WHAT IS NEW

Prom the end of April in NEMO.  Pictured is a granddaughter, grandson, and parents.  I think she looks like Cinderella.   I wonder if the night lives up to the anticipation that precedes the event?  

   I was the lucky recipient of a Nook for Mothers day from DH.  I was surprised that he did that.  I wasn't sure that I wanted one.  But now that I have it I will sure use and enjoy it.  Today I am sewing together the Block of the Month blocks from Saturday morning.  Then I am going outside to plant some flowers in the pots and pull some weeks.  The refrigerator in the garage needs a good cleaning also.    Thanks to all who stop by and comment. 

Long winter gone

At last the long winter is gone and I have asparagus popping up as well as dandelions.   My parents were here for Friday afternoon and Saturday.  I took mother to the local quilt store, Specialty Quilts in Jefferson City.  Then we took them to breakfast at a local restaurant where 10 % of the sales plus all the tips were going to the March of Dimes.  A friend and her family serve as the waitresses and donate their tips.  So we had to support that.  We had a lovely weekend.  I was on call Sunday.   So did not venture far from the sewing room, where I am putting the applique pieces on the Queen and her Court Quilt.   

I had lunch with my the "Chicks" last Wednesday at the Summit Lake Winery.  It was warm enough to sit on the patio.  I am learning to use a new camera and flogged them into submitting to a picture.   I love them dearly and also the three that were in England at the time.  Great gals and friends.   

I have not blogged since the big snows in February.  I am always tired and have cabin fever towards the end of Feb and into March when it is so dark and dreary. Probably a little depressed by that time, too.   Then about the time the days get longer, my burst of energy and enthusiasm comes back.  I am truly a girl of the land.  I love the redbuds and dogwoods when they start to bloom.  This past weekend they were spectacular.   I am ready to be out in the warm and dig up the weeds and  make my world pretty again.  Just as soon as the spring rains let up some.  I have started on the strawberry patch, which is just over run with clover.  I will need to till up and replant one end of the patch because the clover is so thick.    

I have a bluebird pair which nest in  an ornamental bird house on a trellis in front of the house just feet from the front door. You can see the clematis in the far left of the picture  of the house and then the bird house in the close up.  To the left is a picture of the Daddy who sits on a trellis at the end of the house to the far left of the above picture.  He is never far from the house, so the Momma must be sitting on the eggs.   This will be the 4th year for them to fledged from this house.  It is very fun to be this close to them and observe the process.    This is enough chatting for today.   I am back in the mode to share the wonders of every day life around me again.  So my winter vacation is over and I will hopefully be writing to you all again soon.    Yes, those are rose bushes in the foreground by the trellis the bird is on and Peonies in the back ground,    We have mowed the grass three times already.  Not me -  DH :)  Till next week.   Thanks for stopping in. 

More Snow

It has been a long month.  Snowing again with 6-8 inches predicted for overnight.  Today was a nice day in the twenties.  My friend Dianna and I went out for lunch, to the Library and then to the local Quilt shop.  I am ashamed to say I have lived here 10 years and I am just getting a Library Card.  I plan to borrow more and buy way less this year.   I do LOVE, love books and reading.  I have so many things I love, quilting, knitting, cooking, gardening, and card making.   I did make a few birthday cards over the weekend.   So fun.   I also have finished these socks.  Which were to be a Christmas present.  My friend will just receive them a little late ( which they say is better than never!)  I also started back in knitting on the Central Park Hoodie, which I started a year ago and then put away.  This was a knit along with Knitting Daily.  As you can see I did not finish with the rest of the group. It is hard to see in the picture, but there is a  single cable down both shoulder edges and a double cable in the center.   I have the back completed as pictured and have cast on to start on the left side.   Perhaps by the end of the year I will have both front pieces finished.   I am not a fast knitter, and other things that I love call me away.    I did want to stop by and say happy January.  Now I am off to spend the evening knitting on the Hoodie, watch some mindless TV and stay warm and dry.  I am so thankful for central heat.  Cheers and thanks to all for comments and for stopping by.

Happy 2011

Hoping everyone had a safe happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.  Ours was quiet.  We took down the tree, cleaned up the mess and watched a movie last night on TV.  We were in bed by 11.  We are not very exciting these days.  Our Christmas was exciting.  We left here on Christmas eve and the snow was tapered off here.f  However, the snow was just starting in Northeast missouri.  We drove into it about south of Hannibal.  Took us 4 hour to do the 2.5 hour trip.  But we made it fine with the expert driving of DH.  We did spend the afternoon with the Mother in Law.  It was a hard Christmas for her with the recent loss of her husband(DH's father).  But all of his Children and GrandChildren were in and out all weekend so she was busy and happy that we were all there.   Then on to the daughter's and grandkids.  They were happy to see us and somewhat anticipatory about Christmas.  The older kids are not as into it as the youngest.  The youngest did spend the evening watching the North Pole site for the progress of Santa across the continents.  He was most excited.   On Christmas day we were at my parents.  They are both laid up recovering from their individual surgeries but were happy to see the three kids and several grandkids that made it to the festivities.  We were safely home by 10 pm that night.  On the 26th, we had our good friends over for dinner and a visit.   So that was a full weekend.. 
        Work has been incredibly busy this month of December.   People were trying to rush in surgeries during school break and while their deductibles were met.  Long, busy, hard on the back, days.   Then next week, cases taper off significantly.   After this weekend ( of being on call,  I am at work now waiting for the next patient to come out of surgery), I hope to have my days off for myself again where I can sew, and make cards, and finish the socks I started back in October.  I had to rip one sock back down because I discovered a mistake.  So I will finish the second sock and then go back and knit the leg on the first sock.  I was doing the two at a time, toe up method.  Apparently I was too tired one day when I was knitting and managed to get about 20 rows of the first sock with a repeating mistake which is very, VERY, noticable.  So rip away I went.  It will be much nicer when fixed and I will be glad that I took it back down.  
  Hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend and a wonderful start to the new year.

Getting ready

 

Once again the Christmas season is upon us.  Husband and I went to do a little shopping yesterday.  Which was nice because I usually do it alone.  It is cold, with a windy chill today.  At least the sun is shining.  In the past month, my husbands father passed away suddenly.  We are sad to lose him.  But so thankful that he died doing things on the farm which he loved.  He appears to have sat down on the woodpile he was throwing into the basement, and went to sleep.  If we could all choose, would we not choose to just lie down and go to sleep?  So that was comforting to all his children.  It was so good to see so many old friends.  The line for visitation started at 5:30 and ended at 10:15 pm.  At one time the line was out of the funeral home and onto the drive outside.   He was well liked in the community.  He is the next to youngest of thirteen children.  Only his younger sister is left living.  She had a very hard time at the funeral because she is left alone.  But not really because she has her children who live close.  

   So now, I am rushing as usual to finish up my last minute Christmas sewing projects ( which I started last July).   Husband is out cutting down the asparagus and mulching it for the winter.   He is also putting up the storm windows on the east side of the house.   I am warm inside at the sewing machine.
The pictures are of the two of the four hats I knit for gifts.  The other is of the Stocking I made for each family member (Child and grandchildren) that I put out each Christmas.  I enjoy having each of them out whether we get to see them or not.   Enjoy and try to enjoy the season and the opportunity to be with family and close friends.  Remember to stop to thank God for the reason we celebrate and for the many blessings we have in this country.  God Bless, thanks for stopping by.     

Here is the answer

And the answer is $5.00  Yes five dollars.  I wasn't even bidding on this old machine when I realized the auctioneer was going down in price looking for a bid.  When he got to $5 I said yes.  The cabinent is beautiful.  Does need a good cleaning though.  Questions about my ear.  I had surgery in May to resolve a year long infection and repair a hole in the ear drum.  Over the last two months my hearing has gone away again.  Dr. said the hole in the ear drum is back and we need to try a different approach to fix.  No pain or infection this time.  So this week we discovered  why the hole was back and hopefully fixed for good.  Little more painful this time and I seem to be dizzy at times.  That is a new development.  I have not ventured far from the couch except  to look at the computer.  Going up to see the grandkids tomorrow.   Happy news with Ralph.  We started him on Prednisone last week.  Seems to not only have fixed his allergy but has also fixed whatever was hurting him.  I suspect joint and back issues.   Poor old dog things he is a young boy, and wants to go out in the evenings and bark at the neighborhood dogs.   Love being in the country.  His barking does not bother anyone.  And he does so enjoy it.   My back is better since my ESI injection.  So everyone should be fixed now and ready for what ever winter throws at us.    So are you surprised at my bargin?  The picture is of the attachments found in the cabinent drawer after bringing the machine home.  I bought a pink depression glass sugar and creamer for much more than I paid for the sewing machine.  Have a good week.   God Bless.   And thanks to all my good friends for you good wishes and support.  

Can you guess

DH, best friend and I went to an estate auction.  I bought the following old Minnesota treadle sewing machine, made by Sears & Roebuck. It has the original manual and box of attachments.  The machine is well used but seems to have all the working parts.  Needs a good cleaning.  Can you guess what I paid for it?  You will never guess.   I will tell in the next post.   Meanwhile I had a repeat surgery on my ear yesterday.  Doctor found lots of scar tissue behind the drum from my June surgery.  He thinks this is why the perforation reoccurred.  Much more uncomfortable today than the last time.  I am off work the rest of the week.  Hoping I feel better and can get some sewing in before the week ends.     Here is a picture of the completed pillow from a previous blog.  Managed to get that one completed before Christmas.  The weather here has been outstanding all week  and all last week.  DH picked the last of the Tomatoes and we have 2 quart of juice from them.  It will shortly become a pot of chili. 

DH starts a new job on Monday.  No one is more excited than he is.  It has been a long year for him.  It will be an hour drive for him, but he doesn't care as long as he can work.The job will be a little more money than the last job.  Which will help pay for the increase expense for the gas, I guess.   I plan to back off all the overtime I have been working.  I hope to get back to sewing and knitting more, especially now that he has tilled up the garden and it is officially put to bed.    I am knitting a pair of sock with heel flaps done. Just ready to turn the heels.   I am knitting  the two at a time toe up method.  So I hope to get those finished in the next few weeks.  Will post a pic when those are completed.    God Bless this country and all who read this post.  Thanks for stopping by.