So Much To Talk About! 2-17-21

I should never skip a day on the blog because things just start piling up! The most exciting news is that we received our copies of SCRAP SCHOOL! And it is wonderful!

Our quilt made the cover! It’s the one on the far left – the aqua, green and ivory log cabin around a star made with a TriRec tool or the template which is included in the pattern.

The quilt made it back to us several weeks ago and I had to get it out to look at it again – it’s beautiful and I can say that because Connie made it completely – here it is in the snow!

Don’t you agree it’s beautiful? And such a departure for us – more on that later.

All the “professors” at Scrap School will be doing Instagram posts starting yesterday. Our day is February 23 so I’ll be posting on the blog at the same time. Whew! So much excitement and Connie has had to see it through pictures I send her since she’s still on Sanibel Island, poor thing.

To our Texas friends, we are thinking about you and sympathizing! Your weather sounds like the Upper Midwest, for heavens sakes! All those frozen and burst water pipes! We are always prepared for such weather and sort of get accustomed to doing chores and outdoor jobs in the cold. Once again I am so eternally thankful for my heater in the barn. My chickens are so fat and happy!

This morning when I went in to the lean-to to let the geese out I was surprised to see that there was a sparrow hawk trapped in with them hunting for supper which was plentiful. I couldn’t get to my phone to take his picture! This was a first in the 40 years I’ve lived here. And no picture – sigh.

Here are the reader quilts:

(Isn’t this a gorgeous picture?)

More later today!

29 thoughts on “So Much To Talk About! 2-17-21

  1. Sandy'

    Hi Mary, love the sausage dog quilt, l made one a few years ago, a great way to use scraps.our sunshine is back today in new Zealand, best wishes everyone from sandy

  2. Charlotte Shira

    I love Tina’s quilt too! Love how she did the edges.
    Connie’s quilt is beautiful. So exciting to be on the cover.

  3. Kathy in western NY

    The cover quilt is so stunning and yes, so unlike you girls with this color so it’s nice for the change as I am a brights girl. All the quilt pictures are just wonderful to see so I appreciate this chance to look at them. So thankful to live here as we are prepared. Like you we take extra precautions when building or thinking of unprecedented weather to make sure our pipes and heat can withstand. So worth the extra expense to be safe. Glad chickens are happy.

  4. Ruth

    Oh, what a beautiful star quilt!! What was the sparrow hawk hunting in the lean to with the geese? Mice? goslings? grain? alfalfa?
    That photo with the bouquet of flowers and the small hearts makes me re-think my reaction to wooden bowls filled with dustcatchers…the little hearts just ask to be picked up and touched and admired and loved. Thank you to whoever made them!

  5. Carol at Pin Oak Quiltery

    Today is the day for 40+ year firsts! The bluebird is the New York State bird, and in my 40+ years in this town, I’ve only seen two of them, several years ago. Today, four bluebirds were at my feeder eating bark butter! I couldn’t believe my eyes! My husband confirmed the sighting!

    We saw two bluebirds in Pennsylvania the morning after my son’s wedding. “Bluebirds of happiness”, my husband said. Two days later a very toxic family member who had been living with us for four years moved out, and my husband said, “I told you they would bring happiness.”

    Today… we got an email that Covid vaccines were available this afternoon! More happiness!
    Life is good!

  6. Nancy TD

    The quilt is great. Congrats to you and Connie for making the cover. I think I will have to buy the book.
    Nice finishes everyone. I enjoy seeing the quilts everyone makes.

  7. Mrs. Goodneedle

    Did the sparrow hawk attack any of the geese? How awful! Lovely quilt projects displayed today, I especially love the doxie quilt, of course! Your cover quilt is simply GORGEOUS!!

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Mrs. Goodneedle – no, the sparrow hawk was only after the sparrows – this cold weather makes it hard for any creature to find food!

  8. Amy

    Congrats on the new book and the quilt on the cover. It is beautiful. A friend recently posted, she is ready for her visit to Alaska to be over. Not knocking anyone who might be reading from Alaska, quite the opposite more power to you! We think we know how to do winter but this year will be one we talk about and of course it has to follow 2020. Its too bad the weather has postponed some of the vaccine appointments this week. If I was Connie I would look into staying a little longer : ) It would be hard to know you are driving home to this craziness.

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Amy – yes, poor thing, she is stuck there for the whole month! Roy contributes all of it to “good clean living on his part! Haha!!

  9. Cindy K

    Oh, Mary and Connie, Your quilt is exquisite! Did you do the quilting Mary? Everyone’s quilts (on the blog) are so pretty, I ooh and ahh’d. I was on the fence about the book but after seeing yours I think I fell off of the fence.

  10. Betty Klosterman

    Love the colors in Connie’s quilt. And the quilting really compliments it.
    My thoughts are with everybody in the south and where they don’t have power. They really need Paula Volgelsong’s instructions to make a heater out of toilet paper, gallon can and rubbing alcohol (?). Ranchers keep them for emergencies on the road or heating a room of the house. They really work and don’t put out dangerous fumes.
    I just finished shoveling the sidewalk. Talk about white powder! Probably because of our low humidity. The kids can slide to there and back! The skiers are having a ball. I think the temp is about 18 above except the wind is about 10-15 miles. Best to keep you back to the wind.
    And I’ve been sewing 3 1/2″ log cabins. My 1/4″ seam is perfect.
    Take care everybody and be aware of the weather. I see the people on the ice and think “stupid.”
    Betty in Rapid City

  11. Sherrill

    I think the worst part that we’ve been dealing with is the fact that so many have gone 40-50 hours without heat!! And with our temps in the teens and 20’s with lows below zero, that’s tough as the homes get cold really fast! (I still don’t know how homeless people do it!!) I hope no geese were harmed by the hawk; they were probably really nervous that night. LOVE the new quilt, a beauty for sure!

  12. Kathy Hanson

    WOW! Congratulations on getting your quilt on the cover!! Connie, it is just gorgeous!! Tina made a gorgeous quilt too, so much fun to see the things readers are making. I am working on two small quilts from things that I have had around forever it seems! hopefully I will be able to send pictures soon. All the quilt pictures are beautiful….what talented readers in this group!!!
    We had a hawk in a tree in the back yard watching over the seed tray hoping to get himself/herself, a nice lunch. Too bad, he didn’t manage to get anyone! Thank heaven!!!!

  13. Diane and Squeak in Central Ohio.

    What a fun quilt show on such a cold day. Your quilt on the cover is beautiful! How can we see the other blogs? Is it just Facebook, Instagram, etc? I found out about them from Martingale’s email. All of the quilts today are so different yet lovely.😃.
    The sun did come out today, but our high was 24 degrees. I new black cat showed up for” snack time” tonight! They look healthy so we think they just drop in except Buckeye whose family does not look after him. Ugh on irresponsible pet owners!
    Squeak is fascinated with her new “ friends”.

    1. Kathy in western NY

      Bless your heart Diane for looking after the cats. My vet said to me once when I brought in a stray to be checked out that we ended up keeping….he said a cat finds you. I think he was right. Cats know the humans who will look out for them to keep them safe and fed. This one we kept has quite the personality and makes us chuckle with his antics so I think us folks who stay home more now, find it rewarding we have our pets.

  14. Jo in Wyoming

    Wowzers, making the cover of a book is saying something special. Congratulations to you and Connie. Well deserved.
    Thanks to all the quilts in the show today….love it.

  15. Margaret in North Texas

    Beautiful quilt on the book cover Connie and Mary! Love the colors. We in Texas are all looking forward to Friday for a day above freezing. I have never been so grateful for heat, light and water. Some residents have been fortunate and a lot of others not so much. Trying to stay warm in a cold house is impossible. Thanks for your caring thoughts.

  16. Susan K in Texas

    Your cover quilt is in one of my favorite colors! I’m going to have to look for that book!
    How surprising to find the sparrow hawk! I’m like you when I see something like that – I can’t get to my phone.
    With all of the ice and snow the birds are everywhere. They’re looking for food shelter and water. The mourning doves sit on our front porch. We have huge flocks of robins and cedar waxwings. Magnus and Klaus are loving the bird show. They’re not fans of the cold white stuff so are staying in and watching at the windows.

  17. Marlene Leonardo

    Your quilt is lovely….with wonderful colors!!! I may just have to purchase that book. 👍🏼😁

  18. Sue Smith

    YES! The Country Quilts quilt is gorgeous! The colors are just yummy. Congrats to both of you.

    Tina of Or…I love your Bullseye. What a great border! All the finishes are great. Love that little button one, too.

  19. Sunflower from Michigan

    Your quilt is beautiful, Mary. And to be on the cover is an honor for sure. Lovely finishes today by everyone.
    Responding to Carol from Pin Oak Quiltery, I love and believe in the Bluebird of Happiness!! Early on in my nursing career, a patient gave me a gift of a Bluebird of Happiness figurine. It was made by Leo Ward from Fayetteville, AR. From the Bluebird House of Terra Studios. I love that little stature. As a joke, my son who was probably 8 or 10 years old at the time, would hide the Bluebird and sometimes it would take me days to come across it. When he bought his first house, I found him his own Bluebird of Happiness figurine and he has it in his kitchen. Every time I see my Bluebird it makes me smile.
    Stay safe everyone.happy quilting.

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Sunflower – I gave Mom a bluebird years ago and now I wonder what happened to it. I loved your sweet story!

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