weekend wanderings . . .

Busy weekends and busier weeks (gearing up for our annual meeting at work) make for longer gaps between posts.  But I am pleased to note that I've surpassed last year's number of posts by five, with this post.  It's the little things, right??!

Todd and I did make time to take the boat out this past Friday. It was the first time I'd been out on our boat since prior to the surgery. I'd missed it ... but I was a little anxious about it, too.  Turns out I had nothing to worry about . . . except how many hexies I could baste up while Todd fished. What do you know?  Sunshine on my shoulder really *did* make me happy! (Thanks, John Denver.)

You can just make out one of my four shoulder surgery scars ... he glued them closed, so they're faint and hard to see, which also makes me happy.  ;)

It was a lovely day, and Todd had launched in a place I'd never been before, below the dam (Lake Guntersville). 

You can see the dam from behind us. It's pretty impressive and the launch is fairly easy. We Todd wanted to fish the bluffs, so that's where we headed.

Easily 100' or higher. But you can see where the fish were running the minnows! 

It was pretty exciting. Todd thought so especially . . . 

His final tally of the day was about 26. Mostly strip and spots.  It'll make good eating either way.

My final tally of hexies was 24 . . .

So I guess he won!  LOL!

But I was the one spotting all the waterfowl (and friends) as we tooled around and explored . . .

These buzzards (sitting on the rocks) were all hanging out for something we could smell but couldn't see. LOL!

Caught this heron mid-flight.  They were all over the place

And then we sited not one, but TWO bald eagles! Pretty cool.

Mid-afternoon, a small summer shower came up fast on us . . .

We rode it out and then enjoyed a really lovely afternoon.

About as pretty as can be!

Saturday morning I had a guild workshop ... which I'll (hopefully) share more about later.  I got home just in time for second half of the Alabama vs. Texas A&M game. It was a fairly comfortable game by this point, so I could sit (relatively) quietly and prep my next set of hexies . . . the last set . . . my yellows!  Roll Tide!  :)

After getting them all clipped, I even got a few basted.  The rest were my slow stitching for today.

I've got about a dozen more to baste, and then it's on to whipping them together.  I've really got to decide how I want to go about doing this.  I'm thinking I'll whip up the individual flowers, by color, first, and then put them together.  And I've finally settled on a name for this piece.  FINALLY!

Linking up to Kathy's Quilts Slow Sunday Stitching and the HeLP post over at Sarah Did It!

Have a great week ahead!

:)

furrrrrightened felines . . .

All the time I've spent with grands at Joc's house this past week has been *great* for me -- and great for the kiddlies, too.  One who has not really enjoyed the heightened level of toddler/baby activity in her home was this one:

Leia quickly realized that while this spot put her at a relatively safe distance from Ellie and June, Sawyer has a bit bigger reach (and climbing capacity).  At one point she backed into this space:

Yes ... she's cowering in the corner.  A self-proclaimed time-out.  Unfortunately, Sawyer didn't understand that she was in time out.  I think she made a run for the steps after that.  Still not safe.  The funny thing is, she could totally leave and hide . . . but she likes to be where the people are!  Silly cat.

Speaking of silly cats, I came across this clip on facebook yesterday and it's such a HOOT!  

I love how the music plays *perfectly* the funky kitten movements!!  Linking up to Sarah Did It! and Feline Friday!!  

Wrapping up the week, I am still adding things to my CQ block.  My monogram was looking a little lost in its space, so, with the ingenious advice of my darling man, I added the white stitching in the patch.  Now it looks rather like it's sitting on a trellis, which perfectly fits the 'garden theme' of the block!  It also really helps the "D" stand out a little better.

I also added a lace flower motif down there in the bottom (it's transparent and sparkly, so it's a little hard to see in the photo).  Three butterfly charms will go on this afternoon and then it's just waiting for the ribbon to come in. I've tried to crop it to where the seams will be for the rollup.  I think I could just frame this and hang it!  LOL!

I also got word that my doll quilt swap partner for February received her little piece in the mail, so I can share pics of that . . .

It was such fun to do!  And I totally adore that fabric.  It was from my trip to Hammer's during the retreat.  Can you believe it?  Less than $5 a yard?!?  I may go back and get more.  The theme for February was "Something I Love" -- I think this little piece perfectly says chocolate raspberry Dove bar.  LOL! 

Anyone out there do any smocking?  I've got a friend who's willing to sell me her mother's pleater for a very reasonable price.  Joc and Kim are both hot for me to learn and pump out the smocked dresses for the girls!  To be honest, I'm rather hot to learn it as well!! 

I'm off for the weekend ... we're catching up with MSC (mission service corps) missionaries from all over the state of Alabama this week.  Should be fun!  

Yay for Fridays!!!

:)