January 23, 2026

It has been 2 plus weeks since I last posted, so here we go. We will talk about stitching, puttering around the house, the weather and family stuff.  I think I found enough pictures to break up the words without family being the focus.

First up is what I have been stitching...

I did quit procrastinating and finish The Twelve Days of Christmas. I like it, but it would have looked better framed. Live and learn.

I may fluff it a bit more next Christmas. 

I am currently stitching for another daughter of our friends. You may remember I stitched a verse for Laura on her high school graduation. Her sister Alayna is who told me she would like it. I didn't love the framing, but I was in a rush to do it. 

I had no idea these girls would be so crazy about my stitching. I am now stitching Alayna something I have stitched before. I think it is a just right piece for her. She is still in school working on a master's, but she is working full time too and moved to her first place on her own. I am stitching the sandpipers that I did here. I am enjoying every stitch even though it wasn't that long ago. My favorite designer has definitely become The Crossed Wing Collection. I love stitching the wildlife and plants. I know it seems odd to some, but they are purely delight to stitch.

I am also stitching on a small piece mostly because I am impatient. I am looking ahead to this summer I really wanted a patriotic stitch to commemorate the  Semiquincentennial. I have so many patriotic stitches so I really don't need another one, but it is not everyday a nation celebrates 250 years. I downloaded a pdf stitch from Etsy. Here is the picture of it from the pattern.

From Needle Treasure Nook

I do plan to change the stars to 1776 and the 1776 to 2026. I also am using brighter colors than the pattern called for. They don't look all that muted in their picture but the floss choices are more muted.

I have been working on those hotspots I mentioned in my last post. For almost a week I just walked into the 2 rooms with the problems and pondered the situation before I ever started trying to solve the issues. Both rooms and their problems ended up being connected.

This bedroom has too many things from Mama's house just laying around. Mainly photographs. I worked so hard on them, but I am left with photos that I will probably sort out of albums and either give away or throw away. I can't do that for now, but I have procrastinated finding a home for them. I finally go in there and consolidated some of the bins and rearranged the closet in that bedroom to hold the stuff. It feels so much better when I walk in that room not to see all that sitting out in the floor. Now, I can NOT open the closet or I feel like I am going crazy.

One corner looking so much better. 

Notice that TV in the room. 

That cause the problem in the sewing room. 

I once had the printer on that little table in that room. Didn't love it, but it wasn't a thing you used often. You can even see the printer paper still on that table under the TV.

We moved the printer causing me much trouble to put a TV in there when Mama was here after her fall a few years back. We had cable then, so we moved her a rocking chair and TV in that room. The chair is with her now and that TV just sits. We no longer have cable and I haven't bought a device for it to read the Internet. It is just taking up space and will continue for now.

The printer went to my sewing counter which was driving me NUTTY!

I found a new home for the printer and the counter looks better. I will still have to deal with the stacks that I make. I am a stacker. It is not my best trait. I use this counter to fold clothes, organize taxes, and sew or finish a cross stitch piece. It is multipurpose so I need to keep it somewhat neat. The plant is only there for winter.

I have been working on a few more projects, but that will do for now.

I framed Lindsay some beach pictures for her new office. She had a big wall as you enter her office and a conference table. I think our inexpensive plan worked out well.

Last Sunday before dawn just as local meteorologists said there was a snow flurry.

I am no longer interested at all. No snow I say!!!

I think it is looking a little more possible later this next week. Two years in a row....weird!!!

I am over winter. I have tried to a be a good winter girl. I really and truly have. I have done well, but I am telling Mr. Weather ---February 1st, Sandy is looking for springy weather. 

I bet he is listening!

January entertains me with the ducks and pelicans.

Close up of them.

First camellia bowl of 2026.

Valerie turned 1.

I made her a smash cake and cupcakes. We added a set of zoo animals with tutus and birthday hats. A zoo visit was done rather than a traditional party.

(The boys all promptly removed the tutus.)

Mama has been filling her time crocheting again. She made this one for Valerie.

Gus interrupting my nap. 

He did decide to let me finish.

Hoping everyone stays warm,

Sandy

January 8, 2026 AD

     It is that time of year when we talk about New Year's resolutions and such. I knew I would be late to the game on this sort of thing and I do love this type of thing. I am very much a thinker. 

     Between sickness for me and the family I knew it would slow me down. We took the week after Christmas to go to Auburn and it was so good for me. I look forward to our visits to our second home to recharge. It is such a different setting than our normal environment here in Florida. You see the seasons in a more traditional sense there. We see seasons here in northwest Florida but through a different lens. Anyway, I rested lots which I needed. I knew I would come back to keeping more than one kid for a day or two and I would tire quickly.

The trees in Auburn are more like a typical view of the season.

     I asked for a cross for Christmas. We have one like the picture below in our home here and I just wanted something in our Auburn home. Our good friend makes these as well as  many other things for  a hobby. I thought it went well with the pictures just around the corner from it on the adjacent wall.

                    

     I have been busy thinking in between all the life stuff. I like to think of changing things in a more seasonal setting. I think each season is a good time to evaluate and to take a bit of time to reset when things are not going like you planned or let some things go that weren't working. 

     I do have some things that have been calling my brain. Things I want to change or add and things I want to try and eliminate from the routine.

     Now for some of my resolutions, goals, seasonal reset ---thoughts.

The evenings -

I want to continue trying to keep my mind active through January and most of February and not fall asleep at 6:00 PM. Anyone else? 

I have made a list of things I want to accomplish similar to the ancestry book I worked on in December.

Family Time -

I want to get Palmer out once a month on Fridays. That day is review day at his preschool and I just really want to do something special with each child...not always in a group where I get tired quickly. My goodness ---aging is real folks.

I want to eat lunch with Tucker once a month on another Friday. He won't always welcome that, but he is still excited about the idea.

I want to give Paul Allen and Katie a date night once a month on a Friday. Lindsay and Tyler are much better about this than Paul Allen and Katie. Mostly I think they are just sleep deprived. We did this last Saturday and I could look at Katie's face when they returned from eating a pizza without kids and I knew we needed to do this. It was fun too for Miles and Valerie and we enjoyed them.

Mostly I want to remember to do things that are helpful and good for the kiddos. I KNOW I need to take care of myself, but I want to spend time with them.

I also need to help Lindsay get healthy. Getting healthy can begin on ANY date. Mine started November 4, 2015. It is important.

I had a long thinking session about my physical body. I am trying something NEW. I will give it some time and let you know if it is successful. It involves less rather more.

Hotspots - 

I want to work on some hotspots in the house. Places that just don't make me happy when I walk into the room and don't work as well as I want.  One is here ...

This room is such a blessing and it stays too messy and honestly I am trying to do too many things in here. I am going to really try and pay attention to things over the next couple of months and rethink the organization in there. 

The cross stitch in the above picture is still sitting in that same spot. After realizing I was rushing things with it and that I wasn't going to gift it I let up on the quick finish. I have sewed cording around it and tabs to hang it on a dowel, but I have not stretched out the edges for the cording nor painted the dowel that is cut and waiting to hang it on... Need to get that done.

I have started a new stitch. I will update on that later.

About blogging.

I am going to share less pictures of my grandkids...

OR at least I am thinking that right now.

Blogging is such a weird thing and with AI and all the things coming along my mind spins sometimes.

Anyway, I am thinking pictures of the grands are what my blog is now mostly and maybe that is not a good idea. I am praying about it. It is something I am deeply pondering.

Do people read blogs with no pictures anymore? 

I know I have a few friends that I would be so sad if I didn't hear from anymore. I have followed along for a lot of years. I just need to think on this as the world spins a little faster these days. 

     As I sit here typing I have a digital frame that the kids gave me years ago. I upload each month's pictures on the last day of the month. I am seeing the snow from a year ago. Valerie was born just before the snow. The grandkids will probably never see that kind of snow again. 

The morning of January 22, 2025 AD

If you haven't stopped reading by now with few pictures, I am still going to blog, but rethinking the kiddos. It is a journal in some ways but maybe less in the picture department.

Until next time,

Sandy

History Was Made

 Historical. Unbelievable. Bizarre. Surreal. Exciting.

Those are just a few of the words that could be used to describe January 21st and 22nd. 

I have never in my 64 years EVER seen anything like this. I know there will people from other parts of the country and even the world who will read this and just wonder how can this be such an important event, but folks I am telling the truth... The Gulf Coast of the Panhandle of Florida witnessed an historical event.

I have been super busy since Friday, but I feel like I have to document all of this as it is still fresh on my brain.

Snow was predicted for the Gulf Coast and like everyone else around here, it was a little hard to believe. Jeff said he would believe it when he saw it. He never could have dreamt this one up.

School was canceled in the expectation of it and it was being hyped on all the local news sources, but still could what they said was coming really happen.

On Tuesday, I fell in love with Facebook. I have never been a fan, but it was so fun seeing all my cousins and high school friends from Brewton sharing pictures. But then... we were seeing it everywhere but here. Sadness tried to creep in for our family. The radar was saying we were getting a wintery mix, but no we were not outside our windows.

That little oval purple blob was not showing up anywhere near us. It must have been up in the atmosphere. WE were all seeing nothing despite the radar. I was seeing pictures from Brewton and Atmore where family and friends live. Pensacola was snowing.

Then around 2:45 yesterday it began. Snow ---not ice, but real snow started coming down hard. Hip hip hoorays started going up from everywhere. It continued until almost 10:00 PM and gave us 6 inches. Y'all I have never seen that much snow in my life. 

I honestly realized I had seen ice and a dusting of snow with maybe and inch in Auburn back in the 80's, but not genuine powdery snow such as this. Can you believe it?

I am going to share the pictures that don't do it justice at all. 6 inches here and 8 inches in Brewton. You can see it on the above map. The old record was in 1895 with 3 inches recorded in Pensacola and Mobile.

By the way, with such an event I put on real winter clothing and embraced it. I went out multiple times and took walks yesterday and today in it.  

This picture was my first trip out with Gus. About 4:00 yesterday.

I walked out of my cul-de-sac to look down the road.

This was looking back to the house.

Down by the water... even snow all the way to the water.

One thing I loved about Facebook was all the pictures from everywhere. You couldn't tell snow from our sugar white beach sands. CRAZY!

This morning... I took more. Why not?! This is history here.

Spanish moss mixed with snow.

The little cottage two doors down.

Out my front door this morning before I went out.

Down on the deck...

From my bedroom window of the downstairs.

It is all just incredible. Real snow ----people----real snow! On the Gulf Coast of Florida. That is the Choctawhatchee Bay people. Do you understand how rare and odd this is?

Here are pictures of the kiddos? Who by the way have had the time of their lives. I wish you could read my family's texts messages from the adult children who have never seen this.

Lindsay and family in Destin. BTW, we couldn't go see either kid because the bridges were closed. I have to cross bridges to get to both.

The much too large gloves are compliments of Paw Paw who made it to Target before all of this started and got what they had. 

Paul Allen and family in Shalimar. Yes, that is little Valerie for a quick trip outside to get her picture taken in the snow. 5 days old.

This one was yesterday when it was coming down.

WOW ---truly amazing. I needed this recorded.

The other big news is that sweet baby girl up there who came Friday morning early and was safely home before the crazy cold came.

7 pounds and 5 ounces with a perfect birth. Mommy and baby are doing great. Her head is covered in jet black hair. Valerie Layne (I spelled it wrong in the last post).

Lindsay, Tyler and the boys made it over to see her on Monday before the snow.

Palmer is so smitten with her. Miles could probably be fine with her going back:)

I will stop there, but will be back soon with just other stuff. It seems I have lots to share. I had my cousin take a picture this morning of the little church in my sidebar and a source of inspiration for one of my stitched samplers. It is my family's church in the woods. All of my cousins live around it on the little dirt road. I texted my cousin to take a picture of it for me this morning,

Just beautiful!

I am closing for now, but I will catch up tomorrow with everyone. I have my small group coming in a few hours. I didn't think anyone would get out since the roads are going to be an icy mess tonight, but most said they were coming. 

Be back soon....from the snow capped flat lands of the beach...

Sandy

She Is Here

Each and every time I write I a blog post, it seems that I open myself up to a possible chain reaction of unforuntate events. I can count on not being able to keep up with reading or mingling with friends. The mingling with friends is as hard in person as it is in BlogLand. When I left off last, I said I was hoping Mama wouldn't come down with the flu. It happened and from that moment on I have had trouble staying on top of anything but the basic necessities.

Said flu really caused an unnecessary hospital stay. A doctor's visit would have been much nicer, but she awoke to not being able to catch her breath good which sends her into panic. It would anyone, but I can usually calm her down and we move forward, but she hit her button and the facility was ready to call an ambulance. I will spare all the other details ---let's just say the week was taken up with all of that. 

Miles was sick first with the flu and then an ear infection. Honestly, both Paul Allen and Katie were worn down from being pregnant and so much sickness, but what a difference a new baby can bring.

Valerie Lane Palmer arrived early this morning at 3:30 AM. She is healthy and Mama is doing great. They come home tomorrow and we are keeping Miles and letting him recover to see his new sister. FaceTime is amazing. 

Blessings followed a very chaotic week. I have held my latest little one... a girl. Three grand boys are so excited about a girl -even the cousins. I am pretty sure Palmer is the most excited since he asked Santa for a baby this year and was not happy with the stuffed dog with puppies.

When I left off last I was sharing things that I have done past tense...nothing new here - just trying to catch up on sharing.

The Florida Lighthouse stitch was in holding. It did get moved. Not so much because I didn't like it where I had placed it, but that I liked what I had removed to put it there. With a few days to think about it, I landed on a new place to hang it that is sticking.

It is now in the hallway that is traveled by everyone who enters our home. The garage to kitchen hallway. Very heavy traffic!!! I replaced a chalkboard with a similar shaped frame. I had no real attachment to the chalkboard. 

Here is the new location from both directions. I am pleased with the new home for it.

In one other bit of old news I made a change in the guest room (aka - Lindsay's old bedroom). I haven't loved the bedspread in there. Didn't hate it, but more than anything I just didn't like the bulkiness of it and how it laid. I have tried to come up with a color to use in there and finally one day I was looking at the 2 large pieces of artwork in there...one some colorful birds which matched the old bedspread and the other the Swiss Alps painting that has been with me since my babyhood purchased overseas in the early 1960's. I swapped the location of them and took a cue from the greens in the painting and purchased an ultra cheap spread to see how I would like it. 

I think it works for me. I found a throw with matching colors to put at the end and I am calling it a win. The pillow at the top is from the old bedspread which I am holding onto for now.

One morning this week I walked out on the lower deck and took a picture of the full moon. It looked like the sunrise, but it was the moon and notice the reflection in the water. So pretty.

That is it for this week and I am praying for a calmer next week. Of course, they are predicting possible snow in north Florida. I doubt it will make it to the coast, but I do think the state will get some. Tucker has prayed for it too. I am not looking forward to the cold at all. We are predicted to have 4 nights to hit below freezing. Can't even imagine the deep freeze some of you are in.

Stay warm,

Sandy