Good afternoon all, It's turning out to be a lovely day, even if it is a little cool. Last night we had freeze warnings but the flowers next to the front porch did fine. We didn't get any frost right here but some areas around us did. Supposed to be warming up quickly and be about 80 by the weekend. That's spring here in the mountains, hot one day and freezing the next.

Thanks for all the compliments on my "rubber Duck" quilt. I'm pretty sure Christine will like it. It's 66 X 90 inches so it's a good size to take off to college. Im not real sure where she is going but she wants to be a pharmacist. A good field for a woman these days.

Pat, your Flower Basket quilt is lovely. I have a plan to make seasonal wallhangings to hang in my dining room. I have two tops pieced that would be good for Spring and Fall. Need to get them quilted. Eventualy, I'd like to have one for each holiday or month and change them out. But, other things seem to get in the way. Here's the link to my album with my latest table runner in it. I started with the gray and black floral block and that is the side that's now on my table. The backing is a red and white check that looks like a tablecloth with ants crawling around on it. That way it's reversible. I think it will be perfect this summer with red and white checked napkins and red plates and cups.

http://s300.photobucket.com/albums/nn1/BarMc38/Tablerunners/

I should be balancing my checkbook and paying bills but I'm on this computer instead. Guess I had better go and get back to the mundane things that I should be doing.

Have a great day. Barb Mcf

Pat, congrats on your daughter and her flute. I love listening to a flute.

Barb ... I love the whimsical fabric on the back of your table runner. This is the one you just started making a new block, made a few more and the next thing you knew you had a table runner completed? What fun!

BTW ... what block pattern is that? It is nice.

Pat, that block pattern is in the current issue of Fabric Trends. I think the quilt is called "Opposites Attract". It's shown in a lime green and blue. I decidedd I would strip piece the block instead of cutting out each individual piece since I was only going to use two fabrics and not several of each color.

Barb Mcf

Jennell! Tell her how the Sooners got their name! Geesh! LOL

Well, ladies, I just got the worst scare of my life. I am watching the news as I read through the forum. You know that we live just a couple miles from the Detroit River. They just aired a story about a vehicle being pulled from the river in a neighboring community; same make and model and color as ours- the one our son borrowed about two hours ago.

The male driver had been sent to the hospital, no identification on him yet. My heart did not return to my chest until the police spokesperson did identify him by ethnic background. I feel really bad for that young man's family, but I am so relieved I'm am not in their shoes this evening.

Good Morning Everyone
Meg I feel for the family but I am relieved for you.
Well ladies we have gun metal grey skys and but at least the temps aren't too bad about 45 F /8C so we won't be shivering as we have been lol, just swimming once again lolol
I desperately want to get into my garden and do some tidying up, but unfortunately at the moment I can't do much. I sat and pulled out 300! count them 300!! saplings that had taken root in my lawn and beds in the front garden on tuesday,I thought if I sit down and do this steadily I can at least take some of them out. Sheesh I could forest England from Coast to Coast with the saplings I got out! but there must be at least the same amount left
However as much trouble as it causes me when it drops its planes I don't want to see that magnificent tree go. Yesterday my shoulder was almost immobile lol but it is working itself off lolol
So as you can see I am making some progress because I can sit up now without passing out I always find that such a bonus
Today I would love to try and sew, I am way behind on my projects I am soo lazy
Well enough of my rambings, take care everyone I am sending hugs and prayers to those in need.. in fact I shall send hugs to everyone.... just to make you smile
Jacqui

Good morning,

It's going to be a beautiful day here. About 80 out. Nice day for a trip to JOANN'S! LOL and out to lunch...can't wait.

Sorry to all of you who had some frost. I hope your flowers/early veggies have made it. We had frost a few weeks ago, that wipped out our newly formed cherries and killed 3 of our grape vines.

Drats!! Too bad you can't be coming up this away Cindy, would just love to meet you in person. My stepDad used to be a long haul trucker and if my Mom wasn't doing anything, she would hop on the truck with him and do some traveling. And if they came by this way, we would go out to lunch. You reminded me of that...

Barb, what a cute quilt!

Nice to meet you Melita.

Thanks Pat and Meg, it's nice to be missed

LOL Jenell, I always have to go back and forth between the page I'm posting and the thread, so I remember what to say to whom. LOL

((Meg)) what a scare!! I'm sorry for the family, but happy it wasn't yours.

Ramble all you want Jacqui It's always nice to hear from you.

Have a great day all,

Dorian

Good morning everyone. Is just after 10.30pm here and I'm waiting for my DH to come home from work. Poor man is flat chat (busy) at work again, which is a mixed blessing. Its lovely to have the work but the poor man has to be up at 5.15 tomorrow morning to take our son to work. He will be so pleased when Daniel has finished his log book and can drive himself!

Another beautiful day here. Perfect drying weather. Sorry if I seem to obsess about drying my clothes on the line. Sometimes I'm sure my washing is my biggest occupation. We are either the worlds cleanest family or the dirtiest! LOL

Ok, I'll bite. Just how did the Sooners get their name? It can't be good! LOL

Melita

Good Morning!

(If I type fast it may still be morning here by the time I post.)

Barb ... thanks for the pattern info. I have never read this magazine. Looking at the pattern, I think this would be fairly easy to figure out how to strip piece. I really like this block. The freebie pattern they have posted on thier website is pretty nice, too. I am going to start looking for Fabric Trends magazine.

Meg ... what a scary experience for you and what a sad one for this family.

Melita ... you have a big family ... lots of laundry! When all five of us were home, it seemed like the washing never ended. I wish I could hang mine outside more. We really do not have the space and in the city ... sometimes it can come in dirtier than it goes in the wash. I love the fresh scent of clothes just off the line.

Jacqui ... I am soooo happy your have been well enough to get up and sitting and doing ... and most of all, visiting with us!

Dorian ... I always love your personalized posts ... you are such a sweet and gentle lady. I have been meaning to ask... did you find the third Elm Creek book, yet?

I am off again ... happy quilting thoughts to all ...

Melita-

This explanation is courtesy of Wikipedia:

Sooners were settlers of Oklahoma who earned a part in the Homestead Act, giving each 160 acres to farm on. The term Sooners was used to describe settlers who entered the Unassigned Lands, located in the current state of Oklahoma, before President Benjamin Harrison officially proclaimed them open to settlement with the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889 on March 2, 1889. The name derived from the "sooner clause" of the Indian Appropriation Act, which stated that no one should be allowed to enter and occupy the land prior to the opening time and that such people would be denied rights to illegally-claimed land.[1]

Sooners were often deputy marshals, land surveyors, railroad employees, and others who were able to legally enter the territory early to mark out choice pieces of land for themselves or others.[2] Some sooners crossed into the territory illegally at night and were originally called "moonshiners" because they entered "by the light of the moon." These sooners would hide in ditches at night and suddenly appear to stake their claim after the land run started, hours ahead of legal settlers.[1]

Of course, Sooners are not to be confused with Boomers:

The term Boomer relating to Oklahoma has two meanings. The first boomers were part of the "Boomer Movement," made up of white settlers who believed the Unassigned Lands were public property and open to anyone for settlement, not just Indian tribes. Their reasoning came from a clause in the Homestead Act of 1862, which said that any settler could claim 160 acres (0.65 km²) of public land.[3] Some boomers entered and were removed more than once by the United States Army.

Those who observed the official start of the land run and began the race for free land at the sound of the starting boom were also called "boomers." These boomers, however, often found choice sections of land already occupied by sooners or, in some cases, by boomers. Problems with sooners continued with each successive land run, with as much as 50% of available land taken by sooners in an 1895 land run.

Litigation between boomers and sooners continued well into the 20th century, and eventually the United States Department of the Interior was given ultimate authority to settle the disputes.[1]

In 1908 the University of Oklahoma adopted "Sooners" as the nickname of their football team (after having first tried "Rough Riders" and "Boomers"). Within about a decade, the word 'Sooner' mostly lost its association with those who had broken the law and it became a "badge of pride and progressivism".[1] Eventually Oklahoma became known as "The Sooner State."

Funny, huh?

Here is the scaled down edition. http://www.soonersports.com/trads/what-is-a-sooner.html

My great grandmother was in the 'run'. She tells of how mad her father was because they were late. The movie Far and Away shows how beautiful and romantic it could have been if Tom Cruise was there. LOL