Me and my BIG Mouth!

I belong to a small quilt group/guild that meets near my home. The Citrus County Crackers Quilters have about 65 members, and usually over 40 show up at the meetings. I think that is great attendance, and speaks for the value ladies find in attending. Each meeting has a few drawings for prizes, offers a chance for folks to show off their current quilts or quilted objects, offers a few classes, taught by members and has a few fun events through the year. 

One enjoyable event is the annual challenge. The Challenge is presented in February and members have until the Christmas party at the end of the year to create something to address the challenge. I wrote about my work on the challenge for 2025.   I enjoy the process, and I have always enjoyed presenting a challenge for my students, way back when, and for my friends. Some of the past challenges for the CCCQ, I've been told, include having ladies pull 3 crayons out of a bag, and their creation must include those colors. Another time they were given magazines and had to open to a random page, and use colors from a picture on that page as colors for their quilts. And, this past year's challenge was called, "Red on Red" where we had to include...red! 

The woman who ran the challenge this past year chatted with me after she had asked to have someone else do the challenge....and I raised my hand! Of course I did! She told me that she had planned to use "Winter White" as a challenge. She felt that if you make the challenge easy, more people will participate. I understand that, but I also think a challenge should inspire the folks to try something new or different. 

I did look online to see what other clubs have done. One idea I liked was,  "Never ever have I...." where sewists could pick a quilting technique they have never used, or make a quilted garment or a quilted bag. The other idea I liked was having folks up-cycle different materials to use in a project. 

The hand sewing group met the other day. I shared the ideas with them. They weren't sold on them. We chatted about other ideas, when somehow the idea of using a map to select an area in the worl

as inspiration for a quilt was voiced. For example, China or the Netherlands. We started laughing at the idea of using a 'pin the tail on the donkey' method for selecting your country. As most of the ladies are in their 60's and beyond, we decided that might not be safe... even if we didn't turn folks around first! 

At that point, one of the members of our little group practically jumped up and reminded us, "It's the 250th birthday of our country. We should use a US map." From there, bouncing ideas back and forth, we decided that folks would draw a slip of paper out of a hat, with the name of a state on it. Their quilt/project must depict something about that state: state flower or bird, industry in the state, the motto of the state...well, you get the idea. 

So, why am I chastising myself for stepping up to the plate? It's not the idea of running the challenge...I got that. My eyes are rolling because my predecessor always shared an example of a quilt/project that met the requirements of the challenge....a different one each month! Yeah.... 

Occupational Therapy

Tomorrow will be my last OT visit for my hand. 

I've enjoyed the sessions, but not the 45+ minute drive to and fro - I've become spoiled by having most of my needs met within 15 minutes, or less, from home. 

I tried to find services in my area. I was having PT for my back and asked them about getting OT for my hand at their facility. They told me they had lost their occupational therapist about a year ago. Later I was told there are no occupational therapists in our county....by the former OT herself! It turns out that she lives down the street from us and had recently retired! 

My therapist is a nut! 

No, he's not planning to hit me with the hammer.

He has me 'hammer' back and forth, slowly,  and then twist it side to side. 

He does some deep tissue massage to make sure that scar tissue is not adhering to anything in my hand. 

Then he holds my thumb in different positions for various stretches. 

Besides the hammer, he also has me use various weights and flexible resistance bars. 

Even a simple rubber band becomes a therapeutic device to help strengthen my thumb. 

I'll kinda miss this kooky guy! 

 

Winter - Florida Style

 It's winter. My representational snow flake "barn quilt" is on display. When I took a picture, the camera thought it was a QR code! Funny! 

As we are in central Florida we do experience some colder temperatures than when we lived near Ft Myers. But, on average there's only about a five degree difference.  Later this week we are forecast to have a low of 27 one night, and the rest of the week our lows will hover in the mid 30's. 

We have nothing to complain about. 

Here's my post from January, 2011, in Black Forest, CO. 

The weather was a tad bit different! 

Sunday - My Way

I've been trying to get back into the habit of walking*. It's good for me and it's good for the dogs. We also live in a great area for a neighborhood walk as we have many horseback riding trails within a half mile or less of our home, and the roads are very quiet. I put up this post about walking in the 'hood' in August. 

Today we actually crossed paths with a horseback rider. I would have taken a picture of the beautiful (and very calm) palomino, but the timing was all wrong. We had just come to a fence with two large German Shepard type dogs, running up and down the fence, barking at us and at the horse. Add to that, my two Corgis were barking back at the dogs, as well as barking at the horse, and pulling a bit to try to get closer to the horse. The activity did not lend itself to my taking out my phone and capturing a picture! Maybe next time!

I played a few games of Mahjong online with my BFF. We catch a few games with each other almost daily. It's a fun way to chat, do some sort of mindless hand work, and play a game that we love!

I made some progress on Step 6 of the Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt. I posted about the beginning of this challenge in November. I only have 6 more blocks to make before I move on. (My progress was hampered by the surgery on my hand, which limited my ability to cut fabric)

I put our fake Christmas tree to bed, and watered the real tree that we recently planted. 

I put a few pieces in the jigsaw puzzle I received in my "Jenny Box". 

And, I completed a second quilted clock....wanting to make some improvements on the first! 

* I let myself slip out of the habitual daily walk for a number of reasons. In the summer it was simply too darn hot. Additionally, I have arthritis in the bones of the arch of my left foot and that makes walking very painful. I recently went to a new podiatrist. He recommended a different OTC orthotic, and by jove, they are making a difference! (How's that for an old saying?!)

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!