This is a full-sized quilt I made for my brother-in-law; I named it the “Beach Quilt” because of the fabrics. My brother-in-law lives in Corpus Christi, Texas, and I thought the blue/beach theme was appropriate. Corpus Christi is on the Gulf Coast and doesn’t get all that cold, but when needed, my brother-in-law can keep warm under a quilt made just for him.
Front of the Beach Quilt
Up close
Back of the Beach Quilt
I went to Austin’s Empty Bowl Project for the first time this year. It’s in its 18th year, but I don’t know what I was doing the other 17 years. The event benefits several Austin-area charities that take care of people in need. How it works: You buy a beautiful, handmade ceramic bowl for $20, fill it up with yummy soup and take the bowl home with you.
My plan was to show up early before everyone else did. The first part of my plan worked: I showed up early. The second part — “before everyone else” — not so much. I got to stand in line with lots of people with the same “show up early” plan. Still, it was a nice day in November and I was only mildly overdressed.
Hundreds and hundreds of my closest friends
A large soup pot and spoon were available for photo ops.
Soup pot
Once inside, there were tables and tables filled with bowls to choose from. There were no bad choices.
So many, so beautiful
After you choose your bowl, volunteers wash and rinse it for you. (I just love it when someone else does the dishes, don’t you?) Next, you get in line for some soup, provided by local food establishments (several soups to choose from), and then it’s soup time! My bowl (it’s signed on the bottom) was made by Jessica of Girl Scout Troop 449 and I think it’s beautiful! Thank you, Jessica!
Yummy pumpkin soup and bread
Hubby and I hiked a couple of trails at the McKinney Roughs Nature Park, managed by the Lower Colorado River Authority (or LCRA, as we call it). Our idea was to get photos of birds, but I’m finding out that getting bird photos is more than just having a camera and showing up in the forest.
I could hear the birds, and sometimes I could see the birds, but taking a good photo was not easy. My best bird photos were just okay and most were blurred.
Black Vulture
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We could see deer every once in a while.
White-tailed buck, eight points
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The red berries stood out with their color.
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Monday Up Close
A little color for those of us in winter, in the northern hemisphere. This Purple Sage was blooming in July.
I went outside and when I stepped off my front porch, I noticed something on top of the utility pole near the house. It had its back to me and I thought it was a bird, a small hawk, with the wind ruffling its feathers. I sneaked back inside and got my camera. I opened the front door slowly to minimize any noise. Tiptoeing to the edge of the porch, I raised the camera and focused.
What?! Not a hawk? Not any kind of a bird? A squirrel?! It’s a squirrel on top of the utility pole. We don’t have squirrels around here. Okay, now we have (at least ) one.
A squirrel that worked really hard to get to the top with no idea how to get down
I checked an hour later and the squirrel was still there; an hour after that, the utility pole was unoccupied.
It's a long story ... 