wood tick wonderland

We have had a very healthy stand of hydrangea plants along our front walk for quite a few years.  They all started from one little bush.  And then they spread.  And in the late summer, they would be so large that they would block about half of the sidewalk, and we would trim them down.  And those bleeding hearts on the right would also lean over the sidewalk, leaving little space to walk.  This spring, I decided it was time to thin down the hydrangeas significantly.  We removed about half of them on the side near the sidewalk.  I think this should work out much better.

I have occasionally tried to dig up and start new hydrangeas in pots to give to friends, but they always died.  When Bob was digging up these bushes, he decided to stick some in the ground in another flower bed that needs some rejuvenation.  These seem to be actually taking root--

And here's a funny tree in our backyard--

This looks like the definition of gnarly!

And now I better check myself for wood ticks after being out in the bushes!

the pieces fit together

There has been much thread flying around here as I work on putting together 1 or 2 or 3 new quilts for Quilt MN. This limited edition fabric includes a border print fabric which fits so nicely into my previously designed pattern "One Row To Go". I have expanded that design with new blocks and a larger layout to more closely fit a twin bed. This is a portion of it...

and when I finish getting the borders done today or tomorrow I will show you a better shot. I took the partially finished quilt top to the store yesterday for some feedback on borders, etc., and decided how to finish it off. Plus I was able to show it to a few people, and was encouraged by their responses, so that helps me push onward!

It's a cloudy day today with a light rain, and I was outside admiring my hydrangeas:

These have gotten so large that we have to trim them back to allow access to our front walk. This all developed from 1 small plant, I never imagined it would become so large and thick! I don't put any additives in the soil to bring out the blueish colors that are often found in these flowers. I like the simplicity of these big white flowerheads.

"Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced." James Arthur Baldwin