HAPPY NEW YEAR

Did you count your blessings for 2009...mine were unmeasurable! Family and friends have I many. I said goodbye to two dear great~aunts that went to live in heaven still a blessing. News of cancer and a radical surgery still a blessing, I still can see and talk with my daddy. A woman in my life who I try to pattern my own life after my Mom she's strong, encouraging, and always has a prayer upon her heart.

Three of the best sisters in the whole world. Yes I admit it I was the big sister who pestered each and every one of them...yet today I received a call from each one with the most encouraging words who could ask for more?

Blessings of two children that are grown and even through the ups and downs of life we have an unconditional love...we talk, we listen, and we respect one another.

The blessing of a grandchild who brings the most wonderful joy into our lives. He's a gift sent straight from heaven.

A husband that is my very best friend, the person I walk hand in hand with, lean upon, and confide in. We talk through our problems, we share in our joys as well as our sorrows....he's my blessing til death do us part.

My mother and father inlaw are a blessing. They are more than extended family we would do anything for one another. Along with extended family is the many nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even grandparents that have passed away....all a blessing for we each have touched one another's life in some way.

Blessings of dear friends some silver some gold. Blessings of just a smile from a stranger, an encouraging word from a pastor, food upon our table, the warmth of a home on a cold, winter night.

My blessings are unmeasurable. Our lives and how we live them has an effect on so many others. So with the end of 2009 I look forward to the many blessings of 2010. Oh I know there will be tears of joy intermixed with tears of sorrow yet I still will count my blessings!

Happy New Year and Happy Trails.....Ginger

Just Me, Hootie!!

Well, today it is just me with Mommy and Dad. Mommy got up early and drove Baby Rocket Dog to see Dr. Hall, our vet. She's having some sort of surgery on her bottom canine tooth. hmmm, doesn't sound like fun to me, but she was all happy and wiggly when she ran out to the car. Last report is that they put her in some foreign kennel and she was not happy about that.

Since I've taken over the blog for today thought you might enjoy a few photos of MOI in my winter scarf. The folks are taking me for a trip to the Bread Basket Bakery where they get yummy stuff. Yup, I'm one lucky dog today. Peace and quiet AND pastry!!

Smooches,

Hootieboy

Spoke to mom on phone

I speak with my mom everyday on the phone. Dad says I sit there listening to every word even though I am a bit confused how I can hear but not see mom. Anyway mom had to have another drain thing put in last night. This is the third one and they are hoping it will help her breath easier. Moms original surgery developed a leak which meant bad stuff got into her body and caused abscesses. They had to drain these and now mom has fluid in her lungs. Mom wants nothing more than to come home and be with dad and me but dad says she has to stay there until she is 100% better. I miss my mom sooooooo much and have never been away from her so long. Mom says I have to say a special thank you to everyone as dad and and me are the only family she has here in the USA so she really appreciates all the wonderful comments

Words from mom

Dad took mom the iPod so she could write a message. They are now thinking it will be Thursday or Friday before she can come home. Mom has yet another infection that they are going to drain today. Mom has been having a lot of bad days and I know she needs me and I don't think it's right that they won't let me see her. Against my better judgment I even let my dad give me a bath in the hope he would take me to see mom. Dad says I must be getting stressed to as for the first time ever I actually gave a little growl when dad put me in the tub. I just want yo know why is this hospital place keeping my mom and why if it's supposed to make her better is she getting worse? I have a plan though I think I need all my buddies and we will plan a mom~napping. We can go in disguised as stuffies, hook our leads to the bed and everyone will think we are sled dogs. I don't think anyone will notice us zooming down the hallways. Will you help save my mom and bring her home?

Hop Scotch Quilt

Strips left from cutting squares for eye spy quilts. There are two of each fabric so a "matching game" can be played. The novelty fabrics are a good learning tool for young children. Shapes, colors and objects may be taught using the quilt. There are stars, paw prints, butterflies, birds, cats....... all in bright colors.

The blue border has smiling sun faces, so cute! This one was sent to my dear niece for her baby girl. Another is in the works, a top ready to quilt.

Woven Diamond Quilt Photo

As I go thru files and find my quilt photos they will be posted on this blog/journal. Here is a photo thought to be lost. It is a top from swapping paper pieced blocks (late summer '09). Actually, most of these blocks I made after the swap because I liked the look of novelty prints in the diamonds. The top just needs the white border finished, not sure if another border strip will be added. The novelty fabrics are fun to look at, like an eye spy quilt. Will 'probly keep this for myself because it has a lot of favorite old scraps from my stash.

Real fun in that snow!

Snow time from MY POINT OF VIEW....... We hit a lot of traffic on the ride up Christmas Day. I had to be patient in my rigged fabric crate for a long time! We stopped for a little hike at Silver Lake, just 5 miles from our destination.

The light was low...it was quite pretty out. Dad found a little hill and made me chase snow balls up and down the hill....'til mom said it was getting too dark (forgot our headlamps) and needed to hike out.

A day later, there was NEW SNOW! And, with one of my Christmas present balls, we played lots of hide-the-ball-in-the-snow! We lost it a few times, but always determined to find it again, and we did.

Mom's gloves served as great hide-in-snow toy too! Sorry mom, you don't really need this do you?

I loved trying to jump up into the snow banks....wasn't always successful!

We saw lots of snow fall Saturday morning. It was pretty in the meadow.

The storm passed Sunday morning and the sun came out!

Like my snow whiskers?

Hope you had a nice holiday and weekend. Besides a few 'bungles' this holiday and on this trip, we had a really nice time. See you again soon!

Backyard Chickens

I mentioned chicken photos in a previous post but forgot to add them. These chickens are living in temp digs out back. After bringing the first six baby chicks home the lady from Recla Ranch called to say they were placing a last order for chicks, did I want more? The big coop out front has room so we ordered two Buff Orpingtons and Two Easter Eggers (blue egg layers). I always thought the Orps were nice looking chickens and they will raise a brood from eggs. Sounded fun to have blue/green eggs from the Eggers. Long story short..... one of the E. Eggers turned out to be a rooster. He was growing faster and his rose comb was very prominent. When we heard crowing from his pen we knew.

Anyway, here is Iggy with his three girls. He started out white with a few black dots, look at him now. The E. Egger hen is a red with huge ear muffs. So far Iggy is a nice rooster with a deep trumpet crow (very loud). LOL The girls won't be expected to lay eggs for at least another two months, right now they enjoy taking dust baths and pecking around.

UPDATE

As of yesterday the hens from the older group have given us 9 eggs in ten days. I think it is the two Rhode Island Reds. This morning DH found two eggs in one basket. I had checked earlier but it was empty.

Crafty Type Stuff

These are aprons sewn Oct '09. The Halloween and chicken apron went to my sis, the sunflower apron was for a fall themed apron swap with my AboutQuilting friends (on line). Sorry, between the flash and sun, the fabrics look washed out but really are vibrant and lovely.

If you've never tried using the narrow bias binding don't be afraid, it is easy. The aprons are so fun I aleady have a few "kits" made up from my stash to sew later on.

Snow Days

It's been a cold one here on the plains of Oklahoma yet today the sun is shining and slowly the snow is melting although they are predicting more for the next few days.

I finished up the snowman rug I started in November just need to get it steamed, hemmed and bound. I used lots of scraps but it doesn't seem to have made a dent in the overflowing basket. I'm sure there is another rug or two to be found in that evergrowing pile of woolley worms.



Someone enjoyed there real first adventure in the snow!



Little did Mom and Dad know over 47 years ago that their lil' family would grow so big and this is just the grandkids!



The cows out at Dad's place were eager to see him coming with bales of hay!






The farmwork never ends but we do enjoy what we do. Christmas time was a time to remember the birth so long ago and the rewards we can have if we only trust and obey!

Happy Trails....Ginger

Christmas Bungles and more snow time!

Greetings from us! Back up at the snow...mom and I are hanging by the fire in the lodge after lots of ball play in some fresh snow....I'll take a nap in a bit, while mom heads out to ski...it's been snowing and fun!!! The photos are from our last trip but will put new ones on this week. We wanted to share our bungles... Christmas Eve mom and dad went to a family Christmas gathering. I hung out in the car in my travel crate with some peanut butter bones. Before dessert, mom brought me in to say hello. Looked like a party inside and two other mellow doggies hanging out. I got so excited, as you can imagine!!! However, guess a little too excited as I was quickly put BACK in my little house with more snacks. Well....no likey!!! With my powerful paws, I snaggled my way out of the crate, and was able to eat some of dad's delicious car things....windowshield, a box, papers... How could they think I would be happy hanging out in my hut, with a party going on?! My hoomans!

Well...needless to say mom and dad did not seem too happy to see my project! Especially when this is the crate I hang out in when we go in the camper! However, so far on this trip, mom has been able to wear me out enough that I just chill (whew! says mom).

Our first morning here, I was so excited, as the day before we did a lot of car driving. Mom took me out in the snowy meadow for some fun..... I quickly found a flying bag...(it was windy) and woowee started snaggling the darn thing..... But, as mom came over to take it away (of course), I bucked my head, just as she was leaning down grabbing hold of MY bag. We collided....my head to her nose and cheek. Poor mom...thought she had broken her nose and now with blood streaming down her face, out in the middle of the meadow...tears from mom. She was ok, just a line of nicks along her cheek and I was ok, no injuries. What a start to the MORNING!

So, those were our BUNGLES....Otherwise, I've been good in my rigged crate, gotten out for lots of ball play in the snow, walkies, hanging out with mom and dad, and they have had some time on those zoomie downhill things.... So, we're all ok, having a nice time and it's SNOWING!!

Dad doesn't channel me as well as the mom so please bare with him. Mom is still in the hospital...the doctor says she might come home on Monday. I wish Dad had a therapy dog vest so he could take me to see her. We have also gotten bunches of snow. If I could stand on it I could escape because it is over the fence in my back yard. Here is what my front walk looks like.

Thank you all for you thoughts and prayers for my Mom.

Christmas 2009

It is Dec 25th so Merry Christmas today. Here is a Christmas photo to remember. Quilt was mailed to SIL along with some fancy tea and chocolates. More kitty blocks from swapping on the AboutQuilting forum. Cotton batting was used and close together quilting design so when washed the quilt was nice and crinkly for an old-fashioned look.

Chicken Info and Mundane Chores

Ok, it's not so easy to post on the blog real often, at least not lately. But, that said..... here are some chicken pics. The first egg from the summer chicks, now there are six in the fridge waiting to be omletized.

Other photos from last week beforeit turned cold and snowed. Temps are around 30 at night so the horses stay in barn stalls/paddocks at night. This ceates a lot of manure to clean up. The ATV pulls our "Newr Spreader" and the ground up manure is spread (for now) in the round pen. The ground is hard so this keeps horse feet from becoming sore and bruised when lunging them. As old as Moose is (17) he still needs a few turns around the pen to get the fizz out before a ride.

Blizzard in Oklahoma!

Uncommon words for sure. They say it hasn't been this bad since 1914. The winds are howling at 50 to 60 miles an hour and just about all the interstates are shut down as well as the H.E. Bailey Turnpike. They say the malls are still jam packed though...
Not me I'm home the house is cleaned up and hopefully I can get the cooking done.



The guys are always out and about doing something feeding the cows, working out in the shop, or something that just can't seem to wait!



Christmas with all the family has been rescheduled for Saturday at lunch with the weather being so bad. Multi car pile ups are happening all over the state and I would rather have everyone safe. So tonight I'll be enjoying warm cocoa and find some time to work on my snowman rug.....Let it Snow!

Happy Trails....Ginger

Merry Christmas Friends!!

To all our buddies out there in the blogisphere we hope you have a blessed Christmas! Mommy and Papa will go to evening church and when they get home around midnight said they will give us a special treat. We can hardly wait! We have been practicing sleeping like little angels so that Santa will leave us something good. Our stocking is very big so maybe a cow leg bone??

Love you all,

Baby Rocket Dog and Hootie