which you can see in the background.

This next photo is on one of the back roads near Bear River, Nova Scotia, a short drive from where we live.  

Nova Scotia is becoming world renowned for it's wine and this next photo is of the Bear River Winery, just a short distance away from the above photo.

I don't enter many giveaways but when I saw this charm pack of Polka Dot Stitches by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Designs being offered by Bev at 44th Street Fabric, I just had to enter.  

And look what arrived in my mail box today!

  
Thank you so much, Bev.  I have just the perfect project in mind!

This morning Mr. PQ and I decided that it was time to get Ollie a new bed because he and Frankie were outgrowing the old one which is actually a crate liner and not a bed per se.  So we went to good old WalMart and came home with a new one...and guess what? 

He loves it!  And there's plenty of room for Frankie in there too!

Shhhh...baby sleeping.

Ahhhh...life's comforts.  Aren't they great?

Another Finish!

My version of Red Brolly's Wish quilt is officially a flimsy and is on it's way to my friend Alice in Ontario to be machine quilted.

  
I made several changes to the original design and if I liked it before, I L-O-V-E it now!  As you can see, Ollie is bored with the whole thing.  Quilt - schmilt.  He told me that if it doesn't involve food then he's not interested.

Alice is also quilting my Comfort & Joy quilt which should be on her frame in the next couple of days.

This year I'll have two quilts to display during the holidays!

Whenever I finish working on a project, I usually go through a winding down period.  The other day when I was going through a cupboard that I seldom use, I came across a bag with socks that I started knitting while I was in treatment earlier this year.  I guess I lost interest when I returned home and had forgotten all about them.

I promised Mr. Painted Quilt that I'd finish them before the really cold weather sets in, so that's what I'm working on now.  If I put my hands and mind to it, I should have the second one finished in the next couple of days.

A perfect winding down project before the start of my next one!

This & That

Fall has definitely arrived and with it, the cooler and shorter days.  Not that we need an excuse to spend time in our sewing studios but this weather seems to draw me like a magnet to either stitch, knit or do some patchwork at my machine.

Just this morning, I finished piecing the top to my version of the Wish quilt by Bronwyn Hayes of the Red Brolly.  Actually, I should have said almost finished because I still have to add an outer border and applique some additional wool elements.

I took the liberty to change a number of things and still have a ways to go before I can call it finished.  My apologies for the poor photo but it is so dark and overcast today and no matter where I tried to take a picture, the light was very poor...even with the flash.

A closer look at the bottom two rows...

and the top row with the middle row repeated.

I just love the combination of stitched and pieced blocks and thoroughly enjoyed making this quilt.

Ollie was very bored with it all and fell asleep cuddling with his stuffed dog, right next to his bucket of toys.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

We had lots of turkey left over from our Thanksgiving dinner so guess what is simmering on the stove right now?

Why turkey soup, of course!  Turkey soup and fresh crusty rolls for dinner...yummo!  Are ya coming?

I would like to thank those of you who emailed me with respect to the results of my latest CT scan.  Unfortunately, the results weren't as positive or conclusive as we had hoped for.  When the latest scan was compared with the last one from five months ago, there appeared to be an increase in the size of a couple of the lymph nodes in the general area where the cancer was found. After consulting with the radiation oncologists, it was decided to rule out a PET scan at this time.  A follow up with another CT scan has been scheduled for the beginning of December.  Only then will they be able to recommend further treatment if it is warranted.

I have the utmost trust and faith in my doctors and I can confidently say that they have my best interests at heart. 

Life indeed does go on and I'm grateful and thankful for each and every day...especially when quilting, stitching and you all are a part of it.  *wink*

Enjoying the Season

In a very short while we'll be putting the gardens and flower beds to bed for the winter.  Although many of the perennials are long past their prime, the rudbeckia (black-eyed susans)...

and purple echinacea (cone flowers) are still flourishing.

The rain that eluded us during the hot summer months has finally decided to pay us a visit and the lawns and fields that were once dry and brown are now a lushdeep green.  That against a back drop of leaves that are starting to change color makes for a perfect Autumn setting.

Frankie and Ollie are becoming tighter with each passing day. 

Ollie will be four months old on the 6th of October and we decided that he was overdue for his first visit to the doggie spa. 

The groomer said that he passed with flying colors and wasn't the least bit afraid of the bath or having his hair clipped and dried.

Much better now, huh? 

Aren't I a handsome dude?

I finally completed all the large stitcheries for the Wishes quilt...

and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them.

Bronwyn Hayes from the Red Brolly is a very talented designer.

I'm now working on the applique parts and as soon as these are finished, I'll be able to assemble the first block.  I can't wait to see how it looks.  Of course I'm doing mine in wool.

Come along with me as I take you around our house to enjoy some touches of Autumn.

The dining room...

den...

and the living room...

I had my second follow up CT scan last Wednesday and now have to wait until the 9th of October for my appointment with the oncologist for the results.  

The waiting is the difficult part.

My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your continued thoughts, prayers and support.  It would certainly be a long and lonely road to travel without you all.