WIP Wed & more of the hawk

These photos are really not great but it's snowing and the light is awful. I hope you get a better idea by clicking and enlarging. I made these blocks a while back. I had a misguided moment where I thought I would make them for a quilt for my son as a graduation present-Gad! what the hell was I thinking???? Well...I was thinking that he loves black and white checks and purples and such. Of course I soon came to my senses and realised that white....welll...WHITE anything for a young man. So I stopped at about 20 or so blocks and put them away for future consideration. I really like the graphic back and white mixed with the purples and deep pumpkin color. Wish I had more of that pumpkin fabric.

Yesterday I sewed the squares together. That's the extent of my sewing this past week. At least I managed to get something done and hopefully escape those winter blahs or blues. As I go around some of the blogs I notice I'm not alone in my disconnect from things artistic. A lot of really talented folks have been complaining about the same vague feelings. I don't recall feeling this way in winters past. Maybe it's a kind of defensive amnesia but I really used to like the whole inside working on quilts cavelike feeling. This year, in a winter with less snow and bad weather than usual, I feel all out of sorts. Well, this too will pass. I think my friend the hawk remained in whatever enclosure he hangs out in when the weather is not good. Just as well, I can waste a lot of time on standing chipmunk watch. My brilliant husband(hi Honey!) blew-up one of the pics and took out most of the glare for you to see more of the bird. I'll be back with better pics tomorrow. Here's a closer shot of the blocks.

I hear throught the grapevine that there are some quilts coming my way to bind for the QOV that the Quilt Studio is donating. I can't wait to see them in person. I promise to take better pictures when they're done.

Feeling hawkish

Here's what I've been up to for the last few days. We have a number of hawks in the neighborhood who unfortunately feast on such things as my beloved chipmunks and squirrels. Now and again you will see giant wings swooping down and making off with a fuzzy gray or brown thing and so it goes with the circle of life-Ugh! The raptors themselves are magnificent to see though. This one has a wing span of about 3 or so feet. I think you can enlarge by clicking the pics.

These last few days he has decided to make his perch on the front porch-directly over the little cinder block where the chipmunks launch themselves across the yard and where the squirrels feed on birdseed we put out for the mourning doves. You can tell when he's around because there isn't a living thing moving in the air or on the ground. I am fascinated my his size and patience. He let me open the door and move the camera around to get out of the glare of the door glass-well almost. He was getting a little skittish so this was as far as I could go. I'm about three feet from him. That's amazing and unfortunate at the same time. I think he belongs to our neighbor who has raised a number of raptors. He used to have peregrine falcons as well. The sun will be gone from this part of the porch soon and since it's 17 degrees out this morning(hello...where's my springy temps?) I suspect he will be on his way. I keep referring to the bird as a him when it very likely could be a female searching for food for the young. It just looks like bird who could kick the crap out of another bird and thus makes it male-like in my eyes. Silly really, since I could kick the crap out of a number of people myself. I would do this while frying up some bacon and bringing home the bread...cause I'm a woman W O M A N....Oh wait...where was I? The bird, yes...anyway, my fallow quilting period seems to be lessening and after a week of not sleeping but a few hours a night, I got a full night sleep last night.

I will be back tomorrow with something new to show for WIP Wed. For now I will follow the tale of the bird a few minutes more. I'm torn between not wanting it to leave and not wanting it to leave with anything cute and furry. I stand ever vigilant in defense of the chipmunk population.....This thing is actually big enough to carry off the neighbors cat.....meow