Popsicle Man!

Do you remember the musical jingle of the popsicle man coming down the street on hot summer afternoons? Kids were hollering and running like ants to find loose change and get to the road before he passed us by. I smile just thinking about those days. Ice cream sandwiches, nutty buddys, dreamsicles, and push-ups make my mouth water.

I was reminded of all this when I got a sampler assortment of fabric and found this adorable novelty print of brightly colored popsicles. I whipped up a quick wall hanging for my sewing room wall to enjoy these final days of August. And then I got an ice cream sandwich out of the freezer to celebrate. Here's to childhood memories!

We didn't realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun.

I love those random memories that make me smile no matter what's going on in my life right now.

A Breath Of Fresh Air

Twisted Picnic Squares

How refreshing! This morning I have our windows open, with fans pulling cool, sweet breezes through the house. That's a welcome change from the heat and oppressive humidity of the past two months. I'm having my coffee on the porch as I write, watching the hummers feed. It's a perfect way to begin a Monday.

Last week when it was so hot and rainy, I stayed indoors to finish another quilted piece. This one is in country summer colors with two old fashioned bright blue floral prints and contrasting red gingham accents.  Perfect for a summer picnic, don't you think?

“Some old-fashioned things 

like fresh air and sunshine 

are hard to beat.” 

~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Cat Envy

A few days ago. I captured this photo of Callie in the afternoon sunlight. She draped herself across the coffee table while I was reading. 

Watching her makes me want to become more cat-like.

“Cats are intended to teach us that 

not everything in nature has a purpose.” 

~ Garrison Keillor

“Way down deep, we're all motivated by the same urges. 

 Cats have the courage to live by them.” 

~ Jim Davis

Along For The Ride

Life can be easy, and it can be challenging. It really depends on the day, you know? You may have a plan, but the universe sometimes has other ideas. Your attitude can make all the difference.

If you want to go with the flow, don't resist. Let the day take you along for the ride. You might end up in a better place, meet new friends, deal with an emergency, or get a new perspective. Even if you're in a stressful situation, handle what comes. The rest will either get done, or it won't.

If you're up for a challenge, fight for your way and stay on track. Something that's important to you might require your full attention with no detours. Distractions may prevent you from reaching a goal or being there for someone. Being able to say no and stay focused can be very satisfying.

That's just life: easy, restful days along with difficult, challenging ones. It can be hard to know which path to follow. It helps to observe, listen, and assess your feelings before choosing. Either way, you'll learn something about yourself.

Your life, your choice. Whether it's bumpy or smooth, you're just along for the ride.

Life is like a roller coaster.

It has its ups and downs.

But it's your choice to scream

or enjoy the ride.

^^^^^

Our attitude toward life

determines

life's attitude towards us.

~John N. Mitchell

Rainy Days Are For Sewing

Colors of Summer

It's still hot, but this past week was rainy as well, so I took refuge in my sewing room. To continue my mission of using up fabric, I grabbed a color coordinated roll of precut strips and started piecing. White as contrast makes the orange, purple, yellow, pink, green and blue really shine.

It was quick work to piece the squares into blocks, and I had a match for the backing in gray with orange and hot pink flowers. I experimented with a variegated thread for quilting diagonal rows across the squares. Leftover strips for binding, and I was done. 

Some days you just have to create your own sunshine.