I think my crested gecko, Elvie, is telling me she needs crickets. She eats her crested gecko diet every night, but last night my son's fingertip was enough to trigger her predator response. (Her bites don't hurt.) I'll get crickets for her today! #reptile 🦎

My sweetie and I fixed the top rack of the dishwasher together! We ordered the parts and followed the instructions in the video. Very little blood was shed and no harsh words were spoken. Miss Trixie Moo's supervision was vital. #caturday 🐈

Absolutely stunning!!!

Melting, finally!

Ever since we let him watch those gerbil videos, Eddie is obsessed with the TV. My husband's game has little rats that run across the screen, and he and Eddie have a disagreement about the propriety of gaming together... So Eddie has to sit on my lap and pine after the mousies. #cats 🐈

I finally finished this floral diamonds quilt. I had put it on hold to make other projects. The diamonds in the sashing are wonky, but it gives it that homey look. I put it on the guest bed to sorta-kinda match the other one (made with scraps from the diamond quilt, actually).

Hanging out in my plant room. 🌿🌱🪴

And this banger from a month ago: youtu.be/AR15xWFtu-s

Beautiful.

I figured out a way to make progress clearing the driveway so maybe I can go out in the Lizardmobile tomorrow! It involves a long-handled concrete scraper and a snow shovel, breaking the ice into chunks and then sliding them across the surface of the ice into the yard. It also involves tylenol.

Eddie cat enjoyed the gerbil video so much that now he's trying to catch things in my husband's video game.

See the two bluebirds perching in the beech tree?

Raccoon footprints?

This one gave me shivers this morning, music and lyrics both.

Eddie cat is supervising.

I went out to top up the bird feeders and offer the crows their morning peanuts and found this moth on the exterior door frame. It's 10 F outside! I picked it up as gently as I could and relocated it to the garage. Not ideal, but better than freezing or being inside with the cats.

Eddie cat decided to help me with my quilt sandwich-making. I put out the backing and batting and he insinuated himself before I got the quilt top spread.

#caturday night entertainment at our house! All three cats are excited by this gerbil video.

I finished my wall quilt! I'm calling it "Ravens Treasure " I decided to go with the black binding, and I made hanging tabs out of scraps from the pieced ball of yarn. I think I'll use this cedar branch to hang it. I have to find the right wall, but it does look nice outdoors.

I've got Aesop's fables in my backyard this morning! I heard the crows cawing for their peanuts, and when I looked out the window, I also saw a deer. Then a red fox came trotting across the bridge over the creek. The fox and deer regarded each other and then continued on. I took out the peanuts.

I went with a friend to try #coffee omakase today. It was amazing! I really enjoyed the creative concoctions. It felt very pampering.

Look what I found by the road up the street from me on my walk today! It's a bald-faced hornet nest! They're dead inside, like many of us are feeling these days. #nature

Raven wall quilt binding auditions: black or scrappy?

I finished assembling my raven paper piecing wall quilt. I plan to put a border on it before doing the quilting. I might make some tabs so I can display it hanging from a branch on the wall. We'll see...

My #crow buddies came caw-ing for their morning peanuts. Their wish is my caw-mand!

Continuing my adventures in crow-related literature, this is the best book I have ever read! It's delightfully creative, tickelingly hilarious, and overflowing with love and delight in the natural world. I haven't yet read Hollow Kingdom, but will asap. Kira Jane Buxton, I love your mind! #booksky

My three kids with their Christmas quilts.

Cinnamon rolls!

Family Christmas portraits!

My son and I visited Goose Creek Bridge in Upperville, VA. today. This 200+ year-old bridge was the site of a Civil War battle. Today, it is a peaceful place to take photos and enjoy birds. We saw and/or heard a great blue heron, a bald eagle, turkeys, ravens, a red-headed woodpecker, and vultures.

I'm making a little pot of espresso and Dilly #cat is napping on the warm stove.

Today is our family #cookie exchange day!

I borrowed this book, "How to Know a Crow," by Candace Savage (illustrations by Rachel Hudson) from the library yesterday and it's really wonderful! It's for kids, but suitable for interested adults too. It's packed full of information and beautiful illustrations. I loved it!

A Lord of the Rings cover band called "More Doors"? I'm picturing Gollum singing "Hello, I Love You" to the One Ring. Sauron looking out over Mordor singing "Light My Fire." Samwise Gamgee will sing "Orcs Are Strange."

This morning Dilly #cat and I are learning about common Virginia frogs and their calls.

This is how Dilly #cat likes to nap after breakfast. On my desk, between me and my keyboard and monitor. We call this "grandpa sleeping." To do my crossword I have to put one arm under her and one arm over her and crane my neck to see. And I have to give her kisses, of course.

So many pidgies all lined up!

I got to go on a walk at a beautiful piece of land this evening looking for Short-Eared Owls! I was with a group from the Virginia Working Landscapes project, part of the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. And we saw two owls!

Terrible blurry phone photo, but is this a white-throated sparrow? #birds

Today I pieced a sun for the raven's quilted sky. 47 pieces in this section!

Trying my hand at freezer paper piecing this raven pattern from Saginaw St Quilts. I've never done this before! My brain has a hard time with the whole upside-down and backwards aspect of the process. So far ..

I finished the top for the third (and final) lap quilt that I'm making for Christmas gifts for my kids. This one is made with a charm pack set featuring herons and water lilies. It's the "Watermarks" set by Holly Taylor for Moda.

This is Chico. He's very dignified.

Sometimes I feel like I'm married to Doc Brown...

Missing my Wilbur cat!

If you see this, quote post with a GIF of your favorite wild animal.

I had to say goodbye to my sweet Wilbur cat today. He was 17.

Wilbur #cat is napping in a precarious position! (I adjusted him to prevent a fall.)

Dilly #cat is snuggling the pizza on the warm oven.