Category Archives: snow

Welcome Spring

Well spring has arrived.   Just a week ago we were awaiting a major snowstorm.  We didn’t get as much as expected here     wp-1490029178563.jpg      but it was real nasty with sleet and freezing rain in the mix.  Very heavy to shovel but luckily, we have some very  helpful boys in the neighborhood who are there shoveling every storm.  We are very thankful for them.

However, up where my sons live a bit further up north in NY, they got 22″.   We were up there visiting this weekend and got to enjoy the beautiful peacefulness of a walk in the woods.

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Today the sun is shining brightly and what snow we still have left here by us is melting away.  Our thoughts are turning to our flower and vegetable gardens and I am envisioning a very colorful landscape.  We are planning on putting in a few more forsythia bushes and maybe trying some new plants.  I think there will be a new fence put up on one side of our property too.  We have been talking with the neighbors about getting one up since the one that is there (or what’s left of it) is in very bad shape.

So Spring has arrived.  Let’s look forward to what that will bring while looking fondly back on the season that has just passed with the delicious soups,  hot chocolate, cozy nights by the fire reading a book, snuggling under a quilt while watching a favorite tv show or movie. All seasons have something special about them.  We are about to emerge from our season of “hibernation” and become more active.  Welcome Spring.  I am ready for you.

Have a good day all.   See you soon.

Ginny

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Snow Day = UFO Day

Yay!!!  A snow day!    This is what the view was from my sewing room window this morning. snow-day

So, I got to spend time inside in my sewing room.  I decided to make this a UFO day — UnFinished Object .   I went to the bin where I keep projects I have started but they aren’t yet completed.  Some have only been waiting for me to finish them for a short time and others, well, they have been waiting quite a while.    The first one I chose to work on was a Christmas Tree skirt that I made waaayyyy back in the ’90’s.  I came across it this last summer when we were going through things in the Brooklyn house before selling it.   I had made it out of 6 wedge pieces of material and I used it for a number of years but I never quilted it.   christmas-tree-skirt    I actually forgot that I had made a trim for it by braiding red and green ric rac together for around the edge.  braided-ric-rac   I decided to just use a serpentine stitch in rows on each wedge.  The batting inside had already begun to shift around but I figure maybe I can get a couple more years use from it with a bit of stitching.   I will now wash and dry it and pack it away for next Christmas.  I better put it someplace where I will remember that I have it so it doesn’t disappear for another decade.

Next I worked on a small quilt that I had begun a few months ago.  pink-green-charm-pack-quilt

I had sewn the charm squares into rows so I needed to sew the rows together.  Then I added my first border – pink.    I am going to add another border of green and I have some Chenille-It that I think I will add to it.  This isn’t going back into the UFO bin.  I’m keeping it out so that I will finish it.  I don’t have far to go.  I do have to pick my backing fabric for it yet though.

Lastly, since Valentine’s Day is only a few days away,  I pulled out a heart shaped potholder that I cut out about a year ago but never finished.                                                        heart-potholder     I just need to put the binding around the outside and the loop on and it is done!

All in all, a good day in the sewing room.   And I got to watch some old westerns on tv with hubby — Wyatt Earp and Wagon Train.  I enjoyed them even if they were in black and white. 🙂

We are very lucky to have some wonderful boys who live on our block that we call our Snow Elves.  They showed up when the snow flakes slowed down  and took care of the 11″ of snow that needed shoveling          snow-elves-gift

It snowed for a bit more after we went out to clear off our cars.  As soon as they saw us out there, they came back over and shoveled some more.   Great neighbors.

I will be finishing up the potholder and the quilt top this weekend and I also have rearranging the living room a bit on my To Do list.  I want to carve out a small space to set up my Featherweight down there so I can sometimes  do some stitching in the evenings while watching tv with the hubs.  Should be a fun weekend.  Wish me luck.

Have a good night all.  See you soon.

Ginny

Roller Coaster Winter

Christmas Eve we had temperatures in the low 70’s.  Then we go into a cold spell;  back into the 50’s and 60’s.  So the groundhog didn’t see his shadow — an early Spring.  Everyone cheers!  Well, truth be told, not me.  I enjoy winter and feel like I need it.  I need some “hibernation” time.     I still have winter decor around the house.

DSC03116          Snowmen & Santa   Love my snowmen.

But, I digress.  Back to the weather.   After temps in the 50’s,  in comes a blizzard.  The snowstorm last Friday really gave us some beautiful scenic views out our windows.  DSC03115   I guess that Mother Nature decided that if the Punxsutawny Phil wanted to have an early Spring, well, she would just give us a bunch of snow just to let us know that she would have a say in that.  Then, in comes some warmer temps for a day or two, then a few more inches of snow; a dusting more a few mornings after that and now here comes ………………..

…………  the Polar Vortex            polar vortex   .   So, time to hunker down and stay inside and stay warm and cozy for the weekend.   By Tuesday,  we will be warming up and getting heavy rain.  But, hold on, I saw snowflakes on the forecast map for next Friday.         I think I’m a little motion sick from this ride.

And while I am trying to stay in my “hibernation” state, I won’t be sleeping.  I actually will be looking towards Spring and Summer.  I will be working on some things for the next Craft Fair.  I will be making a bunch of these:  DSC03114   Microwave potholders.   I have made some sets of these and given them to a few people and they have been very well received and people have said they will be ordering a bunch of these.   I am also working on a couple of wallets.  Trying to work out an easier way of getting the twist lock into the flap with the padding that I want in it to give it some body.

I hope to work a bit on my lattice quilt.  It would be great if I was at the point of putting the binding on it.  I could sit with a nice, warm, cozy quilt on my lap while hand-stitching the binding down.  But, alas, I am not there yet.  I have other quilts to keep me snug.

We are also starting to talk about our gardens.  I think I want to try to grow potatoes this year using a method I read about on the Old World Garden blog.   If you are into gardening and  haven’t visited this blog, I encourage you to do so.  It’s been very interesting to follow along on their journey. 

If you are in the path of the Polar Vortex, have a warm and cozy weekend inside.  Make soup; maybe some chili, bake some bread.  Spend some time being creative,  read a good book, watch a good movie.  Just pick something that you have wanted to do and spend some time in your cave and “hibernate” for a bit.

Have a great weekend.  See you all soon.

Ginny

 

 

 

 

Blizzard of 2016

6″-12″ is what we were supposed to get.  Ok, we’re ready.

Ice metl

Boots & Shovels Ice melt, boots and shovels all ready.

 

 

 

 

Checked outside before heading to bed late Friday night.  The storm begins    The snow had begun.  Very pretty.

Next morning’s view of the driveway:Morning on Day 2

Now they say more like 12″-18″.   Well, it kept on coming and this is what it looked like this morning at the front door  Front Door DriftFront Porch Drift #2

We wound up getting over 28″ and the drifts were amazing.  We had shoveled the front porch and driveway mid-afternoon on Saturday so I cannot even imagine how high the drift would have been if we hadn’t.

Other than the one time shoveling expedition, we had a nice day indoors yesterday.  We didn’t lose power so that was great.  I was able to spend some time in the sewing room, watched a movie and made some delicious Roasted Tomato Soup Roasted Tomato Soup

The backyard sure does look like a winter wonderland today

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We’ve got the cars and driveway dug out thanks in large part to three of our neighbor’s sons.  He always make sure that they go around and help those of us who don’t have young able-bodied shovelers living at home and who are not as young as we used to be.

Cars Dug Out

Now let’s just hope the plow doesn’t block us in too badly when it comes around.

Too tired now to do much sewing or cutting.  I would probably mess something up if I tried so I will just watch the football game and either work on a knitted dishcloth or maybe some handwork (hexis).  Maybe a little bit of both.  I also have Madam Secretary and Downtown Abbey on the schedule tonight but since they are opposite each other, I am dvr’ing both of them and then I can choose which to watch tonight and which to watch either later tonight or tomorrow.

Hope everyone dealing with this storm is safe and warm tonight.

Have a great week.  See you soon.

Ginny

 

 

 

Snow is coming?

Ok, so they say we could get a good amount of snow.   The usual routine is to make sure we have everything we will need for a day going nowhere (except outside to shovel and clear off the car — and maybe throw a snowball at my hubby.)  penquin throwing snowball

Bread — check;  milk — check;  tea — check; wood for the fireplace — check; wine -check

So, it looks like we are set for everything we will need, right?   Oh contrar!   I will need to make sure I’ve got enough to keep me busy for the weekend in my sewing room because we know that I don’t have enough fabric and projects to keep me busy!

So, this evening after work, I headed to Michaels to get some yarn.  I have been waiting and waiting for it to go on sale either at Michael’s or A.C. Moore and this was the week.Cotton yarn

I see some knitted dishcloths in my future.

Yesterday I got a delivery from the M*QC  so I have some nice new fabric to play with and dream about the pretty things I can make with it.  And, while going through my fabric stash and organizing last week, I realized that I was in need of some flannel and was going to head out to get that on Saturday but that was probably not going to happen with the snow arriving.   I headed out to get that after dinner.fabric

 

Got gas on the way home and now I’m all set.   Let the snow begin.  snowflakes

Have fun everyone heading to those grocery stores to stock up on your bread and milk. I’ve got my supplies in.

See you soon.

Ginny