On Apples, Ducks, and Odd Conversations.

Thanks, everyone, for the much needed dose of perspective the other day - you're right and I've decided to listen to you. :-)

And speaking of thanks, I owe huge thanks to Kristel at Work-in-Progess Girl. One of the great things about joining a bee this year has been getting to know a new bunch of quilters and bloggers. And in leaving comments on some of these fabulous new blogs sometimes leads to secret giveaways.  THIS is what was waiting for me in the mail today.

Love the card!  It had a spoiler warning on it.  All kinds of awesome right there.  The fabric is gorgeous. But then I opened this lovely parcel and here is what was inside:

How cute are these??? Apple potholder hot pads! The details of the leaves and the tiny apple seeds - and all that bias binding perfectly sewn around the edges.  Jaw dropped. Squeals of glee.  Snoopy dance.

They're beautiful - I love them.  I can't thank you enough. :-)

***

We also have a new neighbour. I noticed her last week when she flew out of the flower beds. I didn't get a good look, just thought "wow, that's a rather large bird, looks like a duck, which is ridiculous, we don't have ducks in our neighbourhood, where's the bird book - what was that?" 

It was followed up by some conversation that included, "It can't have been a foot long, Carly!, it was the size of a duck, what were the tail feathers like, very short tail feathers, Well, I *know* what a magpie looks like, it must have been a grackle, it wasn't a grackle, greyish brown and it had a long beak, it couldn't have been a duck. Right?"

On Sunday, there was Most. Definitely. A duck sitting on the front lawn.  ("Hunh, that's a duck, I told you I thought it was a duck!!, what the heck is a duck doing here?")

She flew away but my father moved a flower pot and discovered a nest up against the house.  She returned a little while later and has been nesting in the flower bed.  I've named her Daphne.  Welcome to the 'hood, hon!