We have had beautiful weather all week and it's hard to stay indoors to get any work done. The corn is tasseling and the tomatoes are growing. Ahhh, life in the country! My husband is finishing the brick trim around all of the landscaping, which is no small feat considering it goes all the way around the house and we have several beds in the yard also. He said now he isn't so embarrassed! He's a landscaper and a landscaper's yard should be the best looking in the neighborhood, don't you know? It does look pretty good! I got 5 new Hostas in back near my Impatiens and another burning bush planted yesterday.


Grace got her first ballerina jewelry box last night. She is so enamored of it with the dancing ballerina. I have a feeling the ballerina will be gone within a week but she's certainly proud!

I saw Twilight/Eclipse yesterday with Austin. Loved it. I'll have to go back and reread it now.

A New Look

I thought I'd change the Blog a bit. I hope you like the new look!

The Heat is On!

A full week of 90 temps coming up. Last week was the same. We sort of missed our Spring. We went from cold and wet to hot (and wet). A little fertilizer on the corn and tomatoes and we're in good shape. I counted 65 tomatoes on the vine so far. Yum! I know, you'd think I'd have better things to do than go count green tomatoes but it was exciting, none the less.

Grace had her first dance recital this weekend and despite
falling asleep on the way, she performed very well. The whole
group was as cute as could be! She's been singing and dancing around the house ever since. Sarah got her a peacock outfit at a garage sale and she is the princess, let me tell you. Tail feathers and all. She makes up her own songs and sings and sings!

Here's a picture
of Sarah and Grace. My sister was in an accident this past week and broke a bone in her neck. She had a successful surgery and now has a halo bolted to her for 8 weeks. You'd think wearing a halo would make her feel like an angel but I'm not sure she feels quite that way. Keep her in your prayers!

Just Another Hot Friday In The Summer

Another week has passed and I really believe the summer is going to be over in no time. The corn is growing, we have 56 green tomatoes growing on the vines so far and the flowers had to be pinched back already.

Tomorrow there's an auction at the next farm down the road. I told my husband we should go over there for lunch, you know there will be a hot dog stand! It's a funny story abut that farm really. They had an old huge white dog, probably a Great Pyrenees. He came over to our house on a regular basis and left his "special package" in our yard.

Every morning I would leave very early to go walk in town, and he would be laying somewhere along the road. The bad part, was that there was a sharp curve in front of his house, and that's always where he would sleep in the road. I kept thinking someone coming through that area would not slow down if they didn't know he would be there.

One morning I left about 5:30 am. He was laying across the center of the road (and he was huge) and I just happened to be watching for him. He never moved a muscle as I drove around him. I was sure he was dead, probably hit by someone in the night. I told my family about it and I felt so sad that day, I just wanted to cry. I was sure he had died. The next day my son saw him laying in the yard and I was sure it was where they pulled him to get him away from the road. I started looking every time I drove by and still didn't see him anywhere. Even my husband saw him laying in the yard and still I looked, not finding him.

Well, finally, I saw him after about a week, alive and well. I don't know how he did it, but he was the luckiest dog around. After that, every time I drove past him laying in the road each morning I just smiled, so happy to see him alive and well and thankful some someone didn't fly through there in the night and hit him.

They have since moved on, hence the remaining auction tomorrow. It's sad now for me really, that each morning, I don't have that sweet old white dog to watch out for. I miss him! I don't miss his gifts in our yard, but I miss him!

It's a Bloomin' Day

My Clematis is so pretty right now- it looks like a hundred blooms easily. When we moved in, it was dormant at the light post. We had no idea what color it would turn out to be. Now the light post is completely hidden by the purple blooms.

My Peonies continue to bloom even though it seems so late this year. Usually they bloom by Mother's Day. We keep cutting them and have a beautiful vase on the counter in the kitchen. The bad thing about Peonies is that they harbor ants so we have to shake them really well before bringing them inside. We still get a few hitchhikers on the counter for a few hours each time.

Today I'm going to play with new quilt designs and maybe see a movie later with my son. We've had Bar-B-Q's for two days and I'm ready for a change! Enjoy your day.

Sunday Evening

I had the sweetest emails this week from some of you and they really did help me feel better. I've noticed I don't get a lot of comments on this blog but I do get a lot of private emails and I enjoy them. Thank you for the well wishes.

I had a smaller number of entries this week for the drawing, probably a lot to do with a holiday weekend also, so I decided to let everyone who entered have the chart or pattern that was listed as your choice. If you forgot to tell me which title you want, and a few of you forgot, I will email you this week to decide. One of you forgot your address, oh my, but that to will be OK this time around!

Remember to honor the fallen soldiers and those who have served our country tomorrow during Memorial Day. The sacrifice to our country is felt closer to my home than many realize. I had a son-in-law who was killed at age 21 during Marine Recon Training in 2002. Please pray for our troops.

The Sunday Evening Post

What started out to be a great week ended with a upper respiratory ailment. I guess I picked up germs on the grocery cart and here I sit out of breath and still coughing. The good news is, all I had to do all week was design. I really had a good time and designed enough quilts for a year. OK, maybe that's a exaggeration but I did a lot of drawing this week. I lost my notebook last week and never looked back. I now possess a new one. To clarify, that was possess a new book, not me being possessed, even though I'm sure I fall into that category on occasion. I am rearing to go now with some sewing. The bad news is, I don't feel quite right yet so I'll have to wait a little longer to get started.

I'll have two new cross stitch charts out next week so watch for them.

Sarah is recovering nicely and back at home. I've enjoyed the company and after a while, she was actually taking care of me! My garden is slowing down due to excess rain but at least I don't have to water it. We had 89 degrees today and a few more very hot days coming in the future so it should jump start the tomatoes. My Clematis is blooming (purple) and I have a vase of pink Peonies on my kitchen counter. I sure looks pretty around here. Sorry I don't have the energy to go snap some pictures. Maybe tomorrow.

I did promise a drawing this week and I don't want to disappoint. To enter, email me by Saturday midnight with HOT in the title. Include your name and mailing address. I'll choose 2 winners to receive the cross stitch chart or quilt pattern of your choice. If you want, go check out the website and include your choice in your entry email. That will speed things up if you win! Thanks, and have fun looking! www.prairiegrovepeddler.com

New Week, New Adventures

I feel like last week my life was the "Perils of Pauline" so this week started off a lot better. Sarah is still with me and recovering nicely. We don't have to get up nights anymore. She still can't step down but she's got crutches and hobbles around. It's been fun having her hang out. We've watched a lot of movies together this week.

I never found the notebook but started a new one with fresh ideas, and it was probably time for that also. I can't wait to have some quiet time to get started on them. We've had a lot of family stuff going on this past month and I am getting more and more behind in work it seems. I've found that as I get older, I get less structured in my work routine. I play a lot more and spend more time with my kids and grand kids. It's the "future" empty nest syndrome I guess. My 15 yr old will be gone before I know it so I'm tying to savor each moment with him before he gets the "attitude". Thankfully, that hasn't happened yet. Meanwhile, the grand kids need attention also. I think I'll offer to babysit this weekend.

Sunday starts a new drawing so you'll have to check back to see what's offered.

Where did the week go?

I don't know how that happens. One day it's Monday and you blink, then it's Saturday. How does that happen? My life is a blur. Sarah had surgery on her foot this week and she's been here for me to take care of. It's a constant routine- setting the alarms at 1 am and 5 am for pain pills and ice packs. She's doing pretty good but still in a lot of pain.

When I got up at 5 this morning, the water was running pretty fast. After checking it out, I found that the softener had backwashed at 2 am and never shut off. Great! I shutter to see the next water bill! We just bought the Culligan a few months back so I'm waiting for them to show up any minute. I actually called Culligan at 5 am this morning and someone actually answered, not a machine. That's service!

I have been working on new designs this week around caring for Sarah. I did spend a lot of the week searching. I lost my notebook with all of my drawings and notes for future designs. I take it everywhere and it could be anywhere. I ripped this place apart this week and still never found it. Heart broken, I started a new notebook. What's a girl to do after all?

I'll still keep my eye out for it but I started a whole new notebook with all new designs. Out with the old, in with the new. Today is another day.