Boston Bits

Snow , a little

2012-01-11T15:06:00.000-08:00

We have had our first bit of snow here in Boston. Just enough to cancel the Madison guild that I had planned to rejoin.
I have decided to take part in a new challenge, UFO's. I only have a couple but they are always calling - me,me,me! The link to their blog is http://sewitsfinished.blogspot
Weight Watcher was a great success for me this year. I have two pounds to goal, that is a total of 44 pounds. Now the real struggle begins, maintenance. Their new program has been good for me. Lots off fruits and vegetables. The market has stated to carry Florida strawberries so that is a nice change from grapefruit, oranges and bananas.
This afternoon I stewing an old hen for some fresh chicken broth. It smells almost as good as an apple pie baking. Believe me.
I just finished reading Catherine the Great on my Kindle. I enjoyed the book and am looking around for something new. A new Maisie Dodds story is coming out in February so that probably will be it.

January's goings on

2012-01-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

The nativity scene has been put away for another year. It is amazing how many pieces we have collected the past 56 years. The first we bought in Turkey, the stable, the mother, father and babe. Next we got the wise-men when we were stationed at Pittsburgh AFB back in 96. (.29) Some were gifts and one I bought at the Washington National Cathedral. What a beautiful place. They started building that in my birth year 1932. It was damaged by the recent earthquake we had in our area
The kindle is a great success. I am reading Catherine the Great, love it. I put on War and Piece, a great book to read little by little. One thing I don't have to hold a big book while reading in bed.
Not much going on in the sewing room. I did make a cover for my kindle. I have a patch started for the block exchange I belong to. I can keep up with that, only one patch a month. I think I made a mistake when I said my preference...red and cream. I should have specified coffee cream...I hoping to do a bed, (oh dear, one of those things you put on the bottom of the bed) when I get enough. Red really keeps you warm.

December 2011

2011-12-30T07:09:00.000-08:00

Well the wonderful holiday is over. Bob, Lisa, Howard and I ha spent it up in Pennsylvania viewing the fabulous display of flowers and trees at Longwood Gardens. They sure do put on a show. We also checked out Mr DuPont s house. That must be just a gorgeous garden in spring. My family all decided we must plan a trip for April. We also stopped at Andrew Wyeth s museum, mostly to look at the woodland creatures. Of course we enjoyed the art gallery, too. So much so I bought a how-to-book on colored pencil drawings. Bob gave me a kindle for Christmas, I just think that is great. Finished one book and now I am reading a Agatha Christie mystery.
Wishing all my blogging friends a happy and prosperous new year.

Book Crossers

2011-09-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

Just this morning I read an interesting article in the Seattle Times about a group of persons call the book crossers . Checked it out and found it an interesting way to share favorite books with the world. Find it at WWW.book crossing.com

Beautiful fall is on it way to Virginia. We have had plenty of rain so the leaves should color up nicely. We live just about 30 minutes from the Blue Ridge Mountains and the drive up that way is most rewarding. Don't go on a weekend, all of northern Virginia is there --- they don't know how to drive on country roads. As an added bonus plenty of apples, cider and pumpkins found on roadside stands.

Blog swap

2011-09-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

I am finishing up a patch for the blog swap I recently joined and very pleased with it. A basket of appliqued flowers.. My only problem is my partner requested pastels and that is just not my thing. I checked five tubs of fabric and finally found something suitable. Really should find a place to donate all the fabric.
The red work Christmas quilt has been assembled and now some blanket stitching around the squares. I will do the quilting; first time using the fancy quilting gadget on the Bernini.
Sun is out today, whoopee.

Figs

2011-08-31T19:05:00.000-07:00

I just happened to mention I would like some figs and my daughter told her dentist and walla, she is bringing a grocery bag of them on Sunday. A person can only make so much fig jam and fig newtons are out of the question what with me being a dedicated weight watcher. I am planning to get my goal pin sometime during the holidays.
I signed up with a block swapping group yesterday. Sounds like a good group and fun. Much better than the siggy swaps. That just got overwhelming. Shoe boxes full of siggy patches now just taking up shelf space. Oh well, something will come up. And of course there was that other swap that was a complete bust...never heard from the gal I sent the items to only that she was working on it. I gave up on her and have been real shy about swaps but here I go again. Have a nice week end and remember it was the unions who gave us Labor Day.

2011-08-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

What a week here in Virginia. We had an earthquake of some measure. A couple of buildings in Culpeper damaged and condemned, lots of repair needed on others. Our neighbors reported dishes falling off shelves, pictures crashing. Some had siding come off their houses. Chimneys cracked. The strangest thing of all was our home had absolutely no damage. The only explanation for that is that the man who built this house said the foundation was built on a large slab of rock. Spooky.

Hurricane Irene is making her way up the coast tonight.

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End of summer

2011-08-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

August has been a terrible month for the our garden. The temperatures were unusually hot and on top of that very little rain.. Worst of all the moles have made shambles of our hostas. Castor oil did not work, bubble gum didn't ether. I think we not have them on the run. Bob has replanted the survivors in rat-wire cages. Ha, try that Mr Mole.
The peaches from the farmer up the road are delicious, hope to find time to preserve some. Today I am searching for a recipe for fig jam, the tree is finally producing fruit. Now if I can get them before the squirrels do.
The red work Christmas hanging is finally up on the designing wall. It needs some of the patches switched around and then the final step. Should I have it quilted by the shop or muddle thru on my own...oh so many sleepless nights