Charity Quilts ~ last of 2015

#49

I was able to make my goal of making 50 quilt tops for charity in 2015.  I ended up making a total of 52 for the year with over half quilted by myself.  What will be my goal for 2016???

#50

#51

#52

Cox Hall Creek WMA

Clouded Sulphur Butterfly seen today at Cox Hall Creek WMA

Wordless Wednesday ~ Christmas Fabric Postcards Received

Christmas Fabric Postcards

I have belonged to several online groups over the years where we swap small art postcards that have themes.  My biggest collection of these are the Christmas postcards.  This year I thought I would get them out to display.  My original idea was to hang a string and clip the postcards to it with tiny wooden clothespins.  Then I realized  that the perfect place to display them is in the sunroom where Jenny & I spend most of our time.  She has a miniature tree we added to the display.  I love how they look and the sun won't hurt them because in the winter the room doesn't get very much sun.

Needlepoint Christmas stockings

Over 35 years ago I made needlepoint Christmas stockings for my parents Cliff and Jeanne.  After I got married I designed and made one for my husband Russ.  Their stockings are displayed every Christmas but the location moves because I use my fireplace every day.

Cape Island ~ Ash-throated Flycatcher & Henslow's Sparrow

Another bird alert for an Ash-throated Flycatcher at the magnesite plant in Lower Twp and a second one for a Henslow's Sparrow at the Beanery.  I thought both would be life birds for me and since I was off from work I decided  drive over was warrantied,  When I arrived at the magnesite plant, the flycatcher was feeding in the trees along the parking lot and was pointed out to me by some of the birders who were observing the bird.  Then it was a drive over to the Beanery to find the Henslow's Sparrow which was located in a large brush pile along the edge of  field.  Wehad good looks at the sparrow but no great pictures for me.

Ash-throated Flycatcher - Cape My County, NJ

Ash-throated Flycatcher ( 3/24/14 ~ Cabo, Mexico)

Monarch - My yard

As I went outside today to work in the yard I startled this Monarch. She's a late record for my yard though I still have 6 Monarch Caterpillars eating away.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Backyard Birds

Northern Cardinal (male)

White-throated Sparrow

Charity Quilts

#42

This weekend I was inspired to get back to piecing tops.  My goal for this year is to piece 50 tops.  I made 7 this weekend which brings me to 48 tops pieced in 2015.  Over 2/3 of them I also quilted though some of these will go to a quilting angel in Tampa.

#43

#44

#45

#46

#47

#48

Cape May Point State Park

American  Lady Butterfly ~ Will it be my last butterfly of 2015?

Downy Woodpecker looking for lunch

Downy Woodpecker ~ Still searching for the bugs

Carolina Chickadee

Northern Pintail (Drake)

Fabric Postcard Swap

I am in several fall Art4Mail postcard swaps.  Here are my cards for the Leaves and "N is for" swaps.

Leaves swap

N if for Uneven Nine Patch

Yellow-rumped Warblers

I really enjoy the Yellow-rumped Warblers.  I love going over to the state park and Higbee's Beach in the fall to watch them feed in the cedar tree berries.  I enjoy when they come to my yard and feed and bath here.

Life Bird # 374 ~ Franklin's Gull -

All day yesterday text messages were coming in fast and furious through Keekeekeer about the large groups of Franklin's Gulls that were here in the county.  Of curse, I was working and unable to go see them  so this morning I went to the Douglas Park at the ferry where at least one had been seen yesterday.  I was happy to get great looks through my bins though this picture isn't the best.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Circle of life

Herring Gull takes unknown bird in my front yard today

My Yard ~ Mating Monarch's

Today's late for Monarch's to mate

Sunset View

My Yard ~ Swamp Sparrow

It's funny that I rarely manage to see a Swamp Sparrow in the field yet in 2013 and this year I saw them in migration in my yard.

Sailing Away ~ to Delaware

Cape May Lighthouse at sunrise

Today's adventures included a sunrise trip on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.  I was meeting a friend for a morning of birding and some girl talk.  We had a good time and Bernie had looks at 2 lifers ~ Northern Harrier and Golden-crowned Kinglet.

Cape May Lighthouse with St. Mary's Convent Retreat House

My Yard ~ Ruby-throated Hummingbird

I thought I'd seen the last Ruby-throated Hummingbird for the season about 2 weeks ago.
Imagine my surprise and delight when this male arrived at my feeders this morning.  He fed off and on all day ignoring all of the great plants for the feeders.  I wonder how long he'll stay here.

My Yard

I'm happy that my yard still has some great color, flowers and some butterflies.  There are Black Swallowtail butterflies and caterpillars, Common Buckeye butterflies, Monarchs, American Lady butterfly, Cabbage Whites, Orange Sulphur butterflies and Sachem Skippers.  All to soon the warmer days will be colder and the gardens will die back for another year.