Wyoming Breezes

Blue Grass Ranch September 2022 I spotted this tree when my nephew was giving my sister, my brother-in-law and me a tour of the ranch that he manages, and I asked him to stop so I could snap a photo.  The large rock at the base of the lone tree looked like a large bull resting in the sunshine.  Do you see what I see?

pretty, paper bouquet  February 2022 I rarely click on any ads I see on Facebook, but I couldn’t resist checking out the FreshCut Paper advertisement (FYI: I am not being compensated for this review) that I saw before Valentine’s Day.  Fresh flowers rarely last long, but they always lift me up. However, one downside to fresh flowers is that their fragrance sometimes trigger my allergies. On a whim, I ordered two bouquets from FreshCut Paper: one for myself; one for my niece. I thought the daisy bouquet would be perfect for my winter weary soul. The bouquet arrived in a sturdy envelope with the flowers tucked inside another envelope. The pink envelope shown above contained the bouquet and could be used to send the flowers  to another person. Unfortunately, multiple bouquets can only be mailed to a single address, so I purchased Brenda’s flowers in a different order than mine and had them mailed directly to her home. I was not aware of the company’s policy of planting a tr...

four printed panels and matching yardage from Connie H. in MN February 2022 Connie H. ( Far Side of Fifty ) sent me a surprise package last week. Inside was a patriotic panel, yardage, a crochet scrubby, and a beautiful card that she made. When I first opened the package, I thought it was a single panel, but it’s actually four smaller printed panels - the perfect size for center medallions. I’ll be able to make four Quilts of Valor with this panel.  Connie and I have been online friends for many years. I’d love to meet her and Far Guy in person one day.  Connie, thank you for your friendship, and for this donation for Quilt of Valor! 

Exhaling Dissolution (2010) by Sarah Deppe  Laramie, WY This large head (constructed of cottonwood bark, steel rods and wire mesh) is located on the Snowy Range Road on the west side of Laramie. The piece is part of the Snowy Range Rotating Sculpture Program and will be in place for five years.  The sculpture is quite large, sits on an elevated pad, and is well lighted at night.  Honestly, this is not on my list of favorite art in the community, but it makes a statement and is a good landmark. 

quilt top donated by Jane S. in NJ February 2022 I received a package from Jane S. from NJ on Friday. Jane donated a nearly finished quilt top, fabric for the borders, backing and binding.  Thank you Jane for your generous donation for Quilts of Valor 

. . . but everyday: tell family and friends  how much you love  and appreciate them!

Ahh, the memories!  Did people really dress like that in the 70s?   Did I?  Did you?

fabric cut for project bag #2 February 2022 Since Project Bag #6 is finished, I pulled the March bag (#2) from the queue. This is the last eagle panel square I have (of course, I’ve said that before, and someone gave me several more), and it’s time for the eagle’s turn at the sewing machine.  I cut the fabric for the quilt on Monday afternoon. Some parts were cut from scraps and some from yardage. The only part I didn’t cut was the outer border, which will be blue. I like to select the specific fabric when the top is at that point of completion.  The project bags are giving a goal each month, even if I’m working ahead as I finish the designated project for the month. 

Xi’an Mickey Inflatable by Lizabeth Eva Rossof on display University of Wyoming Art Museum February 2022 Pop Warriors have been on display at the University of Wyoming Art Museum since August, and I finally saw them on Friday afternoon. The warriors are constructed from nylon by a company that makes bouncy castles, and are inflated by electric fans. Most of the warriors are over twelve feet tall.  Also on display were Bart (Simpson), Batman, Shrek, and Spiderman.  A brochure at the exhibit said the original Pop Warriors were made in Xi’an of the same clay and earth as other replica souvenirs of the Xi’an warriors.  It was an interesting exhibit, but if I hadn’t read the brochure that explained her concept and the development of the warriors, I doubt I would have spent much time viewing them. 

Down Country Roads 58 x 73 inches Quilt of Valor #215 Since the pickup panel was large (34 x 40.5 inches), I used a pattern designed for a large horizontal panel — Call of the Wild - Bison by Kari Nichols of Mountainpeek Creations. The pattern was free a few years ago on the Hoffman Fabrics website, but it is no longer available.  I widened the borders to meet the QOV size requirements This panel was donated by my friends, Sue and Bert O. 

Shopping carts left willy nilly in a parking lot have long been a pet peeve of mine. In Wyoming the wind blows - a lot- so loose shopping carts can easily ram into vehicles causing dents and scratches. Carts left in a parking space create obstacles for someone looking for a parking spot, too. Some drivers try to “nudge” the carts out of the space with their vehicle which can cause it to dent and scratch other vehicles as it rolls.  Thankfully, Laramie doesn’t have as many loose carts as other places I’ve lived or visited.  Do you have a pet peeve? 

I had hope to have the pickup panel QOV finished by now, but I was distracted this week by other projects, especially gathering documents for my taxes. I keep things organized on my end every month, so I get impatient waiting for documents to arrive from banks and the church.  These tiny flying geese were part of the blocks that border the top and bottom of the panel. Hopefully next week, I’ll have more progress to share.