A stitchy Saturday

I have joined a Quaker sampler group on the internet and this is the project I chose out of the list provided. It is a small piece and has beautiful colors. The pattern calls for 14 ct fiddler cloth which is dirt cheap at 1.50 for a piece to do 2. I haven't stitched on any fabric this large of count in a long time but it does look pretty as the designer put the model on a box top. This is a great idea. I love Blackbird Designs patterns. I didn't pick such a huge piece because I have oodles of others going at the same time right now.
The piece is called "American Star". I chose this one because of Brandon and it has the stars and a "Dutchy" tulip on the side with a house similar to ours. What a combination of stuff in one little pattern!


It's a "stitchy" kind of day here in the North Georgia mountains. Its so nice to sleep late and enjoy breakfast and coffee in bed. I read the daily headlines on the Internet and the one that is the most shocking is a Thai women who stayed in a room with 5000 scorpions for 33 days. She supposedly broke a world record. She only got bit 13 times and the video newscast on Yahoo is breaktakingly EEEEEEK!! They were crawling all over here while she just lazed around on the bed, watched TV, ate...........I think of CAT scans when I see this.......she needs a CAT scan of the brain. Oh well, I guess she wanted to get attention and she did with national news headlines. I don't think I would go that far though.
The sun is trying its hardest to peak through the clouds this morning. The cold weather has at least gotten a bit better and maybe, just maybe I can get the energy to go walking today. That's a big maybe as my comfy bed feels better at the moment :)
I'm having puppy fever again. I know I don't need another animal to take care of but I really want a chihauha puppy, white with tan markings preferably. If I could just get one that is already housetrained I would go pick it up today but that's hard to find and right now Ren is the focus of attention. He howled most of the evening but would immediately be quiet if he was attached to me on the sofa. I even entertained the thought that he could sleep with me again but I'm afraid during the night he would fall off the bed so .........there goes that thought.
When he was a wee puppy of only 1-2 lbs he slept with me and for probably the first 4 years of his life. I guess now he is regressing in his old age and I may have to see about how to deal with his night howling now. Maybe a heating pad would give him more comfort........
And so on goes the day.....................
Jennifer

working on my "P's and Q's"

There is a ottoman stool between our two chairs and at night, it has a blend of stuff. Between Phil's manuals on bioterriorism and law enforcement and my urology updates and contraceptive technology, Cervical pathology reading material, other books, and stitching projects in between----ah its a mess. Here is a WIP (work in progress). I actually started it 2 years ago. Its called "Dutch Alphabet" designer is Sheepish Designs. Besides being very wrinkled, I'm really liking how it looks. I'm finished with the Q and on to the P, then I will be done with the second row. This project is one I pick up and do awhile and then stop because its all mostly "blackwork" and I think that it gets a little sad after a while not having any color. This piece will be framed and hung directly over my kitchen window.

Winter creatures

" I love my mom's new camera" "Can I get some milk before bedtime?"

Here's Ren as he waddles with his blanket still on his back.......over to get a midnight drink of water ......life is rough isn't it? This is his favorite blanket. Bless his little bones!

Out with the old and in with the new------Change

Eloquent words.......

the shield.............

crowds of people with hopes............

saying goodbye............

Out with the old, in with the new.........................

During a job interview in 1991, I'll never forget a comment a nurse manager who hired me for a job stated. She said "the only sure constant is change". I remember this statement from time to time as things happen through the years, yet how ironic but so powerful. I think that best describes today in history. I spent well over 2 hours reading comments from writers, some experienced and positive and some quite abrasive about the new president. I try to remain neutral but its human nature to lean towards what is familiar, even if its not leading in the right direction.

I think today proved a point more than anything and I hope Obama can deliver for all that he has promised. However, remember " be careful for what we ask for". I hesitate to say this as he seems to be tainting his speeches with a determination to persist in Afghanistan, for whatever price has to be paid.

I have to wonder whether the same charisma would have been present at the swearing in of a female president? Would 2 million women stand in the cold for hours on end to secure their place to witness and support the change in history? I hope that one day I witness a female president in my lifetime. I think there is too much prejudice against caucasian women which is unfair and unfortunate. Women still make 15% less than men in the same work positions. Colleges are more generous with scholarships with minorities and exclude women who are often single raising children. There are still many changes to be made in America and I want to witness this change in America just as much as I witnessed the first black president today. I hope that Obama remembers all the rhetoric that led up to today. I hope that he remembers our children's safety too. I hope he has empathy, along with intelligence to make the right decisions. I hope he remembers that his actions affect alot of people and that just as much as he shields his own family from harm, that he remembers all the parents who would like to shield their own too.

Ironically, Obama's central message throughout his campaign has been "change". Change is not a new phenomenon or idea. It will happen whether we like it or not. It is not a new idea and no matter who is in office, change will still happen. How we handle change should be the focus.

The question to ponder is this: do we have the experience and confidence to sustain the kinds of change in America that are occuring at lightening speed? Seems to be a hard balance to make sure we are all citizens of equality without destroying the individualism that defines are very identity.

These are some of my thoughts of today.

Winterfest Pigeon Forge

got a couple of photos from the internet because my camera broke during the trip so disregard the year 2005!

they had lots of blue trees everywhere.....really pretty

Frozen mountain water.....

the front of the Hampton Inn and Suites where we stayed. The Winterfest was still going on through the end of January and they had over 9 million lights in Pigeon Forge. The weather was so cold, it didn't matter if it was after Christmas because the lights, trees, were beautiful.

Our trip included meal at Red Lobster Friday night, relaxing by the fire with hot tea in the hotel lobby afterward, lunch at Pizza Hut, dessert at The Cracker Barrel, shopping, shopping and more shopping and then a very long 6 hour trip home as we got iced on the mountain and it was blocked, had to take a very long way home holding our breath that we wouldn't slide off the road.

Pictures continued

My new boots from Walmart!!!! They were THE most comfortable and warm shoes I've ever had! Ready for fun in the mountains!

These pictures cannot capture how beautiful the mountains were ........

Let's just say "our ears were popping"

my better half here and the "SS Cheverlet"

Winterfest Pigeon Forge

We met the snow on the way to Pigeon Forge.........

stopping a few times to admire the beautiful vast of The Smokey Mountains

Cherokee North Carolina.......

the frozen water from the side of the mountains

Temperatures dropped even lower the further north we traveled. The water was frozen.

Our personal little "Winterfest"

The frozen streams on the way to Pigeon Forge

I just had to get this at Cherokee, N.C. What a name !!!

This is again a mill in the middle of Cherokee.

This is the Sylva courthouse.......very impressive as the town is the size of Mayberry and had the charm of such as well with old general stores, book stores and neat little old shops.

Sylva again as we were riding in the truck.

Phil and I take a trip usually just 1 weekend in January each year to get away from all the "busy-ness" of life and just find a short reprieve even if for 1 or 2 nights doing something fun. I guess we just noticed this year that its become a "tradition" of ours each year. I really like the idea and he usually plans it out well as he is the planner and I'm .....well......a "random" fun person ;)

This year we went up to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Unfortunately, I dropped the camera on the kitchen tile in the hotel room and my camera met its demise. Nothing could be done to resuscitate my precious camera. I had a few pictures before and saved on the card luckily but the remainder of the snapshots were on Phils phone camera, which we do not have the necessary equipment as of today to transfer to the computer. However, I do plan to do that this week.