Cooper's Hawk ....

Despite the weather ... or maybe because of it ... I got a lot accomplished today.  Stuff I was waiting to do on a rainy day. 

But first a little about my picture of this beautiful Cooper's Hawk ....

As I was showing Richard a quilt pattern that I just bought to make as a gift he suddenly said .... "Oooooo!" and grabbed for his camera.  And that got me up and grabbing for my camera as well. 

I looked out the front window and he/she was just sitting in our birch tree looking around.  All of the birds and squirrels had scattered by this time but he was still looking for his/her lunch!  We both took some pictures through the dirty glass and then I slowing started opening the side window (it cranks out) hoping the whole time that he/she wouldn't fly off.  I was able to get about 10-15 shots before I moved out of the way for Richard ... he still takes pictures everyday even though he doesn't post them to blip any longer.  The pictures I took of this gorgeous hawk were the only pictures I took today!  Thank goodness he/she came for a visit!  

After we both got some pictures of him/her we shooed him/her away and he/she flew off without any lunch! Sorry!!

With the weather being downright miserable I used the time to have a little clean out of some items I have been trying to go through for a while now.  I started with the hall closet .... pulling out all my tote bags and purses.  I was able to get rid of a lot of them ... just making room for more!  

Next up were my sewing patterns ....  I have been sewing and accumulating patterns for more than 30 years!  I not real organized with a lot of things around the house but my patterns and quilt books have always been an exception.  I have two binders that hold the pattern sleeves (organized by pattern type .... skirts, pants, crafts, etc.) and a large filing cabinet that holds the patterns themselves .... separated by pattern company.   

As I went through the pattern sleeves .... pulling out the one's I will be getting rid of .... I could remember each garment I made and the fabric I used.  Most of the patterns dated back to the 80's and 90's with the oldest being from 1982 .... older than some of you reading this! I pulled out patterns from men's wear (I made an entire suit for Richard once!) to lingerie .... and everything in between!

After going through and pulling out the pattern sleeves I separated them by pattern company and put them in numerical order ... maybe I'm a bit too organized!   (I thought of something else to say here, but I will spare you!) Tomorrow I will go through the cabinet and pull the patterns out.  All these ... plus the tote bags and purses ... will be donated to our local Goodwill shop.