Fall at the coast!

Well, the weather has been almost perfect since Labor Day! September and October are the best months here. We actually had our 'high temp' of the year last week - it was 75!!! Amazing. So-o there's been alot of walking on the beach and toodling around in the car with the windows down.

I completed the second row of A&J2's wedding quilt and decided the first row was simply not enough contrast - so I'm ripping that row out. It's not too bad - I take it to stitchery group and they entertain me while I do it. AND then I'll have the darks for 2 rows cut and ready to resew. Just have to add the lights. At least that's what I keep telling myself!

TIP: If your frog-stitching [rip-it, rip-it] and hate to get the snips of thread all over you and everyone around you ... take a small piece of batting with you to put the threads on. They 'wipe off' your fingers and seam ripper really easy and they STAY IN PLACE! When you're done, you can either scrape/pick-off the threads into the garbage or throw the whole piece of batting away and use a new piece next time.

Last weekend the ocean was BIG! We're still trying to figure out why sometimes the ocean is like a lake with little rippling waves and then next it's booming waves and it seems to take up the whole window! It seems to be a 1/2 moon during 'bigger' ocean days - but still working on that theory.

After big waves there can be alot of rocks and agates on the beach or none - if the ocean was 'scrubbing' it clean. Saturday, I was taking a break when the sun was actually out for an hour. I was walking the beach -scanning for rocks- but the beach is pretty clean, talking to G in Nebraska. I'd forgotten my litter bag so I was holding the phone with one hand and 2 plastic bottles and a paper label litter in the other hand. Happened to look and down and saw an agate the size of a 1/2 peach!!! Needless to say, in my excitement I dropped everyting - including the phone! Sorry, G! After washing off the agate, holding it up to the sun to admire it, and stowing it in my pocket. I picked everything back up and called G back and continued on my way!! There were also seals swimming in the surf - they are all congregating in the harbor these days. If the wind is right, we can hear them barking out by our garage - it's about 5 miles to the harbor!

Yesterday afternoon I sat at the dining room table doing paperwork and the whales were out in front of my windows in force. So much fun to watch the spouts and anticipate where they are coming up next! To me it's like God saying, "Hi! I'm here!" We've been here 16 months and I'm still amazed every week by the beauty that surrounds us.

The back to school alphabet exchange was a big hit. I filled two alphabets within 3 days of presenting it at the meeting.

Last night I got the first call. "Hello, I'm done with my alphabet blocks but I didn't notice that we were window-paning the fusible."

Really, you didn't notice 20 'x's hollowed out and fused to 1/2 yard of fabric as the example on the table? You didn't notice the letters I showed you, pointing out the method to do the letter you chose? You didn't hear me [seriously, I'm a megaphone] telling how to do it at least 50 times during the meeting. You didn't hear me mention it when I told about the project in front of the group? You didn't notice paragraph 4, 5 and 6 on the first page of the 7 page handout. Or the illustrations on page 1 and page 2 showing you the method? You didn't notice ALL my contact information and telling you to call me if you had any questions??? In your case, you didn't even notice when I presented the idea to the board???

Well! I was stunned!!! LOL! And I'm sure she won't be the only one!!!