Joy on the wing is the only way to describe the lilac-breasted roller. I first encountered this colorful member of the crow family on my first visit to the Kalahari Desert. An aerial acrobat, the roller loops and tumbles across the sky in a manner that can only be understood as sheer exuberance. As its wings catch the sunlight, flashes of electric blue fire burst forth, adding to an already dazzling display. The joy expressed by a roller in flight is infectious; people of all cultures can't help but break into smiles while watching these airborne antics.

This quilt was accepted for the 2009 Sacred Threads juried exhibition in Reynoldburg, Ohio.