North By Northeast

A week's vacation and the need to escape the 100+ degree heat...two

good reasons to head north and then back northeast in our great state of Michigan.

Glen and I are back from a few days of R & R in Petoskey, one of the prettiest places in Michigan.  Even though we have both lived here all our lives, neither of us has been.  So....why not?

First stop....the beach!

The cooler temps and lovely scenery were a dream come true.

There was a waterfall to enjoy.....

And a beautiful sunset over Lake Michigan.

We also made stops in Gaylord (who knew it was such a sweet town?), which boasts a fabulous Ben Franklin Crafts, super cute quilt shop, and a knit shop with the friendliest owner this side of the Mississippi!

A couple of weeks ago, we ventured out early one Saturday morning to a local county fair.
There were dogs....patiently waiting their turn in the "ring" for the 4H youth obedience trial.

 This little corgi is paying attention to his handler.

 The little sheltie seen here was a beauty.

A new baby lamb had my attention, along with....

 ....this day-old calf, and......

some baby ducks....tooooo sweet!

 Hubby was thrilled to check out this steam-powered tractor from yesteryear.

It was a nice morning.  By the way, did you know there is such a thing as a "deep fried Snickers bar?" That just sounds gross, even for a sweetaholic like me.

My needles have not been idle the last weeks.  New socks have been started.....

 ...first time I'm using Koigu yarn.  I'm loving it!

And I made some new pillowcases with a quick crochet trim.

 

From the "sad news" department: Glen's sister, Theresa, passed away early in June. She had lymphoma, but we weren't expecting to lose her.  And then in late June, my beloved Auntie Frances quietly joined my mom...they were such close buddies their whole lives.

So, I guess that explains part of my absence from here.  The other reason is, I am now working FULL time these days.  I don't know how you gals do it that have kept a full-time schedule for years.  Doesn't it put such a cramp in your crafting extracurricular schedule?

Check out my girl's blog if you haven't stopped by in a while.

That gal's got flair!!

Trying to get "back in the saddle," here

at the Home Acre.

While I was away, needlework has been very therapeutic for me.

Pink booties for a baby shower....

 Black booties for my cousin Janet, who will gift them to a friend.

This sweet book will also go to the baby shower.  I just love

Peter and his friends. This is the movie for you if you're a 

Beatrix Potter fan, like me.

 Also while I was away, I tagged along with the hubby to Utah.

The mountains are so beautiful.

Brace yourselves, but I attempted to make a short snippet

video of our drive into Park City, Utah where the Sundance 

Film Festival is held. A videographer I am NOT.
The background music was from the iPod....it unintentionally added to
my movie.  Or detracts from it, depending on your taste in music, I guess :)

Spring cannot come quickly enough for me. I can't wait to get outside.
There may be some other changes around the 'Acre......I'll keep you "posted."
In the meantime, I'm going back to work on my UFOs while watching this.
I'm positively hooked.

Missing Post

My last post about my mom's passing has been lost.

My daughter says it can only be seen using Google Reader, and suggested that I re-post the announcement. My heart isn't in it today, so I think this little blurb will have to suffice.

I want to thank everyone that sent a heartfelt comment after the lost post was published. Your kind words were good medicine.

I hope to post again in the near future, and will no doubt mention my beloved mom frequently here. For now, I persevere to move ahead. I'm not doing very well yet, but I'm praying for strength and peace of mind.

See you soon.

.....Mama, I miss you.....

Pictureless Post

Just wanted to stop by here....oh, how I've missed my blog.

After a week's stay in the hospital, my mom comes home tomorrow on hospice.
I am weary, sad and nervous....but ever so glad to have my mom come home.

My house is a wreck, so I plan to spend the next few days straightening up
and so forth. I'll keep you "posted."

P.S. Many thanks to my girl.....she gave me quite the pep talk tonight.
She's gonna make a great mom.

:)

Ask and You Shall Receive

fri.vol.i.ty

Definition:
The trait of being frivolous;
not serious or sensible in content,
attitude or behavior;
silly.

I indulged in some frivolity recently.


How could a bowl and whisk be frivolous, you ask?

It was the pricetag on these items, my friends.
Completely ridiculous.

I was in a beautiful "kitchen store." I had in mind to find a small 'batter bowl'
with a handle to use for pancake batter and such. I also really needed a whisk
made especially for non-stick cookware.

Once I picked out these two items...they were perfect......and when I saw the prices
I put them right back on the shelf. It was a shame, really, I thought. How often do I walk into a store and find exactly what I wanted? The thought of making another trip to another store, the possibility of that store not having these things, etc. had me spinning....so I broke tradition and splurged. I'm lovin' em, too.

And now, some more silliness.
Sandra posted this little meme, so I thought it would be fun to participate.

1. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Selfish people.
2. If you could live anywhere where would it be and why?
Scotland, the home of my ancestors, because it so beautiful.....and they have lots of sheep and knitting.
3. Have you ever been searched by the cops? (LOL inquiring minds want to know). No.......but the day's not over :)
4. What is the one thing on your mind right now?
One thing? Ok, one of the main things on my mind right now is....I'd like to spend some time with the hubby.
5. Favorite song right now.
"Free" by the Zac Brown Band......and so many others.
6. What talent do you wish you had?
A beautiful singing voice.
7. Favorite drink.
Diet Coke, followed closely by hot tea w/ honey and lemon.
8. In one word, how would you describe yourself.
Sincere.

And finally............
I asked the good Lord to help me find some answers about my mom, and once
again, He came through for me.
After much (and I do mean MUCH) thinking and praying,
I have hired a part-time caregiver for my mom.
She will be here when I have to work.
Everything seemed to fall into place.....
a recommendation from a trusted friend;
a wonderful woman looking for a part-time job;
and a feeling of peace (with the decision) for Amy.

What more could I ask for?

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened."
~Luke 11:9-10~

Tidbits

There was a nice surprise waiting for me today....

"Amy Barickman's Vintage Notions."

I can't remember where I heard about this book, but when I did,
I moseyed over to Amazon and placed an order. I had a little wait until the release date, and once it rolled around, my book was here.

I haven't had a chance to sit and peruse it thoroughly yet, but just look at the inside cover....

I think I'm going to love it....there's so many wonderful things in this book....

If you love sewing, homemaking and anything vintage, this book is for you!!

There are stories, recipes, and some good advice.

And who couldn't use a "thimbleful of youthfulness?"


Now, in other news...

If you are a "weight watcher" you may have gotten the
recipe for the muffins made with a cake mix and one can of pumpkin.

Well, here in Michigan, we are experiencing a shortage of canned pumpkin.
So at the grocery store the other day, I got a brilliant idea. Ok..........a pretty good idea.
I thought about the similarities between pumpkin pie and sweet potatoe pie and Voila.........I picked up a few sweet potatoes.....cooked them up and mashed them to make the muffins. They were delicious, and I couldn't really tell any difference.

But this little sweetie says, "Sweet potato pie?.......
.......I don't think so."

Are My Ducks In A Row?

Of course not.
I only dream of having all my ducks in a row.

I'm cleaning out my craft stuff...
and any other stuff I get my hands on.

Simplifying is hard work....there's tough decisions to be made.
What to keep, what to put in the garage sale....
will I miss this or that?
Will I ever finish this or that?
Yes, I tell myself, I must finish something.

So, here's a glimpse of the first project I plan to pick up and complete.
A baby blanket done in entrelac. This is my virgin entrelac project, started about two years ago. It's been so long since I worked on it, I can't remember if I found it difficult.
I don't think so, though.

I've had a pretty productive day, which really perks me up.
I worked for 7 hours.
I came home and made sure all was well here and then....
Headed to get groceries (we were almost Mother Hubbard conditions here)
Came home, put it away.....
Cooked chicken and dumplings for some of us, and....
chicken salad for the rest (yep, we got some picky people here).
The chicken and dumplings came out pretty good, by the way.

After dinner, I went down to get the baby blanket out of the stash and decided to....
Hem a top I recently got on clearance and just needed shortening....
Then, I worked on a summer dress that's been sitting down there for, oh, a couple of years...
And finally, I came back up here to tell you all about it.

My life is so boring.

Around the House

Good eve to all....

Changing schedules and my mom's condition
dictate that my "off hours" are pretty much keeping me at home.

I am a gal that likes to gad, so it's an ongoing adjustment.
In an effort to keep my chin up, I did some baking today.

These bars are super sweet and very chewy!
Give them a try and let me know if you like 'em!

Paula Deen's Gooey Cake

Cake:
1 yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16 oz. box powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix, egg and butter and mix well with electric mixer. Pat mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13 pan. Prepare filling: beat cream cheese til smooth; add eggs, vanilla, butter and beat together. Next, add powered sugar and mix well. Spread over cake batter and bake 40-50 minutes, until not quite set (hence the gooey part). **

**I let the filling get golden brown and set. If you want your filling to ooze a little, bake less time and not quite so golden.

*********
I need to revisit the little baby shoes I made.....just for a minute.
A friend at work needed a little something to take
to her cousin's new baby girl. I offered up a pair of the shoes
and my friend thought they would fit her needs to a "t."

A few days ago, I happened onto some little baby socks
I had stashed in the sewing room.
So, with a little rayon crochet thread and some of that extra time,
the booties were ready to go.
Hope Baby Isabella likes them as much as my friend Barb did!

As I read back over my post, a hint of
self-pity could be detected.
Either that or I sound a little martyr-ish (that's not even a word).

Neither one makes me very proud of myself.
All I can say is, I'm working on it.
Believe me, I'm still counting my blessings....of
which there are too many to name.

Now, so I don't sink too far in the doldrums,
I'm heading off to change my stuff into my new
"hipster."

Have a perfectly lovely weekend!!!

A Little Birdie Told Me.....And A Confession

The other day, in near 100 degree heat,

I was getting reading to head home from a trip
to the store.

As soon as I closed the car door,
this little sweetie landed on my windshield wiper.
He sat there and talked and talked and talked.
I wondered if he was trying to tell me something.
I love birds, so I didn't hurry to leave....and honestly,
I was contented to just sit alone for a minute and watch him.

His chatter was delightful and almost non-stop.
He looked like a baby, and I began to wonder
if he was lost or hurt.

After (no exaggeration here) about 10 minutes,
I really had to get going. I thought once I moved the
car he'd fly away. Well, I slowly backed out of my space,
then headed forward to leave.......and still he
sat there. I asked an elderly man if he could gently
get him off. He did.......and the little guy
flew to the back windshield wiper!

Finally, the man was able to coax the
little bird off the car.
Some story, huh?
All true.......
**********************
I wanted to take a moment to thank
all of you who leave such encouraging comments
about taking care of my mom.
To tell you the truth,
I am not always patient enough with my mom.
The physical work of taking care of her
never gets me down. I really don't mind it!
The thing that is so hard on me is
the being tied down.
Believe me, this is why I pray for patience
every day.
Somehow, I just felt the need to
let you all know that.

"And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle,
encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone."
1Thessalonians 5:14

"Liberty is not a means to a higher political end....
it is itself the highest political end."

~Lord Acton

I can't believe it's already July!!

So far, this year is flying by for me.
Independence Day is one of my favorite
days to celebrate.....we are so blessed to
be living in America.

Life continues at the 'Acre.
My mom's physical health is still stable,
but the dementia increases some each week.
So, here's some highlights from the 'Acre....

My friend Sherry made this lovely garden art for me.

Originally Sherry made it with a pole to

anchor in the ground for the garden. I thought it too pretty for
outside, so she made it "table art" instead.
I LOVE it!!!

There's been some good times in the sewing room with
my girl lately. I was her right-hand man as she stitched up
some pj's made from a vintage pattern and a thrifted bed sheet.

They came out adorable!
I did a little fun sewing for me....

The pattern for this clothespin bag can be found in Mandy Shaw's

"Quilt Yourself Gorgeous."

A stop at the dollar store was fun....I found these buttons.
Two of the packs have 10 buttons in them!
My favorites are the bigger white ones, they
are real pretty. I didn't need to add to my button
collection, but finding these is sure inexpensive therapy!

There are finally a few flowers around here.
Lack of time and being down in the dumps
almost meant no flowers this year.

Just a few makes such a difference.....


That's the latest.....
So, as we look forward to July 4th,
my prayers will continue
for our country and her leaders.
My hope for everyone else is a safe
and Happy Independence Day!
May we always enjoy our freedom.


Prayer List
Sherry........to receive good news
Cheryl and Mike.......wisdom
Karen........God's healing hand
Amy......patience

A Little Bit........Of Progress

Yes, there's been a little bit of progress
here the last couple of weeks.

What used to take days now takes weeks, but
you won't hear me complain.

There was a startled gasp from my sewing machine,
but she soon recovered enough to welcome me "home."

I sewed up one of the two nighties I cut out.

I have used this pattern since I was first married.
The other nightie is about 1/3 done.

I caught the "bootie bug" from Jennifer and found the pattern
for these little shoes on Ravelry.
I picked a crochet pattern.......needed a "quick" fix.
These sweeties fit the bill, each pair only took a little
over an hour to make.
**Warning**
Bragging about the kids ahead........

My daughter.....the COLLEGE graduate......has received
an offer to teach at the University while
studying for her Master's Degree!
I'm so proud of you, Honey xoxo

My son........the college junior.......interviewed
and won an internship with a
German-based company here in Michigan.
It was stiff competition......congratulations, Kiddo!!!

If you are a praying person, please
add Karen to your prayers.

And finally, who is this little dog, and
what does she think she's doing?
"I need to rest now......cause I play work so hard."

"Conspicuously absent from the Ten Commandments is
any obligation of parent to child.
We must suppose that God felt it unnecessary
to command by law what He had ensured by love."
~Robert Brault