Moving slowly

 We've had some hot/humid days recently, so I've either spent most of them sewing  or reading with the AC on.  I finished the purple Barn Star Sampler quilt top and will take it to Marie for long arm quilting eventually.  Right now it's in a bag waiting.  If I take it too soon, I'll have too many UFOs to keep up with.

I still have a Christmas quilt to bind and will soon have a bargello Christmas tree skirt to bind as well.  The pattern is at left.  I thought it would be fairly easy but figuring out the order of the strips of fabric took quite a bit of time.  Paper plates came in handy to keep them all straight.  The binding will be cut on the bias and will be quite long.  I'll sew it on by machine.

I finished the last book in the Maisie Dobbs series the other day. The Comfort of Ghosts was a very satisfying conclusion to a great series with interesting mysteries.  Usually the murders occur "off screen" so to speak, and Maisie just happens upon them or is contracted by someone to solve them.  It has been great to grow old with Maisie and some of her characters, including her assistant, Billy, who has gained quite a bit of wisdom over time and exposure to Maisie.  I will miss her but know that author Jacqueline Winspear will most likely come up with new characters that are just as interesting.  I really liked the standalone novel about post World War II that she wrote a few years ago, The White Lady.  I have her memoir waiting in the wings.

Now I'm back to reading about Aunt Bessie, having read all 26 of her mysteries in the last year or so.  Author Diana Xarissa couldn't set her aside so is writing a "Cold Case" series featuring Aunt Bessie and friends.  It's a comforting, quick series that I was initially drawn to because the books are set on the Isle of Man, and I was making Manx quilt blocks at the time.

We are all bracing for the remnants of Hurricane Beryl to arrive this afternoon.  Having gone through a massive flood here exactly a year ago, everyone is preparing for the worst.  I'll charge everything I can in preparation for power outages, and I'll bring my lone tomato plant in its pot up on the porch out of the wind.  Luckily, we live up a long hill from downtown and also on a flat piece of land away from any landslide-prone areas.  Some of our near neighbors aren't so lucky.  Fingers crossed!