Variety, and Idalia Coming

As I continue - yes, still - to quilt my maximalist quilt, I thought you might like to see a couple of the rulers I've been using for ruler work. 

This "Wiggly Wave" ruler is made by Sarah Thomas who is @Sariditty. I've used both sides of the ruler - a narrow wave and a broad wave

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I still often use Fine Line Rulers, by Accents in Design. They're the first rulers I owned, and I still like the stand-up posts that give me something to hang onto. I have these rulers in various straight lengths, and curves. 

For the #30daysofimprovqal, last week I pieced Week 4 blocks: Curves. This was my favorite week of improv. Though, I think I'm the only person to NOT have made quarter circles!

Now comes the really difficult part - puzzling them together. I just re-stocked two yards of Painter's Palette Limelight that I will use as background, because these blocks need some breathing room!

As I was piecing improv curves, I used 1½" X 1½" patches as leaders-enders... completely unmaking and then remaking the 8" square block I'd pieced (using only print fabrics) the week before. I decided to insert solids between every print, and thus use-up solid scraps too. Different colors of 8" square blocks are my new leaders-enders plan. 

Book Recommendations

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore was a refreshing change from the psychological thriller/murder/who-done-it books I've been reading lately. In fact, it was a happy change of pace. From the beginning, the story had me hooked. And smiling.

Sloane is a librarian, engaged to an up-and-coming doctor - a chiropractor whose mother couldn't be more proud of her son. Sloane loves her job, and in a twisted way, looks forward to the daily library visit of old, yet distinguished-looking, curmudgeon - Arthur. He takes great pleasure in insulting her, and everyone he meets. 

When Arthur doesn't come to the library, Sloane misses him, and in spite of a library policy of keeping a patron's information private, she goes to Arthur's home. She meets one of his neighbors, and later Arthur's grandson. Soon Sloane has enough friends to form a book club that she is sure will keep Arthur engaged. 

The book is about friendships, and how they form unexpectedly - in unexpected circumstances. It's a charming read. 

Linda's score: 4.2/5.0

In the book The Lonely Hearts Book Club Arther had been a college English literature professor, so he and Sloane (the librarian) often bantered about books, discussing everything from his favorite historical tomes to her favorite Anne of Green Gables.

Noting a title they discussed, I selected for my next read: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. I'm so glad I did!

This is the first book I've read that's narrated from a dog's point of view, and I thoroughly enjoyed how the descriptions of Enzo's (the dog) demeanor and behavior reflected what Enzo was thinking. He's a dog with a human soul. I couldn't help but think of our dear Hogan, who died four years ago this week - August 31. 

The story begins with Enzo looking back at how he came to belong to Denny, a young man with an up-and-coming race car-driving career ahead of him. When Denny brings home Eve, Enzo learns to love her too. And when they bring home baby Zoë, Enzo knows that his job is to entertain and protect her. But other than Dennys, Enzo's love is racing. When he gets to ride along with Denny around a track, he's happier than he ever imagined.

When a book brings me to tears, as this one did, I know it's exceptionally good. I'm delighted to make this must-read recommendation to everyone. 

Linda's score: 4.4/5.0

After that great book, it was tough to select a contender. So, I fell back on the usual - and most often available - mystery/who-done-it. 

Not a Happy Family, by Shari Lapena, is the story of a very well-to-do family (worth at least $30M) that lives in the posh Brecken Hill, in upstate New York. Their financial success was through Fred Merton's company, that he's recently sold. 

The story opens with the three adult children of Fred and Sheila - Katherine, Dan, and Jenna - gathering at the Merton home for Easter dinner. Each of the children is spoiled, and have great monetary expectations from their parents. So when an announcement is made about Fred and Sheila's plan to sell their home, it's met with mixed reactions. 

Two days later, the Merton's life-long nanny/housekeeper finds the bodies of Fred and Sheila who have been savagely murdered. 

The story follows two detectives, determined to find out who killed the Mertons. As motive after motive, and another new motive is uncovered, and each of the three Merton children and their partners are brought in for questioning, the reader takes a long and winding path toward understanding. 

Linda's score: 3.9/5.0 

Weather has certainly been in the news! 

When I saw this Instagram post from @Eric_Hanson_kcci in Des Moines, I couldn't help but think how well it spoke about the heatwave recently experienced across Iowa. Three women in Clarion put cookie dough in a car window at 8 am...

...and by 3 pm they had warm, baked cookies to enjoy. Seriously! 100+ degree days will do that.

And second, that a family could have good fun in a farm field, setting up this picture in their corn field of corn POPPING (HA!) in the heat. What a hoot!

Likewise, here in Florida we are watching the path of Idalia (pronounced "Eye-dahlia") as she has been a tropical storm and will be upgraded to a hurricane later today. At this time, we are in the path of Idalia, who, by the time she reaches our area in the wee hours Wednesday morning, could possibly be a Category 3 hurricane. 

Though we do outdoor prep and are taking precautions, we live in one of the safest (from hurricanes) areas of the state. We don't anticipate more than several inches of rain, and perhaps some high winds. 

I've frequently been thinking of and praying for our four grandsons, now ages 9, 12, 13, and 13 who have returned to school.

I very much appreciate that during Sunday worship at Lutheran Church of Hope we prayed for everyone - teachers, administrators, staff, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodial staff, and kids.

May God bless them all, and keep them safe. 🙏

Linda