In A Bookish, Quilty Mood

Where I left off yesterday with Straight to the Heart .... Pondered while languidly cutting fabrics for another quilt (while listening to the soundtrack for Life Stories: The Enran Chronicles Book Two , see here for that playlist ).... Well, yeah, slow revisions. Past Me is probably wondering what the hey I'm on about while Future Me nods in appreciation. Yup, slow revisions, uh-huh. SLOW REVISIONS. How slow? Well, I'd planned to publish Straight to the Heart: The Hawk Book Three ten days ago. If I can finish the revisions by the end of this week I'll be thrilled. Then there's a cover to fashion, blurbs to craft.... Plenty to do when releasing a novel but first the novel needs to have all the i's dotted and t's crossed. And while Past Me could do all that by the twinkle of her nose, Present Me just doesn't have it all that together. Such is aging, such is life. Makes me grateful I only answer to me, myself, and I when it comes to the writing, let me also s...

  Nadia Barnevelder in the mood to pose. All photos courtesy of my husband. As if I'm on the cusp of eighty instead of sixty, ahem.... Well, that's how I felt a few days ago when I considered this post. I've achieved some good sleep in the interim, but I am NOT the woman I was three decades past. This is in regard to spending ten days with my grandsons, finding my energy levels depleted in a weird way that I chalk up to being close to sixty in the general realm. That actually happens next spring, but oh my goodness I felt every one of my fifty-nine years after saying See you later to those adorable grandkids, their mum, and her mother-in-law. Now that I've been home a full week, I am indeed rested and somewhat relaxed in the grand scheme. The previous post notwithstanding or how Washington D.C. is being enveloped in an evil attempt at a dystopian but all too realistic dictatorial takeover, I am not exhausted or feeling extremely aged. The chickens help; I've spent ...

Those chicks are doing well, although coccidiosis remains an irritant, and I had to add Corid to their water again this morning. Our bossy chick Camilla was quite docile in my care earlier today; hopefully her spunk returns, as well as good health. Good health cannot be overrated for chicks, and certainly not for us humans. Dear friends have been struggling for the last three months, as my pal Teri is back in hospital, where she has resided for much of the last ten weeks. Teri remains feisty, but her cognitive abilities are strained, and her spouse Anson is reaching the end of his emotional tether. They are the age my father would be had he lived, yet my husband and I view them not as parental substitutes. They are our contemporaries, as well as inadvertent guides on our aging journeys. I sent out a prayer request to my sisters this morning concerning Teri and Anson, asking for love, support, and especially strength. Only now I realize I didn't seek healing, which might seem like a...

A mug rug in the making. Love those bright colours, courtesy of my youngest daughter. The train wreck that was my back is now the lingering downed power pole that is my left hip. I am grateful that the entirety of my lower back is amenable to movement, but disappointed at the hip. Can one be disappointed in a body part? I'm sure it's doing the best it can.... Ahem. Whatever is going on, I am underway to discovering the cause of the discomfort, so we'll see where that rabbit hole ends. If nothing else, I am getting over the cold that invariably came my way (of course that was inevitable), and TRULY GLAD my husband agreed that getting baby chicks could wait. Postponing that life alteration occurred after I sliced my finger cleaning the top of the metal feed trough; the underside of the metal made me shout, then bleed, then decide that no matter how eagerly we've waited, baby chicks would be better acquired when we were both healthy (hip not included). By the end of yester...

A Kaffe Fassett placemat I finished earlier today. The purple thread used for hand-quilting disappears into the print, a nice effect. On Tuesday, 13 May 2025, it's once again after four. In the afternoon. How the heck are the days passing SO QUICKLY? I honestly don't understand, although my dad warned me about this over twenty-five years ago. Dad said, "I remember being your age and thinking time went by fast. And now it goes by EVEN FASTER!" He wasn't kidding! Because each day passes, and suddenly it's nearly four p.m. Time to think about doing my stretches. Then it IS four o'clock, dude! Sometimes I do my stretches, lol, like today. After wrenching my knee in March, my exercise routine went wonky. My knee is pretty good now, although I hurt my hand doing some raking a few days ago, yet icing my right index finger worked wonders. And now it's four twenty-eight, in the afternoon, in nearly the middle of May. If Dad was still alive, I'd ask...

Having turned fifty-nine recently (AHEM), I'm stitching left-handed when I can, or as long as I have the patience to do so. My right shoulder is still niggly despite ibuprofen and being iced several times a day. Although I think it's getting better, but as I use a mouse with my left hand, perhaps sewing will also morph the same. Aging is better than not, and other than that wonky shoulder I have few complaints. Daylight increases in a marvelous way, and the ground has dried out from our very wet winter. Marigold seeds sown over ten days ago didn't germinate, but the green beans and peas my husband planted are doing well. I have new fabric to use, and have decided it's time to turn a thrift store lap quilt my sister-in-law let me have become the filler for a new Kawandi quilt. That's a decision that needed to be made, because that poor EEP beauty just requires too many repairs, front and back. Now it will form the batting for something NEW, and that's not a bad t...

We squeezed in a trip to the beach, low tide and calm waves a pleasure. Close friends visited over the weekend, and while this morning is a cloudy mess, we enjoyed bright blue skies, warm temps, and marvelous camaraderie. Chatting with those of a similar age and interests is always pleasant, for while we are on different paths, the journeys coalesce in manners that remind we're not alone in 1) Getting older, 2) Navigating our purposes and 3) Maintaining sanity. Definitely important elements in this thing called Life. Then Life returns to its usually scheduled programming, which of course is wonderful too, mostly. My wonky knee remains tricksy, but is improving. Shingles have cleared up and left no visible reminders other than I'll probably need another vaccine in the next few months. I'm SERIOUSLY contemplating what I'd LIKE to next write, whoa! I'm making good strides with the Mandolin quilt, but A Quilt of Grace was moved off the sofa so others could sit on the so...

Shortly after writing the previous post , I decided not to join my daughter and her family on their holiday. It was the best choice, albeit not easy, yet I felt peaceful afterwards, and was glad to have made the decision without further stewing about it. Today I am REALLY GLAD I'm not going because my knee is VERY ACHY. A visit to the orthopedist is in the works, and I'm ready to acquiesce to whatever will fix the issue, which is probably a further tear in the meniscus. The last two days haven't been bad, but I took ibuprofen three hours ago, with no relief. Such is the way of aging, just have to accept the less stellar moments as they emerge. I snapped this a couple of days ago during a break in the rain. To my delight, the nasturtium has bloomed (pictured above), although once again it's raining, which will be the case tomorrow. Which is great for keeping me inside reading through Brave the Skies one more time, a probable release date of next Monday on my calendar. I...

The title says it all. Yes I have shingles, but it's a very mild case and I'm on an anti viral. My knee is achy unless I take ibuprofen. Mandolin blocks are designed, and I left out the fabrics, (pictured above) also used for the Myrtle quilt, which needs four blocks arranged, which I'll sort later today. But not everything makes it onto this blog; in a week I'm supposed to join my eldest daughter's family on holiday. Flight is involved, travel out of our home state. Suddenly my participation is in doubt, especially for how wonky my knee feels this morning. Shingles isn't the issue, or it's not at this moment, lol. More is how feasible is loads of walking when one's meniscus is dodgy. How difficult is life when delightful plans are thrown askew by ailments (and I won't mention an abysmal government); it's not a crisis of MASSIVE proportions, yet I am stymied by what to do, or more rightly I am (not so) patiently waiting until Monday to make a dec...

Over two hundred hearts awaiting their rightful homes within a stitching WIP. Just want to note that despite all my wishing to write something new soon, I just can't commit to it. Too much is going on, both in prepping books for release as well as life, to assume I can pull a completed draft outta my backside. Last night I started stitching my Mr. Carter quilt. Not that evening stitching interferes with morning writing. But I got a little maudlin, almost teary, in sorting the hearts on the sofa by relative colour. The photo above doesn't begin to tell their stories, wondering what the future would hold. I assumed I'd be writing as I cut fabrics, basted shapes, stitched together jewels. Maybe even last night I thought, "Yup, gonna start a new book soon!" At some point this morning, reality kicked in. The reality of, "If I plan to publish two novels by the end of April, where in the world am I supposed to find time to write one?" That's a pretty soberi...

Hexagon block for Alexandria, a wonderful ongoing process! Quilts. And novels, ahem.... I almost titled this Sincere considerations , because to blithely discuss writing (actual writing not revising) or machine-piecing a quilt seems precarious. Why? Because it's been over a year since I finished writing anything new and a few months since sewing with my machine which is STILL UNDER ITS COVER.  But I'm not going to change the title. In leaving it alone, I'm possibly setting myself up for disappointment, but damnit, I REALLY WANNA WRITE SOMETHING NEW! And look at something different on the design wall. I stretch twice a day in the room where the design wall resides, and I meant to take down the blocks just minutes ago after completing my stretches, but I forgot. Jeez Louise! I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached (and I'm a little afraid I'm forgetting how to.... Not write, but, but, but....)! The out of order bit relates to the quilt I'm sincerely consi...

Pondering why I write, sew, or do anything really. Lol. That could easily be the blurb for this blog! Or life, if life manages to free up a few moments for said introspection. I had some last night after the latest trio of hexagon blocks were attached to Alexandria; I stared at one from the previous round, made with yellow fabric from a fat eighth surrounding some beautiful Kaffe Fassett jewels, with a navy hexie nestled inside them. To the right are upside down Anna Maria hearts in blue, also a big LOVE! I studied this block for a good ten minutes as yawns rang the bell for bedtime. Posted a snippet on Bluesky about it, then promptly went to bed! Whether writing or releasing a novel or working on a MAMMOTH English paper-piecing project (EPPP), taking a few minutes to question/admire said project seems to happen less frequently than previously. Not sure if it's because lately I've been up to my armpits in STUFF GOING ON, or if aging seems to allow less time to ponder, which mi...

Cards made yesterday morning while avoiding cleaning my house, lol. How editing out of order helps as well as hand quilting the perimeter is occasionally necessary. But when creative time is squeezed, better to adapt than not create at all. Well okay! I thought this up about half an hour ago after spending the early (but not stupid early) morning reading through The Enran Chronicles Book 3. Not like delving into it from Chapter One, more like opening the document, peering at the first paragraph, then smirking at myself because right now there are not enough straight uninterrupted days to begin a proper read-through of the novel. Yet on one particular morning, like today, I could peruse a few chunks, which I did indeed do as I scrolled more than halfway through the story, plopping myself into a scene, then within a few minutes finding a typo! What? Well, okay.... Good thing I landed on that page, with enough wherewithal to notice said typo, then correct said typo. I completed that chap...

  Humboldt morning sky. My husband's sixtieth birthday is approaching and we're hosting a party. Our eldest daughter has organized much of it over the last several months, as it was unknown to my hubby until the end of last month. He was GOBSMACKED, in a very nice way, and now it's days from happening. Time really moves at its own fickle pace, in that when this party first came into being, spring was flirting with our part of the state, but in full swing in the SF Bay Area, where our daughter lives. Today I wore a turtleneck, the first of this autumn season. We ran a lot of errands, some party-related, some not. I finished reading through The Hawk Book 2 yesterday, and no editing occurred today, nor any sewing. I just spent the last hour adding To Do's from the party spreadsheet onto my phone in the form of reminders, including that of Fill in white board with day's tasks . The white board dwells in the mud room, we probably need markers for it as it came with the ...

I didn't mean to cut back a dahlia, but sometimes it happens. We might get some rain tonight, so today was spent prepping for it. Leaves were raked, the wood area cleaned, and boy my back is feeling all that exercise! I've lamented not doing more in the garden, but have earned my outdoor stripes over the last few days. Amaryllis have been cut down, blackberry vines among them whacked back. My better half dumped several bins of refuse, bless him! I swept the back patio and am looking forward to how much leftover dust is washed away by the precipitation, perhaps a quarter-inch worth. I can't complain about the impending wet weather, because it's nearly the middle of October and we haven't had much in the way of damp days. In fact, we've enjoyed loads of warm temps for our neck of the North Coast. Yet it's time for a change. Huh, not much about retirement, semi or otherwise, so far in this post. I did feel quite relaxed while raking this morning, the sun shinin...

All photos taken at The Hook in Capitola, California by yours truly. Not that I need another hobby but.... Yesterday I made cards to share with family and friends. The blanks were initially purchased to use with grandkids, making fabric scrap art, which my granddaughters recently thought was The Bomb! That was very pleasing, so I bought more cards, then recalled prints made LONG AGO when we lived in Silicon Valley and every few months I drove over Highway 17 to visit The Hook, in Capitola. Part of the process; I used a rotary cutter specifically for paper when trimming the photos. Boy that feels like Someone Else's Life! Yet over a dozen years ago, every time I completed a new draft, I treated myself with a trip to the Pacific. Usually I brought with me a pretty good camera for the time, a Nikon Coolpix 8700, and took shot after shot after shot of the ocean. September 2010 When I say shot after shot after shot , what I mean is HUNDREDS of photographs of one section of the Californi...

Where did last week go? Family left yesterday, and only now am I sitting at my computer, mulling over what to say, as the right side of my middle back recovers from a recent wrenching that I can't explain other than to say I moved wrong. Aging sometimes sucks, but it beats dying prematurely. Well, that's a mouthful. I enjoyed a relatively pain-free, marvelous week with family. The weather was FABULOUS, and remains so, a multitude of bright, cloud-free days that were warm in sun and not bad in the shade. So much occurred that I simply had no time to sneak in an entry, but I considered writing here, and managed a wee bit of editing on The Hawk that reminded me exactly what is at stake in next month's election. More than economic policies or immigration outlines, but true liberty for every single American. More about that soon enough. The center square is a scrap from an old fave. Love this design! Currently on my mind is the possibility of busting out a quilt in the next six...

  Back of the quilt. Well, I guess I am going to post about this comforter, or at least include a healthy amount of pictures, especially of the back, which I LOVE! The front is nice too, lol. And having washed it twice, it's not as stiff as previously, although it needs plenteous cuddles (and more laundering) to really become the snuggly quilt I hear it screaming to be. Binding is scrappy, what I forgot to mention in this post. I REALLY LOVE the vibrancy of the fabrics, front and back. Screaming might be a little farfetched; it is certainly hollering, what with two layers of batting, which I did because batting is so thin these days. To my joy, and relief, this quilt doesn't feel too heavy. It's a nice weight, the right size for one person, or a grandma and a nieto or nieta. It's definitely long enough for me to drape over myself from chest to feet, complete coverage of shoes. That matters, as I'm a little over five foot seven inches tall, and am not keen on lap qu...