Merry Christmas to everyone!

Hark!  the hairy beasts are singing!

Steve's cats had a visitor too!

That's Oliver from next door, winding up the boys.

Jack has a visitor!

She (?) came both last night and early this morning to visit with Jack through the glass door to the deck.  Jack was not happy.

She kind of looks like Hattie.

September 15: last hike of summer

Actually, also the first hike, and actually not really a hike.  More just sort of a wandering up from the lodge.  But it was beautiful!

First we had a hearty breakfast (eggs, ham and hashbrowns) at Longmire.  Then we drove up to Paradise for a very pleasant walk.  Click on the pictures to see them huge!

Mount Rainier looks like the moon!

Tatoosh from Paradise

Pearlies 

Paradise Inn

Meadow flowers nearly gone

The mountainside had a wonderful glow which the picture almost captures

Last monkeys of the year

Dress for the wedding

This is just a provisional photo.  Eventually I'll get around to taking a better one, but right now I'm suffering Post Project Collapse.  I'm calling the dress Mutton Dressed as Lamb, for obvious reasons.  Actually, I quite like it.

It's Bee Day today!

For the fifth year in a row!  This year's swarm gathered all over the general, and then retreated into the cypress shrub behind him.  Be sure to click on the pictures to see them up close.

I got a present!

Look what my friend Pam made for me!  I especially like the zebra behinds on the inside.  Bet you wish you had one!

Puyallup sewing expo 2014 -- the loot

Still one day to go, and I'm tired!  So I'm just going to throw these pictures up without comment.

From Louise Cutting:

From Marcy and Katherine Tilton:

 

 

Poly organza



Green and rust poly taffeta

Toasty brown linen
 

 

From Sewing Workshop:

 

 

My Seattle Gray -- finished!

Okay, another damn piece done, and only one more to go before the Puyallup Expo.  This is my version of Louise Cutting's Artist in Motion.  Over the weekend I'll make the vest.

 

The fabric is a rayon burnout I bought a few years ago in Portland.  The color is actually a soft gray.

I Dream of Pink Rabbits -- finished!

Still can't take good pictures.  There is no light around here at this time of year.

The pattern is Louise Cutting's Just Good Friends, and the fabric is a linen print I bought from Marcy Tilton at the Puyallup Sewing Expo a couple of years ago.  I really like this pattern.  It's a quick and easy sew, and very graceful.  And the fabric is fabulous.  Although it's linen, it doesn't wrinkle.

And the perfect button:

 

Doll Brown finished!

Although I'm seriously considering changing its name to Velvet Misery.  My dears, you have no idea of the scope of my sufferings.  First of all, the velvet kept slipping.  I tried basting every which way with pins, hand basting, and even stapling the damn pieces together and still they slipped.  I had the best luck with iron-on basting strips, in places where they could be used, and a combination of hand basting and swearing everywhere else.  That was the worst.  Then there was the problem of getting the band to line up properly in front.  That was the worst, too.  Finally there was the horrific pin injury to my finger that laid me up for a whole afternoon, and also gave me a good Thanksgiving day story.

Anyway, here are place marker pictures.  There is nowhere in the house I can take a good picture, and if I took Dahlia outside as I usually do, both she and the jacket would be in Commencement Bay within 10 minutes, it's so windy out today.