Scraps

 

You know I love scrappy things.

When Sarah was here during Christmas we made two 12" blocks for a collaborative baby quilt.  Somr of the fabrics were those selected for everyone, and we filled in with a few pieces from my stash to make two blocks.

There were leftover piecs, so this evening I made one more block, just cutting fabrics and stitching and cutting some more.

I have to admit that I'm glad I'm not the person sewing the blocks together.  That's always a challenge witih a collaborative quilt.

January Flowers

 

My granddaughter came yesterday afternoon after her job at a flower shop and brought some flowers.  It was a treat, both the flowers and the visit.  She's a busy college student.

She left with the big container of Tide pods, the big box of dryer sheets, cookies and a frozen pizza from the freezer, and some miscellaneous groceries.  It's fun for me to load her up.

I tried roasting some cashews this evening - I can't remember why I bought raw cashews, but I must have used them for something because the bag had been opened.  The roasting wasn't a big success.

It's been a windy and cold Martin Luther King Day.  I didn't go downtown for the march and outdoor speeches, and I feel a little bad  about that.

The temperature is going way down now, with very cold wind chills.

They Aren''t Mine

 

No, these paperwhites aren't mine.  I gifted them to my sister and she sent me the picture of a few bulbs tucked in a pretty glass bowl with nice rocks.  My sister is like that.  She makes things look so nice.

It's turned cold, but really, it was time.  The possibility of snow this morning turned out to be just a few flakes.

I had an early morning eye doctor appointment, so I was glad the roads were dry.  All was well, the transplant looks good, come back in a month.  Pressures were good.

Then there were just a few minutes at home before it was time to meet my retreat friends for lunch.  Just four of us today, two are in Florida, one on a trip, one sick.

I came home and unplugged the Christmas tree.  Started the process of taking off the lights.  Sarah's light-stringing process ends up with such a lovely tree, white lights buried in the middle and colored around the outside.

It's so dark in the living room now.  I have new LED solar lights outside - but that doesn't brighten things up inside.

It's Time

 

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It's time.  The last package from my sister and niece is here, and opened, so Christmas is officially over.

My sister and niece always apologize for their package's lateness, and I alwalys reassure them that I prefer it that way.  Just that one package to admire by itself.  And yes, there were two pairs of earrings, one from each.

Christmas was pretty darn awesome.  Sarah and Winnie stayed for twelve days.  There were the usual things - Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Dinner at Bridget's.  Sleepovers when Steph came.

And there were new things - New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.  The Art Museum.  The Taft Museum.  The Nature Center light display.  Madtree Brewing.

And then the car went up the hill, with little dog Hatch's head hanging out the window.  Sudden quiet.

Cut Out Cookies

 Cut out cooies, pre baking.  

My mother could make the most beatiful cut out cookies with colored sugars on top.  She had many, many cookie cutters.

My dad was a farmer, and he had dairy cows.  Around Christmas my mother would put in an order with the milk man, who picked up the farm's milk, for butter.  On the next pick-up, the butter would be deliered.  And the baking would begin.

Side note:  after my dad sold his dairy herd, he took a job as the milk man, driving the truck to farms and picking up milk.

I have my mother's recipes, for sugar cut outs and for gingerbread, but her artistry in baking those cookies has eluded me.  I've tried, probably almost every Christmas season, but the results are never right.

My mother had a few mishaps, like when a reindeer's hoof would break off or a sheet of cookies got too browned, but she ended up with many many pretty cookies.

This year I tried a shortbread kind of dough, without success once again.  The taste and texture just aren't there.   I'm not even sure that they are worth icing.

Tree

 

I know you've seen lots of pictures of Christmas trees lately, but I like this one because it's mine.

I had an early corneal doctor appointment this morning - 8:10 is way too early.  The transplant eye looks good, almost five months out.  Pressures are good, the bandage contact lens was swapped out.  Pinhole vision in the eye is 20/40.  Come back in a month.

But back to that tree - there are now some wrapped packages under it, and I have hopes that there will be more by the end of the day.  It's actually happening!

Twenty One

This week, granddaughter Nora turned 21.  

I love remembering about hurrying to my office around midnight to look up directions to the hospital.  She was a little early and I wasn't prepared.  

Pulling on to the I75 entrance ramp from Berea and calling the hospital in Cincinnati to speak to my daughter.  The nurse said she was sreally busy, and at that moment I know Nora would be born before I had made the two hour trip.

And all the next day I sat at the hospital and watched the snow and rocked that precious little girl.

And now, still precious, she is finishing her third fall semester at University of Cincinnati, close to the hospital where she was born. Since her birthday was during finals week, we'll celebrate tomorrow.  Maybe.  If it doesn't snow too much today.