Walking & Urban Wildlife

My quilting project is out and I enjoy looking at the parade of color draped across the sewing desk.  That said, adding to that parade has been a bit elusive the last couple of weeks.  No worries.  Progress is being made in other avenues.

In addition to the desire to bring quilting back into my life, I also have wanted to resume my long absent exercise.  Finally, the last couple of weeks, the weather has been cooperative enough to allow me to start walking.  I'm not doing too badly.  If I do miss a day, I don't let it cost me momentum - as such interruptions have done in the past - I just keep at it, resuming the next day.

I live in an apartment complex, in a group of apartment complexes.  The landscape set up between them makes it easy and enjoyable to get out and walk - a meandering path around this large water feature.  The pond comes complete ducks and geese - and much to my surprise, these baby goslings.

The mother wasn't overly perturbed at my picture-taking.  No squawking or flapping of wings.  Just a warning hiss, that seemed like a fair deal in exchange for my proximity. 

Actually, the wild birds here seem almost completely lackadaisical about the human presence.

A Little Bit at a Time

I did manage an hour's worth of cutting this week, between work and school. At this point if I can manage an hour in the quilt room once per week, I will be a happy camper.

Quick recap: I started my MBA in January, moved March 11th, and started a new job March 25th.

The MBA was initiated because my former employer was strongly encouraging instructors to get our Master's degrees. Ironically, I left that job due to the long hours (I taught morning and evening classes three days per week - three 14 hour days in row), but kept the Master's. I will be done December 2014.

I moved because I was paying a lot of rent for a house so I could have a garage, only to have my car hailed on while at work. My apartment is significantly less expensive.

And the new job? I am selling life insurance. I get to set much of my own schedule, which is nice. But I am still trying to get a handle on it - and getting used to working on commission. 

So what is the nature of my new project?  I am making a wall-hanging from the same braid pattern from which my mom made an entire quilt.  I'll make one braid.  One.

In the meantime, Max's quilt inspecting duties appear to have him all tuckered out.

Shhhh!

Every time I have tried to re-commence quilting in earnest the last couple of years, sooner rather than later The Fates intervene, and I get derailed, the quilting mojo slipping through my fingers like so much sand.  This time..., this time will be different.  I'm trying to sneak up on it.  Oh sure, I've got full sized quilt tops that need quilting.  I've got a small wall-hanging that I've bound and begun to quilt.  Just one problem, I haven't yet located it since the move.  I know it's here somewhere....  (Yes, I moved again - but that's another story.)

So the plan is to start with something completely brand new and small - so as not to attract the The Fates' attention.  Shhh.

Max is helping.  He's hiding the cutting mat.

Those teals are a pretty start aren't they?