Spring Rain!

Spring Rain

Spring rain

leaking through the roof

dripping from the wasps' nest.

by Matsuo Basho

Rain, wind, gray skies, and the chill it brings will keep me inside today. I will cut strips, sew strips and bind my quilt project.  Busy and industrious projects keep my mind off the dreary weather outside and remind me that I can find joy in other places of my life. I am imagining the satisfaction of finishing the quilt and laying it out to photograph.  Every stitch in the binding will be sewn with the love I have for my grandson.  He will treasure this keepsake for a long time and I am happy in the memory of choosing and cutting each fabric piecing it together and seeing his delight at the progress of this quilt. In my heart it is a very sunny day.

Whimsical Wednesday....

Today I am feeling a bit whimsical. I am spring cleaning my sewing room. That sounds good for March doesn't it?  I am slower at it today as I feel pensive, thoughtful and positively intense about what it will look like soon. I want it to convey a spirit of creativity where I can just readily sit down and pick up my project and supplies without stepping over or needing to move a catchall item. Oh...what this room really needs is respect and honor of its worthy place of haven and status of studio.  Along with a trundle daybed for the odd sleepover! Well, I better get up and put these dreams into action.

A Celebration of 40 years!

Today is the 40th anniversary of the day I married my high school sweetheart.  I feel blessed to have married someone who I love more today than ever.  When we were talking about it and saying how we would each do it over again, right down to the vows, my husband said that it has been a very real learning process.  It has been for both of us. No matter that we had some rocky times, we emerged each time loving each other more and our relationship that much richer. What is a secret for a long lasting marriage?  We both say that hanging on and not giving up on such a rewarding investment. Marriage is a commitment that has made us strong. We could not be celebrating our happiness if we had not had our shares of struggles too. We still have much to learn as we watch my husband's parents, who will celebrate 65 years in May. They, like us, are still crazy about each other. What wonderful role models they have been for us!

A Sweater for the New Baby!

I crocheted this sweater for my new granddaughter. She is due to arrive in June and we are so excited.  The sweater is still waiting for the perfect button and to have a few loose ends woven inside.  I got the pattern from the Lion Brand website and the yarn I used this time is Bernat Baby.  I have made this sweater three other times using a larger pattern and Lion Brand yarn. It has proven a reliable, simple pattern each time and looks very cute on little girls who received them as gifts.  I find crocheting is a good hobby that is portable when I am not able to be at my sewing machine. I was crocheting a matching hat from this yarn when I got hit with the soccer ball...you can take it anywhere for any unsuspecting activity.

It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a Soccer Ball!

Our granddaughter had a soccer tournament this weekend in the Tri Cities.  We left early Friday so we could explore the area and browse the antique stores. The rest of the family came down after school the six of us enjoyed a nice dinner together at the hotel and then at the games. While waiting for the second game to start I was crocheting and visiting when I got smacked  in the face with a soccer ball! Ouch. Talk about coming out of the blue!  One minute there was blue sky and the next I was the center of quick action. My daughter quickly gave me two Aleve tablets  and another lady brought me a bag of ice. Another man checked my eyes and thought I may just get a black eye.  I leaned back in my chair and held that ice bag on my face until it melted. My mind raced ahead to the coming night when we would be back home and attending the symphony concert.  A black eye? Great.

 After her game was over, the little gal who kicked the infamous ball approached me with her father; she worried about the injury and left only after I assured her that once the Aleve kicked in and the ice worked its magic I would be fine. It was sore later but I do not have a black eye thank God. I think keeping the ice on for so long helped a great deal; and, of course, the Aleve. Whew!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Eensy Weensy Leprechaun

Sung to: "Eensy Weensy Spider"

An eensy, weensy leprechaun

came out St. Patrick's Day

to look for the gold

That was hidden far away.

Over the rainbow

was where he was told

so, with the wink of his green eye,

He ran for the gold.

Happy St Patrick's Day



His First Pillow

I made this pillow for my youngest grandson, who is fascinated by cars, trucks and anything that moves. It became his new favorite "car" the moment he laid eyes/hands on it. I found this fat quarter at a local quilt shop while looking for something else entirely. Within two feet of this very cute print I found a basket of softly shaded minky squares. A pillow was born in my eyes, one that would stand up to a toddler's love. After pre-shrinking these pieces it was a quick matter of trimming the trucks and stitching the square. A quick stuffing of polyfil and a whip stitch later, this pillow lay in this chair to wait for its new owner. My heart filled up when he hugged it the first time. He woke up this morning and brought it to the table. He brought it along on our car ride too. He better take it along home tonight so that he can share it with his crib buddies. After all, it is just the right size and a welcome addition to Lambie and Peter Rabbit!

Spring is coming....

It is sunny today and cold...I am typing at the dining room table just to the right of the slider to the deck so the sun is facing me.  Lilacs have buds and there is a tinge of green on the grass.  Oh in a few weeks it will be a wonder to go outside and find new things popping up every day.  I love seeing spring emerge.

Spring....Hurry Up!

Happy Friday everyone...it is amazing how much crud our sinuses can hold...so full and never seeming to empty.  This winter bug I have had for weeks and weeks off and on cannot leave soon enough.
It has been an interesting winter for all of us with our family concerns, crazy weather, temptations, events and silly sicknesses that seem to persist within our bodies. I am ready to throw open the doors and let the sunshine in. Spring cleaning and deep cuts to the clutter. I am so ready to feel better and get out to walk or ride my bike. Yes, spring will be welcome any time soon, sooner rather than later would be good too!

Mysteries....

Watching a good mystery is fun and some of the best are solved by women. I liked Nancy Drew as a girl. Nowadays I enjoy streaming Murder She Wrote episodes from Netflix. How fun to see the 80's clothes and wild hair while trying to stay one step ahead of Jessica Fletcher in solving the crime. How much more innocent these shows are than what we have available today. Less sex, violence and unnecessary foul language. Styles may change but a good story endures.

Weighing in at the Doctor!

If you have ever watched your weight, you cringe when the nurse directs you to stand on the scale before seeing the doctor. Like most women I am not happy with my body. This past week I have had miserable cold. I haven't exercised and have eaten anything that comforted me. My husband even cancelled our tickets for the symphony so that they wouldn't toss me out for my disruptive cough.

Getting to the point of all this as I justify what happened next, I hopped on the scale at the doctor's and watched as the scale registered a number that was six pounds more than what I saw at home last week. I was so floored I found myself making excuses to someone who really didn't care. You can imagine the inner dialogue I had with myself. It was not pretty.

Today, I braced myself and stepped on my scale and guess what! It was where it was last Friday. Moral of the story and a lesson to be learned is not to pay attention to that scale at the Doctor's Office!