Is Fall Finally on the Way?

Yesterday and today have been absolutely glorious days!!  The sun is shining, the breeze is blowing and the sky is blue with few clouds.  I have the windows open and the curtains are gently moving with the breeze.  The hummingbirds are skirmishing regularly. 

Skirmishes underway.

It is hard to be inside doing things that I really need to get done.  I'm still working on the quilt tops for my siblings and finished another top today. 

The colors don't show well here, but they are much more vibrant and pleasing. 


A bit earlier, a murder of crows was carrying on something fierce in the back yard.  I dislike crows in my yard for their effect on the smaller songbirds, so I try to scare them away when possible.  I went out back and shoo them off but they were very persistent in hanging out next to a pine tree.  Finally, I got them to leave and was wondering what they were devoting so much time and attention to. 

See that big blob in the middle of that (unfocused) picture?   That's a fat raccoon, using our pine tree as his resting and napping place for the day.  Guess I'll be taking down the bird feeders tonight to assure that he doesn't find a reason to hang around.  They can do major damage to the feeders themselves.


I hope all of you are getting some better weather.  It is time.


Y'all take care. 

Gray Day Musings

It is a very gray, dreary day here in Florida.  We are in the outer bands of Tropical Storm Lee and have been getting rain sporadically for the last 48 hours.  I'm sure more will be coming over the next 48 hours or so.  We need every drop we can get, for we were in somewhat of a drought.  Nowhere near the scope of Texas, but there are lots of places in the Southeast that need rain badly.  


I have been working regularly on the quilts for my siblings.  I have three of the tops done and am putting the sashing and borders on the other two.

I had never used black in a quilt before but it does add such a pop to the other colors.  

Can't say that I'm terribly fond of this one but perhaps it will grow on me over time.


I am so happy to report that the hummers are back!  We have only ruby throated hummingbirds around here but they are so amazing.  Even in the rain, they will dart in and out to the feeders.  The fall migration is underway and I'm hoping that the weather patterns will change so that it is more comfortable to be out and about watching birds.  Late last week Birdlady and I went over to the Naval Live Oaks area.  We had abysmal luck and nearly melted in the high humidity.  We cut our trip very short and will try again another day.

We're spent the entire summer home, except for that fated week when we tried to go to Asheville.  Turned out the elevation there (2200 ft.) caused some difficulties for Hubby, so we had to cancel those plans.  Since it was hot all over the south, there was nowhere else we chose to go and just came home.  


We have used the time to get some new hurricane shutters and to have some other storm remediation work done on our house.  The old shutters were wood and it would have been almost impossible for me to install them alone, should the need arise.  The new ones are metal and the panels are much smaller and lighter.  Hopefully, we'll never have to see how they work!!  Our house is now thirteen years old so its time for some things to be replaced or upgraded.  We dread the thought of a new roof, but this one has not lasted nearly as long as we anticipated.  That will be our next big expenditure.  


The grass in our yard is improving slowly.  Back in the early summer, we had soil tests done and it was sorely lacking.  We added the recommended items and can see a difference.  We still are looking at either sod or seeding St. Augustine a bit later to help fill in where the centipede just doesn't do well.  There's not much that's attractive to look at these days except this little area. 

We are contemplating removal of that huge sago palm.  Isn't it the way that what you'd like to die continues to thrive and what you want to thrive just up and dies on you?  

Y'all take care. 

Blog Header Porch

I've had several people ask me if the porch shown on the blog header is my porch.  Alas, it is not.  It is from my favorite house in the world, however, even though I don't own it!!  If I could pick that place up and move it, I think I'd do it.  Hang the cost.  Or, build a new one that looks just like it but would have to do lots of scouting to find the old materials. 


Anyway, I dream of that porch.  Sitting on that porch is beyond wonderful.  Its way out in the country and is now actually a bed and breakfast/antique shop.  I love it and it portrays the perfect atmosphere I was looking for here. 


Thanks for asking about it.  (Oh, I do change pictures from one end of the porch to the other occasionally.  Yes, its that long and wraps around both sides of the house a ways.) 


Y'all take care.  

Stitching and Stitching Away

I've been a busy bee just sewing, sewing away.  I got the idea to make each of my siblings a quilt for Christmas and I've been working on the tops.  Got one top completed, the blocks made for two more but need sashing, and one more set of blocks to make.

 I can't say they are the most challenging projects I've ever attempted, but given the time frame, they'll have to do.  And I hope they will appreciate the effort.     


I already had one top made that I'm going to give my sister-in-law (deceased brother's wife).  Well, for some reason the photo is not uploading.  It's an unusual Christmas quilt in that the color scheme is turquoise, coral, lime green, etc.  But I think she'll like it.  


I'm sure hoping that we'll have a change in the weather soon.  I'm ready to spend more time outside and right now it just beats me up to be outside very long.  


Y'all take care. 













  

Squares and Welcome Visitors

Two or three weeks ago, I attended a workshop by Kim Brackett and commenced working on her quilt called "Island Chain".  I think this is by far the most difficult quilt I've ever tackled.  It will be lovely when finished, but, wheweeeeeee!!!  It truly did tax my brain something fierce when trying to lay this out right.  Even being diligent, I did have to rip out some seams and re-do them.  

Island Chain by Kim Brackett 

There were lots and lots of seams to be matched up.  Or at least I tried to match them up.  Did a pretty good job and it is good enough!!  Now, on to the borders.

I've been practicing some free motion quilting on my new machine. A quilting friend came over this week and showed me a few things.  Mostly, I think she just wanted to prod me along and "give me permission" to jump right in and do it.  I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about.  


We had a couple of early migrant birds this week.  A Black & White Warbler  showed up one day.  The very next day a  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher appeared in the same oak tree.  And, we've had a hummingbird visit our feeders several days.  Won't be long before there's a steady stream of migrants and the birdwatching will be good.  I'm really looking forward to that. 


Y'all take care. 

Twenty-One Years Gone

August 7, 1990 about noontime.  That's when I got the dreaded phone call telling me that Daddy had died due to a massive heart attack.  My sister-in-law's words were "Pack your bags.  We've lost Daddy."  Where have all those years gone? 

Paternal Great Grandfather

Paternal Grandparents 

Daddy with mules, Pat & Mike, 1934

Daddy and friend  mid 1950's

Daddy, early 1980's

Fall, 1986

My, how I miss him today.  


Y'all take care.  

First Hummer!

Late this afternoon we saw the first hummer of the fall migration at our house!!  Yippee!!   He didn't really stop but hovered long enough for me to see him.  


Now, to keep the windows clean and the camera handy. 


Y'all take care.