Church Key

Happy Monday to you dear friends!  How was your weekend?  How is the weather in your neck of the woods?
On Saturday I went to a women self defense class in the morning-it was so helpful and also fun.  The class was taught for the women in my church and the teachers were a husband/wife team who teach martial arts.  I came away with a "church key"-aka old fashioned bottle opener for my keychain.  It is a great weapon for self defense-specifically using the sharp end to inflict damage in the event you are being attacked.  However, I'm not sure I'll leave it on my keyring, due to the fact if there is an accident etc it could cause some serious damage to my leg.
Yesterday was really good-church first thing in the morning and then the afternoon was pretty quiet.  WE have a new pastor joining the church and so I got to hear him preach~I really liked him.
Today I'm walking and also waiting on a call from my doctor about an ongoing issue I have and testing for it.  I will also be sewing, plus household chores.
I hope your week starts out perfectly and that January draws to a close finding us with a heart of gratitude.
Hugs,
Noreen

What A Beauty

Happy Thursday to you! I have to say I am so very thankful to be able to share this Singer Treadle Sewing Machine from 1910 that my hubby bought and refinished. He did such a wonderful job and I so appreciate it. You might remember that I have my mother's and grandmother's Singer Treadle that was manufactured on March 6, 1903; initially I thought it was just my mother's, but in hind sight realized my grandmother would have gotten it. Mine doesn't work and hasn't worked for years, but it is the sentimental ties that binds my heart to it. The new machine does work and has the original boxes(as shown)with attachments and is in good working order. When we bought it, some friends asked if hubby would restore it to sell. These friends don't value antiques like we do! What is nice is that now we have two antique machines with stands that can be passed on to our granddaughters-with the understanding that Grandpa put a lot of hours of work into them and they can't be painted. Our new Treadle sits downstairs in the t.v. area where we can see it and appreciate it; the other is in my sewing room.  Along with this machine and base, we also received another Singer Sewing Machine that runs off of a motor, but that was also made in 1910.  I have the series numbers for the machines and how many were made.
Many of my quilting friends have 3-5 sewing machines and I guess I'm catching up-not that it was planned.  I have my Baby Lock that I love and also our beginner Baby Lock for our grands-plus now three antique machines.  Life is good.
I am thankful for this life, the beauty of where we live, being able to get together with friends to walk or sew and the Grace that saved me.
How about you-what are you thankful for today?
Noreen

Good Afternoon, Here are some graphics for all you dog lovers out there about breed compatibility.

I will say that Puppyspot looks like a site to find breeds and puppies. I have not used them or don't know much about the site, but thought this was good information.  You can find the site here:
https://www.puppyspot.com

So friends, go give your pup a big hug!
Noreen

Prairie Falcon

Good Morning to you!  Yesterday afternoon I got a call from my daughter asking me what to do with a wounded Falcon that was in her yard and couldn't fly; immediately I told her to call-but before I could finish she said "Oh it just flew, it's not hurt at all".  I was thankful to hear this~she and the kids were in the yard when she spotted this beautiful bird just standing on the grass. She walked over to get a better look and got within 5 feet of it, it didn't take off-thus call Mom, she'll know what to do.
What she found out after it took off was that it was eating a wild bunny in the yard.  So she got the kiddos inside, lest they investigate to closely and waited for hubby to get home to clean up the mess.
The falcon did go to the top of their roof-maybe to wait it out until the humans left, so it could finish its meal.  I haven't heard whether the carcass was still there when our sil got home.  Great science lesson.  Well Done Kim!!!
We got a light dusting of snow last night, but the roads are all clear this morning.  Yeah.  I'm going to be working on some sewing this morning and not sure what this afternoon holds yet.
I hope you have a fantastic Tuesday!
Hugs,
Noreen

Until We Meet Again

Many of you know that one of ours Kathy Porter, a dear blogging buddy and quilter, passed a week ago from Ovarian Cancer.  She was dear to many of us, an encourager to all, a wonderful mom and Nana to her 4 T's.  

Here is her obituary:

Kathleen "Kathy" Ann Porter, went to heaven at 9:34 AM on January 16, 2017. She died peacefully at her home surrounded by her loved ones after a hard fought battle with ovarian cancer. She was supported by BJC Hospice Care team, who provided great care for her comfort.
She was born February 7, 1951, in Highland, IL., to Robert and Doris Koonce. She grew up in Greenville and graduated from Greenville High School in 1969.  
She married Charlie Porter on December 18, 1987. He survives. Also surviving are her father, Bob Koonce, her daughter Robin Stephens, her son-in-law Mike Stephens, her four grandchildren, Trey, Taryn, Tucker and Tressa Stephens; her two sisters, Kay Koonce Holsted (Greg Olson) and Lisa Koonce (Mark Bader); two nephews Ben and Jon Holsted. 
She was preceded in death by her mother, Doris, and an infant daughter, Melinda Rose.
As a single parent, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting at SIUE in June 1981. She worked at Cassens and Sons for seven years. She retired from SIUE, after 20 years of service, in 2008. During her retirement, she enjoyed helping others, spending time with loved ones, and working on her hobbies. She was a loyal Cardinal and Blues fan, as well as a long-time member of LeClaire Christian Church. She enjoyed reading, quilting, and traveling to the beach. Most of all, she enjoyed all the time spent with her daughter and grandchildren.
Condolences to the family can be expressed online through this online guestbook.
A celebration of life will be held from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday, January 19, 2017, at Sunset Hill Funeral Home in Glen Carbon, IL. Her funeral will begin at 1:00 PM Friday, January 20, 2017, at Sunset Hill Funeral Home with Minister Jerry Kizzire presiding over the service. Memorials may be made to: Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance, PO Box 32141, New York, NY, 10087.

I got to know Kathy through blogging and can't remember who introduced me to her.  Her love of family and quilting bonded us immediately. Kathy was always there if I had a question about a technique or pattern.  Once when I was having an eye issue, she really pushed me to be seen immediately by my eye doctor.  She was also there with prayers for me when I went in for my hysterectomy, to remove an Ovarian mass.  When she began feeling under the weather and started sharing her symptoms, I pushed her to see her doctor as soon as possible.  The outcome was the same as my sisters-Ovarian Cancer.  Kathy rallied to the fight like a seasoned warrior.  Unfortunately the disease took her faster than we all expected.  Kathy fought it with courage and grace.  
I will miss this dear friend, but know that someday I'll get to meet her in Glory.
If you could, please remember her family in prayer.

Let each day we have be a blessing to others.

Noreen

In The Shadow of Denali by Tracie Peterson

Once again award winning authors Tracie Peterson and KimberleyWoodhouse have written a book that is rich in history of Alaska, intriguing and suspenseful and characters that draw you into the plot.
Here is Tracie's description:
 "Cassidy Ivanoff and her father, John, work at the new and prestigious Curry Hotel outside Mt. McKinley. While John will be expedition and wilderness exploration guide for the wealthy tourists, Cassidy has signed on as a cook’s assistant. Both are busy as the hotel prepares to welcome the president of the United States on his way to drive in the golden spike to officially complete the railroad.
Allan Brennan travels to the Curry Hotel to be an apprentice of a seasoned Alaska mountain guide. Ever since his father’s death climbing Mt. McKinley, he’s worked to earn enough money to make the trek to the Alaska territory himself. His father’s partner blames their guide for the death of his father, but Allan wants to find the truth for himself. He finds an unlikely ally in Cassidy, and as the two begin to look into the mystery, they suddenly find that things are much less clear, and much more dangerous, than either could ever imagine."

You all know that I love Alaska and have seen Denali, so this book was a winner for me from the get go.
I would rate it 10 of 10.  I am looking forward to the next book in the series.  
Bethany House has provided me this book; all opinions are my own and I received no compensation for my review.  
If you love Historical Fiction look for this new book-you won't be disappointed.
Noreen

Sewing Fun

Happy Wednesday to you! For all those quilters~I want to share a great t-shirt that I found from a quilting buddy. Back in December, the 10th to be exact, I was checking in on blog friends and happened across Debbie's post at From The Strawberry Patch with her photo wearing this shirt(not this shirt, but one just like it).

Her daughter makes them and I loved it and had to have one.  Actually there are so many friends I could purchase it for, but decided it would be better to just advertise it here.
It could be for anyone who sews on a regular basis. The shirt is a good quality and the price is $19.00
I always try to support home businesses, if I can.
If you are interested I'd be happy to pass on her email address.
It is a beautiful day today and making me anxious for some of Arizona's warmth in a few weeks.
Maybe someday we will go and stay for a month, then I could meet lots of quilting friends in the flesh.  This blogging world is so small and close knit; it's fun when you get to meet in the flesh.
Here is her Debbie's link: http://strawberrypatchquiltworks.blogspot.com/2016/12/im-here-to-tell-ya.html
Hugs today,
Noreen

All We Need Is Love

Hello dear friends,  In the midst of the changes and politics of government, there has been a lot of really harsh comments being made by both Democrats and Republicans.  I'm not sure about you, but I'm pretty tired of it all.  I have family and friends on both sides of the arena and they are the most  equally intelligent, beautiful, inspirational, giving people I know.  I do not think of them differently because of who they voted for and I won't lower myself to calling names.  I have a dear friend whose family have wounded her deeply, by calling her names that do not reflect who she is.  The relationships will forever be broken by such words as racist, bigot etc etc.  Her heart is broken as these were the siblings she thought would never attack her due to her political beliefs.  It has grieved me to see how broken she is.  I have seen more people becoming more intolerant and judgmental towards those who believe differently.  This morning I woke up with an old Beatles song in my head and decided I have to share it.  You may think I'm a simpleton, but truly we all need to be more tolerant and respectful of those whom have different views.  In fact, some folks who are always preaching tolerance for others, have become just the opposite.

Love Is All We Need
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love. Love is all you need.
All you need is love. (All together now).
All you need is love. (Everybody).
All you need is love, love. Love is all you need.
Love is all you need.
Love is all you need

Pretty simple, if not love than how about a little respect for diverse ideologies.  May our hearts realize just how much we'll miss by breaking relationships over who is in Washington DC.  
I want to honor all those who think differently than I do, even if I don't agree with them.  We've all seen leaders and politicians that we didn't like/respect, but we respected the office they held.  
Many are afraid that we are facing a civil war here in America-I sure hope not.
It's time to wake up.
Noreen

Happy Monday to you!  Just about the time I start think of changing my background to a February theme-aka hearts, the snow returns and my background seems so appropriate.  I hope you all had a good weekend and found time to do something you love.  I mentioned on Friday that we were having friends over on Saturday evening for dinner and games; we started the stew on Friday and then let it simmer for the afternoon on Saturday.  I finished a new book I am reviewing-loved it and can't wait for the next in the series.  Our friends arrived at 5:00 and we had such a delightful time with them.  After a hearty meal, we played cards and then also had dessert of fresh fruit.
Yesterday, I went to church and after lunch we drove down to Denver to go to Trader Joes~they have a wine hubby likes and they are the only Trader Joes in Colorado that is able to sell liquor/wine.  As we left there it started snowing lightly. We watched the two football games in the afternoon and had an enjoyable evening; I finished the binding on a table runner while watching.  We had been in the forecast for 1-3"; we never got any last evening, but woke up to it this morning.  Hubby says its icy-which translates to "stay inside"; so I am.
Today I've started laundry and will head to a neighbors at ten for coffee and a catch up.  This afternoon will find me downstairs sewing.
Hubby and I are planning 4-5 day visit to AZ in February, to see friends and enjoy sunshine.  Right now, I can't wait.
I hope you are staying warm and enjoying life.
Hugs,
Noreen

Happy Friday to you!  It's amazing how quickly the days pass by and before you know it, I have't posted.  Oh my!  Yesterday was a full, but wonderful day; I started out meeting my girlfriend Kam at our Rec Center to walk the indoor track.  It is still to cold and there is a lot of snow on the ground-so this was our answer to needing exercise. We walked for about 50 minutes-almost 3 miles; it felt so good.  There is a new excise facility there as well as lots of classes and several pools.  WE plan to meet there once a week, at least; in April I will have my Silver Sneaker card and not have to pay-yeah!  I came home and had lunch with hubby; we always play cards at lunch, so fun.
After lunch four of the grands came over to hang out while our girl took one to a Vision Class.
After they left, a neighbor and I went to a Christian Bookstore to look at bible studies to do with another neighbor.
Today, I have my mini-group for our neighborhood quilt group; it is always so fun to see what everyone has been working on.  Hubby and I will go to the store in the afternoon to stock up~we are having friends over for dinner and cards on Saturday.  What to fix?  I think we've decided on a Beef Stew, Break and they will bring dessert.
That's about all that is new here.
I hope you have a fantastic day and restful weekend.
Joy to you!
Noreen

Chewy

We are a Chewy.com influencer. We received no compensation for this post. We are helping spread the word about treats, foods and Chewy.com.

Merrick Power Bites are all-natural, soft and chewy treats with big taste and industry-leading levels of protein packed into every bite. They start with real deboned meat as the #1 ingredient, with added nutrition from fresh fruits and vegetables. Perfect for rewarding or training, your dog is sure to love Power Bites!

Key Benefits

• Real beef is the #1 ingredient
• Grain-free and gluten-free for food-sensitive pets
• Antioxidant-rich with sweet potatoes, apples and blueberries
• Made from quality ingredients from local growers
• Perfect for rewarding or training, your dog is sure to love Power Bites!

As you can see Hunter was so excited to get this month's treats, in fact if he could have opened it he would have.  He loved the smell and took the treat, but immediately dropped it and walked away.  Hunter is such a fussy dog and has had Merrick products before and loved them~so I'm not sure what is going on with him.  I just decided I will add it to his kibble every morning with other items I add in.  I love that they are rich in antioxidants and the perfect size for him.  Last night our daughter came over with her kiddos and their Miniature Schnauzer, who gets treats only occasionally and also when she is here; I'm not sure what the reason is but she did the exact same thing-dropped the treats on the floor and walked away.  Neither dog would eat them.  I'd be interested to know whether anyone else has had this reaction from their dog.

A big welcome and thank you to Natalie at Chewy, who is the new coordinator for the blogger program.  We love Chewy and Hunter always knows when I've order things-he eagerly goes to the box and wants the goodies right now.  

Your Chewy Influencers, 

Noreen and Hunter

Good Morning to you!  WE had the nicest warm day yesterday-our temp actually got up into the 50's, which turned all the snow on the road to slush.  Last night we got the strongest winds and this morning much of the snow is melted or blown away.
I had a good class yesterday, but shortly after I got there my sewing machine started having problems-which led to me being very frustrated!  Thankfully, the owner of the shop let me us hers; however the whole situation made it difficult for me to really absorb one area that I needed.  Hopefully with the instruction sheet and the teacher's phone number, I'll get it down.  Now I'll take a better look at my machine and probably have to take it into the shop for repairs-oh boy; thankfully I have the granddaughters sewing machine I can use. Who ever would have thought that quilters would need more than one machine-I'm sure our grandmothers didn't have that luxury.
I hope you have an enjoyable day today.
Blessings~
Noreen

Postscript:  I just took my machine apart, cleaned it thoroughly, oiled it and adjust my needle-viola, it is now sewing perfectly!  Saved me a bunch on taking it to the shop.  The teacher yesterday says she oils her machine every time she changes bobbins-it's been awhile since I oiled it, but I'll be more diligent now.  I also know you should change your needle every month or so, if you are sewing daily.
Now, I can relax and sew this afternoon.

Monday Monday

Hello again. To those of you who live in California, please be safe~our family is telling us all about the torrential downpours you are getting, along with flooding and mudslides. We had hoped to make a trip out next week, but after hearing all that we said "Nope". I've mentioned a lot of birds have shown up again now that it's winter. This was a shot I caught over the weekend; let me tell you there were so many other doves nesting in our trees as well as the neighbors trees.

Going to head to Costco shortly to load up and then this afternoon I have a class at a local quilt store-just a tune up on my skills, which I need. Our weather this week, even today, will be so much warmer which means the snow will melt into slush and the cars will be so dirty. Mine Highlander is filthy, so hubby likes taking it because his is so clean.
 I hope you all have a great day!
Joy to you!
Noreen

Sunshine

Happy Friday to you!  As you can see we are still having bitterly cold temps here in No.Colorado.  However, this morning is sunny with blue skies-makes my heart soar.

The hawk was back in our neighbor's tree this morning-couldn't get his face.

Here is the view from outside on our deck.  Got to love it, especially since I don't need to go out today.  We were supposed to meet up with friends from Ca. for lunch, but decided it was so cold-I know we do live in Colorado.  I can't stay in her brother's house, due to so much dust and dander from their 15 dogs-it gives me asthma.  So the last few years when I go to see her, we need to go out somewhere.

I'll head downstairs shortly to sew-seems like I've got plenty of time for that these days and I love the slower pace.  I thought about going to our rec center to walk, but getting inside can be tricky with ice, so think I'll wait till next week.
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Hugs,
Noreen

Good morning to you. Today I am thankful that I was able to get out and help hubby shovel snow; this is the first time this winter that I have and I remember just how much work it is. We also shoveled the sidewalk in front of two neighbors homes~one is away for three months and the other couple are older and it is more difficult. Of course, I'm so happy that our oldest grandson is now adding snow removal to his business of mowing lawns. The only drawback is that with still being in school, he can only come over in the afternoon. We are so proud of his business sense and hard working personality. Last night, hubby was just getting ready to go out and shovel the driveway one more time, as he opened the garage our grandson was almost done with it. He Rocks! So this is what we have this morning~pretty, but cold.

Hubby is also so thoughtful and diligent to clear the steps down to the yard and also to clear a patch of lawn for Hunter.

Today will be another inside day-though the sun is shining. I am determined to get downstairs to my sewing room. I do have two major projects, but when I cleaned my closet the other day came across a small spring wall hanging that just needed binding-which I will do this morning. Then onto piecing my Fig Leaf top together; next will be layering my blue ocean quilt from last summer so I can start hand quilting it.  I have to admit that after I machine quilted some table runners for Christmas, I found it fast and enjoyable.  So I may just plan on that for small projects.
Hope you are staying warm-for those in AZ, I know you are.
Hugs,
Noreen

Winter Friends

With the arrival of cold, snowy weather we are seeing different birds and wildlife than we normally see. The Magpies have returned and lately we've been seeing red squirrels in our yards. As long as we've lived in No.Colorado we haven't had squirrels until this year. We are also seeing more hawks than normal and haven't yet seen our Bald Eagles that winter here. This morning we spotted a squirrel in our neighbors tree and while I was trying to get a photo of him, he jumped from their Aspen to our Pine tree; he almost didn't make it. He disappeared into the branches, I sure wish I could have gotten him mid-air. Then around lunch we spotted this beauty on our Pergola. He kept fluffing his feathers-I'm sure trying to get warm.

We've seen some really big hawks on the golf course-intently watching for prey. Our snow has continued and we are staying in the rest of the day. I'll be going downstairs to sew for a bit, then starting a new Karen Kingsbury book that hubby gave me for Christmas.
I hope your day is going well!
Blessings to you!
Noreen

Winter Has Arrived

Good Morning Friends~I wanted to share our winter wonderland that we woke up to this morning. We knew we were getting an arctic storm tonight or tomorrow, it just arrived earlier than we thought and brought a lot more snow. All I can say is that it is beautiful out and I'm glad I don't have to go out till later this morning; in fact, if I didn't need to get a blood test and pick up meds I would simply stay home all day. Thankfully, hubby will be home later and drive me on these errands. He is out this morning and said the roads haven't been plowed yet.  While I love the beauty of the snow, I don't like to venture out as much as I did in past years.
Hope you are getting some nice weather where you are.
Blessings~
Noreen

Happy New Year to all of you!  I hope you had a great weekend and that your year is starting off well.
Hubby and I went to our favorite restaurant for an early dinner on New Year's Eve and then headed to our daughter's house for a night of games.  The game of choice, that the grands haven't played, was Pictionary~we used to play it all the time when the girls were younger.  It was hysterical and reinforced my lack of drawing ability.  We had lots of good treats and the girls won the first game while the boys/guys won the second game.  Hubby, I and Hunter headed home around 10:00 and had the lights off by 10:30.  Yesterday was a pretty relaxed day; after church we just hung out until the football games started.  Some neighbors came over to watch the Broncos, but they had been gone for 1.5 months and it was more of a catch-up than serious rooting for the Broncos.  Today began with taking down almost all of the Christmas decorations-except for those that could be considered winter decor.  I also walked with my neighbor gals and have to run a few errands as well as finish boxing up our decorations.
Many of you choose a new word for the New Year and I always do as well. This year my new word is NEW; it will be interesting to see what the year holds.  WE do hope to get back to No.Ca for a weekend and are planning a trip to Maine in the fall.  For that trip, I can't wait.
That's about all that is new here.  Hope you are blessed beyond measure this year.
Joy to you.
Noreen