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Tuesday, January 1, 2013

January 01, 2013

 
I didn't think I had much to post about,
until I imported the pictures from my camera.
Should do it more often!
 
 
I'll begin with the most recent.
Anxious to see my first bird of the New Year,
I headed out the door this morning
to a birdless yard.
 
Thinking maybe the birds had celebrated too late
into the wee hours of the morning,
or were kept awake by all the fireworks,
I studied the trees,
and then I spotted the reason....
 
 
 
Never very confident in my hawk identification,
I've narrowed this handsome devil down to
either a Cooper's Hawk, who is here in S. Texas year round,
 or a Sharp-shinned Hawk, here during the winter.
He seemed to be pretty big.
 
 
 
Here he is, flying away.
 
One of the first little birdies to venture out after the hawk scare
was this sweet Carolina Wren.
 
 
 
 
Not a bad start to the New Birding Year,
OR to my Texas Yard Bird List!
 
I'm just now getting my sewing area set up.
I've been pretty busy since arriving in TX on 12/15.
Crafty Daughter had a birthday cookie order for us to work on.
 
Cows, of all things.
 
 
 
 
I just snapped a few quick, unstaged photos. 
(You can see that one is on a stick.
We attempted our first cookie bouquet.)
 
 
 
 
Then we moved on to Christmas cookies,
 
 
 
 
and had lots of fun experimenting with
the different cookie cutters we'd collected.
 
 
 
 
I always describe this areas as being within the northern fringe
of South Texas, and was surprised when a neighbor
invited us over to pick grapefruit.
 
 
 


She was away when we passed out Christmas cookie plates
to all the neighbors,
so she's getting a special plate
of New Years cookies.
 
 
 
 
Oh, my, this is becoming too long.
Well, down to business.  The purpose of posting today
is to link up with Carrie from A Passion for Applique.
 
 
Just choose three (3) UFO's a month
post about them,
and link up with Carrie.
 
1.  A Christmas Table Topper that never got finished
before I started my migration.
(At least I brought it with me!)
 


2.  A baby quilt that I've been handquilting since I left
Cape Breton.  The baby has just been born and is only in Houston!
 
 
 
 
  
3.  Crafty Daughter wants a small bag to wear for work.
She picked out the focal fabric.
This hasn't been started, but it's a UFO
because she asked for it last summer!
 
 
 
Stop by A Passion for Applique to say hello,
and to check out some of the links!!
 
Okay, I'm finished!
 
Whew!
 
 


26 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

your baby quilt is adorable. :) but i LOVE your cookie art!!! perfect!

the cooper's or sharp-shinned is gorgeous, too!

Lynn said...

Wow! your cookies look amazing!
Wonderful bird pictures. I used to get excited whenever I would see a hawk, which is a few times a week, we have a lot of them, they are magnificent, but we just built a chicken coop and are getting chickens so now I'm filled with dread when I see one in our yard. We have lots of Carolina Wrens, one of my favorites. Right now we are happily over run with bluebirds.
Good luck with the ufo's I'm joining in too!

Fiona said...

love the quilting ... it will be such a lovely snuggly quilt... the cookies look amazing... and fun to see the birds as always...
Hugz

julieQ said...

What gorgeous pictures of the hawk!! We saw an eagle yesterday, soaring above the neighborhood, he was magnificent. Wow! Those cookies really are so detailed...mine have icing...does that count, LOL!!?

Carrie P. said...

so much fun stuff on your post today.
great bird photos. love the bird flying.
those cookies are awesome.
thanks for linking up your projects.I think you can accomplish those goals. I am glad to see I am not the only one hand quilting.
Happy New Year!

Linda said...

Happy New Year Karen! What a great post. Not much bird action in my backyard. I had a huge starling by my kitchen window today. He was so chubby. Must be eating well somewhere. Happy stitching in 2013!

Sandi said...

I've missed catching up with your bird photos, I took a picture of two crows in a tree on New Year's Eve, reminded me of the quilt Crow Gossip.

Thanks for linking up with Carrie's blog.

Sondra said...

You have a wonderful photo of a Coopers hawk! Those red eyes is one thing that makes me say that.
I love the cookies..you guys are very talented bakers and decorators!
Im gonna check out the link now, although I personally dont quilt Im very interested in it.
Happy New Yr.

Paula, the quilter said...

I'd say it's a Coopers hawk because I've actually held a Sharp-Shinned hawk. One flew into our window at work and knocked itself out. I picked it up and placed it in a box then called the raptor rescue. He came and got it and told me what it was. They rehabilitated it and then released it.

grammie g said...

Hi Karen...Always got something on the go girl ; )
Those cookies are way to pretty to eat ...so much detail "wonderful" !!
Great Hawk shot, but poor little birdies !
Hope you have had a good start to 2013!!
Grace

Miriam said...

Those cookies look delicious! I love the decorating!

Amazing bird photographs!
Have fun with finishing the 3 projects you have chosen.

Lynette said...

You got some amazing pictures of the hawk! :) Here's to finishing our UFOs.

Tammy said...

Hi Karen, I think it looks like a Cooper's Hawk, but I'm not certain. Your cookies look like works of art; beautiful! Happy New year to you:)

FlourishingPalms said...

Love your long post, Karen. Who knew you could be so chatty!? LOL Those cookies are just awesome. Do they taste as good as they look? That hawk and wren are beautiful. How lucky to see them in person. Gosh, I'm seeing new-to-me birds here in Florida and am at complete loss to know what they are! Where are my beloved blue jays, robins and cardinals!?

Lesley said...

Happy New Year! Loved learning about the birds in Texas, but enjoyed the cookies the most...You know how much I love your cookies! Great idea with the UFO's...guess you have lots to work on! Thanks for sharing so much news!

hetty said...

Happy New Year, Karen. Loved your long post. Those cookies look amazing! Too good to eat. Love your hawk pics too. Finishing some UFOs sounds good. I may have to join you.

john bord said...

Juvenile Cooper has red eyes
then yours has a red tail.... ?

ummm cookies

Simone de Klerk said...

Beautiful bird pictures!
And your cookies ... well, you know what I think of them.
I'll be joining Carrie's challenge too. I'll be searching through my not-finished-projects stash. Too big ...

Bob Pelkey said...

Happy New Year. Based on your description of the bird as large and the pic showing long yellow legs, I would say it's a Cooper's Hawk.

Just Ramblin' said...

Goodness, but you have been busy. I love all the cookies. They look to good to eat. You've developed an amazing gift. Love the bird pictures. The other day my son and I were driving into our subdivision and off to the road was a hawk who apparently had just taken a dove for his dinner. Made me so sad. I haven't seen hawks around for sometime. He was pretty big. Hope he doesn't stick around. You have some great projects going. Love the baby quilt. Your quilting is beautiful.
Thanks for sharing all the fun things you are doing and seeing on your post. Nola

Sheila said...

What a gorgeous hawk , they fascinate me with their power and speed. Those cookies are incredible , what talent you and your daughter have. Good luck with your UFO'S I am also taking on Carrie's challenge :-)

Kjell T. Evensen said...

That is quite a variety om images. Your baby quilt is awesome and I'm sure the cookies tasted good.

DeniseinVA said...

Lovely post, so much to take in. Loved the cookies, you and your daughter are so clever at decorating, the hawk and wren pictures were great, loved that bright red eye of the hawk, and I loved your quilt too. I love quilts, please send some of that talent over to me ;)

Annie said...

I love your bird photos.

walk2write said...

I told someone earlier today that I'm going to try some new artistic endeavors this year. Looking at your accomplishments makes me question my enthusiasm. I'm not sure that I will ever reach your level, but I'm determined to start climbing! Your visits to the States are always so productive. I hope you have a happy, healthy New Year!

Binsa said...

Hello Karen, thoroughly enjoyed catching up with your post...love the cookies.....Hugs, Lyn