In need of some slow stitches

Long week at work, crazy weather, fun at the craft show and now I am in need of some slowdown time. What better activity than slow stitching to help me catch my breath.

I am still not back to work full time and even with shorter days, I still get so tired. Maybe one day I will be stronger, or maybe never, but for the moment, my body is telling me it needs a good long rest. I will listen to it and behave today. Just for today, hehehe!

I added a few stitches on my Ohio Star Shadow quilt last Sunday. It is hard to photograph black thread on dark fabric and white thread on light fabric. Here are pictures my best effort in photography.

Little bit more done ... a whole lot more to do!

Photo from under the frame. (click to zoom). Hope you can see the quilted feathers I have design for this quilt. 

This is my humble homemade template made from an old acetate sheet. It isn't in the right position. Each triangles need two feathers, one left & one right, as in the previous picture. Each quadrant has 4 triangles, like a big hourglass block. Unfortunately I have found a flaw in my design.

Hope you can see in this picture that the quilting doesn't reach the grey/brown HST and the black square. Now that's the bottom of the quilt so it isn't too bad, in the sense that the binding will hold it down. In the higher rows, those two unquilted pieces will become four pieces forming a square of 5.5 inches. Now that's a problem. It is way too big to stay unquilted but too small for me to do a feathered wreath. I'll have to think of another design.

In the news, you might have heard that Ottawa/Gatineau and all along the Ottawa River, houses are flooded and the army was called to help the regions. It is very sad. It hasn't happened in so many years, people all around me don't remember ever seeing it this bad.

This is where I grew up. The little village is surrounded by farm lands. Except in the spring time when it becomes almost an island.

Can't show the size of this lake.

The only ones not complaining are the Canada Geese.

This creek is as wide as a street usually, now it's almost 8 meters (1/2 mile) wide.

What you see here is a field, from one concession to the next. It is now under 2 feet of water. You can see the houses are completely surrounded.

Here's a close up of those houses.

Closer ...

This is the same house. It's a very big house.

Bringing in more sand bags by boat. It is on the same street as the big house just closer to the regional road.

It's a good thing the houses are build higher than street level but still, I don't want to imagine their basements.

Remember this picture from last Fall?

Completely to the left, you see some green in the water. From that point, bring your eyes down to the little pine tree standing next to the white archway. See how far the river is from that pine.

Check again. You can see the pine is clearly outlined because of the river behind it.

If I bring you closer you will notice that it has its roots in the water now. The maples in the background are almost covered too. They grow on a little strip of an islet in the middle of the river. The rain is still coming down.

It will be on my mind today as I slowly add more stitches to the quilt and sending prayers to all those who have to endure.
Do not worry for me as I am safe. I live about 8 km (4 miles) away from the Ottawa River and a good 7.7m to 9m (25-30 feet) above it too. I'm okay but many friends aren't. So sad.



On a happier note, I had fun at the craft sale yesterday. Unfortunately, the battery in the camera died as soon as I turned it on. I was sure I had charged it. I was so disappointed. I wanted to share this with you all. So I plugged it in last night. This morning, I started taking pictures of the quilting and before I was done, the battery was out again. WHAAAAT??? I believe I need a new battery. So all I can share with you is what I bought. Sorry. :(

Little fancy cards. This lady makes beautiful work.

Aren't they gorgeous? There was so many to choose from.

And they are small too! I so love them. Maybe I'll keep them for me, hehehe!

Joining Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching. Come and visit.


Until next time ....

;^)