Cleaning Up Loose Ends

 Fall has arrived, with winter right on its tail.  I actually did not hear my AC unit turn on even once yesterday.  In fact, it was too cold to sip my morning cup of caffeine on the patio.  Instead, I plunked a chair in front of the sliding glass door, the better to see all the moths, spiders and creepy crawlies trying to get in.  There is actually a spider that looks like a scorpion.  Now tell me this wouldn't scare the heck out of you!!  Sorry, rainbow bridge.

Maybe I'll get a bug zapper.  The electric light show would go on forever, looking something like this video.  Even the smallest of thunder storms barrels through the valley looking like this.  It resembled the Fourth of July last night, as flash after flash exploded with only seconds in between.  Mother Nature sure can put on a light show!!

Of course it scared Cooper, who barked at every crack of thunder.  Even the far away rumbles can get him going.  This will continue for the next three days, so my last minute hiking trip has been cancelled.  No problem, I'll be ready when WINTER comes, bringing all the sunshine.

Mom coyote stopped by for a quick look see.  I imagine they smell my one lonely rabbit, who seems to have survived so far.  I catch him in the early morning hiding under a tree.  At around 1:00 am, he ventures down to the water and does a walk-by for the camera.

Of course there's more territory marking.  This new pack seems to have taken over this area and wants to be sure everyone knows it!

Since I'm leaving soon, I'm in a mad rush to finish up everything I had going on the quilting machine.  Of course that involves new patterns, all of which are easily downloaded on the internet.  That makes it just too easy to say "oh I like THAT one"!   Luckily all the ones I've seen so far are not what I'm really looking for.  

I have to say however, this one came out VERY nice.  Now if I could only wave my little wand and have the edges sewn on, I'd be in like Flynn!

Patty has been working on a quilt for her daughter-in-law which needed to be quilted before I left.  I picked it up yesterday and went searching for a pattern.  Sometimes the perfect one just hits you in the face.  These are dove flying through ribbons.

Perfect, no??  If you enlarge the picture, you can see someone had my hand while making this one.  The doves ended up flying right down the middle of the cross.  Patty's going to love it.  At least with this one "I" don't have to sew the binding!!!

The house is now officially a disaster area as I stack up things that need to be packed in the truck.  It's time to get out my checklist.  Yes ... I need a reminder of everything to do so I don't go off and leave the water running somewhere.

In the meantime, I'll go get the critter cam and see what was wandering in the dark.  I doubt there will be much but rain and thunder this time.  Critters are pretty smart ... they also stay home when it's stormy outside.

Update:  That was a Gila Woodpecker, not a cactus wren, per Judith!!!  I stand corrected.