Needles and Pens

I've been pretty scarce around here lately. Lots on my mind, even more on my plate, but mostly I've been spending every "spare" moment working on this: My youngest son turns ten in one week, and this quilt for his bed will be a birthday gift. The top was finally completed yesterday, and today I pinned the layers together. One more week for the quilting and binding... wish me luck!

I was poking around in the garden yesterday, looking for signs of life... and I found one! Several, actually. Not the type I was expecting, but it was sure a nice surprise to see butterflies flitting about so soon after all that snow. This species is new to me, so I'm searching through thumbnails at Butterflies and Moths of North America , trying to make an identification... ... hundreds of thumbnails later, I may have found it! I think it's a Mourning Cloak butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa). I sent my photo and sighting info to the state coordinator at the site, so we'll see if I get a for-sure confirmation. Looks pretty close, though -- only mine's prettier. lol Amazing how easy it is to get completely sidetracked with a thing like this!

... I started my diet, having hit an all-time high of 174 pounds on my 5'5" frame. My measurements were: Chest - 42.5 inches Waist - 40.5 inches Hips - 44.5 inches Arm - 14 inches Thigh - 25.75 inches One year later, I'm weighing in at 134 pounds - a loss of 40 pounds. Yeah!! Measurements today: Chest - 37.5 inches (-5 inches) Waist - 33.5 inches (-7 inches) Hips - 37 inches (-7.5 inches) Arm - 11.5 inches (-2.5 inches) Thigh - 21 inches (-4.75 inches) I've been a little bit down on myself this week, but this puts things back into perspective. What an accomplishment! Of course, I still can't help thinking where I would be today if I hadn't fallen off track over the holidays. The point is, I got back on track, and re-lost the weight I'd gained. That's something to be proud of. And it's high time I stopped kicking myself, don't you think? Imagine where I'd be today if I'd never tried to lose the weight at all. I know that number would hav...

Seems like there's always something else needing paint around here, and this time, it's my oldest daughter's room. She's had bright green walls for several years now and has been ready for a change for some time. She wanted something a little more... soothing, so she chose a warm beige color called Brazilian Tan. I've had the paint for two weeks now, but didn't have the energy to start painting until now. Yesterday I got the closet done, and my tackle for today was to finish the room. There's still lots of organizing and putting-away to be done, but the painting is finished! Before: And after: Quite the change! I think when she gets all of her pictures back on the walls and miscellaneous stuff put away, it'll be a much more relaxing atmosphere for her. And one more job marked off my list. ;o) So what did you tackle today? Be sure to stop by Five Minutes for Mom for more Tackle it Tuesday inspiration!

So, here's how the kids spent this beautiful Minnesota spring(?) day. I can't believe it's April 12th: We've been hit with our last (oh, please, let it be the last!) snowstorm of the season, complete with 60 mph winds and accumulation of 8-9 inches of new snow. Blessedly, the storm was followed by a gorgeous, sunny day today. I've been enjoying the quiet while the kids play outside, tackling a long-overdue updating of this cross-stitch sampler that I made for my sister and brother-in-law back in 1994. Their youngest child, Dominic (now nine-years-old), has finally been added to the family tree. Speaking of updates, I also finished my schoolhouse blocks this week. Sashings and border are next: I've been in a real funk lately, and really slacking with this blog among other things. Between the virus that seemed to last forever and the slow torture of this never-ending winter, it's been a challenge just doing the basics each day. But, good news, I do believe the...

By Earlene Fowler © 1999 Published by Penguin Books Ltd. 1999 Agatha Award Winner It’s been awhile since I’ve read anything for the Book Awards Reading Challenge. In fact, I had almost decided to give up on the challenge altogether, but then I came across one of my picks during a recent trip to the bookstore and decided to get back on track. Seven more books to read by June 30... Not usually a reader of mysteries, I only included Agatha-winner, Mariner’s Compass , on my book list because of the title, assuming it might have something to do with one of my favorite hobbies, quilting. In the process, I think I’ve discovered a new favorite author in Earlene Fowler. Mariner’s Compass is one in a series of mysteries involving Benni Harper, an ex-cowgirl, folk-art expert, and yes, quilter, who apparently finds herself in unusual situations on a regular basis. The story opens with Benni discovering she has inherited the estate of one Jacob Chandler, a man she has never heard of or met. The o...