Sudden Nakedness ...

The trees are startlingly naked this morning. We came through last night having been spared the wrath of Sandy. Except for blowing all the remaining leaves and a few branches off the trees, and causing the power to flicker out a couple of times in the night, we were left unscathed. Thankfully. That storm has been devastating to many in other areas. Having lived many years along the NJ seashore, I know full well how terrifying a hurricane can be along the coast, and my heart goes out to people hit hard.

Sunday was a busy day for some quilters here. Holly is really cranking out the quilts ... and every time she brings one, she names another somebody who will be the recipient. This time, she FINALLY said, "This one is for me." It's a pattern that has become pretty popular around here -- they're making them like hotcakes, in all sizes and different kinds of fabrics and color choices. At retreat last winter, many were making them into heart-shaped wallhangings. Here's Holly's, made with a Christmas theme (many of the flannels incorporated here have holly prints, appropriately enough).

Melanie came with Holly and played with the Avante in the other room, but here she is, trying to scoot sideways to get out of the view of the camera when she realized I was about to snap the photo:

We were marveling about how smoothly the Minkie fabric Holly is using lays on the back. We've heard bad things about stretching possibilities, but as you can see, there was none of that going on and it made such a scoochie quilt for Holly's niece.

When I first met Melanie, she reminded me for all the world of Bonnie Hunter. (Being a new quilter, M didn't know who I was talking about, but quickly found out when I showed her BH's Shirttails ... book.

In and Out ...

I met Marcia last month at our quilt show. We made a plan for her to come and do some quilting here. She came yesterday -- made her way through the fog (and how unusual is that in late October?!?) -- and got started right away. We loaded her first project while giving her a "refresher" on HOW TO. By lunchtime she had that one finished.

After lunch, she loaded a larger quilt. When she pulled it out of the bag, it inspired a conversation about how much we both admire Bonnie Hunter ... and how DOES that woman get so much done ... and BH would probably LOVE this pattern ... Would you just look at that border?!?

Here's what Marcia accomplished by end of day:

5:15 pm -- and she's outta here.

Herding Turtles In the Rain ...

"Herding Turtles" ... saw that on someone else's blog and thought it was the perfect phrase to describe what it's like to get our bull to move his butt from one place to another. I call him Slo-Mo, and for good reason. He acts like he doesn't have the gumption to get out of his own way. He cannot even be enticed to pick up the pace with grain, like most of our other critters. This morning it was pouring rain, and the dog and I had to go push him along across a field so he could join the other cattle back at the barn and out of the rain. We got drenched. (Why do I care if HE gets soaked?!? Certainly, the concern is not mutual.) I was tempted to slap him in the @ss with a stick to prod him, but we ARE talking about a bull here -- and he has pointy horns. I dared not tempt fate.

Peggy came and quilted a limey piece for someone in her family. We both thought it looked pretty clever when she got done.

I worked on Sue P's two quilts -- a wallhanging and a larger one to match:

Wanna see that up closer?

Tonight, I started another but decided I'd finish it in the morning. I'll post a picture when it's finished. Just don't hold your breath ... it's wood stacking season here, and DH and I are apparently in some kind of competition to see who can keep it up the longest/fastest. (He cuts and dumps it in a heap, I try to stack it before he can get back with another load.) So why am I not skinny as a rail? It's unfair. I'll sue!

Honey! I'm hoo-ommme ...

Seems like forever since I've posted, but I've been up to my ears. The weather has given us about a month of extra gardening time this year. I've been busy squirrelling away what we couldn't use up. I'd almost forgotten how time-consuming canning is. And there was the local guild's quilt show. I've gotta say, if you missed it, it was a good one! We had over 350 quilts hanging. Now, let me tell you, it takes a lot of willing hands to put that many quilt frames together and get the show ready forthe next morning's opening -- especially since we can't start until school's out on Friday afternoon. But like they say, many hands make light work. (None of us there would have minded if it had been a little lighter, but we did it with the help of some very nice husbands who came armed with power tools).

I'll not whine about the weather except to say I'm having a hard time keeping dry socks on my feet.

And ... would you look at this? The chickies are finally growing up! First attempt at egg-laying for this year's pullets:

The yolk was the size of a dried lentil. I could probably get bigger eggs by robbing pigeon nests in the barn! But I'll try to be patient.

On the knitting front: I started a shawl about a month ago as a KAL with my sister. I chose this particular pattern because it had a pretty, lacy border but was mostly straight knitting. I thought it would be simple and fast. It wasn't. I've about worn the yarn to a frazzle pulling it out and starting over so many times. I could not get past row 13 of a 42-row lace pattern. My sister finally came to my rescue and figured out I was missing a page. Ugh! I decided to rip it all out and just start over. I'm pretending that other mess never happened, and we shall never speak of it again, thank you very much.

Gotta get back to work. Customers' holiday quilts are piling up. Before you know it, the snow will be flying! I'm ready: I have projects all picked out for those days we all need to stay inside, bundled up in our woolies and simmering soup to warm our bellies with.