Furniture Makers

A few weeks ago, we assisted college intern missionaries in their move. As Bob positioned furniture in the new dwelling, he realized that they did not have a kitchen table and that there was limited counter space. Back home in the workshop, he and Noah designed and made a table to fit the space and needs. Over several days, they measured, cut, sanded, and stained. It is now delivered and being put to good use in its new home.

Birthday Gift

Bob's new jacket - a birthday gift - arrived in the mail. Although it is a heavy winter jacket, it is not too late for its use here in Flagstaff....

Backyard Improvements

Lukas and Noah finished the greenhouse. Bob and the boys are diligently laboring to improve the look and feel of our backyard.  Weeding, raking, and digging out deep roots before hauling rocks to complete the landscaping. Since it is Flagstaff, the weather changes quickly and often. It snows one minute, and the sun comes out the next - so they are taking advantage of every moment of blue sky to get this project done before Bob and Noah leave.

Next Project

The last thread had barely been trimmed off the quilt before Lukas began the next project - a lightweight tarp. This one was trickier since every pinhole would mean a compromise the waterproof characteristic of the fabric. He mastered flat seams without the use of the particular sewing machine foot for the purpose - it did not fit the machine despite its assertions and waiting for a replacement was not an option.

heat-sealing the edges using his hot-wire contraption

Warmth the Non-DYI Way

It is not necessary to make your own quilt to stay warm when it is cold outside. The basket by the fireplace has lots of blankets.

Quilt

Thanks to modern technology, Lukas knew precisely when his big exciting box would arrive. He happily completed the inventory to ensure that he had received everything, and then rapidly set out on the first of many projects.
He commandeered the dining room table for marking, measuring, and cutting the fabric for his quilt - a lightweight alternative to a sleeping bag. When the dining room table proved to be too small, he took over the living room floor. At least, that meant the floor got a good clean because you cannot put these nice new fabrics on a dirty floor.  He measured twice and cut once. He carefully adjusted the stitching and tension of the sewing machine, and he devised a no-pin method of holding the fabrics together.
Since it was still chilly outside, he had the opportunity to test out his new bedding. The 28-ounce quilt kept him warm and toasty - a success.

Inside

While the weather made it feel more like January than May, we hunkered down inside. Bob painted the mantel, Lukas sewed, and Noah increased his Rubik's Cube solving times and put together a puzzle with me.

hoping to find the missing pieces when we clean up next time 

College Credit?

Noah and Lukas helped Bob with fall school preparations. They assembled two robotic arms and even wrote a few programs to make the arms move. Maybe they need to get college credits?

Back Home

All good things must come to an end, even the most wonderful wedding anniversary celebration. Back home in Flagstaff, we found the boys still alive and well, their first time home alone overnight, but not their last one.
The next morning, we woke up to a winter wonderland, again. Fortunately, the greenhouse prevented the tiny plants from freezing.  Lukas spent the day developing a system to monitor temperature and moisture in the greenhouse - maybe one day it will be warm enough to install it?

Famous Sedona Hikes

Since the weather cleared up a bit, we had the opportunity to do a few hikes in Sedona. We hiked Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock. We would have benefitted from mountain goat hoofs to tackle part of the climb; instead, we used climbed on hands and knees up and slid on our behinds down. The view from each top was worth every ounce of effort, and the desert rocks offered a plethora of gorgeous blooms courtesy of the plentiful rainfall.

Porkypine Red Claret Cup  

Cholla cactus

Century plant