EPP Plus Quilt, Embroidery, Pizza, New Quilter Video, Barred Owl is Back

This is what is left of my geranium plant that was so beautiful last fall when I brought it inside. It is alive but spring can't come fast enough to revitalize this one. Truthfully, being on the floor, I kind of neglected it a little and am lucky that geraniums are a hardy plant. 

It seems like I've watched Jacques Pepin, the French chef, all my life. Decades ago while living in Labrador, I would catch his show on PBS on Saturday afternoons, and loved it. I follow his ChefJacquesPepin Facebook page and recently Jacques shared how to make a fast baked potato, one of my favourite things to eat.  I thought it perfect to try with a fancy thin crust pizza I made and had to have the oven already heated for. Hubby's side gets the pepperoni pieces, mine the veggies. 

Here is Jacques explaining what he does. 

Fast Baked Potato

More good birding news...a female Barred Owl is back in the U.S. central Indiana nesting box, has prepped it for the season and has begun laying eggs. The debate each year is if it is the same owl. I thought this one looked smaller and didn't fill the box like last year's so a different owl. Now they are saying it just may be a different one and a new mother to boot as she laid the first egg and left it unattended overnight while temperatures were below freezing. That egg will probably not be viable but she has since laid another that she is tending.  Last year I enjoyed watching the two little owlets hatch and grow and fledge safely. Fingers crossed it will be another successful year. The Live feed can be found on YouTube again this year.

 Hand stitching is always pleasurable for me as you know by now. I never tire of it and look forward to my peaceful time when I can pick up whatever the current project is and lay a few stitches. Since the dogs have been here, I've not gotten into my sewing room but I've been happily hand stitching in front of the t.v. at night when all are settled down.  I finished another of the Snow Days blocks. This is appearing as black threads but are dark brown in reality.

And joined more of the Plus pieces. I also prepped a bunch more for stitching so I will continue on with this EPP project this week. 

And a new to me quilter popped up in my feed that I want to share with you- MerryMabelMarket. She moves quickly and concisely through whatever aspect of a project she is presenting. I watched her sewing blocks out of strings and was a little mesmerized, in a good way, with how proficiently she sewed them.  Then on her home page I found and watched this video on how to incorporate an embroidered panel into a quilt. Great stuff.

So my week is going well; the birds are singing early morning despite the freezing temperatures.  The dogs are keeping me on my feet and my ball throwing arm is getting a good workout. I am so grateful to be able to do all these things. Hope you all are also having a good week. 

Linking this post with Quilt Schmilt, Wendy's Quilts and More, My Quilt Infatuation, Quilt Fabrication, So Scrappy, Kathy's Quilts, Days Filled With Joy and Creations, Art, Quilts.