Alone With Spring

Today I saw a butterfly
A splash of color for its wings
Oh what a joyous feeling
For I knew that it was Spring!

I started walking through the meadow
And there around my feet
I saw a garden of little daisies
So simple and so sweet.

As I came near the forest
There was no sign of gloom
For there before my very eyes
The dogwoods were in bloom.

The birds were oh so happy
As they nested in the trees
I just lay down and rested
And listened to the humming of the bees.

As I lay there peaceful and contented
A thought came slowly stealing
How we need to be alone with nature
When we have hurts that need healing.

For sometimes we're too busy
To hear God answer when we pray
But if we get quiet and listen
He will answer in His way.

As I lay there peaceful and contented
I drifted off to sleep
And had a dream so precious
The memory I shall always keep.

I dreamed I was in Heaven
And nothing could compare
To the beauty and the Glory
That I beheld up there!

My great-aunt, whom I ADORED, wrote this poem.  It was printed in the bulletin of her sister's funeral service last month.  Her sister was the last of that generation - a generation of strong working women that knew how to stand on their own two feet.  The author aunt and her husband raised the husband's sister as their own child, their parents passing at a young age.  Unfortunately, my great-aunt's husband also passed away young and she never remarried.  I just adored her so very much and I think she liked me, too.  She started writing to me in college and we continued until her health took away her ability to write. So I would just send cards and letters.  I had no idea she wrote poetry! this is such a treasure! Such a special person and this poem reflects that - she knew what her life was about and where she would go in the end.  So thankful for that and for her influence in my life.

Sweet Niece Becomes a Teen!

I've missed my oldest Sweet Niece lately - she's getting to that age where she's on the go.  This weekend she received her Valentine's Day gifts on Friday, then her birthday gifts on Saturday and Sunday.  So the girl racked up this weekend!

My sister and I planned a birthday experience for Saturday. Stop One took us to a clay cafe where Aliah chose a cross and an owl to paint. We both tried their paint chip method so I'm excited to see how the colors melt and blend. I think she really enjoyed the painting experience. 

See the jar full of paint chips? You sprinkle them on your pottery and they melt in the firing process. 

After devouring Pringles and chocolates while we painted, Sweet Niece was hungry again, which brought us to Stop Two: her choice of restaurants and she picked Panaras. 

Sweet Niece was soooo happy to score a table beside the fireplace! Broccoli and cheese soup made her a happy camper, too. 

Stop Three: Blush for a manicure!! 

When I left, she had a dayglo pink picked out but somewhere along the line it switched to crazy orange. With a tiger stripe pattern on her ring fingers :) 

Toss in a little shopping and more chocolate and you have her birthday experience package! We had a great day with her - so much fun celebrating her entry into the TEEN AGE! Aaahhhhhh!!! 

This wild-haired child is what we found at home. Gracious. She was not happy about being left behind but the day was for the birthday girl.

Thankfully today she was looking a bit more like a sweet little girl- even if sweet isn't used to describe the Terrible Twos she's going through lately. Sheeeesh. 

So thankful God brought both these girls into my life. Sweet Niece #1 came to us at age seven, and my, how she has grown since then. So proud of the young lady she is becoming. :)

A wee catch up

Where on earth have I been? Who knows. No where exciting, that's for sure. But I'm here now! Yippie!!

I'm in the South and the South got hit with snow and ice. In my neck of the woods It was ICE. Macy was happy to play in it anyway. I wasn't as happy to drive in it... 

I made it into work, however, it was a tense drive. Halfway there it looked much better, thank heavens. Now the ice is gone but we the having insane cold temps for this area. This better severely dent the bug population this summer. 

I finally finished this piece of paint your own pottery. No clue how it will look once it's fired. Hopefully I'll pick it up this weekend, while I paint another with my Sweet Niece #1 as she turns 13! What!?!? 13! How did this happen!?! But it's true, she'll be 13 soon. Heaven help. 

I had wanted to finish this before her birthday but I don't see that happening. It's very busy - probably not the best choices in fabric but I think she'll like it. Or I hope she will. 

Ugh. I better go get a faucet dripping since it's already 13 degrees outside. Sigh. Y'all stay warm!!! 

Will Play for PB&J

Happy Saturday!! I've taken a few days off from work and it feels great. I'm so glad I took Monday, too, because I'm not going to be ready to go back. :)

Thursday was spent with Mom & Macy at the mall playground.  I am amazed at the grandmothers at the playground who chat everyone up and pay no attention to the kids... As they wander out of the play area and into the mall area. One boy had been with another family outside the play area for about 15 minutes before granny missed him!! It was stressing me out. We heard crazy stories of military moms and suing doctors for malpractice and so on. But Macy had a great time and that's what this was all about. 

She enjoys life at 100% full speed.  This must cause a great appetite. Lunch was at McAlisters where she ate her entire PB&J, applesauce, some of mom's chicken meal, and two bags of Teddy Grahams. Then she wanted to shop at Hobby Lobby (she loves it!). After all that excitement- she crashed! Heaven help she's so cute. 

Saturday mom and I shopped and bought more fabric for me to keep sewing! My goal this time is Macy clothes. We'll see how it goes. 

Here is the finished quilt top!! I did something that caused ruffled edges but I think I'm moving forward anyway. I have lime and white polka dot flannel for the back :) 

I picked up the pottery Paulene and I painted and am pretty happy with this. My other piece not so much. (Paulene, I will get yours in the mail!!) And I started another while I was there with Sara. Hers is going to look great. I didn't finish mine so I have to go back! Argh. 

And one last photo - Noelle! Taken this morning as she visited in the house for a few minutes. I'm supposed to be cleaning. Sigh. I really want maid service but that is no where near in the budget. 

I suppose if I want to sew this afternoon I better clear space to do that. Hope you are having a great weekend :) See ya later Alligator! 

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!! We'll be piling in at Mom and Dad's to eat and watch commercials! Can't wait - I deliberately did not watch any commercials beforehand so they will all be a surprise :) You can tell I have my priorities straight. Haha!

Judging from my Timehop, I had the flu this time last year and missed all the excitement at Mom's house. So far I've avoided it so let's hope that continues. 

For those of you who are Susan Branch fans - Rabbit Rabbit Girlfriends! 

Yesterday I was a determined woman. More determined to not do housework and instead, create. But I really set my mind to it, tuned tv to my beloved PBS and I managed two fair-sized projects. 

The first - an initial with burlap and buttons for the aunt that gave me a ton of buttons. I'm not 110% sold on it, but it will do. Making straight lines with round objects is a bit tough. How do you like that little angel? It was mom's - maybe grandma's? I need to ask mama. But she stays in the cabinet year round. 

Second, I decided to make a quilt. I bought more fabric to match this other cloth I had, only to realize the nine square design needed just two. Not willing to break up the five matching yards, I went with this: sprinkles and lines. (Let me say - why on earth I ever chose lines is beyond me.) Above is my first square! I was so excited and pretty darn motivated at this point. However, I had no idea how many squares were required even for a baby blanket!!! 

After lots of ironing, cutting, sewing, ripping out, sewing, ironing, repeat: I ended up with this: 

It's pretty small - not even baby blanket size. More of a plop-your-kid-in-the-middle-of-the-floor-on-this-blanket size. To let you in on a little secret about me, I couldn't handle the asymmetrical look of it starting on a pattern block but ending on a blue block (this is a 4x4 block) so I made my own pattern that would be symmetrical. ;) 

Next I have to add two borders and I'll be ready to back it and add batting. I'm not sure my machine is made for that - guess well see when that time comes. But that time ain't today because today is church and Super Bowl commercials :)

Go Seahawks! (Simply because I like their colors)! And Puppy Bowl! Y'all can let me know what commercials you liked best tomorrow because I'm all into that. If I remember my charger, I usually tweet through the whole thing with #brandbowl tags. :) can't wait!