Yesterday afternoon the rain changed to big, fluffy flakes, which settled on the water on top of the frozen ground. Many of our neighbors have problems with water in their basements, but we are very fortunate that we do not.
When the sun rose this morning, it made diamonds on the trees on the orchard. Enlarge these pictures for the effect.
We're wondering if we should have built an ark. The rain has been coming all week long. It was supposed to be a huge snowstorm - perhaps in the mountains? Every day the forecast is for snow - or rain. Usually, the rain just soaks into the ground, but our lots are pretty soggy and squishy. No piles of snow, with the possibility of taking beautiful snowy pictures - just brown soggy ground. The weather never ceases to surprise us. I do worry that the bulbs will wake up just in time to have a relapse when the weather turns bitter cold again.
The tools for hand quilting are very simple - thread, needles, thumb and finger thimbles, and a rubbery gripper to pull a recalcitrant needle through.
I actually began appliqueing these sunbonnet girls in 1995. I finally pieced them together into a quilt top during the years we were going to Arizona for the winter. A trip to Utah Quilt Fest in 1996 with Louise and Cheryl resulted in purchasing this small rectangular quilting frame, and I completed about half the quilt during the winters in AZ. Then the quilt got put away. This is the year that I promised myself I would finish up old UFOs. That will take some doing, since I think there are probably at least six in an unfinished stage, with another 5 or so that just aren't quilted. Hand quilting goes slowly for me - perhaps because I don't do enough of it. I have one quilt that I made in Tumwater that took me 2 1/2 years to quilt. It was on a frame that could be put at a horizontal position, so that you could show the part of the quilt you were working on, but the actual frame takes up very little room. Thank goodness for professional quilters who get most of my quilting jobs so that I can go on beyond the present. Sometimes, if the quilt is not too large, I will machine quilt it myself. Any time that a quilt gets finished, bound and labeled, it is a Hallelujah moment! How long will it take me to finish this one? I'd rather not say.
Ron brought this pot of flowers home on our anniversary, and they are still absolutely gorgeous. They brighten up these dull, cold days. The rhodies and azaleas (oh, and hydrangeas, also) are the flowering plants that I miss from our Washington garden. This plant has been so beautiful. Reminds us that there are brighter days ahead.
Japanese Balloon Flower, which I have never ever seen. Does it exist?
Beloved morning glory (s) - Oops, is this basket tipsy? At this stage of the game, I'm not worrying about that.
Bell Flowers. Never seen these, either.
A Red rose. More fun than the first one. The blocks are finished - they are not perfect, and the quilt will be less than perfect, but it was a joy to make, with some inherent problems. I'll finish it and go on to the next fun project. Something to look forward to in the New Year.
I've been slowly working on this quilt project. The blocks are not perfectly pressed or cut to size, but I finished the work on the 18th block this morning. This is the second zinnia - I like it much better than the first one, but both will go on the top.
Again, this is the second rose - I also like this one better than the first one. Guess a little experience makes a difference.
This is a pink trillium. I loved the trillium in Washington, especially in the woods around Mother and Daddy's home on 93rd.
And these are shooting stars. 
Steve designed this cocky fellow - Dad cut them out, and I painted them, and we sold quite a few in Tumwater at our Christmas boutique in the early '90s. There were a few other designs, but this is the only finished one I have left. Thank you, Steve, for your creative mind.
This Christmas piece was done by Steve and Mary Lynn some years ago - he cut out the little copper (?) bear at the top, Mary Lynn made the stars and stuffed them with something very aromatic. After all these years, a squeeze on a star will give forth a pleasing smell.
Dad made lots of this manger piece and other similar silhouettes pertaining to Christmas - I have strings of them that I hang every Christmas on the side lights of the front door. However, this little metal one is on the wall all the time. Another Steve creation.
As you can see, I made this small counted cross stitch Scandinavian bell pull in '83. It is always magic to create something and see it take place before your eyes. 
This was another Christmas surprise. Our local florist delivered it, covered carefully against the sub-freezing temperatures that we have been experiencing. Family members surprise us with these lovely things, and we always have a twinge (You know - the old "you shouldn't have"), but this one is lovely, and we think lovingly of the givers. This arrangement contains the only real greens in our house, and they do smell wonderful. Joyous Christmas Eve and Day to all!
Ron was given a board made of bamboo that had been laminated, and he began to think about what kind of a bowl he could make. A bowl in a woodturning book was the inspiration for this creation. The result is quite stunning, and includes some dye and gold leaf. Bronchitis made the finishing a little tough, but he did it! I think that it's gorgeous!
Often, for Christmas, one or another of our children gift us with flowers to brighten up the cold, frosty days. Four years ago, when Christmas became secondary with Ron's serious illnesses, periodic pots of bulbs to be coaxed into plants that flowered cheered us up for the months of his struggles. One year, a beautiful little spruce tree in a container, decorated with ornaments brightened our winter. (I tried to keep that one alive, but failed.) Other bouquets through the years have lent color to drab days. Even though Christmas comes in the dead of winter, it always heralds spring, as days begin to grow longer. More importantly, these bouquets are beautiful reminders of the birth of our Savior and the joy and hope he brings to all of us.
The tree is up! This one is artificial, and is supposed to be self-lit. However, the attrition in the lights began a few years ago, and each year, less lights would come on, necessitating the stringing of more lights, making the lights already on the tree look a little ridiculous and unlit, but who cares? The tree is alight and semi-decorated. Sometimes it seems silly to have such a big tree when there is only Ron and myself to enjoy it, but the house would look empty without it at this time of year. I cannot recall a time when there wasn't a tree of some sort to celebrate Christmas. The year that Dwight got married, and Mother and I went to Salt Lake, we went on to Provo to pick up Louise, then turned around and drove all the way home across South Pass. We had to stop in Basin for gas, and there was a tiny tree sales place, where Mother purchased a tree for $1.00. When I was back in Laramie, going to school, the children and I made ornaments out of salt dough. I still have a couple of those in the box.
The little acorn birdhouses are Ron's wood-turned contribution to the tree.
Santa came from Rothenburg a.t., purchased in 1996, when we went to stay with Dorothy and Ken, and traveled all over.
This little angel, singing "Silent Night", and sitting on a star is part of a collection I acquired in 1976-78 at the Christmas ornament factory and sales on the Army post in Bamberg.
The apple candle holders with bows are also dating back to 1976 The gold ornaments were part of a collection that we acquired in the 1980's, and the wooden silhouette of the nativity came from Israel in 1993.
One of my teacher friends said that Christmas trees should be full of surprises. When I open the stored ornaments each year, I am reminded of the many Christmas times past, both poignant and happy.
When I purchased this plant a long time ago, it was blooming at Thanksgiving and that seems to be it's cycle. That's fine - leads into the bright colors of Christmas. Cheery day and time.
I only have three blocks to go! Now the background looks yellow. It really is white! Oh, well. We're doing last minute things for Thanksgiving Day, cranberries, pumpkin pie in the oven, and what all. Tony will be here - for which we're glad - but three people can only eat so much food. We'll still enjoy our weekend. Happy Thanksgiving Day to all who gather near and wide.
