Middle February

 Happy Middle of February.  I know it's been a while since I last blogged and I won't even try to excuse it.  

The weather here in southwest Missouri has been miserable for the last several weeks.  Sometime in around April or May I will probably look back and say it's been a typical winter here and sigh and get on with it!  But living in it daily is a bit wearing.  It's been wicked cold - some days getting all the way UP to 20 degrees.  It has snowed - already met our annual total of 17", not all on one day though. It has rained - a ton!  It has sleeted and iced a bit.  I am DONE with winter!  I see Spring lingering around the 20th of March and I can't wait to welcome her.

I've been doing a bit of knitting - mostly just keeping my fingers warmed up so I am ready for Sock Madness.  I've have signed up for this annual mad knitting competition again this year.  This is SM16 and my 15th time competing.  I don't know yet how many knitters from around the world are doing it this year but it will end up being in the 1800 range, I'm sure.  Will get an update after the 1st of March when it officially starts. Can't wait to see the Qualifying pattern.

I've also been machine embroidering.  I finished a couple of table squares or runners.  Not all of the work was done by me buy I finished them.   The first one is a St. Patrick's table square the was machine embroidered.  I added the binding around the edge and it is done!

Next we have a machine embroidered wall hanging of the beautiful poem Footprints in the Sand. It was embroidered by someone else and abandoned - actually the lady passed away and it was amongst the boxes of supplies that her husband gave away....I helped the ladies sort everything and decided to rescue it from the trash.  I added the binding to it and will give it to a dear friend who will appreciate not only the workmanship but the sentiment.

And finally we have a Gingerbread Village wall hanging that I machine embroidered as part of a challenge in December from a company in Australia that I love.  Sweet Pea Machine Embroidery puts out some exquisite designs.  I used all my own fabrics - including the faux suede for the houses.

It measures about 28 inches square and was so fun to make.  Only 9 different squares plus a border with a flange.  

I've also been working on several cross stitch projects - and actually finished some of them. 

A Dr. Who Biscornu - not good for anything much except as a pincushion - but fun to make.

Angel is growing like a weed.  She's so smart and so sweet and so soft!  But we have learned that anything that touches the floor she considers her very own property.  John couldn't find the remote for the TV and spent quite a bit of time looking for it....finally found it in the dog run.

Needless to say, we ordered a new one.  Thank goodness she didn't get to the battery.  She would have been one sick puppy!

Well, I will finish this for today. Will try to get another post out soon.

Thank you for stopping by!

New Year, New Start

Happy New Year!  I have decided (decreed) that 2022 is going to be a wonderful, amazing year.  I recently read somewhere that in order to have a good day, one must decide to have a good day when one first gets out of bed.  So I decided that 2022 will be a wonderful year!  That should set the mood for the entire year, right?

New Year's Day started out pretty good - well, except for the snow and the bitter cold.  But we all woke up, having gone to be early the night before with no hangovers or lack of sleep from staying up till midnight.  We were all healthy. The electricity stayed on all day. We had food to eat and things to occupy our time (sewing and knitting and other crafty stuff).  It was a good start to a new year.  The next day was my birthday and Mr. Wonderful cooked me a scruptious dinner and I heard from our Utah family (they even sang to me when they called - I just love that group!).  I was able to stitch a little and even finish a project.   Again, a good start.

Yesterday, Mom and I met up with Fran for lunch to celebrate not only my birthday, but Fran's birthday on the 3rd and Mom's birthday today.  A lovely tradition with friends and loved ones.  

We lost our Rosie (white-faced, red cow) in November...she got some kind of disease and died very shortly after. We were going to breed her and Belle early this year since the calves are going to be a year old in March.  We had an opportunity to have a young bull come visit Belle for the next 3 months and took it.  

Not a great photo but that is #16.  He is an angus bull, about 15 months old.  Belle is his first 'girlfriend'.  Belle is a bit taller and a bit wider than he is but I'm sure he will figure out what he needs to do and get the job done!  After 3 months, he will go home and Belle can continue 'cooking' what we hope will be a calf in about 9 months.  We took the 2 calves over to our neighbor's property for the duration of the courting season cause one of the calves is a female and we don't want her bred this soon...want to wait another year before that happens.  Will keep you all informed of the progress.

Mr. Wonderful retired in mid-December and it's been fabulous having him home. He has so many plans for the 'farm' and the house and now he has the time to get those plans completed.  If the weather would only cooperate, that is.  

Today we have snow again...somewhere between 1 and 3 inches by the time it quits, they say.  I've got a space heater going here in the studio and plan on doing some work on a sewing project or maybe a machine embroidery one.  So many things to choose!  

Hoping you all are safe, and warm, and enjoying the beginning of 2022 - it going to be a fabulous year!  I decided!!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Holiday Season 2021

I will not even address how long it's been since I last posted....No excuse, not even gonna try to justify it!

We are getting ready for our annual family Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.  John has readied the spatchcocked turkey, the clove-studded ham and the cranberry relish that his family looks forward to each year.  I've made the pumpkin pie and the mince pie, gotten the whipped topping out of the freezer to thaw, and am ready to mix up the dressing which will go into the over tomorrow.  I've had the robot vaccuum the house, mom dusted on Sunday, and I suspect we could be ready if the family arrived earlier than tomorrow!  Wish everyone a most Happy Thanksgiving.

Friday we will go down to Branson, to my best friend Fran's house, and celebrate the holiday with them. And Saturday is our annual Knotwell Girls Cookie Baking Day.  I need to get a batch of Grandma's Sugar Cookie Dough made up so I'm not rushed on Saturday.  We have this down to a well-oiled machine after so many years!  One of us rolls the dough out, one uses all the cookie cutters to cut the shapes, one shakes the sprinkles on, then I put the tray into the oven and take it out when they are done, one puts the cooled cookies into everyone's cookie tin.  And we begin all over again.... This will be the first time since Covid struck that we will be able to do Cookie Day and we've since lost 2 of the sisters so it will be bittersweet, to be sure. 

We started the holiday season off a couple of weeks ago.  John, Mom and I drove down to Branson to go to the Trail of Lights - a drive-thru Christmas light show.  You tune your car radio to a specific station and drive thru the parklike setting. 

What a great way to begin the holidays.

2 weeks ago, we added another member to our Fur Family.  Angel is a 6 month old English Cream Golden Retriever.  Her original family was unable to keep her due to some family issues and we were chosen to be her new family.  

Isn't she lovely?  She is already crate trained - making it easier to go to bed at night and keep the pups from being able to play into the night while we are trying to sleep! She's mostly house trained.  She had never seen a doggy door but it took her less than 24 hours to learn how to go outside all by herself!  She's scheduled to become a lady at the end of next week.  And her first groomer appointment is this Tuesday.  She's so sweet...and she is going to be so much bigger than Shiloh - when I compare their feet, his look like ballerina feet compared to her lumberjack feet!  They get along great - as you can tell here.

Also last week, mom and my best friend and I went down to Branson to see a Christmas show put on by a family called the Bretts.They've been entertaining in Branson for over 20 years.  What a lovely show they put on.  And it was neat to get to share it with my two best girlfriends! 

Thank you for stopping by.  Wishing you all a most Happy Thanksgiving (if you celebrate that holiday) and a Joyous and Blessed Christmas (just in case I don't get around to blogging beforehand). 

The End of Summer and Beginning of Autumn

 Mom and I spent a lovey week in Phoenix, Arizona with my brothers and their families.  I went the Camelback High School 50th Reunion while there.  

Our school colors were blue and orange and I was able to find a top to wear as well as a shawl I'd knit that matched the exact orange.  

Karen Deaktor and Molly Parker and Me....can NOT believe they remembered me from 50 years ago!  I always thought I was invisible during those painful teen years.

Celia Cheves, what a treasure you are!  

I met up with girls I'd known in Girl Scouts, some I'd reconnected with thru Facebook already.  I had had misgivings about going but sure did have a good time.  

Staying with my brother was so lovely.  Turns out my youngest brother has the same love of animals that my mom has.  It was a week-long lovefest between him and their pup, Charli.

It's not often we three get together. We live so far apart.

When we got home, it was time to preserve the tomatoe harvest.  John had picked all the tomatoes he could from his garden - almot 30 gallons.  My friends Fran and Nickie came up to observe and we put them to work right away.  We got 26 quarts of tomatoes!  

John had to work out of town all this week so it fell to me to let the chickens out of the barn each evening and lock them in each evening before sundown.  As I walked out of the barn this morning after opening up their area, I heard clucking really close behind me.  I turned and saw this....made me feel like the Pied Piper!  18 chicks (2 months old) and 9 adults all following me along the central alley of the barn.  

Wll, it's beginning to sprinkle outside and I need to get to my sewing machine for today.  Thank you for stoppng by.  

New Changes and Chickens and Children

 We have been living here for 18 years now and it's becoming time for some aesthetic changes.  First on the list is new carpet in the Great Room and down the hallway.  When we had them come out to give us the estimate, I also asked them what they would charge to restretch the carpet in the studio while they were here.  Given that it was not as much as I had thought, we agreed that should be done the same time they installed the new carpet.  We had to remove all the furniture from the Great Room (where oh where do we put it all?  Some went into our bedroom sitting room, some into the garage, and some shoved into the morning room area.  Then we needed to unload the entire studio - anything that sat on the floor needed to be removed.  Fortunately, my best friend's daughter and her family came up on Saturday and helped.  It only took 1 hour to totally clean out the room - some went into our 2nd bedroom (the one that I want to make into a real guestroom) and the rest went into the garage - poor John's truck had to be parked outside since we took over his parking spot for studio stuff.  

The empty Great Room. 

My studio - golly, it looks huge without all the Stuff!

Bins in the garage, along with furniture.

2nd bedroom...hope I don't need anything from there!

The carpet installers got here right at 8:30 this morning and set to work ripping up the old carpet and padding.  

They say it should only take today to put the new carpet and padding down and restretch the carpet in the studio....then the real work begins for me - sorting and purging the stuff from the studio so hopefully there is a bit more space in there when I'm done.  

John decided he needed more chickens for egg-laying.  He currently has 8 layers and 1 rooster. He gets about 6 eggs a day from them.  He ordered another 20 baby chicks and mom and I picked them up last Thursday - day-old baby chicks. 

They are Austra Whites and will yield almost white-shelled eggs.  The others we have are Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks and Black Australorps.  Their egg colors range from cream to lightly toasted brown.  Currently, the new chicks are living in a brooder under heat lamps until they get their feathers - that will be about 3 weeks and then they will be incorporated into the regular population of chickens.  

Late last month, we got to spend a few days with our two grandsons.  They flew out from Salt Lake City and spent 3 days with Nana and Papa.  First time flying without their parents and they did so well.  

So stinkin' proud of those two!  Flight delays and Covid just don't mix but they were amazing!  The boys got to learn to drive Papa's Mule - Eyeore. 

And they learned about raising chickens.  They even took over all the chicken chores while they were here!  I heard one of them as Papa, " Is it time for chicken chores yet?"

Giving the chickens scratch treats!

We took them to Silver Dollar City one day.  It was hot and humid and crowded but we had so much fun!

Meeting a "Prisoner" from the train ride!

We didn't get nearly enough time to spend with them but they needed to get home for some programs that had already been scheduled and school is starting so we were thrilled to get the time that we got!

It was hard to send them home but I did it!

They seemed to have fun and said they really want to come back next summer!  We are counting on it! Maybe they can bring their little sister with them as well.  

I've been working on my Cross Stitch Camp project for August.  With luck, I can finish it by the end of the month.  

So far, it's coming along fine.  It will be a small piece - probably about 8 inches square.  I may make it into a small pillow.  Will have to see what it wants to be once it's done.

I supposed I've rambled enough for now.  Thanks so much for stopping by. 

Preparing for Winter - a bit Early

 Some folks might know that those of us who live in the country and have animals need to prepare for the winter well in advance of that season.  It's only July, but we are thinking of the coming winter and making sure we have enough food for the 4 cows we are raising.  Hence, the delivery of 15 rolls of hay this past weekend. 

The other 8 rolls are on the other side of the driveway. Then John needed to move them to the gravel alley where they are likely to NOT get moldy when sitting on the ground

Along with the 3 from last year and the 8 rolls we are buying from our neighbor, we will have plenty for the cows for the winter.  

I am participating in a program this summer called Cross Stitch Camp.  Each month, there are certain peramiters set forth for those of us who are taking part.  June was to stitch something that was inspired by someone or something.  I chose to do a counted cross stitch and beaded ornament kit from Mill Hill.  I'd seen several done by my friend Debbie Bailey in Alaska - her blog is one I have followed for many years.  One starts the project on the first of the month - inserting a picture of the chart, threads, and fabrics to prove you haven't started it yet.  Then you have all month to complete the project - posting a picture of the finished stitching by the end of the month.  I completed my camp project for June in justs 7 days!

Then, for July, we had to pick a project by a designer we had never stitched before.  Since I was just getting back into cross stitch after a 30+ year break, that wasn't hard to do.  I chose Stitchy Stars by Lori Holt.  Completed that project in about 2 weeks.  It will measure 16 inches by 2 inches when done. I have a wooden 'plank' that I want to stain and then mount the cross stitch to it so it can hang in the entryway.

Done!

Now to decide on August's project - using a new-to-me fabric or thread.  I think I'm going to use a 32 count linen and silk thread. The chart I want to use is a single-thread design - a sign that reads " Let's all be Kind".  

Mom recently went from a cane to a walker.  She was getting a bit frail and we thought, along with her doctor, that a walker was the next best thing for her.  I took her to a company that specializes in medical equipment and she test drove all their rollator walkers.  This is the one she chose.  Boy can she move now!  It's great for when she's out with me and gets tired from walking or standing...she can just sit down and wait for me!

Those of you who know me know that I have a morbid, debilitating fear of needles.  I have never gotten a flu shot.  I was not going to get the Covid-19 vaccination - no way, no how.  Mom decided to get it - I took her to get her vaccinations each time.  John had to get it for his work - we got him the Johnson & Johnson one since it only requires 1 shot.  I was fine not getting it since both of them were covered and we don't go a lot of places.  But the Delta variant is, for some reason, one that really bothers me.  I plucked up the courage, asked John to come with me and hold my hand (and not tease me for being such a baby), and we found a place near us who was doing the J&J vaccine.  Let's face it, it probably wasn't going to happen if I had to do it twice!  I got my vaccination last week and I didn't faint, or cry, or even hit the girl who gave it to me.  

I wouldn't do it again - the mental preparations are almost more than I can handle more than once in my lifetime - but it's done and I have the Vaccination Card to prove it! 

Our two grandsons are coming for a short, 4 day visit this weekend.  I haven't seen them in 3 years.  John and I are so darned excited about seeing them.  Hewston is 11 and William is 14.  We are planning on taking them to Silver Dollar City on Saturday and perhaps the movies on Friday or Sunday.  It will be a short visit but one that we will treasure for a long time.  

Thanks for stopping by. Be safe and have a great rest of the summer (or winter for my south-of-the-equator friends). 

Embarrassed Beyond Belief!

I guess it's really not beyond belief if you know me....I tend to make plans to be consistent in blogging and then time gets away from me - big time!  I get fairly focused on a project and eveything else just disappears from my radar. This time around, I've finished a couple of quilts, competed in Sock Madness again (year 15!), done a mystery Gnome Knit-a-Long, had several machine embroidery workshops and classes, started teaching my best friend's granddaughter to sew, and started teaching my best friend to use my embroidery machine.  It's no wonder I forget to blog!  That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! 

We are in the throes of summer here in southwest Missouri and summer doesn't officially start for another day or so.  It's hot and humid and miserable outside.  Not pleasant for me and certainly not pleasant for mom - the humidity is dangerous to her already compromised breathing.  So we stay inside a lot during the summer.  That gives me a lot of crafting time.

I recently started back to cross stitching.  I'd done a lot of that during the 70's and 80's but had put it away when I discovered quilting in the 90's.  I read a blog post one day about Floss Tubes and it got me curious.  I started watching a few and one of them mentioned Cross Stitch Camp.  I researched it and decided I'd like to do it.  So I am currently participating in Cross Stitch Camp.  For June, you choose a design inspired by someone or something else.  For July, do a chart by someone you've never used before, and August is to use either a fabric or thread you've never used before.  I've been reading a blog by a lady name Debbie Bailey in Alaska for years...she is a prolific quilter as well as making felt Christmas stockings and small cross stitch ornaments with beads.  I had gotten a few of the ornament kits but the beads intimidated me and I'd never done them.  I pulled one out and decided to make that one as my June camp project.  The way this works is, you post the chart, fabric, and thread on June 1st to the Instagram page with tags to the Camp Director...then on June 30th you post a picture of your finished project.  Now, it doesn't have to be framed or hung, just the stitching done.  I've never been a monogamous crafter - EVER - but I figured I could get that little cross stitched and beaded ornament completed in 30 days...it's only about 2.5 by 3.00 inches big.  So I started it and, well, I finished it the first week of June!  Even so much as putting the beaded hanging string and backing it.  Here is my June 1st picture.

And my June 9th finished picture.

I've picked out my July project - Lori Holt's Stitchy Stars pattern....it's a bit bigger (about 2" by 14").  Will try to post it sooner rather than later.

John has started to work on the gardens....he spent a long weekend cleaning out the garden beds and installing the electric fences and planting the tomatoes and squash.  

The deer arent' vey happy - they can't get to those tasty tomato plants with the sweet green tops anymore with the electric fencing.  I see several evenings canning tomatoes in my late summer future!

My very best friend and her entire family have left California and moved to Missouri!  I hadn't seen Fran since 2008 and when she called to tell me they were moving here, I could not contain my joy!  I've missed her so much.  Her daughter and son-in-law and their 4 children got here in early Januray and got settled in Branson.  Then Fran and her husband got here just before Easter and they are mostly settled.  Their son and his wife and daughter will be moving into their new home in Branson by the end of July and then they will all be here!  Fran and her daughter and granddaughter have been coming up here to visit every Thursday and Fran is learning to use my embroidery machine. Her granddaughter is learning to sew.

We had the entire clan up for a BBQ on Memorial Day....The kids really enjoyed seeing the barn and the chickens and the cows up close and personal.  They even got to feed the cows treats!

John gets fresh eggs from his chickens just about every day.  The other day he came in and showed me his harvest for that day.

See that egg in the upper right?  It appears to be two eggs melded together.  Probably a triple yoke.  Makes me cringe to think of passing that one!

Today is Father's Day in the U.S.  We generally don't make a big day out of most holidays, except Christmas and Birthdays.  But I promised John I'd make him a Lemon Jello Cake for Father's Day.  I need to get crackin' on that!

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for stickin' with me, in spite of my lack of continuity for blogging.