The Disappearing Nine Patch

This is the quilt block that became an obsession for me for the month of October! I first saw it at our Guild meeting in September. I loved it and wanted to try it, but no one could tell me how it was done. So I 'Googled' it. (Just an aside: Did you know that the word 'google' is being added to our dictionaries because it has become a real word? I love new words!) There were many sites which showed finished Disappearing Nine Patch quilts.

I decided to practice the block with fabric from my stash. I think this would be a fantastic way to use up charm squares or stash fabrics. Here is a quick tutorial of the technique.

First start with a simple 9-patch block. I used dark colours for the corner squares, light colours for the in between squares and assorted reds for the centre squares.

Press the block and cut it in half and then in half again. You now have a 4-patch.

Then rearrange the four sections by turning the two opposite quarters 180 degrees. Like this.

Finally, resew the blocks and arrange them on your design wall - or in my case - my design floor. Place them so that the colours are balanced. I really didn't even bother to do that. I just sewed them as I made them. Since I can't get around very well and things that are on the floor are difficult to reach, I decided to just let the colours happen. I used many different fabrics, so I knew the result would be very scrappy.

The result is a simple quilt, that looks intricate. The fabrics line up nicely without too much fuss. I have finished the top of this quilt, but I have not quilted it yet. I think that I want to put a couple of borders on it too, but I want to think about that for awhile. Tomorrow I will show you a couple of quilts which I finished using the Disappearing Nine Patch. The sun is coming out, so I think the colours will look great!

Happy Halloween!

I managed to make a patchwork pumpkin after all. This is from the same pattern that Rachael Rabbit had on her blog as a tutorial last week. I crazy pieced a large square and then cut the pumpkin shapes out of that.

And as if that isn't enough, I also made some little crocheted pumpkins. I used the Amigurumi Pumpkins pattern that Opal had on her blog.

"Oh, my gosh! These are like sooooo fun!"

Those are the words of a former student of mine. It's been years, but I can still hear her enthusiastic voice! When it comes to these little pumpkins I have to borrow her words and her enthusiasm! Because they were easy, fast and fun to make! Also addictive! But then anything Amigurumi is addictive for me! I did them all while watching a movie on television yesterday. Thanks Opal!

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy All Hallows Eve!

First Snowfall!

Snow on Geraniums!

Aren't they beautiful? I wonder if I'll still say that next April. Oh, well.

Yes, folks! We had snow last night. Not a lot, but enough to create havoc on our streets during this morning's rush hour. Driving was treacherous! Bridges freeze first and it seemed that every bridge had an accident on it! Traffic was snarled and people were late for work. But I didn't care! I got on the wheeltrans bus, scooter and all, and was driven to my physiotherapy appointment. They were at my door half an hour early, so I enjoyed the drive, looking out in wonder at all the snow. Most of our trees still have leaves, so they were heavy with snow and looked amazing! This is what was left in my garden when I got home around 11:00am.

Thank you to everyone who left such wonderful, encouraging comments on my last few posts! I really appreciate it! Thanks again!

Cats and Pumpkins

Done! In time for Halloween!

I started this little wallhanging a couple of years ago. At that time, I thought it was very cute and I had great hopes for it. But, unfortunately, I didn't get it finished before that Halloween and as a result it has been languishing in my UFO (UnFinished Objects) pile for over two years! But my UFO days are over! Well, not really. I still have lots more to finish. In fact, I don't dare admit to how many there actually are! But, in my attempt to finish as many as possible, I sandwiched it and quilted it last week. It was a good opportunity to practice my stipple quilting on the background. Then I had my DH hang it on the wall at my DD's house. I am very pleased with the way it turned out. And now it has a place of honour to greet her Halloween ghouls and goblins.

A Quilt Show in the Autumn of My Mind!

Autumn is in full swing around here! And as with autumn, my mind also seems to be in its latter stages of development! Some days I am glad that there is no one around to ask me who I am, where I live and what day it is! That is why this little miracle is so important to me!

Now, I know this is just a small step and I know I am not becoming a computer geek, but it is nice to be able to make my computer perform functions that it was meant to perform. What I am trying to say is, "I think I have figured out the 'link thing'!" It was not a revelation. Nor was it carefully researched, studied and implemented. It was more of an infant-learned thing. Kind of like a second childhood, I guess. I was typing on my blog and suddenly a 'link' came up. I had no idea how I had made that happen. Kind of like an baby who waves a rattle in the air and is astonished by the sound it makes! I tried to duplicate the sound, er, I mean, 'link thing', but couldn't remember which keys I had hit. I tried different combinations, and after many, many tries, I finally had a "By gosh! I think I've got it!" moment. Those are the exciting times of my life!

So now that I am able to 'link' stuff, I'd like to tell you all about the upcoming Rouge Valley Quilt Guild's Quilt Show. Just click on the icon and it will take you to the home page. Then click on 'quilt show' and you can read all about it! I am very excited about the Quilt Show. Not because I have any quilt in it, because I don't. I was not able to complete anything last year to enter into the show! But it will be great to see what all the other members have been up to! And I am also excited because I am now able to link to anything on this blog! The show runs this Friday and Saturday (October 24th and 25th) out in Ajax, so if you're in the Greater Toronto Area, why not come along for some lovely eye candy and maybe a cup of tea and a slice of banana bread! There will also be a vendor's marketplace. That's where you'll find me! I can't wait to see what is new on the quilt scene! I haven't been out much lately!

And now I leave you with a gorgeous image of Highland Creek in all its autumn splendor! Kind of like my mind - a little over-exposed perhaps, but colourful just the same!

See you at the Quilt Show!

My Little Ponies

It was a lovely fall day. The sun was shining brightly. The air was crisp and clear. Nature was at its fall best - warm autumn colours against a beautiful cerulean sky! Breathtaking! The ponies decided to go out for a walk in the park. They love the fall colours! And they love romping around in the grass! Ponies are like that, you know.

PUMPKINS!!!!!

Thanks to Rachael Rabbit's blog, I was able to make some really cute little pumpkins! She has a tutorial for them on her blog. Check it out. I didn't follow her instructions exactly. Instead, I used a different piece of fabric for each of the six sections of the pumpkin. They are sooooooo easy to make! But I have to warn you. They are highly addictive! It's impossible to stop at just one! I made five of them in an hour or so, in different sizes and colours. I think I like the orange one the best. I might make a few more in that colour, but in patchwork, the way Rachael suggests in her blog.

Introducing........................(drum roll please)

Wilbur, the newest member of our family.

The pattern came out of a Japanese Amigurumi book. Isn't he cute! Mimi doesn't think so. She wants nothing to do with him. But Oscar thinks he is great!

"Isn't it nice to have a brother, Oscar?"

"Yeah, I guess so, even if he is a dog!"

Happy Friday everyone. It's the start of a long weekend here in Canada. We will celebrate Thanksgiving Day on Monday. Have a great weekend!

"Oh, boy! Turkey Day! Can I share it with my new brother?"

"Yes, Oscar. That would be very nice!"

Mimi, Come and Take a Look at This!

We Have Mail! Real Mail!

Me: Look Mimi! I got a package in the mail today!

Mimi: You woke me up for that?

Me: Yes! Isn't it exciting? It's from Nicolette in Holland! It's something I won in her last contest when she posted her 70th blog for this year! I can't wait to open it!

Mimi: Oh, it does smell interesting. Okay. Open it and let me see what she sent you.

Me: Oh! This is great! Absolutely super! It's a cloth covered notepad, just as she promised! Isn't it beautiful? And you know me! I love notepads! I love to write notes!

Mimi: Yes! I know!

Me: The colours are very beautiful and Nicolette's sewing skills are fantastic! And look, Mimi, she has included some real Dutch candies. Hopjes! Echte Haagse Hopjes! I remember these from when I was a kid. They still look exactly the same! It seems as if nothing has changed in the last 50 years!

Mimi: Except you!!!

Me: Be nice Mimi! Actually now that I have this gift, there is nothing that you can say to make me feel bad today!!! I feel great! Oh! I have to send her a thank you!

Mimi: Okay. I'm sorry. Can I help you write a thank you card?

Me: Okay. Here's a pen.

Mimi: Hmmmm. This is hard for me to do. I can't seem to hold the pen right.

Me: Okay, then I will do it! So...... Thank you Nicolette! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I love my new notepad! And the Hopjes! You're the best! And I love your blog!

Mimi: Can I go back to napping now?

Me: Yeah, Yeah, sure, whatever. Oh! I am going to make a list of quilts that I want to finish! And a list of all the plants in my garden. And maybe a list of questions to ask the specialist on my next visit. I can take notes when I watch the next quilt show on television. Oh, and things to buy at the quilt shop. What to make for dinner. Recipes. Quilt ideas. And.............

Mimi: Nicolette. I think you have created a monster! By the way, say 'Hi!' to Midas for me.

One Down, a Few Dozen Left to Go!

I am happy to say that another one of my UFOs became a completed quilt this morning! I started this quilt about two and a half years ago. That's a long time, I know! It was meant to be a 'teaching' quilt. A friend of mine wanted to learn to do this 'Quilt as you Go' technique. After I had cut all the fabric, she decided that it was too complicated for her. I decided to finish it anyway. It really isn't complicated at all! I used a Christmas bear design for my focus fabric. Then I used up all kinds of scraps from my stash. It was fun to make, even though I had to put it down several times when life got in the way. This quilt measures 53in. x 66in. (135cm x 168cm) It will add to my Christmas decorations this year and will keep us warm while watching those great seasonal programs. I can hardly wait for the Grinch who stole Christmas and Charlie Brown!This is the back of the quilt. I used a variety of Christmas fabrics. Each 6 1/2in square was constructed individually, then joined with strips of sashing which had to hand sewn on the back. Everything else was done by machine. The pattern for this quilt came from a 'Simon Says' technique which Irene Dewar taught a few years ago at the Quilter's Garden. I really like this method because the quilt doesn't have to be sandwiched and then quilted. Everything is done in one step. I made this quilt with Irene using a 'Dick and Jane' fabric.

This fabric was really cute and reminded me of my early school years here in Canada. That is not to say that they were fond memories! The fabric is copied from the Dick and Jane series of the 'Early Readers' used in Toronto schools during the late 50's. Fortunately these readers are no longer used today!

I immigrated to Canada in March of 1957 with my parents and sisters. In Holland, the country were I was born, I was in grade 3 at that time. When my parents went to enroll me at school here, the principal had no idea what to do with me! There were no ESL programs in the schools at that time. I was put into a grade 2 class, even though it was almost the end of the school year. I didn't speak a word of English, so I had to learn it. Each morning during language class, I had to read those 'stupid' umm I mean, fascinating Dick and Jane books. "See Dick! See Dick run! Come, Spot, come! See Jane!" OMG! I even had to take those dumb books home and practice reading with my parents - who were delighted with my dubious progress! I couldn't wait for June!
I was only able to get a few yards of this fabric. It was very popular when it first came out! I even ordered more, but found out that it was no longer being produced. Apparently the designer had 'stolen' the Dick and Jane pictures without permission. So I have fabric that is probably illegal! But that fits in perfectly with my memories of those books!
I used an allover star fabric for the back. This quilt measures approximately 40in. x 53in. (102cm x 135cm) I think I will save this one for a future grandchild - if there is one. I just couldn't give away all of these wonderful memories!

Foto Friday!

Oscar

Clean and Find!

Me: Hey Mimi! Wake up!

Mimi: Whaaaa? What do you want? Oh, jeez! Can't you see I'm napping?

Me: Come and see this! I just finished the bear quilt! Isn't it cute?

Mimi: Yeah, yeah. Great. (Yawn) Can I go back to sleep now?

Me: Okay. You sleep while I do a bit of cleaning up. This is so exciting! I love it when a quilt is finished! It is so satisfying! This quilt is based on the bear quilt that was included in the current Fons and Porter magazine, "Love of Quilting". I used the bear template, but I changed the layout. It went together really quickly and I am very pleased with it. Now I want to work on something else, but this sewing room is such a mess! I can't find anything! So..... Hi Ho, Hi Ho! It's cleaning up I'll go!

Mimi: Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Me: Hello? What's this? Look what I found Mimi! A bag full of stuff.

Mimi: Stuff? (Yawn) What kind of stuff?

Me: This stuff. They're body parts.

Mimi: Body parts? What kind of body parts? Are they edible?

Me: No Mimi, unless you want to eat acrylic yarn stuffed with polyester fiberfill.

Mimi: Yuck! No thanks. Then what good are they?

Me: Oh, you'll see! This is great! I'm going to sew them together. Do you want to help me? Hmmmm. I guess not.

Mimi: Zzzzzzzzzzzz!

Bean Bags!

Felix: What are these things, Oscar?

Oscar: I have no idea. Our owner has been working on them all day. They must be good for something!

Felix: They're fun! I can bat them around. And maybe chew on them.

Oscar: Or you could just sleep on them like I'm doing.

Felix: Oh.

Mimi: Those are bean bags! Jeez, you guys are so dumb! Our owner is making them for her DD. They're for the kids at school to use in the gym - for exercise.

Felix: You mean they aren't for us?

Mimi: No! Those things are boring! But... maybe if they were mouse-shaped and had some catnip in them. Then they'd be pretty neat, I think! Me: Is this what you had in mind, Mimi?

Mimi: Oh! Yes! Delicious! Good exercise for my teeth! Thanks Mom!

Foto Friday!

Holy Halitosis, Batman! Killer Kat Breath!

Fall in the Garden

I went into my backyard yesterday - for about the first time this year. (It has not been easy to get around in my scooter. I had to wait until a ramp was completed in order to get into the backyard.)

OMG! I was in shock when I looked around at my plants! The garden looked more like an overgrown weedpatch! What a mess! No one has looked after it much this summer. And then there is the issue of the 'slowly-being-filled-in pool', which I had to maneuver around carefully so as not to fall in. It's still a huge 5-ft deep hole, but that is another story for another time!

I pulled up ragweed that had reached a height of 5 feet! Also some wild lettuce that was even higher and had already gone to seed. I will have lots of weeding to do next year if all this stuff seeds itself in! Most of my summer blooming perennials are finished. I had to keep reminding myself that it is the end of September, after all. But there were some bright spots. I found this lovely patch of wild sunflowers in the back corner. Usually I pull most of these out, but this year they have been allowed to grow. Don't they look great? It's kind of like botanical sunshine! I also found a lot of wild asters. These I have always pulled up in other years too, but this year they were spared. And look at how beautiful they are! Here they have found a nice place growing up through some well-established lungwort (Pulmonaria). The lungwort has long finished flowering, but it almost looked as if the asters are part of that plant.
Not only did I go out and pull some weeds yesterday, I also went to the first meeting of our quilt group, the Rouge Valley Quilters Guild. It was another first for this year, because I haven't been able to attend a meeting since last September. And I finally finished this little quilt for 'Quilts from the Heart'. It will be donated to a local shelter or hospital by our guild. It was great to do some 'normal' things. I feel as if I am getting back into the swing of things again!

Mimi Always Has the Last Word

Me: Hey, Mimi! What are you doing?! Get off that quilt! Now!

Mimi: Why?

Me: Because! It's a baby quilt! You shouldn't be on it! It will get dirty! No one will want to wrap a baby in a quilt full of cat fur!

Mimi: Why not? The baby's Mom won't care. They have several cats at their house. They love cats and cat hair! And anyways, I am a very clean feline!

Me: Now you listen to me, you little white critter! Get off now!!

Mimi: Awww! But it's so comfy! I love baby quilts! Me: Don't make me come over there and throw you off!

Mimi: Sorry, I can't hear you!

Me: Mimi! I'm going to count to 10 and you'd better be off by then. 1.....2....3....4....5........

Mimi: Oh, Jeez! Can't you see I'm busy! A cat's got to do what a cat's got to do. See how clean I am? I am always licking myself. The quilt will be fine! You worry too much!

The New Status of My UFO's

These are Now WIPS - Works in Progress!

This is a miniature quilt which I found in an old Australian magazine. It is paper pieced, using up lots of scraps. But not enough! I have too many scraps! Each strip is only 1/4inch wide. I used a total of 336 pieces of fabric and I still have to put a border around it. It was fun to make, especially since it made me realize that I am able to use my sewing machine again. Because of the weakness in my legs, I was not able to control the foot pedal before going into the hospital. But things are getting better and it is not a problem any more. Hurray!!!! Here is a close up of the tiny strips.
While going through some of my UFOs, I found this little I Spy quilt. I started this quilt a couple of years ago - maybe even longer! It seems like it was in another lifetime! This project was a Bee Night 'demo' at our Quilt Guild. Each piece is about 5 inches square. (We had a great exchange a few years ago. Everyone who wanted to take part had to cut half a metre of fabric into 24 - 5inch pieces. These were collected at our monthly meetings and returned to us at the following meeting, giving each of us a package of 24 different 5inch pieces.) The blocks are arranged in rows, which are later cut on the diagonal and then sewn back together to create a quilt that looks as if it was sewn together 'on point'. I completed the last four rows last night and hopefully over the next few days I will be able to cut it, re-sew it, sandwich it and quilt it. I hope I will be able to follow the instructions and cut it right.
And finally, a little 'Bear' quilt that I started a few days ago. The bears are machine appliqued. I still have to put some kind of border on and quilt it. I hope I can get it done as soon as possible. It is intended for my new grand nephew, Theodore Quinn, who was born a couple of weeks ago!
There! I feel much better now. At least I am making a little dent in my stash and unfinished projects and in posting them on my blog!

Hot Off My Hooks!

Perhaps 'hot' isn't the right word. These items were completed a while ago. I just haven't posted them. Too tired? Too lazy? Lack of interest? Who knows! But now is the time to get on with things. No more procrastinating! No more excuses! It is time to dust off the ol' crochet hooks, the knitting needles and the sewing machine! So without further ado, here are a few of my finished projects.

This afghan is similar to the one I made awhile ago. This one is done in dark green and off white. I started it while I was still a patient at West Park. When I got home, I completed it. It only took me a few hours to do so. I had planned to make several more of these afghans because I love this pattern. It is one of those 'Mile a Minute' ones - done in strips. I crocheted mine together, but they could be sewn too. This afghan is for my DD. Her favourite colour is green. It will go nicely in her TV room.

Then there is this little baby sweater. I only had one ball of this yarn. I think it was something by Red Heart, but I'm not sure. I ran out of it, so I used white to go all the way around the edges. So far this little sweater doesn't have a home yet. I started it while I was in Sunnybrook. I think it took me all of two days to complete. But it has taken me several months to sew the buttons on.
I fell in love with the colours of this yarn when I saw it. So I bought two balls. I can't remember exactly what it's called or who makes it. I think it might be by Bernat. This little sweater was also crocheted while I was at Sunnybrook. I was very bored at that hospital. Can you tell? I made a blue outfit while there too. Unfortunately I don't have a photo of that one. The woman who cleaned my room (I think her name was Velma) saw me crocheting one day and got all excited! She had just learned how to crochet and was making a baby blanket. She asked me if she could bring it in the following day so that I could see it and maybe help her with the pattern because she seemed to be stuck. It was nice to have a crocheting 'friend' while I was there. She asked me if the baby sweater was difficult to make. I told her it worked up very quickly. Then she asked me if she could commission me to make her one. Her sister was expecting a baby boy the following week. I told her that I very seldom sell my items, but if I had time I would love to make her new nephew a little blue outfit. I got some blue yarn and started crocheting. A few days later the baby was born. I gave her the finished sweater, hat and booties. I had finished them just in time! She was so excited and promised to get a photo of the little guy in his new outfit. Unfortunately I never did get a photo, because I was moved to West Park the following day.

I have a few quilt projects that I am working on. I will put them in the next post.

I'm having a 'Duh' moment!

I was just sitting here at my computer, idly wasting time. I really didn't have much to say at the moment. And goodness knows I haven't been very prolific in the creativity department lately! I was just sitting here thinking about the comments on my blog posts, wishing that there were more of them. Out of boredom I began reading some of them over again. And - DUH! - I realized that Aim from bumpydoink.blogspot.com wrote that she had tagged me. I kind of remember reading that before, but I didn't know what it meant, exactly, and it was a long time ago. Then my computer was down and I forgot all about it. Sorry Aim! I will try to fix that now.

Here are the rules:


1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules on your blog.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking to them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers' blogs letting them know they've been tagged.

Six Unspectacular Quirks of Mine

1. I am almost totally and completely computer illiterate! I don't even know how to link stuff on my blog. Have you ever seen links on my blog? Of course not! Because I don't know how to do that. It was quite an achievement for me to get my camera program to work and for me to hook up my printer after I had to get my computer reformatted. Maybe I should take a course sometime. That would probably be a good idea.

2. I love Japanese food, especially sushi! Before I began hosting Japanese students, I knew nothing about sushi or even Japan for that matter. But over the past years I have become enlightened during their visits! I must admit that trying to eat sushi for the first time was rather scary! After all, it is raw fish, you know, and I was afraid of anything raw. Thanks Mom! (She taught me that!) But once I tried it I became hooked! Now I love it. My favourite is sashimi! But I also like to try something new every time we go out for Japanese food. And that is often!

3. I have a rather strange sewing needle preference. I like to hand sew with one special needle. I have been known to throw a fit if I can't find my favourite needle. I have turned to house upside down to look for it. The last time I was at the Sewing and Needlework Festival I bought several packages of the kind of needles that I like. But there are only two of the size that I prefer in each package, so I still tend to throw a fit every now and then!

4. I like to make stained glass objects. Not quilted ones, but stained glass pieces using real glass. I like to make lamps, vases, bowls and other three dimensional pieces. But at the moment my stained glass is down in my workshop in the basement. And I can't get down there! I still have to use a stairglide to get up 4 steps to the main level of our house. I have no idea when I will be able to go up and down the 10 steps to the basement, but I hope it will be soon.

5. I love nature and I love the great outdoors! If I can't hug a tree every once in awhile, I get cranky. I have always enjoyed going camping and canoeing in the great wilderness that is northern Ontario. I love the coolness of an early morning dew rising off the lake, the taste of wild blueberries, picked in the old airfield in Algonquin Park and the haunting sound of a loon on one of the quiet interior lakes. I get high when I see the colours of wild flowers growing along the roadside. I love the changes of the seasons and would probably not be happy living in an environment that only had one season.

6. I have several acquisition disorders. I have FAD - Fabric Acquisition Disorder! Also YAD - Yarn Acquisition Disorder and PAD - Pattern Acquisition Disorder! Those are the tree main ones. But I have lots of others. I like to collect stuff - any stuff - from shells on a beach to rocks to leaves to, well, just stuff.

Well, that's six quirky things about me. There are probably a lot more, but thank goodness I don't have to admit to them! And now I have to tag 6 other bloggers. That is going to be difficult. I don't even think that I know 6 other bloggers. I used to have a lot of blogs on my 'favourites', but they were all lost when my computer was reformatted.

So here they are - in alphabetical order.....

Catherine at quiltobsession.blogspot.com

Martha at mybestfriendcallsmemartha.blogspot.com

Nicolette at devliegendekoe.blogpost.com

Nynke at thedutchpurplerabbit.blogspot.com

Opal at alkamaiknitter.blogspot.com

Oiyi at oiyi.blogspot.com

I am not sure what will happen if any of these people don't want to take part in this. Probably nothing. I won't threaten you with bad luck or some other malady. In fact, I doubt if anything bad or good will happen as a result of this, except that I will get to know you better. So, just do it if it moves you. Thanks.

The Things I am Grateful For

I realize that each day is like a new beginning for me. I have to stay positive in order to get through this disorder. I need to get the nerves and muscles back in my legs and feet. Nerve cells grow about a millimetre per day, so it will take a long time. And my muscles have to gain strength again, but I am working on that in physiotherapy. So here are a few things that I am grateful for.

1. Being home! It's the best place on earth!

2. Summertime! But where has it gone? School starts again for a new year tomorrow.

3. A working stairglide so that I can get up and down the stairs. My legs just aren't cooperating yet.

4. My new scooter! Ohhh! The places I can now go!

5. Like a quiet forest path. A little paved way for me to travel through the woods under a canopy of leaves. Cool and inviting!

6. Freshly cut grass (weeds mostly) at the edge of the road. It smells so sweet and reminds me of cinnamon and other fragrant herbs.

7. The sweet melody of a song bird as he sings from a branch high above me.

8. A little wooden bridge to take me to the other side of the creek.

9. The honking of a flock of geese as they fly off for the night to feast on a farmer's field of corn.

10. My furry felines. They have finally forgiven me for leaving them for an almost three-month stay in the hospital. Now I have to share my rather narrow bed (I am still sleeping in a hospital bed because I can't get in and out of my regular bed) with them, but that is a good thing too! Their purring comforts me.

11. Nature! All of it! From the tiniest insects to the largest mammals and all of the plant life - weeds, especially weeds, trees, rivers and streams, birds and even people that make up our wonderful planet. I am grateful for all of it. And best of all..... I am now able to enjoy idyllic places like this one with my scooter! It's Highland Creek and it is only about a kilometer from my house. Hurray for scooters! I wouldn't be able to get there any other way!

12. Oh, yeah. I almost forgot to mention my computer! I am really grateful that it is working again. I was totally lost without it!

Baby Outfit - Finished!

It's been a long time since I posted anything. After my hard drive crashed, I was afraid to even use my computer, let alone post anything. And the camera program was totally missing! I didn't know how I would be able to get the photos out of my camera and onto this blog. But now... can you believe it? I installed my photo program without help! Last week I went to a computer place to try and buy a new program, (I didn't know what I needed) but the guy there just looked at me as if I had an eye in the middle of my forehead and told me that I should already have the program disk at home. Apparently it came with my camera! Duh!

So tonight I finally looked for it and actually found it amongst all the old disks and other stuff dating back to the first computer I ever bought! Good thing I never throw anything out! Well, maybe that is not really a good thing. It makes for a lot of useless stuff lying around!

But, I am happy to say that I was able to download the program without any problems! So now I can show you my latest baby outfit. My sister asked me to make this for her new grandson. I guess that would make him my grand nephew - cool! He came into the world last Tuesday and his name is Theodore Quinn. He weighed a whopping 10 pounds at birth! I hope this little sweater will fit him! I made it in a 6-month size. The pattern came out of a Coats and Clark baby booklet called. "Soft and Sweet". The yarn was Softee Baby by Bernat. As soon as I finished it I started on a new sweater set. Busy hands are happy hands! Hope to be able to show you another finished baby set soon.

A New Day with New Problems!

Hi every one!

I am not ignoring all of you! I am home and enjoying that immensely! But the day after I got home, my computer refused to work for me! It is in the shop now, being repaired. I hope I get it back soon. Right now I am on the computer at the library. Talk to you again soon.