tah dah . . .

Monday mornings just feel like a good time for a new post. I've accumulated a week's worth of doings, the weekend is fresh behind me, and the coming week stretches out like a blank canvas before me. 

Well, not entirely blank, but you know what I mean. :)

Our trip to Vandy went well.  The prognosis didn't change, but we left feeling lighter-hearted and better educated about what exactly we're dealing with.  

Todd was supposed to have chemo this week (the part of the canvas that isn't blank), but when he went in for labs this morning, his counts were too low.  He was armed with some questions to ask from the doc at Vandy, and got an appointment for a CT scan next week. We're hoping we can consult with Vanderbilt and be treated in Huntsville; that the two entities will be willing to work together.  

While we were in Vandy, we had lunch at the Pancake Palace, Est. 1961.  We both had breakfast for lunch, but I think I actually had dessert . . .

Right? Ganache-filled crepes topped with raspberry compote and whipped cream. Whew! I ate about half.  I was super glad we'd walked from the hospital to the restaurant and back! (Especially since I was driving the two hours home!)

I haven't been able to get out into the Nook as much as I would like recently.  For one thing, it's a hot mess and I need at LEAST a day to finagle it into shape.  The thing is, I can definitely tell when I've not spent time *creating*.  This week I poured it into our die-cut tree at work.  Since area kids went back to school last week, I felt like this was themed appropriately!

Pencils, crayons, backpacks, ABCs, buses, and apples, ready to gift to the teacher!  And I even 'tossed' in a few footballs (because, glory, glory, college football starts in nineteen days)! Hahaha!

And speaking of work, I had a few of my favorite visitors on Thursday . . . 

These three played under the table (secret fort), but Ellie pretty much stayed put in the chair for most of the visit; she's definitely a pre-teen!  

I love it when they come and visit me ... it makes my heart so happy.  ♥

We finally were able to go out on the water for a bit, early Saturday morning—first time since July 5 that Todd's felt up to it and the weather cooperated. We've found that Todd starts tiring in the afternoon, and combine that with the high heat we've had, it's too much.  So we got up at 3AM and were on the lake by daybreak.  

It was beautiful.  It was also a bit foggy in places . . .

It's very disorienting to be on the water when the fog is thick.  Luckily, this was just a patch that cleared up quickly.  And as the sun came up, it burned through that, making another pretty capture.

Gosh, I just haven't found a bad time to capture photos on the water! The landscape, the creatures, the sky, the water . . . it's all so beautiful in every situation.  Even storms are fascinating to watch!  God's creation never ceases to thrill me.  :)  We were back in our slip by about 10AM, but before we got there, we found a patch covered up in water lilies.

I snagged two . . . they're so sweet!  And I never realized this until Saturday -- they smell wonderful!

Sometimes cooking/baking satisfies my creative urges, too.  This weekend I tried a recipe from The Reluctant Entertainer:  Baked Cheesy Zucchini Bites. 

These were super yummy and very easy to make.  And packed with zucchini—which if your garden is anything like mine, anything new that can be done with zucchini is a good thing!  Browse around her recipes if you click over . . . she's got several interesting zucchini recipes!  The Air-Fryer Zucchini Parmesan bites look really good, too!

I rearranged things on my wood tray:

This little vignette just makes me so happy! Shiny pretties, lit candles, and the reminder that God is good.  And do you see the "heal" hanging there in the background?  That was a piece I did after taking a quilted word workshop with Meg Cox ... I did it right before my first shoulder surgery.  It feels appropriate to have it hanging now.  I pray that word over Todd a lot. 

Finally, I have been doing some stitching . . . 

I've got everything done on this cute little Mason Jar Sunflower piece, except the flowers themselves.  I'll probably wrap it up this week and finish it the way I'd planned (mug rug). I've been able to cut back on the majority of commitments that I had (guild, church, work, etc.), so I can spend as much time in the evenings after work, with Todd.  Even if it's just me stitching and him dozing.  :)

Okay ... let's get ready to face this blank canvas of a week and paint it with all the colors!  

Slán go fóill!

:)

whirlwind . . .

Well, all I can think of to say is that it's been a wild ride, this past week or so (and I'm not talking about the tornado watch we're currently under)!

We had a lovely Christmas . . . but there were some sad things, too.  Most notably, my dad went to the hospital by ambulance on Monday, December 20, with an exacerbated COPD episode. We (and the doctors) had hoped he would be home by Christmas, but complications arose and that was not to be.  He came home late this afternoon, by the same method he went.  Hospice has been called in, but as my dad stresses, it's for comfort care, not end-of-life care.  ♥

It's an odd thing to balance all these emotions. On the one hand, I spent the week before Christmas meeting with stitching friends, baking, wrapping, and watching Christmas movies. 

Our traditional Buche de Noel dessert!

I got a sweet photo of ballerina Olivia with the congratulatory bouquet we sent her for her performance in The Nutcracker:

We spent a lovely Christmas Eve with the local grandgirls—Oh! and grandson!—and their parents. 

This was the first year we departed from tradition and allowed the girls to open their gifts from us on Christmas Eve.  It was actually lovely!  

Santa Baby!

Edith spotting Santa from the top of the fire truck ... a tradition in their neighborhood!

Then Todd and I enjoyed a sweet Christmas morning together exchanging gifts and celebrating the birth of our Savior!

But in the back of my mind, through it all, was my dad and mom, if I wasn't at the hospital with him/them. I'm so glad he's finally home today and am looking forward to the opportunity to celebrate with him when he's home (he didn't want to do so while in the hospital) and settled!

I also feel the distance of my son and his family all the more keenly over the holidays.

Luckily, this Christmas, all the kiddos got iPads, with the ability to text and FaceTime certain key family members (like ME!!), when they want to ... which is so lovely!! I chatted back and forth with all three of them on Christmas day, and on Sunday, June, Olivia and I had a FT tea party!

It was such fun.  Olivia used the tea set we had gotten her for Christmas.  What a lovely way to 'break it in'.  Cheers!

I did receive a very lovely assortment of quilty/stitchy gifts from family and friends . . . 

I also got a digital subscription to Punch Needle & Primitive Stitcher.  What fun! The nice thing is that it (1) allows you to download and print the quarterly issues and (2) you have access to the past year's issues!  Then, as if all that wasn't enough (and not including all the lovely non-stitching gifts I got), Todd got me this wonderful sign for my nook:

Isn't that just perfect??!! It made me cry, I was so touched by this very unexpected gift. ♥

We have had temps in the 70's this past week.  One day we spent outside, touring around the camp.

It was so nice, I even put my feet in the creek ... can you imagine?!  We also went down to the marina and pulled the pontoon out of the water, for its annual service/maintenance.  

We drove it around for just a bit before putting it on the trailer.  I mean, if you can, you do!

So, like I said ... full of activity and fun ... but also hard times.  Life is like that, isn't it?  Looking forward to a new year filled with laughter, love, family and friends.  Wishing that for YOU, too!

:)

bits and pieces . . .

Right off the bat, let me put your minds to rest . . . 

This got finished, so this could happen . . .

Whew!  All is right with the (her) world again!

It's been a busy week, at work and home.  For the last eight years, we've gone to see The Nutcracker ballet every Christmas season.  This year they didn't do the ballet (go figure).  So instead, I've been putting together something fun to take its place . . .

We'll have a full-blown tea party with all the trimmings, and then watch the ballet on DVD!!  (I've got several versions, of course!) We're all looking forward to that!

Todd & I took a trip downtown one evening this past week to enjoy Tinsel Trail.

It was a lot of fun and there were more trees on the trail than ever before (they had to expand the trail to the other side of the park this year)! Christmas lights make my soul happy! 

I also baked a cake.  Because sometimes you just need to bake.

It's an orange flavored yellow butter cake, with tropical icing.  Not very winter/Christmassy, so I did the strawberry poinsettia flower on top.  It feels a little Mele Kalikimaka, if you know what I mean!  Still, it tasted good!  :)

We've had some glorious sunrises this week out at the camp . . .

Todd tells me we've had some glorious sunsets, too, but I don't make it home in time to see those.  LOL!

We have also enjoyed some glorious weather ... temps in the 50's, 60's and even into the 70's!  We got out and about in the camp on Friday and I got to visit some of my favorite places . . . 

Serenity Pond is pretty no matter the season!

Looking up and down the creek.  The sound of the water babbling is as happy to my soul as the lights! It never ceases to amaze me that I live here. Introducing people to creation; connecting them to the Creator.  It's as apt a mission statement as could be.  ♥

 And my soul needs happy when I start to think too much about this . . . 

Yikes, y'all!  That's less than two weeks away ... and why it won't surprise you that my slow stitching is all about these things . . .

The Piglet ornament is coming along! I hope to finish it up this afternoon, while we enjoy a Christmas movie.  Hand quilting this beauty (table runner) will take a little longer, but I'm going to quilt it simply, so hopefully it will be done in time. Hey ... Christmas *starts* on the 25th ... and goes on for 12 days, right??  Ha! 

Anyway, linking up to Kathy's Quilts and her slow stitching post.  This close to Christmas, I bet there's tons of pretty projects in the works to ooooh and aaaaah over!

Before I go, a quick shout-out to my Alabama Crimson Tide, who finished the regular (like there was anything regular about it) college football season 10-0!!  Roll Tide!

:)

rabbit, rabbit . . .

And just like that, it's November.  WOW!

Thursday evening after work I headed to visit the grandgirls and spend the night.  On Friday we made our annual visit to Tate Farms . . .

It was hard to get a photo of everyone together!  We were full out in motion for our three hours there! But it was a fun day.  :)

Saturday was bright and beautiful!  What a fabulous day for Halloween ... and June Madelyn's birthday!

We got to facetime with her and sing her "Happy Birthday" and watch her open her presents!  June is eight!  I miss them all SO much! ♥

I also took some time to make another apple bundt cake.  We've got a social thing (outdoors) this afternoon, and this is my offering.

The cake smells so GOOD!  And of course, topped with fall sprinkles! *wink*

I spent some (most) of my birthday Etsy money and my 'gifts' came in this week.  I'm so excited!

I got a number of assorted bundles of wool.  I'm going to get working on my Hospital Sketches in wool, soon, and I wanted a nice variety of wool to pull from.

I also got this really sweet Piglet ornament kit.

I think I'll make it and let Joc give it to Evey.  She will be so excited (I hope)!

One last purchase . . .

Pictured with my Give Thanks stitchery!  I adore themed "accessories"! So it came late, but the needle minder is so darling, I was happy to stitch with it yesterday (and will continue to stitch with it this evening, with some slow Sunday stitching).  I also got the most darling pair of owl embroidery scissors, and those I'll use year-long!

Linking up with Kathy's Quilts today and her slow stitching post.  I leave you with one last look at October . . . 

Spooky and beautiful; the blue, full moon!  Have a great day!

:)