Little Penguin Quilts Through the Year

Little Penguin Quilts Through the Year

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

I Like Thursday #21 - This and That

One thing I really enjoy about being a part of the blogging world is that I'm often reminded of things I like in my life, that I hadn't thought about in a long time.

For example, in one of her posts last week, LeeAnna wrote about making beaded bracelets, and I remembered a beautiful beaded bracelet that a friend made for me a year ago or so.


I had to go get it out of its box and try it on!  I think I forgot how much I like it!  It's made in a complete circle with no clasp.  Not being a beader, I don't have any idea how it was made, but I sure do like it!


Another day last week, I was reading a quilter's blog who also knits, and she wrote about knitting dishcloths. That reminded me that I once enjoyed knitting dishcloths, and I had to go dig through my knitting bag to see what was in there.


I found a finished one, and a partially knit one - it's time to get back into that!  That would be a good thing to be doing while watching Netflix in the evening with my hubby!

I like different kinds of notebooks!


I've never been a journaler, but I do enjoy having various kinds of notebooks around to keep track of things. For example, the little notebook, above, is where I write down the birds that my husband and I see.  I've been keeping this notebook since 2004!  Quite often, I find myself looking back in it to see if I've written a particular bird in it before, and where we were when we saw it.


I started using the middle sized theme book when my book club organized a year go in the fall.  I keep notes about the books we read together, so I can remember things in the story that made me stop and think!  This year, I am also challenging myself to read 50 books, so I'm keeping track of the books for each month in this notebook!


Do you think I can do it?!  I think I have a pretty good start on reaching my goal.  This month I've actually started three different books (the Tea Shop mystery I mentioned last week being one), but I decided I'd better finish this month's book club book first, since we are meeting next Monday!

The largest notebook in the pile up above is filled with graph paper.  I decided I would like to try designing a quilt (or quilt block) now and then.  So far I've only used 3 pages of it, but there's time to add more ideas!


I did design a String Star quilt that I am making, a few blocks at a time, as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this year.  Here's my plan for it:


I also like this mug!  I've been having tea in it every afternoon.  It's so happy and fun!


I like planning trips.  Right now, we're planning one to South Carolina, and whenever we can, we send away for travel books from the Visitor's Centers of the places we're going.  Sometimes we get ideas for restaurants to go to, or things to see that we might not have realized were there.


And finally, I like squirrels!  They are endlessly entertaining to me because of their energy and determination. Squirrels love our yard because we have lots of bird feeders, and they can get lots of food by hanging out below the feeders to get what the birds drop.  Unfortunately, they also would like to eat right out of the feeders!


I'm not sure if you can tell, but this squirrel is hanging on to a suet feeder with his back legs, while trying to eat the suet with his front legs.  He actually slid all the way down the wire that is holding the suet up from the roof of our house!  My husband is always trying to foil their attempts to get into our feeders.  We call it "Squirrel Wars!"

Here is the latest attempt - he has attached a Slinky to the pole to which the suet is attached.  The idea is that the squirrel will bounce up and down on the Slinky and have to jump off the the pole holding the bird feed before he can get to it.  So far, no squirrel has tried this.  I'm sure they're thinking, "What is that crazy guy trying now?!"


Just for a chuckle - here is my favorite squirrel picture ever!


What do you suppose this guy was thinking?!



Happy Thursday!  I'm joining in with my favorite Thursday Blog Hop over at Not Afraid of Color!












9 comments:

Vicki in MN said...

I have made bracelets like that one before, mine were crocheted in the round. I machine knit dishcloths. So I loved seeing your items! Great idea to get the hard copies of vacation places-I always think I can google but if you get somewhere and don't have internet access, the good old fashioned hard copies still work, LOL Love those squirrel pictures. My DH put upside down metal cones on our feeder an they have not gotten up there(as far as we know).

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

Squirrel Wars- how funny. Seems like they have no fear! I tried crocheting washcloths but I made one too loose. I need to give it another try. Your post reminds me to go back to my notebooks such as yours!. Enjoy your day. mary in AZ

LA Paylor said...

bwaa hahaha that last picture. He's trying to distract your husband from his contraptions. We try to keep squirrels off the feeders but they sit under and catch the dropped seeds. They also make good use of the fountain for sips and baths.
I love a notebook. Pugmomquilts Nancy is an enormous reader too. Knitted dishcloths... a good use for cotton yarn.

PaintedThread said...

We have our own squirrel wars, too. This winter was fairly mild, so I'm not sure if my new suet baffle worked of if it was just that no one bothered to attempt it. :-)

Unknown said...

I like a good notebook too and have them stationed around the house. That squirrel is hilarious!

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

As usual Diann, you have echoed so many things that are my likes as well. I do have and keep quite a few journals/notebooks. I have knit dishclothes while watching tv and I usually wear a bracelet every day. Love your mug too, on and on. Isn't it fun to think so positively about the little things in life!

Linda said...

I really look forward to these Thursday posts. I laughed out loud at that last squirrel! :D I love notebooks too! I have one filled with gardening successes and failures started in 2004. Yes I bet you make your reading goal. How fun to be planning trips. :)

Michele McLaughlin said...

Love your post! My father was always at war with the squirrels. One of my favorite memories was when he decided to spray Pam oil on the parts that the squirrel used to climb. I'd hear Dad laughing and know there was another squirrel sliding down the pole. I love your idea wiht the notebooks. I might have to do that with my birding! Have a wonderful day and thanks for hte smile!

Kate said...

Lots of fun favorites. I'm a journal junkie too, but seem to collect them and not use them (bad girl I know). Squirrels are fun to watch, but we've had them in the attic before and that's not fun. Have a very fun weekend.