February 13, 2015

Quilt Show Outing

Thank you to all my family and friends who sent well wishes to me after my hip replacement surgery. 


It has been four weeks today, and I was out with my sister and husband to see a small quilt show near us. I want to add, this was my first outing without a cane - yeah!


My friend, Wanda, is the featured quilter this year, and is pictured next to her thirty displayed works of art. 


My sister, Jodi, and I weren't able to attend the big quilt show, Road 2 California, this year but we'll be looking forward to it next year when I'm able to walk miles at a time.  It feels great to be on the mend. 

January 10, 2015

You never know what life has in store for you

Life can throw a curve once in a while, and getting older sure can sneak up on you.  I'm less than a week from having hip replacement surgery. At this point I'm passed being a little freaked out, and counting the days to the beginning of a new me.  Thankfully a cortisone shot lasted through our first trip to Europe, and I was able to get around quite well.  But the past few months have been difficult, and I am so ready for the new hip, and optimistic about my recovery.

My baby sister is going to spend a few days with me after surgery, and baby me.  I'm one lucky big sister to have her - I love you Jodi.

Jodi and me on her birthday in November
Of course my hubby has been babying me through all of this. And he has been doing most of the housework, and cooking a lot of meals too - I love you John.

John toasting me at Dels, our favorite New Mexico restaurant

























December 23, 2014

Merry Christmas 2014

I'm wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, and happiness during this holiday season. This Christmas card was hand painted by my mother's cousin for her several years ago.  She often painted cards for my mother, and now my sister and I have them.


Merry Christmas to All


December 1, 2014

Tikes & Trikes Published in Sew Somerset Winter 2015

I received my complimentary copy of Sew Somerset that features an article I wrote about a fabric book I created - titled. "Tikes & Trikes".



It is always nice to see my artwork in this great magazine.  The magazine published a few of the fabric book pages, and I am posting all the pages on this post.


























































































I added a few bloggers to my sidebar who are also in this issue.

October 5, 2014

Lovely Ireland

The second half of our trip to Europe this summer was to Ireland.  Each couple (3) rented a small car, and we played follow the leader for seven days.  In addition to driving on the left, my husband rented a manual transmission and the gear shift is on the left.  I drove a manual transmission for years, but didn't think I'd like shifting with my left hand.  He did all the driving in our car, and he took to it like a duck to water.

Ireland was not only beautiful, but the people were so friendly.  My dad's grandfather was from the Dingle area, and I was able to arrange to see the actual Baptismal and Marriage records at the Dingle Parish church.  I was able to take many pictures of the records so that I was sure of getting a good clear shot because I knew I couldn't go back to take more.

The food was really good, the pubs had incredible seafood stew and pints of Guinness.  The brown Irish bread is the most delicious I've eaten; some of the bread had nuts, and others had rosemary.  We were able to attend Irish Folk music concerts as well as see Irish Riverdance style dancing.  The weather was wonderful, and it only rained one day.

I hope you enjoy these pictures of Ireland:

Cashel
Cashel Palace Hotel 17th Century Bishops home

Our room at the hotel - It was common in Europe to have beds pushed together to make one large bed

Both the bedroom and bathroom had a view of the Rock of Cashel

Restoration work underway

Inside the ruins

Inside the ruins

Walking to Rock of Cashel from the hotel

The ruins of a nearby Abbey

Our hotel at night
 Inch Beach not far from Dingle:

I felt like we had come upon the California coastline

Surfers

Beautiful beach and coastline


Beautiful Farmland

Farmland looking out to bay


Don't forget to go clockwise in the traffic circle - nearly to Dingle
 Our hostess, Vivienne O'Shea, at the B and B was so nice, the hotel was roomy and spotless.  Vivienne's breakfast was delicious, and she made the best homemade scones as well as a made to order cooked breakfast.
Coastline B and B in Dingle

Our room

Dingle Bay - Gaelic and English

Dingle Bay view from hotel
Downtown Dingle

Downtown Dingle

Dingle Bay

Young people playing Irish music on Dingle Bay

Murphey's Pub

Cute shops in Dingle

Another B and B with a pretty yellow door

B and B

An old boat used as a planter

Cute building with yellow door and windows

Dingle Music Shop where we attended a live concert

St. Mary's Catholic Church - Dingle, Ireland

Bunratty Castle

Inside Bunratty Castle

Bunratty Castle

Bunratty Castle

Bunratty Castle at night
Cliffs of Moher

Cliffs of Moher

Cliffs of Moher
Church Ruins

Sun coming through window of ruins

Ruins are a common sight along the roadways in Ireland

Ruins in an Abbey

Details in Abbey Ruin
Little Cafe in Cong, Ireland

Cong, Ireland

Cong, Ireland - buildings are quite close to the road

Museum about "The Quite Man" movie

Colorful buildings in Cong, Ireland

John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara
in "The Quiet Man"
filmed in Cong, Ireland
Our rental cars - we drove the red one

Our group on the morning we left Dingle, Ireland