Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Spring Sunshine

Soft Spring Blooms Purple
 
Spring is here, now where is the warm sunshine? I had time this morning to update my blog so will also make a short post.
 
Our thoughts and prayers are with the people in Oso where the horrible landslide took out homes, families and loved ones. I can't even imagine what people that have family still not found are going through. I remember some earthquakes where people have been found after many, many days so I hope they find more people alive.
 
I am really angry with the Planners in Snohomish County that allowed homes to be built and re-built in that area. It has been known for years by geologists that this area was landslide prone. And landslides have happened in that area before! We have been in that area many times since we live fairly close. Yet they allowed zoning for families to build and then be destroyed by a landslide! I hope they are held accountable for their actions. It really irritates me that money always seem to be more  important that people. We have been involved in planning and development in the county we live in since 1991. Before that, I knew absolutely nothing about planning, etc. and how much money and greed are involved in politics. 
 
I could go on and on about this subject but I won't bore you with my thoughts. 
 
Since I have updated the blog for spring, I will get back to work.
 
Have a great week. 


Monday, March 17, 2014

Happy Saint Patrick's Day


And a Happy Saint Patrick's Day to you all.  

I have been working on designs all morning and decided to stop for awhile.

I have had a very painful week and am hoping this week will be much better. I had to have my big toenail removed because there was infection under it. I still have the feeling it was because of that horrible bee sting I had on the same toe last August. I think I even posted a picture of the big blisters it caused. I honestly don't know if it was a bee that stung me or not because I have never had a reaction from a bee sting before. The bee sting or whatever it was happened at the end of August and then my toe started hurting, red and swollen in Oct. I know I should have gone in earlier but kept thinking it would get better! I finally called the Dr. a couple weeks ago when it started draining fluid at the base of the nail. I had been on antibiotics for 10 days and it still wasn't any better, so I went in last Monday and he removed the whole toenail because the infection was under the nail. And another 10 days of antibiotics. It has been so painful since then. And it still isn't any better so after I finish this bottle of antibiotics if it still looks and feels like it does I will have to go in again, I guess. 

Enough complaining. Everyone has hurts!

Now I will talk about Persona themes. It appears to me that they aren't as popular as they once were. I wonder if Windows 8 has anything to do with it. I don't have Windows 8 and don't want it so I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.  I really enjoy making them and have so many made I will probably not live long enough to submit them all. But yet I keep making more. It is that "over achievement" I have always had.  Or maybe it is hoarding!  

I have been saying I would write about my family and just haven't taken the time to do so, but I came across a letter a great, great aunt had written to my mother in 1947. I had it in my genealogy packet so I will tell you what she wrote.

My Great Grandfather was in the 15th Regiment, Illinois Infantry. He was a Corporal on the U.S.S. Cairo, which sunk when it struck two torpedos on December 12, 1862 in the Yazoo River. Luckily there were no casualties. Chauncy (my GG Grandfather) married my GG grandmother in June of 1864. He was a carpenter by trade. In 1868 they still lived in Illinois, but he decided to travel to western Iowa to purchase land from Chicago Burlington and Quincy Rail Road. Which he did for $12.00 per acre. The next summer they loaded a covered wagon with all the goods they could. With a team of horses to pull the heavy load, they started west with several other loaded wagons and friends. They formed a caravan and began their journey.

As Iowa was still mostly prairie they were soon crossing it and fording streams. After about six weeks, they came to the land he had bought. This was in September of 1869. They lived in the wagon until they could build a shack. It was made with barn boards with battons over the cracks. The lumber was hauled from Red Oak, which was just a "mudhole" with a blacksmith shop and one general store. This was 12 miles from their location and they would only pass one house on their way to Red Oak.

The railroad had just been put through as far as Council Bluffs the year before. People were moving fast, starting new homes, so they soon had many neighbors and friends. Some became discouraged and went back east, but Chauncy and Esther had much faith in the country, lived through all the pioneers disappointments such as dust storms, "grasshopper years", poor prices and winter blizzards.

They had brought tree seed with them which they planted and soon had a large grove. (I remember playing in that grove with my cousin.)

In 1894 they built a good barn and 1895 they built a new house in which they lived until 1909 when they moved to Red Oak and left the farming to their son, Ira. The farm stayed in my mother's family for many, many years. I have many happy memories of the farm. We lived for awhile only about 1/2 mile from it and I would walk down our dirt road on Monday night to watch "I Love Lucy" with my cousins. We couldn't afford a TV even if we had electricity!

This is an old photo of the original farmhouse they built.

That is enough for now. I will write more about my Rebel family side another time. 

Have a great week!
 

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Just Checking In!!!

Easter Bunny Kisses

I am starting to think about Easter so thought I would post one of my newest spring or Easter designs. I really like this one. After the weather we have had the past couple weeks I like the idea of flowers and bunnies!

It looks like the groundhog may have been right this year about 6 more weeks of winter. We had a northeaster that blows down from Canada. They can keep it up there as far as I am concerned. I have a hard time keeping warm in most weather except really hot weather. My Doctor says I need more insulation on my body! And my husband keeps telling me to eat more, but I don't feel good when I eat more or differently than what I usually do. I have been eating yogurt for lunch for over 50 years, long before yogurt became popular. I used to have a yogurt maker that made 5 containers at a time. My kids liked it, too. I can't believe the many choices that are available in the supermarkets. My favorite one now is the Mocha from Trader Joe's. I have found the shelf empty at times, so to make sure I have my "stash" I call ahead and have it put away for me.

A very noisy airplane just took off. We live miles away from the airport but the airport has grown so much since we moved here 47 years ago! And I must say I detest it. I have only flown once and that was enough for me. I like to have control and it seems to me there is no control when you are up in the air like that! And I don't see why people fly as much as they do. Companies could save so much money if they didn't have their people flying all over when they could do it with Go To Meeting, Skype or whatever! Then we wouldn't have to listen to all those darn planes taking off or coming in. 

I had my 75th birthday last week. Some days I feel like 75 and I don't like those days. I have aways accomplished so much in a day and either the days are shorter than they used to be or I am slower. I think I know which one it is! I used to run every morning, cold, rain, snow, whatever! Then I switched to walking and one fall I decided this is ridiculous! I was having to wear rain gear to walk and then dry everything so it would be dry the next morning so I could do it all over. I decided I would stay in and ride my exercise bike instead. I am still riding my exercise bike every day, though. 20 minutes a day. Not quite as fast as I used to, but I feel so much better after I ride it. My first stationary bike had over 10,000 miles on it and the odometer didn't go any higher, so have no idea how many "miles" it actually had on it. I had to get a recumbent bike about 10 years ago and I like it real well.  It also helps me keep warm for several hours after I quit riding. 

Time to fix lunch so will sign off for today. I still want to write about my family and the way life was when I was younger and I will, just have to know where to begin!

Have a good week and I will get back soon.
 

💚Marching on to Spring💚

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