- Backing up

Retrospective (7/7/2016)

Patch #182 Newcomb College sampler

Original Post

I finally started work on some retrospective patches now that I don't have the happy distraction of our grandkids. Sure is quiet around here.

But there were clouds to watch as I pondered ...

And in good time I completed patches for June 13, 14, and 25 ...

As always, I got a kick out of the similarities between the Texas and North Carolina state flags. Because really, North Carolina is my second home more than Williamsburg ever was.

And Jude Hill's post with its video about easing patches together brought a smile. I do love how my wonky patches all seem to square up when they are stitched together ... if only I had realized sooner.

- Taking a ride

Retrospective (7/5/2016)

Patch #181 Through the looking glass

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There are times when you can't quite believe your eyes ...

When colors seem otherworldly and even the camera can't mess them up.

We're fortunate to live near the headwaters of the San Marcos River, where Texas State University runs glass-bottom boats ...

the better to show the wonders of the natural springs ...

Fish and turtles swim below ...

and limestone sand bubbles like Cream of Wheat as the crystal clear water flows out of the Edwards Aquifer ...

thirty feet below the boat.  

It's really quite amazing ...

and not a bad way to spend part of a summer's day ...

especially if it's topped off by lunch at Torchy's Tacos ...

- Can't help myself

Retrospective (7/4/2016)

Patch #180 Blanket flower

Playing with complementary colors (red/green and purple/yellow) in this whimsical riff on the blanket flowers that were blooming at the beach (see June 23).

P.S. Can you tell I'm having a hard time letting go of beach week?

Original Post 

On the way to Austin I stopped at the thrift store, where I am totally helpless in the face of anything linen ...

especially when it's marked down to $1. 

This time I won't mix colors in the wash ... and I'm intrigued to find myself leaning toward brighter colors with no intention of toning them down.

- Catching up

Retrospective (7/4/2016)

Patch #179 Sunbow

While it was sunny in Texas, it was overcast at the beach, which had its advantages: no sunburns and two sunbow spottings.

Original Post

Two more weeks added to the rain patch cloth after checking timeanddate.com for the time we were out of town ...

Plus some belated blog and news reading, which revealed there is currently an exhibit of 27 prayer quilts out of the 400 that were donated to Emanuel AME Church in Charleston:  http://counton2.com/2016/06/16/prayer-quilts-for-mother-emanuel-exhibit-on-display-until-june-30/

And even though I had planned to work on patches, I ended up playing with a t-shirt I started working on at the beach ...

I think I'll launder it before going much further since I have no clue how the stitches will respond to agitation. I'm also realizing (anew) that stitching into cotton knit is tough going, so this will probably be a one-off.

- Home

Retrospective (7/4/2016)

Patch #178 Sunrise

Original Post

What is home really?

Is it where your loved ones are?

Where your heart is happy?

Where time flies by?

We are home, back in Texas, but in my heart the Outer Banks will always be home, too.

This week I'll stitch memories of the past week into patches. 

But Don already created his memory-holder while we were in Avon ...

It's a slat of weathered wind fencing, designed to hold the dunes, reduced to driftwood by wind and tide.

Don calls it paint by numbers ...

milk paint layered onto the wood.

I call it art ...

This piece seems destined to end up framed by an old shuttle ...

its new home away from home.

- Bye bye bye beach

Retrospective (6/30/2016)

Patch #177 North Carolina flag

James Taylor sang as we drove off the Outer Banks "In my mind I'm goin' to Carolina" but we were going, going, gone again. Flags fluttered in the breeze as we flew by. Already gone.

Original Post

- The view

Retrospective (7/4/2016)

Patch #176 Beach towel 4

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This has been my view for the last week, sometimes sunny ...

sometimes not ...

Today was the last day for the kids to get sand between their toes ...

and play together ...

As an added treat, I noticed on Facebook that my cousin's granddaughter was at Hatteras lighthouse yesterday. We've never met, but I sent her a message and invited her over. Bless her heart, she accepted the invitation and came to meet us all after dinner. Three generations of cousins ...

and one last look at the sea.

- Color wheel

Retrospective (7/4/2016)

Patch #175 Beach towel 3

Original Post 

Primary colors ...

Secondary colors ...

Okay, I admit it ... any excuse to show off my grandkids ... 

- Because there can never be too much ...

Retrospective (7/4/2016)

Patch #174 Beach towel 2

Original Post

Art ...

Wine ...

Love, Laughter ...

Cookie dough ...

- Food is love

Retrospective (7/4/2016)

Patch #173 Beach towel 1

Original Post

Don got t-shirts for everyone this year. On the front "Food is love" and on the back ...

Making cookie dough (because really, why go to all the trouble of actually baking cookies?), usually involves one-on-one lovin' complete with "now add the sugar" and "now let's taste to make sure it's okay." 

Today, we had a crowd, so stadium seating and a challenge: "whoever is quietest gets the first taste" ...

Logan (far left) and her friend Peyton were great assistants (twelve is a great age). They determined the winner of tasting round one was ...

Griffin!

Of course in the end, everyone won a round. Then they shared with the moms and dads ...

And believe it or not, the grown ups shared back ...