Attention readers:  This blog is rated "NQR" (Not Quilting Related).  Well, and I guess it's rated "E" for Everyone too -- I try not to use naughty words or promote violence.  But I have absolutely nothing quilt related to share this week.  We've had birthday parties and pet problems and new computer users and unbearable heat and flooding rains.  Oh, and me crying my eyes out over Deadliest Catch episodes.  I sat on my couch for two hours with my box of Kleenex last Tuesday evening watching the aftermath of Captain Phil's death.  Next week please! 

As for the rains, we didn't get too much flooding in my neighborhood, but enough that I have to hurry through my blog here and go steam clean the small area of carpeting in the basement that got wet.  I have a big, honkin' machine that's probably bigger than the area I need to clean but I surely don't want it to smell down there!  Some towns nearby got hit really hard with the rain.  There were boats in the street and we got phone calls for dumpsters by desperate home owners at 2:30 in the morning.  (We didn't answer and they waited and called back at 6:30 instead.)  Actually Dave is out right now -- a Sunday evening -- shuttling dumpsters around for those people and their neighbors.  One lady had water up to the ceiling of the first floor of her home.  She thankfully also had flood insurance.

So I am so over last week.  And ready for this upcoming week instead.  The calendar is empty until next Saturday when my mom and I go on part 2 of our annual end-of-July pond tour.  We've been doing this for about 4 years now.  The local pond club -- it's like guild for pond owners -- hosts a tour each year where you can visit peoples' homes and see their beautiful ponds.  Honestly, we went to I think 16 homes this year and would only consider going back to about 3 of them.  A lot of them were just "eh".  But since I'm a note-taker by nature, I write down notes in the tour book so we know where not to go next year. 

So instead of anything quilty, I'll just have to share some of the beautiful things we saw this weekend....

Louts leaves.  These were growing in a pot.  I'm definitely doing this next year!

Don't these day lilies look like they're made out of fabric?  Gorgeous!

You know I'm a sucker for purple!

And I'd love to live in this purple house!

Especially when this is one of the views in the yard of the purple house!

I also need to get me some of these cute little mosaic water plants next year.

Isn't this a beautiful spot?

There were neat things to be found everywhere!

So I hope you enjoyed the pictures!  I had fun taking them!  And now I must go -- I have a date with a steam cleaner.

Have a great week everyone!