Bits and Pieces~ June Projects

Hi! June has been a spectacular month, weatherwise, here at the beach. Cool and breezy with bright sunshine.

 I am sad I can't enjoy it in my usual ways but on good days Mo and I can sit out on the deck each afternoon while I do some hand sewing.

I cannot do any machine sewing, or large scale marking and cutting; instead I have been trying to keep focused on small increments of handwork. Sometimes the pain is so bad I cannot carry in my sewing box!

Pain and illness is a strange thing. I so have taken my body for granted, sure, no marathons for me, unlike admirable Lori at Humble Quilts, but I had my daily beach hikes and miles of walks with Mo, I could drive and shop and cook and sew. I was functioning. Being so incapacitated is awful, besides the intense pain, it is frightening. I got new meds today plus many appointments next week. I refuse to give up!
So anyway, here is what I have been doing. I made the Turkey block on When the Wild Geese Fly.

Isn't he so funny! I don't think his feet are quite right, but that's how they are in the pattern.
I decided his velvet wing and tail feathers will do better if machine appliqued so he is ''done'' for now.

 I think this quilt is going to be a huge success, and fit in well with my yelloware and other collections for Fall of Someday.

I ended up hand piecing the next batch of WTWGF stars. And below are the Flags' fields/ stars for the June P2 sewalong. Stripes will be done ''someday''.

The next block of P2 is the wonderful basket block, due mid-July. This is a BIG basket! Huge!
22" block.

I know the sewing isn't quite up to standard but best I can manage at present.

I treated myself to a small group of fat quarters for this quilt.

I ordered these Saturday night and they already arrived today, Monday! From Washington state. I was so thrilled and cheered up.

I do  love this fabric group, called I think Backyard Roses. I want this to be a very bright and happy quilt.

love

lizzy 

gone to the beach....

Sunday's breeze brought out many sailboats. [I know! The view never changes---but at least I have a view?]

A Visit to the Village

Hello! Thank you, everyone, for your get well thoughts, prayers, and suggestions. I wish I had a better report for you. Today my dear friend Elle [L] drove me to the village to pick up Rxs , then she patiently drove me around a bit for some photo taking, so we'd have something fun to look at here on the blog.
On the way we passed the local nightclub [I don't think I have ever been there!].

edit: [looks like it was food, lol, but this is a dance club too.]
JAHSTIX aka RastaRock, based out of NYC, is the embodiment of earthdriving electrical charge, the amalgam of RootsReggae, RootsRock Folk Music. At once a laidback acoustic guitar rebel lover and other times a charged strat wielding, swirling, dancing ,chanting Rasta.n

I love their entrance.

The idea that the people in charge have it planted every summer with palm trees and tropical flowers astounds me. And thrills me, to see this here in the cold northeast. Then every fall, the landscaper comes, digs up the trees and carts them away. It must be verrrrry expensive but so worth it.

L and I decided we will go there for a drink or dinner as soon as I am able. I think it's just burgers on the boardwalk but how fun.

In town we saw this cute sign everywhere. They are reminders to drive slowly since this is a place tiny kids can play in the street, toddlers on tricycles, teens on bikes, etc. Speed limit 10 mph, no traffic lights.

The village is tiny. We are parked by the beach road and ahead of us you can see the bay side two blocks away.

House are very close together, size varies a lot but values and taxes are among the highest in the state. My cousin always called it a bungalow colony! And maybe by not-beachfront standards it is. If you're in the market for a multi-million dollar bungalow. [I don't actually live in the village.]
Quiet and quaint and safe though.

Early summer flowers abound. People squeeze in colorful annuals anywhere there's a patch of sandy soil.

Roses on all the white or grey fences...

This is a fun big perennial garden, tucked against the beach fence. The plants seem to thrive in the sandy soil.

There's a new ''beach boutique and spa'' to explore, a wine shop, an ice cream parlor, a hairdresser, the drugstore and a lot of restaurants with outdoor tables. The library and grocery were lost during H. Sandy. But it's still a perfect tiny and ''end of the world'' place to be in the summer.

 Sad to say I was not up to even having an ice tea under the breezy trees at the tiny cafe. Maybe next week?

from a friend
rooftop bar with Prosecco popsicles!

And Mo enjoying my friends' shady garden where he has been spending weekends lately.

love 

lizzy

gone to the beach...

no pix..... :-(

Summer Solstice 2016: Strawberry Moon

Summer Solstice 2016: Strawberry Moon

This year’s solstice coincides with the Strawberry Moon – a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.  [from Google]

What is the Strawberry Moon?
It is a full moon, which occurs in June, named by early Native American tribes. 

It is a full moon like any other, but marks the beginning of the strawberry season. 

The two events coincide once every 70 years.

Story HERE
Oddly the moon never gets very high in the summer sky. I haven't figured this out quite yet, as the moon's seasonal course seems less set than the sun's.

Gully enjoying the late evening pink sunset.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

ps for those of you who were interested in the Ship Finder app, this is what the screen shots look like. The paid version has more info and pictures of the ships.