Sunday Quilt Inspiration

Welcome to Sunday Quilt Inspiration!  I've been stitching up some small quilts lately, so it seems fair game to include small projects for today's inspiration. First up, a couple of darling little quilts from www.favecrafts.com I discovered the site this afternoon while reading some of my favorite blogs.  

This rubber ducky quilt is just precious, and the website includes a pattern for the duck. Accuquilt also has dies for the duck applique. The directions for this wall hanging could easily be modified to make a baby quilt for either a boy or girl, so it's a good go-to pattern if you like to have baby quilts ready made for when a new one arrives.  

And last from favecrafts.com is this little blue modern quilt.  I really like the satin binding.  One of my children liked to rub the satin borders of his baby blankets.  Apparently it soothed him quite a bit, so I made sure to add satin edges to his sheets until he got to middle school.  Maybe I should have continued that practice right up to his wedding day.....

A couple of just-for-fun pictures from www.pinterest.com, which has been my favorite website for inspiration for a while now.  Although I have issues with the fact that no one has to give credit for the work, I can't seem to give it up completely.

And finally, quilts with birds on them.  I don't know why--I just realized that there are many pictures that fit the description and created a board for them.  Here are a few of the whimsical quilts that are just so much fun!

Happy Quilting,
Mary

Swampin'

Laura and her new camera....
photography is one of her hobbies.

My sister, Laura, and her two daughters were here last week for a visit.  She phoned ahead and told me she had a plan for at least one day of her vacation in Louisiana: she wanted to go on a swamp tour.  


I've been on a trip something like this before, when the boys were young, and I wasn't so impressed, but I could be convinced provided she brought along mosquito spray.  She agreed.  Turns out we didn't need it but I didn't know that at the time.

Haley and Riley (sorry the photo is so bad girls)

She invited our other sisters and made arrangements with Cajun Country Swamp Tours which is located in Breaux Bridge, and headed by a zoologist/botanist tour guide who unabashedly loves the water, the swamp, and the Acadians.

Sisters Angie and Sid

Lake Martin

I must admit, it was way more interesting than I could have hoped for.  In fact, I really want to take the grandchildren on a tour in a few weeks.  


The weather was perfect, bright and sunny, warm but not sweltering and breezy.  Of course, I would not have wanted to be going out at 11:00 when we returned to shore!  We were tired but it was getting a bit too warm.  The tours last two hours, so that means the 11:00 tour ends at 1:00, a very hot part of the day. 


We saw all sorts of birds from roseate spoonbills, several egrets, a great blue heron, anhingas, an owl, Carolina chickadees, and maybe a few more I've forgotten.


My favorite were the beautiful water lilies, which I photographed, but my camera is acting up again and those pics did not come out.
Since we were in a swamp, there were only two types of trees, but don't let that make you think that there's no variety.  It's amazing how beautiful the trees are.  

Cypress tree 

Check out these beauties.  Isn't it interesting how this tree on the right is alive but has no center?  I love it that the guide points out these sights and explains them.


That he explains them in a humorous, entertaining way made the tour even more fun.  These guys are serious about their Cajun hospitality!  

An alligator

A bit of land

Of course, he was good about pointing out those things we expected to see.  Spanish moss, cypress knees, alligators, they were all there!  And we got to see them all from a crawfish skiff deep enough to feel safe but open so that we could easily see and snap photos.  Definitely worth the trip!    And as an extra special bonus......no mosquitoes!

Spanish moss

Cypress knees

National Zoo

If I were to recommend any of the many things we did while in Washington, D.C. last week, one would definitely have to be the National Zoo.  

I wasn't surprised by the variety of animals, their enclosures or how well they are kept.  In fact, I fully expect that this zoo would be one of the best in the world.  

 What surprised me most is the educational opportunities that the zoo provides for its patrons and for the world in general.
I tend to read everything I can get my eyes on.  

So our visit naturally includes my reading every sign, every post, every pamphlet.  In fact, it was a bit of a problem since we were supposed to get to the end of the trail at some point so that we could go on to another place.

Richard rushed me, and hurried me along, and came back for me, and well, didn't give me time enough to read everything.  I mean, how am I supposed to remember the name of this quirky bird if I didn't even have time to read the poster, connect the live bird to the picture and tell someone?  See, that's how I learn.  I read, make a connection, and then teach.  So we arrive at the famed panda bear exhibit.

I have a special connection to panda....first off, they're just cute and darling and cuddly.  But also, I once had a stuffed toy panda as a child.  My panda was accidentally left in a train station and my dad, who was trying to catch up to the rest of the family, saw the toy bear on a bench and recognized it.  He didn't pick it up but, the story goes, he knew he was getting close when he saw my bear, and indeed, found us just a short time later.   

So, I had to read all about the near extinction of the pandas in China, how the National Zoo has helped that government in recovery efforts, and how those efforts helped the two government to begin talks and work toward peace.  Isn't that a great story for a sweet, peaceful little bear?  Yes, well, to get the whole story (and I did) I had to throw a southern girl hissy fit.....but it work!  Want to read it for yourself?  Here it is!  The link will take you to the zoo website page for the giant panda center.  There you can get e-newsletters and watch live action on the panda cam.

We loved the panda exhibit, but I do believe we spent the most time in the aviary buildings.  

There are both an indoor and an outdoor building, and the variety of birds is pretty special and beautiful.

I'll close with a recommendation that if you have the opportunity to visit Washington with children (or without) visit the National Zoo. 

One January Afternoon

The last few days have been rather gloomy, but before the gloom rolled in, we had a few days of sunshine, cool weather, and calm waters.  

 Just ask Richard...he found a rod and walked down to the catfish pond to kill a few minutes.  

 The ducks did a little fishing, too.  At least they caught a couple.

The trees are bare but really pretty.  When there's no wind, they stand like sentinels along the edges of the water.

 And no matter where the live ducks are, the decoys swim the pond waiting for their return.

Back to the farm!

It's been quite some time since I posted anything about our farm animals.  It's been so very hot that going out to take pictures seemed like so much effort.  


The cooler weather has changed that.  We've walked a few times in the last week and Sunday afternoon I decided to shoot a few pics.


This first picture is of goat #8. She broke her leg some time ago and Richard set it then made her a cast of dowel rods and white duct tape.  She walks on it now and we're about to remove her cast.    She is so sweet and cute.  She loves to be hand fed.  I pull grass and feed her through the fence.

 Of course, they all love to be hand fed!  Walk out to the fence and they come running.  Getting pictures is fairly easy,  except the bigger goats stand up against the fence and  get in the way.  One managed to lick the camera!

The ducks are a mess!  

Look at the feathers they leave everywhere. 

The chickens are almost old enough to begin laying eggs.   I can barely wait to start eating the first yard eggs.  

The one rooster is a hoot.  He crows at all hours of the day and well into the evening.

This cat is only as big as a kitten.  When he was first born, a wild tomcat tried to kill him.  He was bitten on the back of his head and managed to survive.  Six months later and he's tiny--hasn't really grown a bit--but just as cute as can be.  His name is TeeTiger, here in Louisiana we've shortened the French word for small, petite, to just tee.

We've tried to catch TeeTiger, but he's just as wild as the male that tried to hurt him.  Without the zoom, there's no way to get a photo.   Isn't he the cutest, though?  Any ideas on how we might catch him? I would love to tame him to be able to protect him.

Peepers, Quackers, and Quailers

Oh My!  Have you ever suggested something reasonable to your husband then discover that he took your reasonable suggestion to the next level?  My husband either goes with NO or takes a reasonable suggestion to about the 10th level.  Here's one example:
Remember the Fuzzy Peepers?  The little chicks that I was so proud of?

I got seven about a month ago and they are doing very well--growing, putting on feathers, requiring more food and water and space that we were not prepared for.

So we borrowed a bigger brooder, bought larger feeders and water containers and prepared to move the seven peepers to their new home. This photo on the left is the same peepers--now not so fuzzy, but way bigger, feathered-out, and happy.

So what do you think I suggested?

Get a few more chicks...we have everything we need now and it's the same work whether we're tending seven or 15.  Besides, 15 is my favorite number and with that many we'd occasionally have enough eggs to give some to the kids.


Oh, yes, Richard agreed.
Readily.
With enthusiasm.
My first clue, of course, but I tend to miss clues and, get this, trust my husband to have good sense.
Go figure, 32 years of craziness and zany lives, and still I do.
Oh well, life goes on.
Right now it goes on with another 20 chicks in the small brooder,

and 12 Peking ducks in another small brooder,

and 40 quail (white and brown) in the big brooder with the original Fuzzy Peepers.

Yes, this is my life!  Ask for something small and reasonable and get something big and outrageous.......

or nothing at all!  Guess, I can live with outrageous......

Have a great week!
Mary