Hexies and More Hexies

I am addicted to making little hexies...hexagons to be exact.  English Paper Piecing was making a come-back and I was determined to resist.  I made it until February 2013, when I was blessed with the opportunity to attend a Jo Morton quilting retreat in Nebraska.  Let me tell you - the girls at the retreat loved some hexies- so I took the plunge.  I am now messing around with 1/2" hexies and I have 2 projects started with 3/4" hexies.


So what are these things and what do they turn into?  There are lots of great examples on Pinterest.  Search Grandmother's Flower Garden and English Paper Piecing and you will see some wonderful examples of beautiful vintage and reproduction quilts.

I am just getting started so I can't show you a finished project but I am sharing progress to date.

Getting started.  You will need some tools.  I know our ancestors probably cut paper pieces out of newsprint or whatever they had available, but I opted to order heavy-weight pieces from http://www.paperpieces.com/.  After playing around with cutting for a day, I went back online and ordered the acrylic template that was the appropriate size for the hexagons I was using.  The template allows me to stack multiple layers of fabric and use a small rotary cutter or scissors to cut the fabric. Using a rotary cutter is faster, but - silly me -likes the feel of sharp dressmakers scissors cutting
through fabric. (Note - I use a rotary cutter all the time for other types of cutting.)



I pulled from my stash and visited a couple of quilt shops to gather the 30's reproduction fabric I wanted to use.  I am actually doing 2 projects at the same time - 1 for me and one for my daughter.  My flowers are all colors and have yellow centers, while Jenn's are more orange, yellow, green, and brown, with orange centers, to coordinate with the colors in her vintage kitchen.  Trust me - we collected far more fabric in various colors and patterns than what you see here.  Part of the fun is collecting and petting the fabric...

To get started, I cut the fabric into hexagons using the acrylic template to get the right size. I punched a hole in the center of each paper piece so I could pin it in place on the fabric as shown above. By doing that, the paper stayed centered while folding and stitching and the paper pieces were easy to pop out later. There are all kinds of ways to stitch, but for me, it worked best to fold and baste the fabric at each corner.  I started by tying a small knot in the thread and with my thumb and finger, I folded down the first side and then the next, forming a neat mitered corner. I inserted the needle right at the corner and took a small stitch to secure the fold. I then folded the next side down and made one long stitch to jump to the corner and made a small stitch to secure that corner.  I continued until all 6 corners were tacked down.  (Note - The basting thread will all be removed when the hexies are sewn together.)


Once I had 6 flower hexies and 1 center hexie basted, I stitched them - right sides together - with a tiny whipstitch.  I added extra stitches on the corners to secure the edges.  I continued attaching each of the flower hexies to the center piece to form 1 flower block. When the center hexie was surrounded, I popped the  paper piece out of it, making it easier to sew more hexies together.  Continue in this manner until the desired number of flowers are made.

I am in the process of joining flowers together to make a diamond-shaped tablerunner.  This is where I am so far.  All of my hexies are sewn together and I am deciding how to quilt and bind it.

This has definitely been a "learn as I go" process.  My stitching got smoother and faster as I progressed.  I enjoy the peacefulness of handwork and I am excited to see how this turns out.  I will posted the finished product.

Happy stitching - Letitia

Another Day

Today is November 18, 2015 and it has been over 2 years since I have even thought about my blog, much less written anything for it.  A lot has changed and a lot has stayed the same.  I am a new Grandma.  My beautiful grandson was born 5 1/2 weeks early.  Today is day 31 in NICU.  If all continues to go well, he will be able to go home in the next week.  Since his actual due date is a week from today, that would be a good thing.  I am sure I am hopelessly biased, but he is the the most beautiful baby ever!  We will be visiting them next week and I hope to finally have the chance to hold him.

On another note, John and I are retiring June 30 and will be moving to a family home in his hometown of Hope.  We have a lot to do to get the house ready to move into, but I think we can be ready to complete the move in July.  We hope to start the remodeling next month when we are off for Christmas break.  The outside of the house has just been painted so we just have interior work to do this winter.

Everything else is much the same.  I am still trying to finish quilts and scrapbook and read and cook more.  John and I are making plans for the things we hope to do when we retire.  The world is a scary place.  God is bigger than all the scary.

One misty, moisty morning

This morning brought to mind an old English nursery rhyme.  I never remember more than the first two lines, but those 2 lines always pop into my brain on the first fall morning when I walk outside and the world is shrouded in a thick layer of fog.

           One misty, moisty morning,

           When cloudy was the weather,
           I chanced to meet an old man

           Clothed all in leather:
           He began to compliment,
           And I began to grin–
           “How do you do?” and “How do you do?”
            And “How do you do?” again!

                             From Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations

Fall is my favorite time of year and October is the best month of all.  I love the crisp mornings and the changing colors - the flannel shirts and snuggly sweaters - the beautiful mums and variety of pumpkins and other gourds.  

Immediately after Labor Day weekend, I have to pull out the tubs and do the "fall-thing" to our house.  Yes - it was as hot as blue blazes when I pulled them out, but the calendar said September, so October was next-in-line.  It was all done well before the first cool day, but that's ok.  It makes me smile to see little hints of fall scattered throughout our home.  

May you see the beauty of God's creation all around you this fall.

Blessings ~ Letitia

Beautiful Summer Day

Beautiful - Summer- Day - in July???  What's up with that?  Yes - it is hot and humid - it's mid-July in Arkansas.  Historically, the only thing harder for me to face than mid-July in Arkansas - is AUGUST.  I have not been a summer person since moving to a job that required working all summer.  You know - summer has always been fine until the 5th of July, then I'm ready for it to be over.  Let's just move on to Labor Day with the promise of cooler days to follow.

I had an "ah-ha" moment this morning.  I am enjoying this summer.  I will admit that the hot days have been interspersed with some not-so-hot days, but even the hot ones have been OK.  We've done some traveling and visiting and I've spent time working in the yard - cooking - sewing - reading - studying - and it has all been good - because of summer not in spite of it.

I've read and done my Bible study outside - early in the morning.  It has been wonderful.  Menus and activities have been planned - taking the heat into account.  Curious that it has taken me so many of my adult years to figure this out.  It is possible for me to enjoy summer - when I work with it and not fuss about it!

Speaking of planning menus for summer.  I decided that I wanted to make a cool, light dessert - easy to make - and not too bad for us.  I found a promising one on Pinterest yesterday.  I followed the link to the original blog and it has great pictures and easy-to-follow directions for a "No-Bake Chocolate Eclair Dessert".  Checkout her recipe and directions at http://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2012/03/no-bake-chocolate-eclair-dessert.html.

Now for my version.  I used her recipe, but substituted lower fat and lower sugar options through-out.  If it tastes nearly as good as it looks and smells, we are in for a treat tonight.

My version of the filling has sugar-free vanilla pudding, low-fat milk, and Cool-Whip Free layered with low-fat graham crackers.  The chocolate glaze has cocoa, Truvia Blend, and butter.  Chocolate glaze needs butter.  I tasted the pudding/cool whip mixture and the chocolate glaze and they were both super yummy.  It is chilling now and I can't wait to pull it out for dinner tonight with my grilled lean chops and fresh green beans and new potatoes!

Have a great beautiful summer day!

Blessings ~

King and Ballard Antiques and Collectibles

Sounds impressive, or at least official.  Jenn and I started talking about getting a booth at an antique mall/flea market several years ago.  We started buying a few things here and there - carefully logging them in our journal and packing them away.  Next, came the desire/need to downsize my collection of "stuff" because there was NO place to put anymore of anything.  My little house was full. Then I got married and I only thought it was full before.  THEN, my Dad brought down all of the boxes of stuff that had been packed away for years.  OH MY - do I ever have stuff!  I have taken the plunge.  On May 5, the first of many things to sell went to our dealer booth at a nearby antiques and collectibles mall.  Hopefully, we will sell enough to pay the rent.  Either way, it's fun and I just have to remember to SELL and not to BUY which is very tempting when you walk by neat stuff 3-4 times a week.  Enjoy your day!

Blessings ~ Letitia
                                                                                         

A Beautiful Monday and More

Good Monday Morning!  The sun is shining - the air is warm - flowers are blooming and the birds are singing.  It is a beautiful day in Central Arkansas.  I'm taking a short break from my spring cleaning and thinking about what I want to plant this year to write a bit.

So - for an update on More.   I know that Less is the idea that people are pursuing now.  Less stuff - less stress - less waste, etc.  But Less isn't where I need to be.  In January, I set my goals of  Praying More - Volunteering More - Sharing More and Finishing More.  If you read this blog,you know sharing more hasn't happened so let's just skip that one.

Praying More

 I am doing an online book study with Renee Swope, author of "A Confident Heart."  Have you ever read a book where you feel the author is talking about your life in EVERY chapter?  Yes - pretty much - this is it for me.  To do this study requires much prayer and soul-searching - or at least it is for me.  I am also using a wonderful devotional that John bought me for Christmas, Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace in His Presence.  Each daily entry has 2-3 scripture references that I am spending time with.  Between the two books and the time spent in prayer, I am in a better place than I have been in for a long time.




Finishing More

I am finding time every single day to do a creative thing - sewing, knitting, writing, whatever the day brings.  I was raised believing that no play happened until all the chores were done.  Well heavens - the chores are NEVER all done.  I still struggle with this and I am trying not to feel guilty writing right now, because I have laundry to do and spring cleaning to continue.  I know it is about balance and for me that involves pushing through some guilt to do the things that make me who I am.  So laundry and cleaning can wait a few more minutes while I write and think.

Volunteering More

I have always thought that my volunteering needed to be something with kids or something about missions.  After all - I was an educator for 35 year - I am a Christian.  Surely that's where I am SUPPOSED to volunteer.  I have discovered that volunteering isn't about where you think you SHOULD be volunteering, but rather about where your heart is.  I love to sew and knit and make things and garden and so much more.  I have loved going to Mountain View for 30 years and talking to the artisans and craftsmen and listening to the music.  Thanks to a good friend telling me about the Committee of One Hundred for the Ozark Folk Center and getting me involved, I have found my place.  I am working with a great group of women on the Board, in PR, and on the Committee at large doing things to support ideas and people who are dear to my heart.  Volunteering isn't work at all when you love what you are doing.  (Thanks Carol!!)  Check out our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/COOHOzarkFolkCenter and the Ozark Folk Center State Park website http://www.ozarkfolkcenter.com/  for more information on some great things that are going on in our state.  (Any hints for managing a Facebook page would be appreciated since I am very new at this.)

Have a great week!

Blessings ~ Letitia

Finish More - Knitted Color-Block Throw

Last winter I visited Rabbit's Lair, which is an amazing quilt and fiber shop in Northwest Arkansas. They are one of my favorite shops and time spent in there - surrounded by much beauty - is time well-spent.  Of course the trick is to carefully manage the money spent at the same time. 

When I walked in the door, a beautiful jewel-toned color block throw caught my eye,  The pattern called for a lot of yarn, but was easy to knit and I decided to buy 1 skein of each color to give it a try. It turned out to be super easy to knit and was as beautiful as I remembered.  I bought the rest of the yarn to finish the throw.  For the past year the project was a "knit in the car" project and progress was fairly slow.  I recently finished the first strip of 4 and now I want it finished.

I'm now 20 inches into the second strip and I'm loving it.  Knitting and football playoffs go well together so - NFL - keep it coming and I will too!

My friends all know how many projects I have to finish and for 2013 - this will be the first of hopefully many "Finish More" projects.

Blessings ~ Letitia

A New Year - 2013

Happy New Year!!

Where did 2012 go?  I had just retired this time last year and was looking forward to the year with great anticipation.  February rolled around and I was blessed with the opportunity to take a part-time job - big enough to fund some extras, but not take all my time.  I have a 4-day weekend EVERY week!  Talk about too good to be true...

2012 passed with knitting and sewing and reading and gardening and cycling and hanging out with my DH, John.  We exercised and cooked more and ate out far less resulting in a maintained weight loss of 16 pounds.

So onto 2013...

I'm not one for making resolutions because that just makes me feel guilty and I fight that enough already.  Last year without realizing it, I looked for a theme that I wanted to to tackle - like "Cook More" that  had great results.  Now that "Cook More" is an established way of life I'm turning to my attention to thoughts of this year's theme.

Not in a "make me feel guilty" way - but in a "because it's important" way - I want to pray more, volunteer more, share more, and finish more.

Not all once because then none will happen - but in 2013 - yes...

Blessings ~ Letitia

Wednesday Wanderings - Sarah

Today is Sarah's birthday and it is the 7-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.  Thank goodness Sarah and 2 of her 3 kids were here the day that Katrina blew into New Orleans and inundated her home.  After all was said and done, the water covered all but the rooftop of her 3-story apartment.  Sarah's apartment was on the ground floor.  All of the official reports said that no one knew what was happening in Chalmette and that no one could have known.  Yet - we knew.  Sarah maintained cellphone contact with a neighbor who stayed.  Everything was intact with no flooding throughout the worst part of the hurricane.  The water started rising after they thought the worst was over.  The levees had failed allowing unbelievable amounts of water to fill her neighborhood and her home.  Try to imagine water to the rooftop of a 3-story building and hers was a ground floor apartment.  She didn't cry but began planning.  Her home was gone and her job was gone.  Her children and Mother were safe - 2 here and 1 with her Mother in central Louisiana.  The company Sarah worked for had locations elsewhere in Louisiana.  Within a couple of days, she had a job in a new location, had the boys enrolled in school here, knew where there was room in a shelter, and was headed south to start over.  Seven years later, her daughter is a sophomore in college, the boys are juniors in high school, and she owns her own home.  Sarah is in her final semester at a college in her new hometown and will complete her Associate's Degree in December.  The shelter was at a church and through all of the hard times and hard work, she found God.

Sarah - I am so proud of you.  I love you and hope you have a wonderful day.

Garden - Progress

When we started, the yard looked far worse than the picture on the left. The ENTIRE yard - or at least all of the beds - were full of weeds.  This is one small section that had already been treated 2 times with Round-Up.  For 4+ weeks, we pulled weeds, dug weeds, used the tiller on weeds, and chopped weeds with the hoe.  It felt like they would never be cleared.  Of course, in a 4-week span of time, the weeds that had been cleared began to grow back.  Slowly, but surely, we made progress.  The waste management people had to wonder where 4 straight weeks of huge piles of yard waste came from.

The weeds, trees and vines came out, timbers were replaced or new beds were built and bags and bags of mulch were put in place.  The results were amazing.  The yard has become a pleasant place to be.  The beds still have to be weeded frequently and watering is critical because it has been so hot and dry.  We have 1 small section left to clear to expand the brick patio on the far backside of the house. 
We have a gazebo cover on the patio that is providing a great place to sit. The fountain is working well and the birds are loving the access to fresh water. 

 The pictures above and to the left show the fruits of our labor.  It is well worth the pain and effort. 

Gardening......Again

I've written more than once about trying to reclaim my gardens that have gotten completely out of control.  The last 2 years we've made a stab at it by pulling some weeds out in the "middle of the yard" beds and replanting some herbs that had died out.  This morning I walked out in the backyard and "dared" to look down the beds along the back of the house.  There were TREES - 1" in diameter TREES - in my very neglected beds.  I turned and walked back into the house.  Several minutes later I regained my resolve - gathered BIG tools - and started right at the end of the patio.  Instantly a pair of Cardinals created a huge amount of noise and the Mourning Doves joined in.  A closer inspection of the huge Flowering Quince that needed to be tackled first revealed a nest.  So...I carefully pruned a little off of the backside - taking care not to move the bush too much and then quickly moved on.  There are no "before" pictures because that image just doesn't need to be preserved.  Before long John joined me in tackling the jungle.  Three hours later, a 6'x12' section had been completed cleared - all of the old timbers removed - debris moved to the front yard - and a trench dug with 2 timbers marking the new lines.  Over the next few weeks we plan to continue down and around, removing a jungle of old daylilies, blackberry vines, general weeds, and rotten landscape timbers.  Pictures will follow when enough is accomplished to share.  I felt my 57 years today.  20 years ago I could continue at the pace for 6-8 hours.  3 hours was my limit and I'm worn out.  I plan to start earlier in the morning.  It was hot when we stopped working at 12:30.  I am very pleased with the progress and so blessed that my hubby who really doesn't like gardening is hanging in there with me.

A Beautiful Day in March

Today is a beautiful day - sunny skies, a little wind, and 80 degrees. Spring is here - in all her glory. Our Redbud is in full bloom and the Dogwood is close behind. The Flowering Quince and Carolina Jasmine are ending what was a beautiful show. The roses have a lot of new growth, the Lilac and Japanese Maple are leafing out, and the perennials are in various stages of waking up.

Jenn and Michael finished up a trout fishing trip and came into town for lunch and to pickup their dogs. We had a great visit before they had to get on the road. My time at the office passed quickly and was very productive.

Today is one of those days where there is great clarity and you know that life is good because God is good. For years I prayed for peace and joy. God has blessed me with an amazing husband, a wonderful daughter and son-in-law, and a great family. I have peace and joy in abundance.

It is a beautiful day...

Re-Post from - My Scenic Life...Views from a Road Less Traveled: A Walk in the Park

This is a re-posting from Jenn's Blog. This is a beautiful place to visit and revisit. Her photographs are amazing and I need to post the Nature-Themed Quilt and flower photographs that John took too.

My Scenic Life...Views from a Road Less Traveled: A Walk in the Park: As many of you know, I recently moved north Georgia, and I've had a great time exploring different parts of Atlanta, Athens, and many place...

Random Thoughts on Being Retired...

Today is the 16th working day since I retired. That being said - I have learned some interesting things about me and had some big and small revelations. I'm sure there are more to come.

• I based my self-worth TOTALLY on who I was at work
  
• I don't know how to relax
• I don't know how to sit still
• I need to learn how to cook on a day-to-day basis instead of just special occasions
• Buying cookbooks and collecting recipes is easy for me - using them is harder
  
• I still try to do it ALL. I tried reorganizing all that needed to be done at the same time and my house is trashed (see #2 and #3)
• I eat healthier at home than at work and I've lost 8.5 lbs (no stress eating)
• I really like not setting an alarm
• I am REALLY enjoying figuring out how to do "retired" (except today because my house is trashed)
• I am out of the habit of cleaning the house because a dear friend has done that for me since September 1992 and I miss Connie-days
• I am not sorry that I did it, but the whole money-thing is scary sometimes.
  

I am very blessed to have a wonderful husband who is supporting me through the process of learning to be me as a retired person. My family has encouraged me along the way.

It is "Well With My Soul"

Georgia Thanksgiving

December 28 is a little late to be writing a blog about Thanksgiving, but it works for me. Facing a December 30 retirement date meant that I had vacation to use or lose, so for the first time ever, I had a full week off at Thanksgiving. We left town on Tuesday afternoon and headed to Georgia. John and I are not famous for speedy traveling so bedtime arrived and we were slightly west of the Georgia stateline. We were pulling a U-haul in the rain and decided to call it a night. We planned our departure from the hotel to miss morning rush-hour in Atlanta and made it safely to my daughter's house. First order of the day was to empty and return the U-haul. That accomplished, we headed into Athens to visit Jenn. We did some shopping with her in Athens before heading to her home to fix Indian Tacos for supper. They were wonderful and are the subject of her January 2, 2011 blog at http://mysceniclife.blogspot.com/ That is a recipe that I can't wait to try.

We did lots of cooking for Thanksgiving. My daughter and son-in-law are amazing cooks and I really need to take lessons from them. Dinner was amazing - even the brussels sprouts and that's a stretch for me. The dessert pictures were the best ones to share. The Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie were made with my Mom's recipes, enhanced by Jenn's special touch. The dutch oven Apple-Cranberry Crisp was adapted for the dutch oven from Carol's recipe.

Everything was wonderful and we had a great time in the kitchen. Thanksgiving day also meant Cinnamon Rolls, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, lots of talking and laughing and a new thing for me - a four-wheeler ride with Michael.

Riding was a lot of fun and I laughingly suggested to John that we needed a four-wheeler but he didn't get too excited about that thought.

The rest of our weekend was spent talking, watching movies and hanging out. We ended the trip by heading north to visit John's sister, brother-in-law, and niece and then it was back home on Sunday.

Thanksgiving beat all of my anticipation!

Anticipating Thanksgiving

Always much anticipated and always passing too quickly - I wish I could extend the week of Thanksgiving just a little longer - especially this year. I have taken the week off and we are going to Georgia. John has to work on Monday and I'll spending Monday gathering stuff up. We are going to rent a U-Haul and take the kids the things they didn't have room for in the initial move last August. With a loaded U-Haul, we are heading out on Tuesday morning. Winder, Georgia is a full-day's drive away and I'll be anxious to arrive. Jenn has to work on Wednesday, so we'll mess around town on Wednesday and then the cooking will start in earnest when Jenn gets home. She has 2 non-Thanksgiving recipes that we are anxious to try on Wednesday and Friday and then of course we have the big Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. I am so excited that Michael gets all of Thanksgiving off so that will be a great day complete with Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and a great dinner. The weekend will be spent talking and laughing and watching Arkansas (hopefully) beat LSU and decorating for Christmas. It is so hard to wait until time to go. We are ending the weekend with a trip north to Nashville on Saturday afternoon to visit Dora Ann and Don. We'll head home on Sunday after a week that will have flown by far too quickly.

Gardening

My yard used to be beautiful. For years, I spent a lot of time caring for my yard - thinking and planning and planting. Over the last 6 years, I pretty much did nothing. At first it was hard to be motivated to work in the yard alone. Then in July of 2008, John and I starting riding our bikes together, which led to falling in love and getting married. All the while, the yard was becoming a jungle - a tangled mess of grass, weeds, and plants that managed to survive in spite of me. A couple of times, Daddy took the weed-eater to all of the gardens, cutting everything down to the ground. Last spring I made a half-hearted attempt to bring them back to life. It didn't last long. This spring I decided the time had come.

John has encouraged me and helped when his help was needed. Gardening is not really his thing, but he likes the results and loves me, so he helps. John bought a great little cultivator and between that and a shovel, he has been beating back the weeds. So far we have brought the herb garden back to life and have started a new butterfly/hummingbird garden at the end of the patio. On Monday evening, we planted the bed under the Japanese Red Maple for the first time in 6 years with pink, white, and red bronze begonias and planted the 2 windows boxes that hang in the front. It's looking good so far.

Working in the Shop

The shop had reached the point that clutter didn't come close to describing it. A couple of years ago, my Daddy decided that I didn't need off-site storage so he emptied my two FULL 5x15 climate controlled storage buildings into my not climate controlled 20x30 shop. Then he added much of the contents of his storage building, which included many of my mother's things that had never been "gone through" since her death in 1993. After discussing it with John, I decided this was the weekend to start the project. Start mind you - not finish because I was far too tired from weeks and weeks of hard days. My sister came down and we hit the boxes of our mother's things. Many boxes had been untouched since 1982. The newest boxes were packed 10 or so years ago. We opened and sorted - hers, mine, donate, sell, and trash. Box after box until all were opened. So now - my sister's things are ready to pack, the trash is boxed and bagged at the street, donations are packed and loaded in the car, and my things are shelved waiting to be inventoried and boxed. That left a trunk, 3 old chairs, a dresser, and 2 tables that needed a home. We started carrying them to the street hoping that someone would "rescue" them using the "free to good home" concept. Almost immediately our new neighbors approached us. Recently married, they had almost no furniture. They were a great couple and were so completely thrilled when we gave them all of it. It is pretty amazing that we made them so happy while making us happy to clear out the space. Great day!

My Favorite Part of the Year

For me - the time from late September through December is my very part of the year and it always passes so quickly. Each year, it is so eagerly anticipated and somehow it just passes. 2010 was no different.

October brought the early arrival of my great-nephew - Benton - the son of my nephew, Steven, and his wife, Ally. Benton's first few days were spent in NICU and things were pretty scary. It turned out that the hospital messed up and he had received a massive amount of a drug that made it appear that he had a serious clotting disorder. Things turned out fine and he is precious. My sister, Marcia, got to be there for a week when he was born and then got to go back for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Lena and the kids visited in early November and we took them to Old Washington State Park for the Civil War weekend. Caitlin took several hundred pictures and I thought we were going to have to literally pry Brandon away from the reenactment. He was fascinated by it all. It is a good thing that the kids enjoyed themselves because John really struggled with his knee and my achilles tendon made walking so painful.

One of my favorite things about the fall is the color. This year it appeared that there would be no color at all. September and October flew by and the trees went from green to brown. I was certain there was no hope. However, late fall rains changed that and November and early December were amazing.

John and I made a trip to Petit Jean to see the color and eat at Mather Lodge. We were very fortunate to have picked the time we did because we learned that Mather Lodge was getting ready to close for 18 months for renovation. We had a great time - enjoyed our dinner - did some hiking - got some great pictures and - saw a Bald Eagle as we were coming off the mountain.

John got some good shots at one of the overlooks on the far side of the park.

Thanksgiving was spent in Columbia with Jennifer and Michael. Chris went with us and we had a great time. Thanksgiving dinner was traditional fare and we had way too much food. I had a hard time with cooking because I felt like I needed to measure up to a "King Thanksgiving" and I am not Memaw. I don't know what they thought about the dinner, but I did the best I could without shedding too many tears. Jennifer and Chris talked for hours and I swear they could really be brother and sister. We did some shopping and had a little down time so Jenn could study for her upcoming board exams.

December was crazy as always. Marcia visited us in Hope and we were finally able to go to Christmas at Old Washington State Park. John and I spent time checking out Christmas lights around the state - Little River County Courthouse, Saline County Courthouse, and the State Capitol. We decorated 2 houses for Christmas - Sherwood Manor and Hope Manor. We spent the Christmas holidays in Hope with Chris, Lena, and the grandkids. Wow - it was a different Christmas for me. Christmas in my family has always been fairly quiet because there just aren't that many people. This year everything just happened on a much larger scale. For example - 1 roll of sugar cookie dough vs 3 rolls of sugar cookie dough or a turkey AND a ham. Christmas dinner included Chuck, LeAnn, and Berniece so we had a total of 11 people. We fit at the table and there was an abundance of food and life was good.

We ended the year with a trip to Rogers to visit Marcia and attend the Razorback basketball game on New Year's Eve. We had great fun with Marcia and at the game. We did some antique shopping, hit the quilt shop and did some sewing while watching football. It was a great end to a great year.

Disappointment

It is Saturday, September 25 - the day of the Big Dam Bridge 100 bicycle ride - and we didn't. After a good start at riding in 2008 and a great year of riding in 2009, 2010 has been hard. Two years ago we rode 32 miles in the Tour de Possum in Texarkana, the Big Dam Bridge in Little Rock and the Mission to Mission Tour in San Antonio. In 2009, we rode 30-40 in Ride with the Eagles in Mt. Pleasant, TX, 55 miles in the BDB, and 62 in the Tour da' Delta in Helena. In January, John had stent surgery and started a beta-blocker. But it was January and we weren't worried. Then came dealing with the frozen pipes, termites, work issues, unexpected changes in weekend routines, issues with John's knee, a change in my beta-blocker, and then the crowning blow - my Achilles Tendon. After taking it easy, ice, and a round of meds, it was time to move forward. A trip to an ankle specialist last week yielded the good news that surgery was not appropriate yet but the treatment is ice, rest, stretching, Advil, and SLOW/FLAT riding. I was already concerned that I wasn't prepared to ride even 32 miles, but I just knew that somehow I could pull it off. But that was - without the Achilles Tendon. That ended all chances. My dear husband refused to ride without me because we do rides together and that helped greatly. But it is still a hard day.....