Sunday, 19 May 2013

Happy Scrappy May and some Autumn leaves

This week has been fun and busy. We visited our daughter Kaija on Monday and Tuesday and enjoyed the first really warm, no-coat-on-in-town days. DD has been binding some amazing books lately, and she has her own study too, finally. I have been working on two quilts again, and finished the May stitcheries for Happy Scrappy Spring BOM designed by Kaaren at The Painted Quilt. You can click the pictures to get a better look.
 

I still need to make the sashing to go between the two first rows.


 It has not been just fun: I can't open The Bee in my Bonnet blog to get the mitten block instructions! I had only written down the measurements for the leaf blocks of row 7 when I lost the connection. Well, I have some measurements for the mitten blocks too, so I can start cutting, but that's it. I hope the problem will go away so I can get the remaining instructions for five more rows. I think I can manage borders and backing on my own. This has been such a fun quilt, so I really would like to finish it the way it was designed.


Nest building time has brought unusual visitors to the remains of last winter's bird seeds. Birds that are very common here but just not here at the edge of the village, like jackdaws and crows. I took this picture for you, Melanie, because you had not seen hooded crows very often before you saw them here. The map in the link shows that they are in fact rare in Western Europe and England, just like their all black cousin, Carrion Crow is rare here.


It has been so warm that we have been having our afternoon coffee on the veranda, equipped with binoculars (Mr. K), camera (me) and two bird books at least. On Thursday we spotted this little fellow, only because there are not yet leaves in the apple tree. After having consulted the books we decided this is the Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia Curruca. I took several pictures, catching sometimes just the tail, or part of the wing through the twigs, but putting all the details together we could identify him. It is really hard to see the colour of a bird's legs, or to say there are or are not shades of a certain colour on the back or wings. Luckily the camera catches every detail.

 
Wish me luck with the missing rows for the Bee in my Bonnet. Hvae better luck with your projects!

6 comments:

  1. Hi Ulla. I have sent the instructions to you.)

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  2. I have that trouble getting some of the blogs, too. If you go back later it usually lets you through.
    Love your makings, and the birds.
    Hugs

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  3. What an unusual crow. Very sleek looking. I hope you get the row by row problem resolved. That is going to be a sweet quilt...just like the one you're doing from Kaaren. I'm sure your bones appreciate the warmth. I know mine always do.

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  4. http://www.flickr.com/groups/beeinmybonnetrowalong/

    Links to each row from here. I hope that helps. Both quilts are going to be fabulous. I almost have my sewing mojo back looking at the Bee in my Bonnet one.

    I did think Mr K was pulling my leg when I asked him what that was. I told him very matter of factly that crows were black and that I knew that for certain. LOL

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  5. How nice to have a no-coat day, Ulla! Kaaren's quilt is beginning to come alive! Oh - I love the picture and saying above your daughter's work station! Beautiful birds - I doubt they are here. Did you record them in your life book?
    Cheers!

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  6. Nice makings, Ulla:-) and I think the crows fly around here all the time, but will now have to really check!

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