Saturday, February 7, 2015

52 Book Challenge

18880663Brian Haynes, the third-generation owner of a successful realty company, who married the owner of an even more successful lumber company, remembers back to one pivotal summer during his childhood that changed his perspective on life forever. Following a frightening premonition from a mysterious neighbor, Brian, believing he has inadvertently contributed to the death of his grandmother's housekeeper, runs away from home with his best friend, Charlie. Aided by their friend Stephanie, the two friends find refuge with an old man living a hermit's life on a nearby knob. The old man teaches the boys the virtues of living a simple life and teaches them even more about letting go of the past and never taking things for granted. It all comes to a terrifying climax one day when Charlie climbs inside an abandoned, rusty truck, a truck that still has a few chips of red paint, and closes the door. Here begins a struggle between life and death. Chips of Red Paint is a modern Southern Gothic novel that weaves the past with the present into a colorful quilt that touches every emotion.


*****an okay story*****

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Slow Stitching Sunday




My granddaughter Kyleigha was born on January 24 so I am working on her quilt today and linking up with Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday.  I have one more block to quilt, then on to the borders. 


 I wasn't happy with the original fabrics I had for the quilt, but a couple of weeks ago I went into JoAnn's for a skein of embroidery floss and just happened to walk down the fabric isle and saw this fabric.  It practically jumped out at me.  I'm so happy I found it.  It just seems more baby girl to me than what I had purchased previously.


Happy stitching everyone, 

Rose

52 Book Challenge


The Enchanted Orchards, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008EYG53U/ref=cm_sw_r_pi_awdm_fVKvub1HWD19Q



Summer. Death. Love & Peaches.

Deep in the heart of Georgia where the oaks drip with Spanish moss and the scent of peaches wafts through the air, bitter teenager Fern Merris is trying to survive the breathless heat of summer and all the trials and tribulations of a small-town Southern life.

But she is haunted by the tragic secret of her sister’s death and even her beloved orchards can’t seem to save her. Refusing to give into sorrow, a desperate Fern goes in search of the courage she once had in order to live and dream again.

She gets more than she bargained for when she finds friendship, understanding—and even love—in unexpected places. Soon, her summer of hopeless grief turns into an enchanted journey of healing that will be life-altering and unforgettable.

Sometimes all of life’s answers can be wrapped up in one hot summer. Especially if peaches are involved…

Coming of age/YA/Romance that deals HEAVILY with death.

*****Sad, but good story*******


Mossy Creek


Welcome to Mossy Creek, your home town. You'll find a friendly face at every window, and a story behind every door.
We've got a mayor who cleans her own gun, and a Police Chief who doesn't need one. We've got scandal at the coffee shop and battles on the ballfield, a cantankerous Santa and a flying Chihuahua. You'll want to meet Rainey, the hairdresser with a tendency toward hysteria, and Hank, who takes care of our animals like they were his children. Don't forget to stop in for a bite at Mama's All You Can Eat Café, and while you're there say hello to our local celebrity, Sue Ora. Like as not, she'll sit you right down and tell you a story. People are like that in Mossy Creek.
Award winning authors Debra Dixon, Donna Ball, Sandra Chastain, Virginia Ellis, Nancy Knight, and Deborah Smith (Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes) come together once again to blend their unique southern voices into a collection of tales about the South, this time focusing their talents on the fictional town of Mossy Creek, Georgia. Chances are, you'll recognize it. But even if you don't, you'll want to come back, again and again.
So welcome to Mossy Creek, the town that ain't going nowhere and don't want to.



*****Light reading, enjoyable characters, I might try some of the other Mossy Creek books.  They might be perfect reading out in the yard while taking a break from gardening.******

Saturday, January 24, 2015

52 Book Challenge

When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola's rambling Victorian house.                                                

Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola's walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola's youth to her last days.  Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper--the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations of love, and one final lesson that could change everything for Tandi.                                                             

                                                         
********************

This story had potential and I really wanted to like this book, but for me it seemed so disjointed, which made for slow reading.  It took a long time to get into the story.  I'm glad I finished it though, because I was really intrigued with the idea of a prayer box.  It left me wanting to make my own prayer box. So because of the prayer boxes I could recommend this.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Goodbye sweet Mother..........

Cardinal in snowfall...such a beautiful sight each winter.....just wish we had winters like this to see the contrast!

goodbye sweet Mother
your hand has slipped from mine, but
your love stays with me


Emma Catherine Hitchens Armstrong
November 1, 1919-January 18, 2015

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Slow Stitching Sunday


I'm taking a short break from working on the baby quilt.  I'm still trying to figure out how I want to put it together.  But mostly waiting now for baby to arrive so I can embroider her name on it (want to make sure the name doesn't change and the spelling is correct)---any day now!

So I got out my Hocuspocusville quilt and started quilting spider webs in the black squares.




I'm linking up with Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts.  She ask us to post a picture of our hand stitching, not an easy feat to do by yourself.  I noticed that everyone that posted a photo of their hand quilts toward themselves with the thimble on their middle finger.  I've never been able to quilt like that.  I've always quilted away from myself with the thimble on my thumb. 



I have vegetable soup going in the crockpot, so I am ready for a bowl of soup and a relaxing evening watching Downton Abbey.


Saturday, January 17, 2015

52 Book Challenge





Finished two books this week!  Love cozy mysteries and think the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries will be fun series.

Murder Past Due

The Sea Glass Sisters by Lisa Wingate was a prequel to the Prayer Box--now looking forward to reading the Prayer Box. Love books that take place along the North and South Carolina coastline.  South Carolina is especially somewhere I always wanted to visit.




Sunday, January 11, 2015

Sunday Favorites -- Reading and Stitching


I love to read and I have seen several book blogs with reading challenges.  One that interested me was to read one book a week--52 books in a year.  I normally read maybe 20-25 books a year and thought I would see if I could increase it to 52. I'm not officially signing onto a challenge, but will be recording books read here on my blog. I may make a list of required reading for myself to make it a bit more of a challenge, but mostly it will be books for pure enjoyment. At this point in my life, that is what I want to spend my time on---enjoyment!!

I just finished my first book of the year.  Jan Karon's, Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good.  Loved it!  I have always been a fan of the Mitford series and was so happy to revisit with Father Tim and all the "old" characters and the new.  She left plenty to carry on in more stories, so I hope there will be more books to come.







Today I'm working on more embroidered bunny blocks.  I finished one that I personalized a bit.  My son-in-law coaches children's basketball and their colors are gray and lime green.  So I made the ball into a basketball and gave the gray bunny a lime green bow.

Join Kathy and other Slow Sunday Stitchers to see what they are working on.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

I'm not exactly sure what this quilt is going to look like but this is what I'm starting with.....

Hope my new granddaughter will like it!

I'm linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching
It has been so long since I have been here-guess I'm not a very good blogger.  But I will try again!
This summer I had some remodeling done on my little cabin. I had the front porch enclosed to add a bit more space. I think I'm up to about 400 sq. ft. now. With all of that going on it limited my quilting time.





But I did finish two scrap quilts.  









The hexie quilt has a real puckered look to it ( which I couldn't capture very well in the photo). I think that is one of the things I like about hand quilting.

My top priority right now is a baby quilt for my youngest daughter who is due January 21st. So I'm going to take advantage of our cold, snowy weather and hibernate until it's done!