Swept Away

Busy, busy, busy!  Tis the season!  I've taken pictures, but gotten myself caught up in the riptide of December.  So much to do!  No time to post!  Gotta walk the dog!  Need to find some sewing time!  Mail that package!  Shop for that special thing!  Do! Do! Do!

And amazingly enough, the most important things get done.

Let's see what I've downloaded from my camera during the past week.  I put Debbie VanFossen's beautiful Autumn Roads quilt on my bed.  Isn't it beautiful?

 This next image is particularly un-beautiful.  These eucalyptus trees are at least 50' tall.  If you click on the pic, can you see the black "lacework" along their tippy-tops?  Need a close-up?

 How's this?  These frightening creatures roost from dusk to dawn on our block (within the city limits!) and then spend the day circling and circling.  They unnerve cats, dogs, people, everything.

 We walk much faster, when we're in their vicinity.

The weather has changed from lovely crisp fall days to a Freeze Zone.

 We don't do snow, but we've had plenty of frost, and the roads have been slick with black ice.  Scary!

I've done some quilting, but it's not finished yet.  One more day.  Or two.  And then I'll have pictures.  In the meantime, Penny is coming!  Penny is coming!  Her mother requested one thing before their arrival:  Fence the pool first.

Yesterday we made her wish our command.

 They did a beautiful job.

While the fencing guys were outside freezing, the Best of the Valley elves were inside, stuffing entry forms into envelopes.  Look for yours in the mail, if you are on our mailing list.  If you're not on the list, you can get your form here.  I've seen a few people panic already, because the show is early this year.  The entry deadline is Valentine's Day, February 14, 2014.

One of the next items on my to do list is to do the seemingly impossible.  We bought the last tree on the lot, and I have no idea how we're going to get it into the house.

It takes up the entire patio.  If you squint, can you see how far it extends past the rain gutter?  oh my.  And only one of my sons is here to help me wrangle it into the house.  This is going to be a challenge.  But first, I must finish my last of the month basting on my tables, so I can take them down, put them away, and bring in the tree.

Last but not least, SAQA is having a sale of 8" "This is a quilt!" quilts from a 2 year traveling exhibit.  They will only be available through the end of the month.  They are available here.  The last time I checked, my little quilt "Ice" was still available.

Hopefully I'll get back to you soon, but if not, know that I am preparing for a houseful of family, and there are just not enough hours in the day!

Have a Blessed Christmas, one and all!