So Happy – So Sad – So Frustrated…but then again…life is good

Oh I get so mad at computers - I had a post pretty much done and ready to click publish and the cord came out of the back and I lost the post. I should know by now to SAVE – SAVE - SAVE.  It was one of the first things that was drilled into our heads when I was on computers at work. Save every 5 minutes or so and you will not get into this fix.   Well I guess I didn’t learn.
But the reason I lost it was because the battery is completely dead on my computer so the cord HAS TO BE PLUGGED IN - if it pops out, which it does often, then it shuts off immediately.  Except for that the computer really runs like a charm.

So here I am again trying to remember what I posted.  Don’t forget you can click on pictures to make them larger.

I’m starting off by shouting out a huge THANK YOU  to Lecia of Farmhouse Prims Blog. She is just the dearest lady.  Saturday I went to the mailbox and found a package from her as a ‘JUST BECAUSE’ gift - now isn’t that nice.  She had other reasons but I won’t go into it - but let’s just say she is very appreciative and also very tender hearted.  You can find her here:   http://farmhouseprims.blogspot.com/

Some of you may have already received her beautiful bonnets - well I just got one and she does fantastic work.  I love it Lecia - THANK YOU AGAIN.
I have it hanging in my hallway so I see it every day…
It’s a gorgeous Black with an Ivory design - PERFECT.
  
Look at the quilt stitching on the hat part - beautiful 

Last Thursday Doug and I headed into Milwaukee to State Fair Park to the RV/Camper show – wow…so many wonderful RV’s out there – some are better than living in homes.  We were mostly interested in the 5th Wheel kind but that still took us 3 hours to go through them all - the place is huge and I wore myself out going up and down the steps with Doug's helping had of course - I would never have been able to do it otherwise.  My butt muscles were sore by evening time – hadn’t done anything that strenuous since the surgery.  Won’t again for awhile - lol  But I doubled up on my pain patches that morning so I could do it.  We saw a few we liked but won’t be buying one as of yet - I have said no to so many things Doug has wanted to do so thought I had better say yes something -  the day was fun and I needed an outing too. 

Sunday after church we went over to Brett/Heathers for a little brunch so we could hear all about Joe’s trip to Monterey Bay, CA.  He went there with 17 7th and 8th graders to explore Ocean life with the JASON PROJECT.
We’re so proud of him  and his sister Emily - she went to Disney World 2 years ago for the project.

Waiting at airport in Milwaukee - Joe is the 3rd on the left from bottom

On the rocks of the bay – Joe - middle back row
 

I made a Blueberry/Cream coffee cake to take along to brunch - got the recipe from Pinterest (oh I love that site)
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Blueberry-Coffee-Cake-4
I hope you try this recipe - it’s easy and so very moist – there’s a crumble on the top but it’s hard to see here.

So what else has happened here – oh, I’m ready to send out a wholesale order but wanted to show you a couple of the items she ordered - they are new so I will now have them on my site.
I also added a few more Penny Rugs last week.

I’m saying this with pride – my husband spoils me!  At times things go on as normal but over the weekend he surprised me with the DOWNTON ABBEY DVD’S.  We have now watched all of season One and today he brought home disc 1 of season Two.
He does listen now and then!!!  And this time a very lovely surprise came out of it.  So we both are now hooked on this fantastic series.  I never heard of it until I stumbled on to it on FB – a place I rarely go but someone mentioned it and it sounded like a ‘craze’ was happening. Who out there has been watching it?  And where have I been – lol

 

 

My sadness to this post is that my step-mother passed away Sunday evening – she has been ill for the past 3 months but the last 3 weeks has been the worst.
Quite awhile ago I told the story about her and my step-dad - they basically are neither to me - but have been in my life since I was 15. 
Virginia is in the front-right - Boots is in the front-left.
Today they would have been married 42 years!  She was 91 last month and he will be 90 in May. They have been a part of my life for so long - but not related.
Yesterday morning I was sitting here debating whether to go down and visit her or wait till the middle of the week and something just didn’t seem right…I put down my sewing and said to Doug ‘we are leaving right now’ - and when we walked in I knew she was gone. She passed at 10pm the night before - he was just going to call us when we got there.  I must have felt his message getting to me or something.  But it’s a blessing. 
Boots sat by her side at home for 3 days – never going to bed or changing his clothes. He would not leave her side.  Bless his heart. He did the same thing for my mother when they were married.  So sad he had to go through this 2 times.  He’s a spry, take care of himself, on the go man…still drives.  He will be sad but he knows this was for the best.  You would never know they were 90!

Oh my I must not forget….I reached 1,000 followers last night and I thank you so much - I know you are not all here visiting but I sure hope you stop in now and then - thank you Paula for being number 1,000!

Don’t forget to go over and visit Margie at HUNGRY HOOK PRIMITIVES to sign up for her giveaway. 
http://hungryhookprimitives.blogspot.com/
Each Monday she adds a new item - and then she will draw a name for each one listed.

Ann over at OHIO FARM BASKET:  http://1803ohiofarmbaskets.blogspot.com/ 
She is having a giveaway too -go on over and visit her while you are blog hopping.

Supposed to get a good snow storm starting tonight and into tomorrow.  Guess that’s what Winter is - snow – snow – snow.  Waiting for that breath of Spring soon.

I think that is it for now - wish I had some wonderful ‘home’ photos for you all – but there has been no decorating or re-arranging here for me yet - still need to heal more before I can get into that.  But I’m so anxious - it’s getting rather dull looking in here.  I need some changes.
Blessings to all my friends out there – I slowly get around to visiting you all – not at once but here and there.
Karen

UPDATE…Things I love!

 

For those of you who have already ready this
post, scroll down to the picture of my Mother
and loot at the shadow between the calf’s legs
and the right side of its leg…it’s a HEART!
If you click on the picture it comes in larger.
This was just now brought to my attention by a
blog friend.
Do you think my moms is saying “I love you’….I do!

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow…it’s one of those ‘occasions’
I don’t do much about – I send out cards and money to
the younger grandchildren but that’s about it…
I don’t decorate with HEARTS because they aren’t my
favorite ‘decor item’, they were huge in the 80’s
and I had them then – but looking around my house today
I did find just a couple…they have been here for ages
and I just don’t even consider them but did today.

I have a cupboard on the wall in the family room
and in it I have Copper Cookie Cutters…a HEART is one.

And this past October when I was in Pennsylvania I bought this wool HEART

And last is a Salt Glaze HEART plate I bought years
ago in Pennsylvania at Eldreth Pottery
 

There are a few things in my life though that have ‘REAL HEARTS’
and that is my family…they are the Valentine’s in my life.

My husband who has given his love for the last 50 years…
and for the last month and a half he has done more
for me than I ever expected…
But…I do know he’d do it all over again in a ‘HEART BEAT’.

Aidan and Miranda (7 m0. & 4-1/2)
 

Alexandra and Jesse (20 & 23)
 

Joe (13)

Emily (15)

My entire family

But there are also many things that touch my HEART…
some are ‘material’ items and some are long ago friends.
One being my dearest and closest friend ever…
Phyllis who passed away 2 years ago…
I never had a death of a person hit me as hard as this one.
I cried for several days when I would think of her.
She was a friend I truly loved – and she had a ‘HEART of gold’.

My mother….bless her, she passed away at age 49. 
Here she is at age 4 on their farm with her pet calf

My Father

My grandparents…my mothers parents.  This is their wedding picture

And then there are our fur babies who had HEARTS just like us humans…
two of them have passed…we just have BABY now.

Lola at Christmas a year ago – she went deep into my HEART!

Baby
 

And Spot who passed away about 8 years ago…
she was our very first kitty

THESE SPECIAL PEOPLE and ANIMALS HAD ‘REAL HEARTS’
And I love(d) them all.

There are many ‘loves’ I have that make me feel ‘comfortable’…

Home is the first of course – with the scent of fresh
baked cookies – Chocolate Chip being the favorite

And of course my ‘love’ for Pewter – I can’t get
enough – this is just a small portion

And Wool…oh my goodness I ‘LOVE’ Wool

And the soft glow of candle light…perfect
and serene – I ‘Love Candle Glow’

I have a very large collection of Salt Glaze pottery – been collecting for
35 years…one of my ‘first loves’ for home decor

And ‘family heirlooms’ – a gift to me from my recently departed aunt. It was
my uncle’s grandmother’s bowl and pitcher for washing up

And I can’t forget my ‘love’ of reading ‘Amish books’ –
I have a huge collection along with many on my Kindle

And lastly visiting Amish Country PA…
I will never tire of visiting this area..

I also have lots and lots of friends out there in blogland who have
huge HEARTS…I’m happy to call them my friends.

 

NOW I WANT TO THANK A VERY SPECIAL LADY WHO IS SO
GENEROUS WITH HER ‘GIVING’ AND IT IS OUT OF ‘LOVE IN HER HEART’ THAT SHE DOES THIS.
I thank you so much Jean for having a giveaway on your blog and gave these adorable
Blackened Angels to the first 12 people who left a comment.
I was one of the lucky ones…look at this adorable Angel.  I received it yesterday.
THANK YOU JEAN…it’s just too sweet.
You can find Jean at her blog called Prim Crafts:  http://primcrafts.blogspot.com/

  

So there you have my Valentine post…all the ‘LOVES of my HEART’ in my life.
There are many more but these are the most special to my HEART.
As you can see you don’t need to have decorative HEARTS to have HEARTS in your home

I hope you have a sweet and memorable Valentine’s Day with your loved ones.

Karen