It is Never Enough

The other morning, while I was taking photographs on Sweetbriar, a woman I know said something like, "you must have hundreds of photographs." Laughing I replied, make that more like 50,000, give or take a few. And yet, it is never enough, according to Kim whom I saw this morning out with her camera! I could not agree more!

So, does this look like a doggie trying to tell me, "please take me to the vet?"

I'd lain the finished (!!!) quilt down on the kitchen floor trying to find an open space large enough to accommodate it for a photograph. Baxie thought he might give it a test drive instead! I opted to use a green that I thought was nice for the binding, and instead of spending five more hours hand sewing it, I used the machine instead, and I think it turned out just fine.

After washing and drying, I took it the guild meeting on Wednesday for donation. Oh my goodness, the meeting was filled with inspiration. One of last month's challenges was to make a new name tag, however, I never got around to that. Pam, on the other hand, had a great idea a few hours before the meeting, and look how cute it is, pinned to her waist!

 Picking her up for the drive there, she said she was working like mad to finish before I came! There were wonderful quilts shown as part of show and tell, my favorite part of the meetin as I think it is for most members. I am constantly amazed at the talent on display. Imagine this one...

I have not the slightest idea how she made those circles, but they sure look neat, don't they? Marge, our treasurer, made this super cute owl one.

A fabric sale of donated fabric!! The tables in the back room were laden with fabric! Groups were called and they had three minutes to shop before the next group. As part of the final group, I still was able to come home with some goodies. I am so dying over the orange little girl fabric!

The pictured can belonged to Bruce's Grandmother, and it is filled with buttons, all sizes and colors, many of them removed from worn out clothing. I never know when I might need some of them so I keep it handy!

Baxter may not have looked sick, but good grief! After peeing on the floor THREE times Tuesday, even when he'd been out an hour before, I decided it just could not be chalked up to old age as they told me the last time I went to the vet. I made an appointment for 3:00, and when the time came to leave, I discovered Bruce had Baxter's leash in his car. Fortunately they gave me one to use because it is mighty hard to do any paperwork while holding a dog. About 3:15, Lovey came to get us, and she took his temperature. So far, so good. Then she came back and said the vet wanted a urine specimen which she proceeded to get. And then we waited, and waited. Baxter, as you can see, was about ready to throw in the towel. It was both cold and boring in there.

When 4:00 rolled around, I stuck my head out the door, asking if they had forgotten us. Nope, they hadn't, but still we waited. Finally she arrived and told me he has a bad bladder infection!!!! 14 days of an antibiotic, and maybe there will be an end to this! By the time we left it was 4:45. So glad I made that appointment, right?

When I got the new tube for my bicycle tire, the odometer wasn't working for a week or so, but now it is. I once heard on Growing Bolder about a woman who kept track of her treadmill "mileage" and by the time she was 94 she'd done 36,000 miles!! I've got a long way to go...

I don't think the half moon gets enough love, do you? I saw it up in the sky around 4:30 yesterday afternoon, and I was struck by how cool it looked.

Nothing but blue skies yesterday, however, it is clouding up now, so perhaps some rain will fall. After raving in my last post about finally having rain, while there was some, it was a very little some!

There are some good photographs upcoming, and then there are some not so good ones. Ready?

The above is one of the good ones, taken in perfect light. Mostly the bird just sits up there cleaning those feathers, at least until such time as a small bird comes around, bugging it to death until it flies off. I was talking to yet another woman about the birds, when the scenario described occurred. Knowing it would eventually circle back, I positioned myself underneath the branch, albeit 60 feet or more above my head, and indeed it did fly back, however, what I was hoping would be a fantastic shot, did not pan out. That said, I'll show it nevertheless.

Had that turned out, wouldn't it have been something?? Folks around those streets know me by now, and most are friendly enough to chat, especially when I point out what they have not even noticed. They, of course, have other things on their mind, that is until I get all enthusiastic about the subject!

This morning I rode over bright and early, finding most of the family together in one tree!

This tree, btw, is the very one where "Tree Hugger" happened. For those of you new to this blog, two years ago, I was fortunate enough to get a once-in-a-lifetime shot of an owlet, literally hugging the trunk of this tree. Maybe it is because I've found these owlets more as juveniles, but really, all they want to do is roost; none of the playfulness I saw last year. They are still cute though....look at the fluffy tummy!

Dad happened to be right out in the open yesterday.

Kim, who I mentioned in the first paragraph, is a bird nut too, so while we were chatting, the subject came up about another street where there were possibly some large birds, as both of us abide by the birders mantra...follow the poop. We'd both seen the evidence but not bird.  Anyway, she was on foot, so I took off on my bicycle to once again scan the area where I'd seen quite a lot of droppings. Lo and behold,  this time was the charm...a hawk's nest! Seeing movement only, I wasn't sure at first until the hawk flew in to drop off some food. The hawklets, really, I don't know what you call them, but that sounds good, are not visible in the slightest, however, after I saw the described action, I rode back over to present the news to Kim. She then got on her bike, and met me there. Well, that was fun. We attracted the attention of a woman with a stroller, and we all stared upwards, as the smaller birds harassed the hawk above our heads. There is not merely screeching, there is actual flying into the hawk, who was not easily perturbed. By now the sun was smack dab in our face, plus my neck hurt, plus, I was supposed to be exercising, so I took off, riding up one street after another, then doubling back, and I ended up back at the nest when I saw this happen.

Now, if only I could find the Swallowtail nest...

My garden is making me happy. The salvias I dug up along Pershing have returned, the purple flowers are from last year, only now just perking up, and those Snapdragons..oh my!

I was so hoping this one would have been better, because it is not often I see a bumblebee coated with pollen. Flying in and out of the blooms, it was neat to watch nature in action.

While on the subject of pollen, here's one, not from my garden, and actually I don't know the folks, but when I'm driving along Bumby, I generally stop, even when the light is horrible, as is the case here.

Imagine if I were good at macro...those tiny bits of pollen would be huge!

Woo hoo....Mr. Peck returns this evening, if only for three days. Be still my heart.

yours truly,

Gail

p.s. Kudos to Bev, who actually clicked on one of the links in my last post. She was aghast at the Julia Pastrana story, as you would have been too had you done the same. And maybe you did....