Guess who came to see us??

My Brother John and his wife Theresa came "flying" through the Salt Lake Valley on their way to Elko, Nevada to pick up grand children and stopped for just 1 hour.  RosaLee came over and we had a great visit.  I hadn't seen John and Theresa for a few years.  We do talk once in a while but have not been able to get together.  I hope it isn't that long before I see them again!!!

Katie's Home

It  is soooo good to have Katie home safe and sound, and as you can see the "cousins" took up exactly as they left off!!

 Katie and Tasha came to spend the night and Katie got her first sewing lesson, I hope we will have many more, but this lesson was for Jemma, she received 2 cute jumpers for summer!!

Happy Birthday Troy

Troy and Family came to dinner for his birthday #44!!  I did NOT make the cake, it's his all time favoriate and his sweet wife, Nicole was good enough to make it and bring it to share with us!!

Book Report

Our book club this month is reading "My Stroke of Insighte" by Jill Bolte Taylor PhD

I normally prefer fiction, however this book has been very interesting!!  I don't even pretend to understand what she is talking about when she tells about the function of the brain, but many of her deductions are very interesting.

Jill is a "brain research scientist"  She teaches as well as dissects brains to learn more about the brains functions.  To begin with, her interest began from her brother being diagnosed with schizophrenia (yes I had to look up the spelling).  She went on to be a very knowledgeable scientist on the brain.

Then, she had a stroke!!  She describes how she felt when this was happening an goes through thoughts during and after her stroke.  She totally recovered and then has some interesting takes on what your left brain controls, she lost total function of her left brain.  She could not speak, understand numbers and other functions that are controlled by the left side of her brain. 

Zero in on chapter 17, she tells us that the left brain controls most emotions and it only takes 90 seconds for anger and other negative emotions to curse through your blood stream and then it should be gone.  Therefore, you have a choice to continue to feel anger or simply "give it up".  

It's very interesting, I must confess that I skipped the chapters where she was describing the brain - sorry they were too technical for me, some of the works I could not even pronounce let alone know what they mean.  So, if you want something challenging - you can probably get at your local library, it is not a book that is really in demand.    Happy Reading!! 



Projects finished

We bought a kit from Floyd & Lizzie's a couple of months ago, I finally got it hung on the wall!  So here you see the finished product, daisy's are appliqued, then boarders.  I did add the purple boarder - the yellow just lost me.  RosaLee (my talented sister) quilted it on her machine, I wish you could see the detail, however, it just didn't photograph, I guess you will have to come to my house and inspect the cute "daisy" quilting!!

After the wall hanging, you must have a table topper, additional fabric required for this cute, easy, topper

Then, of course you must have a table runner - once again additional fabric required, however, Floyd & Lizzie's had the full line of matching fabric.  Is it purple enough for everyone??

Because we have RosaLee's quilting machine "up and running" I pulled this little number out of it's box and we quilted it.  Interesting, it's been finished probably 2 years and it only took us about 4 hours to quilt.  Below is some detail,  It's hand embroidered, this process is called blue - red work.  Does that make sense to anyone?

Detail of the village, the pattern called for pieced blocks in the center and on the edge, but when I found this fabric I just forgot  the pieced blocks and set this center in.

 More detail, this is really a Christmas wall hanging, see the bottom picture and you will see Santa sailing accross the sky over the village.  Enjoy!

Easter

Last Wednesday was my turn to "play with my muggles". We picked them up after school - it was early day, they didn't really want to leave their toys and games and Callie (dog) but we had other things to do --- Soo I suggested we color eggs for Easter So here they are, enjoy the fun.

New Furniture

After 25 - 30 years, we decided to treat ourselfs to New Furniture - so at the urging of my sweet daughter, who left just hours before the new furniture arrived I am posting pictures of:

Old Furniture - it doesn't really look that bad, but it is a "bit" dated. And it is extreemly low to the ground. Hard to get up out of especially if you have old knees.

We even went for a darker color on the wood - we are really living "on the edge".

Finally ---- New Furniture ---- Let me know what you think, and I promise you can come and set on it, sleep on it, however you cam NOT jump on it!!

Loralie is 50

Loralie's birthday is today - Feb 21, however we had her "birthday" party on Saturday Feb 18.


Lunch was served and many of our family came to celebrate with her.




Here we were checking our Mitch's new pictures, Mitch is still in Michigan - don't know when he is coming West.








The computer age is alive and strong, the kids each have a phone they are playing a game - notice Tina she is only 4!! Of course Uncle Craig is the biggest kid!!

A fun time was had by all, Loralie turned 50 with the help of her dear family, thanks to all who came to help celebrate and Thanks to all who brought food and helped clean up.

Next post will be, are your ready??? New Furniture, by request!!!

Mandy is leaving us!!

Brothers, I love living close to my two boys, it's also fun to know they are not only brothers, but friends!!

We had a great celebration on Sunday, Mandy did a wonderful job teaching us about Joseph Smith and Modern Day Revelation. A great sermon Mandy that I enjoyed and needed to be reminded about.

Nicole, I love Nicole!! She is always quick to post pictures of myself and my HH (happy hubby) on her blog, so I thought, when I saw this picture, that I would return the favor. Isn't that a sweet pose?? and you can see some of the folks that were there behind her.

I wish I had had the camera in hand (where was Nicole?) when someone shouted up stairs that dinner was ready. There was a stampede of children running down the stairs. Check Nicole's blog www.fernleyfamilydoings.blogspot.com to see a photo she got with Miss Jemma in the middle of the fray.

Last comment in this blog is my beautiful Granddaughter. Amanda Lynn Fernley soon to be Sister Fernley on her way to Argentina. We are so proud of you to choose to go on a mission! Your Bishop was so correct when he said - "N0 matter if they raised the Bar 20 times, Mandy would still be ready and worthy to go serve her Heavenly Father". You go Mandy and we will look forward to your home coming in 18 months - It might be more fun!!!

Jemma came to play!

On Friday, Jemma came to play with "white" Grandma and Papa. After a couple of hours she announced that "Jemma was hungry" and when asked what she wanted for lunch she said "Peanut butter and "red" Jam" so this is how that went - enjoy!!

She actually didn't take more than 2 bites of her "lunch" and later we made a corn dog. That was better.

She brings her "kitty" (hello kitty) bag with her Poo Bear, and Hop Hop and extra diapers, just in case. She went through grandma's toy box and selectively chose toys and put them in her Kitty Bag. Then we took the kitty bag for a walk in the neighborhood. Her intent was to take the toys home, remember these toys are age appropriate for Jemma, no one else will ever miss them if they go with Jemma, so when Mom came she took her kitty bag with the selected toys home.

Jemma is sooooooo much fun, I love to have her come visit - she has a darling personality, knows exactly what she wants and how to get it!!! Thanks Nicole and Troy for sharing her with us!!

Last mega quilt, I hope!

At least that is my plan!! To not make another king size quilt. I still enjoy quilting but "small" projects are preferable!!
This quilt is for my big son Jim and his sweet heart Stephanie, I hope they like it.
Here it is before the boarders!




Here it is on my queen bed, so you can see it is a "big" quilt.



Next step -- the quilting machine in my sister, RosaLee's basement!!
I love working with RosaLee, let's see how long it takes us to get this one finished??

Grandpa went fishing

Last week, my sweetheart went fishing! He has been fishing almost every week since we became established in Utah!! This day he drove up to Big Cottonwood Canyon to fish a stream, unlike the time before, he did NOT fall into the stream! He also did NOT catch any fish! Instead he caught a pumpkin..... floating down the stream was some one's "fruit" from who knows why, so he caught a pumpkin.






Here he is cleaning his catch, he's getting pretty comfortable in the kitchen, I'm hoping he will soon take over the cooking!

Here he is again, amazed that you can actually cook a pumpkin and make it eatable!

Hear to for, he has only carved faces in pumpkins and put a candle inside for Halloween.

The finished product! There was enough for 4 pies, I only made 2 for Thanksgiving and froze enough for 2 more for later! Looks good Huh?

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!! we couldn't wait for Thanksgiving, we had to try it out and it is delicious!

Soooooo! Y'all come and try out Grandpa's catch!!

See you Thursday!!!

All I want to do is read!

I am feeling lazy this last couple of weeks and all I do is want to read.

This is probably the "best of the bunch", because it's historical fiction and well written. It gives us just a glimpse into the Japanese Internment during WWII. As well, as the culture of the Chinese, and Japanese and the thoughts and feelings of the Americans without making us feel umcomftorable because of the choices our country made.

Ann Perry is always a fun, easy read. This one takes place with Emily on her own, Emily is Charlotte Pitts Sister and they have solved several mysteries together. This leaves Emily on her own to gain a new respect for an Aunt that has moved away from the family. I takes place is a different place as well. I enjoyed Emily coming down to the "common" people learning about the other side of life.

Glenn Beck, like his last Christmas Book "The Christmas Sweater", keep a box of tissue next to your chair. This book tells of love and abuse through 3 generations and comes together in the end to make it "all better".

Last but, not least Richard Paul Evans new Holiday book. "Lost December:. The story of the prodigal son from the son's point of view. I like RPE's books, I can trust them to be "squeaky" clean and still entertaining. I'm looking forward to his next installment of The Walk, so come on April.

We are coming upon the Holidays and I love Christmas Books, I will probably begin one of my favorites Jan Karon's "Shepard's Abiding" very soon. I also enjoy Lloyd C. Douglas "Home for Christmas" and of course President Monson's recommendation Henry Van Dyke's "The Mansion". I like to add a couple of Christmas Books to my shelf each year so I can go back and relax during the holidays with a "feel good read".

Great Grands

Jonathan and Jaci came to stay with us and they brought with them their treasures!
Liam is so cute and really like his Grandpa Pickens!





Miss Emma is so busy, she is "so smart" she now knows right where the toys are!










Proof that we got to hug these cute little ones before they went on to bigger and better things!





Liam is so adorable, rolly polly, and has such a cut walk, I couldn't resist!
Come again Please!!



Auska brought their 2 little ones by the next day and I didn't even get a picture. This Grandma is really slipping! Comes with age I guess.

Sunday Drive

After dinner a couple of week ago we took a "Sunday Drive". It was a beautiful day and we thought we would drive up to Big Cottonwood Canyon and walk around Silver Springs. Well I think the majority of Salt Lake had the same idea. We did take a short walk trying to avoid back pack, strollers, toddlers and busy adults, then drove up a little higher!

I love the mountains and being able to get there in just a few minutes. Didn't get too many pictures just enough to gloat over a lovely day and nice drive!

It is finished!

I started this project in 2008, It's from a book by Eleanor Burns, or "Quilt in a Day". I like Eleanor's methods, you do finish a quilt quickly. However, I also like the dimensional look, so I adopted her sister methods for my flowers. They pop right out at you.
After starting the baskets, they are machine pieced I taught a class in Relief Society, many of the sisters made pillows or wall hangings. I preserved getting my baskets full of flowers. I put it on the quilt frame this last summer and began quilting the baskets, with pansies in the plain triangles. The down side of dimensional flowers is that you can not machine quilt it. So it is finally finished and it looks great on my bed. So, 4 years is not a bad time for me, some projects have taken up to 10 years. I still have the book and some of the tracings for the flowers, I will probably never make it again, anyone interested??

33 years

For our anniversary this year we, with RosaLee and David, it was their anniversary as well, drove to Vernal, Utah.

There are a lot of dinosaurs in Vernal, Utah!! While I'm not really big on dinosaurs, it was a fun trip. I forgot the camera, so used the phone to take pictures.

Now I have all these wonderful pictures on my phone and I cannot figure out how to get them off the phone and into the computer. Go Figure!

Anyway I liked this dinosaur, he is so colorful and cute.

Out past Jensen, about 10 miles from Vernal, is a big dinosaur "dig". This building has just opened to the public so it was free when we went. And inside this building is "A Wall of Bones" Pictures below.

Very interesting, a lot of Fossils and dinosaur bones exposed in this wall of rock.

After this it was dinner and then we ended up doing a session at the Vernal Temple, guess which activity I enjoyed most??

The trip took all day, we left at 9:00am and didn't get home until 9:00pm.

A fun time was had by all, we do enjoy day trips to learn more about Utah.

P.S. The pictures are from the inter net, my pictures are still in my phone, any advise??

Book Report

I tried to get a picture for you, however, it didn't work!! Sorry!!
But try a little Historical Fiction - even a little Historical Mystery. The book by Stephanie Barron called "A Flaw in the Blood". Takes place in "Victorian" England. A historical account of the death of Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria - a fictional account of some of the Queens thought, problems and how she attempted to handle them. It takes some concentration to sort out all the relationships and mindset of the English Royalty.
I've read it twice, and this time I got more out of it than the last time. It is not a quick read and is not factual but, an enjoyable read just the same. Enjoy!!

Panaca

Last week RosaLee and I took our annual pilgrimage to "ye ole homestead".

Mom's birthday is the end of September so we usually try to go sometime in Sept. to celebrate etc., This year things worked out that we had to go early.

Mom on the front porch of her home in Panaca, Nevada - she ill be 85 on the 21st of this month. She is doing well after a couple of surgeries a couple of years age. She goes out most days - although we made her miss your "lunch with the seniors" one day so instead we went shopping (for fabric of course) and lunch in Caliente.

RosaLee and Bentley, I couldn't have done better if I tried to catch this "interesting" expression. I love being close to my sister and we have a great time doing, and/or conspiring, stuff together!

In Mom's left hand is Pappy, mom's "puppy". Pappy is , I think 5 years old and great company for mom. The other puppy is "Indy" a puppy for Helen. Mom usually goes to Reno and spends the winter with Helen, so Indy will eventually end up in Reno.

The video is for Helen so she can see how cute her puppy is. He is no bigger than a minute, he was a great source of entertainment while were were in Panaca! It was hard to get a picture of this puppy, he is about the same color as mom's carpet - anyway this is as good as it gets!