Wintery thoughts

Finally, I finished the glass stars. Since I am not the best of photographers, you will have to use your imagination. We are supposed to get a really cold spell coming in this week. We went to the Christmas parade and stood in freezing temps for over an hour...it seemed like two. But the parade was really good and those poor little ones on floats weathered it better than us ol' folks I imagine. I remember as a child, that Dad always took us to Greeley after Thanksgiving to see "Santa" as he arrived in the downtown park. What a thrill that was. On Christmas day we would always go to our Aunt and Uncle's home for a wonderful day of festivities. There was always snow it seemed and we were treated to a movie in the afternoon, (that was something we rarely got to do), and then back at their house, Santa always came by in a sleigh. People say that Christmas is for children and I suppose it is in reference to the "Child" whose namesake we celebrate. But I love the festivities of the season and if it is Christmas, or Hanukkah, or Winter Solstice, or any other cause for celebration, do it for the child within.

Quilt

Has it been this long since I sat down to write? Wow! Guess I've been really busy or really lazy. As much as I would like to lie down and be lazy, it just isn't in my genes. Unlike some of my nearest and dearest, I am a morning person and I need to be movin' an' groovin' EARLY. I have been busy. I have learned where some of the medical clinics and various other facilities for health matters are located. I have learned that the local hospital has valet parking. I have learned that it has a pretty snazzy gift shop and a coffee bar. My good friend is on the mend now I think though, and today I told her that the next time we go out, we need to do something fun!!! Going to Doctors and clinics isn't much fun as far as I am concerned. (I have also learned that as I age, it is something I had better get used to....however, like my friend, I will be kicking and screaming all the way.) I have been busy with two quilts, I have been busy trying to get over the crap that has been stuffing up my head, and to tell the truth, I have been busy with other things but for the life of me I don't know what.

Above is the Thimbleberries quilt for the year. The top has just been completed and I will have to quilt and bind it. This took me a year to put together and it may just take a year to quilt. The Mr. had a pool tournament this past weekend so my friend Sal and I hit some bazaars, and some shops and had the best hamburgers! We stopped in at a place called 2 Doors Down, which didn't seem to have much for atmosphere and we were a little sceptical at first, but the burger was at the top of my list as far as burger go. It was a good day for a couple of gals to have a day out!! Thanks Sal.
I just had to post a couple of pictures of our doggies. Spencer is napping in one of his favorite positions...not very flattering, but it must be comfortable because he does it a lot. And Hildy tries to catch the snow as the Mr. shovels it. That is one of her favorite things to do. She jumps up in the air and does a flip while trying to grab the snow. Yes, we got hit last week with another storm!!



"Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere."

The early bird

Usually the early bird catches the worm, but today as is the norm for me, I was up early enough to catch this wonderful sunrise in the eastern Wyoming sky. This is the view I had from my dining room patio window. Last week we had 17 inches of snow and this week we had 70 degree weather. The leaves have mostly fallen from the trees and other signs from good ol' mother nature do indicate that it is fall and if that wasn't enough, this change back to standard time leaves us in the dark at "quittin' time". (We don't officially work out of the home, but it is still "quittin' time".


This past week has been a blurr and because I had a sinus "thing" in addition to worrying about my neighbor who had a rough week...(It is hell to get old, but the alternative isn't any better she tells me), I don't think I got much accomplished. However in reflecting back on the past few days, Spencer got a haircut, I went to quilt club, I finished one stained glass star, worked on two quilts, made a really scrumptious soup from a new recipe and today had another great day. With the onset of the holidays, the crafters begin to display their wares and the shows have begun! My good friend, Pat, came from Brighton today and with list and maps in hand, we began our journey this morning. Hillsdale, which is several miles east of here was our main destination where we were greeted with coffee and cinnamon rolls started our day at the first show. There are some really talented artisans. I hesitate to call them "crafters"as some of them are talented artists. Then traveling on country dirt roads through plowed farm lands several miles north, we came to a lovely log home where the elf living there opens her entire two level home to crafters for several days. The baked goods in the kitchen and the wonderful smells of cinnamon and spices were a treat for our senses. Her entire home was filled with every kind of creation you can imagine and she took "plastic". People were spending money, including us. Backtracking a quarter of a mile, brought us to a one room school house where lunch was being served along with more gift items. Home made soups and sandwiches and pies and hot apple cider....yummy! Driving north across more dirt roads brought us eventually to the Torrington highway and back south into Cheyenne. We then stopped at "Twigs and Teacups" for more antiques, soaps, etc. where this elf's home is also turned into a gift shop for the holidays. She offered us coffee and a scrumptious raspberry filled cake and we got a chance to say "hello" to her dog "Hazel". I have been to her shop several times and I always remember her dog's name as it was my mothers name. There aren't many Hazels anymore are there? Tomorrow morning brings another adventure for me. (EARLY) My friend Sal asked me to go to a women's wellness seminar with her. Registration begins a 7:00 a.m. Perhaps it will get me back on track after today and the cinnamon roll, the broccoli cheese soup and the raspberry filled cake.

"Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."