The Narrows

We went down to the condo this past weekend, and, since we hadn't been there in 3 months, it was great to get back there. We went to Zion National Park (as usual) and this time we hiked "The Narrows", a hike that is perfectly suited for the killer hot days of late August. It was 104 degrees in Hurricane, but we figured maybe 85 on the water and we were wet the whole time, so it was fabulous!

Even though we have been to Zion Park many, many times, we have never gone this far up the Virgin River, through the Narrows. Most of the hike is through the water, sometimes it was chest deep, a little less on some taller people. Where the canyon walls get super narrow, the only way up is through the water, it is beautiful!

We hiked about 3 1/2 hours up, but it took way less time to get down, not quite 2 hours, or so it seemed, we didn't have a watch or phone with us. (The camera was double zip-lock bagged.) Because for a lot of the way down, we swam, or really floated down the deep parts.

The only problem with that was, my light yellow/very large t-shirt got a little see-through-y, so there will be no close up photos...

And thank goodness, even though there were lots of people there, we saw no one we knew. There were lots of bikini clad Europeans in all shapes and sizes, so I'm thinking no one even noticed any sort of immodesty on my part (that's what I keep telling myself, anyway). We had so much fun, we are going back in a couple of weeks for my birthday! (Wearing something else, of course)

Happily we also got my "American Dreamin'" quilt hung up in the eating area at the condo... and I'm nearly finished with a new quilt for the double bed in the 2nd bedroom, the plan is to be finished for next time we head down there. (It is totally crooked-y, but that is the beauty of quilting, as I see it - homemade goodness - right?)

Yes, I am still alive...

It's been a little while since I've posted. I wish I could say I've been on an exotic vacation, but no, just here, doing a little quilting, a little working, tending my sweet grandson, reading some good books, etc. Here's what I've been up to in the studio:

1. This is a Christmas gift, (for someone who doesn't check out the blog), now all I have to do is take that stack of fabric at the top and subdue it into a quilt back for this baby:

Here are two more I've been working on: They may look like they match in this picture, but they are quite different. The back/square ones are for a simple quilt for the double bed at the condo (we are visiting it soon - hooray!) It matches the quilts on the bunk beds in the same room. The quilt I have on the bed now, my mom gave to me, which is great, but it is an extra enormous King-sized and even after I cut it and re-bound the end, it is still huge and unwieldy. The church dash in the front is a beautiful quilt in yellows, oranges, greens, etc. for my updated office upstairs. I put a chair in it with a light for reading when Mr. Handsome is watching something on the TV that I don't care to share with him. So this quilt is for the chair in the winter months, when something a little cozier is warranted.

I've got a ways to go for the office quilt, but I finished the 31 churn dash blocks and, after noticing they were a little wonky, was happy to see that I needed to trim them to 10 1/2 inches. Smiling with glee, imagining the neat stack I'd have after I trimmed, I was extremely disappointed to see that NONE of them even measure 10 1/2 inches BEFORE trimming... (sigh)

I am looking forward to fall, I have 3 (!!!) quilt retreats that I'm attending, visiting the condo, California, AND the grandbabies in Missouri - I love autumn...

Jeremy & Amanda

We had a wonderful day yesterday, Jeremy & Amanda tied the knot. It was small - just immediate family at his parents house. A beautiful day. They are beautiful too.
Jeff came from California and Brooke from Missouri: (We missed Ben & the kids)Of course, Mr. Beckham was perfect:It was a great day for sure! (Dad is hoping for some tall kids...)I am glad that Brooke made it - on Saturday, we spent the day at the hospital - Brooke had a huge kidney stone. They got it out (lithotripsy) and she was able to come home Sunday morning. She rested all day, until the wedding. Lots to be grateful for.