6 months later....starting with August 2012

We were so lucky to be invited with friends to go behind the scenes at the Columbus Zoo.  During that tour we got to see and hold the new 6 wk. old tiger boys.  What a thrill!

Some penguins were in there as well.  Cute!

Petting and feeding a white rhino was something Mark was brave to do.  The rhino's tongue is pointed...weird!

A cute baby leopard....love those eyes!

I got to hold a baby kangaroo.  I thought it was funny that it had to be in a pouch/tote bag.  Now that I look at this photo, the back feet are dangerously close to my face!  Aren't their back feet supposed to be lethal?

A baby white leopard.  It was only held by the handler.

The other baby boy tiger. So darn sweet!

On to some crafty things.....

I made a baby hat for my cousin's new granddaughter.

I also made a fair isle hat for Luke for the winter.

....now for some scenery....

I have never in my life seen such beautiful fall color as we experienced in Door County, Wisconsin when we went to see Matt run the Fall 50 in October 2012.  

Yes, he ran 50 miles in 7  1/2 hours....I know, he's crazy!!

This sweet lady is Mary Bivins who lives at the Feridean, a retirement community, where I volunteer on Thursday mornings to help the residents with knitting.  She uses a round loom and makes hat after hat with yarn that is donated to her.  She has made hundreds of hats and gives them to charity and sells some at Thanksgiving.  These are some that she sold. Did I mention that she's 90??

The bad news.....

The saddest day for me was November 8th, 2012, when my Portuguese Water Dog, Ivy died from cancer.  She was such a good girl and I miss her every day.

Such a sweet face!

....enough sadness.....onto more crafty things.....

I made this pillow for Aunt Carol this year.  The snowmen heads are wool, the background is flannel.  I bought the kit while on vacation at the Primitive Gatherings Quilt Shop in Menasha, Wisconsin.

http://primitivegatherings.us/shop/

I made a large quilt for my oldest grandson, Austin, which was long overdue.  It was his gift this Christmas from us.  I chose bright batiks precut into 2  1/2" strips.  The pattern was called Jelly Jive.

He liked it!!!

A little Buckeye hat for a little baby boy who is due in February.

 A fish hat for Luke Warren who moved to Alaska this year. This is a free pattern.

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter08/PATTfishy.php

Our Luke and I went to the Franklin Park Conservatory where they had an awesome gingerbread house competition.  This was my favorite!

Our future daughter-in-law, Kathleen, had a birthday in January so I made her a hat because she looks so cute in hats. The pattern is from the Knitscene Magazine Winter/December 2012 and is called the Lucy Hat.

See how cute she is???

I broke down and made one of those ruffle scarves that seem to be the rage.  It makes me feel a little Elizabethan with all the ruffles at my neck.

In January we had another wonderful Spargo Sisters weekend.  This time at Linda Robb's, who is a great artist.  I was most impressed with her painting she did of the Colosseum.  Can you see the light shining through from the back of the windows?  This photo doesn't do it justice!!!

A beautiful sunset here out of my back window in January.

The progress on my Magnolia Quilt...pattern by Sue Spargo. I love doing the handwork and embroidery.

That about wraps up the last 6 months.  With Facebook out there to keep in touch with friends and family, I haven't been as good about posting to my blog.  I should though, because I don't usually post crafty things to Facebook.  

Until next time....stay warm!

We're sure having a hot summer here in Ohio!

April brought one 5K and the opening of golf season for us, May took us to the Finger Lakes in N.Y. for a vacation through the wineries for our 23rd wedding anniversary, Memorial Day weekend I ran a 4 mile run in the unbearable heat to benefit the Honor Flight, June was the fabulous National Quilt Assoc. show at the Convention Center with my girlfriends from our old neighborhood in northern Ohio plus a celebration of our granddaughter's 1st birthday and grandson's 3rd birthday, July took us to South Haven, Michigan for a family vacation plus another grandson's 13th birthday. 

Waterfall at the Watkins Glen Trail.....a 2.8 mile hike total and more beautiful scenery than this one photo shows.

One of the beautiful wineries with the lake in the background.

Mark's wish came true with a sailplane ride which reminded him of his father who founded the Cleveland Soaring Society back in about 1960.

All of the grandkids in South Haven.....Luke (3), Haley (1), Maya (11), Taryn (10), Austin (13) and Morgan (7).

A first place was won by my friend, Linda Henderson, for her creation of my grandson, Luke, playing in the bubbles of a bath.  She entered it in a challenge at the NQA show, then it was auctioned off for $400.  Guess who the buyer was?  Yep, me!

My giant Dinner Plate Hibiscus.

An unusual leafed plant I saw at the Westerflora Garden Show this last weekend.  Does anyone know what it is?  I don't and wish I did.

We have an engagement to announce....our son, Matt, proposed to Kathleen Mccarthy, a beautiful young woman he met in Chicago where they live.  A July 6th, 2013 wedding is being planned.

I have been working on several projects.....a new quilt for my grandson, Austin, a few knitting projects that I have yet to finish and I'm happy to say my quilt friends are coming back to my house in August so we can work on our Sue Spargo quilts.

Wishing you a beautiful summer!

March was such a wonderful month!

Not only was the weather perfect with some record breaking 80 degree days, but we had another Spargo Sistas Weekend..... plus Mark and I went to Arizona to visit family and had the best trip!

So the first set of photos are the 'creative juices' ones:

This is Beth's block which is from a Civil War quilt she is working on.

This is one of Linda's Crimson Tweed blocks that is embellished. Love the cranberry colored wool!

Another of Linda's Crimson Tweed blocks all embellished.

Here's Linda's tree block I showed her working on last month.  It's all embellished now too.

Here's the next block she'll be working on.  Wonderful birds!

Beth and Paula hard at work and Sue taking a break or that could be called "Hardly working"....lol.

Sue's house block in her Magnolia quilt. The fabric she used for the windows makes them look like lights are on inside!

Linda with her Magnolia quilt!  Awesome isn't it? This is what an overachiever looks like!!! Hi, Linda!

A little exercise thrown in:

Here's my handsome hubby finishing the Scioto Mile(s) 5K, which he walks.  It was my 2nd 5K to run this year.  I did pretty well, 2nd place out of 4 in my age group. I'll take that.

Garden shots:

A tulip the deer didn't eat in my flower bed.

This Eastern Redbud (not in my garden) is so great....click on it to see the little pink buds on the trunk....it's just loaded!

Family photos:

Here ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at my beautiful cousin, Connie, who after going through chemo and radiation for 6 mos. has just learned that she is cancer free!!!!!  We are ecstatic!!!  Cute shirt she got since our maiden name is Berry.

We went to Monti's in Tempe, AZ to have lunch with Mark's Uncle Glenn and Aunt Joy.  It was a great reunion!

Siteseeing:

Bloooming cactus outside of the chapel in Sedona.

Mosaic artwork piece inside of the chapel.

The beautiful red rocks outside of Sedona!

The Holy Cross Chapel built into the red rock.  That in itself was the miracle.

We had lunch at the Junipine Resort....out on the deck in the beautiful sunshine!  We finished off the day with our drive to Flagstaff to have dinner with Randy, Dennis' brother, who was fun and a great chef!  He's available ladies!

I hope you enjoyed March wherever you live as much as I did. 

The trees bloomed early which thrilled me.

Next up....golf season and more 5Ks!