Checking US out...

While using the zoom to reach the birds in the bush, this guy flew up and landed on the handrail, and then just stayed there and watched me for a while. We've been birdwatchers for a bit, and now I think I know how the birds feel...

A bird in the bush..

...is worth two on the wing that you can't possibly get a picture of. Very pretty bird who seemed to suck on the flowers the way the hummingbirds do, only from a secure perch on a limb. I haven't looked him up in our bird book yet.

Rainfest and Buggy Barn

I have so much catching up to do here...

Pam and Janet of Buggy Barn Quilts came to Rainfest this year to give classes on their "crazy" techniques and patterns. I took both classes, one on Friday, April 25, and one on Saturday, April 26, and they were a lot of fun. Pam and Janet were very helpful, and very FUN teachers. If you want to find out more about Buggy Barn Quilts (store and patterns) go to: http://www.buggybarnquilts.com/ .

The patterns are a 'stack and slash' type, but have a picture in mind - an object (like the crazy angels I did the first day), or a traditional quilt pattern as a basis (like the crazy churndash I did the second day). It was really interesting seeing the different takes on their patterns, and the different looks that came about with different fabrics. The smaller pictures are of the Crazy About Friends quilt from one of their books (the angel pattern is the one I did, although mine are garden angels with sunflower fabric, greens, golds and browns - much different from theirs), a quilt that has a really adorable witch (I've forgotten the name), and the quilt blocks from the classes. As we got the first block of our 'set' done, they were shown off to the group and hung on the wall. Mine is in the left group of the first picture (the green and gold angel) and the lefthand one in the second row of the second picture.. Very scrappy. Yes, they are supposed to look not quite square, even wonky - that's the crazy part of the patterns. If you're a quilter, I suggest you go check their website out. These patterns really took me out of my comfort zone, and made me more creative, and yet they were so relaxing and UN-stressful.

This is a really bad picture of some of the quilts on display at the Quilt Show. I managed to mess up almost all of the pictures I took, some because I forgot and left the camera in the car overnight and then took it into a warm room. My glasses fogged up, the camera lens fogged up... It was funny, though a little frustrating.

Our annual Rainfest Celebration happens every April (next year it's the first weekend in April - hope it's not snowing like it was the first part of April this year). Many more things happened during Rainfest than the quilt show - the Far West Art League show, the Rainforest Players put on "Honk!", the Umbrella Parade, the Pie Social, demonstrations at the library (different styles of basket weaving was one list, I don't remember all of the demos), different things to do around town... I was in class both days because my husband was on call for the Ambulance Group. It's small town FUN!

Quilt class blocks.

Buggy Barn quilts.

Come and join us next year!

The RAIN Capital???

I left the date
on these pictures
so as to have
proof of when I took them.
This is definitely
unseasonable
weather for Forks.
We're supposed to
be the RAIN capital,
and April showers
are supposed to be RAIN.



The snow is still coming down as I type this. We've gotten more than two inches already, and it keeps coming.




According to the weather
forecast, we'll get up to an inch
of snow. Oops.

We're certainly glad we
don't need to go anywhere,
and that we have firewood
still.

Our annual Rainfest festival
is next weekend...

Today's April weather in a capsule

This is today's weather in one picture - blue sky, puffy clouds, gray clouds, hail mixed with snow on the ground, wet road from rain. The saying about Washington weather is 'if you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes and it'll change.' Definitely came true today.

An odd couple

"You check that way, dear, and I'll check for traffic this way, and maybe we can get clear of this mess soon..."

This 'couple' was too interesting to pass up. Actually parked at the Scholarship Auction at the bank, but positioned just right to look to be driver and passenger. We busted up laughing. Okay, so it doesn't take much for us, we're a little silly to begin with. Isn't that part of what retirement is about?

Sunset at home

This is a sunset picture I took from our back deck recently. After being gone for a bit, it's nice to see the ordinary daily things that make HOME.
We don't see pretty sunsets from the house very often, too many other houses in the way. This one entertained. I watched instead of taking lots of pictures, almost missed getting any of it. To see a pretty sunset, one can go to the beach most nights.

Thank you to all who commented, and, thank you Mary Helen for missing me. That was nice to hear.