Lazy days, sketching, birches

There is something to be said for August evenings when it is not so hot after supper and very pleasant to while away the time on the deck. Our deck faces south so often July days are too hot. This past week, I moved my nest outside to the swing.

I pass the time doing relaxing things like sketching.

It's also a great place for sewing in all those ends on the afghans I've been doing over the summer.

I must admit that I often stretch out and get lulled into a snooze, or a quiet reverie at least, by the gentle rocking of the swing. It's good to just 'be' --something I really need to work at.

I do sometimes sit with the  camera in order to catch the hummingbirds but even that I try to limit, simply enjoying watching them flit around and chase each other.

This one is pretty mangy looking. I haven't researched it yet, but I'm speculating that perhaps its a juvenile male.

Today, is a humid, wet day, a perfect day to have a friend over for a little sewing help. Anne, is one of the quilters who took my birch tree workshop in the spring. She wanted a little help to finish it up. Having the 2 machines now in my studio is so nice.
While she worked, I put together the flying geese that are the star points in the center of the swoon block.

There are 4 more flying geese at the outside center that  I'm working on next which is why those spots are blank. I also got 4 half square triangles done for the star corners.

Herre is Anne's piece. We quickly laid it out. It does need trimming and a pressing. We added the brush and leaves at the bottom using bits and pieces of fabric and wool, overlaid with netting and  free motions stitched over top. As well, I showed her how to add a few branches with the reddish leaves again free motion stitched.

She plans to do a few hand stitched leaves to finish it off. I think it's pretty wonderful!

I'm linking to The Needle and Thread Network.