Time for Another Post

Sometimes I just need to jump in and start.  I've been feeling bad that I haven't updated this for a while.  I look at it like writing in a journal and my journal writing has always been sporadic.  I hate to write when life isn't going well because I don't like being that person who complains all the time.  Life has been good, so that's not my excuse.  I'm not making excuses, I'm just adding another post.

We spent a great deal of time on the road this year.  I've put over 10,000 miles on my new bike since April and we had a great time  The Honda is a lot more comfortable and fun on the road than the Suzuki was.  When we traveled in the past, once we were checked into a hotel for the evening I was loathe to get back on the bike for anything.  Now I don't mind running out again for dinner or other supplies.  It was a big decision to get this new bike, but I don't regret it for a moment.

I don't do a lot of crafting while we are on the road.  I used to carry some small hand work with me, but found that I'm usually too tired at the end of the day (especially when we're on the bikes) that I can only muster the energy to do some reading or watching TV.  So, there hasn't been a lot finished lately.  

I looked at the projects piling up and decided to start working on something else just to get to a 'finish'.  This picture of the Nubble Lighthouse in Maine was a Row-By-Row kit I bought last year.  It will eventually be a piece of a larger, marine themed quilt whose idea is still forming in my head.  Yes, it's not a total FINISH, but this block is done and the design for the rest of the quilt is started and moving forward. 

This block is the first border for Ladies of the Sea.  I worked on this all summer and most of the fall.  I'm happy with it with the exception of the light pink tulips.  I'm hoping with pop more when quilted.  Basically, I'm not much worried about it and will not change it (I think.)

I was feeling restless about not having a completed project for so long, so I put together a pair of socks.  I bought a small skein of black and used the left overs from two other socks to create the color stripes.  I wanted to use up some scraps and practice my color changes.  I did knot the colors together because I don't trust my weaving in the ends to hold everything together.  The knots aren't visible and don't bother me when I'm wearing them, so I may just keep up this practice.




I have been working on hand quilting the iris quilt.  I had the hoop in my sewing room, but found that I only worked on it a few hours a week.  Since I would like to have this completed by the end of the year (an arbitrary deadline) I moved the hoop and stand to the family room and work on it in the evening when we watch TV.  This way I'm getting a few hours a night work done.  I'm not positive that I'll get it done by year's end, but I'll be a whole lot closer than if I had kept it in my sewing room.  And it helps to keep me warm in the evening.

We had a good crop of wild turkeys in the neighborhood this year.  Last week we counted a flock of 26 strutting around.

Happy Thanksgiving!