What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 The Red Squirrels are very busy these days. I can get this shot standing by my sink as this tree is in the front garden and has grown from a little bush to a much bigger bush putting the squirrel pretty much right in front of me. I've had the pleasure of capturing many photos of these little animals in just this pose eating spruce buds. 

 The light is changing just as I know the transitioning to another season is happening all around me. And it's become one of the warmest Octobers on record so the days have been pleasantly warm with lots of sunshine. There was a noticeable absence of rain till yesterday when it poured steadily all day. Oh my, the colours though, are so wonderful. I brought in these leaves to show Tony who is not walking the back woods like he used to. But he has started to take a brief walk with the dogs late afternoon and so far it ...

 Hello again and thanks so much for stopping by. I heard the Barred Owls hooting early morning around 4 am and stayed awake till they finished about half an hour later. Then I slept in till 9, so late for me that Tony woke up enough to ask if I was alright.  

Last fall I watched a wonderful moment...an adult male Cardinal was feeding two young ones in the big fir in the back yard. It took a long time to get this photo and I never did capture a good photo of the three. But here are the ...

Well, there is no doubt fall is coming and it's set in a little early here. Single digits overnight for the last week but everyone is saying how welcome this is. I don't think there's ever been such gladness to have summer over. 

Meanwhile, Tony calls this little guy below my trained squirrel or my very smart squirrel that has trained me. He appears on the back deck most days and, of course, I give him a handful of sunflower seeds. When he first appeared here, he was skinny and ragged looking. Now he appears to be ...

The Japanese Anemones did not put on their usual wonderful show this year. Later to bloom, they were affected by the July drought. I regret not watering more, a lesson learned for another season. They are a very hardy perennial and, hopefully, this won't affect future growth.

I got up at 6 this morning and went right out in the garden by myself which has so many rewards. (But left two pouting dogs to do so.) Instead I had my shears with me on this walkabout and did a little snipping here and there. I disturbed three turkeys who I think must have overnighted somewhere nearby. I sat by the pond and reminded my body how important it is to relax. It is hard for me to sit and do nothing...by the pond like that early morning is the closest I can come. But even then ...

It is not just the Goldfinches that tackle those spikey Bull Thistles. I've noticed two different kinds of butterflies giving them lots of attention too. Here is the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail in it's July brilliant yellow.

 

I got waylaid from chores this morning but for a great reason. The garden was ...

 As I write this, I can hear the far off sound of a lawn mower and I'm thinking what a wonderful summer sound that is. Our closest neighbour, the one who shares our acreage, is fanatical about his lawn care. And it's not just what can be seen from the street that is always immaculate, but the back areas as well. He sometimes mows our front edging too and we feel badly about that like we are letting him down. However, we share the end of a cul-de- sac so very, very few people see these areas. Mainly ...

  Well we celebrated Tony's 86th birthday in fine style. It was a hot, sunny day and the family took us to a restaurant in a nearby town. We had a feast of surf and turf, oysters, tuna tartar, shrimp and a bread choice I really liked. It was sourdough bread with whipped feta cheese and honey, a concoction I could make at home. It was all delicious. 

 This is beautiful ground cover if you need such in your garden. I find the name an unfortunate one for something so pretty...Lungwort. All the colours at once...purples, pinks and violets but tiny so easily missed. I also note they do okay in the shade here.

 Well summer is upon us...it happens around this time every year :) no matter what the weather or temperatures. And what a marvel it all is. From the very early morning light to later sunsets, I am trying my best to take it all in and appreciate it. For it all moves by quickly...take the Phoebes with their nest on the sound box on the back of the house, for instance. The family...three little ones, are already raised and gone. They must have snuck out in the dead of night for me to have missed them the way ...

 The birdsong alone is worth a very early morning start to the day. A switch has been turned and it's like cue the sun, the birds, and all the growing things too. Here Ned is amazed by the sprouting leaves that have appeared seemingly overnight. 

Note the fallen trees and branches; ice storms are very hard on old trees.

This was so good I had to share.

I know when the Hubs retires at the end of this month, he will take over the primary cooking duties—yay! That means more time for quilting! But I’m still it for the next 27 days, and I tried a new recipe Thursday night. It’s a lot of prep work—in fact, the prepping takes longer than the cooking. That will typically turn me off from trying the recipe, but let me tell you my thought process on this.

Over 30 years ago and before I became a federal government ...