Tuesday August 14, 2012

Despite the triple digits we've had all summer I've stayed busy. Mostly going to Oklahoma to visit my daughter. Mom and I are still dealing with the passing of my dad but times is helping us adjust.

I have found that while fun I might watch my time with Pinterest. It sure is all consuming when you get started!

With school starting comes the start of church activities. I look forward to Ladies Bible class and joining in the vistiation group. Secret sisters has started up and I chose the name of a wonderful woman! My mind is already thinking up little surprises for her. Alas I have no followers (and it might help if I were to tell my friends or post more often!) to help with suggestions.

I have been thinking about how Paul wrote about joy and questioning if I have lost some of that. I think briefly I did but now I am appreciating life so much more. After all there is an afterlife that will be sweet and perfect. For now though we are given each day to give some of ourselves to others, give some small gift that would help someone or show you care. These things bring joy.

I am trying out blueberry/lemonade muffins today. I'll post the recipe if they are good. I've been looking for some recipes to go with afternoon tea or coffee break.  I have just found one for zucchini pie as well so those will go into my next post. I love to try new recipes.

I have stumbled across a site for cardmaking - Gina K Designs. I have to be very careful much money could be spent there but I just love her videos of techniques and ideas. Pretty soon I will be starting Christmas cards only because I am pokey.

I have discovered I would never make it living in the country. My sister and bil bought a house to flip and there are all kinds of 'visitors' out there. Like those mole things or whatever it is that makes tunnels EVERYWHERE! There are probably racoons too!

Gotta take some pictures to post here on my next round...

It's been awhile since I posted. Since my last post my father became ill and passed away this February. At the same time I found out I am going to be a first time grandmother in November. Mixed emotions that week. With one sorrow comes joy.

With this new joy comes some new outlets for dealing with things like loss. I have begun to learn to quilt and have been making cards and crocheting some baby blankets. My first quilt was for my daughter the mom to be.  Here is a picture of my first quilt. The colors don't show up well here but they are blues and browns. I did have a good one but alas I am sideways. Here is a picture

Now I just need to find a pattern for a baby quilt to get started on my next one. Making this quilt was a fun experience. I think quilting will give me much joy in years to come....


Here's a picture of a card I made this week


I have some crossstitch in the works as well so have plenty to keep me busy. Plus gotta love those Texas Rangers!

Time for spring cleaning and some serious yardwork. A trip to Oklahoma to see my dd very soon. Other than that I have just been in my homebody mode. We do have some flowers blooming and even though there are just a few planted they are such wonders to watch bloom.

On the reading front I am in my Sue Grafton series. On U is for Undertow now. And that wonderful book One Thousand Gifts.

All for now....

A couple more finishes

I guess I really have not decided exactly what this blog will be about. I guess sometimes crafts I make, sometimes daily excursions, some thoughts (if I have any!) and whatever else might be going on.

Today I am going to start the book I mentioned Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer. It's going to be an online book club read on Going Beyond Ministries.  Hopefully I will make some changes in my life. I've looked at this book and it seems like a good one for some improvement in daily living. Some challenges to meet.

We finally got rain last night! After months of triple digit heat resulting in fires all over Texas. We are so thankful and hopeful for more.

Not much else planned for today as I don't do much around the house on Saturday and I've already checked in with my kids for the weekend. I will just putter.

Here are two Halloween pictures I stitched for my daughter...

and this one

I think that's it for her this year. Now on to our home. I have a really nice Autumn picture I need to start and two other Halloween pics that may end up in UFO territory but ah well there is next year...

Oh and I'll try to watch those typos I keep making and maybe soon I will update books to read...still have a lot left to do on this blog when I have time to sit down and just do it...

Just a couple of pictures

Here's one of my finished crossstich pictures for my daughter.

And here's BooBoo my daughters cute Basset Hound!

It's About Time

I have been so bad about coming hear to post. Recently I started reading to and following others blogs so that got me going again.

The last day of August such a relief. Everything in our beautiful yard just up and died from the bitter sun beating down.  I spent the early morning hours making a master list of all things to do in the fall. I'm re-enrgized with just the thought.

Ladies Bible class is about to begin again and with that good studies, fellowship and good works. It is at that time we go in pairs to do our visiting.  I think our first section is on Barnabus but unsure. There is a blog I subscribe to that is reading Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer. I am thinking of joining in even though I am no longer married and a part of it of course includes that. Have done a study of hers that was excellent.

Time to start reading too. And preparing to crochet (sure can't do that in the heat).  I recently bought an embossing machine for making cards to send out. I really like the thought of a homemade card. I make them while I watch my Texas Rangers.

I am working on the verse Apply your heart to discipline and your ears to words of wisdom. Prov 23:12.  Discipline is something I could use a lot of. A bit of humor wouldn't hurt either such a serious outlook I have. At my age (55) the good doctor said it is well past time to lighten up! We'll see if my blog shows that I have done that in the coming months.

Off for a relaxing day of tea and reading. I am well into Silent in the Sanctuary and Sports Illustrated!

Springtime Musings

Although you can not see her well I am still proud. This is a picture of the one of the newest additions to our family. It is me and little Sophia Grace my great niece.  I have another born in Februray which I don't have a picture of here yet. That makes three great nieces and one great nephew.  When we all get together in July I will post some good pictures of the babies. 

Alas I am not a grandmother yet!

Here it is April already and I have not posted since Christmas. I had meant to keep up this blog but had computer issues for awhile.

It is so beautiful here in Texas.  I have already been enjoying yardwork and spring cleaning.  Coming along with reading some wonderful books that I need to list and getting some cross stitch done.  I have so many hobbies I am either doing or interested in trying that it seems time is limited in getting them all done!  Ah well though hobbies are for spare time.

It is baseball season and I enjoy spending time watching the Texas Rangers with my dad. I love this old time American sport.  I am confident we are headed for the playoffs again this year!

I have learned to begin each morning in Bible study and it has been such a blessing.  Along with reading I am doing some background study on the times and it has been so informative. Learning the customs and what was going on in the world then makes it even more sacred to me as I see more clearly what Christ was going through and then Paul and his missionaries and of course the church.  What is clearly more important though is to read how God wants me to live and to soak up each writing and try to live up to what is commanded. 

With that said my prayer time is not what it should be. I have to wonder who else might have troubles feeling that God is not listening. Maybe I have just heard too many who feel so very close and feel much direction in prayer that I think I should too. Maybe God is just wanting me to follow His Word right now and that is His answer. At any rate it is not a dry wilderness time but one of enrichment.

Soon I will be planting my very small beginner garden of tomatoes and okra. It wil be my first being a city girl. I am excited!  Flowers are beginning to bloom and I keep thinking that I need to go the the botanical gardens again this year it was so beautiful last spring.

I don't comment but I do read the blogs I follow and I get much out of them! I strive to be as good at it as the others are!

The Christmas Season

I have to admit this year does not seem like Christmas.  The tree is trimmed and the house is decorated beautifully and presents are bought, wrapped and under the tree. What is missing?  Jesus. In the busyness of each day I have not given time to the Lord.  This has been on my mind of late though and this very morning he woke me up with a reminder that I said I would do this very thing. At 2 am I was bright eyed and had the most wonderful prayer and study time.  I commit to giving the rest of this week to Him in thought and deed and continue to do so in the coming year.  It is not a resolution it is a going back before the hubbub of the material side of Christmas.

I will enjoy the family time and look forward to this weekend with them but those precious early morning moments will be the best of times.

To the more mundane of today it is going to be a high of 70 today!  The leaves on our bradford pears have not even all droppped yet. Soon I will be mowing them instead of raking if they don't get a move on. Mother Nature is sure acting strange this year.

Soon it will be a new year. Now here is my resolution time. I am going to try and keep up with all you bloggers out there for there is much to smile about, to think about in your writing. I would love to have the talent so many of you have.

Keep writing