Day 7 & More Deb's Doilies

Yesterday went much better than the days before. Today is starting off well. I seem to be having fewer of those automatic thoughts of "I need to smoke" and find myself less inclined to turn toward the back porch whenever I need a few minutes to stand back and think about whatever I am doing. This is a really good thing! grin I do miss the going out to breakfast thing... and it seems like a year since we have seen Deb and Roger... but the staying home (as in.. out of Blazer that we smoked in.. ) I have to admit, is helping a lot. DH has been wonderful... he goes all the way to the shop to smoke and as a result has cut his smoking down to 1/2 pack a day. Another good thing!

The doilies are two that Deb gave to me a while back. Aren't they pretty? DH once said that he would love to have our house done in the homey way that his grandparents had theirs... with the doilies on the tables. I will have to think more about that and see what happens.

Day 6 & Deb's Embroidered Scarves

Day 6: This morning seems to be better. Yesterday was one of those tougher days again when I really wanted to go smoke about every hour or so. Got a couple of really encouraging emails and comments that helped a lot... thanks again.

Don't you love these Dancing Veggie Sideboard scarves ? I can't remember who had a set like these, but someone in the family did. I think this patterns was used a lot in the 40's and 50's. Deb sent me these pics that she took of some scarves that were in a box of linens she bought at an auction.

Well, I went back to old format for my blog. Sometimes change is not as good as we think it will be..grin So now for the re-doing of all the links and things that need to go back in the sidebar!

Day 5 Quitting Smoking

Well, yesterday did not go as well as the previous days... but managed to do pretty well. Lots of cups of 1/2 caff coffee, hard candy... (my teeth will probably all fall out, but I won't be smoking! grin) I worked on a small purse that I thought would only take a couple of hours to finish... wrong! The closure that I bought for it (a real bargain... only $2.00) really gave me fits... then when trying to sew the purse to it, I found that the reason it was only $2.00 is because some of the sewing holes are not completely drilled and the needle won't go through! humpf! So I will have to take it apart and DH says that he will have to drill them.
Anyway... just in case you haven't noticed (grin)...I changed the look of the blog... I really am not sure that I like this one, so I have not put the Flickr page back up yet. Don't be surprised if you come back in a couple of hours and it's different.. !
Does anyone know where the Round Robin Letter is??? I haven't heard from anyone in a while, so am thinking it should be in Michigan... will call Phil and see.

Day 4 Quitting Smoking

You know the thing I miss the most... sitting on the back porch each morning watching the birds and squirrels, the green of the trees and the meadow below us... holding hands and talking while we drink coffee and try to wake up. It's not the cigarettes... it's the time together watching the colors of the birds and listening to them sing.

I have come across a wonderful blog called i live on a farm. Just reading it brings a quiet peace.

Of Beads, Brothers & Quitting Smoking

I have finished the needlebook by inserting 3 long pages of felt (makes 6 pages when folded). Then decided I needed to make a thimble bag, so I did. It was very easy to do, and the beading was something new that I had never done before. It is very easy, but does throw off the rhythm a bit by having to stop and pull up the bead until you get the hang of crocheting by pulling the thread through a couple of beads closer to your fingers. I finished off the crochet chain with a small floret to be used to either attach inside a hussif or to hang from a small hook to display one of my grandmother's thimbles. A larger view can be seen on my Flickr site here.

I had finished 2 thimble bags (one with 3 rows of beads, one with 4 rows of beads) and we had sprawled back to watch the latest Netflix dvd received... Sapranos Season 2 first disk... and were digging into a pork chops , cantaloupe, and scrambled eggs supper when the doorbell rang and we were pleasantly surprised by a visit from Stan and Marla. Love that! Since I am no longer smoking, Marla and I discussed her wedding cake at the kitchen table while the guys were on the back porch...

We have never smoked in the house, so changing the smoking habits does not include anything inside the house. I don't spend much time on the back porch (and won't for a while, since that is our smoking space). But sitting out there with the smoke was not really a problem for me last night. The fact is... the decision to quit smoking is a personal one and does not include everyone I know...grin Expecting the rest of the world to be "totally sensitive to my needs" or demanding they "give it up" or "keep it away from me" is about as practical as expecting the world to stop and bow down every time I walk by... isn't going to happen... at least not this week! grin

Floral CQ Block Wall Hanging

This trusty little block has been my "security blanket" block for almost a year... All the "new" things have been tried on it. I almost hate to see it finished...grin

(I have put the patch on and have finally decided to quit smoking for real. That's why this little wall hanging is finished.. I worked on it all day yesterday. There will probably be many projects completed in the next couple of weeks as I try to change all of the old habits.) For a larger view... click here..

Cow Creamer

John and Tomomi made a side trip to Allen when they were here the other day... they brought me back this little creamer. Isn't it cute? Makes me think of the cow set that Grandma Ingram always had sitting on the table or in the kitchen window.
Well, the dr. wrote me a prescription the other day for "Vacation in Maine... Immediately!"...grin I thought Jerry would fall out laughing. Then, another trip to the cardiologist to see if he thinks I need a cardiac cath... ughh

CQ Block and Odds & Ends

Progress is continuing on the Practice CQ Block I started last winter. When it is finally done, it will be the first large thing I have finished. (By large, I mean larger than a fabric postcard or a needlebook!) grin

I have not heard where the Round Robin Letter is on it's rounds. All I know is that it sure is nice when it finally gets back around to me...grin Love that hold it in your hands and read it mail....

Aunt Edna has started a new blog called Family Dotings with lots of family photos and this terrific recipe for Bob's Apple Cake... sounds wonderful.

It's been back and forth to the doctor all week for us... my pulmonary function test came back just below normal..but not enough to worry about.. So it's back to the heart specialist either next week or the week after..

Floral CQ Block

I first posted this block waayy back in the winter last year. This has been my learning block... So each time I try something a little new, this is where I put it..grin There are so many things wrong with this block (beginning with composition and layout.. and the list could go on.. ) but I still like it. This week I put the small pearl spider and spiderweb on .. my first real try with a spiderweb that looks ok... and the woven basket that holds the spiderweb roses.

Tomomi's Quilt

John and Tomomi came to visit yesterday. She brought her Sampler Quilt for me to see and what a beauty! She will be entering this one in the Red River Quilt Show this year. It is completely hand quilted and took about a year and 1/2 to complete. The pictures just don't do it justice. Click on the pics for a larger view and you can see how small the stitches are and how close together they are stitched. The edging amazes me... What can I say? I love it!

Coming Along...

Don worked most of last week putting the bones in for screening the back deck. Then Jim came on Saturday and Sunday and they finished the screening. Trim, paint and a little linoleum and it will be done... It was so hot all week and they both had sweat pouring off into their eyes. They will never have a clue how wonderful they truly are.

First Year Anniversary!

It's hard to believe that it's been a full year today that I have been blogging here! Time has passed so quickly. As I look back over the list of posts and realize that not everything was posted, I still can see why there is never enough time... even retired!

The screening in of the shop deck should be completed today... and I'm sure that Don and Jim are both very happy about that! They have done such a wonderful job and it is looking so good we can hardly wait.

(By the way... this clipart is totally appropriate..grin I look just like this every morning!)

Rain...Glorious Rain!

I took this pic yesterday afternoon... How wonderful it was to sit on the back porch and watch the rain come down. It continued this morning and one could just hear the sigh of relief from the trees and the birds... and us!

I Thought It Was A Flicker!

It wasn't... The pair of roadrunners that have been coming to the feeder definitely aren't Flickers! We looked them up online and find that they are wonderful for killing snakes, scorpions, spiders ... and small birds!! Guess who is looking for BB Gun as we speak!

Unhappy Campers!

Our little wren is not a happy camper...

Our little nuthatch is not a happy camper...










And here's the reason why....




Don has begun the screening-in of the porch on the shop. In the process, the lattice and the two tiny basket birdhouses that the wrens have been sleeping in for the last year had to come down... (they will be put back up!) ... and the nuthatch has lumber covering the base of the pecan tree where he usually pecks around on the ground!

McCall's Quick Quilts

This site is going directly into my sidebar. This site has the most in-depth tutorials for quilting that I have found anywhere. There are many vintage block patterns, newer and applique patterns and also motifs for the actual quilting. The motifs can also be used as embroidery patterns or guides. There is a page for baby quilts.

Ranger Newsletter Time Again

It's that time again. I've spent all morning working on the photo prep for the newsletter. I think it's time to put it down for today... grin

The Round Robin Letter should be in Oklahoma today.

We finally got rain yesterday... shock! Nothing in the forecast, so when the clouds began to pop up we just ignored it... What a surprise! We had to just drop everything and sit on the back porch and watch.

Men Who Quilt

On my other blog... Fabric Follies... I have a post with photos of the quilts our oldest son has made. This is a photo of the sampler quilt top our youngest son has made. It is totally hand stitched and was done as a block of the month series from one of the quilt shops in Wichita Falls. Isn't it pretty? It still needs to be quilted, but that will come. His wife Tomomi is now working full time, so their time together is limited... and so is the crafting and quilting.

RRL Update

It's here! I will have it sent either today or tomorrow!

Sunflower Teapot

We had breakfast at Nick's with Deb and Roger yesterday... and look what she brought me! It will look great in my kitchen.
Pop over to her new website im a little teapot and see the lamp that she found in a box for $1.00... Roger is polishing it up and it will be great when he finishes it.