Florida Gulf Coast Classic Dog Show

One of our neighbors has Giant Schnauzers. She has a handler who shows the dogs. This week her dogs did not compete in the classes, but she invited me to go with her to watch the Schnauzers and the Corgis.

I have never really been a fan of shows where dogs are judged on their confirmation and adherence to standards for the breed, and on their movement. I would much rather have my dog's compete in a skill of some sort; FastCAT, Obedience or Agility, for example. 

I really want to have Kaitlyn try "Barn Hunt". This is a competition where the dogs must find a rat (safe in a plastic tube) hidden among hay bales. The dogs are judged on their speed and accuracy. I think Kaitlyn would love the challenge!

I did like getting to know our neighbor a bit better. She has lived here for over 20 years. It was also fun to see many of the different dogs. 

Relaxing on the grooming table/kennel

Grooming is an art.

It was approaching the 80's. Some dogs wore cooling blankets,

others sat in front of battery powered fans. 

The working dog group was about to be called into the ring. 

Winners from each of the working dog breed classes came together to compete for the best working dog. 

This guy is affectionately called, "The Beast". He weighs over 200 pounds, eats 12 cups of dry food, and a can of canned food daily! He is a sweetheart. He is truly a gentle giant! 

The Pembroke Welsh Corgis were darling. 

This Corgi trotted alongside his handler with total confidence. 

I couldn't pick favorites. They all looked great to me!

Show Corgis are not much different than our pups...

they love people and easily show their affection! 

 

Morning Miracles

Just as nice as walking at night, at RiverBend Motorcoach Resort, walking first thing in the morning is always a treat. 

I enjoy seeing the glistening webs created during the night

by the industrious little spiders. 

The supports for the bridges have lights,

attracting supper for the tiny arachnids!

Night Sky

I aways loved walking the dogs at night when we were at RiverBend Motorcoach Resort.

The streets were rarely traveled after 9 PM and the rare car or golf cart never went very fast. 

Sure, there were critters - we did have a panther sighting on a wildlife cam, and I'm sure there were bobcats. We often saw armadillos - they drove my big dogs crazy! 

But, I still felt safe. 

The roads were lit well enough with some street lamps,

but not too many,

and none too bright. 

The stars shone over us all, 

Such bigness out there.

And me, a mere speck!

 

Clean as a Whistle

Every year we try to have our RV washed and polished. It's a job that is a bit beyond our skill set physical ability. I have enough trouble washing my tiny car, let alone waxing it. Also, I think that somewhere there is a law against ladies my age being on ladders and climbing up on the roof of an RV! (Although someplace I have a picture of me just a few years ago, on the roof of our RV with a storm approaching, madly changing switches on our satellite receiver - the Mister has not been able to handle heights since he had to get bifocals quite a few years ago!)

As I went out with the dogs I noticed a Mobile Wash trailer a few RV sites away from ours. I checked with the owner/boss, and he said he could postpone an appointment for the next day (he didn't really like working at this other RV resort, he told me) and work us in. Sold! 

It turns out that we used to use this same company for RV washing several years ago when we wintered in this same resort. The guys are great, the end result is great. 

We are clean and shiny and protected against the elements for another year! 

So....What's a Gal to Do?

I finished my audio book, and didn't have any left in my queue. I like to listen to something while I walk the dogs, so I began listening to various podcasts, some most of which were about quilting. As I listened to many words of advice, tips, tricks and favorite notions and tools, I thought about things I wanted to do.

Uh oh. Am I making long range plans?!!

Well, here goes my list of quilt-related projects, in no particular order:

1. Move forward with Desert Oasis quilt

2.  Create a quilted scrap backing, using blues, for the Susan Cleveland sailboat kit hanging.

3. Continue using Christmas fabric as leaders/enders resulting in a Christmas tree quilt. Maybe something like this: 

4. Bind bright Apple Valley placemats.

5. Make the  purse from "Sew Yours"

6. Make a bag using cork material and embroidery embellishments 

7. Quilt the pin wheel quilt

8. Quilt the "Quilter's Prerogative" quilt

9. Embellish shirts with embroidery

10. Make twin headboards for the guest room

11. Create a quilt using a 'jelly roll' I have on hand. 

12.Complete the Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt, 'Lupine & Laughter"

Phew....that's a daunting list! Next year at this time, I can revisit the list and show what progress I may have made! 

Done is Better than Perfect

I was having lunch with some of my quilty friends. We began passing our phones around showing pictures of projects we had made. Perhaps we were talking about gifts we had sewn, I'm not sure. I showed the ladies this clock that I made as a Santa exchange gift in 2024. 

One of the ladies liked it so much, she told some members of our quilt guild about it. 

One of them approached me about teaching a class in March to help others make a clock.

Yikes!

I had no pattern, or instructions.

I had simply seen one and decided, "Yeah, I can make something like that!"

and fudged my way through it. 

Oh, and could I have a sample ready by our Jan 7 meeting?

Double yikes!

I grabbed the materials I had at the house, made a trip to Hobby Lobby for a few items,

made a trip to WalMart for some other bits and pieces...

and went to work. 

I made a nine-patch block and put a border around it.

I put some interfacing on it, and glued and taped it to a square of foam core board.

I made another block with generous borders,

interfaced it and glued and taped it to a canvas.

I've written up the instructions. Well, most of them.

When I get home I will put in the hole for the clock mechanism 

and secure the small square onto the larger one. 

Done is better than perfect!

 

2025 in Quilting

 My blog friend, Doodlebugs and Rosebuds Quilts, posted a collage of her quilting accomplishments for the year. I had a lot of excuses for why I didn't accomplish a lot: packing/unpacking in a move to a new, house, renovating a lot of the houses, having limited sewing area for over half the year, enjoying a month-long European trip and surgery on my hand, yada, yada, yada! 

However, when I looked back through the pictures, I realized that dang, I DID accomplish a lot! Here are pictures of quilting projects I touched in some way during the year. Some of the projects only needed the binding finished, others I only completed the 'flimsy' - ie it is only a quilt top and has not been sandwiched and quilted, yet others were finished from beginning to end. There is one that isn't finished...but it is getting so close, after so many years of stitching on it, that I had to include it. Maybe you can tell which one that is, and maybe next year I can showcase it as completed!