Low Humidity for the WIN!!

I am so excited to have a day with low(er) humidity! Yesterday morning I tried to run in the 94% humidity.  It wasn't pretty.  Today we have low 80's with 50% humidity.  Feels like fall!  The hubby is napping on the swing.

We've been out running errands -- bought some fresh corn and visited our neighbors-to-be at our lot and took a tour of their newly framed in home.  Building a home is exciting, and I'm getting more excited everyday about the possibility for us.  We plan to watch the solar eclipse from our lot.  The 6 lots in the subdivided farm are all big, flat, and open with very few trees.  It will be a great place to watch it.  In our area, we expect a little over 2 minutes of total solar eclipse!

My son and his family had another one of their adventures today in Scotland.  They took a ferry from Edinburgh to Incholm island with friends and got to see an old abbey, wildflowers and wildlife, and old bunkers from both WWI and WWII there.  Here are a few of their pictures....

They love Scotland and spend most weekends visiting various historical sights.  I am very thankful they have the opportunity to do so, and thankful I get to see the pictures!

Life

Life is good.  Sometimes difficult but always good.  I have so much to be thankful for.  This summer has really been a roller coaster, but seems to be settling down some now.  I've gotten in some long runs, we've started the estimate process for possibly a new home on a lot we purchased in the spring, I was able to visit with my grand babies, and I've finally gotten back into quilting. It's all good and I am so very thankful.

As I was laying out the big kaleidoscope quilt, I couldn't help but think how awesome a bigger quilting studio is going to be!  I've always been happy with my quilting space although it is tight quarters.  Now that I am allowing myself to think about the possibility of a bigger space, I can't help  getting excited.

Here is the progress on my big quilt.....the final layout inspired by Bruce Seeds' "The Ring" one block wonder quilt.

 The progress.  Fourteen of 26 vertical rows put together.  Still quite a bit of work to do before it will be bed ready.

In other news, I got word a week or so ago that a little hexagon trial size baby quilt I made is going to be published in Easy Quilts summer 2018 issue.  Getting published is always exciting.  Any of you readers made a One Block Wonder quilt?  I know they were very popular a few years ago.  I'm just late getting on the bandwagon.

Musings

The hubby and I both went to the dermatologist last week.  I've had a teeny, tiny red spot on my arm for a few years.  Two years ago, at my last visit, they burned it off, but it came back.  Sometimes it would bleed for no reason, it would go away for a few months then come back.  I knew what it was.  Basal cell carcinoma. I am a researcher by nature and I had read enough to know. Even though I was pretty sure what it was I was still hesitant to go to the doctor.  It was tiny.  I mean probably nor even 1/8th of an inch all around. The biopsy hole was much bigger.

I wouldn't have even had it checked, thinking it is ok for a while since it kind of comes and goes, except my sister had one cut out of her arm in the same place and it left a quarter size hole.  I am pretty good about sunscreen on my face and neck; not so much on my arms and legs.  Evidently the left arm is a very common place to have this type of skin cancer due to the lack of sun protection on driver's side car windows.  I had no idea.  It is very, very rare for this type to metastasize.  They got all of mine in the biopsy.

On the quilting front, it has been a very productive couple of days. I got three labels made and sewn on.  I sign my name differently on the quilt depending on the recipient.  If it is one I plan to keep or give to family, I sign my maiden, and two last names.  One of them is the last name of my first marriage and my son and his family.  I want to be sure my great grandchildren will be able to identify their heritage in my quilts..

I also made and sewed on a hanging sleeve for a little baby quilt I made recently.  I had planned on it being a charity quilt for an upcoming auction but it turned out so cute I decided to submit it to Fons and Porter.  Wouldn't you know, they want to publish it is their Summer 2018 Easy Quilts!  That was a nice surprise.  It is different than anything I'd seen in their magazines so I really didn't think they would like it.  Maybe that is why they did??

....and I finished the quilting on my scrappy star quilt.  I've had the blocks on my design wall for about 5 years and finally decided to put them together with plain cream and white squares.  It turned out adorable and I love it so much.  It will go on one of the twin beds I plan to build for my grand children.

On the running front, I had an incredible, wonderful, endorphin filled run yesterday.  I hate running in the summer due to the heat and humidity.  Yesterday morning I really needed to do a longish run so I went out fairly early for me. It drizzled rain the whole six miles.  Glorious.  My heart rate didn't get up as high as normal, my pace was a little faster, and if felt, oh so good.

Running has been the best exercise for me in my whole life.  I walked for years but it didn't do for me, what running has  - reduced my resting heart rate, increased my bone density, and given me strong leg muscles to name a few.  I admit some runs are just hard, but some are like this one - awesome. I only run three times a week, and do the Jeff Galloway run/walk/run method.  Currently I am doing 2 minutes of running to 30 seconds of walking.

Thanks for stopping by......