Gratitude #77 Glimmers

Welcome to another month's list of things I notice pretty much on a daily basis, for which I am grateful. If you would like to write your own post, or read more of these uplifting posts, pop over to LeeAnna's blog Not Afraid of Color.

Yesterday I learned a new word for these moments I note each month thanks to Mx. Domestic who reposted it from Tiny Buddha Official on Instagram.

1. I'm grateful for my library; I've loved loved LOVED libraries my entire life. The quiet, the smell, the knowledge-keeping, the worlds contained in the thousands of books, ahhh. I was in one day quite a few months ago, and Elaine, who is also a quilter, and in charge of the Artist of the Month display, asked me if I'd like to be the artist for September. I told her absolutely, and that that was fitting timing as I had a quilt coming out in Love of Quilting in the September/October issue! Well, here is the display that has been in the library all month.

2. I am grateful that I live within a half hour (barring construction and crazy-slow drivers in the area) of the Detroit River which, on the Windsor side, has many kilometres of walkways and parks. We stopped to use the bathrooms, taking turns so one of us could be with the dogs. This happened when it was my turn to stay with the dogs!

Rufus has gotten quite anxious. We think it has to do with losing Rocco, who was his grandpa, not by blood but by safety and wisdom, as well as the isolation of the pandemic. He is the bestest of boys in his home and yard, happy-go-lucky. Not so much by scary rivers with bikes and e-scooters. The cobra-chickens (aka Canada geese) don't worry him.

3. I am grateful that I live on a Great Lake. Point Pelee National Park is one of my all-time favourite places on the planet, and is just 15 minutes away in the opposite direction from the Detroit River. The dogs love it there. Xena actually went in the lake past her elbows/knees this time!

Rufus had a ball: though he's not a fan of actually swimming, but suddenly started dunking his entire head under! I think he was checking out the large rocks, just in case one happened to actually be a ball!

4. Lake Erie makes for some wonderful quilts in the wild photo shoots, or glamour shots. This is one of several that MacGyver took, in several spots at the Leamington Marina and Seacliff Beach. Tomorrow's post will explain why we were taking photos of Vigil, my quilt of Remembrance and Honour for the victims of Flight 752 that was shot down in January 2020.

5. The above photo leads to being grateful for challenges, and for blog readers who read this blog, many for years now. Challenges make us face our fears and inevitably learn and grow from facing them. 

6. Wow, do I love this harissa chickpea with whipped feta dish from Pinch of Yum. 

7. I love Nature, and paying attention to what's in one's garden.We've had this amazing leaf-like katydid show up in our backyard in late September a few times now. They are huge, and so intricately detailed! She allowed me to get up close and personal for a shot.

8. This is still on my Instagram profile from my support of the counter-protest against the anti-trans marches/proests that were going on across Canada on September 20. Being against trans-gendered humans is promoting hatred and I will not tolerate that. Human rights, emphasis on human, must be upheld.

When I was teaching, we could display a rainbow symbol in our classrooms to indicate that it was a safe space for kids to be themselves. Schools are sometimes the only safe place for a kid whose homelife we never fully grasp.

9. I absolutely love the new artwork in the form of murals that is popping up on various buildings around my town. I love seeing new benches, and more of them, along with garbage cans beside them. Now, Kingsville, put some benches and garbage cans along the Greenway please!

This one is across from the library.

10. I absolutely love and am thrilled to have my 150 Canadian Women quilt quilted! Yes, here I am turning the corner on the outer border to ribbon candy my way across the bottom of the quilt, a little way up the right side for the finish line. Those of you longarmers who are thinking whoa, she sure cut it fine with the batting overage, have no fear; there was probably a half extra metre hanging down all the way through the quilting until I was down to the last several inches when I knew I could trim it with an inch extra.😉 It's all trimmed and actually got shown last night to a group of my dear friends (more on that tomorrow). I'm binding it today once I finish this post, and will have the finish post later tomorrow or Saturday! A #wipsbegone project done ahead of the October 1 start date!

Here are a few of the blocks from rows 2 and 13.

11. This happened this morning within seconds of me sitting on my cushion on top of my quilt to meditate. Bella was napping on her sherpa pouffé on my sewing room countertop, and hopped off to gently prod my calf, knead my thigh a few gentle times and then curl up. She purrs softly throughout the 10-12 minutes. I am so profoundly grateful for this fur being.