NaBloPoMo Day #1

Okay, ready or not here I come!  I am attempting to post a daily blog every day in November.  Some people do this all the time but I can never seem to do it every single day....we'll see now.
Today is take down all the Halloween decorations inside and out.
I got a sweet surprise yesterday and one last week that I forgot to post about.......
a card from my good friend Tammy...........thank you, Tammy.....it really meant a lot to me...........

 and a card from the grands and their Mom and Dad.  BTW, Dad is in a rehab center since he has to have iv's and can't walk but he's doing as well as can be expected.

 and the best surprise......school pictures of the grands..........this is Grayson.............

 and this is Sam his older brother..............too cute!!!  And such good boys.  They helped Grandma so much when I was there and Sam took really good care of Annie.  They're extremely good with animals and a big help to their Mom....well, most of the time! LOL!

 I've got 2 of the Ragwort squares done for the Blaithin CAL.....still behind but enjoying it none the less.

 We had our first frost last night and I had 4 trick or treaters.  I have a bunch of candy left  too.....hmm....good thing I bought the kind I like! LOL!
I hope you had a fun Halloween if you celebrate and now onto Thanksgiving!
Happy Trails!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

 Monday I woke up to a toothache.  I tried to find my dentist but evidently she had retired.   Tuesday I asked my friends at the pharmacy if they could recommend a dentist and they did!  I called and they could get me in at noon so I went.  It is 3 female dentists and all the support staff are females too.  They were so nice and she thinks I have a sinus infection that is causing the pain so she put me on antibiotics.  I'm still taking Tylenol for the pain though.  When I got home I was exhausted from running all over and so I thought I would veg for the rest of the evening but there was no internet, no t.v. and no phone!  What?  I was too tired so I figured I'd go to bed and it would be fixed my morning.  It wasn't......that got me to thinking.....had I paid the new fiber bill?  NO!  OMG!  They turned it off! LOL!  I am such a dunce!  I was still working with the email and my old phone company and I completely let it slide!  So, I had to go to Mountain Home yesterday and I would drive right past the electric company on my way so I stopped and paid the bill!  She said it would be back on by the time I got home from Mountain Home.I need a "keeper"! LOL!

It was raining the whole trip but not pouring so it wasn't bad.  I went to Hobby Lobby first and got some treasures and a Christmas present that I can't show you.
 I got more doily cotton yarn........

   some stickers for my bullet journal............

a stamp...............

some sparkly yarn for holiday scrubbies................

and some much needed black 310 floss for my button-eyed cat cross stitch..........

 I then went off to the eye doctor where I got my eyes dilated and all is great with my eyesight! PTL!  Since it was raining I wasn't worried about bringing my sunglasses for the drive home but I should have been!  Everyone had their lights on and what are those new bright white car lights with some purple?  They are SO bright!  It was not easy and then I got behind a truck with those flashing lights all over it.....whoa Nellie!  I was blessed to get home alright!  Before I left Mountain Home I made sure I got a Pumpkin Spiced Latte....the biggest one they had! LOL!  It made the whole trip worthwhile...it and the 'treasures'............ plus the colors here are at PEAK for sure and it was absolutely beautiful!

  Are you all set for Halloween tonight?  It was supposed to rain but now it's not so that's good for the trick or treaters!  I'm ready! LOL!

 Happy Halloween and Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #17

This was a busy but cozy week!  It rained towards the end of the week so I had my first fire in the fireplace.............it was perfect....just enough  to take the dampness out of the house.

Meanwhile I "baked and maked"............I tried using my Instant Pot for the first time and was making bone broth but it wasn't working right for me so I ended up making it on the stove.  I'm not sure if it's the IP or the novice operator.  I was using a recipe off the internet but I think I will use a recipe out of the book they give you for my first time.  I hope there is nothing wrong with the IP............

Now that I bought this one they have come out with a beautiful one by Pioneer Woman...if I'd only known!

Here's my burner method bone broth......

 I got 6 cups of broth from one chicken carcass.........I lay the bags flat in the freezer and they don't take up much room that way.

Miss Peeps was supervising...........

I also made pulled pork in the crock pot, coleslaw and cinnamon crisp cookies.  While things were cooking I was sewing!  Finally!  I made 3 Halloween pillowcases for the grands..........

 I also made 2 more mini-pumpkins but they need the ribbon put on them still.........

 I have not made the gloves yet either but today for sure as they are being mailed tomorrow!

I did finish all 8 of Nature's Walk CAL step #2 and I have started on Blaithin CAL step #2

I still have a few ends to weave in.............but not too many............

I did very little cross stitch this week except some work on Stars and Stripes Saturday.........

 That's all for this week folks!  I hope you are enjoying your Sunday!

Happy Trails!!!

  

Wednesday - October 23, 2019.

 The colors are starting to change here and the days are perfect with sunshine and blue skies.  The breezes are balmy with leaves floating out of the sky.......it makes me so happy!

  Yesterday I was sewing most of the day......finally.... but I can't show you until Sunday as they are gifts.  Today I had to go out and get some supplies and I stopped at the Thrift Store and the Antiques Store and got some "treasures"...............I love the old hand embroidered linens............

 they need to be washed and ironed but I just love them!

 This was a tablecloth that was too good to pass up.....dining room I'm thinking!  Or it could end up as curtains! LOL!

 I also got this 8" square pan....mine finally gave out and I bought a new one only to discover they now make them 9" square but my recipes all call for 8" square so I grabbed this one!

 At the Thrift Store I found this for .99...........a yard of this cute Thanksgiving fabric that will make a perfect table runner................and the patchwork "look" will make it easy to quilt.....SCORE!

For supplies I picked up a paper cutter which I have needed for awhile now............

and I got some plain cards and envelopes..........a gentle foray into card making?  Stay tuned!

When I got home I forced myself to go out and paint a bit................this shows the white with no paint, the middle with one coat and the brown with 2 coats............the other 2 sides are done.....if it stays nice I should be able to finish before the snow flies...........big IF though....that first coat looks really bad! LOL!  
I defrosted the pork roast for pulled pork in the crock pot tomorrow and now I'm off to do more sewing!

Happy Trails!!!

Monday - October 21, 2019.

We had a doozy of a storm early this morning.  There was a tornado watch and it blew my Adirondack chairs over and my heavy rocking chair.  I couldn't sleep so I got up and made a cup of coffee in case the power went out but it didn't.  By the time I was awake it started slowing down...figures... but I just stayed up.  Now, I am tired! 
The pest control guy was coming at 11:00 and it was his first time here so it took 1 1/2 hours.  He saw 'fresh' evidence of mice in the basement so I'm glad I hired them!  And my spider traps all had brown recluse in them.  I had leftover traps from when I had Terminix.  Yes, I am glad to have pest control especially down here where nothing freezes and nothing dies....except whatever I plant. LOL!
My Parmesan garlic bread sticks did not turn out at all.  They didn't rise the 2nd time and baked up like rocks so out they went!  From now on it's King Arthur recipes for baked goods and maybe I'll hire a new gal in the kitchen! LOL!
I did work on Santa Sunday last night.....pay no attention to the yellowing fabric...the camera did that for some reason...........

 Treasures came today!!! From Thrift Books.......just in time for this one as I am about done with Fudge Cupcake Murder..................

Remember all those books you drooled over but couldn't bring yourself to spend the money when they first came out at $27 or more?  Well, how about $3 - $5?  Sound better?  You betcha!

 This one even has embroidery transfers inside............

 I'm working on another Nature's Walk square.........

I've gathered the garbage together and need to get it out to the street and I cleaned the tub and dried and folded a load of clothes.  I unloaded  and loaded the dishwasher, cleaned the sink and washed the dishes, counters and table.   I also brought the salt in from the car and filled the water softner.  I picked up a huge branch that came down from one of my trees in the front but the ghosts are still floating out there thank goodness!

I think I am done for the day and going to put my feet up!  How was your Monday?

Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #16

 

I am behind but I don't care....it will probably get worse before it gets better! LOL!  I have 5 of the 8 Nature's Walk squares done and I think I have another week but maybe not...........

I did manage to stay pretty much on top of the cross stitching days except for Fall Friday.........this is Monthly Monday............

and Witchy Wednesday..............It looks like I'm almost done but I'm not.......there is a border that goes around the whole thing too.....................

 Stars and Stripes Saturday got some love last evening..........I'm using my new Wonder Clips to hold the excess material out of the way and it works slick!  Thank you, Kimberly at FQS!  (Fat Quarter Shop)

Today is Santa Sunday and this is what I did last week............

That's all for this week.  It's been beautiful here and I've been spending some time outside getting things ready for Winter.  I also planned a few projects for the grands for Halloween......like these cute little Ghost Hands by my friend Anita over at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen

I also have a few other projects up my sleeve but we'll see if I get them done! LOL!
I made a delicious Oriental Chicken Salad last night with the leftover chicken from the one I roasted the other day.  I have a big enough 'bag of bones' now to make bone broth this week, probably.  I also have dough for parmesan garlic bread sticks to make today.........

..and there's football!  Yesterday I was able to listen to the Iowa Hawkeye Homecoming Game in Iowa City and they beat the Purdue Boilermakers!  Go Hawks!  I'm hoping to watch the Bear's on t.v. but we'll see.....they show the southern teams here it seems.  I told you I have to move back North! LOL!

 Please stop by and see all the other fantastic projects that other YOP'ers are working on.
I hope you got to work on your favorite projects this week!


Happy Trails!!!