Wyoming Breezes

Alpine Shire socks June 2021 I managed to do a bit of knitting over the last days - finishing one sock and nearly through the cuff on the second sock. The Alpine Shire color way makes me smile as I knit.  preparing to plant June 2021 Besides knitting, I planted a few flowers by the front door, swept and hosed the dregs of winter out of the garage, cleaned the patios and took the furniture out of storage, The weather has been wonderful, and the warmth is definitely welcome. I sat outside soaking up some natural vitamin D while knitting a few rows on the second sock.  On Thursday, I joined three friends for a lengthy lunch and visit at Applebees.  U-haul trucks and trailers are common sights in my neighborhood as university students move home for the summer. Traffic is down considerably around town, and the slower pace of summer is settling on the community. 

fluffy cotton from cottonwood trees June 2021 It's that time of year when the air is full of "cotton" fluff from the area cottonwood trees. The fluff is a nuisance, especially on my patio where it rolls around on the cement and forms large globs. Whenever the door is opened, a fluff ball manages to sneak into the apartment. Some years, it blows through the air like snow.   I'll be glad when the trees stop releasing their seeds encapsulated in the fluffy "cotton."

Patriotic Crackers 65 x 73 inches Quilt of Valor #203 Several of you mentioned that Ritzy Crackers was an odd name for the blocks in this quilt, but I think "cracker" applies to the British Christmas "cracker" rather than the flat crisp that Americans call crackers (i.e. Ritz, rice, saltines, snack, etc.) Whatever the definition, the blocks are quick and easy to make, and in my case, used a lot of red and blue 5 inch squares from my scrap bin. 

door painted with the likeness of Butch Cassidy Laramie, WY Laramie is the home of the historic Wyoming Territorial Prison where Butch Cassidy was imprisoned from 1894 to 1896. Cassidy was one of Wyoming's most infamous citizens, and his exploits are woven throughout Wyoming's early history.  The door with Butch Cassidy's likeness can be found in the alley between First and Second Streets at Ivinson and Grand. 

ready to be planted May 2021 Even though Arbor Day is officially the last Monday in April in Wyoming, it can be quite cold then to be planting trees. Thus, almost a month later, the maintenance crew took advantage of the nice weather and planted several young trees along Binford Street.  You may remember the snow storm that hit this area last June and all the damage that occurred to the trees . Many of the trees in my apartment complex were damaged in that storm, and numerous trees were marked for removal. Since last June, maintenance has removed the problematic trees and their stumps in preparation for the new trees.  It will be fun to watch the trees put down roots and mature. 

nine Ritzy Cracker blocks May 2021 Sunday's FaceTime call was a productive one. Not only did I begin joining the four-patch units (see yesterday's post ) but I also finished the Ritzy Cracker blocks I started a few weeks ago. I now have enough of the blocks to make a Quilt of Valor. The top will include 56 red, white, and blue blocks and have two simple borders added.  Last week, I received a QOV back from a volunteer longarmer in Oregon, so I trimmed the excess backing fabric and prepared a label. I hope to get the binding sewn on this week before the second QOV arrives in the mail from the same longarmer.