It's Been A Roller Coaster Week, so

 

I must apologize...I've been meaning to write this post for several days...a few things have tripped me up...work...husband at home all week...painting kitchen...hanging garlands...The Sound of Music...dead camera batteries...

Initially my wish was to just jot a note and thank everyone for their sweet comments (even Sue) about my Country Charmers...both the Autumn Birdie one and the SURPRISE! Mission Impossible Christmas one.  I was blown away that so many of you were blown away!  I received words of love and encouragement that mean the world to me...really...you touched my heart!  Lynn has drawn me back to my sense that less is more and has encouraged me to just let the borders on the Autumn Country Charmer be the canvas for some wonderful swirly feathery quilting.  And really...who's gonna argue with Lynn...the woman has incredible instincts!

Thursday morning I awoke...grabbed my tablet and found I had an email from Herself the Elf (Sue) to start my day with a giggle and a smurk...and shortly thereafter another from Cuddly Lesley that had me doing the happy dance!  She informed me that Mr. Random had selected my number and that I was the winner of the $20 Gift Card from Fat Quarter Shop which arrived promptly, in two installments in my email box!  I perused and decided that rather than spending any of my precious gift on shipping, I would use it to purchase pdf download patterns.  Instant Gratfication...at least once the website was thoroughly searched and after I decided to sleep on my wishlist full of possible choices. 

So I decided, as I said, to sleep on my choices...meanwhile, I kept watching for Lesley to do a post, figuring she was resting her elbow after conversing with me by email and ordering my Gift Card.  I didn't realize til later that she had the genius to made it easier on her elbow by just adding an addendum to her previous post about my being the lucky recipient of the drawing...I was just looking for a new post from her in my sidebar and I certainly didn't want to jump the gun and be doing the happy dance publicly before she had the chance to announce it herself!  Finally I woke up and clicked in and saw what she'd done.  So I've been shopping and downloading and here's what I decided on...and yes...I did add some funds to my prize so I could stop playing eeny, meeny, miney, mo!

Sorry about the glare...I like to print the covers on heavier shiny photo paper so I have a really nice printjob!  Ain't they cute designs though?!?!?!  I've  been giggling at the mixer and spatula quilt since it was released by Bee In My Bonnet...I can't tell you how many rubber spatulas Santa has left in my stocking over the years...so many that the kids joke about it.  I thought their were so many possibilities for fun with the Swirled Christmas Tree wallhanging pattern and then those little Spoolie Birds caught my attention...I love spool quilts and what is it with me and pudgy little birds anyhow?

So Thank You Dear Lesley...I wish I could give you a hug in person...not just via emails!  Take care of that elbow so you can be back rotary cutting and sewing and writing soon!

So now...Overnight while we were 

Something was happening...we woke up and ,

 

and there was

  !!!!!!

so I scurried around like an

 

 while Papa Bear got up and went outside and starting doing a lot of this...

I spent a ridiculous amount of time relacing my snow boots and went outside while there was still the opportunity to get some pristine photos...while cars going by still sounded muffled and quiet and before kids across the street started whooping it up...and before the dogs had too many chances to apply their special yellow snowmelt! 
I wanted to get out there while it was still Magic!

It was and is still snowing...

From my kitchen window I saw cotton bolls where sunflowers had once been,
and the tips of our little evergreens held snowballs and snowblossoms!

 


The stump by the driveway has muffin-top

 

and this log from our old pine tree now reminds me of a miniature snowed in, Basque Sheepherders Wagon with white smoke billowing from it's chimney in its rounded roof..

 

This old hollow Poplar is where we've found abandoned kittens and have had shiny little raccoon eyes peek out at us in the dark

 

Can you believe this is the spot where I photographed my Christmas Country Charmer for it's debut...just a week ago...remember?

Those big trees were nothing more that little twigs when our 4 year old daughters planted them after their respective preschool field trips to the nursery that replenishes our forests.  The tree on the left moved with us, when it was a little sapling, for the then 7 year old owner to nurture in it's new home, five years later the second little twig joined it and has thrived in the company of it's Big Sister Tree.

Have You Ever Met a Not-so-Abominable SnowLlama?

Can't be abominable when you wear a permanent smile...minus fangs...

Penzance woke this morning wearing a white blanket over his usually dark bay back.

Silly llamas...building shelters is practically a waste of time...they just settle into their Tea Cozy positions with legs all tucked beneath their wool and let what may come their way fall on them...goats on the other hand will tell you that if a drop of rain hits their precious heads they will surely melt!

 

Maecee and Shooter then joined me for a game of "Where's The Kitty?"

 

Then it was time for a break...

No! Not here!  We have splurged on Indoor Plumbing, although it's a little frigid in there too!

 

Here...with my mug that says it all! 

 

Well almost all...

Now it's time to venture out in the snow and try not to skid into anything so that the painting project can be complete...its really time for some new light switch and outlet covers and insulation to insert behind them to block the breeze that is currently flowing freely through those gaping holes...have I mentioned our money pit,  house is 102 years old recently?????

 

Happy Snowdays, wherever you are!

 

~Nancie Anne