Sunday Quilt Inspiration: CLOUDS

Aren't clouds just beautiful? All floaty and soft and colorful. I love to look at the sky. And to enjoy the clouds. Just a few days ago Richard and I were driving through a threatening storm. The clouds were pink and coral on our east and, toward the south, dark purplish gray with lighter and darker grays mixed in. 


Immediately I saw a dragon in the dark grays and Richard found a dog in the east. My dragon lasted for several minutes but his dog morphed into a bunny and then a fantastical flower that surely Dr. Suess drew out. 

Do you share such an imagination? It's a fun way to appreciate God's glory. 

Not as easy as I'd hoped, here are a few quilts that I found that might have a bit of clouds or sky in them. Then ending with a couple of pantos to finish up. 

Issac....

See this?

















This is The Weather Channel model for Isaac's path.  That purple line runs right over our house.  In fact, if I were to zoom in, I think I'd see the studio. 

I'm joking, of course, (maybe to keep from crying) but it does appear that the hurricane is headed for us no matter which of the paths it takes.  We are prepared, but I'm sure that there are many who are not.  I hope they get ready by Tuesday because I'm very certain that there will not be a thing left on the shelves by tomorrow afternoon.  

To prepare we've tanked up the vehicles and have extra fuel set aside to run the generator.  We'll move the generator to the house tomorrow so that we don't have to go out in the storm if (or when) the lights go out.  We've picked up non-perishables to feed an army; have extra batteries, candles, and water; and have made sure that loose furniture and such are put away.  

While Haiti cleans up, we are getting ready for the same storm.  We are watching The Weather Channel continuously, for one.

The kids came over the weekend to cut up and haul off a limb that had fallen last week.  They also cut the grass and did a few other things to help out.  Rich had a heart cath procedure so he's not able to do those things.  Will and Stacey were a great help in taking care of doing what Rich normally does.  I'm especially grateful to them because it would have meant my doing those things with Rich trying to help.

If you don't hear from me again for a while, it's likely that the reason has to do with a visit from Hurricane Issac.  I expect electricity, internet and phone services to go out for at least a few days.  

I'm good, though, I do have a hand crank sewing machine to keep me busy when I'm not cooking and cleaning for the army of kids and grandkids.  

We do tend to pile up together during these events.  I think that's so we can take care of each other and know we're all safe.  But it could be because misery loves company.

Happy Quilting,
Mary

Rain, blogs, quilts

We have gotten buckets of rain over the last few days.  Tropical Storm Lee made land and showered us with a slow, soaking rain for two days.  Then the cool front came in and Lee was stuck over Avoyelles Parish with still more rain, so we got a wind-howling deluge for another day.  In three days the bayou that runs through town changed from a dry, cracked grassland bottom to a dangerous water shed overflowing its banks.  The small lake on our land has almost filled to the brim, which is great for the duck hunters in our family, and the catfish now have room to move since the pond is refilled.


Have you tried the new Blogger interface?  I am forcing myself to use it and Google Reader for keeping up with my blog reading and the blog itself.  It's very different but clean, and I'm sure that once I get used to where the buttons are I'll enjoy it much more.  I've read on other blogs that there are, or were, many glitches, but I haven't found any problems.  If you haven't tried it, you might give it a go.  For now you can switch back to the old interface if you don't like the new one.  I assume that eventually Blogger will faze out the old one, so I'm just going to get used to this one right now and get it over with.


Finally, on to quilts.  With the three day weekend I had hopes of getting some quilting done.  I did make some advancements, but not anywhere close to what I was hoping for.  I worked on my sister's quilt.  It's one of those for her grandchildren.  I have no idea how I am to finish all in time for Christmas.  Every weekend there's something else to take me away from the studio.  Today for example, we were to run in to town pick up a few items and get home early.  Almost six hours later we pull into the drive, and I'm exhausted and frustrated.  I also missed my guild meeting, which I very much wanted to attend.  


I'm getting close to finishing up this quilt for Seth.  Do you remember these pictures? I posted about it here.  How did I go from April to August without so much as touching the quilt?  Back in the spring I thought I had gobs of time to finish a few twin sized quilts.  Now it's fall and I'm getting worried.  Not that I procrastinated, honestly.  But Rich was working on the studio, then had surgery, then I had surgery, then Rich painted the studio floor, and then school started and Rich had surgery again!  Can you believe that we went through all that in the course of only four months?  Wait, it's now September!  Oh goodness, I'm going to have to do some explaining!  I think I have nine quilts to make and I have yet to finish the first one.   Hmm, I wonder if Angie will be moved by my tears?  She does react to the tears of her grandchildren.  Guess I'd better get to the studio!


In the meantime, what do you think is the best course of action for explaining to Angie that she's likely not going to get all of her quilts in time for Christmas?  Please do advise.....