Not exactly a birds and bees blog today….. but there certainly was an interesting group of animals at our JSS Bee Day in February!  Who knew that cats and birds could live together in such harmony?  In fact, I found out that the birds are quite protective of the cats.  But that’s a whole other story…..

 

See how close they live together?  And although you might be inclined to think that the birds stay safely nestled in their cage to be protected from these vicious cat beasts, you’d be wrong.  First, the vicious cat beasts are not at all vicious.

In fact, Ozone tried to climb my leg the minute I walked in the door.

And I wanted to take him home with me.  Isn’t he beautiful?  And quite cuddly, I might add.

But I was talking about cats and birds…. and harmony……

The birds, parrots actually, spend a lot of time on the outside of the cage.  Unless they misbehave with company around.  And the cats and birds are totally nonchalant about each other.

Here is Maggie’s other parrot.  I never did get the birds’ names.  Hmmmm – wonder if that says something about me?  And check out this guy’s beak.  Looks pretty ominous, doesn’t it?  Not something you’d want say…… clamped around your finger, right?  Notice the duck in the background.  Wonder if the parrots ever wonder what happened to him…. and worry?  Hmmmmm……

Here’s Maggie with the gray bird.  Sad to call him “the gray bird,” isn’t it?  Too bad I don’t have his name.  Notice how close she is to the cats.  Beautiful beasts that they are.  And totally uncaring about that bird.  Maybe they’ve seen his beak?

And Maggie did tricks with Mr. Gray Bird.  She even taught me a cool way to hold him.

See?  And it seemed that he would lay that way, unmoving, forever.  Feet straight up in the air.  Cute!  Wait…. check out those talons……  I don’t think I even saw them as I held him.  Probably a good thing.

Look what Maggie had on her counter in the kitchen!  If she knew how badly I wanted a bright red one of these, she’d have hidden it from me.  And she should probably consider herself very lucky that it wouldn’t fit in my purse.  Isn’t it pretty and bright and shiny?

But I should move on to breakfast!

Maggie fixed this fabulous breakfast bundt cake drizzled with sugary topping.  Doesn’t it look yummy?

Thankfully there was also lots of fresh fruit for those of us who were trying to eat healthy.  That would be me.  (See previous blog posting.)

But this was a JSS Bee Day!  And we had quilts to show ‘n tell!

Always a cute smile from Cindy as she shows us a little wool snowman she made.

Susan brought her knitting along.  Very pretty scarf!

Suzanne shows us a new holding technique as Tracy, Maggie and Nancy look on.  You’ve seen this quilt before (made by Judy Roybal from Suz’s Brown Bag fabric last year), but I’m certain you have slept since then and don’t remember.  You probably needed to see it again, didn’t you?

LaNelle showed a really fabulous paper piecing project she’s been working on.  She must have taken lessons from Vicki.  Remember Vicki’s fabulous blocks that LaNelle shared with us last year?  Fabulous work, LaNelle!

My show ‘n tell was this fabric flower I made for Suz.  To celebrate her birthday (again!) and our special day with Pioneer Woman.

Here’s Maggie with her very first ever quilt project.  She decided to start with a really, really easy one.  Not.  Her appliqué is spectacular!  But then again, she was taught by a master appliquér…..our own Susan.  (Who just became a Grandmother yesterday – Congratulations, Susan!)

Here’s a closer look.  It’s wonderful, Maggie.

Nancy had some great Baltimore Album blocks to show us.

Beautiful work, Nancy.

And a partial Rose of Sharon block too.

Peggy and Susan check out Peggy’s “piping” quilt as another neighborhood friend of Maggie’s looks on.  Hi, Dorothea!

Before we knew it, it was time for lunch!  JSSers are all about eating.  But you already knew that, didn’t you?

A beautiful, colorful salad in a beautiful bowl.

Yummy lasagna made by Maggie.

And there was yummy garlic bread too.

And cute little bite-sized cheesecakes for dessert.  Also made by Maggie.  We each ate 10 of them.  OK, five.  How many did you eat, girls?

And also these fabulous truffles and chocolate-dipped strawberries.  YUM!

In the midst of making a very simple, easy (not) appliqué quilt, Maggie decided to teach herself to paint.  No, not the walls…… these……

I believe she said these eagles were her very first project with oil painting.  What a talent this gal has!

And how about this one?  Oh, my!  Maggie is indeed a talented addition to the JSS Bee!  And you read correctly.  She taught herself to paint.  Using the internet.  And going to Hobby Lobby for all her supplies.  No class.  She’s a wonder, that Maggie!

After lunch we took a tour of the house.

This is the downstairs TV/Exercise/Massage room.  Maggie did not paint that plane on the wall.  Although I’m pretty sure she could have, if she’d have wanted to.

We nearly lost LaNelle forever in this fabulous deep massage chair.  If you can’t find LaNelle next week, look for her in this chair at Maggie’s.

Magnificent windows looking out into the tree-filled back yard.

How about this cool media room?  We decided we all wanted to return for a slumber party.  LaNelle will sleep in the massage chair, but I think the rest of us will make popcorn and fall asleep in these cozy chairs while watching some chick flick.  Sounds like a party to me!

I forgot to mention there were also fish!  Cats, birds, fish and a quilting Bee.  There was even a Nemo fish in this fabulous aquarium.

Beautiful fish.  Very soothing to watch.

And as we were leaving the kitties were languishing in the sun.  Is this Ozone?  Or the other kitty?  Brain freeze on the names again.  My bad.

Kitties, fish, parrots and JSS Bee gals.  All living in perfect harmony for one day.  Well, almost.  I forgot to mention one tiny little mishap with one of those birds……

…….. when my finger somehow got caught in his beak!  But it’s fine now, Maggie.  Didn’t need to have it amputated after all.  Healed up quite nicely.  I only spent 4 days quarantined in the “bitten by parrot” section of the Centers for Disease Control.  It’s almost good as new now.

And you all do remember how I exaggerate, right?

Hugs,
Barb