Snow, more snow and even more snow

W got a foot of snow, on top of the 6 inches we already had.  And now it is frozen.  The temps are hanging out in the negative numbers.

Here's during the snowstorm.  It came down anywhere between 1-2 inches an hour.

The trees look gorgeous, providing they are not bend nearly in half (like in the front yard and luckily none have snapped outright).  We have been very fortunate in keeping power and internet.  We have not had cable for close to 24 hours.  I finished another book last night as well as starting a new one.

Snow.  It's time for the snow to stop (hopefully).   As of 6 pm, the offical snowfall was 8 inches but here it is 3 hours later and it's still snowing (but finally deceasing).  Who know what the official total will finally be?  I'm not going out to measure anytime soon.  The high tomorrow is predicted for -15 degrees.  Not normal weather for winter around here. 

 I am grateful for power (thereby heat).  I know there are many without tonight and I hope they can find safe shelter.

Today has been interesting.  First I overslept which is not something I hardly do anymore.  I was great at it when I was younger.  But then I had to hustle to get to a visitation for a friend who lost her husband.  That was hard, I really hated seeing her so unlike herself.

From there it was on to to the errands - get coffee ground, pick up last minute groceries, etc, etc.  THe grocery store was a madhouse and the food was flying off the shelves.  You see, we are to be hit with a huge snowstorm.  When the weather channel starts talking about your area being in the storm center as part of their national coverage, you know it's not going to be pretty.   But we are doing ok and have all kinds of fun stuff to nibble on besides the regular healthy food, firewood sitting in the garage and power.  So, after dinner I will be pulling out the stitching and plan doing that most of the next few days.  I might pause to read occasionally too.

Speaking of reading, my final report for 2013 - I read a total of 92 books in 2013- a total of 30,067 pages.  Well beyond my goal of 80 books.  Though I admit I only read 7 chunksters last year.  A chunkster is a book over 450 pages in length.  In 2012 I had read 13 chunksters and a total of 80 books and only 28,120 pages.   Now I'm not sure what I should set my goal for - a total of books or pages or # of chunksters.  One thing is for sure, I already finished my first book of the year.

More of the Turtle Trot and the wanna be's


First up is Abigail by Ro Pace.  I love this piece.  I just need to sit down and finish those corners.

 

 

Next up is 4 season trees ( or something similiar) by Karen Kulba .   The top is my progress and the botom is the front of her chart.  I might be half way.

 

 

 

The last offical (10th) item for the Turtle Trot is Mediterranean Tile by Ro Pace.

I have the inside tile finished (but unphotographed).  Now it's time to get busy on the outside tile.

 



 Now for the wanna be's.   I have been gently urged to work on the next 4 items by vaious folks.  If I went along with the idea of 14 items for 2014 this will be a  "slower than a turle" stroll nwhere near a trot.  So we shall see.

First up, Tapestry Cat by TW.  It is a long running WIP.  I started it after it was in the magazine but before it came out in chart form.  The blended threads make it lovely but also tedious to work on.  It will get done some day.

Next is Saint Basil.  I know when I got this and where.  I was teaching at CATS in Minnesota in 2001 and bought it from the designer.  A very different interpation then Carole Lake's version (which is also gorgeous).

Then there is Lady Liberty.  I got ready fro beads only to discover the beads wer far too large for the 32 count fabric (which was recommended).  Now I need to find the petite beads in the right colors and this is what made me put it aside.

Lastly is a canvas Christmas tree.  The tree is done. The ornaments are not.  The ornaments are supposed to stitched as well, then hung on the tree.  Some of the snow at the bottom is incomplete as well.  That dark streak in the center is a basting line, not part of the tree.   And it looks as if I may have left the needle in when I took the photo ( which was awhile ago, I have since removed the needle). 

 

 

There you have the Turtle Trot, the "wanna be"s, etc.  Now I need to go and stich something.



Now for more of the Turtle Trot.


This is Whimsical Heart  - over1 on 32 ct pink linen.  Cute but slow going.

My on going Blackbird project - the months of the year.  Mine is a family genealogy for each month, limited to two generartions on either side of hubby and I.  I was working on this a lot in 2013 then realized I would have to wait on the baby (another grandson) due in 2014.  Now 2 of my neices are also due in 2014 plus the niece-in-law.    Between my husband and his brother - by the end of July there will be 14 grandchildren (from 6 of the 7 kids).  One is unknown, one is a girl and the rest are all boys!  So this could be waiting til the end of the year.

 

 

This is America by Little House Needlworks.I have changed the fabric, one of the threads so far.  It is nearly done.  It's been a lot of fun.

And that brings the total to 7 so far.  More tomorrow.

Already a few hours late and it's the first one of the new year!

Here's my Jan 1st TUSAL

I've been using a plastic container lately - not so see-thru- so I just placed everything on the lid.

A brand new year -2014

This starts my 4th year of blogging.  Hard to believe I've done it for 3 years now.  A few folks never thought I would make it thru the first year. Here's to this year and many more.

It has been a very good start in 2014.  I have spent the majority of the day stitching away.  I usually start a new project on the 1st of the year.  This year I was inspired by Dani's Blog  on December 28, 2013.   I actually bought the chart last April at the GLR seminar, the fabric in the summer at Fancy Works  and then inspired By Dani, pulled fibers on the 30th and started stitching on the 1st.

 

 

This is how far I got during the Rose Bowl parade.   The fabric is 32 ct Lambswool, the fiber is Cherry Cordial waterlilies.  My initials will be stitched in DMC 316.  I've made some other color changes as well.   After the Rose parade, I found a marathon of the Tudors, so I kept on stitching.

 

Now for the initial photos of the Turtle Trot.   The first few are nearly done - just need the little push to finish.  First up,  an Erica Michaels chart.  I have been using silk, DMC, other various threads - just not the recommended fibers.

 

 

Next is an autumn piece - actually stitched in an autumn overdyed but for some reason it keeps looking gray in photos.

Next is a Laura Perin piece called Autumn.  The last time I posted a photo of this was in July 2011.
I didn't use the recommend colors here either.

This one I started in late summer when I was mostly house bound with hubby  (that pesky shoulder which is finally starting to heal but still can't lift anything).  I had great fun with this but was always interrupted with other committments.

 

That is the first four of the Turtle Trot!  More tomorrow.