another block

#8 of 12 Feeding the Birds Santa from Bird Brain Designs---just finished, pressed and photographed. Much of this block was completed as I traveled back to IL this past weekend. Some bad patches along I-57 and to a certain extent 1-24 led to some less than stellar stitching but I kept plugging, LOL.

You see, my dad turned 80 earlier in the week. All but 4 of the family/extended family were back "home" for surprise celebration on Saturday afternoon. I left here on Friday so I could share a ride up with my family who live in TN. (DJ stayed home) We left at 6:30 Sat a.m. to ensure we would be there in time to surprise Dad. My sister from Colorado had flown in earlier in the week so he had already been surprised once. To say he was stunned and touched by all this would be an understatement.

My brother and his family who live about 15 miles away from my folks had us all over for supper. The whole mob scene, LOL. Jen arranged for a professional photographer to come and take pics of the group and various family groups too. I didn't take my camera---someone will have pics to share with the group.

By Sunday some of the group had to work but most of us went to church (took up most of two pews, LOL). Then off to a Chinese buffet for lunch that Mom and Dad like-----back in the car again for another 7 hours and another night in TN before heading home Monday.


Since returning home, the usual home tasks have intervened. Laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, etc. The pollen is getting to me a bit unfortunately but I figure it could be a lot worse. Some suffer way more than I do with allergy symptoms.

The azalea bushes are out though half of this bush looked almost dead a couple weeks ago. As you can see it is loaded with blooms now though.

Ah, spring---the good and the bad. What's a scratchy nose and throat and a whopping headache when you see pretty things like this?

The long arm quilter called to say that my Strip Twist quilt is finished and ready for pick up. I'll run up to Boaz tomorrow to get it. Some binding ahead of me, I would say. But for now, I think I will pull out the April Freckles snowman stitchery (shown in the previous post) and get it finished up. Back to a multiple colored floss project, LOL.