Rockin' and Rollin'.........

This will be short as I was up at 3:00 this morning and I'm still going!  But not for long I'm afraid.....I was so grateful though because I got up and got going and pressed Bob Ross who I had washed yesterday and he was dry this morning.  Then I found a frame that I had bought for something else, cut a piece of cardboard the size of the insert in the frame and mitered and sewed the corners around the cardboard.  I amazed myself but I think my angels were helping me!  I got it in the frame (just barely) wrapped it in bubble wrap found a box and wrapped the box and then loaded up 2 more boxes with the 2016 Collectible Ornaments, Chex Mix, Christmas cookies which are spritz cookie press cookies that used cream cheese, cinnamon and orange zest.............yes, I cannot tell a lie....they are delicious!  Recipe is here
Taped up the boxes including a container of that great Palmetto Cheese Spread I told you about, labeled and addressed the 3 boxes and drove to the next town and had them in the mail by 10:00 a.m.!  Woo Hoo !  Then I stopped by the market for a couple things came home and had breakfast and then got going doing some cleaning !  It's been a great day but I am fading fast now! LOL!
So glad to get those off in the mail!  Now I just have the garbage guy and the postman when they come next Tuesday. I might get up to a lot of mischief now that most of my Christmas is taken care of....oh, but I have cards yet and some more cookies to bake...my fav's Russian Tea Cakes...they go by a million different names but they have crushed almonds and they're rolled in powdered sugar....some call them snowballs.
Here's Bob in all his glory....I think my son will be very surprised when he opens his gift.  I hope he likes it!

Happy Trails!

Another book, sales, Christmas cookies and gift making

There was one more book I forgot to tell you about...........

This is the first book in a series of books about a young boy who survives in the wilderness.  It is for middle school age or even 8 or 9 and up maybe. I got it on Thrift Books  I read the second book, Brian's Winter and loved it.  Children's books with awards are usually good...adult books with awards not so much.  I love books on survival and self-sufficiency and relying on your own wits to survive.  It sounds like real life to me! LOL!  I haven't read it yet but if it's anything like the second book it will be good.
I got a little done on my Jingle's sock but not much.......I have finished the cuff and it's 6 inches of straight garter (knit) stitch now which is nice and relaxing and t.v. worthy.

  I had to put it aside (per usual) as I have 2 birthday presents to make for my son and SIL in January.  I decided to make them house slippers; a free pattern on Ravelry that Jaclyn of the Brooklyn Knitfolk podcast has been making and gifting for Christmas presents.  The only thing I would like to do different is get some kind of non-slip something for the bottoms.  If you know of anything or have used something like that for slippers please let me know.  I would appreciate it.  You knit these on circulars but back and forth for the back of the slipper and then join in the round for the front and then seam up the back with a mattress stitch.  She said it was easy and fun and she made 3 pair so she  must have liked making them.  They're also very popular on Ravelry.

I finally got some Christmas cookies made last night.....I know, I am slow like a slug and I have yet to adjust for my "slowing down" but I'm getting there, I hope.   I also washed Bob Ross and today I will press and frame and get more packages off in the mail.  This Christmas has been in 2 stages....first the goods and then the goodies!

Are you enjoying the aftermath of Christmas?  I got in on one sale; Craftsy had all their classes on sale and I got the Home Yarn Dyeing course but have yet to even look at it.  It was half-price and I had been eyeing it for awhile.  If you sign up for their newsletter they will notify you when they have sales.  They have lots of free patterns and classes in just about anything you might be interested in such as cooking, baking, photography, and jewelry not counting supplies for it all.  Right now they have 70% off of kits, fabric and supplies until the end of the year....which is getting mighty close!
 Do you have plans for the New Year or New Years Eve?  I am missing the football and sports....dang it! But I will persevere and not renew my satellite until maybe after I move....I am determined to move sometime before it's too late, I hope! LOL!  Downsizing does not come naturally to me.
  BTW, Jingles, the Christmas cat is really lonely and cries when I go over there.  I feel so bad for her and she's hardly eating at all.  It even looks like she's lost weight....not good but she is eating the treats I bring her and she's drinking as I can see by cleaning out her litter box.  Her Mom won't be back until the 5th of January so I pray she will be alright....poor thing.  She needs a cat buddy!
Happy Trails!
 

More gifts............

I am not one for perfumes but there is one that I do love and it's because it smells fresh and clean like soap and water freshness.  It is by Philosophy and is called Amazing Grace and it is...........

I have been without it for several years now and I missed it.  So, I bought myself some and I am so glad I did.  I love it and it makes me SO happy!

I  have been searching for a long time for some books that were out of print....and I finally found them at a reasonable price.  They are big "cocktail table" books and those are usually pretty pricey.  

These 2 books were written and photographed by Archie Lieberman and I wasn't even aware they existed until a few years ago.  They are a photographic journey through the life of a farm family that farmed in the same area where I grew up.  In fact, he started photographing the Hammer family about the time I was 5 years old and the Hammer son was 13.....he would be 86 this year.  I wonder if he's still alive?  How I would love to sit down and talk to he and his wife if they are still living. 
The book is called Farm Boy.......

Here are just a few of the photos but there is also text throughout with a history of Jo Daviess County and also a brief description of how the glaciers formed this beautiful part of Illinois.  For me, this book was like visiting my childhood all over again.  The activities, the farm, the animals and most of all the people.  I was beginning to think that I had maybe romanticized my childhood and maybe it wasn't really as great as I remembered it.  But this book confirmed my memories and these people really were that kind and gracious.  It was the greatest Christmas present I could have given myself.....a trip home.

I was 5 years old when he started photographing this family and the book was published in 1974, I think.  He went back several times a year and took pictures for a span of 40 some years.  He went there at first on an assignment to photograph the daughter who had won a Singer Sewing contest but ended up being entranced by the simplicity and genuine lifestyle that these people lived.  Their hard work and yet their joy in it amazed him......so he asked if he could come back and he did.....again and again trying to capture with his camera what these people emanated from their souls.....a hard work ethic, unshakeable faith in God and love for what they did!  Did they have problems....sure....but they were always able to rise above anything that tried to bring them down.  These people were the role models I had growing up.  I am so thankful for having been led to these books....and now I have proof that my childhood was not just a fairy tale!
He wrote 2 books about the area where I grew up and I haven't started reading the second one yet but here it is..............another big book.............I'm pretty sure the man in this photo is the boy in the one above.........

I am so grateful I found these books and I will cherish them forever and hand them down when the time comes.......but for now I will keep them close so whenever I get homesick I can open those pages and go back home.
Happy Trails!

Christmas dinner a day late........

It's fine though as I was on the phone quite a bit  yesterday and so I just postponed it until today.  Don't worry....I feasted on lots of other snacks and goodies! LOL!
So,  today I made a scalloped corn casserole......

sweet potato casserole...........

 I know there's a lot of marshmallows there but they were going stale so I thought I would just use them up........

and a little boneless turkey roast...........pitiful looking isn't it? But it was all yummy!

 I finally finished Bob Ross!  Now, I  need to wash, press and frame.....

 

 I cast on my Christmas socks on Christmas Eve........

I'm calling them my "Jingle" socks in honor of Jingles, the Christmas cat (who is doing fine by the way but misses her Mom, I feel so bad leaving her all alone there for days on end) .......as you can see I have done very little but I did cast them on on Christmas Eve!  I'm loving how they're looking so far...really traditional Christmas colors.

 I got some awesome presents from my daughter.....she should be a professional shopper!

 She knows I love lights and she got me some mini lights and mini ornaments for my mini tree!

 organic hard candy.....in this darling little purse container...so cute.......

 A card making kit!  I have always wanted  to try making my own cards....I hope it came with instructions! LOL!

 Sam and Grayson got me hot cocoa...caramel cream and French vanilla....yum!  I knew the one with the bear was from Grayson as he and Grandma have a fondness for bears....

But the very best present of all was this.........

Pictures!!!!  What Grandma doesn't love pictures?  This is the first time they've had a family picture taken and I love it! The other pictures are from school and are more recent.
  Sam is looking so much older than his 9 years. They're growing up fast and like their Mother I wish they would stay little for longer!
I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday and I hope it lasts the whole year through!
Happy Trails!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!! Happy whatever you celebrate at this time of year!!!!!

That's me on the porch with a grandson and one of my horses.......I wish!  Christmas is a time to remember those we love and those we miss....here and beyond and also to celebrate our savior's birth.  I hope you had a wonderful day and I wish I could have welcomed all of you to my door!
Love to all of you!
P.S.  If you get too sentimental or nostalgic just listen to "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer"...one of my favorite songs! LOL!  That will snap you out of it!
Happy Trails!