Friday...........ahhhhhhhhhh..........

I put in a full day today doing mundane tasks that do not photograph well for a blog.........such as cleaning 2 litter boxes, washing a load of clothes and hanging them outside, washing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen......see what I told you?  I also cut up a melon and did some mindless garter stitch knitting on breaks. 

That was about it!  I did look up some gardening info and I have yet to make my menu and grocery list for tomorrow's trip to Walmart but I have time yet.  Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 60's and sunny but then rain for 4 days so tomorrow's the day! 
Oh, I did do some shopping for the Prim Village Cross Stitch SAL through Fat Quarter Shop and I ordered a little St. Patrick's Day treasure for myself.  Stay tuned! I finished Jerry Todd's Up-the -ladder Club book.  For a children's book it was interesting and quite good.  I'm still behind for February for the Good Read's Challenge.  I need 14 books read by the end of February and so far I only have 10 but there are several others that are moving along.
Here are your "tidbits" for today................Here's the instructions

What a lovely applique pillow for Easter/Spring...........  Here's the link

 and a little something to make you smile..........

Happy Trails!!!

First day for hanging laundry outside...for me anyway!

It was a beautiful day although it started out frosty and cold at 24 F but warmed up to the 50's so I took my clothes out and hung them in the sunshine.  I am trying to save energy and money.  I also canceled my t.v. so I took the box up to Salem and handed it in.  I worked on finances today and gathered tax info so the craft room got no attention.
When I made my minestrone soup the other day I used an entire bokchoy and this is the bottom of it similar to celery and it is in a little water and is already sprouting.   The minestrone was from the Blue Zone Kitchen cookbook and very good.  There are 3 recipes for minestrone soup and I will be trying all 3 of them.

I 've been wearing my headlamp and I have barely turned a light on at all!  I made a dump cake for dessert which I'll have with ice cream.  I use an 8" square pan or dish and dump 1/2 of a yellow cake mix in the pan followed by a  can of pitted sour cherries with the juice followed by a stick of butter (I'm using plant butter made with avocado oil) cut into 16 pats and placed on top followed by 1/2 cup chopped pecans.  It is called a "dump" cake because you do not mix any of it.....you just dump the ingredients in the pan or dish.  I bake it in a pre-heated oven at 350 for about 30 minutes I think?  I'll have to watch it as I couldn't find the recipe.  This is before baking.  It's in the oven now.  I'll have it after my soup and "crusty" bread for supper.

   Here are your "tidbits" for today.............
I used to know these but like everything else, it has been relegated to a file far, far, away~

German baked eggs...never heard of them and I've never had them have you?  Here's the recipe 
I might be trying these in the near future...........I always have a hard time with breakfast recipes

 a little humor to make you smile.................I thought it was "the cat's got your tongue"!

Happy Trails!!!

A beautiful gift from an old friend..........

     I had gotten a card at Christmas time from an old friend and I could tell she had not read my blog nor did she know about my losses this past summer.  So, I wrote her and told her last month and today I got a package from her in the mail with a beautiful card and note.

 She made these crosses.....one each for Jim, Nitty and Annie....

 Here's Jim's with his initial and a heart charm...........

 Nitty's with her initial and a paw charm.........

and Annies...........

She even sent hangers for them..........

So beautiful and so meaningful.....they will be hung on my all year tree....all year.  There were a few tears shed on receiving them and if you are reading this Vicki, thank you so very much.  They will be cherished forever.  I will be writing her too.  I can't believe she made them....she is so creative and kind. 
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It's one of the coldest days of the year so far and lo and behold guess who decided to bloom today?  The daffodils!  Poor little things! 

 I worked in the craft room again and made some progress.............the light isn't very good as it is dark and gloomy today..........

yarns and t-shirts for t-shirt yarn are on the top...............

I got about 3 shelves in each bookcase cleaned and organized.  These are fabrics..........

There are my floss and dyeing, candle and soap making supplies...............

I have all kinds of yarn yet out of control and not in any containers!  I hope I don't have to buy more containers!

 I took my walk and have been shopping for cross stitch floss online and I need to start prepping for Stitch Maynia.  It will be here before I know it!  Plus, I still need to find my seeds!  I started back watching The Crown last night on Netflix.  It's good but I sure miss the original cast.  I did work on Witchy Wednesday today too.....hopefully next week will finish it off

Here are your "tidbits"...............
I  have no idea if these are good or healthy but when you're tired and hungry this may help you out!  Here's the link

I do this all the time but I never thought about pinch pleating!  Awesome!  I use those exact same clips too!  I use all kinds of things for curtains......towels, cloth table napkins, dresser scarves, material folded over.....Here's the instructions   

 and now for a little light-heartedness..............

Happy Trails!!!

Tuesday already?

Before you know it it will be Friday!  LOL!  I had a rough night last night.  I couldn't sleep and tossed and turned and finally got up and read.  I finished the fiction book, Hooked on Murder.  It was good.  I finally got to sleep and then slept in this morning.  I felt good though and worked on the crafts room finally.  Organizing yarns right now.  I got my Walmart order which was food except for my light headband............here I am....chubby cheeks and all!  It doesn't do much for my hairdo but it works like a charm!  I love it.  No more switching lights off and on...so nice and great for close up work!  For $10 it was a steal!

  they also sent me a free protein bar which I ate but didn't care for.

 Yesterday I did work on my Monthly Monday.........
 the word 'should'..............

 I went for my walk and came home and put a big pot of minestrone soup to simmer on the stove.

 

I picked up this 'granny not squared' cross stitch.  I worked on it when Jimmy was in hospice and I hadn't picked it up since but I did today.  It will be cherished when I'm done.

This was the one where I was making a granny square to match each of the cross-stitch

squares.  I have no idea where the crocheted ones are.

 I also gathered up my gardening things but of course, I can't find my seeds now!  Woe is me!

My grandson, Uriah, called me last night and we had a nice long talk.  He seems so grown up!

Here are your "tidbits" for today................

Oh, I'm getting hungry!  Here's the recipe

   

Too cute with the label and everything!  Here are the instructions

and last but not least.........

Happy Trails!!!

Merry Monday!

There were thunderstorms supposedly coming in the afternoon so I ran uptown and got some errands done, got the garbage out and took my walk.   It barely rained at all and there was no "thunder" what so ever.  I cleaned up my kitchen, changed the sheets and did a load of laundry.  I got "treasures" in the mail today!  The last of the yarn for the blanket I'll be crocheting any minute now!  Maybe tonight?  I didn't even make it into the crafts room at all!  Oh well, there's always tomorrow, hopefully!

and a book from Thrift Books.....actually this was a FREE book with credits I earned.........this will be my non-fiction read for now.................

My grandson, Grayson was in his first Pinewood Derby for Cub Scouts this last weekend and he got a medal! He's the one in the middle.  I think he looks a bit like his grandmother,only much younger! LOL!
He wanted to wear that fleece top again today but his mom told him he couldn't because there were food stains on it and it had to go in the laundry.  He told her "That's okay, Mom, I'll just take the lint roller to it."  That boy cracks me up!  He makes me laugh every time!

Here are your "tidbits" for today...................

This would be great for sock knitting.............or dishcloth crocheting..........Here are the instructions

This is a healthy snack!  Here's the recipe.........

and now for a little humor..............

Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #34

Whoa Nellie!  I took a little nap and slept all afternoon!  So much for crafting and blogging!  But better late than never.  It's rainy and dark here today which may have added to the inducement to take a nap.
I worked on Santa Sunday...........but I am missing some floss colors that I need to order.  Evidently, I started it thinking I would order the colors but never did! Oh boy!

 I finished the hand part of the mitten and just need to sew the tip closed and then do the thumb and my first pair of mittens will be done! 

 Stars and Stripes Saturday project got worked on.............

 and Witchy Wednesday..............

I am busy reading my natural dyeing book that came this week and I think I will be ordering some yarn to dye fairly soon.

 

 I finished reading Marley and Me and I cried and laughed my way through this wonderful book. It was one of the best books I have ever read!  I had a black lab once, Truman, named after the ship my son was on in the navy.  He got hit by a gravel truck going down our road.  I can remember some of his behaviors matching up with  Marley's.  I had never had such an energetic dog and he loved to dig...everywhere!  He was a lover though and he had the sweetest disposition.  I could write a book about "All the Dogs I've Loved Before".   Of course, it made me reminisce about Nitty and Annie and so many more.  When I finished the book there was a big pile of used kleenex next to me on the bed!

I made cinnamon rolls yesterday but put them in the frig until this morning to bake them off.  They also got some cream cheese frosting applied before eating.   These were the best cinnamon rolls ever!  I used the recipe from The Farmchick's Kitchen which I will share this coming week.

  It is 5:30 p.m. already so I had best wrap it up!  I still have a loaf of bread to bake!

 I hope you had a great week and that you have wonderful plans for the week ahead!
Happy Trails!!!