Nice Weekend

We had a lovely visit from daughter Bev and her husband Kent this weekend. We didn't do much...just out to eat Saturday night and lots of time visiting. Love that. Just not often enough...lol

Hannah's Quilt and EZ Shawl Update

Hannah's quilt is finished. It is now folded and ready for the trip to Arizona. I am finding that I am enjoying quilting more and more. It was never one of those things that I found relaxing or fun to do. I guess it's like spinach...it grows on you...lol

The Elizabeth Zimmermann shawl is growing. There are now 50 stitches between each marker and the shawl measures 16 inches radius. I've got to buy another needle with at least a 24 inch cable. EZ says 24" is as long as anyone really needs, but really... I have to wonder about that.

My Space

On several of the sites that I visit regularly some of my online friends are occasionally showing pictures of their space or of various corners of their homes. Here is "My Space". This is where I sit in the evening..or any other time I want to spin, weave or hand sew. The spinning wheel was in use at the time this photo was taken...spinning the last of the Chocolate Merino Lamb pencil roving...sigh (Love that stuff!) Back in the corner at the center of the picture is my Kromski Harp Loom...still warped and ready for me to finish the placemats and runner that I started before we left for Arkansas. It's a toss-up to see which will be finished first... the flax roving that is waiting for me patiently in my stash or the weaving...lol

My DH sits in his recliner right next to me on right of the picture. He says that he really likes my many hobbies since I can work on them all I want and he can still hear the TV..lol

Home At Last

We left last Thursday for a few days in Bull Shoals, AR. It was a short vacation mixed in with a trip to the dentist...not that that really makes sense..lol Anyway, it was wonderful to visit with friends and see the changes that have come about in the 5 years we have been away. There are a lot of things about Bull Shoals that we miss... the people, for the first and foremost thing. The quiet beauty of the lake and the country. The Ozark Mountains are absolutely breathtaking in their spring beauty. .. But of course, 5 years cannot pass without some changes...and the loss of those dear to you.

The first day we were there, DH came down with a "cold"... or maybe allergies. But by Day 2 I also had it. That was Saturday. By Sunday my nose was dripping like a faucet and I felt like I had been kicked by an Arkansas mule. Monday was the trip to the dentist.... teeth cleaning and a couple of fillings replaced. Then immediately on the road home....

Boy...was I ever glad to get home. Still sick yesterday and most of today. Feel better right now than at any time since we left. There is something inherently wrong with that.

The Joy of Trivia

I finally decided to look through a book that's been on the bookshelf for at least a year.. It's called The Joy of Trivia by Bernie Smith. It was written in 1976, but looks a lot older. The pages have browned and there's a tiny bit of wear on the ends of the back binding... but I find that I can't put it down! He has such a sense of humor!

(Excerpt:...)

"The world's first successful income tax was tried in England in 1799. William Pitt was the man who fathered the idea, to finance the war with France.

There will now be two minutes of silence while we think ill of Mr. Pitt."

Steel Cut Oats ... and Dallas

A while back one of our sons and his wife suggested that we try Irish Oatmeal. Well, it took me a while, but I finally decided to try the Steel Cut Oatmeal. I like it. It takes forever to cook, but I like it. With the cholesterol thing going on and having to have a cardiac cath every year..ughh.. I guess I don't mind too much having oatmeal almost every morning..lol Especially since oatmeal has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember.

Cranberry juice is also a staple... yumm yumm..

Did you ever hear of George Mifflin Dallas? Well, he was the Vice President of the United States in 1845. In that year the people of Peter's Colony on the Trinity River changed the name of the village to Dallas... Texas... in his honor.

Who knew?

The Simple Woman's Daybook 04/06/2009

For today: April 6, 2009

Outside my window: the sun is shining brightly and the sky is a lovely faded blue. The wind is blowing the tops of the trees making them look like little hula dancers.. It's supposed to freeze either tonight or tomorrow night... another one of those Easter freezes. I'm glad I waited to put in any flowers.

I am thinking: about publishing my book about spindle spinning. Haven't decided yet.

From the learning room: I am researching what it takes to get an isbn number. It seems that it is not terribly difficult and would make self publishing much easier.

I am thankful for: electric lights. While watching Foyle's War last night .. (it's a British television drama that we rent from Netflix).. I was thinking how terrible it would have been to have lived in one of those horribly large castle-like homes during the times before electric lights. A candle only lights so far ahead of you and those staircases are massive... phew... And what about trying to do any kind of needlework even in the daylight! No wonder they had rooms for every time of the day... it all depended on where the sun was at that particular time! Thank you, Thomas Edison!

From the kitchen: comes the sound of a cash register dinging constantly! It really struck home yesterday at the grocery store just how much inflation is raging right now. ... sigh

I am wearing: a pair of stretch denim pants (green khaki colored) and a tan blouse with floral motifs all over it. And my handy-dandy flip flops...

I am reading: Cat and Mouse by James Patterson for about the 4th time. But I have to say that I am Alex Cross groupie...lol (And I blame that on Morgan Freeman... who played Alex Cross in Kiss the Girls)

I am hoping: that I can get in quickly to have my nails done this afternoon. With plans in the works I always hate to have that one chore left for the last minute and then worry about finding the time.

I am creating: place mats on the Kromski Loom. They will be blue with floats in white/multi colors.

I am hearing: the ringing in my ears that is my constant companion..lol

Around the house: I am loving the tiled floors more and more as time goes by. If I had known I would like them this much, I would have done it a lot sooner.

One of my favorite things: is answering the phone and it being one of the grandsons.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Preference by L'Oreal...lol The dark at the base of my blonde is showing...

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you:

I painted this several years ago.. It now hangs in a friend's living room. Friends are wonderful things to have. They like your work even when you don't.....

Hannah's Quilt Update

I have found a new use for my Kromski Harp Loom. While I don't actually attach the quilt to it, it does hold it up off my lap and give me access to the area I'm quilting while holding it fairly smooth and straight.






The heart pattern for the large squares worked out fine. I put scrolls in the rectangles and circles in the squares. The light green border is just straight line quilting around the perimeter of the pattern. The pattern for the outside yellow border will probably be either feather or concentric circles...haven't decided yet.


Pop over to Fabric Follies Two and see the chamois thimble I made yesterday to quilt with... it works great!

Bargain...

I ran out of ink a couple of times while I was printing off the booklets for the Spindle Spinning Class. Of course that meant a trip to Office Depot each time. On the second trip...lo and behold.. right in front as I walked in the front door... there it was. The chair of my dreams.. marked.. ta da.. can you believe it... $15.00! I almost fainted. And then I bought it...

It's perfect for my spinning and weaving. I've been trying it out with my first try at spinning flax. I think I have developed all thumbs. I do pretty well for about this far..as in the pic.. then all of a sudden it just slides apart and that's that. Looks like I am in for a long spell of learning all there is to know about flax...sigh

Cellar Night

We have lived here since 2004. That would be 5 years and last night was our first trip to the cellar. Unless, of course, you count the trips to wipe the cobwebs off the walls and sweep the floors.

We had just gone to bed around 9:15 or so and snuggled in with our books in hand when the phone rang. It was the Civil Defense recorded message about dangerous weather. We have only had this happen one other time... I like it. We got up, re-dressed and turned on the television. It took a bit, but around 10 or so the sirens here blew and this not-so-young lady made a bee line for the cellar with the half-quilted Hannah quilt and my single spun yarn that I am using to knit the EZ shawl.... and there I stayed until all was passed. (Constantly bemoaning the fact that I did not have my spinning wheel down there with me!)(And what about all my pictures???!!!) (Can't we just move into an underground house?)

This was one of those unusual storms that had a tornado rotation and yet it moved from the northwest to the southeast. This happens very rarely...almost always do tornado storms move from the southeast to the northwest. We actually got very little of the harsh activity. As the photo shows, the worst we got was the wind that blew the oak beards off the tree and all over the yard. About 5 miles north of us it was a different story. They had some horrible hail and very high winds... as far as I know there was not a tornado that touched down.

I can now breathe a little easier... the cellar has now been christened...lol