I like Thursdays: September 29, 2022

 It's Thursday and time to celebrate the good in life!

"Where's the treats?"

This week I'm grateful that Scout is doing much better.  She saw the doctor on Wednesday and we are trying a week without the 6 pills/day to see how she does.  She sure seems spunkier!

We got rain!  I am delighted since we had drought conditions through the last half of the summer.  The rain came in Sunday and then it just kept raining and raining...The weather finally cleared up last evening and Scout and I are looking forward to a nice walk today!

Most of what I did during the rainy days was clean and sew and work on library guild things but it was a good break from gardening.  It's still too wet today to do much in the garden but tomorrow should be a great day for gardening!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend and the weather you need!  Check out other happy thoughts by visiting "I Like Thursdays" at LeeAnna's Not Afraid of Color blog!

I Like Thursdays: September 22, 2022

 Happy Autumn!

Today is "I like Thursdays" and time to share positive things on the internet!  Our happy day is hosted by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color and you are welcome to visit the other participating bloggers!

I'm grateful for the change of seasons this year.  Usually I feel a little sad in the autumn but I welcome the cooler weather this year and we even have been getting a little rain!

First off, Scout is feeling better.  When she started barking at squirrels this week, we realized it had been weeks since she has done that!  It's a good sign!   

And speaking of squirrels...

We love "squirrel tv"; we sit in the gazebo at our neighbors' house and watch the squirrels in her big tree.  There's a new set of baby squirrels!  The dogs don't ever notice the babies or kits in the tree but they sure love barking at the squirrels around the gazebo!

I always begin Autumn sewing with a bang because I rarely get to be in my sewing room in the summer.  I have 3 tops done and will be taking them to my favorite machine quilter, Terri, on Sunday!  I might even get a 4th top done beforehand!  I haven't taken any photos yet but will share them later.  I have a list of 15 kids to make quilts for this winter and I'm looking forward to using up more of my stash!

It looks like LeeAnna's prompt this week is what movie would make you stop channel surfing and watch tv?  Only one:  Enchanted April.  It's a 1991 film and one of my favorites.  The problem?  It's never on tv...

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: September 15, 2022

 

Greetings!  Today is Thursday and time to post things that make us happy.  "I like Thursdays" is hosted by Lee Anna at Not Afraid of Color so join us or visit the other happy bloggers today by visiting Lee Anna's site!

This week the weather has made me very happy.  We had more rain and it is cooler in the evenings.  Autumn is just around the corner and we can feel it.  The change in temperatures makes me happy because I can spend more time in the sewing attic without wilting.  I've been spending almost all day up there!

The temperatures and in particular the rain, has brought some of the garden back.  The roses are blooming again and that always makes me grateful!

 

I just read two blogs that participate in "I Like Thursdays" and I think Lee Anna sent out a prompt on crafts we used to do.  For whatever reason, Lee Anna's emails don't arrive in my mailbox or spam box; we tend to communicated through blog comments.

Anyway, the craft that I don't do anymore that I would like to return to is knitting.  I used to knit when I was in college and found it soothing.  I even bought a skein of yarn last spring but then never got to it.  I tend to do more handcrafts in the autumn and winter just because I'm stuck in doors.  So I'm pulling my embroidery out as well these days.

Scout as a baby.  She's a "blue" poodle and was born with that wonderful gray face.

Scout has been plagued with allergies.   She had her allergy shot in August and we kept waiting for it work but she just got worse.  Unfortunately her hot spots became inflamed and infected; she is on a bunch of meds right now.  Still I'm grateful-- my groomer took the time to cut her hair short because finding things on a poodle through that curly hair can be daunting.  Then (because Jessa is a GREAT groomer) she took photos of Scout's hot spots for the vet with descriptions where the spots are located.  She's going to get better but as our wonderful vet told us, it's the worse year the practice has ever seen for allergies.  So our little girl is on the mend.

Enjoy the grateful weather!  

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!  

I like Thursdays: September 8, 2022

 Happy Thursday!  Thursday is the day we post what we like as a way to add some positive energy to the internet.  If you need more happy thoughts, visit Not Afraid of Color, our hostess' website for more happy posts!

My husband is traveling again for work and I've been happy not to have to cook this week.  It's a small thing but it's one less chore to do, although I miss him.

We got rain again and that is always something to celebrate during this drought!  On Sunday when Scout and I walked around the lake, there were hardly any ducks and no geese left.  The lake was so low that I'm sure it wasn't providing food for the water fowl.  After the rain Monday and Tuesday, everything was back to normal, even the egret was back!

It was so cool yesterday that the a/c never had to come on and I opened a bunch of windows and aired out the house.  It was delightful!

I like when I realize that a quilt isn't working before I go too far.  This week I started on an owl quilt for a neighbor lady.  Her best friend (also a neighbor) helped me plan it out and I had cut all the fabric and began assembling the project.  After two rows I realized that it wasn't going to work.  Our friend is a big bold woman who loves color and wild prints.  A simple black sashing wasn't going to work, even if the fabric was her favorite tones.  So I ripped everything and began all over again.  

Now I'm just adding different sashing to each block in colors and fabrics I think she will love.  It will be a wild quilt but we are sure this in more in keeping with our friend's personality.

This past week I was so proud that I had used up so many scraps this summer.  Then I began to work on this quilt and man, am I generating scraps again!  

Scout still loves her fan and each time we return from a walk she has to sit in front of "her fan" to cool off.  

Wonder how she will react when the fan is put away in the fall?  We've had fans blowing through the house all summer.  It's helped lower our electricity bills as well.  The one night my husband got up in the middle night and he couldn't figure out what was off--it was a cool night and the fans weren't running and he missed the white noise. 😁

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

I like Thursdays: September 1, 2022

Happy first day of September!

It's Thursday and time to celebrate the good in life!  Please join the other participants by visiting our hostess Lee Anna at Not Afraid of Color!

Happily my husband is still at home and that is always a good thing!  I know once he is called out again, he'll be traveling a lot!

We are grateful for a brief rainfall we got the other night.  It was only about 1/8th of an inch but it was better than nothing!

Other things I like:

Tinkerbell, Scout's best friend!

Both dogs are picky eaters.  We came across an unusual but effective solution:  the dogs eat dinner together every evening.  We're not sure if it's the competition or the competition that gets them to eat but we're grateful for solution to both our problems!  Tinker has a light breakfast meal as well---and now Scout goes down to see her in the morning--otherwise she won't eat.  😂😂😂  Whatever works!

***

I'm grateful for what my friend Linda called "Scrap Summer!"  I've managed to whittle down two deep drawers to one and it's so satisfying to have more room!  Right now I'm working on placemats for the kids in my family and I'll be glad to have them done.  I should have birthed the placemats but instead here I am attaching binding to each of the 15 needed.

The placemats have scraps on one side.  The other side will have a little ghost appliqued on it.  These go with The Little Ghost Who was a Quilt book we got for each family.

I also made 55 little-ghosts-who was-a-quilt for our kids and also my friend Amy who is a children's librarian and will be doing a program on the book in October.  The kids can put a face on the quilt like in the book.  But...I know some of the girls in my family will be using their quilts for their Barbie dolls! 

For years I've made a lot of donation quilts and items for charities.  Through the next year, I'm determined to make sure that each of the little ones have a quilt that I made for them.  I should have been on this earlier but it is what it is.  At least I have a goal for the next 12 months.

Well have a beautiful day and I wish you a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: August 25, 2022

 Happy Thursday!  

It's time to post about things that make us happy for "I like Thursdays" hosted by Lee Anna at Not Afraid of Color.

I haven't been posting but there has been a lot going on.  Today is a good time to remember the good things in life.

I like watching baseball with my husband.  Actually, I like watching baseball without my husband too.  For those of us that have stood by the Phillies for decades, this is an exciting time with new and impressive players.  My favorite player is "Long Ball Darick Hall."

Despite the dry conditions, we have been getting a good crop of tomatoes this year and we have them with every meal.  All I needed to remember was to pick them as soon as they begin to ripen before the squirrels get them!

We finally got rain this past week and one can feel the difference in the garden.  The birds are singing more, the bees are more active, and the plants have perked up considerably!

Scout is doing well despite her allergies flaring up.  She had another allergy shot last week and we are looking forward to that kicking in so her case of the "itchy-scratchies" settles down!  She has really learned to ignore Mom's dog Kerry who is always trying to rough house with Scout.  About the only time the two dogs seem to be  dynamic duo is when we are eating and we get this audience!

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

I like Thursdays: July 18, 2022

 Happy Thursday!  Time to share the things in life that make us happy!  Visit Lee Anna at Not Afraid of Color for other happy posts!

I'm grateful it is 2022 and I don't have to wear all the clothing and layers that ladies wore in yesteryears!   It's been a hot and humid week!

Last week Brad and I took Scout to one of our favorite places...Monocacy Park in Bethlehem, PA.  It's a lovely shady park that was built by the WPA during the depression.  It's the new photo at the top of my page.  That white rectangle is actually the waterfall.  Here's a better view of the waterfall:

So happy because we finally got to meet Remi our newest member of the family and my first great-niece!  She's a wonderful baby full of chatter and laughter and it was a joy to finally meet her!

 

It's been a busy family filled week.  Hugh Paul got an accommodation from the Navy!  He's my cousin/nephew (my aunts and uncles are my age).   He's been in the Navy for years and developed a new logistics program for the Navy to get PPE and vaccines to the troops quicker and more reliably.

A new project is always fun!  I'm working on about 50 very small quilts to accompany a children's book I really like.  The book is called The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt and you can read about it on my other blog here.

It's stinking hot so Scout and I take our walks at daybreak and nightfall.  I'm sure it's stinking hot where you are too!  Stay cool and hydrated!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: July 14, 2022

 Happy Thursday!

It's time for a happy post as part of  "I like Thursdays" hosted by Lee Anna from Not Afraid of Color.  Join her and visit the other bloggers here!

Hubby is home and I'm always grateful to have him here and healthy.  We haven't been doing much as he just wants to rest and that is fine with me.

The dog days of summer are here and I like this neck fan that my neighbor gave me.  It does cool me off when I'm working in the attic or in the garden and I even bought one for my aunt to keep her cool!

 

I like a man who can cook.  DH says it relaxes him when he cooks.  He made dinner last weekend which gave us leftovers for a few days.  And he's going to cook again tomorrow!  He makes a kick-butte stir-fry and I really enjoy it!

I like when a baby proves a doctor wrong!  My grandniece Remi laughs all the time.  She was only a week old and Maggie sent us a video of her sleeping and she was laughing in her sleep!  Brad was skeptical until he saw the video.  She is our laughing baby.  Maggie took her to the doctor and when she mentioned that Remi laughs all the time, the doctor told her:  "babies don't laugh at this age."  Maggie talked to Remi and the baby started laughing and cooing...it astonished the doctor!  Good girl Remi!

 On Monday, we will finally get to meet Remi!  Brad is well over his whooping cough and Mom and I both learned we had gotten vaccinated for it shortly before the pandemic started (it was part of the tetanus shots we received).  We can hardly wait to see her!

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: July 7, 2022

 

Happy Thursday!

Time to celebrate the good things in life by participating in "I Like Thursdays" a day when bloggers share all that is good in their world.  Find more positive posts over at Lee Anna's our hostess at Not Afraid of Color!

I like that my husband is home.  Unfortunately he was diagnosed with Whooping Cough and we have had to isolate.  I'm grateful that all the masking and sterilizing I've been doing has so far seemed to inhibit me from getting it too!

I like my puppy.  All my dogs have loved electric fans and Scout is no different.  She moves her head back and forth like a model and it cracks me up!

Scout loves her friend Corrine and belly massages:

 One thing that Scout is not fond of is getting groomed.  She was recently groomed along with my Mom's dog.  The groomer said she would take one dog at a time but apparently both of them decided they wanted to get done as soon as possible.  Both jumped up on the grooming table when it was lowered:

Every morning I like to check the garden and fill a wee basin that sits atop one of my bird baths.  I like to put water in there once day for bees and butterflies and small birds.

 

Yesterday I was amused to see a big ol' Mourning Dove using the basin:

I was expecting the birds to use that area for a sitz bath!

I hope you are all doing well and wish you a safe and happy weekend!