African fabrics, yard work, and calendar

There are several posts today on blogs I read about African Fabrics. One has some beautiful blue and white batiks that made me drool on my keyboard! Several others had various colorful pieces that I had never seen before. Last December I went and bought over 100 yards of different African fabrics - some dutch wax, batiks, and tie dyes from a shop that was going out of business. I will post pictures tomorrow of what I bought. Here is a small quilt I made from the stash I had before the big shopping trip. I know it is kind of crazy, but to me more is better! This is a small piece about 40" x 50". I will have to find the picture of the full sized quilt I made with the African fabrics and black Kona.



Instead of doing my exercise tape last night, it was so beautiful outside I decided to do some yard work. Last fall there were marks made at the curb. I had no idea which utility company was going to do what, but I thought I better move all my plants and stone that I did not want destroyed. All that happened was the stuck another taller ugly utility pole beside the other ugly utility pole in my front yard. Last night I decided to clean up the spoils - that is constuction lingo for the material that came out of the hole they dug for the pole. The spoils were all clay and it was like concrete! I got the wheelbarrow out filled it about half way and went to take it the the back to dump in the compost area, but the tire was flat! So then I had to get a couple of buckets, shovel out the wheelbarrow (by this time I am sure the neighbors are laughting) and 6 bucket loads later the tire was somewhat round again and I could move it. I filled the tire with air and three more 1/2 wheelbarrows full of clay and the job was done. I keep thinking how much work it is going to be to get this area back in shape, so I have to go and read my fortune cookie saying that I kept "To achieve a great goal, one must begin with a small achievement."






As you can see by my calendar, I did pretty good in March with the exercise once I got moving. The dot and check system is the visual motivation I need so if I am feeling lazy, all I have to do is look at the calendar and then think how I am going to feel not being able to put a dot or a checkmark on the calendar. It seems a little juvenile, but it works for me. I didn't lose any weight, but I feel stronger. Now that I have the exercise thing under control, it is time for revamping the eating. Have you ever had a Werther's carmel? Those things are like legal crack! That and Mountain Dew. I don't even want to think the of number of empty calories I consumed last month with those two things. I am going to have to say goodbye to both for the month of April. Wish me luck!