Wednesday, November 27, 2013

This turkey didn't actually do anything different than usual right up until he was invited for dinner.  That was last year, though.  This year we didn't raise any turkeys and are having roast chicken for dinner.  I suppose I should have asked them (the chickens) what THEY were doing for their last day, but they actually came from Costco......
 This is my thimble holder.  And a squirrel.  And my hand.  The thimble holder is carved and was a gift from my husband and the squirrel I made to keep the thimble from rattling around inside it.
 It's the season for fires in the stove, homemade bread and lots of hot coffee.  Especially since we've been working on a building project, moving my sewing machine museum/collection upstairs.  Hard work, must have coffee!!!
 Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow.  Ladies (and men) all over the nation will be preparing feasts in their kitchens for all the family that will gather to enjoy and be thankful.
 Lots of feasting, then gathering to visit and catch up.
 Memories will be made, children will be reunited with cousins and play til they're worn out.  I remember the good old days of family gathering.  Now it's just my husband & I, our three grown kids and my mom for the holiday.

And this is actually my dollhouse...........
 And this is a good time to slip this picture (taken from my porch) in.  I'm rambling sort of aimlessly today, but it strikes me to do so and since this blog is mine I shall take full advantage.  You may proceed to keep reading or stop, if you like :-)
 I love the warm & rustic look of homespun fabrics.  They are the same on both sides - folk-artsy, country rustic primitive...
 I've made a few Christmas time primitives, but have been pretty much caught up in our building/moving project and my sewing & crafting area is totally a disaster right now, so no new projects will be forthcoming until I can piece myself back together!

My sewing machine collection will be able to be visible and displayed, so I shall devote a future blog to pictures of it and you can be amazed at the history and mechanics of the early sewing machine!  Be prepared to be overwhelmed!
 A primitive Christmas dress.......
 A woodsman snowman.............
.....and a cute little snowgal with a baby snowman!!!  (don't you just want to pinch his little cold cheeks????)


'Nuf of that mushy stuff.  On with the sewing room moving.  UGH.  November makes the bones ache...which reminds me of a poem I shall leave you with:

November

No sun - no moon!
No morn - no noon -
No dawn - no dusk - no proper time of day.
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member -
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! -
November!

Thomas Hood

Actually, I find it to be a little on the dark side, as we all know it's an exaggeration, right???  I'm thankful for so many many things.  God has truly blessed us with joys unspeakable.  Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

Monday, November 11, 2013

Life is short, so go eat FUDGE!

 FUDGE
Have you ever noticed that if you look at a word long enough, it starts to look ridiculous and you no longer recognize it?  Maybe it's just me, but the word 'fudge' looks silly now that I've spent a few minutes trying to color it brown and spell it correctly....Maybe I need to just EAT some more of it!
 
 Usually we don't make fudge until the Christmas season, but I started thinking about it.  And I couldn't quit!  So I made easy Four Chip Fudge from the Taste of Home books, only I used half semi sweet chocolate chips and half butterscotch chips and whole pecans.....(excuse me while I get yet another piece.....)

You don't have to use a candy thermometer with this one and it doesn't flash on you, so it's EASY PEASY. 

Easy on the lips, but hard on the hips.  (I can't believe I just said that)
 Fall is finishing up with beautiful colors.  The oak tree in the pic above is my daughter's personal tree.  She found an acorn on the library lawn years ago when she was very small.  She brought it home, planted it in a bucket and it grew.  It eventually went in the ground and grew some more.  Then, we moved and she dug it up and brought  it along.  It has now been in the ground here for almost 17 years!  And I remember how small my faith in that acorn was - I told my little child that it might not grow and she shouldn't set her heart on it!
 I've been feeling melancholy lately.  Health problems, busy schedules & building projects, a friend who died, end of summer and WAY less sunshine - all combines to make me sad. 

Yesterday I when I went out to my rabbitry, I found one of my favorite bunnies dead.  Her name was Armazindy and she loved me.  Changing seasons seem to be hard on some animals and she was fine one day and then she was gone the next.
Life is fragile and fleeting.  I hope that everyone who reads this realizes that this life is soon past and you need to reach out to God, accept the free gift that He gave us when He sent His only son to die in our place that we might be forgiven for our sins and live eternally with Him. 

This life has sadness, but many blessings besides.
 This is Armazindy.  I'll miss her.

 In between helping my daughter crochet a bazillion snowflakes for an order she got through her Ebay store, I'm still working on making primitives to sell on Ebay myself.

Right now I've been creating snowmen!  I've got lots more small ones in the makings, but the days go by so fast and are so full I can't seem to get them done!


 When I realized that time had flown by so fast and it's been a bit since I posted, I figured I'd just sit down and write something so this is a bit rambling but at least it's up to date!  I'm going to go have just one more tiny small ok, HUGE piece of fudge and so I'll sign off with this comforting verse from the Bible:
  
John 16:33
(King James Version)
 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.