My, What Big Ears You Have and Special Mail

I'd like to be saying whoa to these late extended summer days.  Somehow lasso time to make it slow down just a bit.  The warmth is so precious and there is still so much to see outdoors. In fact all this continuing warm weather seems to have given the birds, dragonflies, etc. and little furry things renewed vigor.   I am happy that the beauty of this season and this land is not lost to me.  I'm doing my best to take note of it all and to that end, my daily walks help bring me that little bit closer to the blooming and buzzing things.
 But this was an unusual summer.  It didn't hold the softness like others...it was a loud summer if anything with lots of thunder booming and lightening flashes. And also a very wet one, breaking all the records for rainfall.  I worried for a while how all the little furry and feathered things would fare in light of that.  But all appears well.

I didn't realize this one was watching me while I set myself up on the veranda.  As soon as I sat down she resumed her chewing with only a cursory glance at me from time to time.

"The better to hear you with."

My pet chipmunk

How fortunate I am to receive another package from Australia...
Anne West read how I liked Lynette Anderson's design, A Scandinavian Christmas, and I had admired her wonderful version on Facebook.  So she very kindly packaged up her patterns with some fabrics and other little patterns and sent the whole lot along to me!  (You might remember Anne is the lady who sent me the package with the TimTams.)

Coincidentally I'd already decided the Scandinavian Christmas would be my Christmas stitching this year so now I am all set...just have to gather more fabric.

This rather dull photo does not do Anne's wonderful work justice but you get the idea of what a gifted quilter she is, as well as generous!

I love the rather lofty quilting on this; those hearts really stand out.
How cheering to get Christmas things and in the mail too!

And new to me

And it was because of Anne that I first learned about someone who was completely new to me...the wonderful Edyta Sitar at Laundry Basket Quilts.  Such beautiful designs and if you are not familiar, do take a look.

Well, some of you know I am a bit of a monarchist; I enjoy following their antics and watch lots of videos of their outings, etc.  I also follow a blog about Her Majesty's jewels, From The Queen's Jewel Vault, not especially for the jewel part but because of the history I learn that is associated with each piece.  These people never "own" their jewelry; it all gets passed around and handed down. It is interesting to see a photo of William's great grandmother wearing a brooch that his wife now wore recently for instance.

  So this picture below has a couple of favourite things for me.  My coffee and my usual glass of water with lemon.  I'd like to be saying it holds something more exciting like gin and tonic, but sadly no.  I can't remember what it is the Queen is watching there but perhaps horses and her horse is not doing well I gather.  LOL

This is an 'out of the house' chore day for me.  So I must get going.
Thanks so much for your kind comments; they mean so much to me...

And do drop by Lee Anna's Not Afraid of Color blog to read lots more Thursday Likes.
Happily linking with Good and Random Fun and It's A Small Town Life.