Comfort Quilts

Last summer when our choir went to Russia, they took along more than 75 lap quilts made by choir members and friends. These were given to children under hospice care in the hope that they'd provide a bit of love and comfort to the recipients. Due to health issues, we had to cancel out of this trip, but my friends saw to it that I also received a comfort quilt. First, I received one from 3 of my choir friends. They chose a pattern without knowing that fallen in love with that very pattern the first time I saw it a few weeks earlier.


Then, my quilt group gave me the teacup quilt that we'd been working on as a group since 2004 when I brought back the blue flowered fabric from Copenhagen, one of the places Dick and I went after our last choir trip. My friend Cathy quilted it after I pieced it with the blocks that everyone made using the fabric. Can you see the doll reading that she quilted to represent my work with adult learners?


Both quilts were given to me at a point in my treatment when I was physically and mentally exhausted. The caring and love in each stitch of these treasures helped me through the last hard weeks of radiation, but more than that they serve as a constant reminder of my wonderful friends. I feel so blessed!

Catherine's Scarf

The ends are hidden, and the scarf is ready to go with Catherine's new black coat. The yarn is the same type as used in Jill's scarf, just a different colorway. For some reason, the camera gives the yarn a bluish cast, but it's actually black, grey, and white with a bit of a sparkle.

Ginger, Guardian of the Stash

The other day Ginger took over my spot on the couch and decided to nap right in the middle of my various projects. If you look carefully, you might be able to recognize them all!

What a Difference a Day Makes!

It was snowy like crazy here tonight, and now the moon is out! Even the smallest amount of snow makes our hills pretty challenging, so who knows whether we'll go anywhere tomorrow. Oh well, I bought some yarn and floss today, so I am set no matter what...oh, and groceries, too!

I've been working away on my Fall CQ block...only two seasons behind or so. I'm finding working without a pattern kind of challenging but also liberating.


Then the other project I finished today was this little rabbit made from 1 knit square. It's a complimentary pattern from HeartStrings Fiberarts and has great directions! It was fun to do and actually turned out just like the photo! I also am almost done with a scarf for Catherine...just have to sew in the ends and it'll be finished.

One Eagle Closer Up

Last night it was getting late, so I decided to post this view of one of the bald eagles this morning. They are so majestic and regal in their bearing, even if they are scanning for fish!

Here's another bird from a different trip. We learned at a Ranger talk several years ago that juvenile eagles are all brown and that their heads don't turn white until they're about 5 years old.

Eagle Watching

Today the skies were blue in Seattle! With this in mind, we hopped in the car after church and headed north. Lest you think it's not still winter here in Washington, take a look at this photo taken at a roadside park in Rockport.


In the winter months bald eagles from Alaska and Seattle winter on the Skagit and Nooksak rivers because they can feast on plenty of salmon that spawn here. At this particular park, volunteers set up telescopes for viewing the birds, and today was no exception. Dick got a couple of good shots here, but on down the road away from the official viewing site, we spotted at least 5 more of the stately birds. It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

More Surprises in January!

This morning when we went on our walk, we saw all sorts of signs that this has been an unusually warm winter thus far. First, we saw a cherry trying to bloom! Sometimes they do that around Christmas, and it's a sure sign that the weather has been warmer than normal. Beneath it is a hawthorne, I think, which is also full of buds and opening blooms. (Note the grey skies in the background; that is definitely our normal January sky.)


Here's a close up of the cherry. In the spring when all the cherries are in full bloom, walking through our neighborhood is a real pleasure. (Note the lichens on the branches! They're an indication as to how moist our climate really is.)


But here's the real reason we made a second loop on our walk; the witch hazel is blooming like it always does at this time of year. This bush always reminds me of my mom because she used witch hazel astringent to clean her face, and the first time I saw this bush in bloom, the odor is what helped me identify it. The flowers do look like they should be little witch wigs, don't they? When the sun shines, these flowers are really fragrant and so reminiscent of Mom.