Where did fall go?

Oh my  goodness,  in the  blink of an eye  it  seems fall has gone and the holidays  are  around the  corner  already.  I have  been  so busy  getting  ready for the Christmas  season  preparing  gifts  for the grand kids ,  and thinking of  what  to send them  since  they live  so far  from me.   I know that  something  homemade  is  a  must  gift.   So  they are getting  something  to keep them warm  on those  cold winter  days , and  something  tasty  to  enjoy  with a  cup of  hot  cocoa .   I am  busy  making blankets  and  goodies  and my crochet hooks  and knitting  needles  are  very  busy  .  I will have to post  pictures soon of  them.  I  LOVE  to knit  and  crochet  and  it is  seldom that  I do not  every  day.  I love  the  feel of  yarn in my hands,  I LOVE  yarn  I admit  it I am so addicted .  I love  all the  colors  , the softness and  the  gratification as a simple skein of yarn  turns into a  beautiful  little gift.   I  love  looking  at all the colors  ,  the  patterns  that  I can  create  for gifts .  I need no excuse to buy  more  yarn ,  I have  plenty,  but  I can never  have  enough  ,  there  is always  another  project in mind  that  I must  have  more  yarn  for.  It  is my  weakness,  my  guilty  pleasure  and  I  am  lucky that  I can indulge  in the  shopping  spree  now and then for more  yarn .  So  home  made  yarn  gifts  will be  coming  for the  kids  big and small this  year  for  Christmas , so that  I can use  the  yarn  and  I have  and............   to give me  a reason to buy more  !!    Yes  I freely admit it  I am a yarnaholic and  Red Heart  and  Lion  Brand  are my  fix .   So  I will post  pics  very soon  , but  for now I must  do more  crocheting, one  gift  down , another  half done and  3 more  to go !!  Happy  Crocheting  to you !    In the  picture  is  one  of  the  things  I am working  one,  I love  this  pattern ,  so  easy, it is a granny  square  pattern  but  in rows.  It  works up  very fast  and  has the  warmth of a
giant  granny  ! 

Oh my goodness what a summer for me !!

Wow  I had  NO  idea  it has  been soo long  since I have  been here.  So  much  has  happened  and I was  soo  busy  making  baby  girl  things  this  spring , I am the  very  proud  grandma  of  Alyssa Jean Effrick.  She  was  born  on August  19, 2012  in Michigan.  I  was  lucky  enough to be  able to fly  to Michigan  and spend  11 weeks  with my  daughter  and 2  beautiful granddaughters .  I had  not  seen  them  in over a year  and it  was  such  fun.  Plus  I was  there  to meet  my  3rd  beautiful granddaughter Alyssa.  She  is  also  named  for me , her middle name is  also mine.    This  is  Alyssa ,  and  Alexis  my  oldest  granddaughter .  

This  is  my  second  granddaughter  Gabrielle  she is  6  and  Alyssa  

And  of  course  there is  Miss Alyssa  who is  now  2  months old and  growing  so fast.

Before  Alyssa  came  I spent months  working on  little  girl  things and that is why  I have  not  been  here in so long .   I  had  so much fun learning how  to make  tiny little things  for  babies.    Here is a  pretty good  selection of  what  I made  minus  all the  things  I made while  I was in Michigan  for her but  this  gives you an idea what  I was  busy  with  .   

I also  had  made  her  3 blankets  and some  spit rags  and  a  Raggedy Ann and Andy  quilt  but  I guess I forgot  to take  a  picture.  

 Now  I am working on making her  a  pretty  Christmas  dress and  mittens  and  scarfs  for the  girls  since they have winter  and I do not   here in the  south . 

what a crazy winter!!

Well  we  have  been  very  lucky  this  winter  here.  It  has  been unseasonably warm and  sunny  most of the  winter.  Today  it  is  in the  70's , sunny  and  windy.  We  have  tornado watches  up, and  thunderstorms  in the background  headed our  way.  It  has  been  beautiful  for washing  clothes  and  hanging them out.   The  door  is  almost  shut  on  winter  here, and I fear  what  March may  bring to us  this year.  Three years  ago  next  month  we  moved  here  , and  just  before  we  arrived,  a  wicked  snow and ice  storm  did .  We  came  into broken  trees and a leaking  roof and  a broken  water  pipe  under  our house.   I remember  an  ice storm last  winter  that  pretty much shut  down our  town  for a  day or  two  and  bitter  cold  days  last winter ,  but  no such luck  this  year  .......  so  far.

 I  found  out  at Christmas  time  that  my  dear daughter  is  going to have  another  little  bundle  right  around  my  birthday  this  coming  August.  I am  so excited  to be a  Grandma ...... again.  This will  make number  8  for  us  and  I look  so forward  to another  joyful event.  Of  course  with the  little  one  coming  comes a flurry of  activity  knitting and  crocheting  baby  things.  We  do not  know  if  it is a boy or  girl  yet, so of course  there is the  colors of yellow  green and  peach  that  are  pretty  generic ,  but  not  as  pretty  as  the  favorite  color  of  mine ....... PINK.   So  I wait ,  making  little  generic  items   until  we  find out   if  pink or  blue  is  the  right  color.   Then  the real flurry of  knitting will begin making  sweaters and  booties and  all the  cute  little  things  you can think of  for  girls   if  that is  what the  baby  is.    Why  oh  why is it  so  difficult  to  find  really  cite  patterns  for items  for  boys  and things  to make for them.  For  girls  just  about  anything  you can imagine  to make  there  also is a pattern but  for  boys  ,  how many  hats  and  sweaters  can you make  ....really?    So  I wait .........

Jake  the  wonder  dog  is  still growing and  growing  nicely .  He will  be a year old  in 2 months  and  what  a  well behaved and  sweet  boy  he  has  become.   Any doubt  I had  that  he  may not  be a Golden  Labrador  Retriever  has  been erased.  He is  all  Lab,  from his  pretty  color  to his  goofy  I love  everyone attitude  to his  love  of  water,  yes  he is a Lab.   If  you go to tak a bath in this house  make  sure the  bathroom door  is  tightly  closed  behind  you  or  you  very  well may  have  a peeping  Tom  watching  you or  a  bath mate  joining  you in the tub.   He  is  such a  good  dog and  my  best 4  footed  friend.

 

Well  Nascar  season is  now  in full swing  and I am a very  happy  girl.  I love  Nascar!!!  I eat  , sleep  and  breath  Nascar, and  this  is the time of year  I live  for  .     We  were  lucky  to get  tickets  to the  Nascar  Preview  weekend this  year  and  I got to meet  lots of the drivers , see the cars and  get pictures  with  my  favorites .   I  truly  admire and  I root  for  Carl  Edwards  and  Trevor  Bayne.  I got  to meet them , chat  with them and  have  a  picture  taken  with  them this  year.  They  are both  the  kindest, most  polite  and  very  friendly  drivers.  They  really  appreciate their  fans and  they are  so willing to take the  time  to visit  with  each one.   I  am looking  very forward  to supporting both of them this season and  I pray they  have  a safe and  very successful  season this  year.  

Well that  is about  it  for now.  You all take care and I will be back again soon to let you know if  I am  knitting  pink or  blue  !!!

The winds of winter

It  has  been such a  quiet  and long  winter  already.  Things  are still pretty much the same  here .  My  husband is  still not  back to work , he is  still waiting  on more  surgery  to come on his  neck. The  small puppy Jake is  now a big  boy  and  still so sweet and  turning into a wonderful  dog.    The  chickens  are  still here and waiting for  snow  I think , but  they seem to  enjoy every mild  day that we  have been blessed with .  The  weather has  been unusually  mild  and I know that  winter is  going to sneak up  on us  soon and  pounce  when we least  expect it.   We  now  have  my adopted sister  living with us  .   She  has moved here from  Arkansas  looking for a fresh  start.  Her  son  that is in the Marines  will be stationed close  by  in North Carolina soon and  she will be glad to be  closer to him and to see him when he visits  .  Other than that nothing much changes .  Life  goes  on  day  by  day  with  little  change and  I am  anxious for  spring  with all the  mild  weather.

Oh my gosh what a summer!!

Wow  I know I have  not  been here  for a  long  time .  We  have  had  a busy  summer.  It all started  back in June  when my  husband  got  injured  at  work ,  It  has  been a  mess of  Dr,  visits, tests ,  more  visits  and more  tests , and  still waiting  on a second  opinion appointment  to  confirm what the  first  Dr.  already  has  told  him.  The  workman's  comp insurance agency is  really dragging their  feet  with what  we  know is  inevitable and  should  have  been done  3  months  ago.  Surgery  is  in the near future and then  recovery will extend  us  past  the  holiday  season,  which  we thought  he would have been back to work  way  before  then,  but  the  insurance  is  making  this  a very  long  drawn out  procedure, and  it should not  have  been.   So  needless to say we  have  been really  pinching  the  pennies and  trying to make the  ends  meet  with  some  success.  


My  son , who  is  in the  Army  and  now  deployed  overseas  for a year  was  here  with his  family  for  6  weeks.  It  was  absolutely wonderful to have  them  here and to be  able  to spend  some  much  needed time  with  him  before he  left.  He  had  come  in hopes  of  being  able  to take  care of  getting his  dad  back and forth and  through the  surgery  before  he  left ,  but  it  was  not to be.   That being  said  we  did so enjoy  his  visit  and  we  did make a  lot  of  good memories  that  will keep  us warm on those  cold  days  of  winter  ahead.    We  got  to spend  a  lot  of time with  our  grandson  who  is  two  and  get  to  know  him , as  this  was  really the  first  time we had  spent  with him  since  he  was  born.   Since  my  son is  in the  Army  they were  stationed  in Texas  and  he  was  not  able to gain leave  to come and  visit  until  this  summer  before  he  deployed  for a year  and this  is  his  second  tour.   We  are  so very  proud  of him and what  he is  doing  to  help  protect  our  country , our  freedom.  I can  only  hope  with this  mother's  heart that  time goes by  quickly  for  us and  for him and  that  he  will come  back home  to us  as  healthy and as  whole  as the day that  he left.   I miss him  every day ,  and  I wish that  he  did not have to go,  but  I know that  this  is  something  that  he  needs  to do and  that  he  is  proud  to do.


So  summer  is  gone, and the  leaves  are  turning , the  wind is  becoming  cooler, and the  fall colors  that  I so dearly love  are  returning ,  if  only  for a brief  time  .  This  is with out  a doubt  my  most  favorite  time of the year.  I  love  the  colors, the fresh  cool air , and  lowering  temperatures .  I  love the  sound  of  leaves  crunching  under  my  feet  and  the  sounds  of the  owls  who  seem  to come  at  night  so close  to our  home in the  woods here. I love that  quiet, slow  whooo whooo through the  empty branches  in the  quiet  darkness  that  surrounds  my  little  home  at  night.  It  just  seems  so comforting  to me .   


There  is a  bright  spot  to my  days  now.  Back this summer  my  husband  and  I found  someone on line that had  saved a  little yellow  puppy  from a  life  of  abandonment and from  an unsure  future  at  the  pound  which is  where  he was  headed ,but  given a reprieve thanks  to a  kind  soul.  Anyway  ,  this  kind  man  took him in knowing that the life  of  a single  person  was  not  what  this  tiny  boy needed,  so he  posted an add for him and  we  happen  to see  it  and I fell in love immediately!!!  He  said  that  he  thought  is was a Golden Lab/ Golden  Retriever  mix  and  when I saw  him the  first  time  ,  I  really  doubted  it .  His name  is  Jake,  and when I got him he was  only  3  pounds  and  about 6  weeks  old.  He  was  so tiny  that  I thought  there  was  no  way  he  could  be  a lab, why labs are  so  MUCH  bigger  at  6  weeks.   I  have  seen  a  lot  of  labs  and  he  was much too tiny..................   that  is  what  I kept  telling myself.     This is  Jake  when I first  got  him at  what  we think  was  about  5  or  6  weeks  of  age.

Well  needless to say the  last  thing  I needed  was  another  puppy but  I can  say  without any  doubt  in my  mind  that  he  has  been the  most  wonderful, easily trained  and  so  delightfully  happy  go lucky  since  the  very  first day  we  brought him home.  He is  growing  by leaps  and  bounds  , he  is  now 5 months  old  and  the  most  awesome  growing  pup.  He  is  my  constant companion and I would  be  so entirely  lost  with out him.  I know  that  he  will be my protector, my  best  buddy and  keeper  of  secrets  forever and  I know that  I did the  right thing  that  day  when I brought him home, and I know that  he is  forever grateful every time  he puts  his  head  in my lap and looks  at me with those  big loving  brown eyes.    This  is  Jake  at  5  months  and  I will update  here as  he  grows. 

Busy days , Crafting nights.

It seems just when I think I am going to have a slow  day that I can spend with my needles and hooks that those  darn household  "chores" get in the way !  I  was  going to do a load or two of laundry to hang out in the  sunshine and  cool breeze , and  wouldn't you know.......... I was  out of laundry soap and  my  DH neglected to inform me.  So I try to make most anything I can from scratch  to save money, and yes I make our laundry soap.  My daughter  thought I was nuts the  first time or two I made it, but  once she tried it  she too was hooked.  It  costs me about a dollar to make 3 huge  bottles that I have recycled.  It works fantastic to take out South Carolina red clay stains out of my clothes and  I really like  making it, as it makes me feel better about what I use on my clothes and I am saving  a lot of money.... and that makes the husband happy.  It is very easy on our front loader washer, as it does not make suds, and it gets the clothes really clean.  It only has 3 or 4 ingredients in it, although I have discovered that if I add a little of liquid fabric softener  to the bottle before I pour in the soap, it makes the soap smell great ........ and it  does make the clothes softer  even when I hang them outside.  It  really is very easy to make and it does not take me more than an hour to  make it. The only down side is you really need it to cool and set for a day before you use it , but I have used it just a couple hours and it seems to work just as well , just a bit more  runny  until it cools.  This is all the ingredients I use.......................... and the  recipe is  so simple .  You can email me or leave me a question and I will gladly send the  recipe or place it here.

I have 2 different bars of soap shown, but I only use one in a recipe.  I usually use the  octogon, but I just  recently found the  Zote at walmart, and I love  it !  It is twice the size, and I only  have to use 1/2 the  bar per batch and the best part is it is under a dollar a bar, the octagon is also but I have to use the whole bar per batch.  The Zote works so good and smells great.  I have used Fels Naptha but I found it so harsh to our skin and it is SO hard to grate and more  expensive. The Zote smells  better, is pink so in turn makes the laundry soap pretty, and it is softer and easier to grate.  The Octagon is not quite as soft , but still easy and it has a slight lemony  smell. 
Now  not only  do I make our own laundry soap , I  use my  outside clothes dryer all the time here on any sunny day the Lord provides me.  Yes I hang clothes in the winter too!  If you have  never hung  your clothes out on a cold  windy winter day ....  You have to try it at least once, the way they smell and feel is so amazing!  
Well anyway  on to the  crafting.  I found this really cute pattern on line for a dish cloth and I had to try it.  It was  crochet and I figured it would be quick to make , it  was . I made it and the  scrubby, in one night.  In fact out of just one small ball I made the cloth and the matching little scrubby.  
I love to make the scrubbies, they work so well, they hold up forever and they work great for those tight spots like skinny glasses and cups.  I also use them like a sponge as they soak up so much since they are double thickness.  I have quite buying sponges  and started using them all the time.  I save money , and  no more germy sponges.  I can wash and reuse them all the time, and I bleach them when I wash them to sanitize them so I know they are clean, and I use different patterns if I want more texture for a scrubby feel.  They are wonderful and my  daughter requests them all the time.  

 I also made these other two dish clothes in an evening of tv watching.  Just  simple crochet but  with a slight twist,  I added a picot edge on each one to dress them up a bit.  Think I am going to have to find an outlet to sell all these dish clothes as I am getting quite the collection of them.