22 August 2012

Flying Geese and Fall Comin' On ...



Yup, Fall's comin' on! I went to the lake yesterday and plunked myself in a beach chair with a good book - The Song of Achilles  (Madeline Miller) is a wonderful read. The sun did its magic on my exposed legs and décolletage while I got lost in the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles, the unfolding of the Trojan War, the sad fulfillment of Achilles' fate, and the numerous dalliances of the Gods and mortals.

Occasionally, I'd loll back and look out over Harrisville Pond and up into the sky. It was that fantastic washed-out blue of late summer; there were fair weather clouds making their lazy way from west to east ... it was such a gorgeous day. After a few hours of quiet and a couple lazy dips in the water, it became painfully obvious that I needed to get out of the sun. Between the stares of a few 'sun neighbors' and the beginnings of a sunburn tingle, I knew that I shouldn't have forgotten the sunscreen at the house and I should have moved into the shade much sooner. Alas, I shall be a lobster for a few days ...

On my way home, I rolled the windows down, opened the sunroof in the Passat, and took a few back road detours to explore some of the small towns around. Hancock, Stoddard, Antrim, Sharon, and finally Peterborough floated by to the sounds of crickets and katydids and the first honkings of Canada geese. At one point, there was a perfect V-shaped flock flying above the car, as I came around one of the many wetland swamps that dot this end of the state of New Hampshire. The swamp maples are just starting to take on their distinctive red tinge. The goldenrod is in full bloom along the roadsides and up through the meadows and fields. Here and there, you see clumps of summer phlox, all pink and white or soft shades of purple. Soon, the field asters will pop up in shades of lavender and deep purple. Everything is blowsy looking and semi-dry. Yup, Fall's comin' on.

When I got home, SB had done an easy job of supper - bless him! While he grilled venison burgers, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, roasted potato wedges, and sautéed zucchini and onions, I poked around at the beginnings of my Fall project. Fittingly, this will be a twin sized Flying Geese quilt when I have finally cut all the pieces and put them together to make the quilt face. It will be quilted through the winter time and by next Spring, I will have a pretty quilt to show off at one of the summertime fairs. Yup, Fall's comin' on - what will be your Fall project?

9 comments:

  1. Yikes, no sunscreen . . . I can relate, I don't tan - at all! I have what I refer to as my "savage Irish tan." . . .

    Love your quilt, and a quilt is one of the things I'm thinking of working on this winter! I can't wait to see your finished product!

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  2. I am not talented in the sewing /craft area at all. I would love to learn how to do simple water color paintings. Maybe someday I'll take a class. Another thing that really interests me hooking rugs. I would enjoy doing something like that. Your quilt is lovely and I look forward to seeing the finish masterpiece. Sorry about your sunburn.

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  3. It sounds like you had a wonderful ride home, despite the sunburn. Your dinner sounds delicious and how nice it must be to have to share your kitchen with a man than cooks. Susan, you asked about the salt. I use whatever I have on hand for refrigerator pickles. However, when I actually process pickles in a water bath I make it a point to use pickling salt which contains no iodine. I hope all is well. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  4. Autumn is my favourite time although it seems to have come all too quickly and yet not quickly enough. Mty fall project is simply to travel, write and photograph all the sights and sounds of Italy.

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    1. Oh, Val! There is nothing like a good armchair tour of the 'best of' sights and memories from any Euro trip. I look forward to your slices of life in Italy!

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  5. Susan this is going to be a lovely quilt. I do appreciate the traditional patterns like flying geese, and from what we have seen of your home through pictures, this will work well in any room. Of course I have about six projects going, but all of the hand quilting is devoted to a scrappy hex quilt I've worked on throughout the Summer - English paper piecing. I'm really hoping to have it finished and up on the wall by Christmas. It's a bit of a memory quilt as it is using up little bits of fabric from a zillion projects I've completed over the past ten years.

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    1. Kay, I have just joined a quilt guild ... finally! I am finding that meeting with like-minded folks helps me get to projects that I want to complete, do some charity stitching, and just plain get inspired ... can't wait to see your scrappy quilt!

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  6. Sprout Sara24/8/12 12:00 PM

    Um, EXCUSE ME! Why do I have to get lectured on the importance of sunscreen, but you aren't even using ANY?! Not fair!

    I'm fighting a battle between welcoming fall, knowing that if I do, winter will soon be around the next corner. Such a melancholy thought. But I'm ready to do some running outside in sub-70 degree weather, so I think ... I think I'm ready for it.

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    1. Oh my dear ... it was a total flook on my part and a stupid move, I might add ... you keep slapping that sunscreen on!

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