Random Musings

I've been more than a little frustrated with the Quilting page of my blog. You can't put separate entries; it's all one big long page. So if I want to look for something specific, that's not possible without scrolling through a long list. So last night during the Presidential debate I started copying and pasting photos from the Quilt page onto a new blog. Since that page was more for me to keep a record of what I've been working on in some semblance of order, this move made the most sense. So my quilting page on this blog is now deleted, and Random Musings will once again be just that - my musings.  If you want to see my quilt projects, they are now located at http://thehardheadedquilter.blogspot.com Now back to boring housework!!

Hudson's Hardware released their chick list for the spring!!!! Every year we try to add at least two new birds to our flock since we often lose birds to predators. This year, since so many of our birds have been hatched from birds we've already had, I'd like to add some "non-family" blood to the flock. But that also means we need to do some repair work on both hen houses we have. The small hen house needs some basic maintenance, like re-attaching the side coverings and the door frame, as well as either repairing or replacing the pen that connects to it. The large hen house needs a little more drastic work. I'm dreaming big here, but I'd like to gut it down to the frame and redesign it. Since we have more than one rooster and the wiring on the pen is getting holes in it (as well as the netting on top, I think now is the perfect time for a new design.  I think with the 8' board, we could easily go to two smaller houses (think duplex) on the same frame ...

Each year I try to take at least one quilting class. Some years, like this year, I take more than one (depending on cost and time frames of the classes). It seems all the classes are crammed into the first four months of the year this year, and that's okay. Friday's class was an introduction to machine quilting with a walking foot. For non-sewers, machines have "feet" that are interchangeable depending on the type of fabric and sewing you are doing. Personally, I think they should be called shoes, but they're not. Anyway, I signed up for this class because I know the instructor is an incredible quilter, AND every time I've shown one of my quilts at the store that was quilted with a walking foot she's made a slight face. I figured there must be several things missing in what I've learned so decided to take a class with her. It was well worth it!! I'll have to post pictures later this afternoon, but the biggest thing was how to knot your thread a...

I think gift registries can be very good things. It gives you a glimpse into someone's taste and style, allows you to see what a person truly needs/wants, and sometimes can give you a boost into an idea that would be really neat for a gift for a person, even if it's not on their list.  But this week I was more than a little frustrated with one. Sometimes when a person in our church is having a shower and they've registered for something they need that is more than the average person would spend, I've coordinated a group gift. This week was one of those times. I had checked online, collected the money, but when I went to purchase the gifts at the store, there was not one single thing from the registry at that store. So on Thursday I drove to a nearby town and checked that store. Same thing. I asked a sales clerk about it. This store does not get to order or carry the same brands in every store. They never know what is coming on the truck. The may only get one of an it...

Last year seemed full, even though a lot of it was spent waiting...on doctors, on insurance, on sales reps, on chair repairs, on van mechanics. You would think I would have been able to squeeze a lot of reading in with all the waiting, but last year holds the record for the least amount of books I've read in the last 9 years. This year I'm pushing myself to read some of the books on my dresser that I've kept putting off. My goal is a chapter a week in two different books. Here's what I'm working on now: and The first one is making me think more than I've thought since Systematic Theology class in college, and the second is a vivid reminder of how terrible war and bad public policies (in this case Southern policies) can truly destroy an economy. I should finish Whosoever Will by the end of February. The history one will take much longer. And then I'll be more than ready for something fiction.

A few weeks ago my niece Ellen (niece #2 on my side) called my cell phone. It startled me. I almost never hear from her, so my heart was pounding and I was just certain something had happened either to my sister or brother-in-law. She chatted for a little bit, then asked about my quilting projects and if I had run out yet. I had a suspicion she was wanting a quilt, but still wasn't ready for what was to come. I laughingly told her about a woman I overheard in JoAnn's (a chain craft store) saying she had THREE projects going at one time! I looked at Bobby when I heard that and tried not to laugh. I told him I had so many projects going I didn't even want to count them all. He didn't laugh, but nodded and said "I believe it."  When I shared that story with Ellen, she laughed and said, "Well, you're going to push some aside and make time for one more. I'm going to need a baby quilt." I'm not old enough (in my mind anyway) to be a great aun...

Last weekend while I was watching the booth for Quilts of Valor at a quilt show in Sanford, I took the time to map out my garden and look through the seed catalogue. I felt like a kid looking through the Sears Christmas edition. (Yeah, I know I'm dating myself there.) Last year was the first year I didn't feel totally overwhelmed by the garden. A lot of that had to do with our summer helpers (thanks Josh and Jake, even though you don't read my blog!) who did a lot of the yardwork so I had more time to spend in the garden. Bobby even had them do some of the tilling, and when it came time to clean the garden and prep for winter, they donated their muscles to help pull stakes up out of the ground. So I'm excited about this year. I may be biting off more than I can chew, but I'm excited about it anyway. And Saturday I sorted through the seed I'd saved and compared it to my list, and placed the order for what I didn't have and what I wanted to add/replace....

Yes, the pics are under the heading that says December 2017, because that quilt was actually completed then. It's just taken me that long to take pictures and get them loaded!

January 2018, North Carolina has set a record for the number of days below freezing. I was determined to break through the ice. I wanted to know how deep it was. This is after I pounded 1/2" away. Two days later as it warmed up I pulled a 1" piece away from the edge. Several cracks were deep in the ice near the pier posts. This one appeared to be 3" deep. My favorite shot. Our geese walk on water. :)

I don't know that I can call this month a whirlwind. Perhaps a month of change has been more appropriate. Our church changed schedules last Sunday. Despite the fact that our Pastor doesn't want to use the term "Sunday School", that is what we now essentially have at 8:45am, with our regular service starting at 10am, and no pm service. We're only two Sundays in, so I'm still not totally sure how I feel about it. The end of December I had a bit of a wake-up call healthwise. We're making some lifestyle changes and I'll meet with the dr again the end of March. Some days are harder than others. I actually drank 99% unsweet tea today at lunch for the first time (on purpose), and thought it was good. I don't know if the changes in our eating habits have made a difference (or that I've quit taking my allergy meds), but I've actually had more energy and am sleeping way better than I was. I have to keep reminding myself that this is a life-long mar...