Spring at the Coast

Here is our spare room - it isn't really a sewing room, but I get to hang quilts in there. My mom used to have a 'keeping room' out at the farm. Dad would say, "That's old and doesn't go in our house anymore - lets chuck it." And mom would say, "No, let's keep it." and into the 'keeping room it would go! So this is more of a keeping room - not that it doesn't go anywhere else ... just that there isn't room anywhere else. Our desktop computer is in there, the blow-up guest bed is there, the second tv ... and a whole lot of sewing supplies/projects.

Well, the month of May completes our first year at the coast. We arrived here last June 2 or 3-ish. We arrived, unloaded our part of the truck and then immediately drove up to Portland to unload L's part! It was a few days before we were actually residing here. It doesn't seem possible that a year could go so fast!

When we arrived the rhodies were in full gorgeous bloom ... this month we see the azaleas and the very end of the spring bulbs. The summer lower tides are back and I saw the first 'squadron' of pelicans flying this week. I guess it's like seeing the first robins in the midwest. It just soothes the heart! We also are seeing a hawk who must be building a nest close by ... guess she wanted to live on the beach ... the commute from the mountains was too much!!!

I'm nose to the grindstone trying to finish 'Sesquicentennial-ish' by the May 14th deadline. How do I get myself into these marathon finishes??? I have all 13 blocks quilted and am working on the sashings - then of course, the setting triangles and the dreaded sewing of the binding - both sides by hand! [insert scream of frustration here!] So I thought I'd throw in some detail pictures of our condo. I took them just before I went back to Nebraska to show friends and family back there.


My 'neighborhood' moved from Nebraska - there they were spread out between our house and my office window sill. I've added fossils and agates that I've found here. This is a kitchen window that faces our garage/parking areas.


And you all know I got a rock polisher for Christmas! Here's the first two batches I've polished since then. It's really addicting ... and fun to spot the agates and cool rocks on the beach during our walks.

Hopefully, next week I'll be able to show you "Sesiquicentennial-ish" finished before deadline! And I hope to get a picture of my coast shophop run challenge - I entered it into the competition without a picture on my camera. A friend took pictures of it at our retreat ... now if I can just figure out which friend and get a copy from her!!!