Let's go bird watching!

We went out to the Schell-Osage Conservation area this afternoon. It is just a short drive from here. All kinds of water birds rest there on their way to their winter homes. If you get lucky you can even see eagles there sometimes. Not today though.
Do you see the white just above the green of the grass? That is thousands of geese in the water. I do wish I had a camera that took better far away pictures!
Just lots of calm, peaceful water here.
Just below the dark of the trees in the background are again hundreds maybe thousands of water birds.
Isn't this peaceful and lovely? Oh it was so crisp, quiet and serene out there today. Just the peace and joy of God's nature.

I leave you with a last picture of peace and serenity. May your heart and mind be as peaceful as this picture and if not, may you find a peaceful place in your heart.
I leave you with this video. You can't really see the birds very good. But above me crunching in the gravel and the sound of the wind listen carefully. You can hear the geese calling.

Finishes, starts and in betweens

This is a little afghan I made for Lucy. That is if we ever get her! *sigh* We were supposed to pick her up last weekend but the lady had family coming in. I understand. So today we were supposed to but she was to busy and we made an appointment to pick her up Sunday at 1:30. I was all excited even with a migrane! LOL! Then the lady called tonight and has to go out of town because her brother is ill. Again I understand but I am getting frustrated. She promised to call the first part of the week. If she does fine, if not fine. End of story!
I finished my pink, purple and white afghan. As you can tell, Katie already wants it! LOL! I think she is really an "afghan" hound and not a min pin!
Here is Jack's quilt. Poor little snowman only has one arm right now. I think he is waving at everyone. Or maybe he is waving at Jack wanting his other arm!
I am now putting together some granny squares I did awhile back. I had gathered up all my yarn and sorted it in colors that went together well. I saw I had a lot of the greens, teals, pinks and burgundys and thought they would make nice granny squares. And they do. It will make a nice size afghan about 40 x50 or so.
So that is all the news from the sew n sews for the weekend. See ya soon!

Christmas goodies

First a little smile for you! I caught Jack and Katie a couple days ago snoozing away. I couldn't resist a picture!
Now look at this lovely little surprise from a dear friend at the teeny tiny cabin. It arrived the day of Christmas eve and was a wonderful thing to get in the mail! Isn't it pretty? She is a very talented lady with a gracious and loving spirit and I encourage you to pay her a visit.
The back is every bit as lovely!
Each year we buy a small present for each other, a little care package for a friend who has had a rough year or maybe doesn't have family and a little something the two of us would like. I had been looking at clocks but they were way more than we allow ourselves to spend. Then the company marked it down to seventy dollars. Close but still too much. THEN I got an e mail from the company for half off clearance items. I thought maybe this will work but I was still concerned over the cost with the shipping as this thing weighs nearly 45 pounds and is 59 inches tall. But it wouldn't hurt to see what the cost would be. Well, low and behold, they added the price of the clock to the thirty dollar shipping and then took off 50%. So I ordered it for the grand sum with shipping of fifty dollars! It is a bit more than we usually spend but I love it!
I got Jack some nice warm house slippers. If his feet get cold he is in big trouble with pain and swelling so gotta keep those tootsies warm!
And jack got me a new pair of sewing scissors and 5 yards of fabric! It will become curtains for my kitchen. I love the little apples on it.

So that was our Christmas. We had a nice meal of turkey, baked sweet potato casserole, baked squash, homemade stuffing, cheese filled crescent rolls and an apple/raisin kuchen for dessert. We have lots of turkey for many more meals and will be eating leftover side dishes for a week! I hope your Christmas was as blessed as ours.
Thank you to all who prayed for and sent loving thoughts my way with my blue week last week. I am much better this week. Being bi polar I am usually on the manic side but every once in awhile I swing the other way. Such is life! until next time kids, remember you are loved!

Merry Christmas!

A little Christmas poem for you all!

Oh, God... help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the songs of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be your children. -Robert Louis Stevenson

God be with you
this Christmas and always!

a brother, knobs, snow folks and an afghan

I'd like you to meet someone. This is my older half brother Steve and his lovely wife Glenda who live in Texas. This picture was a visit they took to San Antonio in October. I sure miss them too. I haven't seen them since dad passed away in 2001. When they lived in Oklahoma it wasn't a big deal to go see them. I've been a little teary eyed and a bit blue the last couple days. I don't know why but I refuse to let it overwhelm me! Getting a card and pic from the two of them just kinda added fuel to the fire.
Well, I got tired of my all green cabinet and painted the knobs a copper metalic. I like it and think it makes it look better!
Here is Jack's progress on his quilt. He has been sewing like a house a fire and that needle of his is smoking!
And I have been a bit busy myself. I am almost done with my afghan! Just got to do the border and give the loose ends on the back a haircut and it is done, done, done!
One more little note. We will have a new family member the 29th. Her name is Lucy and she is a black doxie mix about 6 to 8 years old. She was abandoned 2 years ago by her family and left in a backyard without food or water. While the lady who has her now adores her she is gone a lot and wants Lucy to have a home where she will get more attention. When she took Lucy in for a friend who did doggie rescues, she never meant to keep her this long but we here Lucy is a real sweetheart! So I have to get busy making a snuggle sack and afghan for her so she and Katie will each have there own! So until next time I will see you then!

Stitchy stuff and a sunset

Here are a couple pictures of our sunset tonight. The first I experimented with using regular shutter speed. It came out dark but still pretty I think.
This is with the night setting. What a glorious sunset it was!
Here is Jack's snow folk quilt. He is just zipping along. Bet he will be tired of whit by the time he is done! LOL!

That's all I wanted to share with you tonight. Just a short little post. God bless and keep you all!

A few snowy pictures!

That's some cold suet! But the birds don't mind!
Our big old tree out back.
Looking north out the front door. Looks like a winter day and boy did it feel it!
Getting ready for the evening stroll! Jack and Katie were all bundled up in their coats!
Ever seen anyone look more peaceful?
Looking out back from the porch.
Little snow on the bird house!
Icicles on the neighbor's house. I think they are pretty.
Nothing but snow and cold out here today!
I am cold! Think I will wander back in! Hot chocolate here I come! Would you like some too?

Happy snowy weekend!

I love snow!!!!!!!!!!! LOL! And it is snowing right now. Much better than the ice storm of last weekend. We are due to get 6 to 8 inches. I asked Jack if he wanted to make snow angels. Only trouble is I doubt either of us could get back up! I did go out with Katie a bit ago for her evening potty break. Lovely to watch the snow falling in the light of the street light and hear it hitting the leaves on the trees. That is the only sound that was out there. I caught snowflakes in my hand and on my tongue! I am just a big kid I guess! Here is a laugh for you! Katie doing what she does best! Makes me want to slap that fat tummy! And I do every chance I get!
I have been crocheting away on my purple, pink and white afghan. i am so close to being done with it. Well, except for the border of course. Sorry, forgot to take a picture! LOL! But here is a picture of something else I want to crochet on. My care bears. I have the yarn for the purple colored one. That one is called Share Bear and has little lollipops on her tummy. I will need to buy some felt but I believe I have everything else.
Jack is coming along on his snow folks quilt. I promise a picture of it in a couple days. Here is a little something my very dear sister/friend Bec sent to us. A little metal sack that holds tea candles full of Christmas towels, a pot holder, cookie mix and a snowflake cookie cutter. She also sent a beautiful plaque that says "Faith is to believe what we can not see; and the reward of faith is to see what we believe" I love it! She also sent a snowman ornie for the tree and a bag of goodies for Katie. I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends.
So that is the news for this week with us old sew n sews! if you are getting snow, make a snowman, have a snowball fight or just enjoy a snowflake on your hand or tongue! Celebrate living, enjoy the simple pleasures for we never know how long we will be here to enjoy them!

Word-filled Wednesday

I am getting a bit off the standard today on Word-filled Wednesday. I do hope Amy-Deanne doesn't mind. I got this video from a friend and I wanted to share it with everyone since it is nearly Christmas. You might want to pause sonific while listening.

I hope it will give you a blessing. Please visit Amy and join us for Word-filled Wednesdays.

Our little Christmas house & Christmas tree treasures

Welcome to our home on this cold icy day. Come inside and warm up!
Here is our little tree and the answers to the Christmas tree treasures
1. Why I use my tree topper and why it is special: She is an adorable angel made for us by a very dear friend.
2. Do you use a tree skirt and is it unusual? Yes, it is a cross stitch kit given to me by a friend. I cross stitched it and it is unusual in that it has different water birds on it.
3. What is your oldest ornament? It is a little stain glass angel. She is hanging just above the nativity. We have had her for nearly 27 years!
4.What goes on the tree first? Depends on my mood!
Visit here to see and read about more Christmas Treasures.
Now here are the rest of my decorations. These were my Grams and I got them after she passed away in 2003.
Here come all the snowmen! LOL!





So there it is! Thanks so much for visiting and do be careful in this weather as you head on home!

Who's idea was this?

Katie here. Mom is fixing lunch and fluffing the Christmas tree, so I took over the computer to share with you. This is what mom and dad woke up to this morning. No, it isn't snow! It is ice and I hate it! Hard to walk on and cold on the feet. It was a nasty night, sleet hitting the windows and thunder and lightening.
So this is what little old me will be doing all day long!

Have a great Sunday everyone. My family and me are buckling down for more ice storms. Mom says we will have them until Tuesday. Is that a long time? *sigh* I hope not!

Lots of news!

Come on in out of the cold, drizzly Missouri weather. Here is a nice hot cup of chocolate for you!
Here to is the recipe for it so you don't have to buy the packaged stuff. Great as a gift too!

Hot Chocolate

1 8 quart package powdered milk
1 16 ounce container cocoa powder
1 pound sifted powdered sugar
1 6 ounce jar non dairy creamer

Combine all ingrediants and mix throughly. Store in air tight container. Makes 15 cups of mix.
For one serving, heat 3/4 cup of water to boiling. Place 1/4 cup mix in a mug and add the water. Stir well. Top with marshmallows and cinnamon if desired.

Now for some stitchy stuff. A little project Jack just finished up.
My life's sampler is all done. Oh boy am I happy it is finished!
Here is the progress on my Quaker style sampler. I am working on the little house on the right side at the bottom.
And now some news. We weren't able to get financing to buy our little house. No big surprise there. But we will be doing a rent to own until we can get financing. So now we don't have to worry about moving. What a big relief and the answer to many a prayer. So we will be putting up the Christmas decorations this weekend and going full tilt at redoing our little house. So until next time that is it from chilly Missouri!