Oh the weather outside is frightful...

We got some more snow yesterday.  But the real news is the cold so there is a lot of ice outside.  We salted our pavements and our streets are passable but the dogs are still bored.  Unfortunately a lot of people don't clear their sidewalks so walking is very problematic yet.   No temperatures above freezing until Saturday when the high will be 34--and unfortunately that day we will get more snow and ice.   So this is winter...if the weather outside is frightful, the sewing room is delightful so I have two more finishes:  the dog house quilt and a donation quilt for the premie ward at the local hospital.

Today I am hoping to quilt my fish quilt and I have enough dog house blocks for another quilt which I am changing a little.  Hope you are all staying safe and warm!

Too long away...

We've been fairly busy here which is why I haven't been around.  My husband is rarely home and to have him not only stateside but off from work for over a month is a pretty unusual experience.  So here have been the latest updates:

Thanksgiving at the newlyweds!

 "The Beards" All the men at the feast.  

Perfect turkey again from Peter and Jessica!  The food was all from scratch and wonderful!

My husband was supposed to be hunting but he got sick with a heck of a cold/flu thing (which he graciously shared with me) and so he has been home.  Before I got sick, I was just holding down the fort.  Here is Seamus doing some dog therapy work this past week.  More updates later this week!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 and Happy Hanukkah to all as well!

placemats I made for Meals on Wheels

quiet days

The golden days of autumn are officially over.   Here are some of the views in our neighborhood before the cold and wind entered out world:

 Teddy wants to smell every leaf...

My husband is home for the rest of the year and even on vacation.  Since we don't often live together (because of his job), it's a bit of adjustment for both of us to be around each other so much.  One of the things we are working on is a rickety doll house:

It isn't worth much and is our second dollhouse of the season, another one we got from a friend before she moved but that one was adopted by a family member with a young granddaughter.  This one is just a prototype for us to see what we can do.  It's just a hobby and if it doesn't work, no big deal.  

Our own granddaughter already has a variety of doll houses but at nearly 10 years old, is quickly outgrowing this stage.  Each time I see her I can't believe how grown-up she has become.  

We are thinking a lot of our blessings these days.  My friend's one year old grandson, Michael, is going on the list at Children's Hospital for a heart transplant.  It's been a sobering few weeks for the "quilting aunties"  (our mini quilt group) as we watch helplessly as our friend and her family confront this enormous challenge.  If this isn't enough, Michael's Mom is also pregnant and going to be induced on Tuesday.  The new baby's heart will have to be checked as well.  If you can, please keep Michael and his family in your prayers.

Peace and hugs, Mickie

Meals on wheels placemats

FINISHED!  Our guild collects these for our local Meals on Wheels clients.  I make one or two with Christmas scraps and the rest are winter themed (yeh that's a lot of snowmen scraps used up).   Anyway, it's out of my UFO box as well!

Christina's quilt...

Years ago, my niece Christina asked me to make a quilt for her.  We picked the pattern--Wonder 

Blocks by Terry Martin==and bought all the fabric which she picked out.

A few months later, I told her I had over a 100 blocks completed and she said, "oh I'm painting my room purple now."  So I've had these blocks hanging around since then.  I decided to put them together in a throw for her because now that she has graduated from high school, she might like it to simply wrap up in at night.  I'll give her this one at Christmas.  To be honest, I don't know what color her room is now...

Special thanks to Sandra for suggesting the pink before the green border.  It worked very well.  Thanks Sandra!

Sail Away

Here's a quilt I picked up recently at a flea market.  It is a common ship quilt but these aren't often found around this part of the valley.  Two of the sail boats are invisible on this photo because the fabric faded.  Anyway I like it because so many of our family members are in the navy.  Might have to make my own one day...

Smalls

I'm working on a bigger project but have finished some small projects as well:

Made some pennants for two of my nieces to decorate for Halloween.  One is in her first dorm room and the other has an apartment but LOVES Halloween.  Instead of just storing the scraps I threw them in this crazy table runner for niece's dining room table.  At least the fabric is all used up.  Then I got a special request for a brick themed bag.  Turns out the brick fabric works well with some of the leftover cat fabric I have so I'll probably make another small with those scraps (anything but storing).

In other news, one of my dear friends made this quilt for Peter and Jessica.  Pete loves Autumn colors so I know they will both appreciate it.   Here they are snuggling under it after they got it (sweet newlyweds).  Isn't it lovely? Have a great day and happy sewing!

And the hits keep on coming...

OK, not so much hits but action around here continues to roll along.  This week the repair on the front roof commenced, only to develop in a new roof on the front of the house:

So far this year, we have replaced the central air and hot water heater, had major masonry done on the house, chimney and garage, now the roof plus DH is working on the garage (see photo of dogs above).  We had structural damage repaired on the garage after we removed two trees that were alongside it when we moved in.  DH and I worked yesterday painting but he has taken over as my hands can't do much more these days.  It will be grey the same as our siding and fence.  Today he is up on the ladders doing the top parts of the garage.  Then we will do the windows.

The garden has taken a hit for sure with all the construction but it is good to get it all out of the way at once.  We will, however, have the back roof done next spring.  The roofer didn't have that on his schedule and to be honest, doing our roof is problematic.  The guys have to be on safety harnesses because of the odd pitch of the house.

Our house is 96 years old.  I'm thinking we should have a 100th birthday party in 2017 to celebrate the centennial of the little cottage.  It was the first house in this part of town and probably by that time, we will have fixed even more of it.

So I'm not on the blog right now a lot but I look forward to a winter of sewing and quiet (indoor) projects. I'm off to get some more clean up done in the garden. Have a great day!