Around Here

Around here we are flip flopping between winter and spring, with cold and raw days alternating with glorious sunshine and warmth.   We don't plant much around here until after Mother's Day, so it's a good time to just admire the early spring blossoms. 

Around here we celebrated my BIL and SIL's 21st anniversary and the fact that all four of us are fully vaccinated now with a dinner at the Flagstaff House.  We shot this photo with John's new iPhone 12 Pro Max and marveled at the good quality, achieved with the phone's new "Night mode."  The camera also has a bigger sensor to let in more light and a much improved zoom. 

 I was so impressed that with a little urging from Ben I went out the next day and got an iPhone 12 Pro Max of my own!  

My old phone was six years old and I'd sure gotten my money out of it.  The battery was showing its age, the thumbprint recognition had never worked right meaning that I had to hit the home button whenever I used the device,  and then there was the much improved camera.  Not to mention the super fast response time in loading data and apps.   I'm a happy camper!

Around here I haven't been doing any artwork but I did finish up my batik scrap quilt...  

...and got inspired to sew my "beach" and "Hawaii" fabrics together to make a reversible lap quilt.  Here's one side...

...and here's the other.  It will be trimmed to the same size as the front when I move on to the next step, basting the layers together and doing the quilting.  I made this quilt just for me and I was more interested in using all these "saved up" special fabrics than matching up colors perfectly.  

Do you see "Maui" written on the island scenes?  I bought that fabric on our first trip to Maui back in 2018.   

Around here we did some intensive trip planning for a few days, and now have another fun visit to Maui to look forward to next winter.  This time we'll be traveling with John and Dawn, which we're all looking forward to.     

Around here we are so enjoying seeing our vaccinated friends face to face over drinks and at dinner.  Colorado has a high number of COVID cases right now, second in the nation after Michigan, but Gov. Pollis believes that our health care system can handle the rise and he continues to relax gathering and masking policies as our vaccination numbers continue to climb.   34% of our population is fully vaccinated, which puts us in 19th place nationwide. 

Mint juleps with friends at their home last night, the first time since last fall.  

Around here excitement is building in anticipation of the arrival next week of my sister, Jean, and our friend, Jan.  COVID cheated us out of our 20th annual "girl's trip" last year, and we're making up for it with two days in Boulder followed by a road trip to Moah, Utah, via Glenwood Springs and Vail.   Should be fun!  

Awaiting the start of the Lion King broadway production the last time we were together,
 in Cleveland in September 2019.