Meet Penelope!!

She's done, and has been named Penelope.

Saturday - Memorial Day Weekend

Need I say more!?!?

What a great day I had, just a putterin' around. I spent some time outside this morning and took quite a few pictures, which I will share with you here. On my way home from an errand, I took notice of the beautiful clouds, so as soon as I got home, out came the camera and one picture was just not enough. Our geraniums are looking great, but it's early and they will be overflowing their container in a month or so. I always associate geraniums with July 4th, for some reason. But they are always beautiful all summer, even as early as Memorial Day. It seems that we can put flowers in a bit earlier in Central Ohio than in Northern Indiana. We didn't dare put them in before Memorial Day in N. I.

I also got pictures of my stone sculptures that I got from Leon over the past couple of years. We have a stone sculptor here in Columbus that does the neatest sculptures. It is so neat to be able to take pictures of my favorite things and have a place to post them and talk about them. The man with the bird on his head is Leon's (from me)

Visiting a couple of other areas in our yard. The geranium on top (the actual botanical name escapes me, but it is a variety of geranium) was a special gift from my friends at work, when we first moved into our newly built home. It was in a regular sized pot when I bought it with the gift card they gave me, but boy has it grown. I really love it too. Such great friends, I hope they all visit my blog and see it. The peonies are just ready to pop in the picture just above. I will keep you posted. Nothing is as beautiful as a peony!

Memorial Day weekend

Well, it is Memorial Day weekend and I am going to work on totally enjoying myself, getting a few things done, some reading, some crochet, maybe a movie, cook out. The loss of loved ones will certainly be in my thoughts this weekend, but not in a sad way. I will simply take some time to think of them and to hold them in my heart. From the recent death of our friend and pet, Molly, to the strength of my father who left us over 20 years ago and finally the merciful deaths of my mother and my brother. I will also think of Leon's mother and his Aunt Ruth and Uncle Jim. The girls have lost all of their grandparents, and I will think of their Grandma and Grandpa B. Last but not least, I will remember the men and women who have died for their country and would urge all of you to just stop for a minute and remember them. No politics, no opinions, just prayers and good thoughts for them.

Okay I need to move on.

I found a neat little shell box when I was going through my mothers things. It is just the sweetest little thing and I really love it. I don't know where it came from, who gave it to her or even whether she liked it, but I just love it. I was reminded when I was talking to my sister about it, that I have always been a bit enchanted by neat little boxes. I have never really collected them and don't really want to start collecting now, but when they fall into my lap, I have to be happy. Anyhow, I set up a "photo shoot" so that I could share it with you all.

My favorite 'blogs'

I happened onto blogging in November when I was searching for a gingerbread house recipe and ideas. I googled gingerbread houses and of course there were many great sites to look at. Amazingly one of them was the blog of a designer who had a virtual gingerbread house on her site. It was the best site and I still visit it at least every few days. I absolutely loved her comments and pictures and it really was the first exposure that I had to blogs. The really neat thing about her blog and most all of the other blogs that I visit regularly are the links to other blogs. Boy, was I off and running!! I have about 30 blogs on my favorites list and I could literally surf blogs for hours and hours. I absolutely love it! I want to share a few of my favorites with those of you are interested and hope to get you all hooked too. Most of the ones I read are craft oriented, although there are some others with different focus.

Allsorts is the first blog that I found (the gingerbread house lady).

My name is Heather is a great designer - I made the globes that she has on her site.

Posie gets cozy is one of my early favorites - I used to look at her blog every day.

The pancake chronicles is one of my recent discoveries. I like it because she lives in the Northwest Territory, very near the Arctic Circle and I am fascinated with that area. She talks about it alot.

Little cotton rabbits is a blog by the mother of an autistic child. She is a knitter and her animals are darling. She also talks about the challenges she and her son face.

Bipolar Lawyer Cook is a recently diagnosed bipolar working through her diagnosis on her blog. She is also a cook and an attorney. Quite interesting!

Wendi Aarons is a writer and quite a commedienne (sp) at times. In fact, her bio says that she writes comedy freelance. Lissy found this blog for me and it is pretty funny.

Cute little things is another designer. Per her bio, she is a textile designer for Pottery Barn kids - a cute little blog.



There are so many more and there are a ton of blog subjects I would like to explore. Check out a few of these and for those that have lists (which I may incorporate into mine) try branching off . You never know where you might end up. It is now a passion of mine - not sure if that is good or bad. It gives me pleasure and inspires me!

Potpourri

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted. Or at least it feels like it. One of the blogs that I visit on a regular basis has a "a post a day in May" challenge going, but I knew that would be a bust if I tried it.

Anyhow what is happening in my life? Well ... Leon and I had our 26th wedding anniversary last week. Who would have thought with all that has happened, but truly there is a part of me that is proud of the fact that we stuck with it and came through everything, maybe even stronger. We're still working on that.

With that said, I have learned that I really need to just take care of me and sometimes that is hard to do, but I am determined and in the long run, it is better for both me and my marriage.

Okay, enough of that ...I came home on our anniversary to a lovely dinner prepared by Leon. The first course was a beautiful salad and a shrimp cocktail which I snapped a picture of for you all to drool over. It was soooo good. But oh no, that was not all! He followed up with an entree of grilled steak, baked sweet potatoes, brocc and biscuits. Ummmm Ummmm Good!!! How wonderful, you say? Still not over!!! Strawberries over angel food cake was the crowning touch. Oh and I almost forgot, candlelight too!! He really did do a nice job. Thanks Leon!!

I have been off for a couple of days and trying to get some crocheting done. I am working on a pig for Abby and am getting pretty close. I will give you a peek of his (or her) face, but the rest will be shown when he (or she) is complete. I went to a new yarn shop yesterday and there were some beautiful yarns. I can't help but think of the Debbie Macomber Blossom Street series. It is a series of several books about knitting classes held at a yarn shop on Blossom Street and how the knitting students came together and became friends, though their personalities were very different and were from very different backgrounds. I think there are 4 books in the series and I have only read two, but I also thought I saw a new one the other day at the store. Anyhow give it a try. It's a little shop like I would love to own, with friends and others meeting there and sharing their lives.

Leon has started his new job and so far, so good. He seems to like, it but that was only after one day.

One of the things that I wanted to do on one of my days off was to take my camera out and take some outdoor pictures. I did not get around it, but Memorial day is coming up and I may get to it this next weekend. I am just so amazed at how surroundings become beautiful when you take the time to notice them or to imagine how they would be in a photograph. I think a prime example is the landscaping and beauty surrounding my work place. I go in and out of that property nearly every day and I almost always notice something new and beautiful. The ponds are full of wildlife. There is a blue heron there that absolutely thrills me. There is a beaver lodge (I think, anyhow) and the landscaping around the ponds is amazing. I regularly see geese coming in for a landing on the ponds in groups of 3 or 4 at a time. I realize that it took a lot of money to make it that way, but when I drive through I try to imagine that it looks like the ponds and wildlife in the country areas in the rural parts of our country. The water lilies will be up soon and I can hardly wait. Every year I say that I am going to get a picture of them and I never seem to get it done. This year I am vowing to do it. I think we all need to see the beauty in the things around us. We get so used to our routine, that we forget to re-focus and see the real beauty around us. I challenge you all to do that.

Update on "The Life of Pi". Disappointingly I did not get it finished before I had to take it back to the library. It was on the reserve list, so I couldn't renew it. I will get it again and finish it. I will have to wait out the reserve list again.

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers day to all of the mothers that I know!! We are awesome, right! Moms rule - because no matter how many mistakes we make, no matter how many times we say or do the wrong thing. No matter how many times we forget to put a sweater on them or punish them for something their sibling did or make them wait too long for us to pick them up. No matter how many times we embarrass them when they are teenagers or won't buy them the latest technological advances or new shoes. No matter how many mistakes we make...... They will grow up anyhow.

Then they grow up, get married, have children and you get a whole new chance to love a child. It is truly wonderful!! That is when you are a GRANDmother.

I haven't posted for a couple of weeks. I have been busy!! Last weekend, I took Friday off and made a 3 points trip due to the price of gas. Turning two trips into one I drove to Elkhart to pick up my mothers things. I was hoping for some clothes to make momentos out of, but really nothing was there. I think the nursing home must have taken the initiative in moving clothes amount patients, which would be something I consider unethical. Clothes that I know she had that were not there and only 'housedresses' and sweaters were there. I think that since she was bedridden, her clothes were taken. But I will go ahead and do what I planned to do with what I have. Another thing that I noticed after I got everything home and had gone through it, was that her baby doll was missing. In the last months of her life, my sister had gotten her a baby doll, as many of the older less coherent women had. It was not in her things. It was a disappointment.

From Elkhart I drove to Indianapolis to take care of Abby while Carrie and Matt had some adult fun with another couple. We had a great time. The neighborhood had garage sales while I was there, so Abby and I headed out to go garage saleing. You can never start too soon! I found a few things, Abby found a few things and I found a little bicycle for $2. Such a deal!! and in perfect shape too. We had lunch at McDonalds, we played playdough, we played outside, we went out for ice cream and we just had a great time.

I took the turtle I made to give to Abby, after decorating him just a bit. I think he looks very cute this way, plus I stuffed him just a bit more. Now I am working on a pig. My bear is almost done, one more leg to go. I am absolutely loving this animal crocheting stuff. I can't seem to get enough time to do as much as I want, but that's the way hobbies, go I guess.

From Indianapolis, I drove home where I was surprised with a new wedding ring from Leon. I lost my wedding band in December and lately have been missing having one. So, admittedly, I have been bugging a bit, but I just wanted a temporary ring, until I could get a nicer one. I was checking out diamoniques on GVC and other less expensive jewelry. But Leon held out and got me this one with real diamonds and good gold. It is wonderful and I am very happy. Thank you Leon!!

This weekend my family was together for Mothers Day, having family time together, going to church together. There were two mothers in the house and both were appropriately spoiled. Thank you Carrie, Matt, Abby, Melissa and Chad for the gift card. I will be putting it to good use. I love you all. The house is quiet now, but the echoes of family are still here and I cherish them.