Thank you all for your words of encouragement. I should have known you all would lift me up!

Oh my Quiltermomma, your plate is full! You need time to breathe. Hubbies’ don’t particularly like hospital food or forced diets. Mine never does anyway so I hear ya on that one. Prayers up for your whole family.

Klaws, that block is perfect! And my dog’s name is Petals. Now, she IS NOT perfect but we love her anyway! [ATTACH=CONFIG]598763[/ATTACH]

What a cute fur baby and I love her name!

Hello friends, I'm back from my trip to Tahiti and spent today resting/gardening. It was a fabulous trip, gorgeous views, beautiful seas and very relaxing. Spent a lot of time paddle boarding and just taking in all the sights, sounds and smells. Here are a few pictures. The white flowers are vanilla! I have a pack of fresh vanilla beans, but no idea what to do with them! They weren't cheap, so any ideas are welcome.

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Kass, your LaPass quilt is amazing. Is this a particular technique/pattern or are you making it up? DH and I someday would love to live aboard a sailboat... figure before that time, I need to learn to hand sew!

Beautiful blocks everyone. Hugs to GramE and Jaba... and anyone else who wants/needs one!

Oh my gosh... so gorgeous! I don't think I would have been able to leave. Is that you on the board, and is that the catamaran you sailed on, behind you? LUCKY!

GramE, I love that shot of Petals. What a sweet face! She has the most beautiful, gentle eyes. And I just want to honk that big rubber nose! Give her a doggie hug from me.

Oh Jayne, forgot to say that if the beans are dried, you can grind them up in a coffee grinder or food processor, then use them in baking. If you ever make home made ice cream, put the ground beans in that! Yum.

Sewbiz, Yes that is me, not our boat but pretty similar in size and style. Our boat is under the person taking the picture.

Yes the beans are "dried" but they are soft not crunchy. I'll have to try a little piece of one and see what happens to it in the coffee grinder. I just like opening the baggie and smelling them!

Ahh Petals looks like a sweetie, would she like to come play with my Rio?

Jayne the pictures are beautiful, looks like an absolutely stunning vacation.

Great blocks Bstone, I especially love my leaf star "Blowing in the Wind"

Beautiful, don't think I would be able to leave if I ever get there.

The La Pass is a pattern called La Passacaglia by Willyne Hammerstein. But mine is not exactly according to pattern, I mostly have been taking the 5 shapes and making it up as I went. Most everyone hand sews her quilts, I am doing it by English paper piecing, others are just plain hand sewing, a few intrepid souls are talking about machine piecing it.