Dear Jane C-4, Tic Tac Toe, Complete and a quick trip to the Green Bay Botanical Garden

The "Tic Tac Toe" block got completed in Green Bay.  I took my traveling Bernina along, and finished piecing the block at Mom's house.  I traced the octagon onto freezer paper and used my craft iron to apply it to the back.  I do not think I have ever used such a large piece of freezer paper, but it adhered to the back of the block just fine.

After the freezer paper was attached, it was very easy to press the seams under and baste the unit to the muslin ground.  It was nice to have such oblique angles to applique for a change.  I am going to be sure to place the darkest "window" at the top when I orient the block in the final quilt.  That way, I am hoping it will look like a darkened attic window.  :)

We went to the Green Bay Botanical Garden on the 4th of July and had the whole place almost entirely to ourselves.  The weather was perfect and it was really lovely.  The tall, spiky flowers in the background caught our attention.  They are called foxtail lilies and look very dramatic. 

I was captivated by the Hobbit House; it was such an enchanting little structure.  And so practical too.  It is very deep in the garden, well away from the main entrance, and houses restroom facilities. Brilliant!

Green Bay is hosta central; they are by far the most popular foundation plantings around residential homes.  They were everywhere, but I had never seen hostas with such large flowers as these.  They were the size of snapdragons!

I wish we could have stayed longer, but this was the day after the wedding, and the bride and groom showed up at her mom's house to open some of the wedding gifts, and we wanted to be present for that.  We got the call, and off we went.  We had a really fun hour or so at the gardens, which were in top form, with ample rain and sunshine this year.  If you get the chance to visit, you should definitely go there.  It makes a nice change from Lambeau Field.

Happy quilting,
Susan in Texas