Geese on a Date

I really do need to learn to bring my digital camera along with me more often, although I'm not sure there would have been time to capture this "Kodak Moment" even if I had brought it today.

My office is in an "industrial complex" - lots of small manufacturing/warehousing buildings in a 3-4 square block area. Traffic usually fairly moderate at all times, a bit heavier at morning, noon and evening rush. Substantial 18-wheeler use.

One street does a dog-leg turn from the E-W street to the N-S street - and I have to navigate that one to get to our offices, which are at the end of a cul-de-sac off that dogleg. The morning haze had not yet entirely burned off, and as I approached the curve, through the mist I see 4 "poles" sticking out of the road up ahead. Slowing down, I realized the "poles" were, in fact, Canadian Geese necks - two going South together, and 2 going North together.

Looked like geese on a date. I LOL'd.

Fortunately, they were conscientious geese and got out of the road before I got too close. It was so cute.

We have too many Canadian Geese around here. The area cannot support the numbers, and they are crowding out some of the other waterfowl - especially my favorites, the Mallard ducks. Some towns have taken to having patrols that go around and find nests and break the eggs before they hatch. I sure hope the right-to-life (Anti-Choice) Xtians don't find out about this - it's GOOSE ABORTION!!!!!!!!!!!!! ZOMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CALL THE POPE!!!!!!!!

467 Days

Mystery Quilt 2007 - Part 9

Part 1.....Part 2.....Part 3.....Part 4

Part 5.....Part 6.....Part 7.....Part 8

Welcome to the latest installment of our drive to making a quilt.

As you will remember, we now have 25 somewhat rectangular "squares" with a stripe down one side, that look like this:

Take five of these and the last 5 of the "A" 12 1/2" x 2 1/2" strips, and add a strip to each on the opposite side from the one there already - thus:

Iron the new seam, then grab the rest of your pieced rectangles. Add 4 rectangles to each of the rectangles you just finished with, "nose-to-tail" in the same fashion as an "elephant parade". When you are finished, you will have 5 rows with 5 squares each, separated by "A" strips.

Ok, yes, that is utter rubbish writing - this is what each row should look like:

If you have been totally conscientious with your measuring, cutting and maintaining consistant seam-allowance, you will have lovely, perfectly straight rows. If like me, you are a bit wonky with all this, you will have rows that do a bit of an up and down dance. Do yourself a huge favor now and "straighten" your rows. Make sure that you have nice, straight edges on both long sides, and nice "square" 90 degree corners at each end.

Making this bit look really nice is going to make a large difference in your finished product - we'll finish up the top piecing next week. As always, if you have any questions, or quilt-related complaints, leave a comment and I'll get back to you within 24 hours. Don't be shy about leaving a question - could be someone else wants to know too!