Thinking SPRING!

I finished hand-sewing the binding on this quilt and washed it to give it that crinkled look I love.  (I don't pre-wash fabrics purposely so I can get this look...and I use Shout Color Catcher sheets so dark colors don't run when the completed quilt is washed.)  You can see in the one photo how wonderful the quilting is....done by my friend, Michelle.   The backing fabric is actually light green but it didn't show up that way in the photo.  This quilt is nice and warm for the cold temps we'll be having (again) but to look at it, I think spring...pretty flowers and new green leaves....and that makes me very happy!!!  (Click on photos to see in greater detail.)

How lucky am I?

I'm lucky as I was given the chance by Bethany House to review yet another book!  It is called "Though Mountains Fall" and it is by Dale Cramer.  It is book 3 of The Daughters of Caleb Bender series written by him about a group of Amish early in the 1900's who start a settlement in the mountains of Mexico and the hardships they face.  I had read the previous two books in the series and really enjoyed them so I was delighted to be given a review copy of this book to read.  This book did not disappoint me.  It wrapped up the story of the daughters of Caleb Bender and left no unanswered questions in my mind.  There were some surprises along the way...some things I was sad about...and some things that made me happy, which, I guess, is what a good piece of fiction should do.  This one I only put down when my eyes grew too tired to read and I finished it in two days.  While you could read this one without having read the first two in the series, I would suggest reading the others first as this one will then be more meaningful as you will already be attached to some of the characters.

Now that the book is done.......back to binding a quilt.  It will be nice to sit and hand-stitch the binding to the back with the quilt over my lap on these next few cold days and nights!

Vacation, Christmas....and now SICK....but BOOK REVIEW!

Well...time flies when you are having fun, they say and that was true for the very end of November and early December when we were on yet another Disney World vacation to see the Christmas decorations and events.  I'll dig out some photos and post them...hopefully soon.   When we came back, Christmas was nearly upon us and with being involved in the music program at our church, there didn't seem to be enough hours in the day.  As luck would have it, 5 days after Christmas I picked up some "bug" and have been sick ever since.  Even with the doctor prescribing something, I am still struggling with this.  It seems like a very bad cold or a flu (and yes...I do get a flu shot) but it just won't quit.  I've heard it could take a couple of weeks and that prospect doesn't thrill me.  So........let me at least tell you about a book I read.  I was given a copy by Bethany House of a book called "Courting Cate" and asked to read it and give my honest review. The author is Leslie Gould and this is the first book of a series called "The Courtships of Lancaster County".  I did enjoy the book and the characters were very believable. I have read many Amish fiction books and I would certainly read the others that will be part of this series. For me, though, it was not "5-star" reading. While I enjoyed it and would recommend it to others as a nice read, it wasn't, for me, a book from which I couldn't tear myself away. With some of the other Amish fiction I have read, I would stay with the book for hours...often until late in the night....as the story was so compelling, and that wasn't the case with this book. I had no trouble putting it down for even a day or two at a time between reading sessions. However, that being said, I will still say it is a nicely-written book and I am glad I got to read it and I think most fans of Amish fiction will enjoy it, also.