Half a Snow Day!

We got a little bit of snow on Sunday. But, we still made it to school this morning. I had a feeling it would be short lived.

Sure enough, by 11 o'clock, the decision was made to close school at 12 to get the children (and staff) home safely.

About an hour after I got home, the snow stopped, only to start heavily about 2 hours later.

So around 4, I got the idea to sit down, read a magazine, and sip on a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy the snowfall.

What a life! So relaxing.

I just got the phone call. No school tomorrow. I guess I can have another relaxing day of quilting, reading, and drinking hot cocoa.

I did take some time to quilt on this quilt . . .

It has been 10 months since my mother died. Each time I quilt or pressure can food, I think of her and so want to call her up.

Monday evenings are when I sit with my dad. This week and last week, we had snow so I couldn't make it. Hopefully, I can get out tomorrow evening and visit with him, then.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Sleet Day?

When I was growing up, we very seldom missed school because of snow. In fact, there were many winters that we didn't have any snow.

More recently, when we moved in our current home, 10 years ago, we may have snow once or maybe twice during each winter. Believe me, I remember because our driveway is very  persnickety in snow and ice. Or maybe I should say getting in and out of the driveway is very persnickety.

Anyway, in recent years, we seem to be getting 3 and even 4 winter storms consisting mostly of ice. Anyway, another day out of school for me. Now, our last day will be June 2.

What are my plans for this cold, cold day? Hopefully, to get the borders sewn on the double wedding ring quilt. Hopefully, I will get it sandwiched also. I always use the floor to do this, and I can really tell my age, when I am getting up and down.

Larry is off to work. He called and said the roads are a sheet of ice. He is driving a huge SUV (Excursion) which makes me feel a little better. I know 4-wheel drive does not help in the ice, but I feel he will be a little safer in a big vehicle if he slides off the road.

What are your plans? Hope you take some time to visit Judy for Design Wall Monday.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting. 

"For His Glory" blocks

After 3 days of tracing and making templates, I now have 56 blocks chosen for my latest project. It has taken longer than I thought it would. But, I do enjoy tracing and measuring.

I sat down this afternoon and was able to complete 7 blocks.

It certainly doesn't sound like a lot considering it took me between 5 and 6 hours to complete them. But, I am satisfied with the results. I have decided to use black, white, and gray fabrics. I wish I had enough solid white to begin embroidering the bible quotes on the block borders. I had thought about using some type of pen. I may still do that as it would be very much faster than embroidering.

Do any of you have a favorite pen that will last through many washings. I do want to use the quilt on a bed when it is finished. 

We did get some more snow last night. Kelsey, Zak, and Aiden stopped by and we went to the local El Parian to eat. It started to snow  about the time we could meet Larry. We had to eat quickly so they could get home before the roads got really bad. And, I am such a chicken at driving on snow.
Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

When we got up this morning, this is what the pond looked like.

It has not been this frozen over as long as we have lived here. I guess this is a good indicator of how cold is and has been for days. Today, most of the snow melted but there is still ice out there on the pond. Tomorrow I think there is a small chance of freezing rain. Then, on Monday and Tuesday, there is a 50% chance of snow.

We have valentine parties on Wednesday, parent-teacher conferences on Thursday, and then we will be out on Friday and Monday.  I hope this is our last bout of snow, sleet, and ice. I am so ready for warm weather and spring.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Another Snow Day for Me!

School was called off early this morning. It had already started sleeting at my house and we usually get a little more of everything on the ridge than they do in town.  Luckily the roads didn't get bad, but it is always a pain to go to school and have to get the students home in the middle of the day.

I am starting a new quilt because I don't have the fabric for the sashing and borders for this one. I have all 42 blocks made and waiting on the design wall.

Several years ago, I came across this quilt from  Galloping Pony Studio. It is made up of 4-inch blocks with a bible verse in the border around each block.


I love the freshness and simplicity of it.

I already had this book of 4 inch blocks (that I have never used)

and decided this would be the perfect project. I am making a collection of bible verses that have a special meaning to me and my life. This afternoon I started making the templates needed. I am using card stock instead of template plastic because I will only use them for one block.

This will definitely be an on-going project. I can imagine that there is a limit to the amount of 4-inch blocks I can make until it gets monotonous. 

Really thankful for the warm wood stove in the den. I set up a table in front of the stove and TV and watched Bones as I traced blocks.  I will probably leave the table set up with the project on it for the next couple of days because I have a feeling I will be home another day or two this week.

Back to work tomorrow and then more bad weather called for on Thursday and Friday.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

What do you do for 5 days without electricity?

Well, we played card games and scrabble. I had purchased a new card game, Yatzee, a couple of weeks ago. So, we sat down and figured out how to play it. Not sure if I like it or not.



One evening, we played Phase 10. I do enjoy playing that game.

 
And a couple of evenings, we played Scrabble.



So, we kept busy. Larry went to bed really early each night. (We had carried our mattress to the den where it was warm.) So, I read a lot on my kindle. We charged our cell phones in the vehicles the first night and then using the generator when plugging in the refrigerator on the other days.

We actually watched about an hour of TV Sunday evening so I could see what the weather was doing.

I am so thankful we had an alternative heat source and running water. I'm not going to say I didn't miss the internet, because I sure did. But, it would have been so much worse if we didn't have water.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Winter Wonderland

(Written on Friday, Dec. 6)

The school actually announce last night that it would not be open today. I always appreciate that, even though I normally don't sleep in.

I awoke several times during the night last night. The ice pounding on the windows sounded like it was in the room with us. I finally got up at the normal time and watched the weather reports that were coming in.

Ice started around midnight and continued until 8 or 9 this morning. Then the snow began. It is finally tapering off now, around 2 pm.

I finished the remaining 5 beach towels around 2:30. When, all of the sudden I heard a crash. I knew immediately what it was.  I heard that sound before. A tree falling. And, yes, that's right. The electricity went out immediately.  Yep, it caught the electric line and snapped the pole in two.

We called the city and they responded within an hour, only to tell us that the pole was our property and they couldn't repair it for us. It is our responsibility to get a new pole put in and call a certified electrician to put in the new electrical box, etc.

Our brother-in-law came with his tractor to help get the old pole out of the hole. He also bladed our driveway for us. Thanks so much, Randy.

So here is Larry working on getting a new pole put in.

That was on a Saturday. We hoped the electrician would get there on Monday, but he didn't. He finally got everything hooked up on Tuesday and we turned the power back on around 4 p.m.

We heated the kitchen, den, and a bathroom using a wood stove. I just closed off all other doors and put a curtain up between the kitchen and dining/living area. We stayed nice and toasty, but the rest of the house was around 46 degrees. Brrr!

I am so thankful that we had water the whole time. We heated water on the wood stove for baths and cooked on a camp stove. We did have to get some wood from our brother-in-law and visit Walmart on Tuesday morning for more propane bottles for the lantern and camp stove; but otherwise, we were pretty well prepared.

We also have a small generator that we ran for a couple of hours each day to keep our frozen foods from thawing. 

We have plenty of propane bottles put back for the next time we are out of electricity. But, we do plan to purchase another lantern to keep on hand. They put out so much more light than the kerosene lamps.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Ice Day -- Or Not?

The ice storm came and left us with no electricity or internet for 5 days and sporatic internet service since. I am back dating these posts.

(Written on Thursday, Dec. 5)

I got up at my regular time this morning. Showered. Ate breakfast and then the phone rang. No School! I really thought we would go today but not tomorrow. And, we could have.

But then I received a text from my sister-in-law around 8:30. Larry's mom radiation treatment was changed from 4:30 this evening to 12:00 noon. So, it worked out really well that I was off and able to take her.  We had rain about the whole drive there and back (an hour away) and there was a layer of ice when we arrived. But the roads were clear so we were very thankful.

My sister-in-law asked me to embroidery names on some hooded beach towels she purchased for kids Christmas gifts. I did 4 of them this afternoon. Five to go tomorrow.

I need to do some cleaning and sewing tomorrow. And I have a Christmas tree to decorated still. I purchased ingredients to try making some sugar free (low sugar) chocolate chip cookies for Larry. But, I haven't gotten around to it yet. That's something else I can do.

Plenty to do on another snow day tomorrow. You would think that since I already know I do not have school, I could sleep in. Nope, won't happen.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Today I

was able to accomplish quite a bit. I started off washing sheets from Craig's bed. Him and Becca will probably be spending New Year's Eve here. Yippee.

I took extra time cleaning the kitchen, mopping the floor and all. It's been awhile since I really scrubbed it good.

I worked a little bit on my sewing room, especially to see how many quilts I have started and not finished. I want to eventually get plastic boxes to put things in to make the room a little neater and less cluttered looking.

I spent a little bit of time picking up and putting away Christmas presents and boxes that we left out. I always leave my gifts under the tree for a few days.

I also went out to photo the latest holiday quilt I made. I took pictures before but decided I really needed snow for the backdrop. Well, I got that yesterday. I decided to add a couple of other props and make a new blog header while I was at it.

I walked up to the mailbox to get the mail and it wasn't there. It had fallen over got knocked over. Who knows. Another job for Larry.

So, what did you accomplish today?

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Snow?

Oh my, yes. We got 10 - 11  inches yesterday.  Sadly, Christmas was cut short. The kids had to go home early.

But, isn't it beautiful.

Not sure what I plan to accomplish today. I have a winter snowman quilt I would like to begin quilting, but I forgot to purchase batting for it.

I may just straighten up my sewing room. Oops, I already decided I need some plastic shoe boxes to proceed.

I have plenty of projects that I can work on and plenty of things to do around the house. So why do we always want to do something we can't. I can go for days during the summer not leaving the house. Now I am snowed in for a couple of days and I want to go out.

Well, I'll find something to do.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

It's Christmas Time in the Country

 

 I have been wanting a flocked Christmas tree. I got this one in 2008--I may get another one this Christmas.

Do you get up early even when you don't have to because that is your routine -- or do you sleep in whenever possible? I am almost always up and around before 7 am.  On school days, I am up at 4:30, out of habit. When my children were still at home, that was my quiet time. Now, it is a habit. I get up and do my morning devotions and drink a couple cups of coffee in silence before I get ready for the day.

Today, I was up by 6:30 and feel like I slept the day away. lol 

I plan to spend this morning making chocolate chip cookies and dipping marshmallow pretzel sticks in chocolate.The kids will be arriving around noon, or shortly thereafter.

We will go to my mother-in-law's home for a few hours in the afternoon and then travel about five miles for Christmas with my family. Hopefully, the kids and I will attend midnight mass at Subiaco Abbey. It has been many years since I have gone to midnight mass there. I remember when I was growing up, I loved to hear the monks singing. Larry is working on Chritsmas Eve again this year.  That's just how his rotation worked out. Hopefully, next year he will be off both Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

We are watching a big snow system that is heading our way. I love seeing the wonderful white snow covering the land and trees, but I don't like being stuck inside.

The view out the back door in 2008.

But, I am thankful we are out for the holidays and I don't have to get out. I guess Larry and I will be shoveling the driveway again as he has to go to work on the 27th.

Our driveway peaks at the top by the road and at the house. Both of these areas almost always have to be shoveled. Usually by me. It is invigorating to say the least.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Snow Day

So we did have a snow day today.

I waited until late this evening to take these pictures so part of the snow had already melted. The house is across the lake and on the ridge across from us. 

Let's see. I finished the binding on Becca's birthday quilt. I forgot all about a label. Hopefully, I'll remember to do that before I give it to her. If not, she'll bring it back.

I worked some on the Tiger Lily applique blocks.

And I sewed the blocks together for the Christmas quilt I am working on. I also cut out the trees for the applique part. The quilt I am making was designed by Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks and can be found in this book . . .



If you go to this link, you can scroll through the book and see all of the great projects.  I love the pillow below the quilt also. A lot of great projects in this book.

I bet it's back to work tomorrow.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.