Happy Leap Year!

So it is leap year -- 2020.  We have an extra day to do anything we want to do!  Ever thought of it like that?  AND it falls on a Saturday.  The perfect day to go out and do something!  I know the weather won't be perfect but I am going to go outside and do something in the yard in the a.m., and then put on some good duds and go "shopping".  And I have a place in mind!  How about you?!  I hope you take advantage of this once-every-4-years gift and do something fun on this extra day!

I've been thinking about some words/phrases that are starting to make me crazy and want to share some of them with you.  And maybe it will start you thinking of some that really bug you, too.  I believe most of this has come about by my dependence on electronic devices and spending too much time reading stuff on my phone and/or computer.  Here's my list of the words/phrases that have me steaming the most when I hear or read them:

WOKE
GASLIGHTING
TOXIC
MULTICULTURALISM
SYNERGY
OPTICS 
SNOWFLAKE
WHITE PRIVILEGE (I'm tired of feeling guilty.)
CONNECTIVITY (say what?)
CANCEL CULTURE (oh, if only we could ...)
LGBTQ?
BINARY
TROLL
VAPING

Like, 😛!  Okay ... I feel better.  

Now, what has been going on in my world ...  I'll work my way backward.

Last Saturday -- it was a gorgeous day -- we drove to Ferdinand.  Had a fun drive BTW, going south through the country on state highways, thru Amish country, Osgood, Velpen, etc.  Just a lovely winding way.  Then after we'd stopped in Huntingburg for a donut, we took a country road into Ferdinand.  That is some beautiful scenery down there; we could see the spire of the monastery of the Sisters of St. Benedict several miles out.  Lovely.  
First we went to the 9th Street Studio and spent some time there.  Wendell bought a unique little wooden bowl made by Rob McIntosh. I was given a personal tour of the carriage house/studio where they have classes because I'm interested in an advanced weaving class, and we talked about that.  We both enjoyed this gallery and recommend it if you're ever in Ferdinand.

Here's the 9th Street Studio from the exterior; as you can see, it's in a lovely old home.

I especially enjoyed these photos of roosters in the snow ...

Here's the wooden bowl Wendell bought.  

After we went there, we visited the local antiques shop.  All I found to buy, that I really needed (LOL!), was an old canteen for the wine room.  It's a really good shop; large and varied enough for all tastes.  If you're into antiques, check it out.  Here's my favorite booth there:

There's a booth there also that I love ... it has steam punk items.  I enjoy seeing how people re-purpose old stuff!  My son Jeff and DIL Jane are now into steam punk ... Here's my favorite lamp from that booth, made from an old lightning rod base (I really dig that big bulb!)

Our 57th wedding anniversary was this month.  My sweetie sent me a bouquet of 5 roses and 7 carnations.  (For our 57th ... get it?)  The bouquet was very nice and I thought it was great that he did this since the 57th is not a "special" year to celebrate.  But he said now every one is special.  I agree.

Hey! I did finish another hooked rug.  This one is called "Peonies and Tulips" and I'm giving it to my friend Jane.  She is special and deserves so much more than this small token!  I still have more rugs that I should give away ... gotta get with that!

Last week I cleaned out my kitchen and dining room cupboards and cabinets.  Everything is spic n' span there!  Took two LARGE sacks of 'stuff' to Goodwill and gave some away to friends.  As I was doing that I really took a good look at my "Italy" collection (below) as it was all sitting out on the counter top.  And I love it.  Wish I used it more often!  I have fun collecting these dishes and looking for them at antiques shops is the best!  It's been about a year since I found any new pieces ... maybe I'll find another treasure this Saturday -- Leap Year Day!  LOL!

Well, I gotta go ... I can't find the spell check button so if this has errors -- sorry.  

Remember, do something for yourself Saturday with this extra day.  God is good!

2020's flying!

Whew!  I can't believe that the first month of this new year is almost done.  We had our monthly breakfast at church today, and it's always the last Sunday of the month ... the last Sunday of the month!  Yikes!  I made a new recipe today -- a breakfast casserole; why do I always do that?  You shouldn't really try out a new recipe on someone else, should you?  But it turned out okay.  I had faith because it was a "pioneer woman" recipe -- Tater Tot Casserole.  Basically a potato, egg, sausage, cheese casserole.  Real stick-to-your-ribs food to get you through church service!  😋  

So, anyway, I need to catch up here since January is flying by!  This has been a slow winter for me.  We're not doing much except going to doctor appointments it seems.  I have done some weaving and dyeing wool for rug hooking.  Also did a 'little' needlepunch -- I enjoy that!  We're used to going away for a few weeks and here we are, stuck in Indiana.  But thankfully we've had unusually warm temps, so I'm happy with that.  And today is sunny and clear.  What more could a person ask?  I need to quit complaining!  Being with your church family, enjoying a good breakfast, a singing service at church, a quiet afternoon with my hubby -- all good.  

We were flooded in recently, in a way (you could drive out if you didn't mind driving through the water -- and you had to do so in the truck, not the car), but it wasn't for long.  Sometimes I worry about that aspect of living here, since Wendell isn't enjoying perfect health.  But what will be will be. 

Let me see ... what has been on my mind?  What's been going on?

Well, before I do anything else, I want to show you these pictures.  One a.m. I was in the bedroom making the bed and looked out the window and WOW!  Hundreds, maybe thousands of grackles were in our yard and out into the corn field across the lane and also in the woods all around us.  It was AWESOME!  When they would take off (and then quickly reposition themselves) it would sound like thunder in the distance.  I watched them, and took photos, for about half an hour; here's three of them.  Just ... wow!

When I put away the Christmas decor I spend some time looking at the ornaments, reminiscing.  They all have some memory attached.  These four Jan Cabel made for me and they are so special.  She made these annually and I was lucky enough to receive them for 4 years.  Jan's enjoying her retirement now at Park View Village in Odon, now that Joe's gone.  She isn't able to hook anymore and I miss her at HH and guild.....

One day, out of the blue, I came home and Wendell had brought me flowers.  And found a really appropriate vase for them in the cupboard.  I was pleasantly surprised!  I think they're lovely.  And they lasted a long time, too!  Thank you, honey.

Here's a sunrise over Kelly's Ridge.  I usually get up first and enjoy some quiet time drinking coffee, reading and thinking.  This is what I saw one morning back in December out the dining room window during my quiet time.  The sun's almost ready to pop.

This will be my next hooked rug, I THINK.  I drew this recently from a free pattern in a book entitled, appropriately, "Rug Hooking".  (Duh!)  It's called "tumbling cats".  I think it will be quite challenging!!  What do you think?

Would you believe it?  My sweet granddaughter Veronica turned sweet 16 last week?  Here she was a mere 16 years ago!  Happy birthday V!

Well, that's about all that's new with me.  Like I said, nothing exciting going on this winter.  But who knows ???  Life is full of surprises!  Like the grackles.  
God is good!