pandemic pass . . .

Evidently, that's just what I did.  Took a pass on blogging during the height of the pandemic. I have no good excuse for it, either!  Except how you know when you miss something one week ... and it makes it a little easier to miss it the next week ... until the week comes and it's hard to do it because you've missed so much?

Yeah.  That.

I *have* been busy (for the last seven plus weeks).  Lemme 'splain . . .

I made some masks (click here for the tutorial):

I made quilt tops and finished quilts:

(Temecula mini is finished)

(NICU comfy quilt to donate)

(Picnic quilt for Merkel girls)

(My class quilt is FINISHED!)

I baked things (and gained twenty pounds):

(Salted Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies)

(Focaccia Bread)

I baked a lot of different and new things ... and you don't want me to eat up your bandwidth with it all.  LOL!

I rearranged my cozy tea corner:

And consequently, I drank a LOT of tea!

I took a LOT of walks around the camp and noted nature:

(the story behind these is so very sweet!)

I read (a LOT) (and on the boat):

(between March and April, I read a solid 30 books)

I did some hand-stitching (and also on the boat):

And we fished (a LOT):

That was just one trip.  Most of our fishing expeditions (and I use the word "our" loosely) have netted a cooler full of fish like that.  So yeah, we'll eat fish for months, which is a good thing for my diet, seeing as I now have an additional twenty pounds to lose.  LOL!

I also worked from home, but we're back in the office full-time, now.  Just not open to the public, yet.  That's coming.

How are YOU??!

:)

forwards and backwards . . .

Because this post covers a lot of time, current and past!  

I finally finished up Ellie's bicycle embroidery, which was a good thing ... her (8th) birthday was Friday and we celebrated last night! It's a simple finish because I didn't want the fabric or the quilting to take away from the piece it was showcasing.  Mission accomplished!  *smirk*  Ellie had her first slumber party on Friday night, so we did family dinner at a Japanese restaurant called Edo's.  Her choice!

I love the complexity of this sweet girl.  For all that she loves girlie things (check out her new sparkly, dangly earrings).

She's also rocking her "Star Wars" necklace (which is just out of the first picture) and wanted a red velvet Star Wars cake (featuring Darth Vader).  Go Ellie!

I had two fun prizes late in 2019 that I forgot to share.  The first was a giveaway from Jacquelynne Steves's Happy Little Things blog hop.  

The book is filled with all sorts of hidden message possibilities, and aren't those little pins darling??

The second was a birthday giveaway from Lyndsey at Sew Many Yarns!

The grunge (*swoon*) was the prize and the pretty Regent Street was a bonus!  Lyndsey had to ship it overseas, so she wasn't sure when it would get to the states.  Her Christmas card of the magi was perfect, because (though it came the day I left for California) I received it just in time for Epiphany!  Thanks, Lyndsey!

Coming a little farther forward, I did want to share my fun haul from the two iconic shops I got to visit whilst in California.  From Temecula Quilt Co. I went a little crazy . . .

Both of her books, a pattern, a kit, some lovely fabrics (including a little cheddar), and some notions.  The sweet little ruler box was gifted to me by Kim (my daughter-in-law)!

From Primitive Gatherings, I got a darling wool kit for ornaments, a wool pattern for a crazy stitched stocking (full sized), some (more) fabric and some more notions . . .

Scissors.  I have a thing for scissors.  And since I had the pussy-cat pair, I decided I needed the owl pair, too!

Tah-dah!  The Owl and the Pussy-Cat! Someday I need to do a post exclusively about that poem and why it's so personal to me! Back to scissors, though . . .

I really do love little scissors.  They are a *needful* thing to me.  *grin* 

Our last trip of that shop-hopping day was a visit to a little tea room called, The Liquid Leaf.  Sweet little place with a marvelous selection of teas *and* freshly baked goodies (in house).

It was Kim's first visit, too, so we ordered and ate/drank (and cheesed around) in the shop.

I came away with two lovely teas (both of which smell as heavenly as they taste).

Vanilla Coconut black tea and Elixir #2 which is a camomile tea.  Yummy!

Now going backwards a LOT (and yet looking to the future, too).  Barbara Brackman is re-introducing Grandmother's Choice BOM, which she did originally in 2012.  I hung with her through almost half the blocks, but then I had my second ankle surgery and it 'crippled' my sewing foot for a while.

So I'm excited to have the nudge to do something with these blocks and get the second half of them finished! I'd purchased Block Base (which has all the blocks in it) to do this BOM, so it's only right that I should complete it.  

Bringing it current . . . 

Slow progress, but progress *is* progress.  This is what I'll be stitching on today, getting in some slow stitching on a Sunday afternoon!  Linking it up with Kathy's Quilts--be sure to check out what the other stitchers are working on.

Happy Sunday!

:)

books galore . . .

Whenever there's a new month (rabbit, rabbit), a Bibliophile Files post is sure to turn up! Seeing as how the linky party over at sarah did it! is on the first Tuesday of every month, that is!

A New Year generally equals a new reading challenge, but I decided I didn't want to necessarily go there in 2016.  I'm going to go with the book flow and be all loosey-goosey!

That being said (there's always a caveat, isn't there?!), our church is reading through the Bible together in 2016, with a suggested reading plan, and I am taking *that* challenge! In addition to that, this month I've got the following reads on my 'book plate' . . .

Count It All Joy by Dr. David Jeremiah.  Rather appropriate, don't you think? I've been an admirer of Dr. Jeremiah's works for many years. Though this book is based on the book of Philippians, rather than the specific passage from James that admonishes us to, "count it all joy", I'm still positive that it will prove a worthy and challenging book. This read is for a review, so I'll be sharing my thoughts on it later this month. The title releases on February 1.

I shared that Todd had given me Victoria The Essential Tea Companion: Favorite Recipes for Tea Parties and Celebrations by Kim Waller for Christmas. I'll continue to page through it this month as we prepare for a BIG tea party event next month!

In keeping with the *tea* theme, I've got a new kindle read: Relaxing Over Afternoon Tea (Abbey Cooks Entertain) (Volume 3) by Pamela J. Foster of Downton Abbey Cooks (blog) fame! The book is filled with lovely tidbits and recipes and tea necessities! A great book for musing over a cup of tea!! Downton Abbey fans will love this book (and her blog, too).

And finally, for this month, I will faithfully pour over my January/February TeaTime Magazine. This is my all-time favorite magazine! This month features a story about Downton Abbey, a Valentine's tea party, the history of Bigelow tea (which was an interesting read) and many other fascinating items (as well as loads of beautiful tea ware and china pictures). Another afternoon read to pair with a cup of hot tea!

So, that's enough it for me!  What are you reading this month?  Any reading challenges for the New Year? Be sure to stop by Sarah's blog to see what she and everyone else are reading!!

:)

words aren't made, they grow . . .

I weep so forlornly when I consider the number of days that have passed since I've taken to my keyboard and "waxed eloquently" on the pages of my electronic journal . . .

Can you tell I'm (re)reading Anne of Green Gables right now??!  LOL! The post title is an Anne Shirley quote, too. I do love that cheeky little wordsmith! And since I'm reporting for Bibliophile Files, I thought it only fitting to kick it off that way. The sentiment is true, just a little more "fluffed" than I'd typically write it!

So, I'd downloaded the Anne of Green Gables Stories, which includes all but two of the series (Anne of Windy Poplars and  Anne of Ingleside, which are still under copyright, so I downloaded them separately) and have never got around to them. With a week of vacation stretching out ahead of me (that includes some long flying time), I decided the time was now!

I also downloaded Laura Child's Agony of the Leaves 'tea shop mystery' for a little diversity!  Her reads are such fun -- and I always glean such great recipes! Haha!

And I'll just admit it, I'm a big fan of ereaderiq.com, and visit it weekly to check out their kindle freebies.  This is what my email looked like yesterday afternoon:

They're free and I store them on icloud, so no harm done, right?  Talk about cheeky . . . !

I did finish my crazy patchwork pumpkin . . .

Isn't it darling?  I will enjoy putting it out in the proper timing.  In the meantime, I continue to coax our volunteer pumpkin plant to put forth a pumpkin (yes, I'd settle for ONE)!

I read that a pumpkin plants flowers first with male flowers, and then flowers out with female flowers.  And you can tell the difference because female flowers have a tiny pumpkin at the base! I'm still waiting for a female flower.

The grands are all doing well and enjoying summer fun!  I love my Monday evenings with the Panter crew . . .

(Shown here minus the youngest, who was already in bed.) They are such loves! Ellie had the opportunity to be a flower girl at her Aunt Jenna's wedding, and June came along for the ride (and the wedding cake). 

They both had such a blast on the dance floor -- and were definitely a joy to watch!

Still puttering away on my Tea for One pieces.  I've finished outlining the letters and am working on the cup and saucer.  

Not sure yet what I'm going to do with the flowers yet.  I want to do something with a little 'bling' to it.  Whether that will end up being metallic floss or beading, I haven't decided!

Caught a great shot of some of my favorite yellow wildflowers and a winged friend in the upper meadow of the camp . . . 

I shared it on instagram and facebook, but it's such a pretty photo, I wanted to share it here, too!  I also caught this really pretty sunrise photo, coming down the road outside the camp, heading to work one morning . . .

Originally there was a cell phone tower and a car in the picture, but I photo-shopped them out. Turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself!

Linking up today to the Bibliophile Files on sarah did it! and WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays on Esther's Blog.  Happy Wednesday!!

:)

wishy washy weather . . .

Can you believe the above?  That was from Wednesday. The official high that day was 77 degrees.  The official low was 27 degrees. Today is March 6th and there is ice all over the place. Tomorrow our high is 55 degrees. Aye yi yi! How is it that this is the deep south??

Speaking of early in March . . . Tuesday was Bibliophile Files day and I missed it. I am doing some reading this month, along with my morning quiet time reading that's a yearly goal.  This month I'm reading a Bethany Publishers book for review.  Beverly Lewis's The Love Letters, to be specific.  I've actually started that one and so far it's quite intriguing!

I've also checked out a library book to read. It's the second novel of the Mrs. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children series, Hollow City by Ransom Riggs.  The first book of the series was fascinating -- kind of fantasy/intrigue/historical fiction -- so I'm looking forward to reading the second.

And the third book is How Sweet the Sound, by Amy K. Sorrells.  I actually downloaded this as a freebie on Amazon for my kindle. It's free through today, I believe, if you want to check it out on Amazon.

UPDATED:  I just saw on my favorite tea blog, Tea with Friends that Amazon is offering another Kindle freebie:  Jesus, Me, & Afternoon Tea, by D. L. Stalnaker. I don't know how long it will be available, but *I'm* sure going to add it to my reading list for the month!! Doesn't the cover just appeal to you all that are tea drinkers?? I can't wait to download it and 'flip' through the pages. I think I've got a little bit of Earl Grey and lavender tea that would be the perfect brew accompaniment to an afternoon read.  :)

The positive side of ice storms in March is an unexpected day off . . . which meant I got in some more nook time!  I printed off the photo for the back of my Kentucky Crossroads block and got it bordered . . .

And then sandwiched the front and back together and choose a quilting design (at least for the center of the block). 

You probably can't quite make out the markings on the piece, so I'll make it easier . . .

I liked this design because the points traveled nicely up the length of the 'crossroads'.  I'll do something scrolly in the red portions, and then probably outline stitch all the way around in the light border, just off the red.  The binding will be the darker blue.  Should be a pretty little finish to put in the mini quilt stand!

So that's it for me. Tomorrow we're headed out to spend the evening with the collective families, celebrating the first of our family's March birthdays . . . my Jocey! Happy Friday, Happy weekend!!

:)

that tuesday . . .

I can hardly believe it's February already . . . and the first *Tuesday* in February to boot, which means it's Bibliophile Files day!! That means it's the day that I share with you what I've got on my bookshelf for the coming month, yay!

Along with the devotional reading I talked about last month, which I'll be reading through all year long, I've got a good mix of fiction and non-fiction that I'm going to enjoy this month, three of which I'll also be reading to review.  The first up is The Friendships of Women by Dee Brestin.  I snapped this up from Amazon yesterday as a kindle freebie!  It's still showing as a freebie for now, so if it sounds interesting, you might want to scoot on over there by clicking HERE! As a woman who not only enjoys her friendships with other women, but is also called to women's ministry, I thought this was a no-brainer for me!

Next up is Patsy Clairmont's You Are More Than You Know.  I first learned of Patsy Clairmont at a Women of Faith conference in 1998.  She was funny and witty and spot-on in her observations, and I'm not only looking forward to reading You Are More Than You Know, but reviewing it and participating in the book's blog tour in March! (And ... hint, hint ... a giveaway!)

And now on to the fiction.  You may or may not have picked up on the fact that I adore, in particular, Amish fiction. Well, if you hadn't picked up on it, this month it's rather 'plain' (pun intended)!  These three selections are all reviewable (so look for more on each title later this month):

An Amish Cradle, a collection of four stories by Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller, and Vannetta Chapman, respectively.  

Then on to The Amish Clockmaker, by Mindy Starns Clark and Susan Meissner.

And finally, The Beekeeper's Son, by Kelly Irvin, which I'm purposefully saving until last because it sounds *so* interesting!

So, my proverbial shelf is full . . . looking forward to reading (and sharing reviews, too) through February! Hop on over to sarah did it! to see what she's reading and to check out the Bibliophile Files linky party!

Happy reading and remember . . . “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” ― Charles William Eliot

:)