snowed in, January challenges, heads up on a blog

I have 52 blog readers! 52! I am humbled and amazed and am trying to check out anyone I don't follow so I can. Hello to all of you!
The picture at top is Herman and me Christmas at dd Karen's house. I show it off so you can see how healthy he is getting after the year of cancer, surgeries and chemo. It started off at the bottom, I hit the wrong button so now it's back on at top. Oh well. Blogger in training..that's me!

My daughter Tami started a new blog that any of you who want to renew yourself physically and spiritually during this new year should check out. She doesn't always have internet at this time and has to post sporadically, but catches all her days up when she does post.

Yes, North Alabama and even farther south is shut down. Because we don't experience this often, the expense of winter machinery (snow plows, etc.) is not cost effective so our streets and roads become impassable quickly. This causes chain reaction of school and business closings so here we are.

Here's the snowman my grandkids created yesterday. He's tall and 20; she's 16.

I am behind on challenges, but to be anything else would not be me :( A couple days found me not stitching at all except for what you're going to see in these pics coming up.

First up is Apple Tree Sampler by Hawkins House worked on 36 ct. with Belle Soie silks.

Second is Quaker Harmony by My Big Toe done on 32 ct with Weeks dye works.

Third is His Flowers by Rosewood Manor, a personal favorite and so little to show for it. It's on 32 ct. Autumn Blush using dmc.
I did put a few stitches in border of Heart of America but not enough to scan :( But, here is the work done on Battle Hymn of Republic; what it looked like when I picked it back up and what it looks like now. The skipping at the bottom was done in fear that I cut the fabric too short...false alarm.

hugs & happy stitching,

Babs

Something to celebrate, a day trip & and a finish!

Well, I forgot to add my finish for the week.
It's called Be Still and Know by My Big Toe.
A favorite verse of mine and got me
through some rough patches this year.
This blog post has been started,
deleted, restarted, drafted, and it's gonna'
go right now just like it is. Phew!





Grampa and Luke returning from their trip to Russell Cave. I'm taking the picture cause I

couldn't make the walk, but that' s ok...they're buddies :)

Tuesday the 5th was a good good day. No more chemo! No more blood tests! Well, not until

Dec. 13 for a pet scan, the 15th for colonoscopy and the 21st for consult. But that seems a life time away.

He shooked the doctor's hand and hugged all his nurses before he left the cancer center, but his favorite person, Hezekiah, wasn't there for him to say good bye. They sat in those recliners and got to know each other so well. I wonder, do people stay in touch? Herman will be off to Pennsylvania the day after his birthday which is Oct. 17th.

I hope he doesn't check in on my blog cause on the 16th my youngest daughter who is a photographer is trying to get this whole family together for a family picture out in the back yard. He thinks it's just for the picture, but they will have cake and all the fixings for his birthday. One will be absent for sure, our granddaughter in the navy, but Karen will phtoshop her in I'm thinking.

Our day trip to Chattanooga Choo Choo model trains and to Bridgeport, AL's Russell Cave with our grandson Luke was a fun fun day! There was one condition to him going with us....we had to be home by 7PM for the Alabama/Florida game...we walked in the door at his house at 6:55. He is a die-hard Crimson Tide fan and he just turned 9 last Wednesday the 6th...the Tide won so made for him a perfect day.

I call this pic on the left "watching the wheels turn". Luke loved working all the levers on this engine at Chattanooga Choo Choo. He told me if I looked close I could see the wheels turn.

On the right he's standing in front of one of the "coolest" displays at Russel Cave museum.

This is Luke and me showing off the fountain behind us...they just wanted me to be in at least one of the pictures :) I really am there.
And this last picture is my personal favorite....do you see Luke in the upper corner? It's just a reflection of him as I took the blurred picture of one of the model train sets. My heart skipped a beat when I caught sight of his image.

Happy Stitching!
Babs