spring at the university...

We had an opportunity to visit the University to hear grandson #2 singing with the University Choir, OH WOW THEY ARE GOOD! First picture shows the *music hall* where the concerts are held. Grandson #1 is also at the University and he is involved with the Wind Ensemble, but this concert was the Choir doing the entertaining! The end of April we will return to hear both grandsons #1 and #2 in concert...double the entertainment and love!

 

We arrived at the University and it appears Spring has also arrived because we found Pansies and the Crocus already plentiful in flower pots and flower beds...beauty all around the buildings on the campus!

 

 

Doesn't this just make you anxious for Spring to arrive for you? HAPPY DAY!

a change of season...

I do believe Spring is about to make an appearance in PA! I found this lonely little flower blooming in an area near where I enter my back door!

 

The weatherman predicts the possibility of some snow yet to come...but I will continue to watch for more sightings of Spring flowers and enjoy the morning sounds of the Robins chirping in my yard!

entertaining...

It is called *Fine Arts Night* at the school. Some of our choir and band students along with the artistic students are encouraged to display their talents! We seem to have many very talented students ~ their talents are obvious, their willingness to share is to be admired! The shared talents are on a voluntary basis...the students express interest to the teachers of art, choir and band to take part in the presentations and it goes from there! The students create their own musical presentations and art work which they share with those of us attending. Snacks are offered in the cafeteria and it is a relaxing and fun evening!

My pictures are of a personal nature because I am featuring two grandchildren that are still in public school, this next weekend I will have a chance to show you the two college boys sharing their talents in concert! I AM VERY BLESSED!

Sweet Granddaughter with her Bassoon, the more I hear it the better I like it!

 

She sings...

 

She dances...

 

Grandson #3 with his *snare drum*...did I mention he is a drummer?

 

how to store strips...

 

I just love this look of fabric strips in a jar! A friend gave me this two gallon jar, she thought it would be sweet to put a Candle and Rose Hips in for a center piece! Yep she is correct, it WOULD BE sweet that way, but I like it this way! Also it is a way to have a visual storage of my strips that I seem to be gathering with each project, you know a reminder or a nag of fabrics waiting! I do have more strips in a couple of those narrow drawer towers, I hope someday I actually use the strips ;>) !!

This jar sits proudly on my antique *hoosier* cabinet and I like the looks of it there! This particular picture is not showing the jar on the cabinet, it is a bit dark in that area and I wanted you to see the pretty colors of the strips together in the jar.

some hide, some hunt...

As part of the Easter tradition, with our family having dinner together, we have an Easter Egg Hunt for the grandchildren. As sometimes it happens only two of the four DGKs were able to be with us for the tradition of the day! The two college boys were with their "other grandparents" for Easter Dinner (that family shared last evening with us). Our daughter and her family hosted the delicious dinner and we had lots of good eating and chatter at the table! We were joined by my brother and sister-in-law and they added to the "remember whens"...it was fun!

First picture is of my hubby hiding eggs, always creative with my son-in-law with the places to hide. Sometimes it is hard to imagine the eggs seem so visible to the adults but yet not found by the grandchildren!

 

Grandson #3 is on the search, he is searching under the deck where I stood to watch and to snap this picture. Yes that is snow that you see on the ground at his feet, yesterday we had 3" and it melted away except for the shaded areas!

 

And here we see *sweet granddaughter* finding an egg in the tree, oh my it was ~right there~ at just the right spot for her to see!

 

I hope that the fun of the "Easter Egg hunt" never leaves us, it is a *tradition* for us!

greetings to each of you...

 

The picture is my message for each of you, I will add *HAPPY EASTER* and please remember the true meaning of Easter and the sacrifice made for each of us! Thank you Jesus!

how to understand...

 

I am reading this book, and *wanting* to understand, I pray to understand the amazing forgiveness by the Amish! In taking the picture of the book cover, the title is obvious but the line beneath the title is a bit blurred...it reads "How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy" the names of the authors can be seen on the picture!

Just eighteen months ago the tragic school shooting happened in PA in Lancaster County in an Amish school! I can remember exactly where I was when we received the news, and I remember going to the Asst. Principal and telling her, and I saw the instant reaction of a very caring woman. Every school administrator knows the plan when this type of news is received, and they react as instructed, but NOT WITHOUT EMOTION!

Working in a school I can honestly tell you this is something that is very much on our minds EVERYDAY! The protection of *our* students is of most importance to us, we take it seriously! Each and everyday I drive by an Amish school identical to the school that endured the dreadful occurance, it impacts me the same each day! Each and everyday I pray for the SCHOOLS...the Amish schools, our schools, and every school because it should never happen to any school! WHY did it happen we ask, and it is something that WE will never know!

The forgiveness by the Amish community is within their BELIEF...I admire that they can forgive! They moved on, never to forget the children or the tragedy but to FORGIVE! Moving on is NOT DWELLING on the happening, or what might be, it is MOVING ON!! God Bless the Amish families that have learned to forgive, thru their FAITH, thru their CHURCH and with their PRAYERS!

Living in an area with Amish neighbors, I can tell you first hand, they are kind, caring and always friendly! Stopping to say *HI* or a WAVE for the English speaking folks like myself...I feel impacted by their tragedy because I live amongst the Amish folks...not in Lancaster County, but near the relatives of some that were lost!

how about your day (?)...

How did you celebrate National Quilters Day? This Saturday was pretty much like most of the Saturdays lately...*Sweet Granddaughter* very dedicated to working on the blocks for the *raffle quilt* also known as the quilt in memory and honor of her special friend Kelsey (please see sidebar for more pics)! I am across the sewing table working on my quilting project, that is driving me crazy with so many little pieces :>)...but I LOVE THE FABRIC!!

Fatigue and the repetition of doing the same blocks has set in for *Sweet Granddaughter, she just needed to rest for a minute or two!

 

The suggestion of a "power nap" for a few minutes had her up and going quickly, she is very dedicated to the completion of this quilt...it needs to be completed and ready for display. Advertising has started, pictures are circulating and SHE WANTS IT COMPLETED!!

 

The suggestion to *sweet granddaughter* that she catch a few winks of sleep met with laughter and a demonstration of "what might be"...but didn't really happen. I just had to snap the pics for the effect of how repetitive it is making SOOOOOOOOO many blocks that are the same...fortunately they are different colors!

These are the tiny blocks I completed today, I am just as dedicated to completing this quilt because I LOVE THE FABRICS, I LOVE THE COLORS AND THERE IS A PLAN!!

 

Please let me know how you spent your "National Quilters Day"...did you have a chance to quilt or play with your fabrics? I hope that you did, quilters are now ranking right up there with George Washington and Abe Lincoln...we have OUR day!

playing in an undecided way...

If you feel like you are having a vision from the past...it is because this first picture is from Jan. 22, and I had this question on my blog and in my mind ~should I or should I not?? Well a few of you commented and said *yes* do it, make these FQs into something! I love the colors in these FQs, and I have a purpose in mind! My problem at that time WHAT TO DO with them...I had a book that I had marked a certain page BUT...now I am NOT going with that plan. Quilters do sometimes change plans in the process, and I am a quilter and I changed my plan ;-D !!

 

I searched thru www.quilterscache.com and found a different design that I like and decided it will work and I can make it *scrappy*, there just is such an odd amount of yardage in a FQ Tower! There are GREAT COLORS in the towers, but just a weird amount of fabric to work with! My *hero*, and *color wonder girl*, most often referred to as *sweet granddaughter* helped me to decide I CAN DO IT...and make it scrappy with NO REAL COLOR PLAN just DO IT!

 

I cut what fabric there is into strips and squares, to make the *scrappy look* and I am going to turn it into what is titled "Four Patch on Point" on the "Quilterscache" site!

 

I traveled to my local Amish Fabric Shop, made my way directly to her Moda Fabrics, and found the same fabric line as the FQs, and purchased a few more colors of the line, and had the gal cut me some larger pieces of yardage! What do you think do you like these additions...I LOVE THEM!!

 

So as *sweet granddaughter* is focused on the special *Kelsey Raffle Quilt*, I am joining her in hours and days of sewing my *Four Patch on Point* !! Whats a quilter to do...but QUILT!

(Just an addition to my thinking on this *blog entry*, I had hoped that making my pics smaller would allow you to enlarge them to see better color, I DON'T LIKE IT THIS WAY ~ but for this time I will allow them to remain as I have entered them, enlarge them if you wish for viewing). S O R R Y ...I will return to my original format the next time!

just a great day...

This day was "just a great day" following a very stress filled week! Now I know that as a Christian that "God will not give us more then we can handle"...but this week I felt that maybe *His* test was just going to push me over the edge! But by golly *He* came thru with a WONDERFUL Saturday for me :>)!!

Here she is the *sweetest granddaughter* that there could be for me, today in particular, given the week I have had! Today she was here with me for seven hours and sewing away on that special *raffle quilt*...her dedication to this project is just wonderful to observe! Don't you just love the smile and the wave for the camera (or is that for me or maybe her "mom") ?? and quite possibly for each of you too!

 

The sewing continues...more then half way completed with sewing her blocks, but OH MY "IT IS BORING" (so she says)...doing the same block over and over again! The "one saving grace", after a dozen or two the block color changes....BETCHA WANT TO KNOW what this quilt is going to be ;-> (??) ....remember it is *her* quilt design and will represent her "special friend" Kelsey...QUILT DESIGN not ORIGINAL BLOCK DESIGN (but oh so unique and Kelsey would approve and love it)!! The boring part will soon end...and a different creative part of the design will need to kick in for her!

 

And here *we* are...I DON'T LIKE HAVING MY PICTURE TAKEN (not at all), unlike those TV Stars I am always self-conscience of "where to look and do I smile, do I NOT smile"...oh well here you go, a picture with my *sweet granddaughter*, and we so love being together in the sewing room!

 

Now here we have a different pair...Grandpa and *one* of our special guys...grandson #3...he had a 'special project' to create for school, and Grandpa was the advisor! Keep in mind an advisor is TOTALLY different from being the one that will do the project! In our family Grandpa and I will advise WE WILL NOT DO the school project...and this time was NOT AN EXCEPTION!! Grandson #3 had to create a musical instrument that would actually play notes...and he did it...and it is rather good sounding music..."WAY TO GO and CONGRATS" to my youngest Grandson! He loves his Grandpa!

 

One thing that could add to the *JOY* of this day...is to SEE the other two grandsons, but I did talk to one on the telephone :>)*home on break from the university* ...I JUST LOVE MY DGKs! GOD HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO ME!!

new toys...

Thanks to my family for supporting and encouraging a new and relaxing hobby for me! Cardmaking is something that I am just *playing* around with ~ NOT REPLACING my quilting/fabric addiction...but just something new and interesting to PLAY WITH!

 

These new toys are gifts from my son and his family, a mini paper cutter, a glue snail and scissors that are VERY SHARP for triming those tiny little areas! Not showing on the picture would be the *corner rounder* gadget...only so much room on my picture area!

 

A small group of us get together every other month, this provides relaxing time and many ideas for cardmaking! We can share ideas as well as supplies and the use of gadgets... friends are always anxious to share what they have created during the weeks between get togethers! I have also placed two small gift tags with the gift items...I made these at the get together on Monday evening...JUST PLAYING with an idea!

 

Not by coincidence I have my pictures showing a page in the idea book that express a sincere *thank you* and *loved* to the presenters of these new toys! Thank you to my ENTIRE FAMILY for understanding my need for yet another simple relaxing hobby!

sunset...

 

This winter sunset of Monday is ready and waiting for the camera, not as gorgeous as the sunset of Sunday, but unfortunately my camera was at a basketball game and not readily available for the *WOW* picture of Sunday! Today (Tuesday) will be a different story according to the weatherman, it is predicted that we will have as much as 2" of rain, and flood warnings are flashing on the TV screen! STRANGE WEATHER, next week it is expected to be in the 20s/30s and more *S*N*O*W*....oh right it is March and that means *unpredictable* weather!

Have a great day, and watch for the beauty in your world!

predicted as a winter clipper...

Yesterday around 3:00 p.m. we had the beginnings of what was announced by the weatherman to be a *winter clipper*, it was to be a nasty, slippery *S*N*O*W*!! It started as a gentle falling snow, and by 6:00 p.m. it was already causing problems with traveling on the highway! This is when I understood the term *winter clipper* starts slow and gentle and becomes fast and dumps snow in an unpredictable way!

This morning you could not have asked for a more beautiful sight...glistening snow, and beautiful blue skies...quite different from what you think of as a *winter clipper*...a few pictures for you to enjoy!

 

 

 

I know you probably have had your own share of *S*N*O*W* and are looking forward to the sounds of Spring...but this was just too beautiful to pass up the chance to share with you!!