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.

This and that!

 This week I have been working on a new project and started another. Before we went on vacation, I wanted something I could work on. Of course I never did work on it, but at home, it is a nice project to work on, a bit at a time, since it will take me a while to finish. It is one of the designs from Kathy Schmitz's Merry Minis Workshop. It comes with 100 designs and several patterns you can make with them.

My problem was, my freezer paper did not stay put, so my design was traced badly, but I fix things as I go. It is in one color, but I am adding a bit, here and there, to give it more pop. I also plan on adding a few areas with glitter thread.

During our trip to Maine, we visited a view places. One was Baileys island. It is a long peninsula so a nice drive with views of the inner bays. We went to the very end, where there is a large gift shop and views of the ocean. I spotted a day beacon on one island.

And on another, a lighthouse.

There was also a memorial for lobster men, near the shop.

We wanted to have lunch by the water, but one restaurant there, was closed, so we went over to the next one. At Dolphin Marina, they allowed dogs outside, but they have to stay under the table. I am not sure, but maybe because it was a late lunch,  I could get a lobster, but the sides were things I couldn't eat and they didn't cater to changes in the menu. It was really nice to sit and relax, with beautiful views and we had a very attentive waiter. 

Another restaurant we went to, was the next day. We did some shopping at the outlets and drove to the docks in Haraseekeet. They have a take out menu and allow dogs outside. I got steamers this time and we enjoyed a nice lunch at the docks.

If you are in Freeport, another great place to stop is, Cottonweeds quilt shop. I got some nice tea towels and a pattern, I am working on and should finish this week. I got a baby panel and didn't realize it goes across, not down, so I will have to rethink it for a quilt.

I hope you all have a nice weekend and a relief from the heat.

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!

 

This week I was in the mood to paint some rocks. With camping trips, I like to hide them in areas we visit, so I want to make as many as I can for the summer. I find ideas on the internet and there is also a Facebook site, where she gives step by step instructions. Of course I just take the finished one and free hand it myself, so not always the best, but fun enough. The problem was, I realized all my old varnishes are thick and no good, so I have to wait to finish them.

Last week we took a walk on the beach. The tide was low so I was able to find some treasures and then we walked to the other end.

 Along the way we ran into this crab, who didn't want to be seen, so he ran to the surf and buried himself in the sand.

Today we took a walk at the bird sanctuary. It is a never ending joy since each time I see new birds that are coming in and we get a good 3 miles in. The weird thing I spotted today was a large dead bird in the osprey nest. Her mate was in a nearby tree, pruning himself. When a pair of geese tried to come onto the island, he chased them off, he is not one to mess with.

I also saw that the long term couple, finally made a new nest on a lower branch. 

Another nice surprise was, catching a Palm Warbler, who sat still for a second. 

We went by the marsh and I caught a group that were foraging. This one got itself a crab.

So far the weekend looks good, so hopefully we can get out for some more walks or maybe a bike ride. I am bummed about next weekend. The weatherman said rain, now he is saying warm and sunny. I had to make. decision yesterday when I thought it was going to rain or I lose all the money for camp, so I cancelled. It used to be that I could cancel up to 2 days before, so it makes it harder. 

I hope everyone is doing well, I heard the news about the tornadoes and bad weather and hope that no one was affected. 

Happy New Year!

 

With the holidays, I haven't had much time for crafting. I have a little project I started, so I will finish that and get back to my unfinished projects. 

With Bill having days off, we get out more. We took advantage to some sales and did a few rides around the beach areas. On one day we went to Galilee, which is a port with lots of fishing boats and birds. I spotted a hawk on a pole, that was being harassed by a group of crows. He sat long enough for a photo before he got tired of the harassment.

Around the area I spotted a few Blue Herons and lots of seagulls. The Herons looked like they wished they had gone south.

We sat at the docks and enjoyed the views from the car. This building is one that they process the incoming catches of the day. Their idea of a Christmas decoration.

Then we stopped at the fishing area and walked up the hill to enjoy the views.

At another beach, we enjoyed the views across the bay.

Another day we did some areas to look for Snow buntings, none found but I spotted a large group of Lapland Longspurs.

At home our feeders are always busy. Some will stay still long enough for a photo and others, grab a seed and take off. Snow and cold, always brings in more visitors and it is a nice way to find joy on cold winter days. I hope everyone has a wonderful new year, filled with joys and good health.

Friday Finish!

 

This week I wanted to try something new. I had seen a quilted ghost and thought it would be fun to try one. First I sewed 41/2" blocks together. 

Then  I used a coloring page ghost and printed it out on printer paper, so it was a bit small. Then I put it on freezer paper and traced around that and retraced again to make it larger. Then I put the freezer paper cut out onto the back of the fabric. Added a backing and batting, right sides together with the batting on the back of the back piece. I left the freezer paper on and sewing outside the cutout and just went about it to add a little extra sizing and curves. I cut off the excess after sewing. I left an opening on the side, then turned it back to the front sides. I sewed along the outer edge with a machine, closing the opening.

I hand quilted it with floss and added eyes and a mouth. A fun project that you can do in a day and a great way to use up scrap fabrics. I use rug tape on the back and stuck it to a wall.  

Last week we went for a bike ride on a paved path. We tried a new route that went through a lot of woods, so it was nice and cool. It was shorter and with an electric bike, I had enough energy to go a little more in the opposite direction. We went by a pond and took a break there.

I spied a Blue Heron in one of the coves.

Another day we did a couple of walks at the park by the ocean. 

I spotted an Egret, trying to catch fish, but ended up with weeds.

And a Green Heron in the pond.

Today we went to the island. Bean hasn't been out with us as much, so we thought he needed a fun day. We took a walk around the lighthouse area, where he got to meet new people and pet by the kids.

After we took him to the beach, so he got to walk in the water, while I looked for glass. The tide was high so not much to find. 

I hope you all enjoyed your week and are enjoying the nice fall weather.

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 has been a busy week and I am exhausted. I made reservations at a camp in NH on a river, so I have been planning and packing and keeping up with the house. I made time to finish a painting I started awhile ago. Unfortunately I lost the instructions, so I just went by the photo and then added a couple of whales. The original was on a shorter board and my canvas was larger, so added to it. 

I do not have a steady hand so I am a bit messy, a bit wonky, but I am happy to have finished it. It's been a while since I did acrylics, so need to hone my skills so I can finish another I started.

Last weekend we went for a walk at the ocean park. It has longer trails and less people on the backside, so we enjoy that section. It used to be an air force training field in World War II. This path is what is left of the old runway.

Most of the other trails are overgrown and lined with all types of vegetation for the wildlife. We spotted this Snapping Turtle on my section.

Tomorrow is our 50th anniversary. I really wanted to rent a place on the island, but missed the opportunity to get an affordable place in time. The area we are going to has places I want to visit, and we have a river site, so hoping to relax and enjoy seeing some new things. We will be there all week, so next week I will share some of our adventures. I also have my art supplies and embroidery supplies, so hoping to spend time making up designs and stitching them, while I relax.

I hope everyone has a nice week and not affected by all the storms that have hurt so many. We are lucky to have good weather this week, but it will be hot, even up north.