I had the bright idea that I would get a little work accomplished this morning , so right after we ate I headed off to the "magic room" where I started on a poultry mug rug. I knew I could do a better job - or at least have a better mind if I did this before I got exhausted from doing everything else first. I started by matching up the frame work to the green in the pictures.

I had got this much accomplished when DH came and hollered at me to come there .He had actually moved a big pile of flu blocks that I had wanted moved for the last 5 years ! YEA! But there were a few of my pieces of flower pots that he wanted to know what to do with. I scooped all of them up because I would soon be needing them. While I was out I went to do all my outside chores and we both did odds and ends of work that needed to be done.

Since he was in a mood to clean -we went up under the front porch where he had throwed all of my treasures out from under the basement LAST year when he put a box for our outdoor woodstove . Thank goodness most of them were just flower pots again.I was so pleased to get that job accomplished and to have help was a gift from heaven.: ) By now I was pouring sweat and we both were hungry so we took a break. I took cream of celery soup and added a can of tuna to it and we had that. DH always has his over toast and I have mine over chowmein noodles.

By the time I had finished eating I was already getting stiff.. But I shuffled off to the kitchen to work on dirty dishes. I could sure use a dirty dish fairy to help me keep up with them. I knew I was getting tired so I finished and headed back to the "magic room" - hoping to be blessed with a little magic .

I managed to make my fabric sandwichs and add the batting -ready to make my sandwich mug rug.

This first one I worked on I have outlined the birds -just to see which effect I like the best. I like these because you can just "Sample" what ever pops in your mind. : )

Then I outlined the frames that seem to hold each little picture. I discovered when you worked on a project with this technique that you can really use up a lot of time . I think it took me an hour just to do this part. But, this was more about the experience than it was a hurry up and finish project.  I really do like "instant success" -but I was just experimenting. : )

By now my back was hurting , so I stepped out on the front porch and got to have a conversation with Yukon as he was passing by with the sheep.  He is their protector . I love his big "rabbet ears.

I headed back into the sewing room - only to discover that Miss Rosie had "closed up shop " for the day . A lot of the time she had better sense than I do. LOL

So, I bid you all good night and hope you have had a lovely day . :)

Yellow Doggies

Each of these mug rugs has been like a separate lesson to me. Each one different and with its own qualities and experiences to learn from . As I had started on the inside on this one I ran into this same problem that I had run across many times before. It did not seem that no matter how hard I pulled to attempt to keep the fabric straight-it always wanted to bunch up near the end. :(

But , I have just learned a new lesson as I experimented with the next row of stitching. I had been completing one row of stitching , clipping all the threads and then going back to the top where I had sewed down before. BUT???????????? What if I started sewing down one direction and then up from the opposite direction-going up and down -INSTEAD - of down and down and down. ????? Well I experimented and it Helped tremendously with those puckers at the end of the rows! YEA!

So, this is the way this first one turned out. I had learned something new and that had to be good for me in many different ways! But being one to not be satisfied with my new information I plunged on to experiment with a second mug rug.

I had decided that it was amazing how much time you could pour into a project - even if it is a Small project so I decided to try not quiet so many stitches to see how that would turn out????? I really liked the looks of it and it feels like it will allow a drink to set on it without the danger of tipping over. But trying to decide which  one was the better completed project just left me wondering??????

I realized that I had not been paying attention to the fabric on the back. That was one reason I am enjoying these little projects because it is a little like abstract art - you are free to go where your creativity takes you. :)

I have discovered that the world of sewing has to offer an never ending list of projects to do and lessons to learn. I am very grateful to be allowed to share with you , my friends -AND - even more to see what path you go on and share with me your creativity.Instead of just one person searching for her way - we all combine to become a force to be reckoned  with .

It seems to be a funny thought to me that we all search and look for the perfect project with which to practice our creativity or tell someone how much we love them - sometimes the search seems to be the hardest part of the experience -BUT- if you look around your world at all the things made of fabric that we use every day of our lives - it is amazing that it is everywhere! So, talk about live and learn - I think that is something that we all do every day of our lives.

And yes , there are those projects that literally drive us to distraction - but even them -I believe are a good thing because they cause us to Push the limits of our world as we endeavor to create beautiful and - or - useful things. I know I am a terrible seamstress - but my desire is to tell the person I make something for that I do sew each stitch with love .

Pup Inspiration

It was a truly beautiful day- perfect temperatures , beautiful sunshine and yet not to hot at all. I went ahead and did all of the chores first thing this morning because they were still calling for chance of dangerous storms. Sometimes I think it is better to just not even listen to the weather -to take it as you see it and just enjoy it and not have to worry?????? So, I am in a quandary over that one? But it was nice to go get all of my chores accomplished and that way I would not have to worry about that either.

Just a couple of hours past noon we were sitting for a rest and all of a sudden there was such a LOUD noise that it sounded like a bomb going off. I know I jumped a mile straight up -trembling - and went to search for where it came from - to make for sure more were not coming. All was left was a black cloud-so it was One bolt of thunder and lightening.I have never heard it that loud in my whole life! And Once in a lifetime is too much for me.:) My nerves are just unsettled after the tornado visit nearby.That has Never been something we have had to worry about because we are in the mountains and they sorta protect us. Or , at least they used to. :)

As DH was taking me to counseling the skies got sooooo very black and the wind was whipping so hard I had trouble standing up.

After we got home and I fixed a pot of soup - the skies looked like they had cleared. I sure hope so- don't want any more excitement . The weather said there had been more recorded tornadoes than had ever been recorded in the history of weather keeping.

 After getting food out of the way - I wanted to create something-but after counseling I seem to yearn for time to inspect myself and ponder for a while. It seems we come to earth and slide down the chute to a busy - active - life time. Some of us never have the need to ponder about this fast life we are living - and others of would wish that it could slow down a bit so we could appreciate the good that our Father has given to us. The fast pace always seems to wear me out and I do not know if that is just the way it is - OR- if it has to do with getting older??????

As I was pondering I had a little inspiration come along in the name of Bandit. He knew something was amiss and he was just checking in on me.

I was hoping to capture a good picture of him "smiling" - but for some reason he is "camera shy" . As soon as I had snapped this one - he was gone like a streak of lightening. He makes me thing of my youngest son who ALWAYS had to be in any picture that involved a camera when he was a wee tyke-But - now that he is in his twenties he runs from the camera "almost" as fast as Bandit can!  Wonder why? My Mama was that way too.

Since Bandit reminded me of Pups - I had this great piece of fabric with the little pups on it and I pulled out the green to frame it with because there are spots of green in the design. Maybe you can see it better when I finish.

I really CANNOT figure out how in the world you "Quilters" can sew designs STRAIGHT. I tug and pull and try to line everything up perfect and then pin everything in sight - but - even with the !/4 inch foot - I still end up crooked at times. I Hate it ! What is wrong with me - was I just born with a "sew crooked" gene????? So you all really have my utmost admiration!

Thank you for letting me share my day with you. You all are so very special to me.
hugs to all!

Stormy Day

It was a beautiful  beautiful morning though. Then they stated talking about tornadoes and after seeing my neighbors homes destroyed two weeks ago - that is one word that I never want to hear again! So, I decided to go out and get my chores finished so I would not have to worry about the animals. Next I  moved onto planting some flower seeds and then found a new pot for the little passion plant that I found the other day. I dearly love these little running vines -but have a hard time when it comes to taking them through the winter, so I will just enjoy it while I have it . Next I decided to take a couple of pictures while I had a chance.

This little tulip must have been playing hide and go seek with me.  I totally adore these little fringed tulips and these are SPLASHED with color and it makes me think of the artist who really painted them! :)

Around the curve of the pond and this is my First iris to bloom this year. I love these guys because they were one of my Mama's favorites.

Do you remember me telling you the other day that this yellow rose would fill out a whole lot more! I totally LOVE this wonderful creation - probably as much as my DH hates it. AAAAAAAAAHHHHH - such is the joy of  married life!!!!!!!!!  I thought he would really like for me to have this one because It had NO thorns!

And last but definitely not Least - ta da!
Well, we are having lots of thunder -so I am heading to the house  -hoping to sew-will have to put up the 3 loads of laundry on my bed and of course DH will be starved. Always something to do and it seems that I am always running out of time.

Love to all!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Why Did I Wash those Cushion Covers?

Well, I thought I was doing a good thing as I am still working on the front porch and was making some progress. I had come up with this bright idea to bring down a Large size tote and store my cushions in it. Trouble was that my eyes were smaller than my bright idea. All three of the cushions would not fit in the tote, only two would fit. Then I discovered that I had placed the tote in just the right place for the water to leak down into the tote where the lid was not quiet closed.So, when I pulled the cushions out and saw that they were wet and starting to mold I yanked the covers off that I had made only a brief time ago - a year or two , I can not remember.

Boy was that water pure black when I peeked in on them and I smiled thinking how nice it was going to be to have clean covers. That was UNTIL I pulled them out of the wash machine and took them outdoors to hang out on the clothes line -hoping that I was keeping them from shrinking?

Unbeknownst to me that shrinking was the least of my worries!

Some days it just seems that the harder you try - the worse things seem to go. Dag Nab It! I should have just left well enough alone and just taken  the broom to them.:(

I am so tired and my back is grumbling at me and my bad ankle is complaining and my whole body just wants to tremble because I am so tired. I have made a little progress today and that makes me happy.

OOOO ! I almost forgot to tell you ANOTHER funny story! (depending on which side of the mess you happen to be located on)

When DH had built me a little porch I was overjoyed-but we have sun there all day it would bake you to sit out there , soooooo, I came up with the bright idea I was going to make a little cover for shade. I do not have any building skills - so I took a piece of heavy canfas and hand sewed a casing on both ends ,built a square for support -ran metal rods through the casings and screwed the entire thing together. Instant shade and I was thrilled to death. But//// when it rains the little roof sags and holds rain water. Then it really got pulled out of shape this past Winter. So, today I was determined to dump the water and restretch everything so the rain would stop pouring through. I got the bright idea to get one of those long handle brooms and push up to the heavens and the water would be dumped on the porch were I could clean it off and I was doing a wonderful job because it had turned out that some of the apples had ended up there and talk about a stink- rotten  apple stew? Yuck- I was almost finished and had made a terrible mess on the porch with all that green slime and I thought one more poke would complete my task????

Yea, that one task was all it needed and it dumped a whole load of rotten apple stew and green algie slime right on top of my head!!!!!!!!!!!! O yes  - red hair turned green and glasses needed windshield wipers and I smelled like - beyond rotten!!!!!!!!!!!!  OF course DH had a good laugh. I went ahead and cleaned the disaster off of the porch  and then headed to the shower. 

So , my day has been one filled with "Good Intentions" - how has your day been???????????????? :)

Boy, Do I Have a Story for YOU.

It started out as a normal beautiful day. I went out and did chores first thing.Then I came back in and fixed DH ham and fresh biscuits. I knew that we had planned to go to N.C. for some plants. We were trying to get them in our home town , but the difference in price and even the availability of some of them -so we decided to go ahead and make the trip. It helped that my brother-in-law had given me 40.00 a month ago and I had put it up and forgot about it -waiting for that emergency . And needing plants seemed to be an emergency to me -with groceries going sky high. If we cannot raise some - I don't know how we will manage.

Well, the trip was nice and normal also. We both Love the people in N.C. who run these nurseries . They are so talented and hard working and down to earth people. Seeing them at least one time a year is just like seeing your family.

I got one patio tomato for the front porch because it is Always a treat to just step out the front door and grab a fresh tomato! Then I picked two packs of peppers and I like them on the front porch also because I can keep an eye on them and keep them watered. Year before last I had beautiful plants - but not one single pepper from Any of the plants whether on the porch - or - in the garden. Someone told me that there just was not enough bees to pollinate the plants. I sure hope that does not happen again.

Then DH found two bags of seed potatoes and they were ten dollars for fifty pounds -which was a real deal for us. At home they were 18.00 a bag. I also spoiled myself and got one beautiful spotted pink and red double blossom  impatient. I totally ADORE these  beautiful plants. The family who has these has them for one dollar a plant. I always try to keep them through the winter - but something Always happens to them - no matter how hard I try to out fox these parasites that like to kill them for me. :(

I also got a small stevia plant and I was thrilled at that. I use stevia for all of my drinks because I have diabetics and stevia is a natural sweetner, so I am so excited about this find. I also got a pineapple sage plant, and it REALLY does smell like a pineapple. I think I will really enjoy that . I put i  where I could brush up against it and activate that lovely scent. I also picked up two bunches of broccoli  and one strawberry plant to add to an empty spot in my strawberry bed. This one says it is a June everbearing - hope , hope, hope! :)

O, let's not forget the pack of chard which is called bright lights and is suppose to be so good for so many different uses. I will really enjoy learning about this plant because we REALLY need to get more greens in our diet. We do not get near enough-so I hope it allows us to improve our diet. I even got two packs of marigolds because they are suppose to help fight bugs!

I was SO excited with all of our treasures that I came home and went right to work on the plants for the front porch. It did not take long to spend that 40.00! But I have such high hopes. At least when I put them on the porch -the deer cannot eat them.DH is going to experiment with a new potato patch that he has tilled up. He thinks deer will not eat potatoes -so he has NO Fence of any kind and he is planting the potatoes for a test. We will see how that goes.

Now -for that story I mentioned. DH came out and asked me if I would help him lay off the rows in his potato patch and I said yes . Then he said we both had to ride the tractor and of course I told him no, I would walk. But he said riding the tractor was the only way to get across our creek to the potato patch.:(  I did not want to because I known NOTHING about this tractor and I am a total klutz when it comes to machinery.But of course he said he would work me through it and everything would be fine! -WRONG!

He put me in the seat and him standing on the mowing plate and he turned the tractor on and was showing me how to put it in forward and reverse-then he turned up the fuel and instructed me to back up. Trouble was that the fuel was up to high for me and when I barely touched the reverse - it lurched backward -Throwing DH head over heels off the front of the machine. I was terrified - it was a miracle that he did not break his legs because they kinda got hung over the wheels as his body went flying forward.. I was trying to figure out how to turn the machine OFF because I did not want to make another mistake and run over him.

By now I was in tears and he was trying to be very "chipper" as if nothing had just happened. But he certainly was not letting me off that tractor because he knew I would never get on again.  I was beside myself! Can you see me trying to explain to the police how I had just killed my DH of 42 years????????????????????????

He says nothing hurts -but I am wondering how he will feel in the morning???????????  I might have to had that tractor just to get him out of bed- so I might have a second chance to do him in yet?I told him that Cancer might not have a chance to get him as long as he has me on a tractor! :)

O, as we were on our way  home in the interstate a little white car came flying past us and almost took off our front end. She was flying . AS we approached the top of the mountain her car was now facing sideways in the middle of the road and almost over the top of our road and would have ended up on a road that acrossed under the interstate. There were two other cars there so I don't know if she had clipped them or not-but one looked banged up too. She certainly was lucky - it could have been Much worse at the speed she was driving!

So, I think I am very lucky to be home and almost safe in my bed tonight!  But, if anybody wants to do away with your spouse - just let them talk you into  having tractor driving lessons! :)

Love to all!

Another week gone bye-bye

Just where and how it goes so fast I will never understand.Maybe it is because when we are young and in our youth we spend our time  working uphill as we master school and marriages and children and jobs. Dreams come and go as we learn each new lesson. Some of us spend our life-times experimenting and jumping from experience to experience. Some of us happen to find the path we want to be on for the duration of this lifetime.

But then we reach a plateau and we rest for a spell  and decipher what all the experiences have been for. Some do - some don't .Some just take it for granted that it is all part of the "ride". But to others - then begins the descent  with lessons on the opposite side , just as important to us as well as to others that our life touches as we move along.

Today was one of the days that feels  kinda wasted to me. I was just so Bone tired that I could not seem to get  my act together.  My eyes wandered all around and saw a gazzilion  things that needed to be done. But- it seemed there were so many of them that I just could not figure how how to handle them.  So it  got delegated to the jobs that just were the most urgent. Like feeding the husband and doing animal chores and running the vacuum to try to keep up with the dirt and hair, plus DH's brother and grandson came hunting  and hunters always bring dirty boots when it is wet outdoors. .I did do some outdoor work and even evicted some bees from two of my birdhouses. Darn pesky varmits. Didn't they read that sign that said for Birds ONLY!


It really feels like I have not done anything to my spirit -but to my body it is still complaining about how tired it is. I guess a day without sewing seems like a waste to me. It has a way of rejuvenating you - it seems to set your spirit free . Dirt will always be here where human beings are -but each of us will not always be here so we need to make our happy  tracks as we move along.

The weather was certainly beautiful and I did enjoy that . I know that there are only so many days until Ole Man Winter comes blowing back in - so I am trying to be so thankful for each beautiful day that we have. I just wish the beautiful days could have a few more minutes in them. :)

So, I bid you good nite and love to you all as you follow your path along.

Kill Sister-in-law Day

Yep, that is what this day should have been. Yes we were glad to see them , yes they are so sweet to not mind our furbabies coming to visit in their house with their beautiful hardwood floors and yes, they took DH and me out to eat for DH's birthday. (Sometimes it pays to be attached to the "birthday Boy"!  -and yes -we had a lovely time - But!

I am still thinking about murdering my sister-in-law. I was so smart this morning before we left to go see them. I actually remembered everything for a change and this time I did take my broken camera -just in case??? I even remembered to put the memory card in it. So, I was ready for action.

After we arrived at their house and sat down and did all of the hellos and how are yous- They had a surprise that they wanted to take us to see before they took DH out for his birthday. Well, we did manage to get turned around several times on back roads in the mountains of West Virginia -but - we did see a lot of pretty country. My brother-in-law kept calling his brother-in-law for directions because the second brother-in-law had pushed snow on these roads and he knew where it was. Whatever It WAS??????

We was turning around on about the 3 wrong road when all of a sudden DH and His Sister both at the same time shouted -There it is ! There was is- all I can see is fog so thick you can barely see to the end of the cars nose. So, more quickly than Santa Clause we were turned around and headed into a curve that goes UP. All of a sudden - they holler STOP!

Right Smack in front if us it a monster Base that looks a lot like the base to a lighthouse ! Big it is and in the fog it is an awesome experience . But -then you heard this sound . I can't even think of a sound to perfectly describe it. Kinda a Whoosh-WHOOSH! My eyeballs attempt to follow the sound which appears to be ABOVE my head ! I Wish you could have seen what my eyeballs was peering at! It was the top of a Wind Turbine! The blades were Monstrous - somewhere between 50 and 100 feet long -there were 3 of them and as they turned sometimes you could get a magical glimpse of them and then it was like the movement of the blades would suck the fog back on them and they would disappear-but the movement was  sooooo smooth and graceful -like magic. I was AWE STRUCK! That was the  First thing that  MAN KIND had ever built that I was just plumb magically in Love with.

If you could just have seen it with me????? But that was not enough so they turned around again into another curve and this time we end up right smack in front of and beneath the second one. It was majestic as it stood there so tall that I thought my old neck would break off trying to see to the top of it where those magical blades were once again singing that wonderous song as they danced in and out of the fog-like magic.Sometimes sucking the fog in to envelope it and then sometimes peeking out -definitely calling my name. It was raining and when I would get out to peer at this magical beast  and my glasses needed windshield wipers. I think I could have stayed there all day . I wished it was dry weather so I could lay on the grass and watch this magical creature . I was lost in its charm and did not want to leave it.

That was when I knew I should KILL my sister-in-law who did not warn me to bring my camera -nor did she bring her camera! IF only -then I might have some kind of something to show you all of this magical creature that has so entranced me. I will never forget this magical experience and if I ever get to go back - I will get you some kind of picture or information.

I have definitely never had anything impact me with this  kind  of raw emotion.:) Thank you for letting me share this experience with you - I think this might be the only reason that my dear Sister-in-law still lives to see another day. :)

Happy Birthday DH!

This was DH's 64th birthday and I got him pretty good. I gave him the mug rug first and  he opened them and thought they were nice. Then I gave him the smaller package and he opened it and found candy. A kind of candy that he does not even like. He turned it every which way and some how the tape I had used to tape the hole back together had become invisible! Then he got the scissors and cut it open and that was when he saw the money and his face lite up. LOL He was one happy camper.

He took off and tilled our neighbor's garden and came back and we went to town and to the feed store . By then I was pooped! When we pulled back in the yard I spotted this  rose starting to bloom. It is my favorite because it has NO thorns!It is not filled out yet - it will get much prettier!

This is what they will look like when they cover the plant! :)

Snowball was having so much fun rolling while I was snapping pictures. Little did he know what was in store for him!

This is my favorite tulip of all of them - I love the fringed edges and I only have the one.

Another cute one that I stopped and said HI to. :)

I had to stop and smell the lilacs ! I had wanted them for years and a friend gave me two of them . I have waited almost 10 years to have it bloom and enjoy its sweet fragrence! What a treat! :)

See what I mean - Mr. Snowball ended up with a bath because we are going to DH's sister's tomorrow and she is good enough to let the furbabies come visit with her - so I want them to look nice. It was really time for their baths anyway - but a trip is always good inspiration.

Little Bear got her bath also -and she is more forgiving . :) Then Miss Dixie went and hid from me. She is getting to be too smart for her own good!After their baths I locked them in the house to dry while I unloaded the feed and then I went to cleaning the car up. I always Hate it when it gets so dirty. I wish I had a magic car fairy to help keep it clean.

Just as I was finishing it was dark and now it is time for a shower. I hate to take one so late because my hair will not dry-but as usual I have just 'ran out of time".I hope everyone has had a wonderful day.

Hump Day flew by

I have never met many Great-grand babies in my lifetime -but this little guy is one of mine. His name is Zane and I don't get to see him much in this fast paced world that goes so fast that I do not even know how to keep up with the days. But the family shared this picture of him with me and for that I am So Grateful.I just thought this was the sweetest picture-maybe he will take after his great grandmother and love flowers.I wish he could keep that quest for Wonder all of his life.

I slide the window in my "magic room" open for some fresh air and Miss Rosie decided that she wanted some fresh air also-so she pranced out the window onto the porch . I was trying to talk some sense into her -but she was having nothing to do with what -ever that was that wanted her to come back inside.

She even discovered the swing behind her and that made up her mind for her. So she spent about an hour getting some much needed R &R  with cool sunshine because the clouds were out. Matter of fact it inproved her mood also! LOL

I had my counseling sesson which lifted my spirits and we came home and I treated DH to some biscuits . Then he went outdoors to mow the yard and I have sneaked into the "Magic Room" to wrap those John Deere mug rugs for him and I had stashed little bits of money all over the house and I pulled them out to give to him. I did not want him to guess what it was right off the bat - so I pulled out a pack of candy the kids had given me -cut a slit in the small pack and slid the money in-taped it up and wrapped it . LOL -Now let's see him guess it right off the bat. When you have a "smart" DH - you have to learn to be slick! (I hope)

Now I need to go see if I have the ingredients for that chocolate cake he wants. Yea- I know it is not good for you -but it only happens once a year. :)

Hootie Owls Mug Rug

Another perfectly lovely day. Every thing is just getting more beautiful by the minute.All the beautiful colors - I always think each new year is more beautiful than the last.

DH took off after breakfast to till a neighbor's garden and then home and retilled ours.Then he planted onions in ours and white turnips and spinach. I don't know if you have ever had a white turnip before , but they are so sweet and delicious! YUMMY! One of my dearest friends got me hooked on them when he planted them one year and then I could not find the seed until the other day at the fruit-stand. I have high hopes !

I worked in my strawberry beds tugging and pulling those pesky weeds and took them to the guinea pigs. They love almost anything green. LOL I got too hot, so I came in and showered and slipping into my "magic" room and that is how my hootie owls came to be. :)

I tried a different experiment on these guys. I don't know if any of you remember when they used to sew the outline of a picture and then stuff it lightly? So, I outlined the critters in the picture to use that as the "quilting effect" and after it was finished I really like it. Gosh, these things are so cute that I will have to give them away of sell them and get rich ( HA, HA! I hear you laughing with me) As they are much to cute to leave around me - I would not want to get them dirty - put them up on the wall as works of art. LOL WeLLLLLL - beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!

John Deere and Doggies

Another Perfectly Beautiful day! Sunshine and lovely temperatures !This kind of day is a real treat. I actually got to listen to the news tonight and they told stories of tornadoes ALL around us. I was stunned that there had been so many and in so many different counties. Even in North Carolina -with that one they had 22 deaths -so we are so very blessed.

After I got chores done this morning DH and I had a "brunch" since it was way past breakfast and just a tad before lunch. I fixed him his favorite treat - biscuits and he had a tomato he had picked up from the fruit stand Saturday. He has his with salt and pepper and Even though I know it is not good for me - I add sugar on my tomatoes because that was the way Mama fixed them for me when I was little - And- this always makes me think of Mama.

Then he left to go till his brother's garden and his granddaughter's . While I had this nice moment I headed to the sewing room INSTEAD of chasing the dirt .

 Then I realized that I had forgotten about DH's mug rugs for his birthday and I had better hop right on them while he is gone because he is like a hound dog on a trail. So this was the completed project. Then I went back to working on the doggies and just then I Heard the sound of a little tractor coming up the driveway where he had unloaded it and drove it through the creek coming home. Talk about timing being everthing!!  I was Almost busted!

I thought I needed a break so I walked out on the porch for some fresh air and to enjoy the pond and the beautiful blooms on the apple tree. What a treat.

And then talk about "Timing" being everything - these big spots are the rain splattering all over the place. Looks like he made it home - Just in Time. I fed him egg and cheese sandwiches and then I ran and fed the guinea pigs and gathered the eggs and headed back to the sewing room.

This is the completed doggie mug rugs and I think they are cute -even if they do have boo-boo's because I cannot see BLACK! I tried hard but I just cannot see on black.

These little mug rugs are just fun to work on.
I hope everybody has enjoyed a beautiful day.

A favor?

Mickie from Irish Muses has just posted this request and thought anybody that could -send help.

Some Sad News and a Request

Lola, who was one of my stars for April, just wrote me and asked me a favor. Her grandson Zavier is having chemotherapy and radiation on a tumor that is on his spine. She told me that get well cards would lift his spirit, so of course, Joe and I will be sending him one tomorrow. If you know Lola, and you would like to send her grandson a card, here is the information:

Zavier Green

Room #6311

c/o Monroe Carrell Jr Children’s

Hospital at Vanderbilt

2200 Children’s Way

Nashville, TN 37232

Everyone knows quilters have big hearts. :) 

John Deere Day

Hello Dear Friends,
It certainly was a beautiful day-weather was sunny with a slight breeze. It would be perfect if I had not hurt my back  and was back to playing the "pain game". I finally took a pain pill so I could go out and do the chores. James showed up and helped DH cut a truck load of wood for this week. I really do not know how we would have managed if not for the kindness of James giving up his Sundays to cut wood for us.DH's back is hurt too so he put on one of those back supports and took a pain pill to be able to help get the wood in. I think it was James who ran the chainsaw. He is good and strong-but it still scares me -afraid he might be hurt.

Then I got lucky and our oldest son Cory came up with his truck and trailer and picked up DH and his little tractor and borrowed our neighbor's tiller that works with the tractor. Then they all went to Cory's house and tilled him a garden space and Jimmy our handicapped friend that lives beside him. Jimmy had his first garden last year and he was so happy and enjoyed it so much.

While they were gone I found myself in a tizzy, I could not decide how to best use my time? Finally I did all the dishes and the laundry and then visited the sewing room. :)  It is Really difficult to find scatter rugs that are washable. A friend have given me some hand towels  that he had used to bowl with. I had the bright idea  to match two up and sew them together with a  piece of fleece in the center  and test them out for small scatter rugs -before I would risk  buying  fabric to make some kind of rugs.  I was rather shocked to discover out of All the towels -no two were the same size!  It was funny because a friend had asked me the other day what would be the best size to make some towels??? After this experience - I don't guess there is any particular size !

So I moved on and pulled out my "trash can stash" and spied this piece of John Deere fabric that I had made the John Deere ornaments from. Since DH is madly in love with his little John Deere that he got last fall -and this week will be his birthday  - I am hoping that I can find a way to be sneaky and make him a couple of John Deere Mug Rugs .  But you would know that I no longer than got the pieces cut out and ready to sew together than the fellows pulled into the yard. :(  Needless to say I had to throw everything together and hide it in a drawer so he would not see them.)

While I was running around like a "chicken with its head off" I happened to see little Miss Mocha in my bed wwith her little head on the pillow and she even had a sheet over her for cover. I thought that was the cutest ! Of course the camera is mad at me and the light is terrible - but I am still tickled to capture the moment. :)

Next I grabbed a piece of doggie fabric and decided this will be my next project and hopefully it throwed DH off . He is thinking about taking the tractor tomorrow to his brother's to till his garden and if he does then I am work on the John Deere mug rugs. Hope - hope - hope! : ()

Well, my back is complaining so I better go round up evening chores and see if I can get to bed at a reasonable time.
Love to all!

A Wild Spring Rain

I have learned that it is VERY Hard to focus a camera on what you would like a picture of -when the sights have failed. I tried just pointing and hoping for the best -but that did not work so great. This is suppose to be a picture of the little creek that runs in front of our house . We drive through it every time we go onto the main road.

The reason it looks like this is because we had the wildest rain this morning . The wind was so furious that it was bending the trees to the ground. I told DH that I was mad at the wind because it was blowing the blossoms off of the apple trees and making it look like snow all over the ground! Plus , it was taking away those beautiful blossoms that I wanted pictures of when they were "Perfect". Looks like Mother Nature has plans opposite of mine!

DH's back is giving his a lot of pain from where he carried rolls of that black felt to put on my cousin's roof top that the tornado damaged. He knows better -but you know how it is when we just want to help someone and you are used to having the health to accomplish that.This getting older stuff is very challenging. I Hate to see him suffer so much.It scares me to death with the cancer hanging over our heads.

The rain was coming down in Sheets so thick that you could hardly see. I took it as long as I could and then when I caught it taking a breathe I ran for the critter building so I could do chores. Then in between breaths of torrential downpours - I would dart out and feed and water and then back to the building and feed and water some of them until it slacked again and then dash out for another critter. It worked pretty good that way and I hardly even got wet.

I checked on the wood stove and it was out of wood so I threw in a few small pieces and turned the fan on to see if it would go ahead and catch up.

After the rain slacked DH spotted this beautiful yellow bird in our apple tree, so grabbed the camera and told him to see if he could get a picture of it. I know it is hard to see, but you have to remember that the sights have gone out on that dumb camera - so I think this is a good picture of something that moves so fast you can hardly catch a glimpse of it. We have never had this beautiful creature come to visit us before and we were both thrilled.

As you can see for sure - Instead of a picture of my entire furbaby - we have a glimpse of her. I just cannot point and aim a camera without any sights.  Dag Nab It! :)

Spring flowers

What a perfectly beautiful Spring morning and Maria had asked me to show some of my tulips that are blooming. Now this is a challenge because when I opened the camera for my first picture I NOW had NO way to see what I was aiming at-gone - just plain gone-sooooo - I took aim and fired -hoping for the best.I should know by now that nothing can ever come easy for me. This Is one of my favorite tulips and I just love it. LOVE

I can see that I almost missed this one but its shape is so neat-it has such clear Sharp lines that it just draws your eyes to follow the shape.

This one makes me think it has a little face peeking out at me for being so nosey. LOL

It certainly is hard to just "AIM" at your target and hit where you aim???

This one is such a mixture ???

And this beauty may be last - but not least in any look. It is so beautiful. These flowers make me think of a lady that I only got to meet one time -but she has made a lasting effect on my memory. My girlfriend works in nursing homes and she had asked me to come up and meet one of the tennets. She was one of the perfectly Lovely people! I think she was in her 80's and her talent was making flowers!  But somehow she had developed this technique all on her own. She would take a real flower apart and use it petal to make her a design for -then cut each leaf out of organza -then put them together with the  flower parts you can get at craft stores.They looked SO real - you could not tell they were not real until you were right up on then and sometimes you even had to touch them to make for sure.

She offered me her patterns that she and her hubby had made together-but to me they were a treasure and I could not bear to take them from her. Then within a month she was gone from this world and my friend told me that her family came in and took anything of value and she saw them throw the "treasure " away in the dumpster. My heart was killed a second time now at how anyone could be so thoughtless- but the memory of this wonderful Artist will forever be carried in my heart. I wish I had met her a lot sooner and could have learned so much .

So this made my perfect morning and then the day took off like a race horse and then tonight Lynne took me with her to the Sewing Guild meeting and that was so nice too. Spending time with Lynne was so special and then seeing the pretties that others had made was a treat. We have so many talented "fiber artists " in our beautiful world and it is a treat to get to see what they have "birthed"!
Love to all!