A Hiking We Will Go

Another hike today. A much shorter one this time. We are so lucky to live only 20, maybe 30, minutes from mountains like these. Again beautiful weather, although quite chilly in the earlier morning hours.

Today's hike was Donut Falls. The water falls through a perfect hole in the rocks. Before the boulders fell, you could see it quite well. Now you can try to manuever the dangerous boulders--I chose not to. There are beautiful views from the lower portion of the falls (*smiles*). The pictures really don't show the massive size of the boulders, nor how beautiful the area is.

Steve in the distance:

Steve likes weird looking pieces of drift wood, hence pictures of such.

Our friends met us at the falls with their kids. The falls really are quite beautiful, the mountains, the water (albeit cold), and the peace (if you get there early enough--before ALL the others). Being a short, relatively easy hike (minus the very small amount of rock repelling needed); it is a very busy trail.

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?

I really like football...understanding more and more every year. Going to the games--so much fun (especially with great weather). College football, the NFL; it's all good.

Steve and I try to go to at least one University of Utah game per year. Tickets aren't too easy to get anymore, well tickets with any kind of a decent view. Guess that's what happens when the team has become the BCS busters. This years game we attended (well, hopefully only so far) is UNLV vs UTAH. Great game, the weather was absolutely beautiful. We won 38-10. GO UTES!!!

TOUCHDOWN!!!!

Family--no comments, I already know you don't approve of my support for my alma mater and employer. GO UTES!!!

Weekend Quilt

I had a long weekend (Friday included) so I finished what I could...including this quick quilt. The pattern is simple blocks and strips, made from fat quarters. Turned out cute. Colors really go well together. Unfortunately, the shimmery material isn't very noticable in the pictures. Quilting didn't take long either (thanks to Aunt Kathy letting me use her machine).

Steve was trying to help (and be silly). Guess it will make a cozy quilt to cuddle in.

The finished product:

Finally, Pictures

Like I had mentioned, I finished this project before I even went to San Antonio, but hadn't taken the pictures. So, here they are:
The story behind this quilt...Steve grew up in Illinois and his extended family still live there. During one visit to Illinois, the whole group of us went driving around the Illinois country to places Steve visited when he was little. If we were in a small town, I would spot the quilting stores (imagine that). In the first quilt store, Steve picked the pattern. So then I said I'd make it, but he had to help pick out material. So he would pick one fabric and I'd pick the coordinating fabric. At each store we stopped at, he'd pick one and I'd pick the other.

We didn't make it to enough quilt stores so we didn't have enough fabric. So when we went to visit his mom in Colorado and make a trip through the mountains, we stopped at quilt stores along the way and got more coordinating pieces of fabric. Soon I had all the fabric and had finished all the other projects previously posted... The fabric we chose, is all batiks ($$) and turns out is not easy to quilt on. Fortunately, Aunt Kathy to the rescue and allowed me to use her BIG machine. I did some fancier quilting (again practice). I also taught myself 2 new techniques: mitered corners and a "flange" border. The border sticks out a little, some call it a "crumb catcher." In person, the quilt is very striking...I wonder if I should show it in some quilt shows?

I also finished another bag. You would think I could throw these things together quickly and without mistakes, WRONG. I made a big mistake putting this one together. Good thing I know how to "reverse stitch." No one will ever know the mistake...Happy Birthday Traci!!! xoxo