Merry Christmas

and a happy new year!  Almost a week now since Christmas!  We had a quiet and simple Christmas eve and day.  Christmas morning the sun was shining and it was pretty warm, perfect weather for a walk.  However, by the time we were nearly back to the house, a light fog was rolling in.

My brother and his family arrived mid afternoon.  We looked in to our stockings, opened a few gifts and had a lovely meal together.  We missed Roni Jo and David here, but got to Skype with them from New Jersey.  They spent the holiday with David's family.  It was fun to get to see everyone and say hello and Merry Christmas, via a somewhat slow and occasionally frozen internet connection.  Nevertheless, we got to see faces and smiles and happy greetings!

A few images from the day.

We have five gray partridges that left some interesting tracks in the snow!

Snowy Rolinco Road.

Baxter had a good time on our walk!

A light fog made it possible to take this photo right in to the sun.

Reynald is pointing out where "someone" ran off the road on the lane to our house.

That "someone" is walking away from the scene.  He almost got the pickup stuck.  He says he didn't because of his advanced snow driving skill.  

Alicia is always capturing beautiful shots to post on Instagram.  

Grandpa Jim was very pleased with this new flannel shirt.

My brother has a grip on Hazel, one of their soft and fluffy dogs.

My niece Molly and her mom opening gifts.  If you look closely, you can see Deborah holding Violet, their other little dog, also soft and fluffy!

Alicia was thrilled with the gift of a Kitchen aide mixer.  She has all sorts of plans for its use!

As if the SS Rolinco were not enough, Reynald opened an RV to add to our Snow Village collection!  

In the lane, snow is glistening.

  A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight.....

A couple inches of snow fell last night, making a blanket of white everywhere we looked.  It was SO pretty today.  A White Christmas tomorrow.

I'll try to keep images of today on the short side, but it was so pretty, I'm sure I will post more than necessary.  Just indulge me....please!!!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Baxter is always on the look out for something!

The Oliver Superior drill in the pasture.

Ornamental grass in the rock garden, covered in snow and frost.

The drill looks nice in the snow.

St. Francis gets buried a little deeper with each side walk shoveling!

I love the outhouse in the winter with snow and outdoor lights!

The colors were so vivid this afternoon in the bright sun and white snow.

In the meadow we can build a snow man.  And pretend that he is Parson Brown!

A stunning sunset this afternoon to wish us all a Happy Christmas.

Sunset on Christmas eve, shortly after 4pm

I recently read a quote by Mr. Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers Neighbor hood, which I really love.  It was, " Peace is so much more than than the opposite of War."  I wish for you, and me, this Christmas.... peace.

Winter Porch Quilt

This morning I finished piecing a winter porch quilt.  It was cut and waiting in one of those boxes that I showed in a previous post!  This was a relatively simple block, but I really like how it came out.  To me, it looks like a snowball with a pinwheel in the middle!

Careful readers will remember that I have two winter porch quilts already.  "Why" you ask  "would a person need more than two?"  "Well, what if some one came over, and it was snowing and we wanted to all sit on the porch and drink hot chocolate, snuggled under a porch quilt?" would be my reply.

And don't judge, because I am starting to cut another!  It's going to be made from scraps from the 1930's reproduction fabric that I used to make three other Christmas quilts.  Just using up what I have!

Only one image.  I'll take a few more once it comes back home from the quilter.

Finished pieced top with batting and back folded up in the background.  Ready to go off to the quilter next week.

Winter Wonderland

Yesterday it was cold and clear.  Baxter and I went for a walk in the afternoon, and it was so beautiful.  So, so beautiful.

Look at this poor forlorn ornamental pepper plant that haven't gotten around to putting in the compost pile! 

The house was pretty against the white snow.

Saint Francis is up to his knees in snow.

Rock garden drifts.

More drifted snow.

Clear cold sky and lots of color.

The snow was a billion sparkling diamonds in the sun.

Happy memories

The drills will need to dug out of the snow bank and put in to the shop this coming week.  

Baby It's Cold Outside

An arctic blast came down from Canada a couple days ago, which is pushing our temperatures in to the single digits for highs and below zero for lows.  A great excuse to snuggle up in a quilt!  One of my goals in life, is to make a seasonal quilt for each bed in the house.  Christmas is finished, and I love each one.  I think I posted photos of many of these last Christmas, but it's worth repeating I think!

This quilt is one of the two in the elder suite.

I think the Santa face border is so sweet!

Baxter is not yet an elder, and he's not supposed to be on the bed in this room but here he is!

Could you kick him off?!?!?

This is the quilt on our bed.  I LOVE THIS QUILT!  It was a long time in the making but worth it.

Guest room quilt.

A closer view of the blocks, the border and the prairie point border.

Quilt in Roni Jo's Rolinco Road bedroom.  Made from reproduction 30's Christmas prints.

Alicia's Rolinco Road bedroom Christmas quilt.

I think the little people on sleds are so darling.

Yesterday I went to the Harrington school to help with Santa's Workshop.  Each year, for many many years, the school has sponsored a craft day for grades K-12.  Students have an opportunity to make a  variety of gifts which they get to take home to give to family and friends.  I haven't helped every year, but many.  This year I was in charge of a project and this is what we made.  It was such a fun afternoon!

Snowman made from dollar store white tube socks!

Kiddos working on their project.

John's finished snowman.

A close up!

Ty gave her snow girl a lace skirt!

Evie and her many colored buttoned snowman.

The sunset yesterday afternoon was so pretty.  Cold and clear.  Fast approaching the shortest day of the year.

Outdoor decorations that don't mind the bitter cold.

It's supposed to warm up next week, with a little more snow predicted.  Looking forward to both!