Sunday, April 26, 2009

Burying troubles today

The past two weeks have been tough, especially on friends and family who have had illness diagnoses, marital problems, and employment worries. Today I am going to give myself the best kind of therapy and bury my troubles in the garden.
It is HOT in Pennsylvania right now and such a shame because the heat tendens to hasten the end of spring blooms like the second flush of daffodils, the tulips which just started and the amazing viburnum which just started to fill our home and property with its amazing fragrance.

Some good things are passing like the hyacinth (the smell gives me a headache).
Today I will be pruning the rose bushes, DH is mowing.

I would love to show you a pic of the garden as a whole but we need to buy our sod first. Our dogs have completely annhilated the grass in our back yard and some of it in the front. Anyway, it is time to get out there before the heat floats in....

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Week 5 of UFO challenge



Ready to baste this baby!!!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Update on Mack.......

Mack is doing better and not limping at all. He is still on antibiotics and no word yet on what happened to him but we are relieved he is doing better!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Change

"Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me." --Carol Burnett

"Things do not change; we change." --Thoreau

"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends." --Japanese proverb

"The road to a friend's house is never long." Irish proverb

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Thinking of Mack......

I dreamt of Mack last night, my brother's bull mastiff. He is just a puppy yet and is sick. He has a sore shoulder and finding it difficult to walk on three legs since he is already a 150 lb dog. In our family we might not agree on a lot of things but we do all agree on how much we love the kids and the dogs. We are hoping his problem isn't going to be serious because Mack is a gentle giant who is loving to all--especially children and other dogs.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

April Showers

I've been under the weather but at least it has been raining or muddy.
I just love watching the trees bud this time of year.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Spring Cleaning



In Helena's scrapbooks, I usually have one page entitled, "And then she said..."

Yesterday I took the girls for ice cream. Each girl got a 'single scoop' which actually was more like a double scoop. Helena attacked hers with relish. I assumed that sooner or later she would get tired of it. After all, this is the girl who can't finish any meal, even when it is just two scrambled eggs.

I finally said to her, "Geez you are eating a lot of ice cream for a little girl..." And she said, "They don't call me Helena for nothing!"

Monday, April 13, 2009

Holiday Residuals....

Whenever I wonder if I made the right choice about working at home, two things happen: I see my granddaughter's smile or we have a holiday. The granddaughter part is easy enough. But the holidays always remind me of when I worked full-time and how tired I was trying to "do it all": with a husband who travels most of the time, children, and the usual maintenance of our home.

Like most women, I am one of the keepers of family traditions, past, present and future. . For years since we moved into our little cottage, we have been hosting a brunch every holiday. It is just what we do. Everyone comes by, eats breakfast and shares some time with the family. We make good memories. Yes, it is a lot of work but the day after when it is quiet, I feel so wonderfully full of happiness and love for my family.

So everyone that came this weekend and shared their time with us, thanks. We loved seeing you and having you here. ((((HUGS AND SMOOCHIES))))) and Drew, you forgot your jam. Will give it to you when you come up in two weeks....

On to other things........I belong to a couple of yahoo sewing groups and my favorite is some spicey strip quilters :) We are doing a UFO challenge. We each picked an unfinished project and each Friday are reporting on our progress. I picked the project called Pooh Deux and didn't post the progress last Friday because I was up to my elbows in holiday prep. So here are the updated pics:

This was week one:
This was week 2:
This is my most recent update, week 3--all sashed up:

Have a great day!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Saturday, April 11, 2009

easter eve images

Christina the super sitter! She really had fun with Helena!
Passed out cook, good meal! Di--gave me the CDs!~ (secret message there)

Our gals, Helena, Christina, Melanie :)

Totally teen Maggie!

Uncle Peter and Helena (a secret photo through the french doors).

How many children can take a ride on a bull mastiff? Helena had a blast on Max!

My guys..Brad, Drew and Pete....

Bunny bag for Helena....

Another Bunny Bag for Helena....using up scraps these days :) and back of bag pocket........


Happy Easter all~!!!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Bunny Hop

Today Helena's pre-school had their Easter Party. Easter Bunny came and there was much dancing, magic, and merriment!



Unfortunately, there was also snow and bitter cold while the kids were outside doing the egg hunt! But the kids had fun and that was all that counts. I have putting a lot of time into holidays with Helena. Next year she will be in kindergarten and so I am taking advantage of the time we have now to have fun. It sure will be different when she is in school for a full day.
Seeing the kids with the Easter Bunny was a hoot and Pop pop and I had a great time today :)

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Err on the side of caution......

I had this Easter Egg fat quarter for years and didn't use it. It was part of my "good stash" and I was saving it. It's a bad habit I'm trying to break. So I started making Easter Egg child-sized placemats. Originally, I was making 3. I figured if I was making 1 for Helena, might as well make a few. I like to do more than one when I make something. I usually won't make it again so that way I have a few in the stockpile.


(This is the back side.)
I am glad I worked on 3 because I ended up cutting my finger with the rotary cutter and two of the placemats were soiled and ruined. This is the one that was left:
Fortunately, Helena has her Easter egg placemat!

I shall smell of dirt.....

Today the dogs and I will be working outside. Not sure how much I will get done; I am very hand challenged these days and my problems go up through my elbows to the shoulders.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Bunny Hutch

More bunny madness at 3P and N! Helena completed her 16 napkin holders for our Easter brunch! Aren't they beautiful? She even rolled the napkins buy herself and put them in the roll:
Then we made a bunny.............

We also did an oatmeal box craft. We made a cradle (including a pillow and blanket) for Helena's pet puppy:

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Paddie in the Garden....

Beverly Nichols once wrote that he cannot imagine a garden without a cat. I cannot imagine my garden without Paddie. She is the same age as the gardens at our home and learned early on to be a good garden dog. I love all my dogs but truthfully, the boy pups refuse to learn good manners in the garden. Paddie can be let out and won't stray from our property, she chases cats and squirrels away and tolerates the rabbits as I do. She asks for very little except for an occasional toss of the ball. She keeps me company as I work and doesn't dig or need to be babysat. She is the perfect dog and one that most of my friends wish they had.
Here are the crocuses blooming before the rabbits ate them (about an hour after we were done). I like cleaning out the garden. I like the smell of the earth and rediscovering what has returned and what has not. There is a misconception among some people that cottage gardens such as my own are pretty maintenance-free. Au contraire, mon ami. First of all, I never met a year that I didn't change something in the garden. The joy of course is that just about everything is portable (except the bigger trees) so one never needs to get bored with the way that things are.

But there are other factors as well. Some plants self sow to the point of becoming a nuisance, other plants fade with time. This year, I need to replace delphiniums which seem to last in our garden for about 5 years and never seem to self sow. Years ago, I started all my plants by seed but I am content with buying plants this year.
It is all good though. Because I am outside and the air smells good and I have my special companion with me. I love LOVE LOVE spring.