Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Fledgling Follies

Ah, the antics of Spring. The latest fledgling class has graduated. Mrs. Swallow, Mrs Cardinal, and Mrs. Robin have been kicking the kids out of the nest this week. It has been a treat watching the swallows testing their wings, practicing loop-de-loops, and zooming around the yard. The young robins have been trying to catch bugs - without much luck, and the dads have been keeping a watchful eye out for the kids who haven't yet mastered the art of flight. (Note: the pictures are complements of the DH, and don't necessarily go with the stories.)

One young swallow was shoved out of the bird house and just fluttered around winding up panting in the grass. Dad swooped down, flopped the kid around trying to get him to flutter, I guess. Dad even flapped his wings in instructional mode. Eventually the kid made his way back to the nest. Whew.

There is a window right by my sewing station in the studio. It looks out under the deck onto an expanding bed of wild strawberries. The DH leaves them there for the birds. One day last week, a robin hopped into the strawberry jungle, and stuffed his face with dead-ripe strawberries. If he pulled on one that wouldn't easily come off, he'd let it go and keep looking. When he found a cluster of ripe ones, they were down the hatch in a flash. I think there's a life lesson in the strawberry patch. Wonder what it is....

News From the Studio


Snail Mail

Trumpet Vine
This is a project inspired by a Jenny Doan quilt called You've Got Mail. I finished the top except for the last border, 2 years ago! I finally got it done.

Tips and Techniques 


Wish I'd invented that


For years, I have whined about, and tried many alternatives to the problem of keeping binding up off the floor while applying it to my quilt. I even emailed one of the notions companies begging them to invent a winder that doesn't use electricity.

FINALLY, some one did!! I saw it in the latest Keepsake Quilting catalogue: The Easy Binding Winder.  Check out the video demo. The winder is available on Amazon prime for the same price as everywhere else.

Learning for the Week


Sadly, my ex-father-in-law passed away yesterday. I was not close to him, at all, but I had a real grief reaction, deep enough to surprise me. After thinking about it,  2 reasons for my reaction came up.

First, I have a real compassion for the ex, here. He is now an orphan. With both parents gone, the stability, support, and unconditional love they had for him is no longer available. He is now going to have to look to the rest of his family and his wife for the support he needs. I know nothing about his relationships now, and pray that they are all there for him and his brother. If you are an orphan, as I am, remember to cultivate close friends, mend any broken family relationships, and love unconditionally.

Second, there is a loss of some of the continuity in my own life. My ex-FIL had been my FIL for over 30 years. No matter what the relationship was between us, he is no longer present in the framework of my life. We need that sense of continuity. Somehow, it gives us a framework, a container, and frame of reference, for our lives.


Ok, enough serious philosophical musings. Y'all enjoy the week!
Now, let's go quilt something.