Colors of Madison, WI

As I flew across the country last week to visit my son and daughter-in-law in Madison, WI, I was struck by the changes in scenery. Leaving Seattle, above, there was water snaking around heavily developed land. 

I changed planes in Salt Lake City. As the plane descended, I noticed how the blue sky contrasted with white mineral deposits -- at least I think that's what it was. Salt deposits around the Great Salt Lake?

And finally, as we circled over Madison, it was green farmland as far as I could see.

Down on the ground, we walked miles over the next few days through green fields, prairie and woods. Here's Keith at Pheasant Branch Conservancy with me on the bench and with Rachel.

The wild prairie was full of yellow flowers punctuated with purple.

On another day, we wandered through Olbrich Botanical Gardens,  an oasis in the city that includes a tropical conservatory and a Thai pavilion. 

Here is the pavilion, above, and some gorgeous color from the conservatory.

I also found this soft, feathery texture

on a birch tree.

Speaking of Thai, we had delicious meals at two Thai restaurants. This is the sweet potato curry I had on my last day for lunch at Curry In the Box. It was so good. I googled sweet potato curry recipes and found a few that I'm going to make.

And speaking of food (which I usually do), Rachel baked a chocolate wacky cake with vegan cream cheese frosting on my first night! Their dogs were very interested. That's Marty the border collie mix on the left and Penny the cattle dog on the right. Tomorrow I'll show some quilty photos from the trip.

Have a colorful day

Adapting my sewing for arthritis

This is the hanging sleeve on the back of my latest quilt. My thumb was just too painful to hand stitch the bottom of the sleeve down -- even while wearing my brace -- so I fused it down! Then I hand tacked it in a few spots. I don't know if it will hold up to the weight of the quilt, but if it does I think I'll do all of my quilts like this from now on.

I also did machine stitching to catch the back of the binding (this is the front), stitching in the ditch on the front. I always used to enjoy hand stitching the binding to the back, but once again my arthritis has nixed that practice.

On a walk today in the neighborhood, I decided that the trees reflected in a pond look like the greens in the new quilt. It definitely feels like fall is in the air.

"Choosing Joy," 48x48 inches

Have a colorful day

"Choosing Joy" quilt is finished

I just finished another quilt. I'm calling it "Choosing Joy" because that's what I'm doing with my life. The green is for rebirth, and the pink, orange and yellow are for joy. I'm going to bind it with the text fabric, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. It measures 48x48 inches.

This second layout is what I originally had in my head, but then I started playing around with it and like the top star formation much better. It seems to have more sparkle and movement.

 I love the intersections.

I always hate to throw away the pretty trimmings, but after the photo I scooped them into the waste basket. In earlier years I might have saved them just in case I thought of a creative use for them.

Here is how I covered up the seams on the back -- with fused strips.

I'm continuing to come across good quotes on Facebook and Instagram. Here is a recent one. (In case you're wondering why I stopped the Friday Yoga Wisdom quotes, it's because Jillian has left the Y and no longer teaches our class. We all miss her.)

Have a colorful day

Binky free, sweet little Bunners

Bunners, our sweet little rabbit who was almost 13, passed away today. 

She gave us so much joy and many, many laughs for just being a little two-pound ball of fur.

She gamely posed for photographs.

She put up with a night in a hotel bathtub after we smuggled her into the hotel in a big shoulder bag. She was totally perplexed, poor thing.

She suffered the indignity of being labeled "The Love Bunny" on a Valentine's card.

But we made sure she always had plenty of treats, snuggles and love.

She loved being held by the ladies.

And she was the subject of two of my quilts, back in her chunkier days.

She was sleek and sassy in her younger years and tiny and sweet when she became an old lady. Here she is as a youngster.

 We love you Bunners.

There will never be another you.