Sitting and relaxing

 I'm not good at sitting still.  If I'm busy, I stay pretty happy.  

I got the hand pieced quilt in basted and in the frame.  I've started quilting, but I have lost my quilter's callous and can only quilt for short periods, then my finger needs a rest.  I can feel it toughening up, tho.  

Not planning anything complicated on this one.  Circles in the circles, squares in the squares, and baptist fans in the border.  Lots of echoing.  But, you never know.  I was just sitting here looking at it and thinking about what to do and had a great idea for some holly leaves and berries.  My stitches started out pretty large, but I'm down to a small stitch now.  And, I've got my rocking motion back.  If you've ever hand quilted, you know what I'm talking about.  This is my second hand pieced, hand quilted quilt.  The first was an appliqué quilt and I got the idea to hand assemble and quilt it.  I hurt my hand working on that one and haven't done any serious hand quilting since.  It was named Every Stitch by Hand and I keep thinking of this one as Every Stitch by Hand, the Christmas Edition.  Still enjoying this little quilt.  But, when I started making these drunkard's path blocks, my hand piecing was not that good and I wish I'd double checked and remade some of them when I picked this project up again.  No one will ever know but me.  But, I know and that's enough :)

I picked this little basket up in Goodwill about a hundred years ago.  I wanted to use it as a trash can.  It's about 8" tall and about that in diameter as well.  You can see why this would not make a very good trashcan.  

I've been using a very narrow trash can, not much taller than this, and it's hard to get thread to fall into it.  After cleaning up the thread ends from the floor the other day, I decided to make a liner.  This probably isn't my last liner, but it's doing the trick for now.  

I used the leftovers from this project.  I needed a temporary cover for the chair in the studio.  Bella lays there all day, every day while I work.  I needed something that she could sleep and scratch on without damaging the upholstery and that I could toss in the wash to get the dog hair off of.  

I really need to change that pillow, don't I?

This week's garden pics are about the creatures instead of the plants.  

When I'm in the yard, I see leaves jump and move and I know it's one of these geckos.  They are plentiful in the garden and watch me, just like this one is.  Just waiting and watching.  When I'm watering, they follow the hose, drinking water droplets in my wake.

This hummer and I had a stare down.  I was apparently too close to the feeder and he got right in front of me and just hovered there, looking at me until I took three large steps back, and then he went to the feeder.  I've never gotten hummers before, but this year, I have a pair of black chin straps.  I've tried and I own more feeders than I should admit to, but I've never really been successful until this year.  

This is a red dragonfly.  According to the internet, they're pretty common in parts of Europe, but this is the first one I've ever seen.  It landed on a stick just a little bit away and stayed there long enough for me to get this picture, then it was gone.  

The plumbago is finally blooming.  Poor 'bago.  I nearly killed it last year by letting a large shrimp plant overgrow it.  Over winter, I divided and moved that shrimp and was able to share one with Rob and one with a neighbor.  But, I wasn't sure whether I'd saved the plumbago or not.  then, it started to come up and after a long wait, I'm getting a consistent, tho sparse bloom.  Better luck next year.  

It's so hot out.  Over 100*F every day.  I can hardly stay out there past 9:30 anymore.  And, I have watering chores every day.  But, soon it will be October and everything will be fine again.  

Everybody have a great week!  Rob and I are both off.  We're getting the house ready for the work we're having done.  There are old cables and wires and nails and all manner of stuff that needs to be removed because we don't want it painted over.  And, I have a list of other things I want to do.  Saturday, I spent most of the day hand quilting.  Sunday, I spent most of it in the kitchen, baking bread and chocolate chip cookies and rearranging things.  Now that it's just me and Rob, I'm using smaller pots and pans...yes, I know it's been over a year since Syd moved out...and I've gotten tired of reaching over things to get to the things I'm using, and double tired of reaching over things to put the things I'm using away.

Stay safe.  Wear a mask.  If Ruth Bader Ginsburg can continue to go to work to help save the nation, everybody can wear a damn mask and do their part to save it, too.    

Lane