Texas Sunshine

I once smuggled a 10 pound bag of grapefruits on a trip from Brownsville, Texas to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Actually, I'm not sure smuggled is the right word considering that there is no easy way to tuck in grapefruits around your body. I could have gone for the fake pregnancy, but that would have been one lumpy baby. In the end I got through customs without any trouble. The officer probably smelled the citrus on the university student (I also had key limes) and was just relieved it wasn't pot.

How could I not bring them back with me? I'd just spent a week with my mom in Texas. She was living and working there courtesy of the 1990s health care cuts in Alberta. I spent Reading Week there, soaking up some sun, food, mom love, and absorbing the mystery of South Texas culture. Seriously, that is an odd place. Full of Winter Texans on golf and shopping trips, Mexicans coming across the border to have American babies, and every manner of poverty and riches on the same street.

I'd happily eaten grapefruits growing up in cold Canada, a winter staple in our house. But something about buying them from a roadside stand, still warm from the sun ,elevated them to smuggle-worthy status.

Sadly, we aren't in Texas this February. But with the quality of organic produce available in some stores, and the morning light streaming through the white dining room curtains I can fool myself into believing that this half circle of sunshine is actually still warm from the Texas sun. Sort of.

Besides, the fact that my mom used to live in Texas makes it local, right? How about the direct flight between here and Houston? Oh whatever. It's Canada in the winter and if I want a grapefruit I'm going to eat it.

Actually, we usually go through about 3 in the morning because the girls insist on climbing up next to me and sharing the segments as I cut them out of the fruit. I don't mind sharing. And one day I'll take them South to pick the fruit themselves, once my mom moves back. But I'm keeping them away from the crazy people who talk about buying handguns while they tan their feet.

Some More Circle Inspiration

The circle quilt is coming along. I have about 10 of my 29 circles appliqued on. And I love how it is turning out. I've got a drive ahead this weekend as we travel for a surgery consult, so I should have lots of progress to report on next week. In the meantime, I thought I would share some other circle inspiration.

Sandra Saunders produced Grandma's Hands Quilt. This is an amazing quilt - combining a family album concept, hand prints, and glorious circles. make sure you click through to her Flickr stream for a process pictures and a tutorial on how to do those reverse applique hands.

Red Thread Adoption Quilt is a simple, yet extraordinary quilt. This is so for the story behind the piece, but also in the construction and fabric choices. Using the 6 minute circle it includes outlines in dark fabric, as opposed to just circles. And even some low volume spots like the project I have going on.

For a simple, modern quilt that makes circles the focus check out Sun and Moon. So often circles are bright and bold. This is still bold, but there is a softness to this quilt I adore. And check out that quilting!

One of my favourite Flickr finds has been this Turquoise Circles quilt by Peppermint Pinwheels. It might be the scrappy nature of the circles, the red binding, or that gorgeous turquoise, but it all works for me.

This one isn't finished, yet, but I can't get it out of my head.  The colours, the story, the pieced circles, they are all good. Jacquie is showing another winner, in my books.

So many circles, so little time.

Taste Adventure - Pistachios

We went nut-free for such a long time in this house because The Monster was at high risk for allergies. With the risks behind us we've welcomed the gradual return to a nutty life. I still remember the first peanut butter cookies we made together and their crumbly, sweet taste. Now, without thinking about it we're back to adding toasted hazelnuts to roasted veggies, walnut oil in salad dressings, and eating classic out of hands nuts like cashews and pistachios.

A few weeks back we were helping our neighbours plan a kitchen reno.  The girls ran around, chasing the cat, banging on the piano, and scoping out some 1970s toys Poppa and Grandma B have lying around. Then it got eerily quiet. If you've got kids, or even been around them for 20 minutes you know that too quiet usually means trouble.

A quick search found the two girls huddled, not over a beaten cat or something breakable being used in a creative way, but around a container of pistachios. The Monster easily figured out how to get the meat out the shells and a little pile had already appeared. Smilosaurus was frantically begging her sister to shell more and more for her grabby little hands. Happy that nothing was being destroyed we let them be and tried to figure out just how our neighbours could fit an island in their kitchen.

Fast forward a few weeks to me packing snacks for an outing to the zoo. Remembering the girls' love of pistachios I threw some together with a handful of dried cranberries. And when we stopped for a warm-up and treat they promptly picked out all the cranberries and refused to touch the pistachios. Okay, so we need more exposure to establish a pistachio habit, fair enough. Or, so I thought.

The other day Hubby is picking up groceries and upon his return he declares that he bought a treat for the girls. As a mom, I kind of cringed, knowing that they'd already had a fair amount of sweets that day. But it wasn't red licorice or fruit gums that he pulled out, it was a container of pistachios, in their shells. And the sheer excitement of the girls' faces as they gathered around the coffee table superceded even the performance of the aerialists at the Olympics.

So, in the nut adventures in this household, apparently shells rule. 

Workshop in Progress - February 17

A fun week in the Workshop! I don't have much to report other than my latest circles. We're Olympics crazy in this house - you should see the Monster attempting figure skating on the living room carpet and the two of them cheer for Canada - so I'm sharing this photo.  This was after they painted their own bobsleigh. So, not much sewing in our house, but it looks like a lot of you have been busy.

Oh that Bargello! Have you seen Elle's yet? She poses a very interesting question about binding today. What's your vote on her binding?

Katie finished a lovely quilt over at Katie's Korner. But she is stuck on the backing. I am a firm believer that the backs are just as important as the front.  You need to love them too. Do you have any suggestions for her?

Another Katie, at Katie's Salt Marsh Path is working on really neat batik project. She's struggling with some colours in the quilt and ways to change it up before she gets to borders. Can you help her out, she has a few questions on the table?

I have a feeling I will be sewing vicariously with What KT Made Next and her modern Baby Jane. You've helped her pick fabrics, check out what she chose and her first block!

I'm looking forward to another week of creating and challenges from all of you!