Friday Finish!

 

I finally finished a piece I started, made with one of my patterns, Catch of the Day. I made them for punch needle or rug hooking, but most work with stitchery too. I like to have simple things to do at night, while I watch tv and during the day I try to work in my room with the machines and prepping pieces. I really need to start pulling out all the old and unfinished projects, a few that I really want to finish for summer.

We are finally getting some nicer days. Bill had an early appointment this week, so he took the day off and we headed to the beach. The tide was lower, than usual and it was good for Bean to get out again.

At another beach, I walked along the length to the rocks. When the tide is super low, I can walk over the cliff area to another area, on the other side. Lots of rocks in this area, looking down to town. I wear heavy winter hiking boots, so it makes it easier to walk on the rocks.

I have been looking for glass and beach treasures, when we go out. Not as much with the strong tides, but here are a few things I have found, from a couple of trips. 

I hope everyone had a nice week and can enjoy some nicer weather. I do see that some of you are in the storm's paths for tornadoes, so my prayers are with you all.

Working on and mini vacation time!t

 This has been quite a week, twice as much work with the clean up and then repacking everything, along with cooking for the trip. I made up a big pot of goulash so all I have to do is heat it up and a salad, as well. Unfortunately, the day we left, I woke up sick. So not sure if it was from cleaning the mice mess or something else, but it means less activity. I really love to paddle in the cove and ride around the park, so hoping by tomorrow I can feel good enough to do more. The bad thing is, a big storm is heading our way, so hopefully the worst of it stays north and we just get a few hours of it.

Last week for a break, I decided to use up some of my boho style fabrics for a quilt. I need a long twin for the guest bed and thought it would be a fun way to use up those fabrics and make a light quilt for summer.

This is the layout I made with them. I saved all the scraps and plan on sewing them into small strips and running that around the edge.

After I lay them out, I stack them up, from left to right in order and tag each row. This way I can sew them next week and not loose track of where the go. 

Our campsite is nice, right on the cove. Plenty of space between the campers so we can sit and relax. We have had some sun and lots of fog. A view of the cove from the boat launch.

The lighthouse is down the road, so we go there for walks and at the fishing beach. Lots of fog, but beautiful.

On the way out I spotted this beautiful warbler. 

Today we walked at Black point. It has a nice path along the rocky coast, with spots to go down to. The tide was coming in strong, so it was nice just to sit and watch them.

It ends at the site of old ruins from an estate and the beginning of a state beach. 

We did quite a bit in a few days, more walking than I normally do and yes, I get get exhausted being sick, but well worth it. A fun shot I took today was the Osprey nest. This pair always seems to find the weirdest things to put in their nest. This time I spotted a large plastic mesh bag, the type you might put clams or potatoes in. 

And at camp, we walk in the back camping area. Not sure why, but they have it closed off, so no campers but lots of bunnies. It is peaceful without people and more critters are hanging out there. 

So, that is some of my week. I took lots of photos today, but too tired to do them all, but a good tired. Tomorrow we shall see how the weather goes, but we are nice and cozy in the camper, so I can work on my small quilt project or work on some sketches. I hope you all had a nice week and the weather was not too bad in your area.

Friday finishes!

 This week I worked at finishing my Easter quilt. This was a free pattern being offered on Cheri's Facebook page. They have kept it open in honor of Cheri and her family is gracious enough to let us use some of the older patterns.

I added the extra bird on the branch and lettering. The bad thing is, I used washed fabric and new and it shrunk in the front, not the back. The good thing is, no one can see the back, lol.

One day I wanted a quick project to do. I also wanted to try one of the animals in a kit I got, the bunny was perfect for now. I could not get a sharp photo, not sure why, but always seems to happen with felted pieces.

Last week we went for our usual ride around the ocean beaches. In one parking lot, I spotted this guy, he was really interested in this empty pack, not sure why he wanted it.

I also spotted a Peregrine Falcon, first time I got one, sitting still.

We also stopped at the dog beach, Bean loved getting out. He had teeth removed last week, and since he was feeling better, he was ready for some beach time.

Along the way, we spotted lots of Ospreys and got a few shots. The first one was in a parking lot and every time someone got out to walk in the restaurant, it had a fit. The last one is one of the tallest nests in the state.

One day we stopped by the kids to drop off a box. They were sick so I left it in the back, with some health remedies and goodies for the kids. On the way home we stopped at the park for a walk. The boardwalk was nice and easier for me to walk on. Someday when my foot heals, I want to walk the trail around the main pond.

Today we went to the island to enjoy some time outside, before the rains come tomorrow. Lots of seagulls in the area and others, so it was nice to enjoy walking on the beach and getting some warmer, fresh air.

I hope that everyone has a nice weekend, and not in the paths of the storms. It is sad to see all the devastation across the country and feel blessed to live in an area that is not prone to severe weather.

Friday Finish!

 I hope this post finds you all well and not affected by all of the storms and fires that seem to be taking over the country. We have had some rain, lots of wind and sun, so I can't complain. I had another bunny to do, so I finished that, this week. I went with more yellows and found a yellow ribbon with glitter in an old box of supplies. This one is for me, or Alex who is always stealing the little dolls I make. Of course, Grandma can never say no to the boys. 

Last weekend we did our drive around the ocean areas. We went to one that has a boat launch and there area always birds around. In the photo montage you can see the launch at the bottom and the birds out in the water, that was only a few of them, there were hundreds. The rest were in the breachway, catching things that went out with the tide.

And here are some of the others, fishing in the breachway.

We also went to the island, always nice to walk a little on the beach and enjoy the wildlife and views.

Today it was windy, so we just went for a ride and a little walking on the beaches. We like to take Bean one day so he can have some fun. On days we stop in shops, he has to stay home. Today it was too windy to be out, too long, but the cove beach was a little calmer.

I hope you all have a nice weekend and can enjoy getting out and exploring your area. If you use Google maps, you might be surprised to find parks and sanctuaries that may be near your area.

Friday Finish!

This week I wanted something new to do but something that didn't take too much work. I decided to remake a bunny from my Bunny Buddies pattern. This time I went with bright and fun, using old scraps and floss from the ones I got for the kids to make bracelets. It is also a bit larger than the others, so a fun piece to decorate with. I actually made it for my sister, who is going through medical problems and I wanted to make her something happy to cheer her up. She had asked for some when I first made them, so I hope she likes this new version.

I added the background and the pink bow with photoshop AI. I still have to get out to the craft store to get some pink ribbon before I send it. I have a link to my patterns on the left side column.

Last week I wanted to go back to find the elusive rare bird. We didn't see it, but on the way back out, we saw a bunch of cars and cameras pointing toward the field. It took me awhile to find it, but finally with the help of others, I was able to catch it in the back field. This is a Northern Lapwing, usually found in Europe and Asia. 

We also spent time at the beach, where Bean can enjoy some play time and I can enjoy the views and birding.

Lots of Common Eiders this year.

At home, more birds are leaving and our regulars will be returning. I seem to have a new visitor, a Red Squirrel. This one is a new one, it is living in the neighbors yard and I usually spot two of them, running around the wood piles.

I am still unable to walk much. Today it was shopping in my light hikers but it killed my foot, so no walking on the beach. We have beautiful weather this weekend, so I hate that we can't get out for hikes. With the cooler temps it is perfect to be in the woods and bug free. I hope everyone is doing well with the bad weather conditions that come through. 

Friday Finish!

 

Since I never got a chance to do any drawing at camp, I decided to whip up a stitchery from one of my photos. There are so many birds at camp, but most are hard to catch. I happened to spot a group of Goldfinches and caught one who sat for a few seconds.

I decided to make a stitchery from a photo I too, which you can see in the photo below. It is not as detailed, but perfect for a little pillow sachet. I would like to do more ideas with my photos and add sayings to them, for patterns.

During our walk, we saw a lot of birds and critters. The area is beautiful and even though the camp is full, the back areas are quiet.

I also got to paddle one day. I went under the bridge and around the corner, I spotted two Green Herons. 

And in the inner cove, an Osprey was hanging out on a post. We got a lot of walks in and even on the rainy day, we had breaks so we walked in the cove, during low tide. Bean loved that, could walk for miles and never go over our lower legs. This week we are resting, catching up around the house and planning our next trip. We want to take a week and head north, so not sure yet. I hope everyone had a good week and enjoying the cooler fall weather.

Friday Finish!

 

I had big plans to finish my quilt, but that didn't happen. Instead I spent most of the week with a sinus infection and joint pain, so I rested a lot. Since I can't stand just sitting, I worked on another quilt I had prepared for quilting, so did some hand quilting.

Then I found this cute design and it made me smile, so I had to make it. It is an old design that I found on Pinterest. A design by Sami's Stitcheries and was offered as a freebie. You can still get the pattern download on Box.

Last week we got out for a ride before the rains came. We took Bean with us, so stopped at a few places to enjoy the views and let him enjoy some outdoor time. I always love the views from the Breachway, the waves were crashing.

Then we went to the dog beach, and Bean got to play off leash and made a new friend.

At the end of the beach, sits this house with a lighthouse. It is a private home and a place I would love to live.

Before we left I went to the marsh side and tried to catch a few birds I saw in the bush. Then I spotted this guy. Of course, once he saw that I was taking photos, he took off.

On the way home we spotted the new couple, this one is lighter.

And this one is the darker one, both beautiful Red-tailed Hawks. This weekend we have more rain coming in, but it should be overnight, so that won't be so bad. It does make it hard to get out hiking, since most of the trails we hike, are in swampy areas. I hope you all have a nice weekend and not stuck in the storms path.

Friday Finish!

 

Well, I finished my quilting, but then I got sick and it affects my joints, so I wasn't up to trimming and adding the binding, so that will be next week. Since I was down for the day, I decided to make up some simple stitcheries. I cannot just sit, I need to keep my hands busy and it keeps my mind off my misery. 

I took some old designs I had from Robin of Bird in the Hand Primitives. I had done these in punch needle but they work for stitchery too. The boy bunny has always been my favorite. A fun project to stitch in a day. You can still find some of her free patterns on her blog.

We got out over the weekend. We took a ride to Mystic village to check out a few stores but nothing good. I did enjoy watching the ducks in the pond.

Then we rode around the old routes and visited a preserve. It was a short walk and had an old cemetery. This grave was sitting by itself, a sign of the times.

Another day we did the ride around the back roads along the ocean areas. I spotted this Merganser at one spot.

And this Mockingbird was kind enough to sit for a pose.

At one area I spotted a little bird and grabbed a shot before he flew away. It was a Yellow-rumped warbler. Sometimes I can't tell what type of bird they are, until I see the full photo and can see the details, so always a treat. On the way back home I spotted a Red-tailed Hawk in a tree, so stopped for a photo and just as we started up, I saw another a few trees up, so I guess they are mates.

I hope everyone enjoyed their week and hopefully this weekend. We have rain tomorrow, so we are having the kids over for dinner and a little party for my son's birthday. Hopefully Sunday will be nice enough to get out a bit.

Weekly Wanderings!

 

This week went by fast and we got out to enjoy some nice weather and a few rainy days. I have been working on my quilt and hopefully, it will be finished next week.

We got out to the island for a walk around the lighthouse after the rain stopped, so it was a nice way to get out and walk on the road and stay out of the wet grass. Always beautiful views and lots of birds.

We also went to the beach a few times, but the tide was always high, so not as much to find, just cool walks on the beach.

Even with high tide, walking along the edge, I find a few things that get thrown up. A large piece of pottery was a big find, it even has the rounded handle on it. I am thinking it was a bean pot.

At home, my feathered friends are alway a delight to see and the bunnies are out more this season.

And the local turkeys showed up and showing off their brood, quite a few this year.

And today we had the boys for the afternoon. We took them on our boats to a little island in the local cove. They loved being able to swim and a picnic on the beach. It was too windy to go to the point, but we were able to paddle a bit in the inner coves to show them the wildlife. Alex found out why you don't lean over in a boat, he and Bill went over, sure wish I had a photo of that, lol.

The kids came over for dinner and finished staining our porch, so now I can do the finish work and put it all back together. I hope you all had a nice week and enjoy the holiday weekend.