Threads Through the Years

Fevers, Rash, Herbs and Cross stitch

2019-09-12T22:32:00.001-07:00

Today was an interesting mixture of highs and lows. I met a friend and former co-worker today for lunch at a nice Mexican restaurant not far from home. I had not seen her since I retired in December. She is almost retired but is still helping them out on a consulting basis. We spent a nice hour and a half catching up. She brought me a lovely cross stitch piece that she began for me last November. She is an excellent stitcher and I loved it completely. As soon as I choose a frame it will hang in a place of honor in my sewing room.

While we were eating I got a call from my granddaughter. She has had a rocky start to her first semester of college. Earlier this summer she got a tattoo on her back. Over Labor Day weekend it became infected leading to a few hours in a walk in clinic. Several days after that was a trip to the ER because she was so sick that she almost passed out in class.

The red area was very enlarged and had to be lanced and drained. Almost a week has passed and I thought all was well until her phone call telling me she was sitting in the Student Health Services with a rash over most of her body and a fever of 107. So off I went to

take her back to urgent care for blood tests. They determined there was no virus present and her condition was a delayed allergic reaction to the antibiotics she had been taking. By then her fever had gone down to 102 and they sent her back to the dorm assuring us that she was on the mend.

After that excitement I got home to find my husband talking to a furnace repair guy about replacing the furnace. We just replaced the central air conditioner back in April. To take my mind off the dollar bills that I imagined floating down the drain I busied myself hanging a few bunches of basil and oregano that I harvested this morning. At least I’ll be cooking in a nice warm house this winter.

A Fine Autumn Day

2019-09-09T10:09:00.002-07:00

Good morning. I hope all of you are enjoying this September morning. We had a lovely rain last night which made the grass even greener. The bees and butterflies are busy in my zinnias outside. I was going to take a photo of them from my sewing window but realized how much the screen needed to be taken down and washed so I went outside to take a couple pics only to have the squirrels scold me. Sassy little creatures!

I love the cooler temps and the lovely fall colors. This is my first autumn since I retired last December. I am loving every minute of being outside and spending time bike riding and dog walking with my hubby. Friday I had a minor bike accident which didn’t produce any blood or bruises but left me a little achy so I have been keeping inside working on some fall projects.

The above little table topper is just waiting for me to sew down the binding which I will do tonight while watching tv.

The round table topper and the two mug rugs will both be gifts. They were quick fun projects.

This blog has been quiet for several years now so it’s time to wake it up and share some bits and pieces of my life again. The fragrance of my Sweet Autumn Clematis is filling the whole yard.

In the meantime maybe I will meet you on the bike trail.

A Slow Week

2018-03-16T08:10:00.003-07:00

This has been one of those weeks where nothing much has been accomplished. Our house has been hit hard this winter with the awful bug going around. I think I am on my third round of various symptoms so I haven't done much more than go in the sewing room and look around this week. Nothing much has changed with the guitar quilt I am machine quilting for my grandson but at least I am working on the outside borders now. There is another quilt that I've been hand quilting and is almost done. I only have about six inches left on one of the borders before I can put on the binding. And I realized that this is the first time in a long time that I only have one quilt waiting to be quilted. Usually there are several in the works. I made this house wall quilt last summer and put it away for a while to get some others finished. I think this one will be done on the machine. I need to put it up on my design wall again for a while and let it speak to me and tell me how it wants to be quilted.

I've been drinking lots of green tea to try to get healthy again. I found this cute photo out on the web and since the cup is cuter than the one I'm using right at this minute I thought I'd post this one instead.

I've started knitting a cute little baby cap to give myself something different to do. Seems like my shoulders are stiff from machine quilting and my elbow is stiff from hand quilting. So let's see what this little project will do to me. I'm not really such a whiner usually.

In the meantime while I go to fix another cup of tea Oscar sends his greetings and is wondering when the grass will be green again.

Have a lovely weekend. Hope you have time for a little stitching.

One Day Closer to Spring

2018-03-01T07:21:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was windy and damp but a good one to stay inside and work on projects. The machine quilting has begun on Liam's quilt. I am slowly getting back into the groove. When I first started it was like the machine had a life of it's own and would hum along at a wonderful pace and my stitches were lovely and uniform and then all of a sudden I'd be zooming along the patch like a participant in the Indy 500 creating tiny ridiculous stitches. Then in the effort to regulate I'd have them too big for a while. I made the decision to not rip anything out because when looked at the quilt as a whole it will look fine. (Fingers crossed,)

I finished the shawl/poncho that I had started knitting the weekend before. This is the second I have made from this pattern. The first was oatmeal colored and a heavier weight. I love it and wear it often. This time I wanted something a little lighter weight. I am pleased with the way it turned out.

Our grandson Michael (fourth from right in the back) has graduated from Navy Basic Engineering school. By the smile you can tell that he is pleased with his decision to join the Navy. We are so proud of him.

As if it knows spring is almost here, one of my amaryllis plants has produced its first bloom. There are several more blooms to open on this plant. My pink plant hasn't started to develop buds yet. I am so ready for spring and to be outside filling my flower pots with new soil and baby plants. Hope you all are having sunshine today and a wonderful project to fill your day.

Olympics and a Little Stitching

2018-02-19T14:05:00.000-08:00

I hope you have been enjoying watching the Olympics as much as we have. I always say I like winter Olympics better than summer ones. It's probably because it's cold and gloomy outside and this is a great way to see wonderful athletes compete and exceed in less than balmy conditions. While I grumble and moan about the snow and the wind, they let it energize them.

Saturday morning I made my coffee, happy to realize that I had a full day of stitching and sports watching in front of me. I had decided earlier that this was the weekend for a good pot of chili and a nice warm quilt to stitch. Nothing was going to dynamite me out of the house.

My daughter and her bulldog Baby came over for a while in the morning. By the time they got there we were in the midst of a beautiful snowglobe type of snow. Oscar was glad he got to have a playmate to romp around outside with. The snow only lasted about an hour but it was long enough for the dogs to get wet and tired from their play.

After they left I got started putting the last few borders on the quilt for my grandson. I pieced the back all together and then came to a stopping point because the packages of batting that I had were too small. A larger one would require a trip to my local quilt shop and I wasn't going out the door.

Annoyed I pulled out my knitting and settled in to watch some figure skating. A few days before I had started knitting a shawl and it was coming along nicely. I don't know about you but I can't just watch tv. My hands have to be busy. I could have picked up some hand quilting to work on but at the moment the cat was settled into the middle of that project snoring softly.

So while the chili bubbled on the stove and the skaters blades flew over the ice a world away, my fingers were kept busy with yarn and needles. A lovely way to spend a late afternoon. The sunset was lovely too.

Warmer weather and wind have melted much of our snow but rain and ice are predicted here in Iowa for tonight and tomorrow. I hope you all keep warm and have something satisfying to occupy yourself with.

It's called the "Bleak Mid-winter" for a Reason

2018-02-06T13:18:00.001-08:00

February - the words of the song "In the Bleak Mid-Winter" fit it perfectly. Snow on snow on snow. That is apparently what we are going to have for a little while longer.

We had almost seven inches of snow yesterday and it's supposed to snow again tonight and Friday. It is so satisfying on a snowy day to know that there are several quilting projects waiting for me to keep me busy.

I have loved working on these little six inch block of the week patterns from Moda. The project has come to an end now and I just have to figure out how to set them together. I have 63 blocks.

I am going to redo the Snail Trail block because my rust and yellow fabrics don't seem to have enough contrast.

This weekend I finished this little wall quilt, except for the tabs on the back to hang it . Right now it's just pinned on top of another quilt. It will be a gift.

So I content myself with the whir of the sewing machine while the wind blows outside and the snow flies and Chloe remains contented to curl up on my old afghan created in a bleak mid-winter long ago.

Ice Storm, Stitching and a Little Nap

2018-01-12T07:03:00.000-08:00

The weather guys were right. The rain last night turned into a frozen mess this morning, followed by snow and hard winds. It was a good day to stay home and watch the flakes fly by the sewing room window.

In honor of the snow day I stitched this little snowman to go with my other six inch blocks. Isn’t he just so cute?

It was a great day and I even worked in a little nap.

An Approaching Storm and a little Stitching

2018-01-10T14:00:00.000-08:00

"Blow, blow, thou winter wind..." What was Shakespeare thinking? Word has it that a winter storm will be blowing in tonight sometime after midnight, with freezing rain, snow and wind. The sky has already started to turn gray in anticipation of what's to come. I have to say that I'm not looking forward to it at all. I love the pretty soft falling snow and enormous flakes. But anything that involves ice is a different story.

Above is a photo of one of our ice storms from a couple years back. It was not a fun drive home from work!

My cat has the right idea of how she will spend the rest of today and tomorrow while the winds are howling.

As for me, I am hoping to spend some quality time adding to my six inch blocks. Below are what I have so far for the Moda Blockheads block of the week. It has been a fun journey.

This little guy below wasn't one of the original patterns but I found him and couldn't resist. Isn't he just so cute?

As the storms roll in I hope you all have some fun stitching to do, the warmth of a fire, good conversation and a nice cup of tea.

New Ideas and Looking Back

2018-01-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

I have enjoyed myself the last couple of years reading blogs but haven't seemed to have the energy to keep mine going. It's not for lack of anything to share because I have certainly been busy, but I guess I enjoy reading them instead of creating my own content. Since this is a new year and it's beautiful and sunny outside I am going to make another attempt to keep this one going.

I have had quite a few quilty projects going this past year along with a couple of knitting projects that have been in the works for a while and need to be finished.


The above quilt was a Christmas present for my oldest daughter. It's machine pieced, hand appliqued and hand quilted. This was the first sampler quilt I had done in years and I had fun with it.


This second quilt was the first big quilt I machine quilted myself. It was a struggle but I was proud of myself when it was finished. This was a Christmas present for daughter #2.

There are several quilts that have been put on the back burner as I worked on Christmas presents. One large one is being hand quilted along the final border and should be finished this spring.

In December I made five different table toppers in different designs. The one below is one I made for my mom with the MSQC ruler tool that I borrowed from her. I wrapped up the tool to return when I wrapped the gift.

My younger grandson will receive the quilt below. He will graduate from high school this spring and is an awesome guitar player.

This one still needs a couple borders added but it's well on it's way to being completed.

I've also been doing a Moda Blockheads little six inch block of the week. This has been a fun project and is almost completed. I think I have 42 blocks done so far. Below is one of them.

But the most exciting thing by far is that our older grandson who joined the Navy last fall got to come home for Christmas. My heart was full as we met him at the airport. The photo below shows him greeting his brother, with his sister peeking over their shoulders.

I don't do New Years resolutions and have never done a "word of the year". But I decided that this year I am going to try to be intentional. My goal is to be in the moment with my family, friends, faith and crafts. I hope you all have a great year.

Shared Spaces and Laughter

2014-09-30T06:36:00.003-07:00

""Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.""

Author: Stanley Horowitz

This autumn weekend was definitely a mosaic of beauty, fun, creativity and friendship as I took part in the fall quilting retreat that our little group has each year. The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful as Mary once again welcomed us into her beautiful lakeside home. We had everything we needed, sewing machines, fabric, rulers, seam rippers, ironing board, food, snacks and wine. What more is needed for a weekend with friends?

We arrived at Lake Panorama on Friday night and after claiming our sewing spot and our bedroom we went back into town for a great Italian dinner at Billy Vee’s. Great, food, wine and service! Then it was back to the house where we threw open all the windows and listened to the sounds of nature. I could have sworn there were whales in the lake because of all the noise the fish made jumping out of the water after bugs. Aside from setting up our machines and getting cozy for the evening, no work was done but we had a good time chatting and laughing and breaking into the snacks.

I didn’t even hear the thunder during the night and was surprised to find the deck wet when I woke up. We spent a leisurely time procrastinating on the deck, while we drank coffee, shared favorite vacation spots and watched the occasional fishing boat glide by, causing gentle waves to lap at the dock. A pair of loons surprised me. I didn’t know we had them in this area. They were fascinating to watch.

I had thought ahead and had all my fabric cut before this weekend. The cutting part is my least favorite and I wanted to spend my time at the retreat doing actual sewing.

Jean was even more efficient. She had color coordinated her fabric squares and strips into cute little boxes ready to be plucked out and worked into a quilt. I will have to keep that idea in mind, although I’m not sure I’m quite that organized.

It’s amazing how much varied interest there is in our group. I just love to see the intricate, fun patterns that my friends create. Lynette was working on a wonderful bag to carry her laptop. She had fun fabric and finished it before she went home. I failed to get a photo of the finished product.

Mary was eager to give Lynette, the Home Ec teacher, advice on figuring how to cut her pattern. There is no shortage of advice in our group!

Nancy got the baby quilt for her newest grandchild completed. This new baby is only a few days old and will surely enjoy being cuddled in the soft fabric.

Karen has a finish. Her beautiful appliqued poppies looked gorgeous against the batik background. I’ve got her pattern now so hopefully I will find time to get to that one. It will look great on my wall, and since she didn’t offer to send the actual quilt home with me I will have to make my own!

Here’s another finish from Lynette.

And a new cat quilt top that Deb has been working on.

This is what I was working on. I still have the bottom two rows that will get sewn on this week. I just pinned it on the quilt on my wall while I was working on it, which reminded me that I had never posted the finished photo of the quilt that I was working on in my last couple posts. Here it is hanging from my quilt rack in my hallway.

And this is what is currently in my hoop.

A quilting group shares more than just fabric and patterns. We share, laughter, tears, celebrations of weddings and births and give comfort to each other during the changes that inevitably come as our lives play out amongst the tapestry of our years. This weekend we shared beautiful weather, great food and made fun of each other when the quilt measurements didn’t turn out quite right. But mostly we shared and created memories that will be woven into the fabric of our lives.

“Blessed are the children of the piecemakers, for they shall inherit the quilts.”

Roses, Star Trek and Quilts!

2014-07-03T09:35:00.003-07:00

It has been a while since my last post. I'm not sure how that happened. June went by in a series of one rain storm after another. My garden has certainly been challenged after the hard winter and then the continued pelting of rain. My rose bushes are definitely not as vibrant as last year but the ones that survived the winter are holding their own. Between raindrops I have been working at the Texas size weeds that seem intent on taking over everything.

A couple weeks ago my mother, sister and I went on the Master Gardener tour. We got a wonderful reprieve from the rain that day to enjoy some beautiful gardens. I am sure the people who opened their yards to us were holding their breath for good weather. I have attached just a few pictures that inspired me from that tour.

I loved this door that led nowhere. This particular yard was very wooded and landscaped beautifully. It was surrounded by a heavy woods and deep ravine.

When we first stepped into this yard I thought they had a CD playing somewhere and was fascinated when I stumbled upon the real thing! The music was beautiful and added to the charm. My photography skills aren't the best as you can see that I managed to cut my sister in half on the right side of the photo.

I loved these lillies and hostas that surrounded a sweet little statue!

Last weekend we took our grandson and his friend to the small town of Riverside for the Trek Fest. Not really a Star Trek fan myself, I was not particularly looking forward to the day, but was surprised at how much fun it actually was. As we waited for the parade to begin the dark clouds rolled in but miraculously brought with them no rain, only a nice cover from the hot sun.

I hadn't been to a "small-town" parade in many years. They did a great job of weaving the futuristic Star Trek atmosphere in with the small town patriotism and enthusiasm. I never expected to see Klingons tossing out candy from a float but here they are.

After finding the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk we relaxed in the beautiful town park, listening to a fun band and eating barbecue. Then hubby and I decided to drive to the Amish town of Kalona to look around while the boys enjoyed the rest of the Trek fest. We enjoyed poking around in a couple of cute shops. I was on a mission to find ice cream but instead stumbled upon a great little quilt shop.

I am still hand quilting my current work in progress. I took a little hiatus from it for a while but am back now going strong. It is about 80% quilted. In the meantime here is a little wall quilt that I made about ten years ago. Half the time I forget to get it out until July 4th has come and gone.

This weekend we are painting my granddaughter's bedroom. But will also find time for a little family cook-out and of course, fireworks. I hope you all have a great weekend, filled with fun, sparkle, family and friends!

Memorial to a Busy Life

2014-05-22T08:28:00.002-07:00

"As it fell upon a day

in the merry month of May

Sitting in a pleasant shade

which a grove of myrtles made."

Richard Barnfield

The trouble is that May is so busy. There is no time to sit in the shade! There are graduations, bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties to plan and flowers to plant. The rosebushes need to be pruned of their old dead wood. Four trips to the garden center and mulch still has not been bought. Two more flower pots in the yard need to be filled with something. I think maybe coleus, begonia and ferns this year. As the days grow longer and finally warmer I have worked at getting the flower pots filled and tucked into various corners of the yard.

In the meantime the perennials are coming along nicely. My bleeding heart bush blooms without fail. In our previous house I had a beautiful white bleeding heart. I miss it. But the hostas and lilies are doing nicely. I can't wait to see blooms on my clematis!

This is the first year I've left the bottle tree out all winter and it seems to have come through the icy weather just fine. I can't say the same for some of my plants. I lost four rosebushes this year. It was a hard winter.

Work has been busy and hectic this spring with many changes going on. I have never been the kind of person who welcomed change very well. I wouldn't really say that I'm set in my ways, but there is definitely an unsettling feeling of the unknown that I am feeling in the workplace lately.

But then I remember that Bible verse "Be Still and Know that I am God." There is no need for me to worry. I need to practice the part about "Be Still". I have always been such an impatient person and have trouble sitting back and not doing.

I was thinking about this very thing the other day when I pulled into Woodlawn Cemetery to sit and eat my lunch before going back to work. I saw the old stone shaped like a pulpit with a Bible on top and just had to stop.

Time has a way of marching on, no matter how much we scurry and worry. I wonder how many of these people rushed through life, worrying about the trivial, forgetting to sit down and take a breath and enjoy the life that they had been given.

And yet here they are. And around them the grass is still green, the leaves have filled out on the trees. Another spring has come and gone. Time has gone on even without them here to worry and wonder.

And as I remember my own loved ones on this memorial weekend, I will try to slow down, take a breath, realize that life will go on whether I fuss and fret. I will concentrate on enjoying the moment that God has given me.

And I will celebrate the 13th birthday of my beautiful granddaughter Shannon.

It seems like just yesterday that she looked like this!!!

Time passes quickly and we can't slow it down. We have one life to celebrate, to love, to learn and to live. I don't want to waste a minute of it worrying about endless things that I have no control over. My wish to you is that you can make the most of yours as well and live this spring to the fullest!

Time to Quilt and be Grateful!

2014-04-30T07:32:00.002-07:00

Spring continues to play the cat and mouse game with us here in central Iowa. We get a few days of wonderful weather when I dream of taking all my plants outside to their summer home and then we are slammed with another cold front. But we are getting wonderful much needed rain that I definitely can't complain about. The grass is growing green and lush and flowering trees are in bloom wherever I turn. It's just too cold and wet to get outside and enjoy it. But our time is coming.

While the horrible storms were slamming the midwest this weekend I was slammed with the flu. Talk about a lost weekend. I was barely able to stick my nose out the door. When I did finally surface enough to turn on the television I was horrified to see that tornadoes had once again ripped their way through middle America. Seeing images of homes in ruins my heart went out to those people who have lost so much. While laying on the couch I looked around the house and envisioned what I would grab while I was running to safety.

The photo of my parents and grandparents, the old violin that belonged to my grandpa, photo albums, and how could I grab all my quilts?? This wall quilt hangs on the quilt rack above my sewing table.

Of course the only way I would be able to try to save anything is if I had warning and so many times there is no warning. You grab onto your loved ones, your precious pets and pray that your home will be spared. There is just so much that I take for granted and in that moment of realization I was overwhelmed by the way we have been blessed. I am so grateful for the family and friends who make my life so happy. I determined to not take for granted one little moment but to savor the joy and blessings that each day brings.

This little tulip quilt always makes me smile. It is so bright and cheerful and says spring each time I hang it on the wall. I drew the flowers and vines free hand in the middle of the quilt and then on the outside border I used one of my favorite flower stencils.

I have used this stencil on numerous quilts. It is a fun one to quilt and the meandering lines flow smoothly.

In the meantime I have been using this rainy time when I am stuck inside to quilt on my current work in progress. I think the interlocking circles are working nicely.

While the storms of life blow at us, I wish you all the blessings of quiet time to stitch and enjoy all that we have been given!

The Promise of Spring

2014-04-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

Spring has finally stopped teasing us here in central Iowa and decided to hang around. The trees are budding and clumps of green are showing around the garden. I haven't been brave like some of my friends and uncovered my perennials yet but I am off work this week so maybe by the end of the week that will happen. The arrival of spring is a good excuse to visit Chocolaterie Stam for some wonderful coffee and a few pieces of chocolate. My girlfriend and I did just that. So Good!!

This time of year there is such a renewal in the air. It makes me want to re-arrange, de-clutter and soak in the joy of the changing season.

As though it wants to shout Hallelujah to the coming Easter weekend, one of my amaryllis is blooming beautifully. The other one hasn't decided yet if spring is really here to stay so it's slower to open up and say good morning to the world. My mother brought these two beautiful plants to me when she moved back here from Georgia eight years ago. They grew happily in her lovely yard but here in Iowa I treat them with fragile care and they repay me with glorious blooms!

Yesterday it was such a glorious day that we loaded up the dogs in the truck and headed for a walk In the woods. Squirrels were chattering overhead and a woodpecker was drumming away somewhere in the massive oaks. I saw this banner ahead of us across the creek and was curious so we had to go that way.

Two teenage boys had just finished writing the sign below with sticks in the sand of the creek bed. One of them told us he was going to bring his girlfriend here later and this was his way of asking her to prom. How sweet! I told him I was impressed to know that someone his age could be so romantic! Polly was very interested in the sign but contented herself with a long drink in the creek.

I hope you all can find a little spring magic and romance this weekend!

To De-Clutter....or NOT!

2014-04-03T08:36:00.001-07:00

This weekend I was putting away a few piles of fabric that I had used to make the border on my current quilt in progress. No matter how much I rearranged there just was not room in the drawers to get the correct colors put back with each other. How could this be? I keep vowing that I am going to use up my scraps and I faithfully do it, but then somehow other fabric just seems to show up on my cutting table begging to be included. I know I could make quite a few quilts using just what I have without making one more purchase. Why is it that those colorful bolts of fabric just call from the shelf begging to come home with me? While I was folding and straightening and grumbling that I need more storage space I came across a scrap of fabric that I had used in an apron.

That led me on a whole other search. Where was that pattern? I had made an apron for myself and my sister Laurie. I'm the one on the right. It was such a simple pattern and it occurred to me that I could use up a whole lot more fabric if I made some of these aprons as gifts. Since I have been displaced from my sewing room to make it a bedroom for my grandson I have sewing stuff stashed in various places. One thing led to another and soon I had a mess everywhere while looking for that particular pattern. I got to thinking that I really should de-clutter. Do I really need all this fabric, all these pattern books, all these rulers? Am I a hoarder? What a thought! I looked around at my mess, at all the lovely patterned cottons, this one was made into a baby quilt, and that one was a scrap left over from a quilt for my mom. And then I knew. I did need it all. I just needed more space to put it. Another cabinet? Another closet? Another room maybe??? I knew that if my husband could be inside my head he would begin to worry. But in the meantime where is that scrap of lavender?

As I began putting everything away I realized that I never did own that pattern. I had borrowed it from a friend. I hope you all have a marvelous day! Quilt a stitch for me……

Hoops, Gray Skies and a Promise

2014-03-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I finally tied myself to the house and got my quilt top all pinned. I was going to baste it but it’s not really all that big so I decided to just do the pinning instead. I’ve got almost four blocks quilted already and I think I am going to really like the all over circle design. Here it is below in the hoop. You can see the circles taking shape. My last quilt was all batiks. These nice soft cottons are sure easier to pull the needle through than those beautiful batiks.

Speaking of hoops, I sat down last weekend to do a little knitting while I watched our Iowa State Cyclones team play to victory against North Carolina. It was such a nail biting game that I had to put my knitting aside or I would have had a mess. Tomorrow night they will play again in the Sweet Sixteen tournament in New York. As we cheer them on I’m not even going to try to get any stitching done!

In my last post I was hopeful that spring was on the horizon here in Iowa. But it’s still teasing us with one warm day and then three days of cold, gloom and wind. Lately it seems these dark clouds have stopped and decided to hover over us indefinitely.

Spring weather can be treacherous and it proved to be yesterday. When I tried to pull into my neighborhood on the way home from work I was surprised to see blocked streets. But then I noticed the thick black smoke up the hill. One of our neighbors had a house fire. Fire trucks from several areas were parked everywhere and they were fighting it as best they could in spite of the horrible wind. They feared that the houses on either side would also succumb but they managed to keep the fire contained. They found the owner in the backyard suffering from smoke inhalation and whisked him off to the hospital. He will be all right but the beautiful home was a total loss. It definitely cast a pall over the rest of the evening. My prayers go out to the family who has lost so much.

There has been so much devastation lately - the Malaysian Flight, mudslides in Washington and several fires around the Midwest. But no matter how much we complain about how awful things can be life still goes on. This morning the sun was trying it’s best to peek through the clouds with the promise of another day.

And imagine my happiness when I saw this little clump of summer yarrow peeking through the soil this morning! It reminded me that even though spring can be reluctant to come, and will even blow petulant winds through the threads of our lives, it will also promise such beauty to bless us and bring color to our world.

Frankenstein, Quilt tops and the Possibility of Spring!

2014-03-12T13:08:00.001-07:00

I have finally finished my latest quilt top. My decision to piece the borders rather than using solid strips added a lot of time to the process. I hadn't taken into account the math skills I would be using measuring each side to fit the way I wanted. I am marking it in different size circles for an all over interlocking pattern. You can't tell from this picture, but the narrow yellow inside border has circles in the print. It will be hand quilted.

I think winter is finally saying it's goodbyes to Iowa. The robins have already been back for at least two weeks, showing up right after our last big snowstorm. I couldn't help but wonder what they were thinking to brave the cold when they could still be hanging out down south enjoying the milder temps.

On Monday we enjoyed temps in the high 60's. It was wonderful to open some windows and let the fresh air blow through. I sat out on the back deck for a while to soak up some sunshine and let the magic of the birdsong fill my senses.

My grandson Michael is taking a course in British Lit. He had to dress up like an old time judge for a mock court they were doing to put the character Frankenstein on trial. Here is his costume. All I can say is that he's a brave boy to walk the halls of his high school in this outfit.

I hope your week is going well, you're marking things off your to-do list and you're taking time to listen to the sounds of nature.

An Unexpected Gift

2014-02-17T07:53:00.000-08:00

There was a stillness in the air like sometimes happens when a heavy snow is falling. I stood for a few minutes and watched it fall, heavy and white against the trees, blanketing everything with a crystal sheen. Beautiful! I drank in the few moments of stillness before I went inside to begin my work day. In the midst of the usual Monday morning chaos - that unexpected stillness was a gift.

May your Monday be filled with the peace of silent nature!

Old Man Winter Drama

2014-02-12T07:36:00.001-08:00

"What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness." Author unknown.

The winter winds are howling across the US, in places where they are certainly not welcome. My sister who lives in the north Georgia mountains said they are expecting 7 to 10 inches today on top of the several inches they already have. She lives in an area of winding mountain roads with steep ravines on either side, so travel is treacherous. Luckily for her she can work from home and not have to travel the 70 miles commute to her job in Atlanta.

Here in Iowa we have certainly had our share of snow, but not as much as other years. The extreme cold has put us in the deep freeze for weeks though. Listening to the wind howl puts me in mind of the early settlers who huddled in their log houses or soddies, bundled against the wind and snuggling close to the fire, while their hands kept busy braiding rugs or making quilts to keep the family warm. Hardy people, they must have been.

Their form of transport was the horse and wagon, or a team of oxen plodding slowly through the snow. Even in our modern age, when ice is on the road, we are still plodding slowly. This particular day the ice was so bad on the roads I despaired of ever getting home!

I am so thankful for our warm home and crackling fireplace. It is a good time of year to snuggle in and knit, or pick up that hand quilting and enjoy the warmth.

My granddaughter pieced this Dresden Plate block for her teacher. She did a good job. I am proud of her.

So I'll snuggle into the warmth and keep on stitching because each new sunrise brings us closer to the end of winter.

And the dreams of spring!

Winter Imaginings

2014-02-07T10:59:00.002-08:00

There is something magical about a fresh snowfall.

Standing out on the front porch looking at the neighborhood blanketed with a cool crisp look, I am taken back to the winters of my youth. Sledding, ice skating, cold red cheeks and warm mittens. How many hours were spent building snow forts and snowmen, while freezing my toes and feeling the flakes land delicately on my face.

A new snow seems to be a time when anything is possible. I was able to conjure up an old photo or myself at seven years old with my cat Maverick. I really was a child once. It wasn't so very long ago - in my mind at least.

That photo sent me digging for a poem I wrote a couple years ago that I wanted to share.

Snowfall

I stepped on the snow

what a wonderful feel

it crackled and popped

with a wintry thrill.

Above and around

the snow circled and fell

it coated the branches

the porch and the well.

The ice from the storm

glittered bright on the trees

I knew I should hurry

or my nose it would freeze.

But the world was now silent

a beautiful white

and the sight of the cardinal

filled me with such delight.

The flakes swirled and dipped

and skittered ahead

for a moment I pictured me

on that old sled.

With visions of ice skates

and scenes from my past

I stepped on the snow

and fell flat on my ass.

Whatever your age I hope that you are finding magic in a world covered in white. Stay warm!

Football, Knitting and British TV

2014-02-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a bright sunny morning here in central Iowa even though today a winter storm is ripping across the state.

Sunday was a busy day starting with church with the family. After lunch we finished some much needed house cleaning. I don't know where all that dust comes from! When we were finished I sat down with a cup to tea to relax for a few minutes and was immediately struck with the way the sunlight filtered into the house, bouncing across the carpet and sliding across the furniture. I had to get up and take a picture.

I finished knitting my shawl and got it blocked on Saturday. I was pleased with the way it turned out and happy with my choice of color. I wore it to church and got lots of compliments. The picture below doesn't show the true colors, pale green, yellow, teal and eggshell. I have already started on another one that is a very open weave design in a golden tan alpaca. Very pretty. The one downside of knitting that I don't like is the way the wool dries out my fingers as it glides across the tops of my hands.

Tomorrow I will get out my fabric and hopefully finish the last border on my quilt. I have decided that I am going to hand quilt it in circles, using various size lids and bottles to draw my design. I got that idea from Tim Latimer's blog. Can't wait until I can put it together and start the quilting!

While we waited for the start of the Super Bowl pre-game, Polly stretched out in the afternoon light and took a nap. She was exhausted from all my housecleaning and the noise of the vacuum cleaner.

I wasn't impressed with the game. I am still holding a grudge that my 49ers didn't make it. Hubby didn't even spend time hollering at the screen because the score was so ridiculous. It would have been nice if Denver had put up more of a fight. The commercials weren't all that entertaining either. What a complainer I am!

It was a relief to switch over to Downton Abbey at 8:00! I love all the wonderful characters, but just adore the zingers that Maggie Smith throws out at Isobel! Which reminds me......Larry was out shopping and brought me a gift,

He's such a good guy!!!

football knitting and British TV

2014-02-04T07:02:00.002-08:00

The Magic of January

2014-01-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has had a great January so far. My intentions were to post New Year’s greetings but here it is mid-January and I am just sitting down and putting my thoughts to paper, or should I say the keyboard? This winter weather with its cold gray skies and icy streets has made me sluggish so far. I know I should get out and take the dogs for a walk and exercise all of us, but I want nothing more at the end of a work day than to snuggle up with a good book and a cup of tea, especially if the fireplace is cracking. I am not much of a television watcher, but I have to say that season four of Downton Abbey is keeping me very entertained. I used to hate British shows until I stumbled onto the cast of Downton and I love, love love them!

Before Christmas I had to clear off the dining room table of all the fabric scraps that were waiting to be turned into quilt borders. I have it all back out now but have not made much progress because I realized first thing that I had measured incorrectly and so spent quite some time with the trusty seam ripper. I am happy to say that I am now back on track. My goal is to have the quilt top finished by the end of January so wish me well.

While the fabric was tucked away I have been busy knitting. I am making a shawl with lovely ruffled edges out of Ty-Dy wool in assorted cream, taupe, green and aqua. It is turning out rather nicely.

On one of the blogs I read someone was suggesting this applique quilt book. My wonderful hubby bought it for me for Christmas. I haven’t decided yet which block I shall start with. It’s been quite a few years since I did any applique. I am looking forward to another start.

Last week my sister and I helped mom clean out one of those storage closets at her house where you stash things and then promptly forget they are there until you pull them back out years later and say “what was I thinking?” It was one of those “magic of ordinary days” times though as my sister, mom and I laughed while we pulled each item out and the Salvation Army pile grew higher. I did end up with an ice cream maker so my time was well spent!

I hung this Dresden Plate wall quilt back in my bedroom after I put away my Christmas quilt. This one is made from scraps that my Great-Grandma gave me when I was about twelve years old. “Someday you’ll make a quilt,” she told me. I highly doubted it at the time but each time I look at this quilt and see the fabric that was Grandma’s aprons and curtains I am reminded of her and the faith she had in me. This one has beautiful feather quilting.

Winter continues to blow. It took me four hours to complete the normal 20 minute road trip home from work last night.

It was a horrible drive!

Blizzard road conditions will keep me inside for a while and it’s good to know that I have patterns and a stack of fabric to turn into something beautiful while I wait for spring.

But in the meantime Oscar is having fun in the snow.

I hope you all can kick up your heels in the snow, and enjoy the magic of an ordinary winter day!

Gifts, Glitz, Greed and Ice

2013-12-20T07:51:00.000-08:00

Well I am finally ready. I wrapped the last gift of the second batch of wrapping last night. What a relief! This year I didn't have to mail anything which is probably why I was so slow getting things done. Next year I am going to go back to my old routine of doing the bulk of the shopping in October. This year I basically started the day before Thanksgiving and did some of my shopping on Black Friday and on-line. So I was really upset to hear about how Target stores were tapped into and the customers accounts compromised because I made several trips to Target during that time frame with my trusty credit card. So far we have found nothing amiss.

I don't understand the greed and corruption of people who think nothing of stealing from others, whether it's money, your identity, or as in the case of the woman at the Des Moines Airport, a costly diamond ring grabbed when the owner walked away and left it on the table. But just because it's the season of love and good cheer doesn't change human nature I guess. My sister will never purchase anything on line and now it appears that it's not safe to buy from the store at the cash register either. I have decided maybe it's best to buy local at the small shops and pay cash!

This season I have really enjoyed listening to my grandchildren play Christmas songs on the piano, guitar and violin. There is just something about the sweet old melodies of favorite Christmas songs that is uplifting, whether it be Silent Night, Beautiful Star of Bethlehem, or Rockin Around the Christmas Tree.

Liam plays the violin beautifully and is now learning the electric guitar. He will soon be excelling in that instrument also. But the sweeter sound for Christmas songs definitely comes from his violin.

This picture of one of our violins didn't turn out well. I didn't want to open his case and pull out the one he usually uses.

And Shannon has been baking Christmas cookies! I love it when the sweet smell of sugar cookies fills the house. This weekend we will move on to fudge, toffee and chocolate covered peanut butter rolls.

This was the sight that greeted me this morning when I looked out the window. We had rain last night and a solid sheet of ice covered everything. It was going to be a challenge to get to my last day of work until January 2nd!

Maybe it would be better to just stay home and make some nice tea! But no, I had to get dressed and ready to brave the fun of the drive.

Meanwhile, Polly and Oscar are wondering if it's not too early to open their Christmas presents. Such sweet dogs. They give such love and affection. Polly is thirteen, overweight, settled into her stubborn ways, but loves us unconditionally. Oscar, only two always has a bright outlook on life and a mischievous gleam in his eye.

And I have finished three knitted Christmas gifts. Here's a scarf just before it went into it's gift bag.

I love the glitter, music and beauty of the holidays. I love the simple beauty of snow on branches and the crunch of it underfoot as I head out to the birdfeeders. Frost on the windowpane somehow makes things look magical and serene. There might be greed and corruption in the world but my prayer is that I can keep the peace of Christmas in my heart all year long. And no matter where you are I wish the same for you too!

Slow Down and Enjoy the Moment

2013-12-06T09:38:00.003-08:00

Oh my gosh. The Christmas cards aren't done. Nothing is wrapped and my Christmas shopping is barely started. The quilt border is still in pieces across my dining room table. Should I put it away now before Christmas or just keep on plugging away at it? I haven't made any fudge yet - or cookies! Christmas can't happen without those two important items. We have our holiday table here at work next week and I have to plan the food for that. These were just some of the thoughts scittering through my brain as I placed a few of my little Christmas decorations on my desk here at work.

I really shouldn't be spending eight hours here at my desk when there are so many things at home that need my attention. But if I stay home then I worry about everything at work that needs to be done.

And I wonder why there is stress during the holidays.

The years will go by regardless, one Christmas melting into another, changing the lines and contours of our face and bodies. No matter how we stress about the lack of time, things somehow manage to get done. Here are my little sisters and I at an earlier Christmas (at least 45 years ago) when things were simple. Or maybe it was just that our parents had the role of making the holiday happen.

And here we are again, stress free on a sunny spring day in Key West two years ago with our friend Barb. I'm the one in the straw hat and my sisters are in the dark blue.

No matter what we do or how we fuss and worry time goes on. So I have decided to try to enjoy the moment this Christmas. Not fret and gripe when things don't turn out exactly the way I planned. Who put me in charge anyway? I just want to enjoy the magic of the season, the love of family and close friends and the beauty of nature while we celebrate the wonderful gift to the world.

The birth of the baby Jesus.

And I have decided to steal my friends Lynnette's recipe for one of my contributions at the holiday table next week. A wonderful light combination of red pepper hummus, plain yogurt and chopped celery, onion, green peppers and tomato served with crackers.

I hope you all can enjoy the moment in the next few weeks and have a wonderful Christmas season!