Rare Visitor, Slow Stitching Sunday, August OMG, What Will I Make??

My happy chair with a view of the back yard this morning. Perhaps you can make out the pouring down rain. That old expression, the heavens opened up, applies today. We can use it so it's all good. 

For instance, this is a little patch of hardy fleabane and there are many dotting the side lawn. Normally it is pretty against the dark green grass but this summer the grass has disappeared in the heat and the area is actually crunchy to walk upon, a strange sensation.

A bank of violet mallow on the partially shaded left side of the house...I think it has gone feral as there used to be a rock garden there years ago.  In my dreams, I am restoring it.

 I still have some transplanting to do as I did buy those geraniums from the local nursery. The very pretty variegated pink geranium attracted a special visitor that I feel so lucky to have gotten a photo of.  (Hubby will now remind me if I step out without the camera so I usually have it nearby.)

I was weeding the front stones when it appeared.  First I thought it a little odd to see a hummingbird around a flower not at the feeders.  Then I realized I was looking at a large moth of some sort, its wings moving so fast as to make them invisible. It was flitting quickly just like a hummingbird, hovering only a second at each flower.  Off to Mr. Google for the answer... a clearwing Hummingbird Moth though I don't know which one. So happy for this capture!

And aren't those geranium blooms pretty. It will be my challenge (and pleasure) to keep it alive this coming winter. Hopefully this week, I will be truly done with all planting for the 2020 garden.

Which reminded me, I need to order a tripod for my camera, the one with the zoom capability. When the lens gets extended, keeping it all super steady is challenging. I've been looking online and need to get that done. 

My Dreamy Hearts project is moving along. I've begun stitching the blocks together, the ones I've appliqued so far, that is.

 I don't want to turn it into a mountain of blocks and then feel overwhelmed by the task of joining them.

  I've decided blocks of 9 hearts are what I can handle to quilt. 

  It is just straight stitching except for matching the seams. Oops! 

This will be my August OMG over at Elm Street Quilts- to get them all stitched together in groups of 9 and the hand quilting begun. So far I have 8 of these larger blocks. A surprise there are so many stitched and a great start. I feel lucky to work with pretty fabrics and also to incorporate some scraps from recycled blouses/shirts too. 

I have these ingredients assembled for a little dessert square I'm going to make.  Any guesses as to what I have in mind?? No oven required which is an essential aspect of feeding us these days.

While there won't be any lying down in meadows today or venturing out at night by me either-I really don't know what's out there😟, Wendell's words still apply. He's about 87 now and I wonder what he is making of things right now if this was his thought in 1968.

I believe nature can save us if only we could put aside the tiny matter of our colossal greed.

With no let up yet in the rain, I'll get to catch up on inside chores this morning with the promise of  hand stitching time later on. But first a cup of decaf and some blog reading. 

Happily linking with Kathy's Quilts, Applique Quilting Patchwork, The Jesh Studio, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Love Laugh Quilt and Quilting is More Fun Than Housework.