Have You Ever Tried to Photograph the Wind?

Well, I had not either! This was on the way up to lock up my chickens . The wind was whipping so bad that it litterly blew me up the hill -that was the good part. I snapped this lovely picture but I cannot see the trees bending like they were . It was litterly taking my breath away & the power of the wind as it swooped down through the hollows  & then rattled the trees was something to appreciate.

One nice thing that was shown was that the days are getting a wee bit longer each day -so I know my New Zealand & Aussie friends are getting a wee bit shorter each day too. It is a little bit amazing to discover this different way of looking at things - the fact that what affects me - also affects others in a totally different way?

I have been So Busy just doing Stuff -you know how that "life" stuff is & how it just gets in your way?
I do know that a few of the kids are coming tomorrow to cut firewood for DH & I. I have to remember to put on a big crockpot of beans for them. Then I will make cornbread to go with the beans. I have to put on a loaf of whole wheat bread in the bread machine because our oldest son enjoys that. I am procrastinating because lately one time I will put all the ingredients & the next morning the bread is perfect - then the next time I do it it turns into a fat pancake & I have no idea what is causing the difference???????????????

O, One of my dear Aussie friends shared a link with me this morning -so if any of you crochet or knit - they have some nice patterns to drool over - some free.
http://www.garnstudio.com/index_lang.php

Sometimes I wish I could just take my "brain chip " out & upgrade it to a sharper version. The first thing this morning I checked on E-bay about an embroidery machine I was hoping for & I watched it till lunch with high hopes & then watched it fly out of my budget. I am trying not to be disappointed because there is one more I am watching ??

I did more research on the Bernina Deco 340 machines & they are basically the same machine as the Janome 350 except that the Janome seems to sell higher everywhere I looked. It is hard for me to really understand  how people can afford these machines and then they go up into Thousands of dollar?????

But I was in "stealth" mode also hoping to keep on eye on DH's trips in and out of the sewing room . I was trying to pull a "sneaky"! I had managed to smuggle in some bright red flannel (red is his favorite color)  with firetrucks all over it (he Loves firetrucks). I worked hard all after noon being sneaky .

I was getting to the end of the project when I could not remember if I had put a tie cord in that last pair of camo colors I had made him for Christmas & I spotted them in the dirty clothes so I pulled them out & my heart just sank(again?) I had plum let it slip my mind that he was the one that wanted a fly in his lounge pants & these did not have that ???????????????????????  O DARN!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of my "sneakiness" & it was I that it was pulled on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dag nab it!

I did finally manage to get those dirty floors tackled where the furbabies had tracked in like a bunch of kids! That made me happy.

O guess the best laid plains often go astray. LOL  The wind is about to blow us away again & we are under a high wind warning . I hope you are hanging onto your hat if you do too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Computer chair covers

Today is one of those days that you think your house is going to "blow-away"!  Sometimes I like to think that Mother Earth is just "sweeping" her porch and it can also be a real "clutter-control". LOL Plus, after having all this snow come to visit & then make such a mess - the temperature is back to just long sleeve weather. I think that Mother Nature is almost as confused as I am at times????

I am kinda trying to come out of that depressions I was sinking into over that embroidery machine disaster. I am watching a couple of machines & also learning more about them & while I am "instigating" a plan - I started to look around to see what I could sew -without embroidery. I decided to practice on a set of simple covers for the two chairs that DH & I use in the kitchen. Those two chairs have a way of getting dirtier than any chair in the house.Part of it is that they are the first thing you bump into when you come in the back door, so they catch anything you are carrying or letting you take your coats off??? Then between the cats & the pups they love to doze there also & that's not forgetting that when DH comes in from the stove he likes to plop down & challenge that card game - Spider Solitary. So they are probably in use 90% of the time.

 It was a funny experience because with these bright colors of those polyesters that I had been given -all of a sudden I did not want to get them all filthy - so I considered making a cover for a cover.!   ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe not - maybe I will wait till I get that new embroidery machine & then make a Spiffy pair! LOL
But, at least I am over the "depression - hump"! YEAH!!!!!!!!!

I will share with you a funny - how to overcome -experience that I had last night.
I spent the afternoon watching tv with DH , but I was thinking how I had wasted 3 whole days. There was dirt on the floor where the furbabies had been in and out- and in and out - in all that MUD-just like kids. I really wanted to embroider something and came to realize how much that I relied on my sewing/embroidery as therapy!
When it came time to go to bed I was really tired but I just could not go to sleep. There was none of that "satisfied "feeling that you get from doing something you think is creative. I tossed and turned over and over again. Finally I thought I could turn the light on and read? When I turned the light on it almost knocked my eyeballs out -it seemed so bright. I did read for about half an hour & tried it again. Still more tossing & turning. :?????

So, I took all of the pillows & piled them up near the window -opened the window to where I could now see all of those beautiful Stars up there in the night sky. I watched them wink & blink at me. I wished my eyes were not giving me trouble so that I could see them better. I pulled a blanket up around me & had a peace settle in as I breathed in the night air. The next thing I knew it was 4 AM in the morning & I was shivering from the window being open. LOL

I closed the window & settled down appreciating a warm bed and some good sleep. It must have helped jar me out of that gutter because this morning things look different. I even woke up earlier than usual & got all of my morning chores accomplished & that always feels so much better. This afternoon I get to see my counselor/friend who always has a way of letting you see things in a totally different way.Thank goodness for these people who carry a magic within themselves to help others.
love to all & may you have a blessed day!

Snow is leaving

As you can see the snow is leaving quickly. There is a stiff wind blowing over that white stiff giving you a very chilly breeze. That is our little donkey , Yukon up at the top of the hill on the left & one the right , that white blob is one of the sheep.

It makes it hard to get around outdoors because it is pure mud.Uck! I have been on the computer all day long researching embroidery machines? If I had a pocket-full of money ??? But, you know how that is. LOL
 I am also learning that without an embroidery machine to "spiff" up individual gifts that it wants to depress me?Amazing how a machine can have that effect on you.

Love to all
Linda

Sunday nite & Monday morning snow

Well, at least Some of us enjoyed the snow-those white dots are where the snow kept blowing on my camera lens , as it was coming down like rain.

After I got to the little hen-house I discovered that there was "Trouble in Paradise"! The hens were all scooting away from the center -where the Miss Guinea - had come to get out of the snow. She is so mean  to all of the hens that nobody wants anything to do with her. She will grab them by their wings & just fling them around like an old rag doll. I tried getting her out, but without any success . She was determined to stay in our of the snow & SO SHE DID!  LOL

Honeybear was having problems plowing through the snow because she is so short. But, that did not matter to her as she was having so much fun.  She let me & the other furbabies make a path for her.

I had to laugh at some of the "spare" roosters that run free & roost in the trees. They just did not think much of this white stuff.

This guy was the first to make it to his tree & he said he was going to stay there for a while too.

It looks like magic right now . If I ever get my wish I would wish for a "sunroom" - only I could call it the "snow room" where I could sit & watch the snow. I say that I don't like snow ,but that is because I Hate to get out in it. I don't like to get cold & wet & even fall down & get hurt-or people who have to drive in it for jobs. But I do love to just watch those little snowflakes come tumbling down from the heavens. Isn't it amazing that each one is totally different? That is hard to wrap my mind around.

There were two embroidery machines on Ebay that I have been watching & I let the first one go last night. Probably because of all the problems I have had with this Brother PE-700II. . Now that I know it cannot be fixed I find myself in a quandary .  I thought ok, I will let this one go & see how I feel about it?? Well, it did not take very long for me to discover a very interesting fact.

Without the embroidery work to make it article specific to what ever person I am making things for - - - - - I just did not want to sew? With no way to tell someone that I love them & that is is because of something I know about you & respect you for - ??????  I am not saying this for ANYBODY else- just my feelings.

I know of MANY of my friends who have just given their machines away or sold them -it was just too much trouble to them & I would be the first one to tell everybody that thinks about embroidery - it can be a nightmare. Each type of fabric seems to offer up its own unique set of challenges & you throw in all of the different tidbits of how you manage to pull a project off including threads , stabilizers, tension settings , bobbin problems & even if you think you have a machine that hates you-these things can all have an effect on your work.

I cannot speak for all of the machines as I have only had Two. This brother PE-700II which has broken my heart & the little Bernina Deco 650 which only does a 4 x 4 project  & you have to us a Magic Box to get your designs into the machine . But, it is an excellent little machine.

I wanted the Brother PE-700II because of the ease of transferring designs from the Internet straight into the machine -plus, I wanted the larger design. Well, I got both of those wonderful features- But - they do me no good with a machine that cannot be fixed.

Well, that is just my thoughts for the day - maybe as the snow melts outside -the perfect answer will present itself to me .

So, enjoy your weather no matter where you are !
Love to all
Linda

Surprise

I had been out this morning & completed all of my chores. But from the time that I went in the back door & DH told  me to look out the front door - This was what was happening.

We both feel so wore out today. DH had been up a lot during the night & lost sleep so I think that is why he is felling rough. Me? I think I am getting my days & nights mixed up & yes, it is my own fault. But like last night when I went up to "feed" the stove & was coming back to the house - it was just so beautiful- the stars & the moon  & the quiet enveloping me in a cloak of darkness. There are times I feel so sorry for people who live in the big cities with all of the commotion -they never get to experience the gift of quiet.

This was another "gift" that I received today - the gift of the sound that Snow makes as it crashes to the earth. Of course it is a different sound if it lands on a roof-top & also different roof-tops have different sounds also. When you are right out there in the midst of it - it has another quiet- busy sound.

I came in & went to the sewing room - but golly jeepers I was so tired that I caught myself snoozing at the keyboard & would come to my senses before I would topple out of my chair. LOL I was trying to do some research on embroidery machines. There are two on E-bay I would like to have & I know they would be good machines - not like this Brother PE-700II that is a lost cause. I Really do not want to give up my embroidery work that I love so much?

These two are both Bernina's & each have their pro's & con's ???  I also checked out some Janome's  . After moving on up from the 4 x 4 to the 5 x 7 -I really do not want to go back. That size is good for getting into pillowcases .

One thing I have noticed this morning is that the market is swamped with Brother PE-700II's . I hope that does not mean that there are a LOT of people who will be so disappointed -like I am.I understand that "machines will be machines" -but after pouring money & time & effort into getting this machine fixed & and it is still unusable just breaks my heart. And, the fact that the company really just does not care -what does that say ????  Maybe that we each buy a "pig in a poke" -so buyer beware.

OK, enough whining , time to do something constructive.Time to go feed DH , so I give you one last look at our crazy weather?

She's At It Again

See- I made the mistake of laying this green polyester on the cutting table & that is all it takes. It has to be one hundred percent approved by Miss Rosie!

This was the fabric that my Sister-in-law & her DH gave me that came from both of their Mothers , who have passed. I kept wondering what to do with them & today it hit me that I would make the computer chairs a cover from the polyester because it is so tough & it takes a beating & keeps on keeping on --plus, it is so easy to wash!

It did me No Good to rearrange it & try to even it up so I could make straight cuts- Miss Rosie was still testing it out. She is so full of herself.
It was So warm & nice here today - and now they are calling for either rain or snow tomorrow- we will just have to wait & see which it turns into? My daffodils & tulips are sure wishing for rain! I have Never seen my tulips this early in the year before - it is usually around Easter time-so I don't know whether I should be thrilled -OR- scared stiff I might lose them?????????????????????????

Our company did come today & had a nice visit. Kat brought me their sheet that had ripped while they were in bed so I hopefully sewed it up, but it was that material that wants to keep on raveling . I used a very dense zigzag stitch & I hope I caught it all.

I gave them both their birthday presents (His was in Nov. &hers was in Feb. ) so I was a little late. He liked his John Deere lounge pants - yes , I added pockets  & hers was a pair of shorts that I had drafted a pattern for. I wanted to see how I had done & they seemed to pass inspection.Now, I just need to REMEMBER to pick the more stretchy knits for the job.I have another piece of knit I wanted to test because it has the spandex in it & I am hoping that might keep it from "wrinkling " so  much when she sits down?? I would bet you IF I am not careful & pick a nice ,comfortable cotton with very little stretch that it would not work.

See, I am still LEARNING so much& I hope my Brain appreciates my effort. :-)

Oooops - time to go check that woodstove !
Hope you have had a wonderful day!
Love to all!
Linda