Another week!

 Lately it seems I can never get enough done in a week and all the plans I had, went out the window. I haven't had as much time to work on projects, but slowly working on my stitchery.

We have gotten out for walks, the pond is our favorite place. Always a nice walk and lots of critters to enjoy along the way. Today we took the boys to the pond, for a short walk. They got to see one of the turtles and loved watching it swim around. For some reason the turtle was just as interested in them and kept swimming up and looking at them. Even the smaller one was coming up and looking at them.

After we went to the beach and I had fun, swimming with the boys. Bill took the photo from his chair on the beach, so a bit grainy.

Nick wanted a photo that I could send to him. He found a board on the beach and made a bench, for us to sit on. 

I hope everyone had a nice week and improved weather. We finally have nice days without the humidity, so it is great to get out again.

Friday Finish!

 

While on vacation I couldn't resist getting a few things at the quilt store. One item was a pattern by Patch Abilities. This was a fun one to do and I was able to have something new to add to a wall, that needs a few things. 

I didn't follow the pattern exactly, but I never do. I added some glitter thread in the light for fun and a flower box window on the building. 

Today we finally got out of the house and went for a walk. It has either been too hot or too smoky to be outside. Today we had a break and it wasn't too hot for a short walk at the bird sanctuary. Lots of birds and critters and we had fun standing on the deck and watching 3 snappers, two were males competing for the female.

The Green Heron flew by and landed in the tree.

We also spotted two young Red Bellied Woodpeckers.

It was nice to get out and hopefully we can do more this weekend. It is hard in the summer with all the tourists, and the beaches reach capacity early in the day. I hope everyone is doing well and not stuck in the smoke zone, it is horrid here, so I cannot imagine being in areas with the thicker smoke.

Friday Finish!

 

This week I made up another batch of rocks. I also started a project I should have done before we leave. Then I got Kathy Schmitz's new designs to do Christmas projects. I wanted something to do at camp, in case I ever sit still and relax. Usually at night I work on the photos I took, so I may do some sewing, but hopefully I will be outside, exploring and enjoying the area.

Some of these are from the previous rocks, I took a photo of them together. 

Last week we took a walk at the bird sanctuary. We walk to one end that has a deck, to enjoy the views.

Then across to the other end, with another deck and views of the Osprey nest. They definitely enlarged it more. I couldn't if they had any young yet.

Today we walked around the lighthouse. It has been really hot, so we kept it short. The breezes at the point were so refreshing.

The sailboats were racing around the island, so it was nice to watch them. I thought this one had a unique sail.

And a big ship was coming in. We also went to the beach so Bean could play in the water. 

This week I have a lot to do, to get ready for the trip. The last two days will be cooking. With my allergies, I have to make sure I have plenty to eat, but I do wish I could eat out. We may try a local lobster place that has outdoor seating, then Bean can come and sit with us. 

I hope everyone had a nice week and not affected by the storms. I am hoping for cooler weather in Maine so I can do more hiking and bike riding. Way too hot here, to do that. 

Friday finish!

 I finally decided what to do with my bible block. It is from the Bible quilt by Jan patek. I planned on making the whole quilt, but never had the time, so I decided to make the block into a mini quilt. Since it is primitive, I wanted to antique it, as well. I haven't pressed it out, so it looks a bit wonky.

Last week we spent time, riding around the south coast. It was cold as usual, so riding is a great way to get out and enjoy the views. We spotted the Osprey near the seafood restaurant, still waiting for his mate.

And another along a back road.

This week, his mate came in.

Today was a hike at the bird sanctuary. It was a cloudy day with fog rolling into some areas, but I always love walking in the cooler temps. As we walked we could hear all the Ospreys flying around. A lot were hanging out in trees along the pathways.

 

Most didn't like us walking in their area and let us know.

Nearer the ocean, it was foggier. The old timers, still haven't built a nest on the island. Most of the others repaired or built new ones, all destroyed by the winter storms.

And the Swallows were flying around us and claiming their nesting boxes.

And the best surprise was spotting an Eagle in the field. He was carrying a stick, so he is nesting nearby. Tomorrow we will get another nice day, but cold coming back in the afternoon, so hopefully we can get out for an early hike. Then I need to get the side dishes made up, so all I have to do is reheat them. 

I planned on doing a treasure hunt with clues for the boys, but they are saying rain on Sunday. I will have to rethink it to do one in the house, with the last clue telling them where their treasure bag is.

May you all have a blessed Easter holiday.

Friday Finish!

 

This week I finished a Thanksgiving piece. I needed something for the holiday, for the front entry area and this was perfect. The design is by Cheri Payne and a fun one to do. 

Last week We went for a drive to see if we could find some fall foliage. Not as much yet, but we did find a few spots with splashes of color. The first stop was a reservoir with a dam, but with less rain, less water coming down. It was still beautiful though.

We took a walk along the path to the old bridge. 

Our next stop was Old furnace park, across the border in Connecticut. It is a bit of a climb up to the cliffs, but worth it for the view.

There are more trails that run along the side of the pond, so we took a walk part way to enjoy the views.

The next day we took the boys out. We took them to the bird sanctuary for a shorter walk on the pond side. They enjoyed walking along the paths.

And seeing all the critters along the way.

And we spotted two Praying Mantis along the paths. Love the look this one was giving me. It is always fun to explore with the boys and good to get them away from their electronics. 

This weekend we have a storm coming in and of course I seem to have gotten a flu from them, so taking it easy for a few days. I hope this finds everyone well and enjoying the cooler fall weather.

Weekend Wanderings!

 

This week we have been busy, getting out and trying a few new places and some old. On Sunday we went to the bike path so I could try a ride. The ride runs along some inlets and end at a beach. It was a nice ride, but I think I need more strength before I do any long rides.

We stopped at another inlet before heading home and I caught a Snowy Egret and a Great Egret, wading for fish.

Yesterday we went to Newport and hiked at the Norman Bird Sanctuary. They have several trails and one took us uphill, along a rocky cliff. Great views and a deer we spotted in the gardens.

Today we went back to the sanctuary and tried a new path. It paralleled the other, but much higher. It came to a high point with a narrow rock, that dropped on both sides. No way was I going across that, so we need the path there. There are a lot of birds there, but most take off, the minute I go to take a shot.

After that, we headed to the next sanctuary. Sachuest Refuge is on a point, surrounded by the ocean. It was a nice walk with cool breezes.

Also a great place for birding. Most are high up or further into the bush, but a few sat still long enough for a shot.

A few more birds and a deer that was hiding in the bush, when I came around a corner. On the way out, we saw a man stop and start feeding this little bird. The bird started following him as he walked away, I wish they would come up to me like that, lol.

And a nice surprise this week. I spotted 3 babies, the House Wren had a good year. My whole yard sounds like a bird nursery, the babies make quite a racket. I hope everyone is having a good week. We have one more good day and then possible storms coming in. I am hoping they hold off till the afternoon so we can get out more. Tomorrow will be a paddle day, so we shall see where the day takes us. 

Friday Finish!

 I am still working on my charity quilts and I wanted a break from sewing, so I made up a halloween piece. I find that I can sit for hours while felting, so it is a good activity when I want to sit and rest. I always start with an idea and it comes out differently, but still fun to make and have something new for the season.

I also, finally, put my scrap quilt together, so now I just need a border and get it ready for quilting. This will be another hand project, I want the stitches to show and it should work up quickly enough, that I will have it ready for Christmas.

Last weekend we went for a few walks. The first was at our local bird sanctuary. Always a nice walk and lots of birds in the area.

A few views on our walk.

And a few of the wildlife, we saw along the way.

On the way out, we spotted a hawk, flying overhead.

And also flying overhead, were a group of World War II planes.

The next day we went to a park in Connecticut. A nice walk along the coastline with views of the ocean, along the way.

We spotted quilts a few groups of birds, who are resting on their way south.

And more shore birds along the way.

Lots of Monarchs, flitting about, gathering nectar for their trip south.

And quite a few dragonflies and bees, as well. Unfortunately we also ran into quilts a few mosquitos and I got bit, way too many times. It was a hot day, so to the best time to be in a swampy area.

Today we went to the island to do a little walking and glass hunting. It was a bit windy and cool, and the waves were higher in the inner bay, due to the hurricane, passing by. I found a few treasures and was delighted to see that the black piece I found was a cobalt blue piece.

I hope everyone had a nice week and plans for fun this weekend. A lot of the places we visit, are ones I found by using Google maps and exploring closely to find walks and parks in the area. See what fun things you can find to do, in your own backyard

Friday Finish!

 

This week has been slow with crafting. With a long weekend, I tend to wear down, so I rested and caught up on things around the house. I decided to paint some more rocks, to hide. They are fun to do and this way I will have some, each time we go out. I only hide a few at a time in different places, that way, one person doesn't find and take them all, that does happen.

I have been finding designs on the web, I browse Pinterest sites for ones that interest me and are not too hard to copy. 

I did make a mess of the kitty in the pot, his side hair is not in the right position, my brain went on hold for a bit. Not the best photo, the light makes them look wonky.

To enjoy some time in the nicer weather, Bill took Friday and Monday off. On the weekend we had one nice day and one rainy day. On Saturday we took a ride up state to see a Blue Heron Rookery. Not as many as I expected and the sun was directly in front of me, so I had to do a lot of editing to get a few decent photos.

This pair was fun to watch and the closest. He brings her sticks and she places them in the nest, doesn't look too comfortable.

And while shooting, they decided to get started on their family.

Sunday we got to the beach for a bit and Bean was happy he got to get out to his favorite place. We also went to the beach this afternoon. A bit cooler today and the wind was kicking up, and the tide was high, so we only had a small area to search in.

On Monday we went to Connecticut. I wanted to see a few places where the ospreys were coming in and visit a few parks along the way.

Our first stop was our last stop, we went to the river, where there is a boardwalk into an estuary.

At the end there is a higher platform to see the nests in the area. There were a few already nesting in the area. We also spotted a few in areas further down, it is a place I would like to get out and paddle, to get closer to the sanctuary area.

We also found another area for a hike and bird viewing. 

Our last stop, which is last since we went up and travelled back down, towards home, was at Rocky Neck Park. It is a large park with camping and picnic areas, a bird sanctuary and a beach. I would love to camp at their parks, but they do not allow dogs. 

A few views around the park.

A lot of birds in the inner marshes.

And to make my day, an eagle. I had decided not to take a ride around the river and do more hiking than driving or hunting for eagles. While I was shooting, I heard a commotion. A flock of birds was trying to chase another bird away. I had to take a few quick shots, but when I got home, I was able to see, it was a juvenile eagle.

I hope everyone had a good week and fun plans for the weekend.