Ah, the dog days of summer! Seems like we've had them since the first of May. Hot, sultry days with nary a breeze to be had. Sticky. Slap you in the face and take your breath away days. I'm so looking forward to that first day when you look around because something feels different and you know that the weather is about to change.
Meanwhile, I'm spending lots of time indoors and working on my quilts. Attended a workshop on Saturday that taxed my brain and eyes beyond imagination. With the instructor's help, I finally got it laid out and pinned to the flannel background so it could be transported home. No way was it going to be in pieces again! Here it is laid on a guest bed, still on the flannel blanket.
I've spent a good part of today squaring up blocks and then stitching blocks together to make rows, all the while being paranoid about getting a block turned the wrong way.
This isn't the best location to do the squaring up, but rather than run the risk of a block being turned wrong or getting out of order, I figured this worked as good as anywhere. Thankfully, the bed is kind of tall and I could stack suitable hard boards so that I had a workable surface for the rotating cutting board. When this is done, though, I think I'll be very happy with it.
Recently, I bought myself a new toy. My reasoning for it was that I could learn how to machine quilt and thus save myself all that money spent sending quilts out to a long arm quilter. That's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it.
The juvenile finches were back on the hummer feeders today. They were so cute.
I know, its a terrible picture, but I had the wrong lens on the camera and I didn't want to get up to get the correct one for fear of causing him to leave. He was so skinny and curious about what was inside the window.
Y'all take care.
Even though it is mid-summer, the bird activity is picking up the tiniest bit. There have been reports of a few migrants already passing through the area. I have two hummer feeders up in anticipation of their arrival, hopefully soon. To date, no hummers have shown up but the house finches seem to be interested.
Yesterday at this same feeder, there were three juvenile titmice hanging on the chain all at one time. Needless to say, by the time I could get my camera they were gone. Hubby told me today that just after I left the room, there were four juvenile cardinals on the feeder and chain outside my sewing room. We have seen the titmice also clinging to the anchor bolts protruding from our brick wall, particularly when it was raining about 10 days ago. Juveniles do strange things and it is so funny to watch them travel around together as they explore. Won't be long before they are each on their own and won't be spending much time as a group.
Another incident of no camera in time was yesterday morning when a pileated woodpecker swooped across the yard. I ran for the camera and sneaked out into the garage looking for the limb he had landed on but the cluster of crows out there spooked and took off. When they did that, the pileated left too, going across the street to the neighbors. We don't often see pileated woodpeckers here, so it is a real thrill when they do visit.
Late Sunday afternoon, I picked up Birdlady and we went to Ft. Pickens. With the heat, its easy to wind up just staying inside all the time. Too easy to do, so we figured we needed to get outside for a while. There had been a thunderstorm at the beach the day before, so there were areas where fresh water was standing. The gulls loved it and congregated for wonderful baths.
We were hoping to see some late tern babies, but although we did see terns, no babies were visible.
We did have good fortune, however, in seeing a somewhat unusual white morph of a great blue heron. He was not a welcome visitor as the two great blues were harassing him constantly until he left their immediate area.
Please forgive the poor photo. You can see that a longer lens would definitely be of help. Oh, well. Not at the present.
While we were on the beach, the Blue Angels came through. Birdlady commented that she had many photos of them. I didn't admit that I had none, and just snapped this one, hoping for the best.
It was very late and they were across the bay, but at least you can tell they're airplanes. After they went by, they did a peel off where each jet went in a different direction up into the sky.
Y'all take care.
One of the things I love the most about traveling is the surprises you find in the most unexpected places. On our way home last week, we stopped overnight at Columbus, Georgia. We've never stayed at that location before and relied totally on the property description in our campground "catalog". This turned out to be a nice campground with some lovely outbuildings that were available to the public for rent.
The entrance foyer of the chapel had matching stained glass windows on each side. Here's what they looked like -- taken through the front door so you could see them from the inside.
The gardenia outside the door still had a few blossoms and the aroma was absolutely heady. I think the smell of gardenia is my very favorite of all blossoms.
My favorite location at this site was the wisteria covered arbor attached to the old building. There was a wood burning fireplace under there, and a claw foot tub to hold the beverages. What a fabulous place.
There were still some lovely flowers blooming, too.
It was so neat to look at the windows in all the buildings. Most, if not all, were antique stained glass or etched glass. They gave the place the most wonderful atmosphere.
Oh, how lovely it would be to have such surroundings at every stop!
Y'all take care.
During the summer, Hubby and I usually try to get out of town and find someplace a bit cooler than the coast of Florida. For a number of reasons, this year we chose the Asheville, NC area and set out on the trip. We stopped at Lake Hartwell on the way up and while I didn't take a single picture while there, I did get to see two scarlet tanagers. I've seen only one other scarlet, so that was a real thrill. You can take a look here for more info. Scarlet Tanager
Then we headed on to Hendersonville, NC. It was such a wonderful feeling to head over that rise near the state line and see the hills swathed in blue mist rolling in the distance. Unfortunately, our trip had to be aborted due to the elevation. Hubby commenced having significant chest pains and we were gone in less than forty-eight hours. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement, but given the circumstances there was no choice. We knew this situation was a possibility but we were so in hopes that he could handle anything up to about 3,000 feet. Didn't happen. So, it looks like any future travels will be at low altitude.
On our way home, we detoured through southeast Alabama to see my niece who was home visiting her folks. She has always been a special child to me. Starting when she was about three, every time I'd come home, she would be at the airport curled up against the glass wall waiting for me to walk into the gate area. That was a great sight to see. Now, she's got three boys of her own, one going into his sophomore year in high school. My, how time does fly.
This time of year three years ago, hubby and I were in Kenai, Alaska at the confluence of the Kenai River and Cook Inlet. It was a unique place, with some unique architecture. They served very good food in that cobbled together building, too.
It had been rainy, cloudy and blustery all day, but about 11 p.m., a break occurred in the clouds and the sun burst through. We grabbed our jackets and a camera and ran outside. It was one of the most glorious spectacles I've ever seen. The whole sky and landscape were bathed in gold.
Just across the way from the RV park was a Russian Orthodox Church which is beautiful at any time, but was especially so with that golden light washing over it.
The salmon were running and the dip net fishermen were out in force. I was fascinated by that whole process and wanted to be out there with them so bad! That privilege is reserved for Alaska residents only, with permits being granted based on the size of the family.
It was simply breathtaking to see folks bring in fish after fish simply by standing the nets on edge and waiting until something swam into it. Since the salmon had to enter the Kenai River at this very point, it was easy to catch them this way.
Y'all take care.
I’ve switched to using Windows Live Writer to draft my posts to see if I like it better than posting direct to Blogger. I get frustrated with the fonts because I will choose “large” and when the post shows up, there it is in “normal”. Having reached that certain age, I want to read things easily!! It looks nice sized right now while in draft form, but we'll see when it posts. Please forgive the oddities while I’m tinkering around.
Hrmmppp-- Writer didn't work worth a hoot. Back to the drawing board unless I learn better.
I think the dog days of summer arrived early this year. It is a few days into summer and feels like it should be the end of July or August. We are very dry here. We have gotten only bits of rain for a very long time. Early last week we got a half inch and are grateful. I think my brother got some rain today from the looks of the radar. His corn fields, hay fields and pastures were/are almost beyond hope. He’s already sold part of his cows because of the lack of grazing and is buying hay to feed the remainder, plus their horses. I sure hope that he gotten some rain – enough to do some good anyway.
I actually went to the grocery store a few days ago. Hubby does that most of the time. I got the idea while there to attempt to imitate a feta-pesto spread we had a couple of weeks ago.
I think it turned out fabulously! Such a lively, bright color and taste.
I was on a fruit kick that day, obviously, as I came home with these two jewels also, along with some nectarines, bananas, plums and strawberries!! Gracious, you’d think we ate healthy or something!
My friend, the Birdlady, made a Tomato Pie and brought it to us yesterday morning. Talk about fabulous and tasty! She had fresh tomatoes from the farm stand and used Paula Deen’s recipe. Y’all ought to try that one.
Well, let’s see how this new-fangled method works for posting.
Y’all take care.
It's one of those days when my mind is wandering and jumping from one subject to the other. Hubby isn't feeling well right now and it makes me so sad to see him this way. And, it is so hard for us to deal with the limitations that a chronic illness imposes. We have tentative plans to go away for a few weeks later in the summer, but it will all depend on how he is feeling. Some time ago, I had a moment of insight and realized that all our years of the ability and means to travel as we chose were leading up to this time when our travels are limited. I am grateful for all those privileges, of course, but being human I can't help but want them to continue.
My stepson and his family were down for a visit. They stayed over at the beach rather than with us, and it was definitely for the best.
Having two rambunctious toddlers around 24/7 would have
been more than hubby or I could have handled.
And, then there would have been the two adults and two teenagers, as well.
Just now, there were five bluejays under the feeder. I grabbed the camera but before I could get to the window, most of them flew up and away. There are also skirmishes between the cardinals and bluejays for feeding rights.
Today, the squirrels have been rather reserved. On some days, though, they are truly like a circus what with chasing, tumbling and turning up, down and round the trees and back yard. We can count up to seven of them at a time back there.
Y'all take care.
One of my gal pals from the quilting retreat was at the beach last week and we got together for a day. We went to the quilt show in Mobile, Alabama. As usual, I was amazed by some of the quilts on display there.
I have never made a log cabin block quilt but I know they can be arranged in many ways to create very unique quilts. At this show, however, was probably the most unique design I've ever seen for a log cabin block.
At first glance, you would NEVER guess this was a log cabin. But a closer look proves otherwise.
It is very hard to see here, but when you look at it closely there are the strips.
Coordination of colors and placement are everything in making this quilt. In this block, the yellow strips are double the width of the red dotted strips. Totally amazing is the only way to describe it.
Here is another quilt made with a log cabin variation. A stunning design, made even more special by the use of these fabrics.
Our weather here on the coast has been unseasonably hot for a while now, and we are terribly dry. We need rain desperately but none of the few pop-up thunderstorms move over our house to leave any rain.
It's blueberry picking time again and since hubby has eaten all the ones from last year, we had to pick more for the freezer. This time, I made him come with me.
Together we picked about 28 pounds. Took me forever to get them washed, dried and then flash frozen in small batches to put in the freezer. I really should get another 6 or 8 pounds but I don't know if I'll make it back up there or not. It is just under an hour's drive to the blueberry farm.
Y'all take care.
