Waiting on the Snow

I have been watching the weather Channel for the past couple of days. The weather forecast for the past couple of days said we were suppose to get 3-7 inches of snow this morning.

I did my usual "girl raised in the south" routine for snow.

• I stocked up the freezer and can goods.
• Made sure the generator was working ------I do this by hollering "Honey make sure the generator is working" :-)
• Filled up the cars with gas and the extra gas cans.
• Planned what kind of soup or stew I was going to make. Last time it was Chicken and Dumplings, this time it is Taco Soup.
• Made sure there was plenty of necessities- Cheetos, TP and Netflicks.
• Made sure I knew where the sleds and the snow shovels were.
• Bought extras feed for all the pets and live sock.
• Badgered the adult sons to make sure they were prepared.
• Doubled checked I had vanilla and sugar for Snow Ice cream.
• Refilled prescriptions
• Washed clothes so I knew we had plenty of heavy socks and long johns.
• Put Ice Melt on the bridges on the farm.
• Made cinnamon rolls. Well actually, I bought a package of Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls and they let them rise all night to bake in the morning.
• Charged up the batteries on everything from Cell phones to DVD players and flashlights.
• And had something ready to smock.

My Husband laughs at my routine because I do this anytime they mention snow even if it is just flurries.

My Father is from Brooklyn, NY. He said he kept heading south carrying a snow shovel and stopped when some one asked him what that was in his hand.

I have lived in New Jersey and South Dakota and Utah while in the military but I like snow only if I just have to look (while sitting in front of a fire with a cup of hot tea in my hands)

Well back to the the title of this post----- Waiting on the Snow

I had a hard time getting my night owl daughter to bed because up to the 10 o'clock news we were suppose to have 7 inches of snow this morning.

And what did I wake up to this morning?------Nothing!

It seems a dry cold front is mixing with this snow belt that is crossing the mid west. The result- No snow for now. Boy, were the TV weather people back peddling as fast as they could this morning!

I went ahead and baked the Cinnamon rolls this morning. Then, my husband and I flipped a coin as to who was going to wake up our daughter and tell her she had school this morning! :-)

They are still forecasting snow for later on this evening, But as my daughter says "Snow on a weekend is not as much fun as a Snow Day".

Wrong Diagnoses

Right after Halloween I had told you about my mother being diagnosed with Leukemia.

http://texassmockingcompany.blogspot.com/2009/11/spelling-cookies-and-state.html


Dr Zufaqqar M. Jaffer, who is a Hematologist and Oncologist in the San Antonio, Texas area, diagnosed her as having cancer. He also ordered a bone marrow test and an MRI as well as some other expensive test.

All test were paid 100% by her HMO.


On one hand he was saying the type of Leukemia was a slow growing, non curable cancer and on the other hand he wanted to start chemo immediately. ( 3 weeks before Christmas) . He scheduled my mother to have a port put in the next week.


What got everyone asking question (more then just having cancer) was he prescribed Rituxan along with her chemo. Estimate cost per course of treatment for this drug - $10,000. Also paid 100% by the HMO.

I got online and did searches on this drug. All the warnings by the manufacture saying you should not take this drug if you have certain medical conditions. Well, my mother had some of those medical conditions.


Long story short , my mother got a second opinion. The second oncologist reading the medical reports and lab test from Dr Jaffer (1st DR) told her that the diagnoses of Leukemia was wrong.


She does not have Cancer of any type!

I just praise the Lord that we asked question, researched drugs and had enough friends and relatives in the medical profession that kept saying something doesn't seem right with his course of treatment.

So my mother is back to taking care of her roses and painting and finding treasures for me in thrift stores (a story for later).

Easter Bonnet

There is not much sewing going on right now but I wanted to show you something that is hanging on the wall in my sewing room.



Each year at my daughter's school they have a Hat Parade for the Kindergartners and the First Graders around Easter time.



The first year my daughter participated I asked her what kind of hat she wanted me to make.



She told me that the her hat had to be pink and she wanted it to have lights on it! At five she had already figured out that her mom can make almost anything.

I started with a straw hat from Michael's. I cut a circle of fabric that was hand gathered on the edges to cover the crown of the hat.

For the brim, I measured the width of the brim and added about an inch. Using pink fabric from my stash, I cut two pieces of fabric the width of the fabric and seamed them together.

I ran the seamed strip of fabric through my pleater. I fanned the fabric out like I would when blocking a Bishop dress. After the pleats were distributed evenly, I used dots of white craft glue to hold it in place temporarily.

With a long needle and quilting thread I basted the fabric on the crown with the pleated fabric together.



I then lined the inside of the hat. The inside crown is another circle that has been gathered on the edges. The inside brim is a large donut shape piece of fabric. I laid the hat on the fabric and traced the outer edge. Again the brim was basted to the crown and the outer edges were held in place with dots of craft glue.




The Bias edge is purchased double fold quilt binding. I put a jeans needle in my sewing machine and threaded the machine with quilting thread. With a Zig Zag stitch, the binding was stitched through the straw hat.





Because this hat was going on a 5 year old and there was going to be several practices, the silk flowers were wrapped in floral tape and secured with a needle and thread to the hat. Ribbons were added to hid the raw edge between the crown and the brim.

Now the most important request----- the Hat had to have lights on it. I bought two battery powered mini lights from Micheal's. The battery packs were stitched to the sides of the hat. The lights were then woven in and out of the flowers. Ties were then added to the sides of the hat to help keep it on her head.

TA Da! A pink hat with Light! :-)

Baby Josh's Christening

Last Sunday was my great nephew Josh's christening.


What was so interesting about this christening is that Josh's mother (my niece Angie) is a Methodist Preacher. She preaches at a small country church that her great grandparents were members of when she was born.


But Angie did not perform the christening. That honor went to her father (my husband's brother) who is also a Methodist preacher.


It was very special to see my brother-in-law baptise his own grandson.

I have always enjoyed hearing my brother-in-law preach. But I was totally in awe at hearing my niece preach. She is truly gifted.


As part of her sermon she read a poem by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton. I did a Google search when I got home so I could read it again and share it with you.

Song for a Fifth Child

Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth!
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking!

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat- a- cake, darling and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard and there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep.

1958 Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

There wasn't a dry eye in the whole place!




Of course you are wondering about the Christening gown. Yes, I made it but I did it over 5 years ago for her first child.


When she was expecting her first child I offered to make the Christening gown.

When I asked her what she wanted she told be she wanted the Christening gown to be made from her wedding dress.


She gave me the entire wedding gown and told me to cut it up.



Here is a picture of Josh with his dad.

On the front of the gown I hand embroidered a Celtic Cross design from the MP Internet subscribers club in 2004.

The embroidery is a Padded Satin Stitch. I started using readers glasses to embroidery while making this.

The pearls in the embroidery are from Angie's wedding dress. The bullion rose spray was my addition to the design.

Sew Beautiful Subscription

Just a quick note as I am trying to get everyone off to school and work.

I was reading Martha Pullen's news letter and notice that the company is offering again a one year subscription for $18. That is $3 an issue delivered to your door.


Here is the link to the SB subscription form.

https://w1.buysub.com/pubs/HM/SWB/SWB_SubForm_18offer.jsp?cds_page_id=31895&cds_mag_code=SWB&id=1263217226069&lsid=30110740260042099&vid=1

Snow days

We have had two snow days this week. Just wanted to share some pictures.


First taste of snow for Jasper. :-)








More Jasper pictures with my daughter. We don't color coordinate too much here on the farm.







Gator riding or rather Gator sliding.

This is a picture from outside my kitchen window. I was taking the picture of the cardinals. I didn't notice the Blue Jay at the top of the photo till I was editing. They are lined up to eat the dry cat food.

It's 8 degree!

Happy New Year!



Good Morning. It is 8 degree F. here on the farm. That is -13 degree C.



Since everyone is back to school and work, I am here on the farm making sure all the animals are fed and have water that is not frozen.



Of course the plug-in, never freeze water bowl for the dogs, froze last night! We double checked and the plug is working. I guess the water bowl doesn't freeze only if the temperature is above freezing.

I am also working on cleaning up the house. Sometime during Christmas day my kitchen shears went missing. I am hoping they didn't get thrown out with the Christmas trash.

In between all of these plans I know I will need to sit next to the wood stove and get warm. While I am sitting down and resting, I am sure I will notice that my basket with my smocking projects in it is right next to me. :-)

I will try to get back to the picture smocking tutorial next week.