Quick Summer Update
Well, I guess since the semester starts today, it's not quite summer any more, but it's sure hot! We are all fine here, but the world has gone even madder than usual; we had a nasty heat wave and lightning storm with very little rain, and the result is that half the state is on fire -- and there's another storm coming in. There is nothing very near to us, but the smoke is heavy, so we can't go outside much. As my brother said, inside entertainment is closed and outside entertainment is on fire, so we just sit around. The lack of exercise is difficult for me, but since we're about as fortunate as it's possible to be during a pandemic/heat wave/state on fire, I can hardly complain.
I did pretty much take the week off from any serious reading, though. I was up-to-date on The Golden Bough until this week (though I have yet to write up the notes post I should have posted a week ago) and was making decent progress on two books of summer. I'm none too sure than I'll finish my summer list, which is annoying, but I've decided to let it be what it is and not worry about it.
One thing I have been working on (besides surviving the heat) has been a pretty big quilting project; a labyrinth based on the St. Omer pattern. I'm quilting it now and it's pretty huge: 80" square. I also got a screaming deal on a free-motion quilting setup, which is large and for which there is no room in my house.
It's back to work today, and there's plenty to do! Should be an interesting semester, though I sure do miss everybody else. All the fun parts of my job involve other people.
So I'll be working on catching up here, but I don't promise anything, especially since the way things are going, Godzilla might show up any minute. I hope you are all doing well and surviving your own tropical storms and weird things. Here's a preliminary photo of my labyrinth quilt before quilting (taken from about 7 feet up to get it all in). My idea was that you're wandering through different landscapes, like stone walls or grass and hedges, or even trees/jungle. Between the tripod quilt and this one, I'm hoping to win a Most Lunatic Quilts award from my guild, if we ever meet again...
spectacular quilt!!
ReplyDeleteThe labyrinth quilt looks very VERY cool -- I'm so impressed! And I am sending good thoughts for y'all to be able to do fun things again soon. And I think you can hardly complain! One thing about this pandemic is that like, if we lose even one of the things that's making life bearable right now, it can feel like The End. I too can't exercise right now (I think I have a tough of bursitis in my knee) and it is maddening.
ReplyDeleteArgh! I'm so sorry I've fallen off The Golden Bough train. I'm behind on my courses, it looks like I'm moving and other crazy things are going on. I don't know if life will ever get back to normal. That said, I'm progressing through Udolpho so I'm not a complete disaster. Stay safe and keep reading (and posting!)!
ReplyDeleteHey, Jean,
ReplyDeleteI'm late to your post, butI hope you guys are ok up there. We have our own issues w/ SoCal fires. Nothing hear by, but the wind sure shifted and took the smoke up over the mountains and into the desert. For at least two days, I actually thought about voluntarily wearing a mask just to keep out the smell. But we are much better now, and I don't even see the smoke anymore. I always thought October was fire season, but it comes earlier and earlier it seems.
Hope you are enjoying the cooler weather this week....maybe?
Well, the smoke has cleared a good deal, but it's still very hot! At least I can go outside now. :)
ReplyDelete