Love from Gram

When my grandmother became pretty much house bound her last few years, even though her sight was poor, she could still crochet.  She made a lot of afghans during that time.  Last night I dug this one out and put it up in the front room.  I just needed that connection for a while again.

Trimmings

Before work this morning I went upstairs (while Addy was outside) and cut strips for two more pair of blocks.  These are just the trimmings because Mary is reading the blog occasionally and I want the blocks to be a surprise!  hee hee hee.

Snow Geese

This morning I witnessed a sight I have never seen before.  From the moment I walked out my door to the moment I walked into work, there was a steady stream of snow geese within my sight.  There were thousands of them, flying in a line for as far as the eye could see!  It was amazing.  I had to stop several times to take pictures of them.  This doesn't even do it justice because you can't see the long line on either side.

Warm and Soft

Here's Sandy with her latest finish!  Isn't this the prettiest flannel quilt?  She started out just making it all the big squares, but then had leftover pieces so thought, why not make them into blocks too?  Sandy quilts on a frame with a domestic machine and does a wonderful job.

This quilt is all flannel.  Top, backing, and even the batting layer is just a piece of flannel.  It's so soft and has a wonderful feel and weight to it.  It makes me want to run home and cut up squares of flannel and make a quick quilt!

Thanks, Sandy, for sharing!  Love it!

Need a Haircut?

I'm sitting at the kitchen table last night and in trots Addy.  She has been raiding the bathroom counter and must have decided she needed a trim.  She brought me Ev's beard trimmers.  Sigh.

A Nice Break

Two sugar cookies and a cup of hot tea.  Ahhhh.  And I just love that big mug in the picture.  I have two of them that are similar.  I would like to find a couple more.  They are bigger than the usual mug and have thicker walls.  I know I got them from Wal Mart years ago and have been keeping my eyes open for them there.  No big deal, just would like a couple more if I ever find them.

Those sugar cookies were from a batch of Amish Sugar Cookies I made over the weekend.  Love that recipe.  It makes a LOT of cookies.  See the imprint of dots on them?  I use a sugar bowl that was my grandma's to press the cookies down with.  It has these bumps on the bottom of it that make a nice pattern for the cookie tops.  I used to have a glass that had a cut pattern on the bottom that looked like a star but it's been long broke.

Yes, I Did

Finally did some sewing last night.  Finished four more blocks for the Paducah swap this year.  Two for me and two for Mary.  These were in purples.

I picked out material for a couple more blocks in reds.  I need 15 pair of blocks and so far I have 5 pair finished.  Not bad, considering they are for mid April.

Share and Share Alike

They fight like cats and dogs, then the dog lets the cat eat her food!  Go figure...

Chicken in Cream Sauce with Pasta

Last night's dinner was Chicken in Cream Sauce with Pasta.  I know this picture doesn't look real good, but trust me, it's a very yummy dish!  This was everything right before I put the pasta in it.  That is a huge cast iron skillet it's in - I love my cast iron.

Chicken in Cream Sauce with Pasta

2-3 cups Cooked Chicken, cut in chunks (I use breast meat)
1 lb Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
1-2 Onions, diced
1 stick Margarine
Garlic
8 oz pkg Cream Cheese
16 oz Chicken Stock
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
dehydrated Sweet Red Pepper, if desired
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Garlic Powder, to taste
Onion Powder, to taste
1 lb cooked Angel Hair Pasta

This really is forgiving recipe.  Saute onions and mushrooms in margarine and add cooked chicken.  If your chicken isn't cooked, saute it first in the margarine, then add mushrooms and onions.  Add about a teaspoon of minced garlic if you have it.  You can always increase the garlic powder if not.  After onions are cooked, add cream cheese and chicken stock, then soup.  Add red pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.  Cook on low, stirring frequently to prevent burning.  When sauce has all come together, add cooked and drained pasta.  You may not need entire pound, depending on consistency of sauce.

Not a super quick meal, but a hearty one.  It doesn't take too long if your chicken is already cooked and it keeps well for the next day's lunches!

Who Me? Not Me!

No, Mom, I'm not going to eat Addy's food.  Nuh, huh, not me....  Why are you taking my picture?  This can't be entered as evidence against me, can it?  I plead not guilty!

Actually, Shadow will stand UNDER Addy and the two of them will eat out of the dog food bowl at the same time.  It's not like the cat doesn't have any cat food.  She has tons!  Except when Addy gets at it and eats all the cat food in her bowl.  Sigh.

Almost went upstairs yesterday, but then my darling daughter showed up and we visited for a while.  When she left I just wasn't in the mood to go up anymore and sew.

I'm sure if I looked back on the blog at other January's I would find the same pattern.  After Christmas I just seem to lose the urge to sew for a few weeks.  It will return.  No fear!  :)

And please excuse that horrible linoleum flooring in my kitchen!  yuck, yuck, yuck!  That's actually a good spot on the floor, too.  Under the fridge there is a huge place where the previous fridge motor scorched the floor because it got so hot.  Real fire hazard, that was.  In front of the freezer is a spot about two feet square where a previous dog chewed and peeled the linoleum up.  Why?  Boredom?  Who knows....  Anyway, putting down wood laminate is on the list for in the kitchen.  Just have to get the other rooms done first.

Funky Tut

So my uncle decided his life was not complete unless he had a llama.  So he got a llama.  Here, in all his glory, is King Tut the llama:

Oh my.

Sorry I haven't had any quilt related posts lately.  I just haven't been sewing much.  I'll get back to it real soon, promise!

Oh Deer

While walking through the local farm and home store the other day I came across this lamp with deer antlers for a base.  I thought it was so unique that I had to call my daughter and tell her I wanted to get it for her boyfriend for a gift.  You know what she said?  He already has one!  I really should have known...

Good Day Sunshine

This morning, when I was talking to my mother, she mentioned that it was very cold and icy, and very dreary in her part of the state.  I said that the sun was shining here and she commented that she couldn't remember what the sun looked like.  So I sent her some sunshine!

This is the sun rising right out back of my office.

Interesting Find

At lunch I took a few minutes and stopped in the antique shop close to work.  There was a beautiful cabinet with a sewing machine in it for sale.  I wasn't real interested in the machine, but the cabinet sure was pretty.

I especially liked the extra piece on the right side of the machine, which was a Western, by the way.  The drawers were in good shape, also.

They were asking $75 for it.  I just couldn't see spending that if I wasn't in love with the machine, so it stayed at the shop.  I'm sure it will eventually find a good home.

Lake View

Our community has a very nice lake.  It's just referred to as the Old Lake, because, yes, there is a New Lake, too.  They are both part of our water source for town and surrounding areas.

Anyway, the Old Lake is someplace I always have found peaceful and I enjoy going there during all the seasons.  We even had the kids' graduation parties there years ago.

When we were out during the weekend I asked Ev to take a small detour and drive to the lake.  We didn't get out of the car, but I did get to shoot a few pics.

Kind of bare right now because it's Winter, but soon enough it will be green!  We did have a beautiful weekend, temperature wise, as it got into the upper 40's.

Good Books

I have been reading a series of books by Linda Castillo lately and really enjoying them.  They are based on a female character who is chief of police in a rural Ohio community.  I finished the fourth in the series last night and immediately started reading the fifth!

My library doesn't have these books, but our interlibrary loan program is able to get them.  It usually takes a week or two, but eventually they come.  I'm not sure how many are in the series, but if there are more, I am going to have to order them soon!

I still love reading on my ereaders, but sometimes I just want a good book in my hands.  Plus, I don't like to pay much for ebooks, and if I'm only going to read them once, I don't want to spend the money!

Three Days Off

Back to work after three days off!  Had a nice weekend, but didn't do any sewing.  Friday night I went out with my friend for dinner.  Saturday night a group of family went to see Dueling Piano's who were playing for a fundraiser in town.  Here's my son and his girlfriend:

Sunday Ev and I went to see the movie American Sniper.  Now, this isn't my kind of movie because of all the violence, however I owed Ev one because he went to see Into the Woods with me.  American Sniper was an excellent movie and I'm sure it will win a lot of awards.  Very moving.

Ribs and Rolls

Last night I did some sewing on the 16 patch blocks for our Paducah swap.  I finished two more pairs and the pieces are ready to be sewn together for another two pairs.  I'm cutting strips of 4 patches that will turn into more 16 patch blocks eventually from the extra strip sets.  These mix and match 16 patch blocks will go into a nursing home quilt this year.

This was part of dinner last night.  I made pork ribs in the pressure cooker and finished them off in the oven with a little bbq sauce.  Also made some of those Rhodes rolls.

No Pressure Meal

Wednesday evening after work I unpacked my new pressure cooker and made a delicious meal!  I had a hard time at first because I didn't realize that I had to have a certain amount of liquid in with the meat loaf.  Once I called customer service and they told me that was what I was doing wrong, it was smooth sailing!  13 minutes under pressure and the meat loaf was done.  7 minutes for the potatoes and 5 minutes for the fresh green beans!  And everything was real good.

Recycled Furniture

A business was getting rid of a couple office chairs that weren't in perfect shape.  I brought them home and they are now going to be my sewing chairs.  I have a nice new one that Ev got me one year for Christmas, but I could use more for other sewing and cutting stations.

This one will work fine at my cutting table upstairs.  I was moving the sewing chair back and forth before this.  Please ignore the floor...thread happens.

It's a start

Saturday and Sunday I did a little sewing.  I made the first pair of blocks for this year's Paducah Swap with Mary.

They are all going to be 16-patch blocks that will finish at 12" square.  I'm doing them in strip sets.

There are a couple of strip sets sewn and a couple more cut and ready to be sewn.  I'll get a few sets sewn into sets of four strips, then press and cut them to be sewn into the 16 patch blocks.

And yes, that is a garbage can on top of the table.  I have a puppy.  Enough said?

Speaking of the pup, today, in one fell swoop, her monetary total of things destroyed via her mouth has caught up to Ivy's lifetime total.  Today she destroyed the pump on the swimming pool.  Ev thinks he may be able to fix it, but I'm doubtful.  Sigh.

You know, I still miss Ivy so much.  I sure did love that dog.  And I sure do love Addy, too.  Rambunctious is a good word for her right now...  haha.

13 on 13

It is 13 degrees F outside right now.  When I got to work my car door latch wouldn't let me close the door.  I had to park my car where the sun was shining on it and then it loosened up a bit where it would latch.  Sigh.  I think when it gets warm again I need to clean that out real good and maybe spray some oil on it.

Didn't get to do any sewing last night.  I was pretty tired when I got home and after I made dinner I ended up going to bed around 8:30!  That's early, I know, but there wasn't anything on t.v. and I just wanted to get warm.  Took a couple of rice bags into bed with me and warmed my feet for a while. Addy wasn't quite sure to make of that.  I think she would just love to get her teeth on those rice bags and make a mess.  Ha ha.

Today is my great uncle's birthday so I'm going to take him out to dinner after work.  We will probably just go to one of the restaurants just outside of town by the interstate.  Too cold to venture very far for him.  I want to say he's 86 today.

Growing Pup

Addy just keeps getting bigger!  Ev weighed her yesterday and she is up to 54 lbs.  Gonna be a big dog!  I like it!

Three on One

Hee hee, I squeezed three banner wall hangings onto one long dowel rod.

During Christmas I had the ornament and the reindeer banners in different locations, but since I didn't want to put the tree banner away yet, I thought I would just squeeze the other two along side of it.

The next wall hanging/banner to go up is the Valentine one and it's just a little bit too early for it (in my opinion).  Maybe in a week or so I'll hang it.

103

103 what, you ask?  Why, it's 103 days until we leave for Paducah!  I called the motel where we are staying today to see if we could get rooms next to our friends and we can!  That's all arranged at least.

I'm thinking when April rolls around we won't have to be thinking about windchill factors.  Today the temp is 17 degrees with a windchill of 0.

This is a picture of that huge blow up snowman someone had in their yard over Christmas!  He literally is taller than the house.  Pardon the poor quality but I was taking the picture through the car window.  It was cute.

In Use

Now here's an indication, at least in my house, that the temperature is really cold...

An empty quilt rack!

Normally there are three or four quilts hanging on this rack, but not today.  Last night we added two of them to the bed, one was in use on a chair, and the fourth was on the floor for Miss Addy because she likes to lay on a blanket.  Yeah, I know, spoiled mutt.  haha.

She did much better last night for me.  The bone I got her kept her busy for quite a while and she did get to run some of her energy out while she was outside briefly.  I just can't stand to think of her being outside for more than a few minutes in these frigid temps.

My Roots are Showing

Remember how I named my latest aquisition "Polly" after my grandma, whose name was Pauline?  Here's her picture when she was just a young woman.  This was her wedding picture.

It was in a plastic sleeve, so pardon the poor quality of the photo.  I need to get a couple of frames.

I also have a picture of Grandma's parents on their wedding day.  Both of them came to America from Europe.  I can only imagine what kind of trip that must have been.  He was here before she was, and I'm not even sure if they knew each other very long before they married.

This is family from my dad's mother's side of the tree.

Mid Week Freeze

We are in the middle of a very cold snap!  Today's high was around 9 degrees Fahrenheit with windchill factors around 25 below.  BRRRRR!  Baby, it's cold outside!

My sweet puppy is on a tear lately.  Addy is not giving me much rest in the evenings, tearing things up left and right, driving the cat nuts, etc.  I think it's because she can't be outside much to run off some of her energy.  Tonight I am hoping I can keep her occupied.  I went over to Rural King and got a good bone for her to chew on.

Sweet Reminders

Isn't this the cutest merry go round?

When we went to the mall over the weekend they had a "vintage" merry go round set up inside.  I thought it was very cute and endearing.  It wasn't a monstrous ride or anything like that.  Just a simple old fashioned merry go round.  There were all kinds of different animals the kids could ride.  I didn't get a lot of pictures of the animals because there were children riding on it and I didn't want to take their pictures.  I thought the mom's might get a bit upset about that.  I know I would.

Birthday Girl

My daughter turned 25 today!  She doesn't like her picture put online, so I will respect her wishes and not post the pics I took of her blowing out candles.  We all met for lunch at a local pizza place.  I brought a cake and her presents and we had a real nice time.  Short and sweet!

Hard to believe I have a daughter who is that old.  That was how old I was when she was born.  sigh.

Meat Loaf Monday

Since I have ground beef in the fridge that needs to get used, guess it's meat loaf Monday!  Won't be a big one, but that's okay.  Johanna is coming over tonight to show me her birthday present from her boyfriend.  Not sure what it is, so a bit curious...  Tomorrow she will turn 25.  Wow, where has the time gone?

Been cold all day.  Just trying to stay warm is a job!  Along with the meat loaf we are going to have some of those Rhode's Rolls.  I bought a bag at lunch and set a few out here at work to thaw out.  Will bake them when I get home.  Probably make mashed potatoes and some kind of veggie to go along with the meat loaf.

Really tired today.  Mondays always wear me out, but coming back after all those days off has really got me.

Time off

Today it's back to work after some time off over the holidays.  Not too excited about going back, but glad to have a job.

Since Christmas I have not done any sewing.  This is my normal 'down time' right after the push of the holidays.

Ev and I hung the new light above my longarm in the basement yesterday, so now I'm ready to load my nephew's tee shirt quilt.  He leaves for the next semester at college on the 19th and I want to have it done for him before he goes.  Not going to work on it for a few days, though.  The basement is too cold right now.

We are in the middle of a cold snap here.  Temperature is a balmy 9 degrees F.  brrrr!

Instead of sewing, it seems like all I did the past two weeks was eat!  We went out for dinner quite a bit.  Since I don't have sewing pictures to show you, here's some of the goodies we ate!

This was our New Year's Day stuff.  I made some slider burgers with some very good ground chuck.  The buns were made from those frozen Rhode's rolls.  Wow, did they ever turn out good!  Gonna have to get a bag of those and keep them in the freezer.  Then there was just a little of this and a little of that.  Some stuffed mushrooms, imitation crab meat, shrimp, cheese ball with budding beef, and beef wrapped onions and pickles.

This was one of Ev's favorite meals.  We went to a restaurant called Fazzi's in Collinsville and he and I both ordered the gyro's.  This is the only place around that has them, at least ones that are any good, and it's a real treat to go there.  I snapped the pic when I was already halfway done with the sandwich!

 
And of course, the holiday wouldn't have been complete without a trip to Lotawata Creek down in Fairview Heights!  I really splurged and ordered the shrimp and andoui sausage meal.  I had them hold the andoui, though.  It came with cajun shrimp, boiled potatoes, and corn on the cob, as well as garlic toast.  Wow, what a meal!  And, as usual, there was more than enough for one meal, so that meant leftovers later on.  Yum, yum, yum.