Overwhelm Happens

I have been feeling nearly normal for almost a week. I credit it to getting more sleep after a terrible bout of continual insomnia.  I would like to know the cause. Is it my fearful, worrying and sometimes overactive brain that can't stop thinking of things past, present and future. Intellectually I know just what a waste of valuable time (when I could be getting much needed beauty sleep, LOL) such meanderings are!
 Like so many of you, I do possess a slim vein of creativity in me ...words, music, nature, architecture, art, fabric each and all stir me and make me want to get going making something, anything. This sometimes leads to frustration.  Whatever I write, make or do is not usually as wonderful as my idea or vision conjures it. And then disappointment enters into this cycle.
A phrase I read recently struck a chord- "overwhelm happens"( the way nowadays verbs are turned into nouns!). Since my days are so calm, peaceful and I think more or less productive, is it in the nights that the "overwhelm" happens. I don't know.

 As I was thinking about all this, I read a wonderful post shared by Caroline at Sew Can She about her journey coping with anxiety and depression.
And this one by Susan Biali published in Psychology Today which I found meaningful to me...A Little Weird? Blame Your Creative Brain.

Sorry about that big moan.  On to other things.

I have been chicken sitting while family were away. They are beautiful hens and we enjoyed the fresh eggs. They seemed to be happy to see me and would run towards me when I entered their cage. But they are such fluttery creatures... no petting.  Sigh

I have my Sew Laugh Love piece to the quilt sandwich stage. Choosing the border fabrics was easy with all those pretty colours throughout the piece. I will sew buttons on those blank spots when I'm done with the quilting. Since this is my OMG for August, I hope to work on that this weekend.

I have logged many hours on my Grasshopper project. More bias making and I have the two larger birds prepped plus the tulips. Appliqueing down each of the pieces on the huge center piece was tricky with the actual start the trickiest. Now things can begin to just line up.  I finished the latest four blocks, also hand sewing; there are just four more to go. Using a fabric collection has lessened my indecision about the choices so that has been a bonus and a major time saver.

I've spent enjoyable early morning hours in the garden. So much clearing out of now dead weeds and tidying. Watched some videos on how to divide various perennials that are overrunning their beds, notably the shasta daisies and all the day lilies.  Though the early drought and extreme heat took a toll on the lilies this year.

For My Records
 Into bloom now are the broad leafed goldenray- a favourite with the butterflies

The anemone plants- bees by the dozens always on them

the rudbeckia- I was trying to capture Mrs. Cardinal from my pet chair in the living room

the phlox (with a row of blue balloon plants just fading there in the background)

not sure what this one is, but the bees are drawn to it before it even opens

and the lavender hibiscus which also attracts the bees.

I'm pleased to have inherited such a bee and butterfly friendly garden. I mustn't forget the hummingbirds...have lots of those here too.

Hope you all are facing the day well rested. Are you?

Happy as always to link this post with Not Afraid of Color, Esther's Quilt Blog, Free Motion By the River, My Quilt Infatuation, Busy Hands Quilts and Sew Fresh Quilts.