Happy New Year

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New year. One that is happy and healthy.

We had a very nice christmas in Mn, with Seans family. It snowed all day christmas day and was just so nice to watch the snow falling and and all the fun with the family. My older daughter was with us which made very nice, was the first christmas for a few years we were all togeather for the whole holiday. I spent alot of relaxing and ate to much for sure. The time always goes way to fast!

Puppy was a hit with everyone, she was totally spoiled over the 3 days there. We named her Taffy. Jessica wants her full name to be Amazing Laughy Taffy but im not sure about that.

We had snow here while we were gone and again the day after we got back so we still have quite a bit of snow on the ground. Its all so pretty.
Ill have some pix up in the next few days....

Have a very Happy New Year and be safe.

New Puppy 12/07

This is my Xmas present, Her name is eather Taffy or Toffee I havent made up my mind. She is a Pom and just a bundle of joy.

My Mysi's block Navajo Sandpainting

This is the block for Mysi, her theme is an Indian theme. This is Mother earth and Father Sky, as a sandpainting. The Navaho used this sandpainting in ceramonies to bring wellness to there tribes.

Maudie-mae's block

Finally finished Maudie-Mae's block for the appy swap im in with the some of the girls from Quiltchat. Maudie's theme is anything school related. I came up with the idea thinking about my grandma and her teaching in a one room school house. One of the most important things to her was reading. Her thoughts were if you couldn't read you couldnt do anything else in life.

The little girl has no face because she is not representing one child but all the children of the world that sit down with their very first book to read. This was a fun block to do and even tho it gave me fits along the way I enjoyed doing it.

Been a while......

Well its been a while, how time flies. Almost the end of October and ive only made what one post on here, guess im slacking. I dont know if my days are getting shorter but it sure does seem like it. Seems the more I want to get done the less I do.
Ive been working on the fabric in the pix above. Its real vintage 30s fabric, some I had picked up at the yards sale marathon late last month and some I bought off ebay to add to what I had. The muslin is not vintage, but im using natural to make it fit a bit better. Im hand sewing the whole thing. Much a challange for me, being ive never hand sewn a quilt before. When I was young I hand sewed alot of things so that came easy to me. Ive gotten over 300 pattern squares sewn on to a piece of muslin. then im sewing them into strips, putting them on the diagnal to make a patchwork quilt. These are all 2 inch blocks and im makeing a 1/8 inch seam. Some of the fabric is older than the 30s even back to the early 1900's, some is shirt material scraps.I would like to have this done by next spring or summer to put it in the county fair. I plan on making the back not just plain muslin but use whatever I have left in the prints to make a design on the back. Im not sure how big this is going to be im kinda playing it by ear. The binding will be made of smaller 30s fab I have that is only 1 1/4 inch big. Yes you may think im nuts, I guess I am, but I want to try and beable to say I did it.

I think hand making a quilt means so much more in making it. Yea everyone can machine sew, but to sit down and hand needle the whole thing some how means so much more. And why vintage fabric like this? It brings back memories of my grandmother and the fabrics I saw around the house she had all the time. During the early days on the farm for my grandparents it wasnt easy. They scrimped and saved, put there blood sweat and tears into the farm, at the end of the 40s they sold that farm and move to an other farm about 10 miles away and started that land, Like starting all over.
My grandparents saved everything like most familys that went threw the depression.

I can remember feedsacks being used as dish towels and for our clothes. Being on the farm we were far from in fashion ever. I wore dresses over pants in the winter and dresses in the summer. There was a value of things back then, you didnt just run to the store and buy new stuff all the time. We made things last, reusing things over and over. There is such a contrast of how I was brought up and how my daughters are brought up. We live in such a disposable age. Shoot there is even disposable cars now. When I was little on the farm I learned a value and how to be humble. Something ive tired to teach my daughters but wiht there friends and pressure its hard for them to understand this. At Christmas what I would get from family and santa claus
I appreciated so much, there was not alot of things and I took care of everything I I would get. I still have my kids books and one of my first teddy bears and one of my dolls. My grandmother sent me a trunk full of stuff from when I was little she had saved it all for me, It was wonderful getting it.

My Grandma was a very special lady, I know most will say that about there grandmas but she was I think over and above most.
She was from a large family like most familys back then, she was sent to live with her uncle and his family at a young age, some of her family was moving to California to look for better prospects I think. She helped take care of her uncles kids and the neighbors kids also. She did this becasue she had to, even years later when telling me about this it kinda brought a sadness to her, I think she had dreams she was never able to realize. Grandma had a huge heart and a kindness unlike anyone ive ever know. She passed down to me a morality in life to live by and gentleness and kindness. She would never say a word bad about anyone. She always would try to find the good in that person.

Now this lady I speak of was not my real grandma she was my step for my real grandma passed while haveing my father. My real grandma and her were teaching in a one room school house on the south side of Red Cloud when my real grandma was pregnent. So she new my grandfather during this time and the familys all knew each other. A few years after my real grandma passed my grandfather trying to raise a baby and run a farm (this would have been at the start of the 30s)Found he need a mother for the boy (my father) so my step grandma and my grandfather were married. The school district decited they needed to have teachers that were acredited teaching in the schools and they were building a more centralized school that they built in Red cloud and one in Guiderock. So she became a full time farmers wife, with all the things that went with that.

When my grandfathers family moved from WI to MO then to NE it was in a covered wagon, in 1872. They lived in that covered wagon while they built the house, and they lived off the land, shooting game and farming. There was horrific storm, blizzards and drought.While alot of other familys moved away they stayed and toughed it out. Im proud to know my family stayed in the Republican Valley and made a name and life for them selves.

My grandparents spent the 30s and most of the 40s south of town, and in 1949 the year my aunt was born, them moved to north of Cowles Nebraska, on to land my grandmothers family had, the moved the house from Cowles out to the farm and that is the farm and house I know and lived in for 11 years. My grandma raised me from 6 months to 11 years as her own, I knew her as mom. I miss my grandma alot, she passed in 2003 and as an adult Ididnt get to spend the time with her that I wanted to.
But the time I did spend with her was very special. She was in her 90s when she passed of poor health and in lots of pain which shouldnt have been for such a wonderful woman. I feel everyday there is something big missing from my life.That nothing will ever fill.

There has been so many times I wanted to pick up the phone and call her about good things in my life or when Im just down about something. Then I feel that pang in my heart knowing she will never know.

I feel my life is richer having had the family I had when I was little, to have been taught the things like manners and morals and values like I was makes me feel like that has made me a better person in this world. Having been brought up in a simpler life makes me appriciate things more I believe. Im able to be alone in my thougths.
Im able to live in a place where there not alot of people and be happy.
I treasure the thoughts of my grandma and being brought up the way I was. This is the time of year that brings all the feelings and emotions of life on the farm back to me for my favorite time of year is Fall. THe harvest, the cool air, the smells of baking, and the warmth of the house. I had a wonderful childhood and its wonderful to beable to look back on it and feel warm about the memories.

marathon of yard sales last weekend

Last weekend we went on a marathon of yardsales, estate sales, and antiques shops.

Nebraska held there Junk Jaunt, for 3 days for 250 miles in middle Nebraska many many people were getting rid of there stuff and junk and treasures to all that would buy.

This picture is of the Middle Loop river, the day was cold and rainy but us diehards were still out looking for that deal around the corner.

Along with many others on this quest we started filling up our truck from the start. We decited since it was a bit of a drive to go home every night we camped out at Victoria Springs state camp ground. Very nice place with tall trees and lots of shelter from the wind, thank goodness. Saturday nigth we had a storm blow threw with 70mph winds and it hadnt been for the trees we would have been blown way. There was even at threat of a tornado.... what adventures right?

We were looking for stuff to hold us over the winter to sell on ebay, and of course I aways quest the fabric, patterns, books and all that good stuff. We did get alot of good deals, but alot of the stuff for sale was high in price ( guess they loved there stuff). If they thought it might be old they put a fancy price tag on it and ask for an arm and leg for it no matter what condition it was.

Sean has such the luck, he had people giving him stuff every where he went. He found a trolling motor for 5 dollers in great condition, and old electric grill cooker vintage about 1950 ive never seen one like it,and all kinds of that boring man stuff. It was alot of fun but by sunday I was tired and cold, and wanted to go home. Id say we went to at least 200-300 sales over the course of the weekend and we miss quite a few.

I saw old quilts, old sewing machines of every shape and size, thousands of kitchen utensils from way in the past, pickle crocks were very common at alot of the sales. I talked one lady into keeping her mothers quilt that she wanted to sell. Saw a queen size 30s quilt in all triangles for sale all hand pieced.

I did pick up some 1930s fabric and some other vintage fabric along the way even a cutter quilt. And lots of newer fabric from ladys that were cleaning out there sewing rooms. Also added to my bits and pieces of fabric I seem to have quite the collection of now.

Ive had requests to show off my finds so I'm putting up pix of my sewing room, alot of what ive gotten over the summer is all ready sorted and put away, the last two weekends of yard sales I havent gotten sorted yet so my sewing room is a mess.

In these pictures are some of what I got this last weekend like I said I havent gotten it sorted.

The next pictures are my stash................

These 2 pictures are the inside of my sewing machine table, above is current fabric Im using or have been using and hasnt made it back up stairs. Below is manufactures samples. Things can get out of hand really fast seems I just cleaned up my sewing room and sewing table not to long ago. I really need to spend a day and do it again.

So anyway we had lots of fun, met alot of neat people and saw lots of animals. But im glad its over for an other year.

Well of to do something constructive.......

Sunflowers and late summer

Don't seeing a sunflower just make you smile, I know it does me. So here is 2 smiles....

I guess it has been a while since writting last here. What have I been doing?

Well we went last week end on a garage sale thing in Kansas, we probably hit about 30 in the weekend, its hard to hit and run to get full advantage of time we have. Hit and run garage sales is walk up all serious, with a purpose in mind. Say hi to the seller of the yard sale but don't get into long drawn out converstions with said person. People in the central plains can really talk.

Anyway scan the tables, shelves and ground for things that pop out, IE: fabric, sewing machines, for Sean its men toys, fishing poles, and all the manly stuff. Once its been decited there is no of the above things then scan for ebay items that will keep me retired. Once it has been decited that there is only stuff you dont want, you move on to the next one rinse and repeat.

Well this last weekend didnt really go that way, the serious with a purpose kinda went out the window. First we get started late on Friday, so we only had a few hours to get to alot of them.

We were kinda dragging abit I suppose. We had nice weather for it, In the 80s with a breeze.

We did hit quite a few in little time but as time went on our purpose started degratting.

Puppys and owners started getting in our way, side tracking us, you might say. "oh what a cute dog what kind is it?" 20 min later we are still taking to said pet owner.

I did find a large box of flannel and Sean found fishing stuff, and we added to the pile of ebayables. A little less then 45.00 later and as the sun was going west we hit the last few that were open and called it a day.

We had many many more to hit the next day, this yard sale extravaganza went from Colorado to Missouri along road 86, that is like 400 miles, no way no how would we do all that so we decited just to do Norton and the next biggest town west. And we would do a few that were a short distance east.

So we get up Saturday with this purpose in mind, get to as many as we can before looseing light.

Oh yea it was cold and windy and over cast not a good way to start out. The first sale we hit started us on that slow slippery slide down hill. with good intent we went in looked around then our first mistake we started talking to the said seller. One thing went into an other and 45 min later we had seen all the horses,cows,llama,cats,dogs and goats they had. Almost forgetting what we were even doing there. And of course they had little Pommys so we had to see them.

We finally get back on the road, get to a few more sales freezing our butts off, scanning and running back to the shelter of the truck. We hit most of the yardsales in Norton by lunch and headed east.

The sun was starting to shine a bit and it was warming up. We hadnt found anything ot any importance to that point. We we found the first one east about 6 miles out of norton and they had a lot of stuff, and in this huge pile out in front of it all was the FREE pile.

This seller was tired of all this by then and just wanted to get rid of it Im thinking. We found alot of good stuff in this Free pile. That was one of the better sales to that point. I did also get a nice photo printer by hp for 5 dollers, she said It had no paper work or drivers. We get home and find all that in a free box we had pick up there also. Very nice printer.

We were on a roll, next sale my eyes focus in on 3 big bags.....fabric! Dont want to look like im running up to them, so looking around walking fast bingo cotton fabric ! and 2 PVC frames for embroidry or quilting. All of it for like 2 dollers. Feel great im ready for the next one.

The big bingo of the day was an estate sale in an old barn type building, boxes and boxes of stuff to look threw. Pattens, books, and fabric, the full worth of someones sewing room. So I picked out a few vintage old mag and books.

I hummed and howed about the fabric with the seller finally she said take it all for 10.00.

OH MY GOD!! Yardage upon yardage. Thought I died and gone to heaven. Or at least maybe she knew it had been my birthday and she wanted me to have a good weekend. We also found some more things to add to the pile for Ebay.

We were doing pretty good but it was taking way to long at each sale, talking and admiring animals or searching boxes to long. By the time we got to the next big town it was time for most of the sales to end there. I did pick up alot more fabric for like 2 dollers tho and a few more ebayable things. I saw like 3 Treadles, and a few random other machines from the 70s.

Next weekend is the JUNK JAUNT in Nebraska, starts at Kearney and loops up north and back down to Grand Island. I look forward to doing this, probably will be the last of the yard sales till next spring now. So the junk jaunt will be the last hoora for this year. Im sure there will be a few estate sales and there are auction all the time. But auctions can be tricky here, there are the professional ones that the prices are really high to start then there are the estate auctions that you can get boxes for pennies on a doller.

I have been doing some sewing, first ive been hand quilting the lizard quilt, and ive been putting togeather a cover for the couch, which is random large and small blocks in blues and greys. and when im tired of doing that I have been working on a baby quilt for a friend. I havent worked anymore on the nine patch, I pick up that again once I get one of these others done.

Oh and the other thing ive been doing is house cleaning uggg.

They came out and put the new electrical service to the pole an a new box. With that the electrician came out put a new line from the box to the house. Next they will run a new line down to a new entry into the house to the box inside. I feel we are coming up in the world. I can run the air conditioner and the dryere at the same time now! There is so much more electric to up date before I can get insurance on the house. But we are getting there.

Tomarrow the 21st is Eager Beaver Days in Beaver City, a town event every fall. Parade and all. Crafts will be sold in the town hall and im not sure what else there will be. There will be at least one garage sale we will hit.

Today we went to one in town picked up a few thing but it wasnt anything fantastic to write home about.

We that is pretty much the whole story of what ive been doing, short of the really boring stuff.

Elsie's Block

This is what ive been working on the last week, its for ElsieD from QuiltChat, for the appy block trade we are in with 10 other girls. Her theme is Around the pond.

Click on the pix to inlarge it.

Happy Labor day weekend, we went to a cookout yesterday. Had a really nice time. I cant believer Aug. is over and done with, where did it go, time seems to be rushing by. I saw in walmart they already have the christmas stuff up for sale, I sware it gets earlyer every year.
pretty soon they will just leave it all up for the next year.

The pix above is the start of my 3-D quilt. Its going pretty good just havent had alot of time to work on it. I felt like doing some appliqueing so I put it aside and worked on cat appy. I should never try to do anything when im tired and when its late. I took alook at it the next day after working on it and gesh i have some unsewing to do. Im pleased with how the ninepatch is coming out and its going to be huge. The pix above shows on half of one row, and there are 4 more rows to go plus the sash that goes around the out side. Its all done on point except the ninepatch blocks them selves. SO im really brushing up on my point sewing.

This week I recieved the appy swap package from one of the quilt chat girls im doing it with.
I have started her block, theme is around the pond. So im doing a swan with lilly pads and an abstract wave with some special fab I found that looks like the top of a pond looking down in to it. I have it layed out and I will start sewing it today. I will put up pix when i get done with hers and ill take a pix of hers also and put it up here to. Elsie did a real nice job on her block to start her theme out.

I havent been taking to many pix as of late, seems ever time there is a pix event im with out my camera. I need to get back into taking the camera with me more. Posting up on ebay has been keeping me busy and Jessica being back in school keeps me also busy to.

Well I guess ill get to sewing while I have a chance......

One of those weekends.......

Ok ive had one of those sewing couple days that I could just scream! Ive been working on the round the world and everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.
first didnt make enought blocks for the size I wanted. Then got it 3/4 the way done and put on the last section and stood back and looked the last quarter is all wrong.
So I unsewed more than what I sewed. and Im still unsewing 18 rows worth. There are some times I think I should not sew, it would be better in the long run.

I cant believe its been almost 9 days since my last post, how time flashes by. Jessica started school this last week, And so it begins the school routine. She has 2 years to go, I can do this. She spent the weekend babysitting 4 kids from age 9 months to 9 years old. She had her hands full for sure.

Its just been to warm to do much outside, picked tomatoes yesterday and there are so many more to go, guess ill be sick of tomatoes before the season is over. We had days of 104 last week that was not to much fun, were down to in the 90s now it almost feels cool comparied. Im thinking soon it has to start cooling down and we should be getting some rain again before long. The corn field out around the area looks good, big ears and there starteding to dry up. Im sure harvest is just around the corner for the farmers.

I guess this coming week we will be back working in the bedroom, I know Ive said this before but we really need to get back in there and finish before it gets cold.
well thats all for now, I know not to exciting.....

Old buildings,sewing and freeezing for winter.

Above are 2 pix of the old part of Omaha that I took when we went to see my daughter Samantha a few weeks ago. Such a contrast from the old to the new in the background.
Below is a pix of my property from a few years ago. It looks still pretty much the same as then tho. Our property is sorta a wedge to the north (top of the pix) is a line of trees that is 3 trees deep all the way to the back of the corral. and on the south side (bottom side of pix) is a broken line of trees all the way up the driveway. north is a pasture and south is a wheat flield or milo flield depending on the year.

Ok what did I get done this week, My daughter came to see us on tuesday, her new boyfriend flew here and they stayed until thursday. It was nice to meet him, he seems to be a really nice guy. We went fishing on Wednesday in the heat (97 degrees) and didnt catch a thing, think the fish are much smarter than us. Then Sam and her bf camped out at the state park where we had gone fishing. A nice quiet get way for them after all the busyness of there lives in Omaha. Her boyfriend is studing to become a commersial pilot.

I worked on the ninepatch, got all the ninepatch blocks made and started putting the 3-d part of it on the blocks. It is slow going, never was really to good at sewing on point. So this is going to give me lots of pratice. Also worked in my sewing room to get things more organized. Today I got the kitty cat quilt ready to quilt.

Today also cooked and froze all the beets I had pulled, about 15 quarts of them.
Froze some squash also. My tomatoes are starting to all get red alittle at atime and there are lots to go yet. Cherry tomatoes (my favorite) are starting to turn and there are alot set.

Tomarrow I will try to get some of the machine quilting down on the kitty quilt hopefully. and who knows what elce.

The 3-D quilt in progress, Raccoons and dinner

Before I get started, I hope everyone that might be in Minn,MN were not close to the bridge when it went down. I hope all is well and my deepest sympathy goes out to those that had family members lost on the bridge disaster. Sean's realitives are all ok and werent at the bridge at all, thank goodness.

Well, ive gotten all the pieces out and started sewing the blocks, my travacy with cutting 100 pieces wrong and running out of fabric because of it, is behind me. I was not able to get the same fabric that I started with so I had an other fabric that I had yardage of that I will use also. So 2 rows of the 5 rows will be of the original fabric and the other 3 rows will be the new color. There isn't much difference other than on is solid and the other is a bit marbled but there that same shade and color. I have changed what fabs im using in the ninesquares, Im going to use all calicos. Im excite about how its going to look now.

I have started up a picture album threw Flickr.com. SO I will be uploading alot of pictures there for everyone to have fun looking at. Right now there is only a few there, but in time I will have lots lots more. If you look to the side bar over here
------> you will see the link to it.

We went to Omaha yesterday 8/1 to get my younger daughter Jessica to bring her home from her sisters house, shes been spending a month there before school started. We went down to the old town part of the city where they have converted the old buildings into all kinds of store and eateries. Samantha took us to the antique stores and we walked around the park that runs threw the area. It was pretty hot and humid and we had a bit of rain so the weather was not really on our side to be out side. She really wanted to show me the fresh water jellyfish in the water there. It was very hard to see them let alone get a pix of. The biggest one was about 1/2 inch across.

There was some really interesting things in the antique stores that I would have loved to had but maybe an other time. A beautiful trendle sewing machine in a beautiful cabnet was one of thte things that caught my attention, but I wasnt were up to carrying it back to the car ( about 4 blocks away).

We decided to go to eat at a little place a bit out side of main part of omaha, Its all the Alpine Inn. Well it was a very special neat place not because of there food ( all they serve is chicken) but the attraction they have out side the windows where you eat. Many many raccoons and cats all in the same area eatting the left over of the people that eat there. We were sitting no less than a foot from some of these raccoon on the other side of the glass window. It was one of the neatest thing ive ever seen. The man that owns the inn has been feeding the raccoons and stray cats for 30 years and the person that they bought it from had been doing it be for that. There was mommy raccoons with there babes and mommy cats with there babies also. It really didnt matter if the food was good or not I really didnt even notice it if was or not Iwas so busy watching the raccoons up close and almost personal. They have a large shell shaped watering thing for them and the raccoons not haveing saliva glands would go over and wash there hands and drink the water with the cats and kittens. The raccoons use there paws just like little hands in the same manner as a monkey would. There hands are very soft looking and infact look very much like a monkeys hands other than there thumbs are different. Raccoons sleep off the ground at night in the trees and many of these raccoons went up the trees around and took short naps. They are not scared of the humans around just on the other side of the windows, they look in quite often as they eat as if we were part of there group. At one point with babies and mommys there was about 20 raccoons we could count but im sure there was more than that. Each mommy had at least 2 babes, one had three.

The next pix is of the cats after we got finished eatting and going back to the car. Some were friendly but most were wild Sean is petting one of the was that was really friendly.









Anyway this was the neatest eating experience ive had in a long time. Below are pix of some of the cats and raccoons while eating.






We had alot of fun watching the raccoons interact with each other. Its a must see if your ever in Omaha Nebraska.

A memorial for a sweet puppy

Teddy or Teddy bear as we fondly called him was born in 2004, his mom and dad were Maltese and Pomeranian, he had 2 siblings in the litter. Teddy was a very happy little dog, always looking at us with a smile on his face and a wage of his tail. Teddy got along with all the other animals and had a very mellow nature. My older daughter just fell in love with im from the start.So we kept him for her, she had to go to school and move out and was not able to take her so he just became one of the clan. He was a bit the chicken tho not wanting to do alot of the things the other dogs did. He would stay close to home when the other dogs were out adventuring. He would love to sit with us when we would have our bonfires inthe back yard, and hes was the one that stuck close to us when we fired off the fireworks like he wanted join in on the fun, not scared by the loud fire crackers. When ever we were out side doing something he would always be there to help, including trying to catch grasshoppers with me. We had some pet names for him, Sean called him Rubbler lips becasue of the shiny black look of his lips and I nick named him Theodore Dumdum, a silly fond name for him for his silly things he would do. Teddy always tried to show that he was top dog over the others but we all knew where he stood in the pack. The other dogs would just let him think that he was. He was a very funny little dog, and a joy to have around.

With heavy hearts we layed Teddy to rest yesterday July 28, 2007 after being hit by a truck. He was for the first time in a very long time tagging along with the other dogs out by the road.The other dogs are car smart but he wasnt to much, I don't know what possessed him to follow them, but he did. The man did not see him and by the time he did it was to late. He didnt suffer at all which was a blessing I guess.

Little Teddy will be missed very much by all of us even the other dogs. He touched all of our hearts from the start. May he rest in peace and god bless his little soul.

What to do on a hot Saturday afternoon

Well it was just one answer to that, cut out a quilt. Yes I got 200 parallograms cut and started cutting the strips for the ninepatch.The quilt above is not by me but its what this pile of fabric will look like when I get done I hope. Only the burgandy takes the place of the green. My problems now is going out side my comfort range in colors matching. I'm already seeing im trying to do everything in burgandy shades and that isnt what I wanted so ive got to search my fabs for colors that go with it but that dont really have to blend totally. Im hoping this will be for the new bedroom when its done, the colors will be copper, burgandy, and brown. It took me most of the late afternoon and night to get those cut out.

Also what I did today was work on my around the world, Ive got all the blocks cut into strips for the other 3/4 of the quilt. Now I need to sew them and then pick them apart and sew them togeather. Really dont have alot to do for this one it just sitting down and doing it.

Anyway I guess for all the fabs ive been buying (but got some really great deals) I really need to sit my self down and do alot of sewing. (looks around at the other things that need to get down)
SO much to do and so little time it seems. What did I ever do when I was working, I cant imagine how I got anything done.
Oh well Im off to bed.......

Bigger than life Skeeters!!!

ok every time in the last week every time I go outside this is what attacks us, a skeeter larger than life. A few of these could carry a small dog away im sure. I thought I saw a swarm of them carrying away a cow earlyer today. LOL. No really this things hurt when the bite and when there flying around your ear it sounds like a whole swarm of the small ones. They are very very agressive! I'm thinking the Alasken skeeters have nothing on these. See that thing that its pointing at the dime well that is what bites you.And yea they bite right threw your clothes like there not there. I had this one in the house last night, it was hard no to squish him before taking his picture. I ask nicely please pose for me but nothing doing he just wanted to suck my blood. Yes that leg is his. I have never seen a skeeter this big before, and oh yea they bite all day and hang out in my garden. We havent been able to find out exactly what brand they are but we have done our own research and we are thinking it is the largest North american skeeter there is and only comes out here when there is a wet year. And yea we have had a very wet year. Want a better look at him click on the pix and get a close up.

Cats,Dogs, Jellybeans and deals.

Ok you will probably think im crazy after this post but this is a small introduction to some of my animals I daily take care of, Below is Falcor and our newest puppy Sugar. All our animals have to know each other and have to know it ok to be friends. Falcor has no fear of the animals we have intro'ed to him as you will see. Foxy loves Falcor well until he bite foxy on the tongue.
Sugar being only 8 weeks old when we got her, has made friends with all the cats and Falcor.
The dogs sleep with the cats and vise versa. I think sometimes the dogs think there cats.

This is Falcor and Red, Falcor is warming him self on Red, Red just layed there not having a problem with a lizard laying on him. Red when he was born I had to give mouth to nose resussatation to, it took him along time to breath. From this hes a bit slow, hes scared of strangers all the time and it has taken along time to get his trust, hes suspious of every thing. He will disappear in the house and we cant find him unless he wants us to. But he is a very gentle cat and loves to take care of the younger cats, licking and cleaning them.

Each one of our cats has a special story to go along with them. And each one is very special. We have one cat that we promised a little boy we would keep her for him, he was moving and wanted to make sure his cat was safe. He was never able to get her back but we still have her and we will have her till she passes.

When Im feeling low or feeling bad at least one of our many animals will see that and jump on my lap and try to make me feel better. When im hurting, a cat purring on my lap can be very relaxing and it makes it better some how. These are just 3 of our 10 special cats that live with us in the house. We have 5 boys that live out side, they just couldnt get along all togeather in the house and are much happyer out ruling there roost. Plus there great mousers.

Tigger and Little girl have some wild cat in them Tigger has a very short tail and we belive he has bobcat in him, Little girl we are not sure she does look like a bobcat in the winter with her full winter coat. Below Lacy she doesnt really even know she is a cat, shes alot of fries short of a happy meal. Her mommy is Little girl up above and she is not a very good mother. She didnt take care of lacy when she was first born and when I found the kittens they were cold. I warmed all 6 kittens and saved 4 of the six. Lacy was one of the worse, she was very small and had lots of trouble for the first 4 months, we almsot lost her a few times. And from that she is a bit retared. And she has may genic problems, her nose is not big enought so she has problems smelling and breathing, she is very skinny all the time also. She is a cat that can never go out ever, she has no fear of anything at all. She goes into any open door including the refrig.

One of our little girls Foxy, she is a daddys little girl mostly. Shes a very calm quiet dog. Very loveable, she would just love to sit in your lap and cuddle.

All of this fab came from goodwill in one big bag, there is some yardage and at least half a yard and its all in good condition and the best part it was only 4.00 for the whole bag.

We are always looking for a good deal I think. Yesterday and a few days before that I found a few really good deals. The hoop was 50cents at goodwill and the fab fq were 1.00 a piece at a new place I found that was not a quilt shop but a store private owned what had a little of everything, the place has been in busness since the 60s and walmart didnt put them out. There is tables and tables full of fabs that are quilt quality fabs. We had gone to a quilt shop just up the road from this store and they didnt have but about maybe at most 100 different fabs if that.The lady at the counter told me that they were already getting more busy with fabric from walmart starting to cut down on how much fabs they carry. Walmarts loss there gain I feel.

We go to the one goodwill and its has some really nice clean stuff, better than most Ive seen. They always have alot of fabric and crafty things in big bags for like 3-4 dollers.

I think the hoop was a huge find and its in new condition. I do love finds like this specally when I need them.

Well off to do something .........write more later........

Turkeys,turkeys and more turkeys

If you click on the picture, and look really close there are 3 of 10 baby turkeys that live im my yard. In the evening they roost in the trees out front of the house. The other pix is the mommy turkey. They are really easy to spook so I couldnt be very close to them.

Veggies,Trolls,Grasshoppers and Dragons

Hi everyone, well this week has been busy, I did get my stuff ready for the appy swap and troll is ready to travel around the world. Lets see I cleaned my sewing room, changed some things how I had storage. I worked in the garden some, here are some of the fruits of my labor. The middle of the sweetcorn was blown down in one of our thunderstorms we have had, so it doesnt look good for that part of it, I tryed to stand it back up but it just falls back over. A funny thing is going on with the corn anyway, its tasseling out with any ears on the stock, I thought you had to have silk on the ears to catch the pollen. Pretty soon ill have tomatoes,I cant wate. The watermelon has jsut started putting fruit on and I have gerkin size cucumbers. If I had a crock id pickle some of those but I dont so Ill let them grow to full size.

We mowed yesterday just intime for an other storm so since the day before the 4th we have had 5 " and 2/10. For July that is suppost to be the dryest month its off to a bang. One of the fields a bout a mile from us was just distroyed by hail with the last big one we had a few days ago. We had some of that hail but nothing like they did just a mile away.

I went to find fabric pens yesterday, and ended up in a town that was haveing sidewalk sales so I found some good buys at the quiltshop there, a book called Great American quilts 1994, there are some beautiful quilts in this book with patterns. I got a few FQ for 1.00 each also. In an other place I found a neat ruler, is a wedge ruler for making cheverons and spectrum quilts. I had been eyeing it for a while i t went from 26.95 to 10.00 great buy! I did get my fabric pens to but there wasnt much of a choice.

With my Troll for the swap, Ive made siggy blocks, ive appliqued runes stones on to the block and beaded the symbol on the stones. Each stone symbol has a meaning which I thought was kinda neat. I picked ones that I thought was more for the group of the swap. I wish I could go all the places my troll will be going... lots of states and off to Canada and then to Australia. That would be so much fun to follow him all those places. And hes going to meet some really great people along the way. Any way the swap is going to be alot of fun to do. One of the girls at Quiltchat.com is trying to get me to join a few of the other swaps that are going to be coming up, I wish I was going to have the time to do that, but wiht remodeling and the other quilts Im having to get done its not a good idea to start anymore.

Im still taking care of my daughters Bearded dragon, wow he can eat, he chomps down grasshoppers like there candy, he also likes the sweet snap peas. Hes like a little kid and a candy shop with watermelon, he cant have much but he sits there sucking on it. You should see me out catching grasshoppers and yes they do bite. I take out a small aquarium and catch about 20 of them at a time I guess they dont mind to much becasue there still mating in the tank. I think these grasshoppers carry their eggs on there backs. its like a bright red round things. I guess ive never payed to much attention to them other then cursing them out when they eat my garden.

We are so thankful we have the A/C now the house is staying real nice even when its humid and hot out. Day seem to go so fast now days, I cant believe its almost half way threw July already.

We have to get the bedroom done before it turns cold and it may take us that long. We have the siding off out side on the norht side of the house with just tar paper covering the wood. Once we get the bedroom done then we need to start on the bathroom and im sure that is going to run into winter. The electrician will have to come out agian and rewire these room and the electric company is going to come out and give us a better service than what we have now. We are converting over to all electric and we have a generator we are going to tie into the system for when we loose power. Right now with the old wireing its hard to get a insurance company to insure us so Ill be glad to have that done.

Well im going to go do something ... not sure what it was now lol. i'll Write again sooon....

holiday and family

Its been a few days since last posting, hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th. My oldest daughter come for over night, it was nice to see her even tho her visits are so short. With working and all her reptiles and other animals, ie her rats and dwarf hampsters. She has hairless rats that are really on the cute side, Ive never been one to like to hold a rat ( would rather hold any other of the mammals ) but hers are really kinda neat to hold. She has assorted frogs and turtles, snakes and lizards. Also the 2 cats and birds I cant for get to mention. Its sorta like walking into a small zoo in her house. Samantha was the one that got Jessica into having her bearded dragon, which im taking care of for the next month. So im going to be catching grasshoppers and turning music on for Falcor, and hand feeding him this goo stuff that he loves. Jessica will be staying with Sam for the next month in the big city, she looks forward to this, going shopping and all those things that she misses living out in the country.

We shot off fireworks last night (the 4th) and had a great time, today we went out on one of the lakes with the boat, It was a bit warm but not to bad with the breeze on the water. We fished but didnt catch any keepers, it was just a nice layed back day out there.

We got our A/C on for the holiday !! They arnt totally done but at least we have it cooler in the house seeing the temps are suppost to be right at 100 degress this weekend.

I didnt get anything quilty done today or yesterday, just no time. I did pick up some crates things that stack for putting my fabs in, Im going to change how I have them so I dont have to dig threw drawers all the time. I probably keep my yardages in the drawers still tho.

I have no new pix to add, I forgot to take my camera with me today.... so didnt get the great shots of the little fish we did catch.

I did update Samantha's pix on the side here on her request.

Well im hoping to get something done tomarrow but I do have to clean house again from the guys being in and out of the house the last week. And of course I need catch grasshoppers and turn music on for Falcor. and oh yea stand the sweet corn back up after the storm the other night bent it over.

Out door life in summer....

Well this week I didnt get anything quilty done. We went Wed. to get the boat from Kansas City, that ended up to be a very long trip. It was poring rain the whole time there and for 100 miles west of the city. The boat is a Starcraft 1995 and the motor is a 1994. We got a really good deal for it or we wouldnt have driven 400 miles to pick it up. On Saturday we took it out to the lake to see how it ran (only ran it with the muffs on the motor out of water). We had a pretty good time, it was over cast and a bit cool when we got out there, we took advantage of that and tested alot of the things on the boat. We had a little trouble at one point but it jsut needed new spark plugs, and the motor once we changed them seemed to run fine. We need to work on the trim motor we couldnt get it to trim. So now we know for the next time what we need for out on the lake like suntan lotion or keep covered up like I did. Jessica and Sean both got toasted.

I went to a flea market type thing and found a ton load of fabric from one woman that had just gotten it from an auction, there is alots of vintage fabs and 99.% was really nice clean cotton. There is alot of bits and piecies but thats ok for scrapy quilts,There is even a panel of Charley brown. Be nice for a center for a quilt for the babys at the hospital project. Think I only spent 11.00 for a big box full. Also found some old quilt magazines that have alot of the patterns right in them and also the appy patterns to. Seems like alot of the magazines today have more advertizing in them then patterns, or you have to send away for them and pay. The older magazines have alot of really neat ideas. I left some laying on the bed and sugar the puppy started chewing on them, Bad Bad puppy!

We have had a repreave from the heat for the last week its been so nice specially at night. Im hoping the heat doesnt come into bad before the air is done. Samantha my oldest daughter will be coming for the 4th, and we will be firing off the fireworks we got from SD while up there.

I have also been working in the garden seems the weeds are growing faster than the plants I planted. I had my first stuff out of the garden swiss chard and I pulled an onion today, its still kinda small or a large scallion. I have set now the squashs, tomatoes, and the carrots are growing unlike last year they never did anything. Jessicas snap peas are blooming and I saw that one of the first watermelons I planted is blooming. I sit back looking at the garden and feel such accomplishment from it. After living in Az for 21 years, where you have to plant gardens in the winter and some times it gets to warm before everything is fully done, also the sand is so bad to grow in you have to do so much to the ground before growing anthing. Little by little im going to start planting some flowers in the garden more, there is enought room for a flower garden with the vegetables, and maybe some herbs.

Im so enjoying living in Nebaska again, being able to do the things here that you cant in Az because you die from the heat. And seeing all the wild life and flowers that grow wild here is so special I think. Its so nice to enjoy the small things in life, and feel content while doing it.

Sitting back and listening to the sounds of the country and haveing fresh air and a cool breeze in the evening is all well worth it. It so brings back the feelings of being a child on my grandparents farm, a much easyer slower way of life. Adventuring for hours, watching the bird or just laying in the grass watching the clouds putting names to shapes. My child hood was very special I think living 10 miles out of town and most time only have me to play with. Looking for lizards or frogs and even a snake everyonce in a while. Even as a child I was very close to nature and what was around me, Id go into the creek and pick wild violets for Grandma or just adventure up the road letting my imagination run wild. Id hang out in the crab apple tree and get a belly ache from eating so many, or go eat tomatoes or carrots right out of the garden. As a child I would never spend all day watching tv inside we barly had the tv on. It was only for special nights or sunday night to watch disney. I could watch cartoons some but I wasnt glued to the TV for hours, I was out side all the time in the spring and summer, away from the house for hours. Id swim in the cow tank when I got hot, or for special times my grandparents would take me to the public pool in town. We would always go to town on saturday night, Id go to a movie and they would talk with there friends that gathered on main street. We would also sell the eggs for the week to the market, my grandma made everything pretty much so we didnt shop in the market to much. Going to the big city once a month was a big event in my life, we'd get dressed up and go to Hastings, Grandma could get some sewing materials or what ever she need from Ben franklin, and Grandpa would get stuff for his tractors or what ever was needed. I spent hours with my grandpa at the grainerys in the summer, and id go out and help bring drinks to the combiners while they harvested. When I got older they would put me in the back of the grain truck and Id help push the grain around. I have so many special memories from living on the farm, I guess I was very luck to have such a wonderful child hood as I did. I so miss the child like feeling I had while living with my grandparents.

I just wish my daughters could have experenced the farm life and country life at a earlyer age.

Both like the city and city things. They both get bored out here finding nothing to do.

Well I think I'll go figure out where im going to put all this fabric I just got, I really need to do some thing quilty..........

News about Mr.Owl photo

Remember the picture I posted up here in June of Mr.Owl, well I had submitted it to www.pictures.com and I recieved a letter today from them, that they have picked my photo to put in there book of photos. They call it Endless Journeys. I thought it was so neat to get the pix but to have it put in a book that is so exciting.

A few interesting pix

I forgot to put a shot of Jessica at her prom. I rag set her hair the old fashion way, with rag wraps.

It took hours to put roll it and then to unroll it and put her hair up. I think she looked just so pretty with her this way with the dress.The guy she with is Tony a really good friend. I think they make a nice couple. We dried the flowers they were just so pretty.

The next pix up is falcor doing a balancing act on the side of his tank, when the top is off Jessica cant keep him in his tank he likes to explore her room, brave lizard i'd say.

And the next pix up is well, I guess I dont have to say much, this snake was in the middle of the road sunning him self, we wanted to move him so Sean got his attention and I came up from behind and gently tailed him and moved him to the side of the road, he was really grumpy!

We have been seeing alot of this kind of snake, the bull snake. And yellow bellyed racers.

Sean wants to see a rattlesnake but so far we have only seen one and it was dead on the road.

Im sure one of these days we will see one sunning or well I hope its not out in the yard or close to us.