The desert was cruel and hard and dry

My quilt is titled "The desert was cruel and hard and dry...."
the sentence continues "...and these were the people of the desert."
It's from Jews: The Story of the People by Howard Fast, a marvelous chronicle of Jews, their impact on our world and the start of Christianity. It's not a religious book, but a fascinating story.
Of course, my quilt is an abstract interpretation. The background is strip pieced and the shadows of the dunes are made with Shiva paintsticks. I used a photo of the Nevada desert taken by my husband for the idea. The vertical strips are the people, black to show them as in our past. The quilting includes stars of David. The red circles are up to your interpretation.
Now I have to admit that this isn't necessarily my favorite book (I read about 5 a week so it is too hard to have a favorite) but this book did have an impact on me. My husband and I listened to an audio version while traveling many years ago and we still recall it from time to time. While not being Jewish, we found the book a great read and feel richer for having read it.

Marlene

Last Holdout

I already know that there needs to be improvement in the binding process...what a wavy mess!

I tried to fix the original piece (without tree or leaf) by adding a focal point.

Any suggestions welcome.

Marlene