Happy New Year !

So begins another year................ Rollie was looking out the window......don't you just wonder what they think about ?.......Is he wishing for warm sunny days.......or planning on hunting something in the back yard .......waiting for the dog next door to come out ?...... And it is just plain funny him sitting on the arm of the chair. 

 

Happy New Year !!!   What are your plans for the new year?.........each year I vow to make the year better, do more, get more organized......and a hundred other things. 

I will try to live each day to the fullest and enjoy my day no matter what I do.....or don't do.....I will be grateful for each day I wake up and have the opportunity to enjoy another day.

 

 

 

Brrrrrrrr the cold and snow !!  This morning....it was -24 degrees when I woke up...... now at 1pm it is warmed up to a balmy -17.  BUT the sun is shining and there is not much wind.  LOL......so.......could be worse.  Sounds like the east is going to get a snowstorm starting tonight. 

So.......there will be lots of new "firsts" for us this year.........my husband starting a new career......
(Be sure and let us know if you need to buy or sell a house !! )  I will continue to work at my job.....staying busy is not a problem there...... There is just not enough hours in the day to do what I want to do.  January 23 I will be having gall bladder surgery.....I think I am out of removable parts now.  That is not the way I wanted to start the new year.......but the Dr. thinks it is best that we take it out and eliminate any more problems.
Working in earnest in downsizing........... I think you spend the first 50 years of your life collecting stuff.....and the next 50 years getting rid of it.  It is very hard for me to let go of "stuff"......but I come by it naturally......my grandmother and my mothers were savers....."because you might need it someday"....well.....someday is here.....and I haven't used it yet !!  So.......Peter Walsh - wherever you are ..............HELP !!!!.......
Wish me luck !! I will keep you posted........
There now that I have publicly spoken about it....maybe I will have better success with this project.  LOL

I better get my hounds in before they freeze................
Please let me know how your January is going.

Stay Warm !

Almost Christmas

Isn't this a pretty sunset !! 

The pink sky was so pretty tonight that I had just to take a picture and share it with you.

 

 

I can't believe that it is almost Christmas.........and once again - I am not ready.  About September I start thinking about Christmas gifts.......and possibly making my gifts for friends and family......but.....in September it seems like I have plenty of time !  LOL.......
Well, that is my story again this year.  So........I am not going to fret about it........I am just going to spend the weekend sewing.........(yes, on Christmas gifts).....and put little  "I owe YOU notes" in the Christmas package.   My real enjoyment for Christmas is spending time with hubby and daughter and her family....... those darn grandkids have gotten too big for toys and games......so guess maybe a gas card will do.

I will share a little Christmas lights .....from our neighbors house behind us.  We didn't put up any lights this year....and I didn't do much decorating in the house, so I have to enjoy other's lights.

What are you all doing for Christmas ?........Traveling ?, Hosting ?, Baking ? Going to a party ?.........
I am hoping to watch the first 3 seasons of Downton Abbey.  I have not watched it, I feel like the only person who hasn't watched it........and besides now there is fabric lines out to go along with the show........LOL.........so I am going to have to save up for a new collection of fabric !

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !!!!
Stay warm !

Happy Thanksgiving

Just want to wish everyone  Happy Thanksgiving.......I hope you are all well, safe and happy.

Getting ready to cook dinner here at our house.  Just 3 of us together this year, but I know I will still cook too much food.

We have so many things to be thankful for.........let's reflect on that today.

Up in the middle of the night.........

Well, this is no fun........up in the middle of the night with  heart-burn.  Have not had this for a long, long time.  It is very quiet at this time of morning.......3:40 am.  The dogs wanted out.....they had to check for rabbits. 

Now can someone tell me WHERE November went ?
Next week is Thanksgiving already  .......and Christmas soon after........... time is going by way too fast. 
What are your plans for Thanksgiving......?  I am going to look for a turkey breast and that will finish my shopping for dinner.  
And then there is the matter of stores opening on Thanksgiving Day ???.......that is just NUTS. 
So much for waiting for Black Friday....another day that I refuse to shop.  People are just nuts.
There is no fun anymore in shopping for Christmas.....people are rude, and there is just too much commercialism about Christmas..... It seems that we have lost the true meaning of Christmas.  So sad.

I just want to share my favorite memory of Thanksgiving from my childhood....  We always had the whole family at our house for Thanksgiving Day.....Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles......we set the dining room table and always had these little name cards with a turkey on them that my Aunt Helen had written every one's name on.  Every year we set out those little name cards by the plates.  My mom and Grandmother Engvig cooked the dinner.....the relatives arrived......and we always had pumpkin and mincemeat pie.  We  had the same menu every year.  I carried on that tradition of the same menu for many years......but lately, as the people get less and less around my table...it just isn't the same.  So.....I remember those years gone by...and how Thanksgiving used to be.

I wish each and everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving....... !!!

October

October is here.........and we have had some cool days....... I call those "Soup Days"

Last Sunday I made some veggie- beef soup.....the kind my mother used to make.  Nothing fancy....no spices......just plain old soup.

 

 

Then I make "hard" dumplings and it is complete !

 

 

 

 

The last couple weeks they have been building THIS.....right across the railroad tracks from my house... (rather ugly I think).....it is HUGE !  We have named it the "Mother Ship".  Can't see a darn thing now ! 

 

 

Fall is here...........BUT since those "soup days"........yesterday and today are just PERFECT weather !!  This is my favorite weather......open the windows......the sun is warm the air is a bit cool............I would love to have this weather for another 6 months.

 

I should take a drive to Minnesota to see the pretty leaves......not much color around here.

 

 

 

 

That is a "HAPPY" dog...... they are spending lots of time outside in this lovely weather.....

Oh I wish we could have a few more days like this.......but the weather man is talking rain.

 

 

Now you see the whole dog........not very good pictures....I was standing on the deck.

They are outside already......I better see if I can get them in for breakfast.

Hope you all have a good day !!!

September 5th..........I hope summer is not over.

Hello ---------- I have been a bit absent, busy with life and work. 

This is my latest quilt.  The quilt is named "Tiger Lily"....and the designer made it and named it after HER cat named Tiger Lily...........so I just had to make it.  I love it !!  It was really fun to make and we have sold LOTS of patterns since we hung it up at the shop to show.  ( Now I will have to make a quilt and name it after each one of my cats...like the designer did)........Right now I am working on a Halloween quilt and a Christmas quilt.  I hope to show you those very soon.

 

August 24th - 28th I was in St. Louis, MO attending Babylock Tech.  This was the second time I have attended the training in St. Louis. 

The conference is right downtown across the street from The Arch.  What  a beautiful landmark.  Also out the hotel window we could see the baseball stadium   There were games  all 4 nights we were there.  It was fun to watch all the fans in their RED shirts heading to the stadium. We could see the stands and see NOTHING but red shirts.  It is fun to see the fans support their team.

We drove to St. Louis and of course, we could not drive all that way without stopping to "rest" at a few quilt shops along the way.  It is always fun to see other shops and their samples and see what they are doing.  And I got to stop at my favorite travel destination quilt shop......Country Threads in Garner Iowa.  I was just there in July, but it was fun to go back again.  Thanks Mary for the tour and visiting with us !!

 

Well, now I better get back to work.  Going to call the insurance company and have them come out ......our roof got some damage from the hail storm while I was gone.....also got a broken window and spots on the siding.......so.......I know it is going to be a process.....but isn't that what you have insurance for ????.......

I hope you all had a nice Labor Day weekend........hope you got to rest and relax.  We did spend a couple days at the lake.........I am hoping for nice weekends in September so I can get a few more lake days in.  Have to cut grass and do laundry this weekend. 

 

 

........end of July

Can't believe that July is just about gone......

.

Once again summer was too short. 
I hope to spend s few more days at the lake before it is time to close up again.
I hope you have had a good summer - vacation ? trips? visitors ?  I would love to hear from you and what you did this summer.
I was able to go on a little vacation....a girlfriend and I went on a little trip.....spent 2 days in Minneapolis area doing a little shopping and visited quilt shops.  Then we spent 2 days in the Clear Lake Iowa area.....attended the 30th Anniversary of Country Threads Quilt Shop in Garner, Iowa.
( I love my quilt shop, but......Country Threads is my favorite shop to visit.)  We had a great time there visiting with the owners and seeing all the animals.  And of course did a bit of shopping too !
Vacation ended too soon and now we are home and back to work.

Sent a quilt to the quilter the other day.....and I am working on a Halloween quilt and hoping to get that quilted very soon...... more pictures to come.

Hope everyone is well and happy............
I better get busy - lots on my list today.