Well sort of – but only a day trip.  Since our camper was totaled last December, cancelling our winter trip, we haven’t done much traveling.  But now that the warmer weather is just around the corner, we’re planning on taking more day trips in Central New York.

Today was a perfect excuse for the first one this year.  We picked up my new car, a Ford Fusion, and just had to take it on a road trip.

We decided on a drive to the Finger Lakes, specifically Seneca Lake wine country.  We’ll be hosting a nature photo tour of Finger Lakes Wineries this summer and needed to line up some of the photo shoots.

So of course I packed up my current applique project to take along. Any hand work, especially needle turn applique is so portable and easy to bring along on any kind of car trip.  I like to work on projects while riding or whenever my photographer husband ‘finds’ the perfect picture and just has to stop.

Everything neatly fits into a small satchel that can easily fit in my purse.

The weather could have been a little warmer.  The temperature seems to be stuck in the 20′s lately(should be in the 40′s this time of year).  It was a mostly sunny day with only had a few snow flurries to accompany us; not the multiple ‘inches’ of snow that we’ve had to contend with lately.

Yes I did drive the car off the lot but turned over the driving to my husband after our stop for lunch.  I needed to make sure that I could comfortably quilt in the car.  I was pleased that the passenger door has two decent receptacles to hold my quilting notions.  What luck!

I thought when I took this car for a test drive that  it was perfect for me as a driver and now I’ve found that is also fits my needs as a passenger whose passion is ‘quilting’!

It’s the first week of Spring and this is what it looks like outside my living room window.  The begonia is impatiently waiting to be planted outside, but Mother Nature has decided that we need one more snow storm before she will bring winter to an end in 2011.

Signs of Spring?

I’m not sure which plant I was supposed to feature in this picture.  According to the calendar it should be the begonia, but the weather outside makes me think it should be the poinsettia.  This 2009 poinsettia re-bloomed for the Christmas 2010 season.  (I’ve never been able to get more than one season out of a poinsettia before this.)

Living  in Central New York, we don’t normally get bored with the weather.  As the saying goes, ‘Just wait 15 minutes and it will change.’  Just another way for Mother Nature to show us that she, not us, is really in charge.

However, the weather gave me the opportunity to get started on a new quilt.  A friend of mine asked me to make a two-color quilt for her son with red and white fabrics.  Not sure exactly how to start I went to one of my favorite quilt shops, Patchwork Plus, and as always they put me on the right track, suggesting a pattern and helping pick out just the right fabric.   I really like walking into the store and having them call me by name.  They ‘always’ are able to answer my  questions as well as share useful quilting tips.   What an invaluable resource for us quilters!

Today turned out to be a very rainy, drizzly end of summer day.  I was looking forward to an ‘indoor’ day so that I could start planning our Winter Trip in January to Texas.  It’s always easier to be inside on a day like this rather that one that is sunny and warm.

I wasn’t prepared for an extra bonus though.  Tom took advantage of the dreary weather to do some ‘honey-do’ chores – all to my benefit.  We found the perfect quilt hanger for my seasons quilt – a drapery rod with decorative  ‘leaves’ (what else!) on the ends.  I’ve been waiting for him to hang it – today was the day.

Seasons Wall Hanging

In addition he bought me a task light to go above my design wall some time ago. My studio is in our basement so there’s not much natural light that  I can count on.  I’m always struggling whenever I have to choose fabrics.

Last night I decided to work on one of my UFO’s.  (They do seem to multiply in my storeroom.)

I’ve put the blocks into rows.  Now just have t sew the rows together and add the borders.  I want to make this twin pattern into a full size bed quilt so I’ll have to add extra borders.  I was auditioning fabrics from my stash last nigt to see if I had anything I could use – and was really struggling to find the right match.  Guess that’s all it took  because now I have my task lighting installed.

Design Wall before Task Lighting

What a difference a day makes!

Design Wall with Task Lighting

Today the temperature was in the 80′s – unheard of for CNY on April 2.  – Not that I’m complaining – but I hope this doesn’t mean that we’ll have an exceptionally warm summer.  I’m not fond of 90 degree weather.   This morning our lilac bush and daffodils hadn’t begun to bud.

Lilac bush

Tonight the lilacs are starting to bud and the daffodils are in full bloom.

Daffodils

So we had take advantage of the weather and had our first lunch and dinner on our deck.  – Our favorite place to be in the summer.

Primrose

-  Also on the deck, I was able to work a bit on my Simply Charming applique and I found out that I can read on my ‘Nook’ in direct sunshine.  The screen is just amazing!I wish I had the same type of screen on my computer – it’s really easy on the eyes.Sunday it”ll only be in the 70′s.  It’ll be great to spend some of the day outdoors.  We normally aren’t that lucky on Easter!