Bad girl!

I wonder if I should be trying to blog; sometimes it's just impossible to keep up with it. We had a wonderful time in Colorado (pictures at 10), were home just a few days and I went on a quilting retreat.

You'll recognize this sort of thing that goes on at retreats:

Here's what I mostly did -- 331 flying geese. I have to finish the last 29 for a total of 360 for a block exchange in January.

Some candids:

Janet (left) does the most beautiful handwork. Gayle's a new grandma, and her son and daughter-in-law, the new parents, are the CSA farmers who have kept us in excellent organic veggies all summer.

Maria from Chicago (left) and Annie from Pittsburgh.

The other thing I did was get the last border on the blue Four Patch Posy, piece the backing and prepare the binding. Monday morning I took it to the long-arm quilter, and it should be done by Christmas.

Gratitudes:

I'm surviving this crazy year

Time with good friends

The freedom to play

Oops

Yesterday was a beautiful, breezy day; DH, the darling he is, carted me hither and yon, a welcome outing. We picked up the two quilts, and I washed Kayla's today. It's beautiful, but a yo-yo came undone and will have to be repaired. Today has been cold and dark, not a good day for photographing quilts, so that will have to wait for a more propitious moment.

I overdid yesterday and am paying the price today. It's my right shoulder, dominant hand. I feel good enough to be real bored, but obviously need to take it easy -- not too much handwork or knitting yet!

Gratitudes:

long-arm quilter did a fabulous job

all three grandkid quilts are done (except for a yo-yo)

I can wash my own armpits!

Nice Weather for Ducks II

I have had two speeds for a couple of weeks: High and Off. When I haven't been busy-busy, I've been pooped. Holy Week is a marathon of services, prayer watch and vigil. Last week I took Coplan's and another quilt (working title: Rosemaling) to a long-arm quilter in Whitewater, and Kayla's and Bodie's quilts to a long-arm quilter in DeForest. Four quilts almost done!!!

What a cold and rainy spring we're having. This made me smile, though:

Don't you wonder what that was about?

One of the two or three really nice days we've had, the cats and I were able to spend a couple of hours on the porch:

These next two photos are in the wrong order. The second is of the controlled burn we did a week ago. The woods still look like a war zone, but if you look closely at this one, you can see the green blades rising from the ashes. The bluebells and bleeding hearts are coming up too, but no buds yet.

Meanwhile, spring cleaning and other tasks await. Have a happy day.

Gratitudes:

green grass

good books

resurrection

Nice Weather for Ducks

[Someday I'll figure out how to get photos on here in the order I want!]

Yesterday I went to Quilt Sitters' Circle, a bi-monthly meeting led by Judy Hasheider, quilter par excellence. Here is the new one she showed:

It's a knockout. I have so many want-to-make quilts, in my head, in my fabric stash, and when I see one like this the list keeps growing -- I won't live long enough!

It was a puddly March day here. Friends in the parking lot:

One of Judy's other recent quilts looks like an Italian Renaissance terrazzo floor, another stunner; I wish I had a good photo of it. I dug through my stash and put these together. What do you think?

Gratitudes:

cold better

shoulder better (very gradually!)

Olivia's 3rd grade math scores were in the 99th percentile!

Another Postcard

Less successful than the first. I wanted this to be simple and classic looking, for the birthday of Myra, who does amazing nature-themed quilts for the Audubon Society in Milwaukee. I had a beautiful bluejay feather, and now I've learned when using real feathers, sew them on after all pressing is finished!

I didn't finish Coplan's quilt today, my cold is even worse, and I'm even grumpier.

Gratitudes:
good husband fixed dinner
didn't have to accomplish anything today
found a place to service my sewing machines (now that all the Madison dealers have gone out of business)

Tentative Beginnings

Today I'm trying to love my neighbors, who kept us awake last night with music, fireworks and motorcycle motors. I'm beginning the newest Boris Akunin mystery. That's the pen name for a Russian who writes delightful, literate mysteries.

And I'm going to look at my books on Turkish tile work, in the hope of finding a design I can incorporate into "Iznik," my new quilt.