Zoo Lights and More Bindings

I just never got around to posting yesterday about my own binding finishes from Monday. It was a very full day, and blogging didn't make the cut. Some days are just that way. Today, I will finish off that old business and share a little Christmas joy, as well.

I showed you Sharon's stack of quilts yesterday, and today you get to see mine. Both are the commissioned t-shirt quilts I've written about here many times over recent months. Both are delivery-bound today, and that is a mighty good feeling.

Above is the "Baalx2" quilt. Some time after friend (and teaching colleague of my DH) John Baal died of cancer, his wife commissioned a t-shirt quilt of John's shirts that would be gifted to their grandson. Click back here to see it. As soon as that quilt was finished, I heard about John's sister wanting a quilt, too. So over the course of this year we have managed to get that accomplished. This quilt not only commemorates John, but also his father as shirts from both men are represented. The reason for the odd name I've given it is significant: John was a dearly loved math teacher at McClain, plus, two Baal men are honored in this quilt, and finally, it is the second Baal quilt I've done. Makes sense, right?

The other quilt in my pile above must remain a secret for awhile longer. The gifting will be done soon enough, and then I hope to bring a few pics your way. It was a special quilt to make, let me just say that much.

In other news from our house, on Tuesday afternoon Mom came over and we drove up to Columbus to meet our daughter and son-in-law for a trip to see the Columbus Zoo's Wildlights Christmas exhibit. We had gotten our first measurable snow of the season that day, so crowds were non-existent and the lights were especially beautiful. And speaking of beautiful, look at these two snowbirds - my beautiful mother and a photo-bombing daughter. Perfect.

These pictures are representative of the display, although they do little justice to the actual in-person experience. We did get to see some zoo animals - reindeer, elk, white fox, brown bear; most animals were indoors and out of view, however.

That lower picture is a zoomed-in shot of the full moon, which only peeked through the clouds briefly. It was so pretty with all the snow and lights, but cell phone cameras don't really capture the beauty very adequately at all.

Mom stayed the night at our house, and we baked two apple pies and made some bread which raised all day, and then I baked last night. Sadly, my bread-baking has much room for improvement. The pies, though, are a big hit!

Back to some sewing today. The end-of-year bits are falling into place, and I find myself taking stock of accomplishments and making plans for 2017.

One more observation must be made. Today would be my Grandma Wharton's 100th birthday. You may recall that she passed in June of 2015 at the age of 98. We have missed her so, and I know I am not the only family member thinking of her today.  She always loved having us fuss about her birthday.

Happy Quilting, Friends!