What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

It seems like it has been forever since we had a nice Sunday chat, so settle in for a long post today. I got more done on the Safelight quilts, and delivered three of them to the guild meeting this past week. I’ll show you the finish on the rainbow quilt this week. Early mornings have been chilly, and I like the quiet of that time of day. Just after dawn on this day, the fog was settled in the valleys between the ridges. I took a moment to just breathe and enjoy the scene, while my new coffee ...

 I recently met up with an old friend to have lunch- it's been such a long time since I could write that! Everything is far here compared to what I was used to so I had a 40 minute drive to the restaurant.  On the route which is familiar to me, two new roundabouts had been made during pandemic days. I don't know what it is about them, but you can see the drivers hesitating though really, they are fairly straight forward. I had to wave a woman on in one-she had right of way but maybe was ...

4 Ticks!

Yes, I've picked 4 ticks off myself this season so far. That's three more than average. And I've had to extract one each from Hubby and Ned (though Ned is on a medication to repel parasites-too bad I couldn't have such). A lot of critters have been flourishing this year including these tiny as mites things.

 And the garden continues to grow like crazy...I guess it's the heat. View from my kitchen window this morning showing the lawn on the left where I play ball with Ned.

I was working on my ...

From a distance I can hear a familiar summertime drone; a neighbour is mowing his lawn. This is the good neighbour to us as he often mows our section of the front lawn on the street to save Hubby having to go all the way out there with our mower. We are so sorry they are leaving. They sold their house quickly having discussed for ages and finally made the decision to downsize. The fact that they are much younger than us is not lost on us.  And some days we do question us living here and trying hard to ...

I can honestly say it hasn't been a bad week.  There's still lots going on at work, but the worst of it is done.  I'm hoping by the end of this week, that part of my life is mostly back to normal.  Since I was home on time most nights this week, I actually worked in some stitching time each day. 

• 15 minute days/week = 7/7 days
• 15 minute days/June = 23/26 days
• 15 minute days/2021 = 151/177
• Success rate = 85.31%

Milder and cooler temperatures moved in this week, making sitting on the veranda a real joy. Recent rains have brought the hydrangea into bloom too. The lime I put on the ground under the plant is helping the blooms toward the purple color I like best.

Lots of beautiful blooms are all over this shrub.

The vegetable garden is coming along, with tall tomatoes and lots of squash. I set the pot of petunias in front for a bit of floral color. The squash plants are blooming so well, lots of yellow flowers to enjoy.

This might be a spaghetti ...

 I had to dig out my old brown winter coat for my early morning walk last Friday. 2 c when I got up at 6:45 but Ned didn't care. He is a great walker and only needs the allure of a stick to keep him moving fast. We have proceeded to have very hot weather in between but no rain all week till today and it is pouring buckets as I write this. The garden needed this. 

Daughter is off to a cottage for a few days and I am minding the chickens.  

 I have to mention how lovely the weather has been finally and how great it is to be outside digging in the dirt. The least bit of raking up the old leaves and debris makes a big difference to how neat and tidy the flower beds look. And enable me to spy this fellow returning to what might have been his winter lodging under the tree right in front of my kitchen window. 

I have cleared the beds in the front and to the side of the house. So nice to see all the green shoots poking up. Lots of ...

I had such a great day yesterday! I felt like I could tackle the world, and while I didn't solve any global issues, I accomplished loads! Had some great conversations with the Long Time Gone class, and well - it was a great day! Let's see what happened. 

Oh, first - I want to share some walking stuff. Here's the thing about the virtual challenges -- I'm learning TONS about the geography in the areas in which I walk. I'm currently walking the Appalachian Trail, which goes through the mountains along the eastern part of the United States ...

 I've spent a good amount of time outside lately. The temperatures were so warm and especially welcomed because it is still March. Feels like a bonus to have lovely weather during this month usually known for late snowstorms and the dreaded freezing rain. Bits of green are poking through the dried grass and we wondered was it survival growth under the snow or brand new. It doesn't matter...these tiny spring signs are welcome to my eyes.

The hint of red on the head there identifies this wee one as a redpoll, I think. He was sure enjoying ...

Even in December, there is something going on in the garden. The plants in the sunroom continue to do well, and I am hopeful that they survive the winter. Recently, I uncovered my amaryllis and brought it into the kitchen. I gave it some water, and hope it will wake up soon and produce another gorgeous flower. If it does, it will be the eighth year it has bloomed. It is green on the bulb, surely a good sign.

Dawn on a cold day in December, low clouds reflect the golden, early morning light. I love this time of day ...

 Breakfast in front of the fire. 

You know I like whimsical...especially involving mice, fox, deer, dogs, bunnies; well I guess any critters actually. I love the details in this scene below. 

Snug little fox with her knitting, cup of tea and pizza slice. And note the dream catcher on the wall and the tiny cowboy boots.  Does a scene like this make you feel cosy and snug too? As far as I can find out this illustration is from a children's book called Jezeva Kucica by Branko Copic.  Translation, The Hedgehog's House. If you know more about the artist, please let me know ...

 When in the work world, I often lamented not enough time for my hobbies. I used to think I would spend all morning reading for instance, when I retired and had nothing else to do. However, to sit around reading in the mornings still doesn't work for me. My days must still have busyness in them but, what do you know, there is no end it seems to the things to do. Filling the hours is not only not a problem, it is uncanny how busy we seem to be and this is even in a semi-lockdown situation.

Autumn ...

Dylan Thomas

                                       Especially when the October wind

                                       with frosty fingers punishes my hair,

                                       Caught by the crabbing sun I walk on fire

                                      And cast a shadow crab upon the land

No shadow crab cast that day. Hubby and Murphy enjoy one of our daily walks in cloudy weather. Someone asked and yes, we walk no matter the weather. We have all the gear.

And wild autumn New England asters are everywhere! From this meadow area, our trail leads through those trees to the left of the white birch branch, an area ...

This summer has been busy.  Since COVID destroyed all of our travel plans DH built a vegetable garden at waist height.  Wow, I don't even mind weeding it.  It is so easy when you are not bending over or crawling on the ground.  The cucumber died, but the zucchini made up for the loss. My rhubarb, which has struggled for 4 years, "dying" every summer, survived one more transplant into the "box" and is loving it there.  I have great hopes for rhubarb pie next year.  Then we had 22º weather and a snowstorm in the first week of ...

 These three things below were birthday gifts and I thought I'd share them with you. I've mentioned Eckhart Tolle before and how much I love his writing. Saying that though, it is kind of involved in a way and you need to keep your wits about you if you are to take anything away. But I do enjoy his talk about the need to banish negative thoughts and as he puts it, making sure the present now is your friend not your enemy. 

 This week was a whoosh. My guess is I must have been having a whale of a time, never mind just fun. 

Is it because I was a teacher that September still feels like a fresh start somehow. Because I do seem to have that "new start" feeling. Kind of invigorating and here's hoping it lingers. And that's another thing I love about living where there are seasons. As each rolls around it provides a perfect opportunity for a new beginning.

I've been rewarded for my gardening efforts in two tiny ways.

First of all, the Madagascar ...

Though the air was quite warm almost moist feeling, the look of the landscape yesterday morning was dark and gloomy. Definitely a fall look to things though not a feel. I spotted the first of the wild asters, an autumn flower. So still lots of growing things to enjoy for a while longer. Like this orange/rust blanket flower type (not sure which it is as I've lost the packet, grrr) in the garden, another hardy perennial that is spreading well.

Here is a new to me bug which I enjoyed seeing up close. And he seemed to like ...