The sunset.

I used to look at my life as going on and on, like I would have plenty of time to do whatever I wanted to do.
Not so much anymore.  
Is it my age, or the back lash of the surgeon's knife, that makes me feel so different now??
Does everyone imagine an end date, hovering in the future??
True, everything in your fridge doesn't have an end date.  But you know, don't you, that those blueberries are past their prime.
Sometimes, our lives are cut short by things we didn't see coming, and had no control over.
But then other times, our expiration date is just more real, made so by the effects of one thing or another, in my case I believe it was a whole lot of head trauma.
On the other hand, I am relieved and incredibly grateful to be of fairly sound mind, and neurologically intact, after all of it.
But I do look at  my life differently.  I don't want to just let it happen, I want to make it happen.
I know how quickly it can pass me by, how suddenly choices won't be mine to make.

Everything is brighter, clearer, more intense.

Maybe my place in the scheme of things is more palpable being around someone so brand new to the world.

She just makes my heart sing, this one.

Last night, we went down to the shore to watch the sunset.

I am so grateful to have this time to spend with my kids.  What a gift.

Every time I see the birds soaring over the water, I think of my mother.
I know she was there with us.

The rosy glow of the descending sun was everywhere.

When it comes down to it, there is only one thing that matters....it isn't money, or prestige, or possessions, having the nicest house, or the newest car.  It isn't education, or position, or status in life.

Nope.

It's whether or not your heart sings. 
With people you love.
Doing what you love.
Giving of yourself.
Whatever it takes to make that feeling, that feeling like nothing else in this world.

You can chase it, hunt it down, search for it.

But you know where it is.  Really, you do.

For me, it was simply watching the face of this sweet little girl, watching her first sunset over the ocean.  So serious, so intent.  She has the rest of her life ahead of her.

But then, don't we all?

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Staying Warm

I feel kind of bad saying that about keeping warm, when most of my friends are back in New York freezing their butts off.
But I can't feel bad for long.
The babies have arrived.

Baby Dale in her pink ruffled bathing suit, or as grandgirl Ava used to say when she was little, her "baby soup".

And Baby Henry, cruising the pool in his Batman tee and shorts.

When I am not busy with them, I am still trying to catch that perfect shot of the many birds right behind the house.

Here's one that obliged me for quite some time.

As you can see, he eventually got sick of me, and flew off.

I will check in now and then, but mostly know that I am taking it pretty easy.
Hard to believe, I know.

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More Minis...

I hung my mini Swoon up in the sewing room and decided I needed a few more minis. They're kind of perfect to add some quilty decor to the room and fit in my limited wall spaces.

First up, I can finally share my MQG Riley challenge. I decide since it was due in February and I've been wanting to piece some feathers, I'd go with a Valentine theme. The idea came from a print I saw on etsy...

It was a challenge to get everything to fit together, but definitely fun to make!

So back to the minis... After toying with a few ideas, I decided to miniaturize my Garden Lattice quilt from my book. You can see it here compared to the big one.

It turned out so cute! Someone on Instagram requested the measurements for this little block, so here you go:
White: 2 - 1" x 2 1/2"; 2 - 1" x 3 1/2"; 4 - 1" x 1 1/2"
Print: 1 - 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"; 4 - 1 1/2" x 1 3/4"; 4 - 1 1/2" x 2 3/4"
The sashing is made from strips cut 1" and the block is constructed just like the one in the book!

Don't you just love this little mouse print from Catnap? The color is so pretty - I'll be using that one again!

So with this mini and a mini "C" quilt I made, my desk area in my sewing room is all set up. I got the initial quilt idea from Camille - saw it hanging in her booth at Quilt Market!

And this beautiful bundle arrived on my doorstep last week! I'm quilting-along with Amanda at Material Girl. It's a layer cake sampler quilt-along. You can learn more about it here, see the quilt and if you get there by Friday enter for a chance to win a Layer Cake to get you started: Layer Cake Sampler Quilt Along. Hope you'll join us!!

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Company

I have been doing some knitting while away.  I managed to finish this little sweater, for  baby Henry.
Made it with Cotton Comfort from Green Mountain Spinnery.  It's a Debbie Bliss pattern that I have made before.

There are a few things I really like about Florida.  One is the fresh tomatoes.  Now I won't go so far to say that they taste as good as a fresh tomato mid summer in northeast New York.
But they are good.

 

Roy doesn't like the water, in any way.

He gets a little nervous when I go in the pool, and he keeps a close watch on me.

 

 

 Every day we have company.....these are two regulars.

This guy is my favorite.

And no, I don't think I will have a career as a nature photographer.  I am just persistent, and so eventually I get lucky.

And my sweetest company has arrived,  and ANYONE could take a smashing picture of her, no doubt.

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The Gap

I came across this video today ~ it was mentioned by someone in my photography class. I thought it really applied to many of us as quilters ~ when we see everyone else's work and feel ours may not be good enough. I know I felt it when I first started quilting and again when I began trying modern quilt design. I'm happy I never quit. If you watch - let me know what you think...

THE GAP by Ira Glass on Vimeo

And since no post is complete without a picture, here's a couple of my latest work in progress. Photos straight out of the camera {no editing}

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Tangled.

We went to get ice cream after dinner last night, and went by a salon named, "The Tangled Knot".
Now, that's just where a girl wants to get her hair done, right?

The ice cream was awesome.  No tangles.


Which brings me to my own tangles.
A while back, one of my blogger readers commented, and since she wasn't familiar, I followed her link back to her place.  That's when I discovered ZENTANGLE.
 Oh, dear.

I was so enthralled, I ran out and bought the "right" pen, and the "right" paper, and got to tangling.

Now, I am sure you can imagine that I am not the kind of person who sits still and watches TV.  Even when it's on, I have to be doing something else.  Usually knitting, or playing scrabble online, or reading.
But this is different.
This is pure fun, and no stress.
In fact, they call it "yoga for your brain."

I know, you're probably thinking .......she's doodling, should we tell her?

But it's so not the same.
From the zentangle website:


Creating Zentangle art provides a fun and lighthearted way to relax and intentionally facilitate a shift in focus and perspective. The Zentangle Method of creating art is unencumbered by dogma and cost which can weigh on other approaches. Nevertheless, it is sufficiently structured and organized so you can enjoy and benefit from an activity that otherwise might be considered whimsical.

 Anyway, whatever it's called, can we say "hooked"???

It's so totally relaxing, that I forget the time, forget most everything else, and isn't that what relaxing is all about anyway????

If you want to know more, you can go to zentangle.com or tanglepatterns.com

I didn't buy the fancy kit, just went to Joann Fabrics, where I found the pens......as suggested on the Zentangle site......you can buy special paper also, but I just use a small watercolor notebook, and it works just fine.
I have already gotten another friend hooked,  while I was on vacay.

So if you are wondering what I'm up to, besides walking, swimming, and generally soaking up the sun......I'm getting tangled.
Maybe that's what is making my head better.   Anything is possible.

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I made a quilt this weekend...

Yup! Cut, pieced, quilted, and bound. You may know the pattern... Swoon, a Thimbleblossoms pattern. It's my second one, but this one's a little smaller...

It's a mini Swoon!

These blocks are just so cute!

And it's hanging already in my sewing room!

Sometimes little blocks can be a bit tricky, but this was easy peasy. If you like Swoon and would like to make one in a weekend - it's the perfect choice!

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