Good Morning to you,
Do you ever find the time, to stop what you are doing and enjoy a moment in time.
Do you allow yourself the luxury of clearing your mind to enjoy what is right in front of your eyes.
On Tuesday morning, I was lucky enough to do exactly this.
I was up and about early to get myself ready to go to my Tuesday sewing group. I don't know about you, but I am not the kind of person, who can leap out of bed, shower, dress and drink a cup of coffee within the space of half an hour. I am the type of person who likes to ease myself gently into the day.
George had decided to have a lie-in, so I was on my own in the conservatory drinking my morning coffee. I was looking out of the window enjoying the rare early morning sunshine, thinking how peaceful it was. When no sooner had the thought crossed my mind, than a family of blackbirds flew across the garden. They all rested on the fence for a moment before the 3 babies flew down to the lawn and began running around our garden. I did not move, because I did not want the blackbirds to fly away. The thought about not moving, had only just entered my mind, when 2 magpies arrived in the garden. They sat on the opposite fence and one decided to fly to the roof of the neighbouring bungalow. When I looked over in the direction the magpie was flying, I noticed a wood pigeon sitting very comfortably on a tv aerial. Upon seeing the magpie, the wood pigeon moved and started to pay attention to the magpie on the lower level. The magpie stayed where he was for a few seconds and then he decided to circle the chimney stack. He disappeared from view and upon turning the corner he continued his walk around the chimney stack.
I watched and I could see the pigeon was unsure as to what the magpie was doing..... but I knew, the magpie wanted to be the one perched on the tv aerial and not the wood pigeon.
But the wood pigeon stood his ground and was not giving up his aerial quite so easily, as the tv aerial gave him a good view of the surrounding area. I watched to see how this would play out. The magpie soon realised that walking around the chimney stack was not enough to move the wood pigeon from its perch. So he decided on another tactic and harassed the pigeon by flapping his wings. It looked as if he intended to fly up to the tv aerial, but he didn't, he continued flapping his wings. Still the pigeon held his ground, that is, until the magpie received reinforcements.... its mate arrived and flew to where the wood pigeon was seated. The tv aerial started to wobble which made the wood pigeon uncomfortable, so he finally gave way and flew to a large tree at the bottom of the garden. The magpie who had tried so hard to eject the wood pigeon, joined his mate and they sat for a few minutes, having a good look around, before deciding they had had enough and flew away leaving the tv aerial vacant for the next occupant.
Now I'm not sure if it was the same wood pigeon which returned or if it was another, but a wood pigeon arrived and made itself comfortable on the tv aerial. When it had settled a 2nd wood pigeon landed on the roof of the bungalow. Now at this point I did not know if the wood pigeon on the aerial was male or female, but within a couple of seconds, the wood pigeon on the roof started billing and cooing at the wood pigeon on the aerial, so it is safe to say, it was a female sitting on the tv aerial.
.... and so the show began. The male wood pigeon on the roof of the bungalow, started his little dance. His head went up, then his head went down, he then took a couple of steps closer to the female wood pigeon on the tv aerial and he continued his little dance of courtship. He billed and he cooed as he edged closer and closer to the female wood pigeon. He had completed his final dance when he decided to take his chance and flew on to the tv aerial where he continued to bill and coo once again. He really did his best to impress the female wood pigeon, but the moment he stepped closer to her, the female flew away, leaving the male wood pigeon alone on the tv aerial, looking very sorry for himself. All the effort he had put into wooing the female wood pigeon, had been to no avail.
I watched and I could see the pigeon was unsure as to what the magpie was doing..... but I knew, the magpie wanted to be the one perched on the tv aerial and not the wood pigeon.
But the wood pigeon stood his ground and was not giving up his aerial quite so easily, as the tv aerial gave him a good view of the surrounding area. I watched to see how this would play out. The magpie soon realised that walking around the chimney stack was not enough to move the wood pigeon from its perch. So he decided on another tactic and harassed the pigeon by flapping his wings. It looked as if he intended to fly up to the tv aerial, but he didn't, he continued flapping his wings. Still the pigeon held his ground, that is, until the magpie received reinforcements.... its mate arrived and flew to where the wood pigeon was seated. The tv aerial started to wobble which made the wood pigeon uncomfortable, so he finally gave way and flew to a large tree at the bottom of the garden. The magpie who had tried so hard to eject the wood pigeon, joined his mate and they sat for a few minutes, having a good look around, before deciding they had had enough and flew away leaving the tv aerial vacant for the next occupant.
Now I'm not sure if it was the same wood pigeon which returned or if it was another, but a wood pigeon arrived and made itself comfortable on the tv aerial. When it had settled a 2nd wood pigeon landed on the roof of the bungalow. Now at this point I did not know if the wood pigeon on the aerial was male or female, but within a couple of seconds, the wood pigeon on the roof started billing and cooing at the wood pigeon on the aerial, so it is safe to say, it was a female sitting on the tv aerial.
.... and so the show began. The male wood pigeon on the roof of the bungalow, started his little dance. His head went up, then his head went down, he then took a couple of steps closer to the female wood pigeon on the tv aerial and he continued his little dance of courtship. He billed and he cooed as he edged closer and closer to the female wood pigeon. He had completed his final dance when he decided to take his chance and flew on to the tv aerial where he continued to bill and coo once again. He really did his best to impress the female wood pigeon, but the moment he stepped closer to her, the female flew away, leaving the male wood pigeon alone on the tv aerial, looking very sorry for himself. All the effort he had put into wooing the female wood pigeon, had been to no avail.
.... and then I had a lovely surprise. My neighbours have a Christmas tree planted in their garden and it is beautiful. It pops its head over our fence by a couple of feet and both George and I love it. I caught movement out the corner of my eye and I looked across at the Christmas tree and there on a branch sat the first robin of the year. I was thrilled to see him because when I was a small girl, robins and Christmas went hand in hand. Seeing the robin made me smile, but then my smile grew even larger, because a moment later, a 2nd robin flew across the garden and joined the 1st robin in the Christmas tree. I sat very still so as not to disturb them and they rewarded me by staying for a minute or so. It was so lovely.
What I hadn't realised was, our garden is a bit of a bird highway first thing in the morning. Birds were tooing and frowing for the half an hour or so when I was sat in my chair. It was a delightful way to start the day.
.... and now I am smiling to myself, because I have just talked about enjoying a moment in time, and now I am going to propel you forward, to Christmas, as I am going to show you a Christmas gift I am making.
I am busy making two Christmas quilts for two very special people. I cannot say who, because I know they read my blog, so I am keeping them guessing.
I adore sewing and I have an immense love of hand sewing, which works perfectly when it comes to sewing hexagons.
When I begin a project, I love taking the time to look at the material which I have tucked away in my cupboard.
Some materials work together and some don't, but 9 times out of 10, I do find what I am looking for within my store of material.
I have a well used cardboard template to cut out my hexagon papers and
a larger cardboard template, to cut out my material. This is such a peaceful task.... and so the process begins.
Here I made sure I centred the picture of the poinsettia into the middle hexagon.... pretty effective don't you think.
Oh no, I've just noticed I have sewn 3 hexagons upside down..... when a pattern is involved you have to be so careful. As you can see I wasn't. Oh well, it's time to find the unpicker and set this right.
Each hexagon can be a different colour or just one colour choice but with different designs.
I have so enjoyed hand sewing these hexagons together, but I had to focus, because for some reason which I can't quite fathom, I sewed one completed hexagon onto the backing fabric, with one of the centre papers still in tact. Luckily I was able to retrieve it with a little bit of careful manoeuvring. I'll put money on it, that this happened, when I was at my Tuesday club.... I have a feeling that it was too much chatting and not enough concentration.
I will not show you all the blocks, but I promise to show you the two quilts which have to be finished by Christmas time. Although the hexagons have been hand sewn, I think I will use the sewing machine to attach the sashing, because that will allow me more time to hand quilt.
.... and would you like to see the mannequin I used to lay out my blocks out.
My lovely wicker chair. This beautiful cushion was one of two which used to grace my bed, but I think, as beautiful as it is, it was a little too feminine for George, so I brought them down stairs.... and this one is living happily on my wicker chair. Although not for long, because my autumnal cushions will be making an appearance very soon.
The nights are drawing in very quickly and there is certainly a colder nip in the air these days.
.... but I really don't mind when I am warm and cosy inside my home.
Take care and I will catch up with you on Thursday.
.... and now I am smiling to myself, because I have just talked about enjoying a moment in time, and now I am going to propel you forward, to Christmas, as I am going to show you a Christmas gift I am making.
I am busy making two Christmas quilts for two very special people. I cannot say who, because I know they read my blog, so I am keeping them guessing.
I adore sewing and I have an immense love of hand sewing, which works perfectly when it comes to sewing hexagons.
When I begin a project, I love taking the time to look at the material which I have tucked away in my cupboard.
Some materials work together and some don't, but 9 times out of 10, I do find what I am looking for within my store of material.
I have a well used cardboard template to cut out my hexagon papers and
a larger cardboard template, to cut out my material. This is such a peaceful task.... and so the process begins.
When the hexagons have been cut out and the hexagon papers are ready to be attached to the material hexagons, I find my needle and thread and enjoy the peaceful art of hand sewing.
Making hexagons is a brilliant way to use up scraps of material because a hexagon can be cut to any size.
Here I made sure I centred the picture of the poinsettia into the middle hexagon.... pretty effective don't you think.
Oh no, I've just noticed I have sewn 3 hexagons upside down..... when a pattern is involved you have to be so careful. As you can see I wasn't. Oh well, it's time to find the unpicker and set this right.
Each hexagon can be a different colour or just one colour choice but with different designs.
I will not show you all the blocks, but I promise to show you the two quilts which have to be finished by Christmas time. Although the hexagons have been hand sewn, I think I will use the sewing machine to attach the sashing, because that will allow me more time to hand quilt.
.... and would you like to see the mannequin I used to lay out my blocks out.
My lovely wicker chair. This beautiful cushion was one of two which used to grace my bed, but I think, as beautiful as it is, it was a little too feminine for George, so I brought them down stairs.... and this one is living happily on my wicker chair. Although not for long, because my autumnal cushions will be making an appearance very soon.
The nights are drawing in very quickly and there is certainly a colder nip in the air these days.
.... but I really don't mind when I am warm and cosy inside my home.
Take care and I will catch up with you on Thursday.
As Always,
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Dear Friends,
It is so wonderful to know you enjoy reading Ivy, Phyllis and Me! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave me a comment. I really do appreciate it.
Best wishes to you.
Daphne