Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Breaking News!

After several outings at local shows, and to rave reviews, the Cobban Bridge slice quilt that I collaborated on with friends in Wisconsin has recently sold at an Empty Bowls silent auction back in Wisconsin. This time we had two bidders and are thrilled to have raised this much money for the Feed My People organization. Viewers of the quilt have encouraged us to keep at this, and to keep our themes local to the Northwest part of Wisconsin. Our fearless leader, Mary, already has her eye on several potential locations for us to interpret in this seldom seen format.


I wasn't feeling well yesterday so I ditched any thoughts of working in the studio for sitting in front of the tv, reviewing the magic loop method and starting sock two of a pair I started knitting an embarrassingly long time ago. I was soon rewarded for being downstairs at a time of day I'm usually upstairs by the arrival of this beautiful moose!


It's difficult to tell from the photos just how big this moose is, but perhaps it would help to know it is standing in probably 12 to 15 inches of snow. It seemed in no hurry, almost like it was posing, so I hustled upstairs for my camera.


I was surprised by how very healthy this moose looks, nice and plump with beautiful fur. Some years when the moose come down out of the mountains, especially if it has been a hard winter, they can look a bit skinny and ragged. It was browsing on the bushes in the buffer between my development and a 2-lane highway.


Moose can get surly. Well, as big as they are, it's no wonder they are not the type to spook and scamper off, would just as soon charge you. So I usually give them a wide berth. I started my picture taking through the deck door. But as it decided posing time was over and moved on down, I ventured as quietly as I could out onto the deck. But moose have sharp ears and it definitely knew I was there, turning its head with every click, as if to say, "What are YOU lookin' at?"




All this in the midst of what we are hoping is the last snow storm of the season. A lovely gift that made me feel better. It's the first moose I've seen this year and I was beginning to think I wasn't going to get the chance.

6 comments:

Olga Norris said...

Absolutely wondrous! I find that it take so little of catching a glimpse of something glorious like this in nature to cheer the spirits.
Great that your quilt raised money too for something so worthwhile.
Broadcast the positives!

The Idaho Beauty said...

Absolutely, Olga! And I just got an update on the buyer, an older woman who lived close to this bridge as a child and had memories of her Dad taking her siblings and Mom for rides, including over this bridge where he would stop halfway and scare the heck out of them by saying they wouldn't be able to go the rest of the way without falling in the river. I can relate because my own father played such pranks on us kids. How wonder it is for us, the makers, that our creation sparks such strong family memories that this women decided she really had to have it.

Anonymous said...

What a great story to hear about the generous buyer of the group art quilt! And, being able to donate to such a great cause just makes it better! Love your up-close-and-personal moose photos! It's a beautiful animal, although I imagine it would just as soon charge you as not! Jan in WY

Michele Matucheski said...

Congratulations of raising so much $$$ in the auction! That's fantastic!

And so neat to see the moose in your back yard, too! [Cue the Northern Exposure theme song.]

The Inside Stori said...

Congratulations on the sale of a fabulous quilt!! Sorry you aren’t feeling well……smart to relax while gaining back strength…..and oh the moose……what a thrill!!

The Idaho Beauty said...

Oh Michele! I haven't thought about Northern Exposure for a long time, a show I faithfully watched! Yes, a bit like that!

Not to worry, Mary, it was a momentary blip which I have finally learned is better to give in to than try to push through. Knitting while watching TV takes zero energy!