Not in my backyard

We can only pray that the skunk doesn't move into the backyard like the rabbit. I may just have to buy a gun at that point. Just kidding -- I'm not about to do that, but I would NOT be happy if the skunk decided to oust the rabbits and start to live there. Let's hope they stick to the forest or the neighbors -- I don't care where just not in my backyard!

So far, we've been good with skunk incidents. Lexi did get sprayed once, and I think she learned her lesson, but not before she came barreling into the house and rubbed herself all over the blankets in her kennel, trying to get rid of the smell. I didn't even realize what had happened until she was well into the house. Murphy seems to have a wee bit of a brain or has just got lucky and not encountered one. 

Fingers crossed. 

More shoveling yesterday, and it was a crazy start to the morning. The winds were howling, and with all the loose snow from the night before, it was like a blizzard out there. 

A blizzard or just a rather windy day and lots of loose snow

I did go for a walk in that snow, and facing into the wind was like being on Little House on the Prairie in the midst of one of their wicked storms. I could barely see where I was going, but I stuck to our street and the protection of the forest. The moment you changed directions, it was actually not a bad walk. Short because I had to get back to the house for Zoom classes. 

Can you tell that someone was enjoying herself?? 

Snowdog

Normally, I wouldn't take my mitts off to take a picture in that weather. However, on the Facebook group of the Virtual Challenges, there's a lady from Winnipeg who has continued to walk outside despite the sub-arctic temperatures they have had, and she's always showing her frosty face and hair after the walk. This reminded me of her, so I snapped it for her benefit!

Hey -- this is the ideal temperature for a menopausal dog like me!

Of course, Lexi came home - the same walk, with nothing on her! And then proceeded to plop herself in the snowbank at the backdoor. 

Chilling in the snowbank

Wow -- that third Saturday of the month is a Zoom marathon, to be sure. I have four one-hour Zoom sessions on that day. And adding a half-hour before each one for preamble -- well, that's six hours on Zoom. But we had a blast and got to visit with so many people and well -- all around a good day. And loads of questions and suggestions for future sessions. I loved it as there were people on the call from the Bahamas, all over the US, and across Canada. People can go on vacation and still attend their classes! Let's just say that those Zoom sessions are here to stay!!!  

I'll be posting some pictures later this week. Today it's all about the UFO clubs. There are two of them, and everything is prepped and ready to go! Then I get the afternoon off. 

What am I going to do? 

Well, I MUST clean up Studio B. It's become a disaster zone as I searched around to find various things for the presentations. 

This is where I keep the sew-alongs, and I was looking for something that I couldn't find. But when I looked a bit harder, it was there -- I just missed it the first time around. It sure helps keep things organized because I was forever losing a book or pattern in the past, and NO MORE. I just hadn't remembered that I had put the project into a plastic container, and I was looking for a plastic bag! 

A bit of tidy up is required

The excess fabric got tossed to the floor as I was madly cutting and sewing the other day. The cutting table has buckets of fabric on it. 

Excess fabric on the floor

The ironing board has projects and other stuff on it. 

Ironing board with projects on it

And the work tables are covered with stuff from the batting lecture. 

The work tables are messy

But here's the beauty of that space. It was so organized and neat and tidy. So when I did need the space, it was there for me to use. I didn't have to move anything to access it. I'll take some time this afternoon, probably no more than one hour, and it will all be back to normal. That's something huge for me. And I love it so much that I will continue to keep it that way. Make a huge mess, then clean it up. Make a huge mess and clean it up. That's my new motto. 

And after that is cleaned up, I have a lot of follow-ups to write up, and then I can cross those things off my Master List for the month. I'm working my way down the list, and I'm not getting much done of the extras on the list, but all the necessary things are done or getting done. 

I need to work a bit more in advance for next month. Those deadlines were a bit tight, but we won't go there. That's not a question of taking on too much; it's a question of not using my time wisely. Like how making baking shows did I watch? I won't say, but I haven't watched any in the last couple of days, and I accomplished a lot more than when I watched the baking shows. 

Trust me -- I know myself. Even though the show is on in the background, I am watching the show; it's not playing in the background, so it technically wastes a lot of time -- at least for me. I didn't even have the radio on or an audiobook in the last couple of days. I just plugged away with my brain dreaming up new things to do! As if I needed to do that!

So Murphy has been labeled as cute, but Lexi is also so cute. I love how she puts her paws in front of her face like a little kid would do. And she rubs both sides of her face as well. What a silly girl, but she is so lazy when she does it. She doesn't get up; she doesn't move. She just lies there and moves those piercing eyes of hers!!!

Yes, Lexi -- you are CUTE!!!!

Speaking of which, Susan sent me a link to this notebook. How perfect for the dog lovers amongst us. It's a blank notebook, and you can buy T-shirts with the saying on them and personalize it with pictures of your dog breed. Oh boy --- I do NOT need another journal book, nor another T-shirt, but the idea is super cute!

OH -- and here's something for you to read this morning. Susan sent this article about temperature quilts.    There's also an audio clip of the maker talking about her project, so be sure to listen to that. 

If I were going to make a temperature quilt, which I think is a very cool idea, I like Emelia's idea as she took historical data and created the quilt. If I had to add something to the quilt every day? I'd fail. That's too much "work," and it's a challenge to do it every day or keep track of the temperature every day, but historical data? That's easy to find!

On that note, I'm out of here. It looks gloomy outside, but the wind and snow are gone, and while it's coldish, I think the walk will be just what I need! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!