March 2024

 March has come and gone so quickly.  I have a few finishes to show. I loved the little orange and pink baby quilt I made earlier this year, so I made two more.  They are for a friend of mine. One for each of her two year-old grand babies. And yes, made from my scraps.

Then I finally finished this paper pieced one, pattern by Bonnie Hunter called Morning Glories.

The next happening at our home was the loss of our 15 year old kitty, Jesse Neutron. We are pretty sure his health degraded from the normal things that affect senior cats, heart disease, and kidney disease.

He had gone from his high of 14.5 pounds a few years ago to a skinny little 6.5 pounds.  He coughed, was obviously uncomfortable, and wouldn't eat.  By the time we took him to the vet for the euthanasia, he was severely dehydrated.  Yet, he still purred, jumped up on his stool to be brushed, and was still his sweet self.  It was very hard for both of us, but it was time. He was in pain. We gave this little stray a wonderful, full life, and he gave us much in return.

The vet office was super.  Send us a card, signed by the whole staff, and even prints of his paws and face.

I saw a cute little pattern online for my next baby quilt.  Finished it yesterday. It is for a young woman, who was my grandson's kindergarten teacher, who is having her first child, a girl, in a couple of months.  It was great to again, make a gift quilt out of my scraps. This one was quick too.

Springtime is time to change out to spring quilts, so I spent a little time doing that yesterday, for the beds in our upstairs guest room.

It's been such a beautiful week, I tackled the door project.  Our front door is fiberglass but has woodgrain look to it.  The stain that was put on when we built and moved it had faded a lot from the sun.  I was not sure about reapplying the gel stain myself, but it was very easy. I did that earlier in the week and applied the finish/protector on it yesterday.  Looks so good.  I had purchased several faux fern branches a few weeks ago at the At Home store. I buy ferns for our porch every year, but I'm a terrible plant person, so I don't take care of them like I should.  Not anymore, plant people, don't judge!  I think they look great.  The only issue is if we have a big wind, I"m not sure they will stay in the pots.  I have them stuck in florist blocks but not sure they will stay.

And today, the Easter Lily (given to us by friends) reminds me of the price my Savior paid for me. And today is Resurrection day!  So, so thankful for Easter.  If he didn't rise, there would be no salvation, no escape from a sinner's hell, no eternity with God and Jesus.  So very thankful.

February 2024

 The husband didn't get to go on his annual two week fishing trip to Florida this winter so I didn't get to do my list of projects. However, I'm almost finished with one of them.  I loved my big white bed I made a few years ago (my first wood project0, but it was so heavy I couldn't move it to put a rug underneath and with Jim's handicap he can't help me do that. Our bedroom was pretty but I really wanted to be able to put a rug under the bed that I could change out. I know, maybe silly, but a woman wants her bedroom pretty! also, I'm about over having furniture that I can't move myself.  So I sold the bed, nightstands, and lamps and am in the process of trying to make this simple, lower profile bed pretty.

I'm still waiting on one of the new nightstands.  I bought two, and they were "in stock." Only one was delivered and now I'm on about the 8th week of awaiting the other one. Oh well.

In quilting news, I received the fabric today for one I am making for the McCall's Quilting issue out this fall. I'm excited and a little nervous.  Hope it turns out good.

Snowstorm of 2024

 We finally got a good snow!  And in good, I mean about 8-9" The most I've seen since the famous blizzard of 1993.  So I've been stuck inside for the last couple of days, and it looks like at least one more as the temps are not above 23 today, and expected to stay below freezing for a few more days.

Puzzle, our golden retriever, LOVED the snow!!

Me, not so much.  But, the good thing about being stuck at home is I have more time to sew!  I looked at my scraps and potential baby quilt ideas and came up with a cute traditional design using pinks and oranges, a favorite color combo.  Starting cutting on Sunday. I love it.

This is for the new granddaughter of a dear friend of mine.  I hope she likes it!  This will be the second finish of the year for me.  I did the lion quilt for our Church's Music Director. He is expecting his second grandson. It is an Elizabeth Hartman design.  The second lion I've made.  Really, it isn't difficult.  The cutting takes longer than the sewing.

   

Back to sewing working on this one.  Maybe I'll finish it in 2024.  :)

Still running FIVE years later

 On a whim I took a look at my old Late Life Running blog.  Can't believe it has been five years since my last post.  Wow.  I have done a few 5k races but no half marathons in five years......until now. I signed up for one on November 11th.  Not sure I'm ready but I did 11 miles last Saturday.  I don't have time to get in any more long runs.  My left knee hurt a bit on that run but seems ok now.  Wish me luck!

November 1, 2023

 Well tomorrow is Jim's big birthday - 70 years old!  It is so hard to believe we are as old as we are!  And I'll soon be 65.  I made him a cake, homemade bread, homemade soup, today. I'll be working tomorrow but he can open his present later when I get home.

Our kind neighbor changed out our five outside lights in the last two days.  We have the best neighbors!  All five of our LED dusk to daylight lights had gone out and they were the kind that didn't have bulbs.  I was able to get these really nice looking outside lanterns from Costco, that use LED bulbs.  So happy about that.  When they go out I'll just pop in another bulb.  And I love this style. It seems to go better with our home.

We only had three trick or treaters last night.  I was so disappointed.  Our little neighbors boys came over and a teenager.  But we did get a pic of the grandkids when they were on their way to a big fall event on campus where they live. I'm sure they had a ball! Hermoine and Mario.

I got the idea to get out Jim's big fake teeth and try them on Puzzle!  it was a hoot but she only wanted to eat them.  She had me laughing so hard last night.  She came parading into the living group with one of my headbands in her mouth.  I took it away from her and it wasn't five minutes when she comes in wagging her tail with another one!  Evidently I had left two of them on my bathroom vanity.  She can reach anything on there now.  She was so proud of herself.

This dog is such a joy and a blessing.  We've had some really nice fall weather lately.  Turned cold last night but today was still beautiful.  The sky the other night was so very pretty.

I have started a new sewing project but haven't gotten enough done to show yet.  I've put the Bonnie Hunter Morning Glories quilt on hold while I try to finish this little Christmas throw quilt.

 October 15, 2023

A lot has gone on since I last posted.  I finished a memory quilt for Katie's uncle.  We took a real vacation to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. Then we had the kids for several days during their fall break.  We had so much fun!  The other local grandparents got some time with them as well.  So blessed! Also started a new paper pieced quilt, pattern by Bonnie Hunter.  

So the pictures are not in any kind of order.

Memory quilt....

At the museum in Jackson Hole, Wyoming....

Grand Tetons....

More Grand Tetons....

Yellowstone

Comparison of when we were there about 12 years ago (right picture) We've definitely aged a bit!

Ice Cream at Mammoth Springs, Yellowstone.

My handsome hubby

Saw lots of elk in the little park community of Mammoth Springs

Fall Break with the grands.  We called this week "Grand Camp."  Haddon with his little friend Merritt Hixson (a distant cousin).

Emma and Shiloh Hixson.  They lived next to my grandchildren before they moved to LA.  Their mom is Alicia Graves, the daughter of one of my besties Tina Graves, and she has SIX kids!

Tina and I love that our grandchildren are so close.

Fun at our house with Papaw

Cade's Cove loop in the back of the truck with Mamaw and Puzzle

New paper pieced quilt.  This one is taking a while to do.  Very tedious.

It's been almost two full years since I quit the pixie haircuts and started learning how to deal with my wild curls.  I love having longer hair!

Can't believe how much it has grown in just two years.  And this includes five trims.