Christmas 2008

Well, I'm back..

I've been very very busy and not much time for computing.

Had a fantastic Christmas with all my family here. I am so blessed. But now they are all home safely and I am sitting with Alli and eatting leftover and looking at a great new snowman in my front yard. We did spent an afternoon at Frankenmuth Bronners and a day at a great museum in Ann Arbor.

I had alot of fun sewing Christmas gifts. Sewed a great niece a wool batted quilt and duvet cover (retro colors), sewed three nieces table runner and new bathroom curtains for me. Also tied a rag quilt for my youngest daughter, boy was she surprised.

We bought alot less gifts this year and made many many donations to those in need and very wonderful charities thru the church. We are so blessed and really need nothing. With Christ as our Savior we need nothing else.

Hope you all had a very blessed Christmas.

Bye for now, to be continued more soon.

What a Wednesday

Well Tuesday at the Quiling Group went very well. Dorothy was so happy with her greatgrand sons quilt and we worked on quite a few twin size quilts for World Relief, going out the middle of October. I brought some boxes of fabric home to work on more in my spare time. Silly Me.

Well I wanted to begin putting out fall decorations today. Mom asked if I was going to wash my windows before I started, Well no, but I guess I am now............... So I had to remove those grill/grate window dividers first and then remembered that I wanted to paint the side towards the outside so from outside looking in it would be white and match the outside frame. So I painted seven grates and washed seven windows only to have mom tell me that I had streaks on the windows. Okay so I redid the glass then assembled the windows and will probable take on the last six windows tomorrow, after I sweep and dust and do laundry. Maybe the decorations will get up maybe not..........

Mom woke up with a stuffy nose this morning, I asked if it could have been the ice cream with chocolate and chocolate cake she has eaten some of, the last five out of six days? Only because she has an allergy to chocolate and ice cream like I do. Well maybe.....

I'm tired, this decorating is really a job. Wish me luck for tomorrow.........

Moms Visit Begins

My Mom is visiting for three weeks. I enjoy her being here. She has her routines everyday, plus she reads alot and then during lunch or supper she remaminses alot about her growing up or things that Dad and her have done.

She loves the sunsets and will try to keep one eye on the nightly news and the other on how the colors are changing in the sunset.

She is low on books to read and I said we could go to the library and get her some, but a free do-you-want-to-buy-more offer book came in the mail so she has that and the biweekly paper ready as soon as she wakes up from her nap. Bet she will have the book read by tomorrow!!!

I will try to not change her routine too much, like having something different for lunch, like last vacation.... She always wanted a PB&J for lunch and 1/2 an apple. Well I made her home made soups and when she want back to Pats she shyly stated that "Ann made me soup for lunch and it was soooooo niceeeeeeeeeeeee." Well---- Pat got on the phone and teasingly ask what I had been up tooo. Ha Oh well. Change is good, right?

I did get to the beach with Denise a few weeks ago and must have not put the sunscreen on too well as I have a streaked white and beet red body to show for my haphazard attempt. Opps. Better luck next time. But we had a fantastic day and I love the sea gulls and the smell and the sounds of the beach. The sand was wonderful. We didn't swin we just enjoyed the beach. Hope to go more next year.

Grant is back to work and heads to the lower today to teach a trapping class for the DNR for a week. Both of the girls have started their teaching and its going great. Sarah seems so much more happy with her choice to teach at her old high school.

I'm dog sitting so Sarah and Jay could head to a Michigan State football game today. Grandma is going to pet the hair off of that dog before they come to get him tonight.

I got Dorothy,from our churchs quilting group, her baby quilt ready to tie, that she wanted to make for her new great grandson. Now I have to get the scraps out tonight and get a twin size top made we can tie on Tuesday for our World Relief shipment. And we all know I have more then enought to make a few quilt tops. Its so hard to decide what to keep and what to use. I am so selfish.. I will try to do better.

Well off to get gas for the mower, yes that grass has been growing instead of drying up like it is suppose to in August and September. Plus I need a cola.

Enjoy the beautiful Saturday Sunshine.

Love ya all.

Whats Going On

Well, I can tell fall is around the corner when I need to throw the quilt over me in the morning. I was ejected from my sleep by one of those annoying back up beepers backing into my driveway at SEVEN A.M. I was sleeping so well too.
They are working on my road after many many years of promised to get to it. The pavement stops just beyond my yard, and for 1/16 of a mile to the next intersection it is a dirt rode. Well they have been working all this week widening and grading and backing up. It looks great other then it still has a hill that everyone will have to be careful on with on-coming-traffic not being seen.

I mowed yesterday, should have done it sooner, it was very long. But I was making a quilt for World Relief for church. I, as other quilters do, have a nice stash but also have a large amount of scrap fabric that I will never put into a quilt but don't want to get rid of. So I finished yesterday a twin size scrap, and I mean Scrap, quilt and now only have to back and tie it.

I left a message with Project Linus Lisa to come and get the quilts I have here from church and some from the Watrousvill Methodist Ladies. The flowers need weeding also but my knees and back can only take so much in one day.

Denise and Sarah are busy getting ready for school to start and Grant is still on the mends from his shoulder surgery.

Tomorrow if weather permits, Denise and I will go to the beach, Yes the beach, I have wanted to go at least once this summer but never put it on my to do list. Hope the weather is nice for the outing.

The back up beeping has stopped, whats up,,,,,,Maybe I catch two more minutes of shut eye???????

Cool Sunday

Yesterday was a sour day, as my Grandma Soderstrom would say, glumie and rainy. So after church I stopped at Sarah and Jays, they were heading to town, so I poured coffee for the road into a borrowed camo travel mug and headed out for Dee and Steves. The rain postponed wheat harvesting so I had four plans for them to choose from.

#1 Sit and veg for the afternoon.

#2 Go into Midland and find a Joanne Fabric to pick up a chalk marking pencil so
I can mark Pats quilt top.

#3 Take Denise and so see the movie Mamma Cita

#4 Take Denise and go up to Pats again to have a longer visit with her and family.

With Steve working I took #1 daughter and headed to Pats. It rained alot going up but we had a memoriable and fantastic visit. Henry and Melissa even had a work project planned so we had the cameras all out and recorded the mixing of cement and the historical placing of four of Pat and Georges grandchildrens hands into a 3' X 2' plot of cement.

The kids weren't too sure about this project, especially when the hands-on part happened. You would think that with kids enjoying play dough and mud it would be no different, but the faces and uggs were a sign that it would not be their choice to do again. Little Alex only month old squished his hand prints like a hand full of green peas, even momma Melissa couldn't clean the prints up, so the muddy mix was resmoothed with a pencil for a trowl and Alex then marked his spot with feet prints for his piece of the history

Grandma Elna refused to add her marks stating her and Grandpa had mixed manya bags of cement for projects but never remembers marking it with hand or feet, but with a carfully held umbrella over her by Olivia, she still enjoyed the fun project mixed with a watchful eye that no one got too close to muddle up the mix.

We had a fun day visiting and documenting the historical event and enjoying our family, but with cookies in hand we retraced our path home around the sperts of downfall with more memories to put into our album of blessings God has given us.
again and with a full heart of love from family.

Well it is now into Monday and I have been truly lazy. But with plans for the day and now growling from the stomach I will now end this rambling memo and get to work.

Pats wall quilt #1

I am so pleased. I worked hard the first part of this week and finished the top for Pats first wall quilt. 40" square. (This is quilt #1 as I plan on making a total of 4 as this takes place of the king size one I didn't make for her.) I took it to her home on Thursday, Deb and Melissa and their families were there and she had a Stamping Up party. Pat makes just gorgeous cards for everyone in the family. She makes over 350 cards a year, even all of her Christmas cards.

I don't think I would have the patience to do cards, so I will stick to quilts. I am in the planning stage of what pattern to use for the quilting now. The pattern in the magazine is quite detailed and I reduced the pattern by 1/3 to meet the size she is looking for. So I may just use parts of the quilting pattern and not all of them as the pieces are just too small to quilt all that in. The center will be the hardest to do as it has the 8 diamonds meeting in the middle, which means alot of seams to go thru. I will succeed......................

So this next week I will mark and baste and start to quilt it. Quilting day at church on Tuesday and that is also Denises birthday ( a non quilting day I think )I have to have Sarah help me put a picture of the quilt top on here so I can share it.

Planning to go to Grant and Sues in August with Mom and Pat. So I would like to have it finished by then and take it up so Sue and Sherill can see it.

Very humid here today. I did go out and mow part of the lawn, then Sarah showed up and finished it. She took me to the new gym up town yesterday, the mowing today was my work out. So we will go again come Monday.

Well off to press and mark the quilt top.

Love you all.

Summer Update as of July 13th.

Hi all,

What a fantactic summer. I just got back from a great week at Grant and Sues. Had a fun time with Rachel and Katie. Grandma did get on the trampoline - once..... Sue's mom was hospitalized so Sarah and I brought the girls down to the lower U.P. so she could go see her. Grant was in Lansing for a week of teaching driving classes. We had lots of fun here also.

Went on the 4th. and enjoyed family in Bay City to see the Saturday fireworks. The best ever I have seen.

Sarah and Jay had a fun combo party this past Friday. Lea Sophia (jewelry) and taste Jays new hobby (making home brew). A great time and over 20 people there.
A great get together enjoyed by all and I did some shopping too. Couldn't have asked for more.

Going to sister Pats this week to visit as her daughter and family will be there visiting from Minnesota. Don't know when I have seen them last, over a year I think.

Working on Pats wall quilt, it is coming along great. Learning more each time I work on it.

Grace's quilting group next week, I have missed one with vacation and one cancelled due to VBS, So we have to get back on track and get busy, I sure enjoy getting together with the ladies.

Aunt Helene not doing well in the nursing home. She is 93 and I am blessed to have her as my aunt. Keeping her and her family in my prayers.

Well off to read and wind down. Love you all.

A Beautiful Saturday

What a beautiful day, the temperature is in the mid to high 70"s and sunshine all around. God had truly blessed us beyond our needs. His love and grace is never ending.

A cup of coffee and the last two chapters of a book The Florabama Ladies Auxiliary & Sewing Circle. A lazy morning,then defrag the computer, do a load of laundry and catch up on e-mails.Not much in the refig so I better be creative with the freezer.

I do hate getting forwards. It is so much more enjoyable to get a real e-mail from family and friends, just like an unexpected letter in the mail. We don't connect as we should. Just like we don't share our faith like we should. Lazy aren't we.

Can't find one of my quilt pattern books that goes along with the ElmCreek Quilt book series. I probable lent it out, and forgot to whom. It's curious how we get attached to books even if we haven't read them, but plan to. Just like the two year olds with a toy they don't want anyone else to play with.

Sarah has a great first garden. Her and Denise are both finished with school for the summer. They both need a good long rest, but what do they do, they plan a three day get-away with me to Mackinaw Island area. A late "Congratulations, you are retired" gift. Wow, I am so blessed, and looking forward to spending time with them.

Then off to the U.P. with Sarah, I get to visit Grant, Sue and the granddaughters and Sarah gets to go to a college class in Land of Lakes WI. Going to take Ali with me on that trip.

Off to enjoy this day. Love you all and write more forward less.

I've been busy................

Wow. I didn't think I had been away so long. It has been a busy spring.

Mom was here in April, we had a fun time looking thru old pictures and reading old newspaper articles she had saved. We sorted and piled and tried to identify everyone and record it on the backs. We didn't get thru them all but we did a lot of them.

Sue, gave me a computer program to work on family history, so while mom was here I asked and recorded a lot of names and family tree lines to put on the program. And cousin Clif has emailed a lot of family history he already has recorded. I spent more then one evening until the wee wee hours putting it onto the program. It is so interesting.

The two quilts for church were delivered to our members and greatly enjoyed. We have met since then and have made three small quilts and working on more for Project Linus. We hope to make a large surprise quilt for Pastor and his wife for Christmas, working the kinks out on that one yet.

Sarah and Jay came over on the Saturday before Mothers Day and had a work day for me plus a great new camera and stuff to put pictures on the computer with. Wow........
We accomplished a lot on my spring to do list. I am so thankful for loving kids.

Mothers Day met Marge, Bob, Denise and Steve at Zenders for chicken dinner for a celebration. We all ate too much. But it was great. Denise and Steve brought me a beautiful purple hanging plant for the porch and will be coming over in a while for another work day here. Wow what a gift.

These rainy and gloomy days I have been reading so the to do list has waited.

I want to phone Cindy, Margaret, Cathy and Beth, Deloris, Felicia and reconnect as I havent seen any of them in a while.

Oh the mailcarrier is here, what do I have coming now? Books, I'm bad....

What a Wonderful Day

Yea,,,,,,,,,,,The sticks and stones are NOT in my front and side yards anymore. I do need motrin though. It's Saturday and I have grocery shopping to do to get supplies for my monster cookies (coffee hour at church tomorrow) and I will finish the binding on the second twin quilt for church.

Other then that some laundry and cleaning, Mom is coming on Monday and guests for supper, but thats another day. So I will enjoy this beautiful day the Lord has give me and thank Him and enjoy.

Project Linus and to-do list

Goodmorning,

Tooth is on the mends and I'm up early so I may just go out side and suck rocks.Yes you heard me right, my kids will cringe but it works. After raking stones from the yard for years, Marge has me sucking rocks, with the shop vac. Don't laugh, it works. Who wants to rake so much you have to break every two minutes and you never see the end of it. Well this year has produced a record amount of rocks in the yard from this winters snow plowing, some areas had stones two or more inches deep and the size of Shirley. Dave K does a fantastic job keeping me plowed out but it does have its drawbacks.

So I went out yesterday and worked for two hours and have about 1/4 of it done. Only three cars went by, who cares, are they going to help me, NO............. So I will go out again this morning and see how many more stares I can chaulk up. Wish me luck.

Oh, Project Linus, I emailed a gal in the area and received many answers back. I think I will make this my next giving project, as most projects are just for me I decided to title it a giving project. And we all know I have a big supply of fabric to use from, so I will make quilts for Project Linus and give.

I spoke to my beautiful daughter Denise last night and she said to think what I would like to do for my birthday, so I'm thinking, it is coming up soon.

Off for coffee and a glance at the to-do list before I hit the yard sweeper, Send me your comments on the rock sucking, I bet you have some.But if your not going to help, think about it,,,it just works and I'm a redneck grandma.......

Two quilts near finished

Wow,

We had a busy day. Four of us from church met, new were Carolyn and Marilyn, Sandy had a truck run and couldn't be there. The tops were ready and off we went. We tied both tops using embroider floss. I sewed on the binding and we have most of the hand sewing on one of them done. I brought them home to finish and we will have them at church this Sunday.

We had a fun day and talked some about making more, no date set yet.

Monday the dentist worked on the tooth. I still go this Thursday to a specialist in BC to have some more work done on it.

Tomorrow is suppose to be a beautiful day so I'm going outside to get some more flower beds cleaned out. Hope to make a big dent on that list.

Friday blahs

Okay I have lots to do on my to-do-list, but I have a reoccuring tooth ache.......
Both the regular dentist and specialist dentist either are not in today or don't work on Friday. So I'm on motrin and made a call to the dr to see if she can help til I see dentist on Monday. Oh what a bother..............

Today so far has consisted of shower, motrin, dress, breakfast, tv and phone calls. Hope to work on Pat's wall quilt when the motrin kicks in. This may be a very interesting weekend.

Wish me luck, I may have to take a nap, Don't call Marge...........

Quilts-Common Threads

I had a great day yesterday. Joanne,Sandy and I met for the first time to work on the new project. We worked hard from nine to three with just a lunch and a few cookie breaks.

I had Shirley so packed with ironing board, sewing machine and everything else we may have to use. Sandy came prepared also. For those who don't know, Shirley is my Envoy.

We had a great assembly line going. We cut,pressed,printed on,sewed and admired. They are turning out fantastic. All the word blocks are done, didn't need a light box. All blocks sewn and pressed. Sandy took home the seven rows to stitch together so one twin quilt is ready to tie, and I brought home the rest to get the rows finished then complete it like hers.

We will meet again next Tuesday to tie and bind them. With some preplanning and willing workers we will have the two twin size quilts finished in just two days for our friends.

We are thinking what we can call ourselves, common threads was one of the names. More to come on that later.

New additional Quilt Project

I listened a few weeks ago to the ABC New, Charlie Gibson. Their Person of the Week was this church group out west that began making lap quilts for fellow church members to have/use while they take chemo, as it makes you very cold.

What a great idea, Yes I got the bug. They made their quilts so every other block or so had a plain center and they printed a Bible verse on the center of it for encouragement. My wheels are just turning and I start to plan.

Well I spoke to Joanne after church and told her about this news program, would she like to help me make two for a couple gals from church who are going thru chemo.She said " I have goose bumps " A God moment if you will. " I had a feeling someone was going to ask me to help with a sewing project." Well Joanne here I am....

Sure she would help. So I'm figuring and some of the Bible verses can be pretty long, so I'm leafing thru the hymnal and at the back of our new Lutheran hymnal they are listed alphabetically by the first few words of the hymns. Well if you read Rock of Ages you can start to hum it. If you read Amazing Grace you start to hum it. So maybe going this direction I would use less words and it would still be meaningful and encouraging.

These words have to be printed onto the fabric using a fabric pen. Well I stopped at Walmart and bought a few pens, came home an got on the computer and printed up 50 hymn lines, only need 21 per quilt, but you know me.

I figured the sizes, and tomorrow we meet at church for the day with lunches and supplies and begin. I have more then enought fabric to make 2 and maybe enough for 30 except for the backs. We will make 42 squares each 12 1/2" in size. Half the blocks will be pieced fabric the other 21 squares will have a plain section in the middle to print the hymn onto. We will cut,press,print and sew tomorrow. Hope to get both of them as far as tying and binding for another day. Joanne has called a few more ladies to help.

When they are finished, we will put them out in the church fellowship hall during coffee hour and anyone can us the same fabric pens and sign their name or a line of encouragement on the back. A gal I emailed about some questions on the original quilts suggested that we tie them instead of machine quilting as the quilting goes right over the writting and takes away from it. And that with each tie you say a prayer for the person receiving the quilt. What a great idea.

Wish us luck. Another project but it is well worth it.

TOUCH ON THE SHOULDER MOMENT

For a long time I've wanted to write about memories. To me they are a gift God has blessed us with, like breath and love. We don't cherish them, as we should, either in our mind or with pen. When you talk with your loved ones they recall what they did when they were young, where they were or who they were with. Their fond memories are often not centered around a holiday, vacation or how much money they had, these precious memories are about life. It was a piece of life that was marked just for them. Maybe a "touch on the shoulder from God moment", that is very special to hold on to and share.

Last year in December I went to the local mall and approached random strangers, a big step out of my invisible box of security, as cousin Marge would say. Marge can label these thing when I don't give them that much thought. I asked these strangers if they would share with me a memory, a memory they had from their past, when they were young or old, of Christmas. I was looking for a memory that would bring a smile to their face just recalling the thought. I was hoping to give them a new memory by sharing and stepping out of their box with that touch on the shoulder moment from God.

When you go to the mall you see people shopping with family and friends. They are talking an laughing and having fun. Then you see the separate ones, sitting and waiting for their day-out-to-the-mall partner to get back from their extended shopping. That is who I wanted to talk with, the one who had dropped the smile from their face and just set there like a lump so to speak, waiting for a special memory to mark the day.

First, you could tell that they were caught off guard and scared, who is this NO ONE in my personal space and talking to me? People just don't do that. After the scary look left their face, I could either see an immediate smile or what am I going to say to this quack to make her go away look. To my amazement, most of the strangers were eager to share.

Tricia--Memories of my most precious Christmas was the year we knew that mom and dad were going to divorce in the next year and my sister was heading off to college in California. We would not be together like this as one unbroken family every again. We marked it by having a candle light supper and enjoyed our closeness as a family one last time.


Larry--Dad worked on a cattle farm. We didn't have much money, so any gifts we would get would be hand made, and you didn't expect anything else. We never made a list from a catalog or went on and on what we wanted Santa to bring. It was just the fact we were poor and you couldn't ask for a list of things. We always went to church to the candle lite late Christmas Eve service. Mom would make turkey and dressing and fruit salad on Christmas Day.

Darlene--I was the youngest of 8. We played in the snow alot.......
My husband was ill for 4-5 years before he died. After he passed my three children and I decided to start some new traditions. We began a Christmas progessive dinner. We have done this for four years now. We are unable to get together this year but I hold dear the memories of the past four years together.

Joy--We always went to grandmas house for Christmas. we had to be still and listen for the jingle bells, letting us know Santa was coming. When I was 9 or 10 I noticed that Santa's hands had freckles on them just like Uncle Paul. I was told by my mom to be still and not ruin it for the little ones. We went to the Christmas Eve church program and were given fruit and candy bags tied up with ribbon after the program. Grandma made chicken soup with homemade noodles, chicken stuffing with fruit in it and butterball cookies.


Mary-We always had a real tree. Us kids, 10 total, got to string popcorn to decorate with and make pop corn balls to eat. We would color the stringed popcorn by taking it outside and spraying it with food coloring to make it prettier.


Sandy--The kids down the street sold Christmas tree and we could help, all four of us. With helping out, we would get a free tree for our house. My little sister always sold the most, she put on the charm and everyone enjoyed seeing a little tyke smiling and trying to be a saleman. It worked.
Grandma always made rhubarb pie. Christmas Eve afternoon the four of us kids would sit around a fake brick fireplace made from cardboard. We would sing Christmas carols. I remember Mom and Dad were gone, probably in the up stairs bedroom wrapping our gifts. (Then Sandy cried she hadn't remembered this in a long time, and thanked me for asking her to share a memory)


Dave--We had five kids in our family. My oldest brother had the job of waking us up early on Christmas. We always had Christmas cookies and made homemade taffy.


Cousin Marilyn--We always got a new Christmas outfit. Mine was a full black shirt and a white sweater. I don't remember what I got for Christmas that year. I just remember the outfit. My brother Bob got a new bike, he had a paper route. My dad worked at the school up town as a janitor about a mile away. The day after Christmas he rode Bob's new bike to check the furnace at the school. He said by the time he got to the school he could hardly stand up. He didn't have much bike riding practice... My mother-in-law never put up a Christmas tree until the kids went to bed on Christmas Eve. They got the first sight of it on Christmas morning.

My Sarah--Memories of Iron cookies made by Grandma Elna, Christmas Eve dinner at their home with the smells of ham, cookies, coffee and Grandpas wintergreen skoal. Grandmas nativity scene was placed out so the kids could move the pieces around. Jesus always went missing and ended up in the bottom of the toy box. Grandpa George loved his orange lite candles in the windows. We could cram 25 or more people in that house on Christmas Eve, eat and open presents and leave in time for the Christmas program. We each received a gift our mom bought from Grandpa and Grandma.... The last live tree we had, before mom decided to buy artificial and put one in each room of the house, was hacked apart after the holidays limb by limb so we could get it to the road with out the needles all falling off in the house. We would make peppermint ice cream.

Sue--One funny memory that I have is of going to Christmas Eve mass at my grandparents church. It was a very large cathedral in Rosevill, outside of Detroit. Every year we would drive 1/2 hour to get there, arriving about 45 minutes early, so we could get a seat. Slowly the church would fill up and then folks would be standing in the back and aisles. It never failed that every year, right before the service would start, in would hobble a group of elderly women who had done all they could just to get there. We would give them our seats, because there was no way they could make it standing for a long service. So in the end, we always ended standing up. Somehow it didn't really matter. It was all part of the spirit of Christmas.

George--When I was in the second grade. I was going to a one room school in the Bad Axe area. I was asked to sing a sole for the Christmas program. I had to sing Silent Night and memorize all the verses. We moved to a big dairy farm where my dad was a hired hand. It was a huge house we could stay in. One time us kids were playing hid and seek and I found where some gifts Santa had stored away. They weren't wrapped only marked who would get it, so when Santa wrapped them he would know who to write on the tag. I knew everything I was getting that year. Every year I would go back and find out what I was getting that year. Then we moved and I never found Santas hidding place again.

Cousin Marge-Christmas 1995. David was 9 months old and we lived in an apartment in Vassar. We had our Christmas at home even. Bob left and gassed up the car. He jokingly said to dress warm as I might have to help shovel if we got stuck. We left our appartment at noon and got to Bobs folks at nine in the evening a trip that would usually take 45 minutes tops. Well we had drifts and drifts and drifts and it was still snowing and blowing. Bob was still determined we were going. We were stuck at least a dozen times even before we got to the main road. We barely made it half way on M81 and there were about ten cars stopped, unable to move at all. I sat in the car for hours playing patty cake and itsy bitsy spider. A man came and told us to come to his house, his wife had coffe, chile and the house was warm and dry.The wife had room for sleeping on the floor made up and a schedule for the bathroom and shower. Well we only stayed three hours and Bob had us off again, only to be stuck and charged $5 to pull us out by a greedy farmer and his tractor. He pulled us out and then pulled aside and watched us go 1/2 a mile and get stuck again. Another $5. But we made it by nine p.m. and enjoyed the family Chistmas.

AND FINELY TWO NEW WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS MEMORIES FOR ME THIS YEAR

First I met Denise and Steve to eat and we went to Sandusky to, believe it or not, a Farm Implement Winter Parade. Steve saw it advertised in a farm paper. The streets were lined with bundled people standing and setting in lawn chairs. There were tractors, gravity wagons, manure spreaders, fire and EMT trucks and more all ablaze with solid Christmas lights. One tractor pulled a wagon with a hot air ballon tied down on it and they would shoot the fire from the ballon mechanism 30 feet into the air. It was a wonder no wires or trees got fried.

Second memory was on our Christmas trip to Grant and Sues in the u.p. They planned and took us to a beautifully decorated farm and warming shed all decked out for Christmas, pretty as a Christmas card. Walls were lined with old tools, hides and family pictures. You were welcomed by the family dog, the smell of a wood fire, music and hot cider with a plate of cookies as you waited for the horse drawn sleigh to return and unload its last group of visitors. It was a clear full moon evening, and you could see all the stars. The horses were tired and stopped often to rest but the group we went with were happy to be enjoying the ride and filled the time with singing and conversation. We even had a half way rest by a camp fire in the woods. I loved the horses, petting them and thinking of my dad having worked with large horses like these in his youth when he worked as a lumberjack. I hated to leave the horses side as it would break the close moment with the memory of my dad. I love and miss him so.

Well thats enough about Christmas memories recorded for 2007. More next year.

WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY

Well I spent a wonderful day with Denise.



We went to Bay City and browsed some down town stores. I really like Little House.

We also went to Fabric Fair and Bonnies Sewing Center to inquire about new sewing machines.



Fabric Fair had beautiful fabrics and friendly employees, but mininal help in the sewing machine line. Heres some info folders and no salesmanship work. It left alot to be desired, especially for one like me who could buy at the drop of a hat.



Bonnies, has a worker, maybe mom owners son?, Robert. Well Robert was on a mission to sell. He talked loud and went at warp speed that would send even Captian and Mr Spocks head spinning. Well from Robert I got prices, demonstrations, questions answered and more. I did speak up and tell him he should sew a little slower as the machine and table were both dancing across the floor. Robert I think only sews in super fast speed.



Well I do have info and both Bernina and Husquavarna have great machines, but Im leanin more to the store and product that can help me. Clue--Robert may win. Now to figure it into my budget plan.



To top off the day Denise, Steve and I went to Logans in Midland and had a great supper, then you can walk three car lengths to the Cold Creamery ( Ice cream you dream about store).



A great time, and a new memory. Thanks Denise and Steve.

Quilt progress

Wind in Michigan is at an all time high. Canceled trip to Sister Pats, and began to clean, dust, etc. so I won't feel quite as guilty when I set down to work on Pats quilt project.

Pressed the first four fabrics, worked the kinks out and made two templets, cut the first 48 pieces. I sewed the first steps together and now pressing time.

Going to check out some information tomorrow on a new sewing machine. This one Necchi ?? just doesn't sew like I want it to. Not neat stitching. I called Sue and she gave me some info on her Viking Husquvarna. They have a dealer in Bay City, so I will stop there tomorrow. Also Fabric Fair in BC has Bernina's.

Better stop pressing and sewing before I fall asleep standing up.

Monday 3-31

Two major things today. First, H & R Landscaping coming to help me with some questions I have about my yard and flower beds. I'm really looking forward to that. So I want to make a list of questions and also plants I would like to get. Second, I have mending done, so today I begin with the planning part of a wall quilt for my sister Pat.

I have clean up to do in the flower beds and trimming of bushes and trees, before the spring growing begins. Lots of outside things on my list, like staining the front and back decks. I may want to do some stenciling on the front porch deck, I'll think on that more.

I made another annual promise to myself that I will NOT go and buy plants until I have all the flower beds cleaned out. Yea, right............. I haven't kept that promise, ever. When I get into a plant farm I have no self controll. I want it all. For many years I told my dear daughter Sarah that it was her job and previlage to go with me. She would beg not to, but I still made her go. She was quite embarassed to pull the red wagon up to the check out counter and tell the woman that there was more to come. So by the end of 1-2 hours we would have so many plants that the Van was full, even under the seats and between her feet and I secretly vowed to myself to return for more.

So looking forward to planning Pats quilt. I found the pattern in April 08 American Patchwork & Quilting. Problem oneis, it is 60 inches square and we want about 40. I have all the fabric, washed and ready to go. The magizine only had two diamond sizes to use and the rest are all measurments that is problem two. After two cups of coffe with chocolate raspberry cream, I think I am ready.

Keep tuned. I'm off to see the wizard. Bye

I'm New!

This is my first post on my first blog. I am hoping to connect with others about quilting, my faith in the Lord, and flower gardening.

I am a retired mother of three grown children. I live in Michigan, and I have two grandchildren.

Currently, I am working on a wall quilt for my older sister Pat. It is an 8-point star quilt in greens and rust colors. I am trying to reduce the pattern by one-third, and in the process, I'm pulling out my hair at the same time!

I should be working on it more than playing with this blog! More to come on that later!