Midweek: Hike Lake County 2026 and back to quilting

 Hike Lake County 2026 is underway.  Each year the Lake County Forest Preserve District marks 1.5-2.5-mile trails in 14 preserves.  Participants have from mid-August to the end of November to walk, run, or bike 7 of them to win a commemorative medal.   Though HLC began in 1999 we started in 2020 (with Stevens 'guarding the parking lot' while I walked). Thus this will be my 7th year.   

My goal is to complete all 14 of the designated trails in the shortest time possible.  I got a late start because I was in Scotland and then last week was blisteringly hot.  I'm making up for it:   Saturday: Cuba Marsh and Grassy Lake.  Sunday:  Grant Woods.  Monday: Ray Lake. Tuesday: Captain Daniel Wright Woods. 

 Each preserve has signs that explain the area's history.  This year they've added them in Spanish. 

Wildflowers are in abundance.

This is Prairie Lady's Tresses, a species of orchid.  It's very small.

 # # # # # #

I skipped the Labor Day parade on Monday (see Ray Lake, above) but I did go to the annual Mayor's Prayer Breakfast.   Our church has a new pastor and I was able to introduce him and his wife to long-time friends and colleagues.  

  Donna and I got our picture taken with Rep. Brad Schneider, our congressman.  I thanked him for his good work and said, "Let's flip the House and the Senate in November!"  He agreed.

# # # # #

The quilt guild has Rafflemania every year.  Members get a chance to win each another's no-longer-loved quilt-related stuff.   That was supposed to be in June, but the senior center was closed due to plumbing problems.  It was rescheduled to September -- last week -- but the plumbing problems persist.  The meeting was cancelled.  I had pulled 111 yards of fabric that I concluded I could live without.  Rather than reshelving it all I responded to a request from a quilter in a FB group. She asked for donations for a kids' group she works with.  After I filled a big box for her I still had bagged fabric.  I gave it to the other Methodist church in town for their rummage sale.  Yay!  111 yards out of the house!!

But the purpose of having all this fabric is to sew it, and I've done some of that.  

While going through patterns-in-plastic-bags to give to Rafflemania I found Pot Luck by Maple Island Quilts.   "Why not make it now?" I thought, and I did.

I pulled orange, purple, and turquoise just because.   The 12" blocks are clever and easily constructed.  

I used African prints and regular quilting cotton for Around the Corner, the August Top-along.   

The bonus triangles demanded to be included.  I made a bunch more and used them in the border.  

# # # # # #     Today has begun cool and rainy.  I have a badly-needed hair appointment this morning and a church committee meeting this afternoon.   If this morning's rain blows over I may have time for another walk. 

I'm going to Madison, Wisconsin, tomorrow for the Wisconsin Quilt Show.   Come back on Monday to see the pictures!

Linking up with Wednesday Wait Loss