Cha...Cha...Changes...

There are some major changes happening in my life at the present time. The biggest is that my Mother and I are moving. Actually, we signed on some new digs on Friday. While Scarlett and I continue to remain friends, we felt that the time was right for each of us to go our own way.

Mother and I found a wonderful two bedroom apartment about 4/10ths of a mile from where we currently live. The apartment has been totally renovated due to the fact that the last person who lived there was there for 18 years without much being done. Plans are in the works to move everything over on Saturday, May 5th.

The apartment has a great living room and an open kitchen which looks into the living room. Both the living room and my bedroom look out onto the main entrance while Mother's bedroom window overlooks the golf course. Some great closet space and a nice bathroom complete the apartment.

As many of you know Mother suffers from a form of dementia and in finding a place to live I was careful to be sure that her routine would be pretty close to the same. The bus trip to her day out program will follow the same route and we do not have to make any changes to her physician or other medical care that she receives.

Killian, the cat, will be moving with us. Isis Dreamweaver, the dog, will be staying with Scarlett and Zac as she and Zac are tied at the hip. It would be horrific to tear them apart.

My posting and reading of blogs and mail may be a little curtailed these next few weeks due to the fact that I need to pack!!! And, then I have to get my internet connected up...Know I am safe - just up to neck in boxes!!!

I've been Quilting...

Here is another one of my BOM for the batik quilt I am making. This is just a 6-1/2" block and I think it turned out great considering that everyone had a problem with those darn little purple triangles.

Earth Day...My Challenge...

My challenge to you is to do something this next year to make our world a bit better...

Me - No more plastic grocery type bags in my house! I bought 5 canvas bags yesterday at one of our supermarkets for $1.00 each to take with me when I shop...plus I am sure I have a dozen or so canvas or cloth bags here in the house to use.

And, making sure I turn the water off while I brush my teeth...I usually do - but making sure I do - that can save a lot of gallons of water every year!!!

I am Honored...

I have been honored with the Thinking Blog Award. And, I do mean honored. Deb over at Red Shoes Rambling:365 Days of Art has chosen to pass this award on to me. In case you don't know Deb or read her blog Red Shoes Rambling, she is a fantastic fiber artist, quilter, and photographer and has long been an inspiration to me.

Part of the deal is to pass along this award to five blogs that inspire me and make me think...and while this has been a difficult decision to narrow it down to five, I have managed to do so...

1. Dave at Cabin Cove. Dave truly has inspired me to stretch my limits with my knitting, quilting, and photography. His work, especially his photography, can leave you breathless. He has an eye for color that others only wish they had and the yarns that he dyes just burst with vibrant color. He continually challenges us to look at the world around us through his photography. Truly, he is an artist...plus he has the most wonderful and beautiful cat, Miss Lulu.

2. Ann at Wandering Cyberspace from the Cornfields. Ann is willing to try and take on new challenges and learn new things not only with her knitting and quilting but also with her life. She truly inspires those who are just a tad bit afraid of "taking that step" into doing it...from her humor filled posts about her belly dancing classes to learning how to knit her first sweater not only keep you laughing but encourage you to do something that you've always wanted to do.

3. Pat at Gatherings. Pat inspires because not only is she most creative but she willingly shares her knowledge with anyone. Her crazy quilts will take your breath away...and she is always (it seems) reaching new heights with her creativity. Additionally, she has the most inspiring garden and walks that she and her Mom take on the shore which she shares with all of us.

4. Erica at Stitch Witch. Erica just inspires by being who she is! And, she does make one think! She knits, quilts, reads and just "lives" life. She actually talks about books like they were her best friends (and oh, I can so relate to that)...She and her blog are just a joy!

5. Susan at Red Dirt Knitter. Susan inspires because she is "the glass is always half full" type person. People need people like Susan in their lives...the kind that think of others! She has a great sense of humor, loves to knit, and quilt...and just live life...

So, there you go...these blogs have been with me since I started blogging a year ago...but all the blogs on my list in my sidebar inspire me...I don't read blogs that don't inspire me...or make me think...or help me be more creative...

Internet Back Up...

It has been a weird few days here weather-wise...slush (a mixture of snow, rain, and ice), snow, rain, and more snow! Our poor state is under a State of Emergency again...and I feel for everyone who has had a worse time than we have. Roads have washed out and it has been very tricky out there.

I've had mother home with me since Friday...and Day Out was closed due to no power on Monday and today...have no idea if they will be open tomorrow...just wait for the phone call at 6:30

We've been fortunate and kept our power - yet two streets over there has been no power. We lost our Internet due to the storm but it just came back on...I will try and get caught up tomorrow.

Wanna Share? Huh? Huh?...

What do mean you won't share your scrambled eggs? I like them...this is the Saturday routine - Mom eating with Zac just sprawled out on her bed looking like he needs those scrambled eggs. He never tries to get them off her plate or table - but watches just in case she drops anything...then it is his!!!

Does this look like April to you?...

The top two photos are from the first April storm we had...as it was starting! The bottom is yesterday's Winter Wonderland. The thing is that it is not chillingly cold...but the snow continues to fall slightly today and the skies are gray with what look like gray patches of snow about ready to fall...

Friends...You Gotta Have Friends...2...

Now is this not the coolest! My buddy, Susan, sent me coloring book pages that she printed out! And colored pencils, too...her note said that there is always time to color...She's right! She even took the time to make sure I had New Hampshire's State Bird and Flower and the page from Celestial Seasoning of my favorite tea! She even suggested that the colored pencils would help with designing my quilts! See - she listens! And, she knows me...and I am most fortunate to count her as a friend...

I haven't colored in years...but guess what I am going to do later!!! Thanks Susan for making my day a lot better!!!!

Friends...You Gotta Have Friends...

Over my life I have been blessed with friends...and I have to say that at this point in my life I have some pretty terrific friends! They know me well and can tell when things are just quite not right...


This week I've heard from two friends in ways that were unexpected...

Saturday morning I answered the door to find a gentleman holding these:





Seems my friend, Ann, just happened to be thinking of me...and thought I needed a "pick me up" - and today it was my turn.

I love flowers - (can't grow them worth a damn) - and I buy them at the grocery...and Scarlett sometimes brings them home from there...but, it's been a while since the florist actually delivered any to me...

Thanks, Ann, you really made my day and made me feel special!!!! I count you as one of my dearest friends and am thankful for you...

CAC - The Conversation Piece

It's been a while since I participated in a Create A Connection Q&A for "Getting to Know You Day." This one sounded interesting and fun...not that others haven't been - but some have been too personal and I do those in my journal. These questions were taken from a book titled: The Conversation Piece.

1. question #255 - If you had to change your first name, what would you choose as your new name?
It would have to be something exotic like Saffron or something simple like Suzanne...I like both of those...

2. question #158 - What is your favorite saying, quote, or expression?
Lately my favorite expression is: It is what it is...

3. question #49 - If you could buy any rare collection in the world, which would you choose? Why?
Paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe! The size of her paintings astound me...from the tiny ones to the huge ones...and the colors are so vibrant and exciting...

4. question #1 - If you could fly in a hot-air balloon over any city in the world, what city would you choose? Why that city? Have you visited there before?
That's a tough one...It would have to be Washington, DC - would love to see the monuments and the layout of the city from the air. There is a certain magic about DC - because it is our capitol - and there is a certain amount of pride in being a US citizen. I have been to DC before

5. question #221 - What is an item you own that has a minimal monetary value but has such sentimental value that you would not sell it for $5,000?
I know it sounds silly - but the first quilt I made and actually completed. It has such sentimental value...

Hopefully I'll have some photos up later this afternoon or first thing in the morning....need to unload them from my camera.

I Won!...

Way cool! I won a gift certificate to Amazon.com from Tina Leonard! She had a contest on her website and I entered and won one of the prizes. Tina is a romance author and a very good writer. Her books are entertaining! If you haven't read her books - do check her out. Her website can be found by going here.

Quiet couple of days - Mom has a cold so we are hibernating at home today...trying to do a little cleaning, knitting, and reading...

The week-end...

I hope this week-end brings each of you peace and joy...whatever you celebrate.

I'll see you all on Monday...

Reading...what a pleasure...

Or maybe not...depending on what book one is reading. Lately my choices have been ones that one would expect them to get better somewhere along the line...Not Happening!!! Duh...Just finished:
This was the worst book on the Kennedy's that I've ever read. The author never went into any real detail about what happened to any of them...I was not impressed...and it was information that I already knew from reading other things about them. The only thing that was new to me was the info about the Fitzgerald side of the family.

Having grown up during the "Camelot" years - where a lot of us placed the Kennedy's up on pedestals - this book showed the reality of who and what they really were - but, it could have been a lot better.

This was one of the books that was supposed to have been finished for the From the Stacks challenge this past winter...I'm slow...

Think I'm up for some fiction this time around and am starting to read:

So far - so good.

April Showers...Oops...Snow!

April Snow - Someone is way confused. But, what is one to do about it...other than enjoy the beauty of it and stay inside!

Just finished shoveling the heavy white stuff - this snow isn't fluffy like the last one was. It is weighty! (Is that a word?) Managed to get the front walkway shoveled so the mailman will bring me my mail tomorrow - he already tromped through the snowbank today...muttering something about me not having shoveled yet and the snowplow guy shoving all the snow up along the street. Oh, well, he'll get a life! But, we are in for snow for the rest of the week-end...

Nothing but repeats on tv last night so I took the opportunity to go through some other things and do more spring cleaning...I'm thinking that I might get ahead by the end of this week-end.

No Real Excuse...

April began...and I began spring cleaning! And, totally forgot to post on my blog. Sorry! I'll be back tomorrow with real content - since my happy buns will be home SNOWED in...Yep! You read that right. It is already sticking to the ground! And they are saying 6-10 inches of snow for where I live. Who would have thunk it???