Happy Canada Day Fireworks to help celebrate July 4th! These are just a few of the one I watched from my deck on July 1st. This one is amazing with the star shape in front of the larger burst.

The smoke trails lit up by the exploding firework make some interesting designs.

This one is just pretty.

This was part of the final display for the evening.

Happy Canada Day! This sweet pea almost looks like our Canadian flag of red and white, once again I was taking photos in my friend Rita's garden. Here is another blue sweet pea with raindrops adoring it.

Another angle of the blue coloured sweet pea dotted with raindrops.

All the rain is giving this dianthus a bad hair day.

Is this peony poppy not just gorgeous?

Here is a red one breaking through the bud.

The seed pod looks very velvety to touch.

These pods are a bit more mature, I'm hoping to get some of the seed from Rita.

Rita's Garden is just beautiful right now. Today started rather cloudy after a rain shower this morning. I snapped this peony from two different angles to capture some of the raindrop still hanging onto it.The colour of it is just beautiful, it almost sparkles without any sun shining on it.

Her poppies are also beautiful, this one is almost in full bloom.

This one is starting to show it's seed pod.

This one in profile was just lovely with the raindrops hanging onto the petals.

Here is a longer shot of the same flower above, with some seed pods forming. I'll have to ask her to save some for me, I love this shade of pink.

Here is one of the peach poppies just in bud, are not the hairs on the bud just wonderful?

Here are some of her double snapdragons...she really needs a blog to show off her gardening skills, I'll take the pictures and she can do the writing!

When I downloaded this photo I was surprised to see the ant included in the photo. Look at about 3 o'clock on the left blossom.

Farther along the quay I found these pink daisy like blossoms.

I'm not sure what these are the seed pods for, but they remind me of a lion's mane or one of the beards from the guys in ZZ Top!

Are these globes just not perfect? The colour shows off so nicely in the cloudy skies.

Later in the day the sun shone through and bathed the flower in warmth, we've had a very wet Spring, but the flowers are shining through it all.

Happy 85th birthday Mom! Glad you had a great day celebrating with family and friends.

Enjoyed our lovely dinner together tonight and I know you loved your lunch with Brian, Yolanda and grandson Cody today.

Mary Lou Weidman's Out of the Box Retreat was held in Post Falls Idaho last week. The first evening we went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. Here are Molly and Mary Lou toasting their Margaritas.Note the multiple instructions to Push the door to exit...after those drinks you need the directions!

The artwork in the restaurant was lovely. I have a soft spot for Calla Lilies.

This piece was just lovely.

The next day started with show and tell of some of Mary Lou's quilts.

We saw some quilts that have been published a a peek view at some newer ones.

The new ones I can't show you but they are great.

Seeing the quilts in person you see details that are missed in books. The quilt below won't load correctly so please turn your head to enjoy it.

Here is everyone gathered around Mary Lou as she shows us how to make one of her hoochy mama blocks. Techniques from these blocks help you with her style of quilting.

The blocks with the yellow background I made several years ago during another workshop. The flower and bee were the first of the new block from this workshop.

Mary Lou's friend Laurie Latta made this quilt for Mary Lou's Flower Power book. I love the little buttercups at the bottom of the quilt.

Sally who was visiting from California celebrated her birthday with us. Wendy made a "cake of cream puffs" with a candle on top for Sally to blow out!

The cake stand is just adorable, it comes in 3 pieces.

After our first day of sewing we made a field trip to Bear Paw Quilts in Coeur d'Alene where many bolts of fabric were cut.

Several of us shopped from other people's selections, it made for an interesting process. The two gals waiting on us did a wonderful job.

Thanks goodness I didn't have to restock the shelves after we were done. Penny surprised Mary Lou with these lovely coloured glass bottles for her bottle trees.

Here is Mary Lou's new New Mexico quilt inspired by her visit this year. The details are amazing!

Mary has taken several classes with Mary Lou at Asilomar and here are some pictures of the quilt she is working on. It will be spectacular when it is done.

I love the snail and the frog on it. Mary has two sons that I'm sure will treasure this quilt.

The clothesline with the birds sitting on top will be very cute.

This is Pebble who owns Orange Bee Quilt Shop in California.

Penny lives just outside of Vancouver Washington.

Kathy helps Mary Lou with her website orders and was lots of fun this weekend. She was our go-for gal and sat and stitched along with us.

Sally was another of the Southern California gals.

Here is Mary from California whose quilt in progress was shown above. Notice that many of the gals have tiaras on from Mary Lou

A busy workroom with pedals to the medal we are in the basement with lots of great natural light.

Lots of creativity buzzing around the room

Mary Lou sharing some new knowledge with a brand new quilter. We had two new quilters in our group.

Molly and Mary have both taken several classes from Mary Lou.

Molly's completed quilt top that she put together at the retreat.

Doesn't this bird have wonderful feathers?

Slowly over the weekend my blocks became more.

Here are some exterior pictures of the Jacklin Art Centre. The original church built in the late 1890's.

From a different angle.

Inside looking through one of the lovely arched windows.

One of the lovely stained glass windows found inside.

Two birds having a serious conversation.

A bird with a cheddar background.

Several birds, stars and monkey wrench blocks.

A bird checking out the housing in the neighbourhood.

A very tall robin made by me.

A bird with tail feathers that are 3-d and it's potential housing.

Two very interesting long legged birds. I love the curled headfeather on the right one.

A dragonfly I made.

Molly, Mary Lou and me infront of my blocks.

Bear Paw Quilts in Coeur d'Alene from the outside.

Bear paw prints leading to the door.

A view from the second story of the shop.

This guy is the mascot of Coeur d'Alene.

Driving back along I-90 I stoped in Ritzville and found this shop.

Isn't this building interesting with the witch hat roof?

This is Wildflower Quilt Shop and Liquor Store; one shop stopping for him and her!

Isn't this an interesting old sign?

The skies heading towards Snoqualmie Pass started to look very threatening.

This was snow falling on the pass ahead.

I also encountered some rain and hail on the drive home. At times the wind was gusting up to 60 m.p.h.!