Deck Garden

In five gallon buckets on the deck.

Play of light on the bean leaves and blossoms.

Abundance

Looking out from my home on the deck

Ripening for a feast

In a luxurious yellow, blooms the squash plant. 

Peeking from behind the leaf

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated.

Oxalis and a Present

When I went out today, I saw the oxalis in my shade planter.  Wow! It has suddenly started to thrive in this heat.  I planted it for the foliage but the blooms are pretty also.

I love the richness of the deep purple with the the lighter purple accent.  The blooms are on delicate green sprigs that complement the purples nicely.  As the blooms are the palest pink it is hard to see the color in these pictures.

I have spent a bit of time weaving a present for someone who is having a birthday.  I never know what to give as a present so something handmade and useful is what I like to give.  This was not started to be an art piece, but something happened along the way.  Thanks to my muse and to the Spirit of all creativity it is very artistic.  I am grateful for any creativity that I am blessed with.

And of course a couple of close-ups

I enjoyed making this scarf - and I really enjoy looking at it.  I hope the recipient loves it too.

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated.

Do you think of Christmas in July?

Some kind soul asked if we would be doing the Quilt Angels project again this year.  I answered with a resounding yes.  The Quilt Angels project has been my Christmas project since 2011.  So right now I am thinking of Christmas in July.
For those of  you who don't know about the Quilt Angels,  let me give a brief overview.

Photo Courtesy of Dave Burks

Quilt Angels is a project that provides quilts to young people who are in the Ogden House shelter in Alabama. This shelter is a safe place for children ages 12-17 that are temporarily displaced from their families or are deemed a child in need of services, not "juvenile delinquents.”  Some of them have made poor choices due to the lack of parenting.  The youth participate in activities that will increase their knowledge of life skills. Some examples of life skills training they receive will include chores, cooking, budgeting, and other independent living skills. The children also volunteer and perform community services work while in the program and attend public schools to continue their educations. But one of the most important things is that they are given both love and appropriate discipline. They learn the boundaries and how to live within them.

So, we want them to know that love comes from everywhere.  And what better way to show love than with a warm snuggly quilt?  We ask for large lap quilt-- up to bed quilt size.  These young people leave the shelter with a visible sign of love - a quilt.   We deliver the quilts to the shelter usually the week before Christmas.

Each year I have been honored to do this has changed me. I have learned to be more accepting; to be more grateful; and to be more generous.  I realize that the life I change just could be the one that makes this world a better place.  That thought thrills my heart.

So, if you want to know more - there is a tab at the top of my blog; or you can click here.  The posts from the past years are linked on that page.


We are always happy to have sponsors for prize and will give you links in the posts and our undying gratitude.

So if you would love to donate a quilt - you have several months to work on it- you can let me know now or wait until the big kickoff in November.

Here is Ms. Jean, one of the house mothers, saying thanks.


My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated.

Welcome to July - June Wrap-up

Wow,  my first month of retirement is over.  It went by really fast.  Looking back, I can see why.  I started out by getting my new loom.  That was a full day trip - and a large expenditure, but so worth it!

I used the loom to weave fabric that I sewed into this shirt/vest.

I used the leftover fabric to make this infinity scarf.

Then I wove this scarf and found out that I need to know more about animal fiber yarn. Some of the alpaca yarn was too stretchy.

I sewed a table topper (which at this point is still a flimsy.) This was from a kit I was given.

I made a fabric box,

sewed out an embroidery bookmark,

And somewhere in amongst all that, I managed to make a priest stole for our interim pastor who had her last Sunday with us on June 20th.

Now for an update - She loves the stole.  She was all smiles and grins.  Several times she thanked me profusely.  Here is a photo of us just after it was given.

If you see the sign above her head, well it fits.  But honestly it was part of the decoration for "A Southern Celebration -and SendOff"  We had lots of Southern food and hilarious Southern sayings hanging from the ceiling of the parish hall.   My favorite was probably "Bless her little thumpin' gizzard" - I can imagine one of my aunts or great-aunts saying those very words.

I hope your June was glorious and that your July is also wonderful.
Peace Y'all!


My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated.