One Block Wonder

Good morning, my friends! We had one lovely day of weather yesterday, but today we're back to the gray and gloom. It's amazing what a day of sunshine can do for one's outlook. I expect we'll be seeing more and more sunshine in the days to come.

Yesterday's inchy was to stitch the bird.

Stitching the bird and Sadie looking out the window reminded me that our own bird feeders were empty. The kitty scratching post has three levels, and any self-respecting cat knows that a having a chin scratcher installed on their scratching post is the ultimate in sumptuousness. 

Of course a cat needs plenty of cat toys too. Sadie has mostly respected the top level as Smitty's purrsonal domain. Recently, she's started claiming the bottom two rungs for herself.

Anyone challenging her purrsition in life will get a taste of her murder mittens.

It seemed like a good time to head out and see if any green shoots are showing themselves. For this, Sadie is showing you her best side.

I was happy to see green shoots on the daphne. The poor thing was decimated when our winter temperatures dropped into the teens a while back. It's supposed to be hearty to 10° and we were down to 17° one morning.

Amazingly, I think the rosemary will make it through the winter. I usually have to replant every year. It doesn't do well in our winters. Ice will kill it every time.

The rhodies are heading up. They are among the first things to bloom in spring.

Also, I noticed shoots on two of the five peonies. 

The star magnolia puts its shoots out early, but it will be at least a month or more before it blooms. It is usually the first flower to appear in spring, aside from the daffodils.

Okay, so there isn't much going on outside, but seeing anything at all is a hopeful sign.

Back inside, I went to work on the third of the traditional blocks for my "Maps" quilt. I really wanted to use that little swatch with the whale and seahorse on it. I'd already cut the small swatch I had when I thought to take this picture of the fabrics I used in my block. I spent a good part of my sewing day looking for that particular fabric. I was sure I had more of it, but I could only find a small piece about 8 x 8 inches.

And here's a little hint, I wanted to use this fabric for the blue crabs...the reason I bought it. Here's a larger picture of it. I bought this fabric in North Carolina, and that's another hint.

And this block took the whole live-long sewing day to make. It's a very pretty block. Here's your peek.

Any guesses?

So, I'd hoped to get the next one finished yesterday, but it will be on today's agenda. These are the fabrics I'm using. It should go together much faster. And here's another hint: I bought that ladybug fabric in Virginia.

Mike had an eye appointment yesterday. He came home with a bouquet of flowers for me. Sweet.

I think he wants me to be his Valentine.

So today I'll get back to my blocks. I'm hoping to finish off at least two more. The sixth of the six I'll be including in my quilt is a whole cloth block, and the focus of my quilt. I'll be able to start sewing it together when all the blocks are made. There will be a fancy border too. It'll be in keeping with the theme. Are you mystified yet?

Okay, well, if I'm going to finish off those blocks today, I'd better get going. There's one housekeeping chore on my list, and then I can spend the rest of the day sewing. It's a good way to spend a gloomy day.