Update on the Hotel

.I took my camera downtown the other day to get pictures of the progress that they are doing on our burned out hotel. They just took the barriers away from the front so can see something. The stonemasons have done a terrific job of repairing what needed to be repaired.


The scaffolding is still up on the side of it as the windows aren't finished and they are water blasting the old brick

Here's a little showing the house next door with the boarded up window. They have done nothing to it. This front will look different when they get the porch on it

I walked up the side street to get his picture. They had to completely redo the second story of bricks on this back part.


Here's looking in the back. Fortunately this is a big parking area so plenty of room to put the lumber etc.
See how awful that house next door was damaged.

This shows how much they have done on the restoration of the back. Before the fire they had gotten that second story of brick completed and had the porch on it. There should be a porch on the upper floor also when completed. When they get the roof on the main part then that will all look different.
I should have put a picture of how it used to look. It is way back in last years posts someplace. I don't know how to do those clikable links.
Just another view of the back.

This one I took with the camera long to get the full length of this third story


You can tell where the new brick starts. How spotty the lower brick look.

This is again in the front but of the side towards the house. There was a small shop in this space but looks like they are going to leave it open. Have blocked in the windows on this side. Hope they put some stones on them. They are working on the insides of this front section now. Roof of the first floor and have the center steps going up right inside the front door as they were originally. This was a bar. Will see what she does with it.

More to come later. Fascinating to watch this Reconstruction.

Finally finished

Finally got the tulip quilt bound. Looks really springy now up over the washer and dryer in the kitchen.

Just another project border finally on. Guess it won't be long now till Carol Doaks gives us the last border.

This softens the whole thing. We were only to use two colors but could use different shades.
The flowers at the bend of the last row just seemed to go with the soft green and pink background finishing it off. Now I'm thinking I need to use that brown for the final round, If it is the final round.
Seems the months roll around so quick. One more week and it's half way through this year.

Then on the second of June my Hubby has his 79 birthday. Boy are we getting old. He's doing better but has to get the fluid build up out now. That is one thing about heart patients that has to be kept under control.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend.

Graduation Day

Saturday, May 24, 2008, the day that my daughter got her Master's Degree in Education From the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. Held in the Convention Center , Baltimore Maryland.

I left home about 6:45 am. It's about a two hour drive. Arrived plenty early even before DD and kids did. The parking garage was right across the street from the main entrance. I went in and started looking. Remembered what Kim had said , take your camera so while I was waiting I decided I should get a couple pictures of this building. It's huge takes over a city block very close to the Orioles Stadium. I had walked past it many times from harbor place before baseball games but didn't realize what it was.

This is the first picture I took from inside on the first floor. Then decided I should get the front of it so went back outside but not across the street. So this is the front

There is a drive for pick-ups and drop-offs in front of those barriers
Oh, Kim they even had a Starbucks inside on the second level where I went to watch for my family to arrive. Soon I saw them come up the sidewalk

DD had to rush up stairs to check in and I grabbed the kids for this photo shoot.
That's Ashley the artist on the left, Dan the shaggy dog in the middle. What more can you expect from a 14 year old. Then Angela who just finished her first year at Western Florida State University in Pensacola. All great kids.

We went in and found seats and then had an hour to wait before the graduates started to file in at 9:30.

So at least we had someone to play with while waiting.

This doll was being held by her grandfather in the seat behind us. Ashley with her hat on kept making faces at her. She was so good and had the cutest little dress on and little black shoes. Her Daddy was getting his Master's also.

Just had to get a picture.
Finally after two hours it was all over and then to find her. We were all suppose to stay seated until all the graduates filed out. Well, many were going out after they saw their loved one go out. So finally we left by the long way around. It was a huge space out of the auditorium but packed with graduates and families. Then to find ours. Finally Ashley got on her phone and she finally answered and we found each other. She had to go back to a room and pick up the Diploma. They only got a blank cover.

So this is the first picture I got and her face is too light.

This one with the kids is better. Her hair is not red and neither is Dan's but they are both quite curly.
Then this one is better of her and I.

We were all hungry so I suggested we go over to Harbor Place for some lunch.

.This was taken on the steps of the harbor place with the background of the Ship Constellation , Not up on the wars but it is one of the early ones that is harbored here and you can go through it

To get to Harbor Place you can walk the two blocks via these walkways above the streets. Go from the Convention Center, to a couple hotels

Along the way they have this waterfall on both sides. See the main street below and the building in the background is where we are going . Should have gotten a picture in there although it probably wouldn't have turned out. It is three stories of food courts. Anything you want Plus a nice Phillips

Seafood.We found one that had a variety of things so all could get on my bill of course.
DD found us a table outside.

This is a view taken across the harbor. In the far distance is Ft. McHenry where the Star Spangled banner was raised. They have water Taxis that you can ride all over the harbor. They stop at many places along the way. Lots of hotels have gone up along this area. Which was once quite a shipping port. Still is much farther down
I was trying to get another view looking north when Ashley walked in front of me.

Quite a view of downtown skyscrapers.

I did mean to get this of Ashley as she tried to eat her special sandwich. DD had a crab cake sandwich you can see on the right. I had a seafood salad which I ended up taking half home to give some to my hubby and then dropped it all trying to get into the door at the home.

Another view looking south. That is the Pride of Baltimore dinner cruise ship docked waiting for customers.
It was a beautiful day in the 70's.

So after eating we walked back to the parking garage and home. I was very tired but got home about 3 and stopped to see how hubby was doing. He is adjusting to the new floor and making progress each day.

So guess I better get to my sewing before I have to start working again. I do have some completed things to show you tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by.

May's Paper Piecing project

First is the Block of the Month. Getting towards the end of the year. Maybe have about 3 more.

Carol Doaks gives her group a new block every month. I think she started last September so will have a full year. Enough 12 inch blocks for a quilt. This will be my first full size paper pieced quilt if I get it finished.

Then I have showed you this Your Truly Round Robin as I've finished each round. I'm sure you can see what I have done so far in the back posts.

This month we were to make a round using only two colors but could use different shades of each. I went back into the files to find a block that I could make a flower for this round. This is a two inch finished block
You can probably see the different shades of pink if you click on the picture.

This is the completed flower using two of the above and sewing together. So will be a 4 inch completed. I will have two of these on each side

Then I have made some checkerboard blocks for in between. This is how the one side looks that I have sewn together.

In this picture you see a potion of the whole quilt .That background material is sort of a molted with pinks and light blues.

I'll show it all when I get the last three borders sewn together and on.

It's been a while since I've posted so figured I better show something to keep you all coming back.

But I have really had other distractions the last two weeks since I had my fast trip to California.

My husband ended up in the hospital for a week and then was so weak and unable to stand or walk he had to go back to the nursing home for Rehab. But today they laid down the law with him. Lazy and not wanting to go to the dinning room to eat. Now in Rehab he has to. It's part of the getting him back to be able to come home. Glad they are doing it and not me. So will see how fast he settles down and does as they say. If he wants to come home where he's got it made but needs to walk a little.

But I have been trying to get more quilting time in. I am waiting for Bonnie's next clue and will get this YTRR finished this weekend.

Tomorrow is a big day in my Daughter's life. She has worked hard teaching, taking care of her 4 children not counting her husband and working on her Master's degree in Special Education. She had a degree but not in teaching so she is unable to get a better paying job and her own class without this Master's. Tomorrow morning she gets it from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and is going to march down and get it. So I am going down to Baltimore tomorrow morning to see her get it. Her oldest just graduated from College last Saturday. We're so proud that she had the spunk to do this.

My granddaughter in Colorado graduates from High School tomorrow also. Her other grandmother will be there. She and her brother will be back here to Maryland for a couple weeks the end of June and I have her gift for her then.

Busy month for everyone. Maybe it won't be so long the next time. At least I wasn't as long as Kairle was in posting.

Mother's Day Past

My daughter and two youngest grandchildren, ages 18 and 14 came up for Mother's Day to see Dad and PapPap so I took them to a Japanese restaurant for dinner. No we didn't do all the Hibachi thing but did have a good, different dinner

When we left the waitress brought my daughter and I each a long stem red rose. So Nice. I put it in the wine bottle I keep for turning the angel food cake pan over on.

When going outside to plant the Rhododendron that my daughter brought me for Mother's Day, I saw that this one was blooming on the North side of the house.

But this is the one we planted along the lower drive where I can see it from my porch

Looks like it is the same color at the other one but a long ways away. There is another one on the North side that I think is white. They have plenty of room to get big and fill in that side of the house

This is a quilt I made in the early 90's and keep in my husbands bedroom to put on when company comes so the bed looks better.

This picture is dark but if you click on it might show up better.

My first time I took a class at the Lancaster show it was with Philomena Duncan and the class was on doing the Celtic designs. I bought her book and one of her templates which I have never used. Except for some quilting designs.

So in this closeup of the center it shows what we did in the class. When I got around to trying to decide what to do with it I got busy and made lots of bias strips using her metal pieces for ironing and started to make the design around the center design. This quilt sort of evolved. I did not have a design of the whole quilt when I started. At the time we were traveling a lot back and forth to Colorado and also with our Antique business.

So these are all hand appliqued.

Then I started to make Star blocks. Went through my books looking for different ones using all the blues and that orange. I wrote the name of each of the blocks on them. They are 12 in. completed. All different.

I made them on the machine, but as you can see the background is all crosshatched in 3/4 in squares which happened to be the size of the larger template I had.
This star is called the Christmas Star.

Then I made more of the design for around the out side edge.

I put this quilt in the Lancaster show one year and came back with the critique from the judges "Should this have been in the group category? "

Couldn't they see what the name said? I think they figured that the writing was someones name. DAH

So this is the last, I think , of the quilts that I have made in the past to show you. Hope you enjoyed seeing what I did in the years before the internet took over.

Thanks for stopping by.

This and That

Just had to get a picture of my brother after he had been screened. He had forgotten to take off his belt with a big buckle and also had some change in his pocket. They went over him good.. This was coming home in San Jose.

Then I came home to my Christmas Cactus in full bloom for the second time. I could tell it was starting to come out and had brought it back up to the kitchen before I left.

Just too pretty to leave down where you can't see it.
I took this quilt out to give to Marsha my sister's oldest girl that has spent the last 3 months faithfully taking care of her. The last few weeks she spent every day there and when needed had gotten other ladies to spend the night.

I made this quilt several years ago. The blocks were from a swap using some of my fabrics. The sawtooth borders are all hand appliqued on. and it's heavily quilted with feathers.

I had given the other two girls quilts and decided it was time to give one to Marsh. It's a small twin size but she has a queen size bed but had a white comforter on it and this would look good on top of it. She seemed pleased. So Enjoy Marsha.

Then when I got home in a couple days, Bonnie posted the next clue for the Orange Crush Mystery quilt. Needed to make a lot of Half Square Triangles out of just two fabrics. So got those done and put two blocks together and this is one of the first

Mine are very scrappy but isn't this a neat Friendship star block? I have 6 made and 24 more to go.
So I should get off the computer and start sewing.

Ella Mae

I'm home from my short visit to California and what a wonderful time to visit and see old friends. To bad it usually happens when a loved one passes on to that better life.

I left Baltimore at 7:15 on Sun. morning and went to Houston. This is the picture of my plane to San Jose. I must say I was very surprised at the breakfast we got. They said snack and that is usually drinks and some peanuts. But we got a tray with a small bowl of corn flakes and little bottle of milk, a banana .

Then on the way to San Jose we got lunch. A small round pizza- cheese steak they called it. A nice bowl of lettuce salad with some dressing and a kit kat bar and of course drinks. This was Continental. So I recommend flying with them.

Arrived on time and was soon met by my sister's youngest, son, well, he is over 50. Then my Nieces' husband got there from Denver in about 15 min. We took off for Santa Cruz. Calling my big Bro. on the cell and he was in front of us having come down from Oregon.

Went to the church where they were still having some gathering after lunch for the family. Sure good to see everyone.

They all decided to go with us for our annual Crab Louie's on the Wharf..

This is a picture taken towards the end of the bay and the lighthouse is on the end. My niece's husband was responsible for restoring it.

Here is the Seafood restaurant we always go to.on the end of the Wharf. Should have gotten the picture from the front but the sun was in the wrong place.

Then looking back towards Santa Cruz and the Boardwalk. Boy, have they improved it. Have some new rides. Been a long time since I was on the board walk. Used to love the penny arcade as a kid.

Then the gang was going back to my nieces but my big brother said I had to go back to the room and go to bed. It was about 11 PM my time and I had been up since 4 AM.
So back to the Inn. Can't spell the name but its and old one with beautiful gardens where they have weddings. My pictures of that didn't turn out.

But this is our room. I was rooming with one of my BIL's nieces from Denver. See, I already messed up my bed.
Then the next picture is the Chest that held the TV.

I never even turned it on. But did end up leaving my new robe hanging on the bathroom door. My niece has it and sometime I shall get it back.

On Monday morning the family met at the cemetery for a little service. My sister was a florist and her 3 daughters are great on designing flowers also. Ella Mae also had several orchids and the center piece of this casket arrangement is made up with 5 orchids from one of her plants that was blooming. They stand for the 5 children. Then two in front are my sister and Brother-in- law.

Then 5 green large leaves hanging down. The center came out and was taken to the church for the Memorial Service.

This is the 5 children and my two brothers and I facing them.

At the service they had a huge screen which started out with this picture of her at about 18.Her eldest son was telling about her life and later his son and wife sang her favorite song, "In The Garden"
During the service they had a collage of pictures of her life. Several of us as youth and the last one was taken 2 years ago at my son's home in Colorado. Of the two of us. The last time I saw her. I will certainly miss her. But had a wonderful time getting back in touch with all of her children and their children.

This is my big brother from Oregon and his oldest son that lives in Seattle talking to my oldest niece who had spent the last 4 months care giving her Mother.

They had a wonderful buffet for all the guests and we spent the whole afternoon talking with old friends.

Now they also gave each of us a DVD of the pictures. I'm anxious to watch it again. But need to get my DVD hooked up and learn how to work it.

But my DD and two of her children are coming tomorrow and Dan will have his laptop and we can all watch it. They really didn't know my sister since we lived on different coasts.

Thanks for reading and reminiscing with me about my trip. More tomorrow.