Friday Finish!

 

This week I have been working on hand quilting, on a cheater quilt for the fall. I am stitching around the designs, so almost half way done and should be done by next week. While camping we stopped at Herman Melville's house and museum. We didn't take the tour since we had Bean with us, but we were able to go in the gift shop. I got myself a whale cookie cutter and tried it out this week.

I decided to add a Christmas hat on him, for fun. Then I glued him to a small piece of driftwood. I did an AI background so the driftwood is thicker than it actually is. It was fun to try, but I think I do better when I freeform my pieces, cookie cutters have their limits.

This was Melville's home, where he wrote, Moby Dick. There are also fields and paths to walk on the property.

We got to go on another bike ride. This time we did the upper area, between two towns, so we enjoyed a quiet ride. It goes through a lot of wetlands, so we saw lots of critters in the ponds and marsh birds.

It also went through wooded areas and then along a river.

Another day we went to the Natural Bridge park. The natural bridge was formed by years of glacial melt.

And this bridge was built by man, roped off since it is dangerous now.

And while shooting photos, I noticed this strange formation, caused by the waters carving it out, over the years.

We did ride along the Mohawk Trail. There are a few stops with views of the mountains, nearby and you can see some of the ones in the surrounding states.

We spotted this sculpture, along the way. 

Another place we visited was an area called Greylock Glen. We found a beautiful waterfall, and also the park nearby. There are paths at the park and ones that take you to Mount Greylock, so we walked around a pond and enjoyed the mountain views.

Another place we visited was the Norad mill, which houses 3 floors of shops. We went to the pet store and Bean got a new toy and a bag of cookies. Then I went to the candy store and got the boys some treats.

It was a wonderful place to stay and the area has a lot to offer for outdoor adventures. We stayed at Mount Greylock campground, similar to a state park with spacious sites, but more amenities. 

I hope you all had a wonderful week and enjoying the fall weather.

A day late!

 

We had quite the week at Mt. Greylock. We packed a lot in, in a short time. Today we were up at six, and headed home by nine. A big storm was heading our way and we wanted to get ahead of it. Tonight we are getting hit with storms in our area.

I will show you a few photos from our first day. We went up the mountain, which is right next to our campground, so only a short drive to the park road. The ride up takes less than a half hour and has some beautiful view points along the way. Once on top, they have parking areas and a short hike to the monument on top. There are also trails, all along the way and this mountain is where the Appalachian trail, crosses over.

We had Bean and I wanted to climb to the top. We had to take turns since Bean couldn't handle going up the spiral staircase. It has 89 steps, so it was tough on my weak legs, but I made it. The tower is a memorial to veterans.

The views from the mountain are spectacular, you can see for miles and miles, into Vermont and New York. This was looking out  one of the windows at the top of the tower.

While there, a lot of wind sailers came to the cliff side, so we got to sit and watch them, as they took off. 

They were using the currents to fly around the mountain area. These guys has seats, attached like a suit, so they could be comfortable. According to the guy who was helping them get out, they go as far as they can and radio in when they land, to get a pick up. 

We also went biking. We got Bean a new trailer and he loved going on the bike path. The path goes for 12 miles, so we did it in sections. The paths go through wooded areas, along a lake and along wetlands. I loved riding there and wish we had a place like that. The paved trail is so much nicer since I can use my electric bike and get up hilly areas easier.

This was the path in a different area. This day, Bill left the roof open and Bean loved looking out. The problem was, he decided he wanted more room and chewed half of the front netting off, ugh. 

I forgot where we were on a ride back, since I tend to try different back roads. There are lots of farm fields in the area and in one, I spotted something unusual, so we stopped so I could take a photo. I had spotted Sand Hill Cranes, something they have spotted in Connecticut, but never seen myself. With the warmer weather, more are coming our way. With the way they are more mottled, I am assuming they are younger ones.

And to end the post, a sunset, seen from the ranger station. They say it is amazing to see from the top of the mountain, but no way was I going to the top and driving down that winding, narrow road in the dark. The sun was so bright, I could not get a photo, until it set.

I hope everyone had a wonderful week. I will post more photos from our trip, this week. I took some with the camera and some with the phone and they didn't all come through, till I got home. So I need to sift through them and pick my favorites.

Friday Scramble

 

This week I have been busy getting ready for a trip. With the holiday, I couldn't get anything on the weekend, so I set up a site on Monday for the week. I have been planning and packing, so have gotten a lot done and hopefully the weather will be nice, so we can do all the things I want. I did sew a few mittens on my new quilt, so that will have to wait till I get back.

We have gotten out for walks with cooler weather. We always love going to the island and the cooler breezes, always rejuvenate me. 

On the weekends, a couple sits along the road with a fun display for people to enjoy as they drive by. The Teddys are animated and wave, as you go by. The items are all Rhode Island staples and Bennys was a store we all loved, that closed years ago.

On the other side of the island, a view of a home on the cliffs. 

We enjoyed watching the boats and sail surfers at another beach. It is a great place to go for a variety of walks and views.

Today we went to the park for a walk. Along with enjoying nature, the Jazz festival had started, so we go to enjoy some music, as well. One fun thing to watch is, a Blue Heron who was on the hunt and caught a  fish, while we watched.

We saw a few shore birds, but it seems all the smaller ones have left the area.

In the cove were several Oyster harvesters. 

One thing I do before a trip is, look at the area on google to see what is in the area. I found a paved bike trail along a reservoir, perfect for me. The problem is Bean, he cannot ride a bike, so we bought him a bike trailer and now we can go enjoy riding the bike trails when we go on trips.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend. We are heading to the Berkshires in Massachusetts so next week will be more photos of our adventures.

Friday Finish!

 

This week I worked on another project to get through my patterns. This one is from a Simply Need'l Love book, called Scare the Crows. It was a fun project to do and a great way to use up more wool from my stash. 

Last week we spent time at the island, on the beach. The water was rough, so it was hard to swim, but fun to ride in the waves. Always something going on, on the water. A tug boat pulling a working barge up the bay.

A few sail surfers were out, enjoying the wind and waves.

Today we went for a walk at the bird sanctuary. The state beaches at the ocean were all closed, due to rip tides, so no swimming today. I spotted a friendly pair in the pond.

Lots of chipmunks were along the paths today.

And more turtles sunning on the rock. It was a nice day for a walk, but got hotter as we went along. Warmer weather coming in, so we can get back to the beaches and enjoy the last days of summer. 

I hope everyone had a nice week and enjoying the weekend. We want to get away but have to wait till after the holiday and my husband has to be back at work on the next Monday, so we will have to slip it in, between the holiday and the following Monday, so I need to decide where and what to do. 

Saturday finish!

 As usual, I get so wrapped up in so many things, I forgot other things, including doing my blog on Friday. This week I made a Christmas stitchery. It is an older design that was gifted to me and it was time to make it. The design is by Mulberry Folk Art. There were more stars on hers, so I cut back on those.

For the stars and snowflakes, I used glitter thread.

I enjoyed going to the lake with the boys and wanted to do a paddle, the next day. When we got to the launch, there was no parking left. We decided to head inland and go on a river paddle. 

It is a long river that goes under bridges and mostly state forest. We only saw a few people along the way.

We ended at the waterfall, where we usually land and rest, but it was running too fast for me to get to the top edge. So, we paddled back, which is going down river. Which was good, I was getting tired. I forgot how long the river was, we paddled for 7 miles and I am not in shape for that. I also forgot the lotion for my bare legs and got a good burn, so a week of sore muscles and lots of aloe on my legs.

At home, I am getting more of my regulars and a few new birds. Today I was delighted to see a House Wren with her young one. I also have a sparrow that seems to like to rest on the porch, especially in the heat. She found a nice place to keep cool.

I hope you all had a wonderful week. I also need to find a place for quality quilting threads at a good price. None of the stores here carry anything like Joannes had.

Working on Friday!

 

This week I started a stitchery, but still working on it. I am trying to do old patterns in my to do list and starting new ones. Since it is late in the season, I have decided to move to the holidays so maybe I can actually finish some things in time.

I had material that I love, and thought, why not make mitten blocks, using textured wools. So that is the next project I can work on at night, sewing the mittens onto the backing. I will use the mitten fabric and maybe the skates with mittens, as a border, still thinking on it.

Today we took the boys to the beach. It is the pond that we also camp and paddle at, but this time we went to the main beach. It was not crowded and the water was cool enough to enjoy, and there was a nice breeze. We also had a side, all to ourselves with tree shade, so a nice place to spend the afternoon. 

The boys loved playing in the water. This area is not as shallow as the launch area, but not so deep either, so perfect for them. 

I hope you all enjoyed your week. We have nice weather this weekend, so I plan on enjoying it, before the heat comes back in. 

Friday Finish!

 The past two weeks, I have been busy working on my sister's quilt. I wanted to get it done quickly so she can use it while she rests after treatments. I used two different packs of precut squares, so I didn't have to cut fabric. Then I made a top with an angel, hearts and a saying. The angel came from a Whimsical book and I added a few extra hearts and sayings. I also messed up on trimming down the top, so I added some borders.

After I got it all pieced, I decided to hand quilt it, so that I did this week. It is a bit eclectic with a primitive boho look. This weekend I need to make a label for the back and I found a nice saying to add to it. "Anytime you need a hug, wrap this quilt around you and feel my love." 

I also got mail from a fellow reader, Kelly Cole, who used one of my older freebie patterns to make a hooked piece. She hooked it onto a jean jacket, what a fun and clever idea.

We have been staying home more with projects that needed to be done. Then my son got sick after he was here and gave it to Bill who gave it to me. Seems I catch everything that is going around, luckily I fight them off and hand quilting kept me busy this week.

A lot of the birds are visiting now that the babies have left the nest. Our resident Cardinal is quite the character.

And a lot more Orioles are visiting, so I have to keep the jelly feeder full. This is one of their young.

And a few more shots of our visitors. I even got a Hair Woodpecker, the first I have seen, but too shy for a shot. I hope you all enjoyed your week and out of the heat wave. I am really enjoying the cooler hair and cool nights. 

Puzzles and birds!

 This week I have been working on my sister's quilt. I have it all together, so now I need to get it ready for quilting. I will be doing prim stitching on the top and then decide on whether to hand stitch or machine quilt, since I want to finish it, so I can get it to her. Now that Joannes is gone, I need to find a place to get discount threads. I always buy on sale days or with coupons.

Since I like to have something simple to work on and a brain break, I worked on a puzzle. I took advantage of prime day and got a good deal on a fun puzzle. 

Last week we got a walk in, at the lighthouse. It is always so much cooler on the island and I got to enjoy some birding. At the marsh I got to enjoy watching the new family. Both parents and two babies were in the nest. The parents were upset since someone was walking closer, from the beach area.

In another marsh, I caught a Great Egret. 

At home the Sparrows are on their fourth batch of babies. This time they had a couple and the babies are always hungry.

And in just one week, they have grown. This one was trying to cool off in the heat. It won't be long before they are out on their own.

I hope you enjoyed your week and have a good weekend. Hopefully I can get more time with my sewing and finish more quilts this year.