Thoughtful Thursday

I had a whole other post planned for Thoughtful Thursday, until I read High Road Quilter's post yesterday, January 26, 2011, titled "Oprah's High Road".  High Road Quilter's blog post

Shasta asked,  "What does taking the high road mean to you?"

My comment, "Taking the High Road to me is letting the sunshine around me shine through me. When I gather up my talents, and stretch the undeveloped ones, I get closer to this desire of my heart."

My question is the same to you,

 "What does taking the high road mean to you?"

Wordless Wednesday

 The other day - gulp

 and swallow.

Gran's Tidbit Tuesday

I love the name Tidbit Tuesday that I read on a blog called Freckled Whimsey Link to Freckled Whimsy.
Soooo, after checking with Karrie Lyne, at Freckled Whimsey,  and she was totally "down" with using her Tidbit Tuesday Title, I am starting my own Gran's Tidbit Tuesday.  Do you want to know something?  Most of what I know is "tidbits" and why not share those morsels with you, eh?!  

The Rings have it. 

When I am using skeins of floss for an embroidery project, the rings hold it all in addition to my needles and scissors.  The two sizes (3'' and 1.5") that I use the most can be found at thrift or office supply stores.  This particular cluster goes with my "Never Ending" project, really it is never ending!  The ring clusters keeps my supplies handy in one place, can easily be picked up and tucked in an embroidery bag or basket for when I am on the go. 

Tidbit Tuesday Tootles to YOU

That Civil War Look

You have got to go see what I just found through the Quilt Hollow link - here 
She talk about bathing her quilts in a tea bath.  I hope she shares how she does that.  On top of all the good information I always read on Mary's blog, she is one outstanding and gifted long arm quilter.  She has done some of my Schnibbles quilts and they were beautiful when she is finished with them.  Yes, she is so good, I send them clear across the country!

Barbara Brackman's Civil War Blog

Barbara has put together a blog just to "Commemorate the 2011 Sesquicentennial with a Block of the Week".  I even got so excited about finding this blog, that I added the button on my side bar, to give you a permanent link. There now, see that late Christmas present "Blogging for Dummies", is coming in handy!  Well you are in for a treat at these sites.  

Let me know what you think, eh!?

Thoughtful Thursday - Update on Need

Received today from Melinda S.

In my January 13th, 2011 post  I put out a call for help - here - for 
our Knot-y Embroidery Sisters in Queensland, Australia.  I am so thankful for your emails and dropping embroidery supplies on my door step and sending here by mail. I hope more of you are able to spread the word of this great need, no it is not giving blood, yet it is important.  For years these same women in Australia have developed a strong embroidery tradition.  Their talents have reached our shores and we have embraced them whole heartedly.  We can show them we care and are thinking of them.  I am going to share a couple of emails from my dear friends who live in Queensland.




Alison email January 12

Hello there  and so wonderful to get your email.  It is very difficult here - and there's so much devastation. Our relatives were rescued from Murphy's Creek - the worst hit and they are still looking for 2 other families who were simply washed away. Our relatives have only the shirts on their backs and it was a miracle they made it onto their roof. They have their lives and for that we are so so grateful.  I am waiting to be sent into the zone as part of my job includes community recovery - so I have been on the "helping side" before but not had people / relatives / friends who have been caught up in the actual disaster.

It is affecting everywhere - we are safe and high and dry - and so are Lorraine and Keith -  both of us send you a great big hug back across the pond.

Take care.        Ali xxx

It was after reading Ali's email that I realized that there was something that we could do to touch the hearts of the hands hanging down in Queensland.  Her email and Lorraine's email show you the kind and caring, Can Do Women, that they are.


Ali's email January 13

Hi there and that is such a generous idea. I actually get to work in the worst affected areas - and am happy to be the recipient / conduit for you. My address:  Alison George, 169 Niebling Road, Tarome via Aratula, QLD 4309 AUSTRALIA

You tell me where you'd like them to go and I'll make it happen on the ground - if you are unsure of where they should go then I am also happy to coordinate through the various guilds / organisations that do know where the greatest need is ... if that helps.

Your generosity knows no bounds ... thanks Gran it is wonderful of you.

Thanks for your kind thoughts - your sisters in stitchery

ALison (and Lorraine too)

Lorraine's email January 14

Hi Gran,  that's a wonderful idea for a collection of threads and materials for all the unfortunate ladies who have lost so much.  And, because they would have necessary home items to buy first, craft supplies would be right at the bottom of their list.

I am a member of Country Bumpkin in South Australia, who are embroidery suppliers and will act as a collection point for anyone wishing to donate materials and threads, and will contact guilds in the affected areas to distribute them.

Their address is 916 South Road, Edwardstown S. Australia 5039

Alison also has contacts through her quilting group. It would be so devastating to lose everything and just to know people are thinking of them would be a wonderful boost to their moral. 

Where we are there was no danger of flooding but some towns approx. 2 hours away from us had to be evactuted and all homes were distroyed.  It must be so hard to pick up the pieces and start all over especially the elderly.

Hope you and you loved ones are well, Love Lorraine

Please note the address you can directly send to if you wish.  Laurie Becker emailed me she has a contact address and was sending Fat Quarter muslin for embroidery in a box.  Feel free to send your embroidery supplies to:  

Lorraine W., 

c/o Country Bumpkin,  

916 South Road, 

Edwardstown, 

QLD 5039 AUSTRALIA 

or

Alison G., 

169 Niebling Road,

Tarome via Aratula, 

QLD 4309 AUSTRALIA

or

Moi 

Received in the mail today from Lillieanne C.

Any questions please do not hesitate to email me.

• Yes, you can send your partially used floss.  
• Remember all those skeins of floss we gathered during the cross stitch craze - well, that is the kind of stash you can get rid of - see it is a win/win for all of us.
• A Big Thank you to YOU for caring about our stitching sisters in Australia.

Wordless Wednesday

What no words?   

This is going to be hard, eh!?

Word Up - UP

For "Word Up" - Can you believe my word is - "UP", eh?!


MUF'S GIRLS

You know when Kelly announced her word challenge for us in Charming Chatter, she used a cute button with "Word Up" to inspire us to pick a word to reflect on for this year.  Well, right from the first time I read the post, all I could think about was the word "Up".  Now, I am a person who loves words, have been since I was knee high to a grass hopper.  So, what was the matter with me, just "Up", no brain twisting pun or a word  borrowed from 17th century Scotland (and there are plenty of those words spinning around in my head), or no profound word that reflects the meaning of life, etc., etc., etc.  Just "Up" surfacing again and again.  So "Up" it is and I am excited about it.

With getting that off of my chest, phew, I am "Up" to sharing a poem that my sweet Daughter-In-Heart, Tianna, posted in her reflections of 2010 blog post.  Our family has been through so much since the beginning of the year, yet we are all "Up" to the challenges ahead, the fun times, and all the dreams that we dream.  "Up" is a verb to me.  


I do not know the name of the poem, yet the meaning is so beautifully stated - Perhaps the author would consider naming it "Up", eh?!


For every Winter there's a Spring-
   Oh, that's the beauty of the thing!
For ev'ry midnight there's a morn,
   For ev'ry loss a hope is born,
For ev'ry sultry day the dew,
   For ev'ry old year there's a new!

Yes, buds for all the leaves that fall-
   That is the beauty of it all,
New dreams for all the dreams that die,
   For ev'ry night a dawning sky-
For ev'ry heartache, failure, fear,
   Another chance, another year!
                         -Douglas Malloch


Goals for January 

1. Reorganize "The Room" and find places to hide relocated my stash. (Son #3 needs to move back into it during his recovery). 
2. Make a Fermentation list, with looking ahead, due dates and shop sample dates need by dates.
3. Find the colour chart for Callie's embroidered quilt, send to my Daughter-In-Heart (we are making it together).
4. Begin the embroidery on Callie's quilt.
5. Make an "Up" stitchery.
6. Start Jenny's BOM Give Thanks (Make the hanger/base for the monthly sayings.
7. There is so much that I am "Up" too -  take time for rest. 
8. Write shorter and more often on my blog - who wants to read my long windiness - not me, that is for sure.
9. These goals are something that I can accomplish - starting now until the of the month.

Take care and be kind to yourself - you deserve it, especially after reading through all my bather.

Finally Some Pictures ... Son #3

He continues to improve.  (As in, he can swallow more and more and with healing.)  Doc. said, "His throat is like a bomb went off in there.)  The virus was vicious.  I made up a little photo scrap book for you.  The pictures are not of the earlier days in the hospital.  Just from the time that he was, " - able to sit up and take a little nourishment ...".  He tires very easily and is so patient with all the things he can not do and focuses on the things he can do each day.  

Disclaimer - The slide show area is still a work in progress for me.  Anything that you see that is not so great - it is the operator error i.e. I can not figure out how or why I can not change out this intro picture ... Oh, well!!  Sorry.

Customize a free photo slideshow

Thank you for your support, prayers and emails.  Reading them to him has been encouraging especially when he needed that! 

Home - Safe and Sound

Got home about 8:30 pm tonight!  We did not drive through any snow or rain!!!  We did not have some of the problems the doctor prepared us for and our dear sweet guy snored most of the way home.  Snoring never sounded so sweet!!  DH, bless his heart drove all the way.  Thank you for your prayers that lifted us on wings - now I really understand the saying, "On Wings and A Prayer."

You know being a "blogger" I just had to take a peek before heading to bed and also to share with you that we are safely home.  Everyone has been fed, meds. have been given, lights are out and I'll ttyt and share some pictures.

Hugs

He Made It!!!

We just about lost him - his throat was closed down to 5mm - yes, the size of a pencil lead!!!  Since being admitted to the hospital, with all the best of care and medicines, he has made steady improvements.  He is not out of the woods yet, however, the doctor is willing to release him as soon as he is stable enough for the 12 hour drive back home.  We are looking into closing down all of his business matters here in this state  and getting things set up with doctors in our state.  Thank God for good student health insurance.  He is going to need two to three months recovery before he can head back to school.  Your kind words and thoughts have all been read to him and he appreciates your caring about him.  You, my blogging friend, are talked about with him whenever he comes home for visits, we are connected.   I was amazed that he remembered many of you from your comments.  Please keep him in your prayers - they have made a difference, and he has been surrounded with the spirit of peace, which is comforting him and holding him close to Heavenly Father.

Boy, I Was Doing So Good ...

At posting to my blog,  that is ...  

             I was really committed  ... 

Then the closing of Bearpaws and Hollyhocks was in full swing, right up into the new year.  Our #3 son, who was home for a week before Christmas,  returned to school and work the last week of the break, and life went on until the  end of  last week when he called to tell us that he was very sick.  The doctor said, "A virus, just go home and rest, treat the symptoms."  It has been a very hard week being a long distance mother with a sick son far away and even though the poor guy was doing the right things and going to the doctor, he kept getting sicker.  This afternoon he was admitted to the hospital and both DH and I have scrambled and we should be by his bed side by dinner time tomorrow.  I will keep you posted if there is time, as I am taking my laptop with us.  My heart is aching for him, and his worsening pain/condition and the prayers on my lips are constant.  

Please keep him in your prayers.  

Blogging for Dummies

After dragging my weary bones home from the close of Bearpaws and Hollyhocks Quilt Shop - sigh - DH was waiting for me and had some yummy treats he had picked up at a local deli ready to enjoy.  We shared about each of our days and he showed me the mail ... For some reason a Christmas present arrived on New Years Eve with a label - "For Mom - do not open until Christmas."  Well, You know me I just could not wait ...  thank you to one of my three sons, (there was no from name).  

How did you know that I needed this book, eh?! 

People do say,  "when one door closes another one opens".

 - I think this is a sign ...

To all my blogland friends - Happy first day of 2011

 1-1-11!

Tootles