Let the Wild Rumpus Start! In a calm way, please

 

Happy New Year – though I did hear ‘Mrs Maisel’ say that she’s just calling February 1 the start of the new year.  Let January shake off it’s ‘2020 vibe’.  

It's a New Year from sunrise on Rainbow Rock

2020 did give us lots of time … to waste, to discover, to read and even to spend HOURS on your computer devise.  I will never tell how many Wheel of Fortune games I played!!  Although I do have to point out, it’s one of the few games there are no ads every move!  Just saying!

I read 83 books this year!  The last two years my count was in the 40s.  And a LOT of them were excellent!  Here’s the ones I recommend.

A Small Town by Thomas Perry  I love his Jayne Whitefield series: a one woman Native American witness protection force.  Always excited to find a new book.

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn  Artsy woman trying to make a living and find a man ... good old romance for a bewildering year.

Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg  Not your typical book club group!

Virgin River by Robyn Carr  Beware there are over a dozen books in this series, you’re going to have to pace yourself!  And then there is the series on Netflix!  Oh, yeah!

Jane Harper’s series based in Australia   The Dry, Force of Nature, The Lost Man.  Excellent series and The Lost Man took my breath away!  I hear there is a new book out soon.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett  She is usually a great read but she’s outdone herself in this one!  The cover is delicious and the story is even better.

American by Day by Derek Miller  Book 2 of a series from a Norwegian author.  The first book was Norwegian by Night.  I think I read it, but didn't log it.  I love a good strong woman character and this has her.

The Dressmakers Gift by Fiona Valpy  Generational tale centered on WWII

Year One by Nora Roberts  Set in an alternate reality, proving Nora Roberts isn't just a romance writer.

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian  This was really good, kept me guessing until the end.  And the series on HBOmax is good even if the story is tweaked a little.  As usual, book first is the way to go.

The Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg  Who doesn’t want to run away from home?  Yes, I’m talking to you grown-ups!

The Lola Quartet by Emily St John Mandel

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins  Excellent prequel to Hunger Games.  Learn how Snow got to be Snow.  I listened to the audio book from our online library and the narrator was awesome.  Got a lot of quilting done just listen to the book.

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Mortimore  This was a real find, different plot.  I loved it, loaned it to my friend, told my daughter to read it and they both loved it!!  SciFi but not really.  Try it!

Beyond the Black Stump by Neville Shute  Written in the ‘40s (!)  another Australia author.  I really love his writing, I went on to read 3 more books in our library.  Definitely a winner.

Well, shall we talk about quilting?

I looked at my list and I was underwhelmed.  But then I remembered I made more than 300 masks!  Well, that explains it!   

 

My favorite projects this year were:

I topped the Road to OK that was a raffle block from Nebraska.  I wanted to win back then but I didn’t, so I made one block to remember it.  It IS a tricky block because the points of the stars are in the center of the block, not the outside.  There was ripping.  The star is made by the 4 corners together.  AND I really just loved the name for it’s own sake:  I wanted to be on the road back to OK (normal), didn’t you.  We still do.

Of course, if you follow my blog you know all about Wild Thing.  I was in the 100 day project.  I’ve been in it before, but never finished the full 100 days.  I had picked ONE project to work on every day to finish it.  Let’s just say that’s not how I work!  When the 100 days started I was discouraged by the quarantine; by the endless masks requests and how I felt I was on the way to Blah-ville.  So my plan for the 100day was to do one thing I really wanted to do every day.  WOW! What a difference.  There was this quilt block – Super Plus – that I’d wanted to do for years.  But no, I wouldn’t even consider it unless my UFOs were finished.  What a drag!  Well, I did one block a day – I’m embarrassed to say, it only took 15 minutes!  And refilled my energy well each time.  Even the ripping of the chain stitching done wrong was fun!!

One of my favorites was this charity baby quilt with the improve birds.  I love those birds - so whimsical.

The Stash Lab Strip book was wonderful to use for QOVs.  Every block was easy piecing of strings, all the same color family.  Two blocks made a half square triangle and you know what that means … you can use any log cabin set up!!  And there are a trillion of those.  We made 5 different layouts.  And 2 table runners for prizes for our participants.  And the secret is:  we were all ready to keep going!  Highly recommended.

I did some embroidery work too.  I love Dropcloth Samplers out of Portland.  I embroidered the Sampler Sequel and the Color Wheel.  I’d done the Original Sampler earlier.  Ok – confession time.  The Sampler and the Sequel both need the bouillon knots finished.  There’s only a dozen but (insert chicken squawks here).  Just Do It! (in Nikes?)