Tulips Wall Hanging and Other Points

I've been grabbing a couple hours each day to work strictly on quilting the pieces I've begun.  And  the move uncovered a couple of UFO's I'd forgotten about.  Yikes.
Truthfully I am glad they were left unquilted as my skills  have improved so I will be doing a much better job of them now. So I tell myself.

  But here is one very much on my mind begun just prior to packing, my appliqued Tulips hanging. This is the latest I have worked steadily to have finished and on the bedroom wall.

Here it is on my lap; stitching in all the little ends and removing stray threads.

On the kitchen island, getting its' three layers evened out.

And lastly, on the bedroom wall.

My applique skills are improving mostly because I'm making myself slow down and take the time for small, even stitches.  In the work world I wanted everything done yesterday, and it is hard to shrug off that feeling even well into retirement.  But so many of you bloggers with your wonderful stitching are modelling for me the correct way to do things.  And tiny stitches are ones easily hidden which is what you must achieve for good applique stitching.

I  am reading this book, My Name is Resolute by Nancy E. Turner.  It is the story of a girl named Resolute who is captured and taken to America to become an indentured servant to a Pilgrim family. I have enjoyed the first 100 pages; just 500 more to go.
 I am struck again and again by how hard so many women have had it and for so many generations, completely at the mercy of the men in their lives.  It's a puzzle to me how this came about because of my belief pure and simple in the magnificence of women.

I wanted to show you I am still wearing my Sketchers.  Probably the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. Comfortable, supportive and cushiony; very quiet on wooden floors.  I am so pleased with them.
And I am sitting in my Pet Chair, Murphy lying by the fireplace, Rex guarding the patio door.  Sunny periods all day lending bright light, so cross stitching it is.

Being the passionate homebody I am, I couldn't agree more with this sentiment.  How do you feel?