Back in the Saddle Again!

Good Morning on this glorious October morning! 

My husband and I have just returned from a Royal Caribbean Cruise. 

 We had a wonderful time

 I hope to share a phew of the photos taken the next few days.

We traveled out of Boston and visited Portland, ME 

and Bar Harbor ME in the United States. 

 The ports in Canada were St. John/Bay of Fundy and Halifax.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the sea was calm.

I enjoyed 7 of the most wonderful nights of sleep on this cruise ship.

No dogs barking, no train whistles, no sirens and never heard any folks in neighboring staterooms!  It was amazing!

Much more to share about this amazing adventure.

I just wanted to wet your whistle!

Plus I have a stack of sewing projects waiting for me to finish for fall quilt market so it will be a busy week.

Those Were the Days My Friends

Yes, indeed, they were!

I have always loved a party - and especially a birthday party!

So take a look back at this one!

I think it is September of 1960 - 

on my 9th birthday

in third grade at Reynolds School in Spencer, Iowa.

Can you find me??

Photograph includes:  Nancy Conrad, Donita Chapman, Kathy Loats, Barbara Pullen, Londa Lecher, Suzanne Schurmann, Debra Nightengale, Linda Brown, Barbara Hoover, JoAnne Harmon, my cousin Debbie and a neighbor girl.

50+ years later I am still having parties and enjoying friends and family.

Here's to my 60th birthday!! 

Snow Globe - Already???

Christmas fabrics are released in January/February for the following season

 so sample quilts must be made early as well.

I had the pleasure of making a Christmas quilt for Michael Miller Fabrics

and it is now appearing in

Quilters Newsletter

Best Quilts for Christmas!

It photographed beautifully for publication and is a lot of fun!

I even quilted this myself on my home sewing machine!

This publication is currently on newsstands 

so check it out!!!

What Kind of BEER is in Your Refrigerator?

As fall weather creeps in, it's time to drink those beers of summer 

and get ready for Octoberfest beers!

Here's what I found in my refrigerator - 

Nude Beach, Mission St. Blond Ale, Shiner Bock, New Glarus Spotted Cow, 

Shock Top, Dog Days, 312, Blue Moon, and Leinenkugel Summer Shandy.

Stop by for a cold one, the kick off for the Iowa/Iowa State game is 11:00!!

VNA Phoenix Center

Facilitator training for the VNA Phoenix Center was completed last night.

I am looking forward to the challenge as the first session will be

Monday, September 12th.

Here is a photo of the 4 of us who completed the training.

Kathy, Julie, Laura and me!

I have been a busy bee - sewing journal covers to 

donate for the children and their parents.

Journaling is such important part of healing for everyone!

20 different covers!

Thanks to Michael Miller Fabrics and 

Westminster Fabrics for my great fabric stash!

www.vnaportercounty.org/CenterforGriefandHealing.htm

Back to School

     Children everywhere are heading back to school this week.


     We can all look back on photos of the first day of Kindergarten.


     Enjoy this one of my sister with her granddaughter, Ella.


     Yes, it was a good day!

A Time for Friends and Family

I have been away from my blog for the past week

to spend some very special time with family and friends -

celebrating the life of my husband's father, Dan Maxwell.

He would have been very pleased with the 

ceremony by members of the Masonic Lodge in Spencer

and full military honors by the American Legion at the cemetery. 

He had been a participant in both for many friends and veterans.

Thanks to all of you who kept our family near to your hearts 

during the past week.

I am most excited to share with you a volunteer adventure I am starting on.

www.vnaportercounty.org/CenterforGriefandHealing.htm

I hope to become a facilitator of the VNA Phoenix Center.

This is a safe haven for children who are dealing with the death of a loved one.

Peer support age groups meet every two weeks serving the needs of toddlers, littles, middles, teens and college students in our area.

I am looking forward to the challenge and becoming involved in such a wonderful program.