I've said it before, but if it wasn't for Kathy

I fear Christmas would come and go without me giving much thought to decking the halls with bells, holly or the other stuff that most people consider appropriate for the season, like snow flakes and snowmen in Florida...  really.
    I find this time of year in Florida confusing at best, out the north facing window is the scruffy that I blogged about last.  Whereas I see through  the east facing windows palms and on this day a wonderful blue sky

and to add more confusion to that out the south facing  front window grows pansies, yes pansies that speak to me of Spring.

     Thank goodness a card with an ornament arrived last week from Kathy to keep me on track.  I haven decorated a tree since moving to Florida and I won't again this year, but I do display the ornaments Kathy sends me with as much joy as I get from receiving them.  Here's a look at some of them including the one I got this year.  Thanks Kathy...

 

This is my latest piece, 18" w x 16" l

This is the piece  I am working on now.  I put in a couple of hours yesterday quilting it. 

The above picture taken right after I finished  layering it, making ready to quilt. 

It's under the needle.  Will let you see it again when it is done.

 

If I don't get back before the 25th , here's wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.

The scruffy season is upon us

here in central Florida.  For the life of me I can't say late Autumn or Winter when the day time temperature for the most part ranges from the mid 70's to mid 80's.  When I lived in the apartment (my first home here in Florida) I didn't see any natural green spaces.  The green spaces surrounding the apartment, even the [ark (Cranes Roost) were  manicured  and planted with flowers growing according to the season.  The park was so well maintained that scruffy looking vegetation was a no- no.

One of the things that drew me to this condo was the green space and knowing there would be nothing built behind me because on the other side of this stand of trees and underbrush is a golf course.

Of course I looked at this place for the first time in the Spring when all was green, lush and butterflies were flitting from flower to flower.

     This is my second season of scruff and my desire for sun shine all the time and flowers is taking a hit this year mainly because it has been uncommonly cloudy and we had our first cold spell around Thanksgiving when. it normally doesn't come until January. 
   Living here I am much more attuned to the seasonal changes  now that I can see the leaves turning from green to red and yellow and seeing them fall  from the branches. changes
    When I lived in the apartment, all I watched was the perfectly manicured palms in the garden below, but here  I see those too, but I also see pines and magnolias and many who names I do not know.  I am also taking note of what once was a really tall pine  that lost its top during a storm I was told before I moved here.  Slowly the bark is falling off and I am noticing for the first time that there is a diagonal crack in the trunk.  I won't be surprised  if one day I wake to see that the top most part of what is left has fallen.

 Keeping the gloom at bay;  here's my latest piece, watercolor on silk   The facing is on and sewn down, but not the sleeves and it needs a label.  Measures not quite 25" square. 

 

I have a larger piece 35" x 44" waiting to get sandwiched for it's turn under the needle.