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At Least I Kept Clicking

October 18, 2026 No Comments

Remember yesterday’s photo of the ram who was a little…UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL?

Well, here’s the story!!

While we were at B-Tex Game Ranch, a group of Aoudad rams was arriving to join the property. We were excited to watch them come out of the trailer and take in their new surroundings.

When the truck arrived, Michael and I stationed ourselves behind the entrance, ready to photograph and video the action.

And there was ACTION!!

The first ram came out of the trailer and turned in our direction…

I mean…REALLY our direction!!

I took one photo…

Then realized that he was coming straight toward the spot where Michael and I stood!

We both FROZE.

Fortunately, the ram ran right BETWEEN us!!

But through it all, I kept clicking…

And Michael kept rolling…

Apparently, our camera instincts were working even when our feet weren’t!!

Needless to say, once he had passed, we moved even FARTHER behind the opening.

All of the other rams headed in the opposite direction, and we were perfectly happy to photograph them from there!

It certainly wasn’t the photo opportunity I had expected.

But at least I kept clicking!!

Michael and I love to travel and see new parts of the world and then I love to take those memories and turn them into quilts!!! I hope that you enjoy traveling along with us!!

Be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss a single trip!!

A Little Bit of Home… and a World of Wildlife

October 17, 2026 2 Comments

This past week, Michael and I spent three days at B-Tex Game Ranch near Olney, Texas.

The property is about 100 miles from where we grew up, and being there felt a little like coming home.

There was the familiar 90-plus-degree heat…..the wind… and, of course, the DUST!!

But plenty of things also brought a smile to my face.

Prickly pear cactus…

LOTS of prickly pear cactus…

And mesquite trees…

Although those 1½-inch thorns deserve a healthy bit of respect!!

We saw plenty of white-tailed deer…

But some of the ranch’s residents came from MUCH farther away!

Meet this nilgai bull, a species native to India…

I especially loved this “family portrait” when the whole group gathered together for one photo…

Everybody look this way!!

We also saw Père David’s deer, a rare species from China…

They found the stock pond and were enjoying a little mud cooling!!

And groups of sheep and rams…

We spent two days driving around the property, watching the animals and enjoying the scenery.

For me, it was a wonderful combination of familiar Texas surroundings and animals that I don’t get to see every day!

And speaking of the animals…

Take a look at THIS fellow…

He deserves a story of his own!!

Come back tomorrow, and I’ll tell you how we ended up getting so UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!

Michael and I love to travel and see new parts of the world and then I love to take those memories and turn them into quilts!!! I hope that you enjoy traveling along with us!!

Be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss a single trip!!

Quilting an Orange Peel Border: One Curve at a Time

October 16, 2026 No Comments

Choosing a quilting design for a border can bring me to a standstill. The quilt is almost finished, and one more decision is waiting to be made!

An Orange Peel design is a lovely option. Its repeating curves create a pattern that adds texture and movement while framing the piecing inside.

In this short reel, I’m quilting an Orange Peel border. You can watch the curves build into a continuous pattern as the stitching progresses.

VIEW VIDEO HERE

There is something satisfying about seeing the design take shape, one section at a time!

If you want to try this design, start by drawing a few repeats on paper. That gives you a chance to think about the shape and the stitching path before you move to fabric.

Then try a sample quilt sandwich. Aim for a comfortable rhythm and reasonably consistent curves. They don’t have to be identical for the overall pattern to look lovely.

Come back next week and we will add one small flourish that makes the border even better!!

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