Definitely---Keeping Busy

The grandteens have been keeping us on our toes, to say the least! One forgets how much teens eat and how often! How active they are during the day and night....don't they ever sleep!
If you read the previous post on summertime, there was a statement about proven zucchini recipes. Well, it might have been proven in another life, but this time the chocolate cake recipe took a real turn for the worse. For some reason, the cake overflowed the pan. Was it the butter we used instead of the margarine? Was it beaten too long or too often? How could this fail when we've baked it many times before? But, once we finally loosen it from the pan edges and turned it out, the results were awesome! and the taste--delicious! so, guess it wasn't quite the disaster it looked.
Another day of activities for the teens--off to the Speed Raceway indoor track to let them try their hands at go kart driving--Speed Raceway. When did they get so shy about having their photos taken? Pull out the camera and they immediately turn the other way, except this time......Ready for instructions.
All suited up and ready for the trip around the track. It was two fer Tuesday so they each will race 12 laps around twice.
On your mark.......GO!
And they're off. These little electric karts will wind up to 50 mph, but they have to be careful going around the sharp curves. And then the times are posted on the big screen. It was a rush, was their quote!
The following day, they were challenged even more as they tried skydiving! Indoor--skydiving, that is. Sky Venture is a practicing venue for professional skydivers, military and those waiting a touch of skydiving without the fear of jumping from a plane.
Let's suit up for the big adventure.
All ready to head into the wind tunnel.
Another rush for them and us as we watched them soar into the heights after a few minutes of instruction.

The Teens Have Arrived!!

Two of the grandteens have arrived to visit for the week so let the activities begin! It is our opportunity to find interesting 'teen' events to occupy their every waking moment. No way do we want to hear that's 'boring'! Neither are big athletes so hiking or biking is out--as if we would do that anyway. The first night they arrived we took them to an outdoor music concert--they wanted food and a pizza parlor they did find within walking distance of the grandstand. Lucky for them, they were waiting for pizza when the rains came and went.
The first day of the week we headed to downtown Denver where we had reservations for the Denver Mint, which were made two months in advance. The Mint is the second most popular tour in the city. The first being Cherry Creek Mall--go figure!We had lunch beforehand at Hard Rock Cafe in Pavilions. Across the street was Hot Topic, where every teen wants to visit, and the store that brings out the 'interesting' people--those with tats, piercings and weird colored hair. They heard that Drowning Pool band would be appearing later in the afternoon but they weren't quite sure they wanted to hang around for that appearance until they found out that one of the songs on the album was one of their favorite--a mind changer. With time on our hands, we enjoyed the sights and sounds of 16th Street Mall and a stop in Pinkberry for cool refreshment.
Didn't take long to devour this delicious frozen treat--something different about this yogurt that makes it truly appealing to tastebuds.
Back to Hot Topic where the line began forming to meet the band.and 45 minutes later they had their chance to enter the store for those photos, autographs and oh, yeah--album buying. The first thing they did when we hit the car--pop in the album so we could enjoy head banging music on the way home during rush hour traffic. Us 'old folks' would call this a successful day! and hopefully, the teens think so as well.

Summer Time!

"Summer Time and the living is easy"--we are singing this song as we maneuver along our August journey. A friend gives us lovely zucchini during the summer growing season. We try to find unique and interesting recipes for these plentiful zucchini. Some recipes are delicious and 'keepers' but others are a waste of time and effort. We are putting our daily serving of veggies into our diet though. This past week we made Zapple pie--yummy! Next on our list for preparation is chocolate zucchini cake--another proven recipe. Of course, these are desserts and we try to balance out the zucchini use without the aid of sweeteners. We really enjoy the hot pepper cheese squash casserole! Thanks friend!
Earlier this week we came home from errands to be greeted by loud sawing noise and large bucket truck in our back area. We couldn't believe our eyes and ears--they were cutting down that nasty, huge, ugly tree, which is in the greenbelt area. Over the years, this tree has not been trimmed and ice storms has broken several main branches. The tree had just grown helter skelter--worse of all--it was blocking our full view of the front range. The tree is officially at the back of our neighbor's. We shouldn't rejoice when a piece of nature is gone but............
Going........
Going......
Almost gone.......
Gone! The view was one reason we bought at this location. We love trees, but they need to be maintained and trimmed--we want trees not bushes.

Field Trip!

We took a short field trip this week. It was also a trip to 'gather' as we call it--a chance to pick up sundry items that we felt were needed. We journeyed to Boulder, CO and begun our day with breakfast at Chautauqua Dining Hall. Check out the history of this interesting Institution at their website. History of Chautauqua Movement. Today the area is a lovely park with a backdrop of the flatiron mountains that push up from the ground.
We were seated on the front porch and enjoyed the scenery and cool weather as we dined on pan seared trout and salmon benedict. After breakfast we traveled a short distance to Celestial Seasonings Tea Shop. A drive down the lane you come to the corner of Sleepytime and Zinger. some days you can smell the mint tea waffling in the air. With a stop first in the tasting room, we sampled a variety of iced and hot teas on tap and viewed the wonderful collection of teapots on display.
Sleepytime bear--best tea in the world for relaxation.
Just two of the 20 teapots on display.
What a dress--made entirely from teabags as well as the accessories!
If you take the free tour you can boast this fact:
We stocked up on sweet zinger teas--delicious!!

Charity Quilt Tops

It seems these little blocks have been 'aging' long enough! Some were worked on last summer, some early this summer and when there was time to finally put them together--it is always a challenge to find interesting and satisfying blocks to make as charity quilt tops. Oh, yeah, most times a simple and quick pattern will be used but when this pattern was spied on website of Selvage Blog it was a definite yes! to sew. There is also a tutorial Asterisk Block and it is simple! A good way to use up those theme fabrics. Look at the great border fabric that was in a bargain bin--just perfect for a quilt!
Last summer there was a fabric exchange of 5" blocks. A large pile just rested on the cutting table waiting for inspiration and then it hit--another simple quilt. This is a great "I Spy" quilt--just 5" blocks and 2" connector corners--takes time to sew but the finished project is worth it.

I Spy--hot dogs, dog bones, basketballs.............

Colcha

Ever heard of Colcha? Is it a food? A location? A disease? An animal? Nope, non of the above. Colcha is a New Mexico embroidery technique that emerged in colonial New Mexico when women began to embroider using handspun and handyed wool from churro sheep and used their handwoven wool fabric, called sabanilla. According to a publication by Mary Carolina Montano ("Tradiciones Nuevomexicanas: Hispano arts and culture of New Mexico") this type of embroidery was reported in the state as early as 1743. The word colcha means blanket in Spanish and uses a filler stitch. The designs are original to the stitcher. Many of the colcha pieces were often blankets, altar covers or wall hangings but when the Santa Fe Trail opened in 1821 access to cotton overtook wool. Now it is more of a decorative form of art. In the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art in Santa Fe there is a display of large colcha piece from 1850-1865. The embroidery encompasses flowers and animals taken from Native American designs.
In a recent article from Mature Life in New Mexico (publication of Albuquerque Journal) there was a nice article on this special and regional technique.
Several years ago, there was the opportunity to study this unique art form at Taos Wool Festival. We stitched on handspun, handwoven sabanilla that the leader provided. She also had wonderful handspun handyed yarns--all singles. Sorry to say that project has not been completed but the chance to learn this stitch and style was experienced and studied.

Here are websites that will give an overview of colcha:
Needlework Tips
New Mexico History of Colcha
Spanish Colonial Art

And then--Convergence!

Yes, finally we reach Convergence--the granddaddy of all fiber conferences--even though the mother organization name says 'handweavers guild of America', this conference is for all fiber enthusiasts. We are there to assist with vendor set-up, hanging of exhibits, leader assistants, tour agenda and other sundry events that take place during the nine day long conference. And along the way other organizations 'piggy back' their conferences-- Complex Weavers meet before and American Tapestry Association meets on the last day. So much going on during the conference--so many great leaders filling our heads with their expertise, on site exhibits that put us into overload. Sorry, but there will be only photos of the yardage exhibit, which was hanging in the outer area. This wonderful exhibit hangs from the second level to the overlook above the entrance to the vendor hall. You can't help but notice all these fabrics decorating the nake walls. At the top of the exhibit are sample pieces of the fabric for that 'weavers handshake' touch.









Outside the convention center, students, ages 16-24, were busily working away on the mosiac for their summer project. These students are selected by their interest and grades from area high schools and colleges to work. During the summer, they plan the design, make the tiles and install the mosiacs. What a treat to see their vision come to life on the plain walls of the ACC.
A view of their working area and the section that was completed last summer.
A portion of their design area.
Tarps and ground cover went up each morning at 9 AM as they worked till 3 PM when they took everything down for the day.
There are about four more sections to be mosiaced and then the ACC will definitely be showing off the work and hertiage art of their culture.