* * * * SNOW * * * *

We have snow in Raleigh. The snow started falling lightly by midnight. When I woke up this morning around 7:30, it was snowing steady. Currently, little before 9am, it is snowing heavily ("puttin' it down" as we would say around here).

When I got up this morning around 7:30, this was the view from upstairs window (sky was still pale blue from early morning light):


A little after 8, here's a photo taken from upstairs looking toward the wooded patch behind my house:


From my front porch:


And a couple of shots from the patio door:




Forecast is that we'll have 3 to 4 inches by the time it stops around mid-day or early afternoon. Temperatures are currently low 20's and not supposed to get above freezing until tomorrow. Needless to say, I'm working from home today, and probably will be working from home tomorrow.

Stitching pictures to share

Here are stitching pictures I promised.

This is Lizzie Kate 2002 April FlipIt that I finished before Christmas:


And here is Lizzie Kate 2002 May FlipIt that I finished at my Dad's on Christmas Day:


Lizzie Kate 2008 DoubleFlips LISTEN and LEARN were started and finished the weekend after Christmas.


The next were my first finishes for 2009, Lizzie Kate 2007 February and March FlipIts. I almost had February finished as the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve. About 20 minutes past midnight, February was complete. I then started March and finished it on Jan 2.



Since then I've been working to complete a project that is long overdue to be finished and sent home to its owner. I'll hopefully have it done in the next few days. However this past Monday, I was in the mood to work on something small and easy as I was heading to my LNS for stitch night, so I stitched this little fellow (my first ornament for 2009):



I saw this little fellow on some other cross stitch blogs I follow. It's a freebie design and one of the blogs had a link to the pattern. I don't think I've ever stitched an ornament this early in the year. My plan is to stitch at least 2 ornaments each month.

I hope you enjoy the pictures. Hugs to all.

A Very Belated Happy New Year to all

I haven't posted since Christmas Day ..... how horrible of me. My apologies to all. The minor cold I had Christmas week developed into a sinus infection by the week after Christmas. I spent lots of time that week sitting or napping on my sofa -- myself, the box of Kleenex, a blanket handy when needed, and the cable TV remote control. Thought I was getting better by mid-week, but then woke up with another wave last Friday. I'm glad I was off work last week, but a little disappointed that I couldn't enjoy the time off a little more. Feeling better this week (now that I had to go back to work), but the sinus aches still lingering around so I finally went to doctor and am taking antibiotics to get rid of it (yes I know, I should have gone to the doctor end of last week.... what can I say, I'm stubborn).

I did get a little stitching done between Christmas and the end of the year while camping on the sofa in between naps and sinus headaches. I decided it was a good time to work on some Lizzie Kate UFOs. I started with the LK Double-Flips from early 2008 and stitched "LISTEN" and "LEARN". Then switched to the LK FlipIts from 2007 and finished February, stitched March, and started April. I did end 2008 close to my goal of 50 projects. My total for 2008 was 47 and all but one of those were started and finished in 2008. I almost had 48 finishes .... was trying to finish the 2007 February FlipIt by midnight on New Years's Eve. I had a few dozen stitches left as I watched the ball drop in New York on TV (with split screen showing the "ACORN" dropping in downtown Raleigh). I did finish it after the TV hoop-la was over, so my first 2009 finish was completed at approximately 12:22am Jan.1.

I haven't been on the computer much the last few weeks, about the only thing I did was check emails every day or 2 and I did change my blog background to something much more colorful and cute. Between tonight and tomorrow, I'll take some pictures of the recent finishes to share with ya.

Hugs to all.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all. I hope 2008 has been a wonderful year for you and hope 2009 brings you good health and happiness.

I'm at my Dad's for the holiday. I did bring my camera and have taken a few pictures, but, silly me left the sync cord for my camera at home, so I can't upload photos until I get back home.

I'm having a relaxing time at my Dad's ..... stitching a little, napping a little, and getting talked into playing XBox with my step-nephews when they are over. I'm happy to say I have 2 weeks off from work, all of this week and next.

For those of you that have snow, enjoy the snow .... hopefully you'll share pictures on your blogs. For us here in NC, it's upper 60's, sunny and beautiful.

Hugs to all.

Stitching update

Hello all. It's been a bit since I've posted. I thought I'd share some stitching photos with ya. While at my Dad's for Thanksgiving, I stitched this Pine Mountain pillow kit:



I had some WIPs I could have worked on while at my Dad's, but the light is not the greatest, and I usually have a Pine Mountain kit or 2 in my stitching bag, so that's what I stitched on Thanksgiving Day.

From the Society RR group, I stitched an extra 2 squares on Karen's piece.



Back in September, I stitched "J" and "R" on this piece, then sent it on its way to the next couple of stitchers. I had wanted to stitch a third, so after my buddy Ruth finished working on it, she sent it back to me and I stitched another 2 squares, "H" and "I". Now it's off again to the next stitcher. Isn't it looking great.

Now onto WIP's. After the PALS Fling in October, I started working on the pinkeep from the class I attended at the PALS Fling:



The class was taught by Jane Timmers of Fancy Work. As other blogger buddies that took this class have posted, Jane is a wonderful teacher. If you ever get a chance to take one of her classes, you should. The pinkeep is stitched over 1. I love the colors of this. There is also a biscornu, also over 1, that will get stitched after the pinkeep is finished. I was working on this the first part of November, when I could find time to stitch.

After Thanksgiving, I found myself in a mood to start something new, even though I have several WIPs and UFOs that could use my attention. So, I started JBWs "French Country A, B, C's":



The fabric is darker than it appears in this photo. The pattern and photo is blue floss stitched on a white fabric. I purchased the pattern and the blue fabric at the PALS Fling a year ago and decided to stitch it reversed, white floss on the blue fabric. Not too much of it completed yet, but I think it's going to look very cool when completed.

And last but not least, I started working on Lizzie Kate April FlipIt, from the very first FlipIt series from 2002.



Most of these were stitched last year in a round robin. There were 4 squares left to stitch when it returned to me. My buddy Ruth took it home with her after the PALS Fling in October and stitched a square. And her friend Judy surprised me by stitching another. So that leaves 2 more squares to stitch, April and May.

That's it for stitching updates. I hope to have these WIPs finished by end of the month.

Hugs to all....

Thank you Veterans

Thank you Veterans for your loyal service to our country. The sacrifices you make to keep our country safe and free is greatly appreciated. For those that are currently deployed overseas, may you soon be home safe.

Why I love Autumn

There are a many reasons why I love Autumn.... Watching football, crisp sunny days and nights starting to get a little chilly, apples, sweet potatoes, pumpkins. But one of the best things in Autumn, the colors of fall foliage. The colors of fall are georgeous now. It's a little past peak color, but still beautiful. I took my camera to work Friday and took a few photos from the windows of where I work. And after breakfast this morning, I drove around a bit, taking a few more photos.

I hope you enjoy these photos.

I had to take a picture of this one tree in the parking lot at work:


This is a field next to my building:


The rest were taken while I was driving around this morning:








I haven't forgotten that I still own you Myrtle Beach photos. I'll try to get those posted in the next few days.