Tuesday, September 23, 2008

UFO Finish and Controled Burn...

OK, The two topics in my title have nothing to do with each other, except that I have pictures to show you. First the UFO Finish. I actually have a table runner and a table topper made out of the stars that I started 3 years ago. Here is a picture of the table runner: And a picture of the table topper:
I'm not sure if I will keep them, or give them away. I do think they are cute. Maybe I'll make a few more in other Christmas fabrics??? I actually have one large red start left, but it is still inside out. I guess that star is still part of a UFO to yet be finished?? LOL
Moving to the next topic: Controlled Burn. Not sure how many of you may be familiar with this practice. The Forest Service has learned that if all fire is prevented in a forest area, the duff (accumulation of pine needles and dead plant materials) on the forest floor will cause an extremely hot fire when the area does burn. It makes a fire very hot, very dangerous, and very hard to control and/or put out. So now they are doing "controlled burns". This consists of waiting until the temperatures are cooler, and there is more humidity in the air. Then they burn the duff/grasses/etc. The pine trees survive (seems like they wouldn't, but they do). This first picture is looking west toward the control burn that was started today. Isn't all the smoke amazing??

And this second picture is looking east at the same burn. It is just 1/2 mile from my house. Thank goodness the wind is blowing the smoke away from us, we can't even tell the burn is going on from home. The fire that you see is a couple of tree stumps that are burning, and other dead wood. These will probably burn for a few days. I hope the winds keep blowing toward the east, so we avoid the smoke this year. When they burned the area west of our house last year, the smoke lasted for over a week. But we feel safer knowing that any fire in the area will be easier to control. And the grasses started growing back in just a few weeks!!

What else have I been doing? Well last week, I drove to Albuquerque to pick up my Mom. She is here for a week or so. Then I will take her home to Alamogordo. We aren't doing anything really special, just having time together.



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

What beautiful finishes. I haven't seen anything like that. It is very cute.

A controlled burn of any kind would make me nervous. I am glad we don't have wildfires here.

Brenda said...

Very unique and special design, it looks great the way you assembled it. Controlled burns happen around here also. It is amazing how quickly the enviroment grows back. Hope you and your mom have a great visit. Have a great day. Thanks for the postcard, it is beautiful purple butterfly.

Carol in Sweden said...

Hello Vicky!

did I tell you THANK YOU for the gorgeous butterfly postcard?
I love it...and my daughter, too...she loves the sparkles!
I also made butterflies but mine are a little more rustic than yours!

I loved that you actually put the stamp with the cancellation on the fabric! I'm surprised the post office let you mail it with the plastic cover. (My mom does that just to protect valuable stamps but she has to fight with them for it!)
Thank you very much! Yours is in the making...nothing fancy but fun!