February

Hello Everyone,
I took a little two week blog vacation.

February has been one of the most beautiful, but yet CRAZY busy months I have experienced in a while. About half way through, I just decided if I was going to stay sane and positive, I would have to do a semi unplug, so I did just that.

It made a huge difference. You know sometimes you have to get quite to listen to God. He speaks softly many times. I feel like a have a few things to talk about now😊

The calendar is not letting up until about halfway through March, but I feel like the rest gave me the attitude adjustment to make it through.

I have all my Easter thoughts together, my planned readings, and my service and discipline plans all set in my mind.

Now, for a few things y'all might like to see.

I so desperately wanted to finish my books of the Bible piece, but I still have the top border to go. It is the same as the bottom border.

This piece has taken a very long time for some reason. I have plodded forward the whole month of February on it. I didn't stitch anything else. I am going to continue to work on it only until completion.

We have the onions and potatoes all planted, and they are doing well at the farm. I don't have a recent picture though.

I have piddled in the flowers here at home. I have planted tulips at the entrance to our circle. They are popping up slowly. It has been like watching a pot of water that you are trying to boil.

The cold in January wiped out so many of my geraniums. I knew I should have brought them in. I have just decided to redo most of them. I took the ones that I thought weren't dead and placed them in one area downstairs to see if I could revive them. That is just me, however, I think they are toast.

A few of my collection on the top deck in front of my kitchen window.

This is one of the reasons I like to put them here. Washing dishes is more fun. Well, maybe.

I took long walks on the beach this month. In shorts. In February. Only snowbirds do that. They have been so incredible.

I have no clue what March will be like with weather or how warm that Gulf of Mexico is already. I think pretty warm, so I will pray we are spared with no hurricanes.

Lucy, my Springer Spaniel, has been real sick. I have a vet appointment on Thursday. Whew, it has been tough with her.

Well, that will sum it up for me today. I will be back soon. My busy lifestyle will not end until about halfway through March. More on that later.

With a little more spring in my step,
Sandy

Happy Valentine's Day

Y'all, I have had the most fun this morning. My son wanted me to take flowers to his girlfriend's school today. I haven't said much about this amazing girl, but I just love her!!! They have officially been an item since just before Thanksgiving. We all just adore her and hope she sticks around, so I happily agreed to deliver flowers this morning.

I was supposed to get them to the front office and have them take them to her room. I hadn't counted on the amount of car riders or the difficulty of getting in this particular school's parking lot, so I had to drive around and wait until the bell rang.

This could never be replicated. I got to the office and opened the door to walk right straight into her. She has PE first. Oh my!!!

I told her this didn't work out quite like we planned and she had not been supposed to see me. Darn it! Anyway, she is the cutest thing ever.

Hubby and I are planning a big event tonight. We are headed to Whataburger. Yep, you heard that right. We have both been dieting for so very long. I don't really call mine dieting anymore, but a lifestyle change. We are giddy about eating at Whataburger tonight.  For me, it will fries and the burger without the bun, and never ever a soft drink to touch these lips again. I am not completely going into those waters again, but I love Whataburger fries. Oh, and then a walk on the beach. He is beginning to see the benefits of taking me on a beach walk.

Have a great Valentine's Day.
Sandy

An Inspiring Book

I read the most adorable book on Friday of last week. It was called The Christmas Club by Barbara Hinske. She has written a series about a town called Rosemont, but I have not read any of those books. I did look on Amazon and the first one has mixed reviews. However, this is one is a winner.

I often share with you what I have read, but I almost never say it is a must read, because I know I have a wide variety or shall we say eclectic taste in reading so I never want to mislead someone.

This one is a must read. It is only a little over 100 pages, so a quick read. It is set in the 1950s and begins with a little lady coming out of the bank with her Christmas savings. Do y'all remember Christmas savings accounts? My mom always had one. Anyway, the little lady falls and it all blows away. It is a rather predictable book, but yet you will find yourself not being able to put it down. Five dollar bills will change Christmas. 

I plan to give this book as a gift to friends and family next Thanksgiving. Maybe it will inspire good things.

The book is inspiring and will give you a warm fuzzy feeling.

In other news, the reason I read it all this Friday is because I was in one of those lackluster moods where I didn't want to do anything. It was the first day I had to myself with no agenda attached to it in such a long time. I was simply motivated to do nothing. I walked into my sewing room and nothing sparked creativity. I didn't even want to cross stitch. I finally gave in and read. I sort of felt like I had blown a day, but I guess we need days like that sometimes.

I am enjoying the weather and doing a few chores today rather slowly. Yikes!

Good news is that I came back all clear for skin cancers from the dermatologist today. 

A picture of my boys on the way to the All Sports Banquet last Friday night.

Good day in the sunshine,

Sandy

Beach Walks, Farm Walks, and Weather

Before I took Mom to the doctor this last Saturday evening, the weekend was going well. Hubby and I got a bite to eat, walked on the beach, and made a Hobby Lobby visit in Destin. What a date night!

Here are a few scenes from our walk. It had been warm all day, but it cooled off so that I needed a jacket, however these days I am bit more cold natured. I seemed to have passed the hot moments for now anyway.

The reason for the Hobby Lobby trip is that since I refreshed the living room with some blue coastal items, and I love many of the other rooms such as the dining room, bedroom, and pool table room with their coastal accents, I have decided that my guest bathroom could use a refresh. I went looking for some new artwork for the walls. I have decided to go with some real artwork from locals rather than the Hobby Lobby looks.

I will keep you posted when I choose the new items and get the bathroom refreshed. Y'all know how doing one room leads to another.

On Saturday, we went to the farm to plant some onions and potatoes. I did get that done. Those were two of the things we planted last year that were used up. I learned a lesson on the zucchini last year.

This is the scene of the getting winded for Mama on our walk. I will take the mule next time to go to the compost bed.

Sweet Lemony wondering why we don't catch up.

That is Mom bundled up. It was cooler on Saturday.

The picture below is going to be a shooting house. I think it is more like the Taj Mahal. It is going to be so big and tall. Anyway, the shooting that will be going on is more likely to be photographs. My husband used to take pictures when we first married ALL THE TIME. He just got busy over the years, but has bought him a new camera and wants to get back into it.

I will share the finished house when it is done if you have no idea what I am talking about with a shooting house. Paul Allen and Tyler probably will use it during hunting season and I have seen lots of deer in the woods and almost every weekend there is one dead on the side of the road from having been hit by a car, so they should have luck. I have no idea when hunting season even is. Not my cup of tea. I am a "Don't kill that sweet little Bambi!"

One last thought for the day then I have to get busy with chores. This has been a crazy winter. We have our share of mild winters here and I love them. I hate the storms that go with them which usually pop up later. Yesterday, it got really windy out on the island here. A car toppled over and lots of stuff being blown around. I haven't looked to see if they determined it to be a tornado yet. Either way, my daughter's office is downtown close to the island and she had everyone hopping. It blew the doors open. She is like me. We take weather very seriously. She had everyone up and moving to the hallways.

The azaleas are blooming here and at the farm. I was quite surprised that they were blooming at the farm as that is further north near the Alabama state line. It wasn't just the Pride of Mobile (pink) that always bloom earlier than the others. 

The red orange ones in the background were blooming as well. I haven't seen any white ones in full bloom yet. They will be long gone here by the official start of spring.

I collected some camellias for home. There are four of the biggest camellia bushes that can't be called bushes anymore at the farm. They are gorgeous. White, red, deep pink, and light pink.

Turned around for the other view.

That is all folks for this morning.

Off to get busy,

Sandy

Mother is Feeling Better

Mother is home after a few days in the hospital. It all started at the farm on Saturday. We had gone up to work a bit in the garden. I have started a compost bed in the very back of the pasture. We usually take the mule to go and drop off our kitchen gatherings. She decided we should walk and I agreed since I have been after her to walk again.

Let me back track a bit. She used to walk 2 miles a day prior to the fluke fall that happened 3 years ago this May. She got off track with that with the fall, my step dad's subsequent cancer diagnosis, death and then moving here. Right after my step dad's death she had two episodes where her blood pressure shot up to near stroke numbers and she was put on blood pressure medicine.

I have gone over lots of times to find her laying around and believe me when I tell you that is not like her. She has a severe case of hyperactivity. I am the complete opposite of her. She does nothing whether it is mopping or walking across the room in slow gear.

A couple of times I have taken her to walk and she has gotten winded after what doesn't seem to be like much time.

This Saturday we were coming back from the back pasture up a little hill when she got really winded, but didn't tell me how bad it was or I would have called Hubby to come with the mule. She just kept on trying to make it. 

She sat around and watched as I planted onions and potatoes. When we got home, she called me several hours later and told me she felt tight in the chest and was still having shortness of breath.

With those 2 symptoms we drove to the ER, and just like that she was admitted to the hospital. 

She has had a full dose of tests and the conclusion at this point is that the medicine is not needed as she had a blood pressure of 100 over 57 this morning. We will be monitoring the situation and checking in with the regular doctor.

So that is how I have spent the last 2 and 1/2 days. 

The upside is I am more than rested ---I think?!---not mentally rested--- because by last night she was venting with what she was going to tell everyone. When I started trying to calm her down her reply was, "Well, I am not really going to say all that!" My return was, "Well, that stresses me out." 

Trust me the nurses got to know her spunkiness. As soon as they told her she could go home this morning, she asked me if she could take off all the heart monitor stickers. I told her she should probably wait. She went to the bathroom and promptly took them off. They came to check why it wasn't reading pretty quickly. Took me by surprise!

Anyway, I hope they are right that she doesn't need blood pressure medicine. I have decided that I am going to quit telling her what she should do, because she doesn't listen to me anyway.

She will be 82 next month and for the most part is healthy as a horse. Doesn't eat right and won't give up her cokes. She has informed me that she will eat Kisses and drink her coke. I will let it go.

Now, for the other part of the news. While I was spending the day at the hospital yesterday, Lucy, the Springer had a seizure at home by herself. She made quite a mess in the bedroom, but she seemed fine by the time I go there. Bless her heart! I honestly can't remember if I skipped her medicine which could have been the reason.

Life!!!

All that said, I chose joy for my fruit of the Spirit to work on this year. I got a real test yesterday. I probably failed, but I was trying. Surely the Lord will cut me some slack😀

I chose joy because life's circumstances are probably not going to change, but I have to be joyful in the midst as well. I am still immensely blessed. I will share more of those blessings later.

On a positive note, I got lots of cross stitching done!

Here is my progress this morning on the books of the Bible.

I have all the words done. There is a large border at top and bottom and a small border on the sides.

Glad to be home,

Sandy

Happy Groundhog Day

I love Groundhog Day...just a little day often overlooked, but I love it.

If Punxsutawney Phil doesn't come up with the correct answer...EARLY SPRING, then we have my personal favorite, General Beauregard Lee. I think he understands the southern climate better😃

This is the prediction this year...

Punxsutawney Phil (PA): Saw shadow, six more weeks of winter
General Beauregard Lee (GA): Did not see shadow, early spring

I am definitely going with General Lee. You can read more about Beau here.

If yesterday was any indicator, spring has arrived. It was simply gorgeous. I walked the dogs down the street and the birds were singing, the temperature was just right. As far as I am concerned it could stay like this for a good while.

I spent the day fluffing the nest and getting ready for my Bible study last night. I loved putting out the February stitching in my kitchen.

I am off to do some work on the outdoor planters at church and then I hope to do some stitching today. I want to finish my books of the Bible this month.

Happy spring,

Sandy