a positive sign

for those of you who are doing the moda blockheads sew-along, you'll recognize this block from laurie simpson over at minick & simpson.  i had seen this block in a blues/white quilt on an earlier post and swooned over it.  then at a recent guild meeting, saw a collection of pink polka-dot fabrics that called my name, sooo.....

spent some time getting re-acquainted with betty and sewed these up..  more to come but liking them so far.   of course, i have no business at all starting something new, especially with this staring me in the face and looming larger and larger...

this behemoth has to be tackled very soon or scrap basket becomes scrap tote, and that is a slippery slope that must be avoided....LOL!  ***  september is a busy charity sewing month for me, but hoping once all commitments are met, it'll be my turn to rack up some finishes before (shudder) 2018 breathes its last.  and you know, it comes all to quickly....we are in for a hot week next week, meaning hibernating in A/C meaning betty will be humming from dawn to dusk.  keep cool and sew on!

back to home base

after a very early departure from maine (5:45 am), arrived at BWI Amtrak station at 7:14 pm weary but not exhausted.  it's only the last hour that is tough....spent overnite at DD and DSIL getting a whopping 10 hours' sleep...so very thankful to have that option.  arrived back at home in time for bookmobile and getting a few grocery necessities.  then the job of unpacking....first was this lovely small quilt that'll make an ideal table topper for my chairside table from vic.  she loves red, and this piece with some of her beauties is so fall-like. it has a nice floral flannel backing too....

this letter opener was a give back from mom.  it was bought at the UN in 1965 by me as a trinket and she's had it all these years.  a few nicks, but just seeing it brings back memories of the day.  it was a trip by the world affairs club in the 10th grade... ***  and isn't this a gorgeous bag?

it contained my birthday gift from DD....a gold chain for my gold cross charm and a lovely new nitegown....she has such wonderful taste and always knows just the right things to choose...and the card was sentimental that choked me up....i am so blessed indeed!

last day...

of my wonderful two weeks in maine visiting family...spending the day storing up hugs from mum and doing some secret sewing for an october guild meeting, so all i can show is this...

wait, are those bats?  could beeee....  *** since i'll be traveling the entire day, have prepped a lunch and some snacks to take along.  and the toughest thing on tuesday--aside from saying goodby to my mum--is to get this puppy closed! 

the only extras are a few shirts from the thrift, a few jars of jam from stonewall kitchen and the 7.5 yards picked up at marden's and busy thimble...everything else came with me....somehow it WILL get zipped....next stop maryland!

slow summer sunday

the vacation itinerary has been retired with only 3 stops missed and not as much beach time as had hoped, but simply could not fit one more thing into my visit here.  today and tomorrow on pause to re-energize and pack for trip home to maryland.  did get more sewing time in with another small stack of bow tie blocks finished...

and how blessed am i?  my mom still bakes me a blueberry pie for my birthday--tiny, sweet, maine blueberries of course--and even though the pie is delish, just the fact that it's from her makes it precious indeed.

a batch of spaghetti sauce is on the stove for mom's freezer, but we HAVE to finish up the lobster for lunch.  aside from my family, it's the ocean and seacoast i miss at home.  tried to get my fill of fresh seafood with lobster, steamer clams, fried clams, scallops and haddock, but never tire of the invigorating ocean aroma with sand and crashing waves.   but i would miss my daughter and her hubster more than i could bear had i not relocated....an easy choice!