Better Late than Never

Hello, all.  I have been MIA.  There have been various minor calamities happening around here.  I also had to work.  All the kids have been home once or twice in the past 10 days.  I know, excuses.  Truth is, I just didn't have the energy to blog.  I feel bad about that because this was in my mailbox last Saturday.

I had won a giveaway over at Stephanie's blog.  Stephanie is a very funny lady with lots energy judging from all the quilting she gets done.  I highly recommend her blog.

Back to ME and what I got out of this deal!  I picked this envelope up at the end of the driveway and dutifully laid it on the bar while I carried everything in.  It was 95° after all and I had been grocery shopping.  Then I opened it.  Look at what all I got!

I was so excited and ready to sit right down with those books.  As I walked around the island toward my rocking chair I saw this.

Reality check!  So....I put away the perishables and then sat down!

I want to thank Stephanie for her generosity.  My DIL has already had her eye on part of it.  I have to watch that girl like a hawk. If I didn't love her so much I would lock her out of my sewing stuff.  Well, mostly she just drools and threatens to take stuff.  I really shouldn't complain.

Stephanie, you made all the women here happy with your gift.  Thank you!

I have finally been sewing.  I have made 80 flying geese and am in the midst of trimming them.

They are part of the center of the Orion's Star quilt I am making.  The block looks something like this:

I have to make 20 of these blocks.  I have a ways to go! In case you can't tell, this is an Eleanor Burns pattern but I found a better way for me to make the flying geese and I use it.  The fabric is Kansas Troubles, Cattails and Clover.  It is a good thing I like it because I should have plenty leftover.  This quilt is for DIL#1.  She is super excited.

I have been reading this past week.  I started a book in a series I finally discovered I started in 1997!  No wonder I was lost.  So, I am going back and rereading the previous books.  They are WWII military books.  I enjoy them.  The author gets a little repetitive but at my age I need that!

I hope you all are enjoying your summer.

Keep stitchin' and stirrin'!

Mary