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| Monarch Butterfly |
At least, I think it is a monarch butterfly. This photograph was taken earlier in the month, on the 20th anniversary of my mother's death. I started to write a post on that day, but, didn't get beyond the first sentence and later, I deleted it.
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| Butterfly on the Lantana |
We had more rain on Thursday, but, it cleared in the early evening. I had spent most of the day mending my quilt and watching online videos and news. Later in the evening, I watched some of the Olympics coverage.
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| Aeonium Flower Stalk |
Friday was a sunny day and, once again, I spent a good part of the day mending my quilt and watching online videos. I also watered the indoor plants. The rose cuttings I took didn't survive and I tossed them. We will try again in the summer. Gardener friend M was here to tend to the garden in the evening and he bought me a bag of potting soil and a bag of fruit tree fertilizer. He weeded under the peach tree and fertilized it.
Later in the evening, I cooked a chicken curry, sauteed curried cabbage, and rice for dinner. I also made chocolate pudding (from a mix) for dessert.
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| The First Daylily |
Saturday was another sunny day. I did some "random acts of cleaning" and vacuumed the filters of the air purifiers - something which should be done on a regular basis, but, I haven't been doing. Later, I vacuumed the living room and the dining area. Daughter vacuumed part of the family room and cleaned her bathroom.
I made French toast for brunch and we had rice, sauteed curried cabbage, beef curry, and peach chutney for dinner.
I am grateful for:
- Butterflies and flowers
- Memories of my mother
- M's help with the garden
- Rain and sunshine
- Peaceful days
My joyful activities have included spending time in the garden, mending my quilt, watching videos and the Olympics games, and spending time with my daughter.
I've no special plans for Sunday. Daughter will be spending the day out with her friends doing escape rooms. I will continue to mend my quilt, do some reading and watch the Olympics Closing Ceremony.
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| Torn Quilt |
Just one of the quilt patches that are torn. The fabric that is torn was one of my stepfather's old shirts. I am replacing each torn patch with a new patch handsewn over it. The pieces are 1 inch by 3 inches. The smallest pieces are 1 inch square.
Quiet day with family. I have caught a cold! Sneezing a lot. Grateful that bobs arrival on Friday means I have the mended spectacles and can see properly again
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear you've caught a cold, Angela. Hope it goes away soon. Glad you have your mended glasses and can see properly again. :)
DeleteI am pretty sure that is a monarch butterfly 🦋. I saw some recently but my photos are blah as I couldn't get them to smile nicely. I still need to post about that outing. You know my favourite posts of yours are the stories of days gone by so I hope that's not what you deleted :). On the other hand, if things are too emotional to talk about that's understandable. Enjoy your me time today.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lady Ella. I sent the butterfly picture to a friend of mine and she, too, confirmed that it was a monarch butterfly.
DeleteI wanted to write a post remembering my mother on the 20th anniversary of her death. 20 years is a long time, isn't it? I felt I should have done something to mark the anniversary, but, I didn't. Instead, I spent a little time in the garden (mother loved to garden) and saw the first rose of the season had opened up and I saw the butterfly. They seemed like a message and I am starting to cry as I write this. And that's why I couldn't finish writing my post! I am too emotional for my own good!
Events, good or bad, of 20 years ago can still feel very fresh. I know that as well as anyone. And there is nothing wrong with having emotions. Maybe you will feel like writing a tribute for your mother another time (or won't mind embracing the feelings writing brings). Or maybe not....
DeletePS I am watching a Sri Lankan wedding as I type!
DeleteThank you, Lady Ella (you might appear as Anonymous, but, you can't hide your identity from me! :D )
DeleteDid you enjoy watching the SL wedding? Current weddings seem to be quite a bit of a production (in my opinion), but, that is the trend, I guess.
Sorry. I don't like being anonymous, in fact it is annoying. I sign the posts if I can't get my ID to appear, as I did on the newer comments that I left. I didn't think it was necessary here as it was an existing thread and obviously me, but there is never any intention to disassociate myself.
DeleteThe wedding was ok. I don't think it was 100% authentic as it was a Welsh/SL fusion, with elements of both cultures, but mainly SL. They had an arch of flowers and a special mat to stand on for the ceremony. And afterwards there was a big deal with lighting a candle. There was a lot of cheering but they didn't explain the significance.
Lady Ella
I'm sorry you have to appear as anonymous; that must be annoying.
DeleteA Welsh/SL fusion wedding sounds interesting. There is usually a sort of elevated platform with a sort of canopy for the couple to stand on, which is called a "poruwa"; I assume the arch of flowers and mat were meant to signify the poruwa. Afterwards, a tall brass oil lamp is lit; the one I have is three tiered with spaces for wicks (usually made with twisted strips of white fabric) and the whole is topped by a brass rooster. At my cousin's son's wedding, they borrowed my brass lamp and substituted small candles instead of the wicks. Not sure what all the cheering was about, though. :D
That was a colorful shirt. I have some quilts that my grandmother made and it's fun to look at some of the pieces and remember where they came from.
ReplyDeleteIt was a very colorful shirt! It had been given to him by a friend along with another shirt and he wore them both, but, I persuaded him to give me both of those shirts for this quilt! LOL.
DeleteThe Aeonium Flower Stalk is stunning! When you patch a quilt do you put a new piece over it? You mentioned a patch, but I hadn't really thought of how you mend a quilt without losing the original fabric.
ReplyDeleteThank you, hannah jane. The bees love the aeonium flowers. Later on, baby plants will form along the flower stalk.
DeleteYes, I sew a new piece of fabric over the existing torn pieces when I mend my quilts. And I don't try to hide the fact that it is a patch. My stitches show and while I often use matching thread, I will sometimes use a contrasting thread or do a bit of embroidery. I want to make it obvious that this quilt was used and loved enough to be mended. :)
Your photos are beautiful! The quilt is lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. That quilt was the second quilt I ever made, back in 1977. :)
DeleteThat is a lovely quilt and worth repairing!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bushlady. I've just realized that I started repairing this quilt back in 2023! I am determined to finish repairing it, this year!
DeleteThe flowers and butterflies are do pretty. Remembering our parents does bring tears. I usually think of them on their birthdays. Enjoying your garden is a good way to honor your mother.
ReplyDeleteThis morning I watched the US-Canada mens hockey final, at a Canadian friend's home with other Canadians there! We had a breakfast party. I tried to tell them a silver medal isn't bad, but they didn't agree!
Thank you, Celie. You are very understanding and kind.
DeleteOh, my! That breakfast party to watch the hockey game must have been something else! Silver medals deserve to be celebrated, too. :)
I've heard that rose cuttings are tricky to take, so sending all good vibes for the next batch.
ReplyDeleteI'm also sending hugs and good wishes for the memories of your mum. It's hard on anniversaries, and I hope that you found some good memories.
Your flowers are beautiful!
Thank you, Lyssa, for the hugs and good wishes.
DeleteYes, I've not had much success with getting rose cuttings to root, but, I will keep trying. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained", as they say. :)
Those anniversaries are tough however many years it's been. They were such a presence in our lives, their loss is felt for years.
ReplyDeleteI love the butterfly. How lovely!
Thank you, Sharon. You are right; the number of years don't really matter, we still miss them. I was very happy to see the butterfly. :)
DeleteYour stepfather's shirt fabric is really pretty. Will you have to cover it all? Can you darn the frayed area instead of cover it? I can't tell how thick the quilt is and if that's even a possibility.
ReplyDeleteYour food sounds delicious.
I didn't watch one second of the Olympics.
Victor watched all the seconds.
lol
Thank you, Debra. Much of the fabric of that shirt seems really worn out. II am simply covering up the really worn out, badly torn pieces for now, but, I have a feeling I might have to cover them all because they can tear the next time I wash the quilt. Right now, it is not a proper quilt in the sense that there aren't 3 layers sewn together (which is the definition of a quilt). There's only the pieced top and the lining.
DeleteI'd have sat there with Victor and watched all the seconds! LOL.
And you would've been most welcome
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
Delete