Quilting at last!!!

I have BEGUN! I started quilting yesterday and by way of proof....

As you see , I have begun in the centre , as always .

I am also starting with the palest colours and working up the value scale( or down , as you see fit).

I am quilting to sort of simulate the heavy filtering I did with Photoshop on the original photo. 

I am quite pleased the way it is coming along.

I just can't sit for a long time so I do a bit and then change activities. Little strokes fell large oaks!

My kind DH offered to take me to the sunflower farm to shoot pictures tonight so I packed everything up and we set off after supper. The light was golden and lovely and although the sky was cloudy, the sun DID peek out just at the right moment.

I got ONE photo! The sunflowers, although lovely - were rather rude and made a concerted effort to keep their backs turned to me . The mosquitoes were horrific and forced me home early. Perhaps I can twist DH's arm tomorrow evening- a bit earlier, and I might get more pictures of these beauties.

I DID get some neat pictures of the coneflowers on Monday PM - with a couple of FAT, FUZZY bumblebees enjoying the few pollen laden little flowerets.

A fuzzy, Buzzy, Busy BEE BACK

He/she was having SUCH a grand time

Don't you just LOVE the fuzziness ! They say the bumblebees are endangered. I surely hope NOT!

As it is time now, I shall post this to the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com. I actually HAVE done sone needlework this time! Yay, ME! Hope you have all had a productive week too. 

Enfin!!!

Layering at last!!! The silly finger is causing no end of trouble but the good news is that I have FINALLY managed to get the Hosta piece ready to pin. Layers are all in place, backing well taped-of course, and the batting and top set carefully in place. As this is a largish piece, I had to roll back the dining room rug and tape the backing ( a commercial "batik") in place onto the bare hardwood floor. This ought to be fun as I am still experiencing dizziness from that horrid bug I had in the winter and my back and hip are VERY sore. Not to worry! The whole thing can just stay stuck there till it is finished! It MAY take a while to pin.

There you go!!! Living proof that I have indeed gotten finished. I had to stand on a chair to get it all in. My Pin Tin Tin is just visible on the right, as is the edge of the aged carpet underpad. I dusted the floor to pretend I am a good housekeeper! If you are taken in by that, there is no help for you!!!

I have been busy with the big camera recently too. It is definitely easier to take photos just now than to draw or to work on the quilt. Here are a few recent shots. It has been challenging because we have had a LOT of pretty strong wind- strong for closeup and macro, anyway!

We have a wonderful farm near us famous for its sunflowers. They grow them commercially  and our wild birds LOVE Mr Bogle:-) and his black oil seeds.

I got several shots like this with busy honeybees but sadly, between the busyness of the bees and the windiness of the wind..... the bees are all a blur

Is there any scene much jollier than this ??

A sunflower leaf at ground level out of the sunshine. You KNOW what a fan of Wabi Sabi I am!

A little red hemerocallis in our garden- Little Wine Cup

Two clematises- Comtess de Bouchaud and the blue one whose name I forget!

Because I forget her name, we will let her star in her own portrait

I am LOVING this big new camera. I have started to collect a list of skills I need to hone and polish. I REALLY want to be able to use it properly and WELL! At the moment, the camera is still pretty much in charge but I AM learning. I am getting some nice shots to use for art quilts once I have a flexible hand once again.

Well, time to start pinning. When it is 3PM, I shall post this to the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com. Hope to see you there. Enjoy this lovely summer weather.

BTW, I have posted a LOT of new pics at    rtquilter on Flickr. Check it out too if you have the time and inclination . Enjoy!

Happy Canada Day ALL!

Hi Folks ! Happy Canada Day ( and happy 49th Anniversary to DH and me too!!!) How did THAT happen, anyway??? 49 years! A dear friend of ours in Scotland used to teasingly say, "That's a long time with one woman!" You betcha!!

I have done little or no work this week. I see the DR next Tuesday and we shall sort out what to do with this wretched finger. I even had to go and find a smaller teapot this AM as my 6 cupper is just too heavy to hold safely now and when I DO hold it to pour, it takes AGES to unlock my poor finger. Poor me :-(

I may have trigger finger but my shutter finger is ok and has been working hard. Trouble is, I have so many lovely shots now to build quilts from and not the wherewithall in the hand department to do anything about it! That it is VERY frustrating! Ah, well!!!

These three are our purple ( almost black this year) Smokebush- Cotinus coggygria. It was fabulous last evening as the sun was setting

Iris siberica leaves

Fumitory with crystal jewellery

...more glorious droplets

... and just the raindrops on the pretty Fumitory leaves

Bedecked and bedizened with raindrops- raindrops that reflect life around them if you can look closely enough. We had a LOT of rain and I took a LOT of photos in the rain. LOVE it!

As I have no needlework to show you, I will post this to the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com so I can wish everyone a VERY happy Canada Day!