On the Go!

Dillydally winds came blowing in late Saturday afternoon!  A mitten pattern I designed last years was modified ...

... I was supposed to be packing Sunday morning ... but this is what I did instead!  Eventually I had to put it down and pack for a quick trip to South Dakota!  Cannot wait to arrive and soak up as much agriculture as possible.

Three flights later ... we left Alaska at 5:00 pm and arrived in Fargo yesterday at 8:30 (Alaska time) am Monday!  Yep ... an all nighter ... nearly killed us! ;-)  We both decided we're too old for red eye flights!

Speaking of age ... it was my birthday yesterday!  After a long nap we celebrated with drinks and dinner!  Today we begin the short drive to South Dakota!  Cannot wait to see family and be surrounded by farm country!  Chances are good that I will be unable to post from my computer so you may not hear from me for a week or so!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Did I mention that we celebrated last night?  Happy to be in the midwest!

Mamas and Their Babies

There is no greater privilege than observing and participating in the growth and development of our fellow human beings!  It is what I loved most about being a teacher and a mother.

These two beautiful women are amongst my daughter's best friends!  I've known them since they were three years old ... I was one of their girl scout leaders for 12 years ... their student council advisor ... they were in my classroom ... today, I consider them friends.

And now they have children of their own.  I met this young man (4 years old) for the first time ... such a fun age ... working hard at learning about everything that surrounds him!

Can it get any cuter?  I think not!  These two are only months apart ... and are adorable in every way!

I remember attending this mother's baby shower ... I held her in my arms when she was a newborn ... we referred to her that day as "Mary's little lamb" ... and she remains just as sweet and kind!  Her "little man" is growing up quickly ... such an adorable little boy!

Yesterday we celebrated the birth of Baby Jack!

Here he is ... two months old!  I have known his beautiful mother her entire life!  She is only months younger than my son ... they were the best of friends while growing up!  Many wonderful memories!

She made this beautiful quilt for her son ... what a treasure ... as is she!

Such wonderful mothers ... such fortunate children ... such joy!  It is an honor to watch life unfold around us.  Our attachment to one another is so important to our individual development and the growth of others.  Relationships are everything!

Do what you love!  Invest in your relationships!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally  

My sweet Kysa ... the fur baby that takes time to walk with me everyday!

Blueberry Season Begins!

My love affair with berries and berry picking began as a child.  As a family we picked chokecherries, blueberries and plums that grew wild in our pasture and surrounding area.  Chokecherries were most plentiful ... one wild plum bush provided us with lots of jam ... but wild blueberries were the most elusive, which of course made them highly valued!

My favorite remains the blueberry!

The Alaska Blueberry (Vaccinium alaskensis)!

Bushes average from 2 - 6 feet high ... makes picking easy.

Yep ... they're my favorite!  Obviously!

A quart of berries washed and drying before being packaged for the freezer.  I ran out of blueberries this winter, so I need to be sure to pick enough this summer!

Mother Nature recently gifted us with a very blue evening!  I took this photo from the front deck at 11:00 pm.  Blue is my favorite berry ... and my favorite color!  Harvesting berries is a wonderful way to dillydally!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

A Week of This and That

Our days quickly turn into weeks ... and I catch myself wondering how that happened ... where did the week go?  Because my little "point & click" camera is with me most of the time, I have some record of what I've been up to.  A little bit of this ... and a little bit of that.

Monday morning walk ... a beautiful, warm day.

Kysa cooling off in the cold lake water.  The water has become a cloudy jade color because glacier fed streams run into the lake.  Lakes fed by glacier water stay very cold ... great when a furry friend needs to cool down!

Flicka adjusting the quilt layout ... such a silly kitty! ;-)

Progress made on the lace cardigan I'm knitting.

Another morning walk.

Supervisor Flicka ... still not sure about the layout ... decided to sleep on it.

This small island was hosting a morning conference Wednesday ...

... several bald eagles were in attendance ...

... I found a total of four in and amongst the trees ... they were a very noisy bunch ...

... apparently Mrs. Eagle did not want to share her salmon meal.   Sorry the pics are fuzzy ... my camera is a very modest one and I am no photographer!

Wednesday is dillydally playdate day!  Barb brought "show n' tell"!  Look at this adorable tooth fairy pocket pillow she made for a special first grader who will be losing those baby teeth soon!

And she finished putting on the borders on her "Big Fish, Little Fish" quilt!

The quilt lay out finally met with Flicka's approval!  She is such a perfectionist! ;-)

Thursday morning ... sweatshirt weather.

The fireweed is beautiful ... even on cool and cloudy days.

My sweet Kysa ... the best walking partner ever!

One mitten done ... progress on the second one!

Friday morning ... I've got sunshine ...

... on a cloudy day!

Flicka and I began piecing the quilt!  Evidently she is worried about my ability to maintain a true quarter inch seam! ;-)

Mr. DillyDally's workplace held a potluck and silent auction this evening.  I offered this certificate ...

... along with this casserole cover.

Such fun!  I was thrilled with how many $$$ it went for!  All for a very good cause!  A large potluck ... friendly competition ... and great conversation!  What a great way to end a week of "this and that"!

Do what you love.  Do a bit of this and that.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Quick Trip!

Thursday morning at 6:15 am ... QBee and I arrived at the ferry terminal expecting to arrive in Whittier 6 hours later.  But Mother Nature had different plans ... let's face it ... she IS in control.

We were told that because of weather on the west side of Prince William Sound, we would be going to Valdez instead.

That meant a three hour ride on the ferry ... then a six hour drive to Anchorage.  This sort of thing is just the reality of living in our remote corner of the planet! ;-)  We've learned to live with the inconveniences ... soooo ... we giggled the entire 300+ mile drive ... and stopped at a quilt shop along the way!  Yep ... we know how to roll!

QBee had work related responsibilities Friday ... so I went shopping!  Love spending time in the real world ... I just had to take pictures of these beautiful orchids in the grocery store!  The colors were incredible!

We managed our power shopping and had dinner out on the town ... Saturday we caught the ferry in Whittier!  It was a beautiful day to be on the Sound!

I love traveling by ferry ... very relaxing ... lots of knitting and reading!

I won't share all the practical shopping I did ... that would be too boring!  But I'm excited about the fun shopping I accomplished!  I love both Kim Diehl's and Nancy Halvorsen's designs!

Am excited about Terry Atkinson's napkin pattern ... a set of napkins make such a nice gift.  The Turkey Red pattern was on display in the quilt shop ... it had been done in a scrappy version ... stunning!

Picked up some holiday fabric ... just because!  ;-)

Some Thimbleberries to add to my stash!

I was so excited to find Kim Diehl's Vintage Farmhouse fabrics!  The shop had most of the collection,  so I picked up a half yard of each and a couple yards of a light print!  I've already picked out a pattern from the book ... cannot wait to begin!

A clerk at one quilt shop demonstrated the use of these Bloc Loc cutting tools.  So ... I just had to bring a set home!  Look forward to giving them a try!

Another purchase I am super excited about ... the new installment in the Outlander series!  I will not allow myself to open it until I can read non-stop for days!  Too fun!

It was a quick trip ... nice to spend some time in the real world ... and always great to return home!

Today I began laying out my Red Ridge Beauty ... feels so good to be near the finish line on this quilt top!  Scrap quilts are my favorite ... I love two color quilts ... and the memories and events surrounding this quilt are wonderful!  Bet you can tell that I'm excited ... can you guess what I'll be working on this week?  Hee-hee!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally