MOURNING DOVES

WOW, I just love blogging! I asked a question about these two birds that come every spring and sit on my deck railing or outside my bedroom window, but did not know what kind of bird they were, then Leesha and Jeanne answered me with their names, "MOURNING DOVES"!

They like seeds and on my deck I have two large planters where I plant my flowers in...in fall, I remove all the dead plants, but these two must have found out that there are seeds in there! How Cool is That??? Why do I see them in Spring, because they migrate from late March to May and then they stay for the summer! Now I would have never have know what they were if it weren't for this blog, so THANK YOU, Leesha and Jeanne!!!

I love all animals, but these Doves make the most beautiful sound, even my Lab, OREO, lays by the window when they are "singing"!!

Will post later what I accomplished yesterday in my sewing room...maybe I could sketch a Mourning Dove for a Quilt, now there's an idea!!

Oh, their names? Almost forgot...definately ...drumroll now......for the male, BLACKHAWK and for the female, CORNSTALK, because after all Mourning Doves are named for the Native Americans (although Fred and Wilma were a close second) he-he!!

Hugs to all,

Mary

SPRING BREAK???

Hi all you bloggers,

This week is spring break for my kids and right now outside my window it is snowing!!?!?!?!?!?!?
Can you believe that!! Don't get me wrong, I love snow at the right time of year, but Easter break, come on now!!!! There is a bright side to all of this icky weather, my two love birds (don't know what kind they are) have taken up residence again this year on my deck. They only come when the season changes to spring and then they stick around until fall. They are not even that pretty, but they make the most beautiful sound, so here they are yesterday... You have to look really closely as they blend in with deck, but you can atleast see one and the other one is little to right of that one.

I haven't named them yet...am thinking of doing so, as they literally fly around the outside of my house making this beautiful sound....okay maybe I really do need to get out more or maybe get a LIFE! But somedays I just like to watch these two. What would I name them anyway (I can't believe I am thinking of naming two birds...WOW getting scared now!?!?!!??!

Well, I better get back to all my Domestic Goddess things I have to do...Cook dinner and sort through laundry.

Hey, if you think of two bird names let me know...

Hugs,

Mary

SATURDAY...HAPPY PRE-EASTER EVERYONE!

Hi All,

Happy Easter a day early, since I am going to my sister's tomorrow, I thought I better post today. Am getting some sewing done today on some unfinished projects. Then it's off to take our 3 teens out to dinner for a pre-easter celebration!!! Gotta Love Easter!!!

It's a little weird this year, though, since they are all in their late teens, they are not expecting big baskets like before...NOW, they want bigger things, which of course is impossible, soooo am putting together candy baskets for each one of them and I think they are going to think they are a little lame. I loved Easter when they were little...the easter egg hunts at the park district and then the hiding of the eggs that night and ofcourse, Easter Baskets!! There was always sooo much preparation done the night before with baths, and hair-rollers and getting to bed early so that they wouldn't run into the Easter Bunny! Now, it is just Different...my kids are growing up...but I am still going to create delicious Easter Baskets (I think it is more for me than them, but oh well).

Being a Mom/Domestic Goddess/Can I borrow $20.00/Alarm Clock/Overseer of ALL Laundry can be a little lonely at times...but I do have my memories of when my three were little...oh What Memories They Are!! Those I will cherish!!

With that..Happy Easter and God Bless,

Hugs,

Mary

GOTTA LOVE OWLS!!

Hi All,

Bought this fabric of Owls, "On a Whim" designed by Amy Schimle for Robert Kaufman, is it too Cute or What?

Now what do I make with it is the Question? I just LOVE this fabric!!!! Have been racking my brain with what to do with it! I can see using it in a block, but can't seem to figure out what block I want to use?!?!!?

Just signed up for a Spring Swap through Pat Sloan's Yahoo Group! Am excited on seeing who I get and what their colors and favorite things are so I can start planning...

I have so much sewing to do and am hoping this weekend (even though it is Easter) I will get something accomplished...Fri night and Sat afternoon, so far, look good, so am keeping my fingers crossed!

Oh and what about this weather? Here in the great state of Illinois, we have a winter storm watch out for this evening, isn't that Great! Expecting 1-6 inches of the white stuff, so instead of Easter Shoes it will be Easter Boots to wear! Maybe weatherman is wrong, because it is sunny and 50 degrees right now!

This morning I took a picture of a bird (actually there are two, but only one showed up) on my deck. Every spring these two birds have been coming since 1997, isn't that weird. They make the most lovely sound, kinda like an owl. I don't know what kind of bird they are, but I like to think of them as doves(you know Love Birds). The other day I left bread out for them, but Oreo, my courageous (not) lab, found the bread on the deck and well, he consumed whatever I put out there! So will try again today. Anyway, these two birds show up in Spring and last all the way through Fall, wish I knew what kind they were, but I did get a pic of one of them this morning.

Also took a picture of THE mosting amazing sight...smoke coming off my deck this morning. Yes, I was doing laundry and the dryer was on, so that was the reason behind the smoke, but thought it looked to cool to pass up the opportunity to take a picture! Now all my neighbors know that I, domestic goddess that I am, was doing laundry this a.m. YEAH!!!!

I do have another goddess in training (my 15 yr old) who came home from the mall last weekend with this lovely tiara on her head. They were giving them out free at the mall and well, you guessed it, had to grab camera and take a pic of her!

You might as well know, I am also obsessed with taking pictures! Now that I have gone digital and all!!

Well, that's it and if anyone of you gals have any ideas for that Owl Fabric, leave me a comment, I might just have a little give away for ya!!!

Hugs,

Mary

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!!

Hi all! Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you who are IRISH!! This past weekend was soooooo much fun! I participated in the Pat Sloan Quilting Retreat and WOW actually got a lot accomplished! It's funny how an on-line Retreat makes you want to complete projects so that you can post pics. I worked on a wallhanging that has been partially done for a couple of months. It is called Saffron Hill by Sue Spargo. It is machine pieced, then hand appliqued, then machine appliqued, it really was a project that used so many different skills, one part is even paper-pieced (the flag roof). It is almost done, just needs the finishing touches and then I will post a pic!

I also worked on Cottage Blooms...it was a swap done through Pat Sloan, and I didn't like the background of greens, so switched it to yellows and creams...I like it much better now. I just got the blocks done, not sewn together so will post a pic of that later too!

Then at night I worked on Leanne's House, because it was hand stitching and I could do that in front of TV. (Oh saw the movie, "August Rush", GREAT Video! It's a tear jerker, even hubby cried, so you know it was good!)

My 20 year old came home Fri night and claimed my Owl Wallhanging for her apartment at school. She wants me to make another one with different colors (using opposite fabric that I used in the original), so she can hang both of them up, so that is next on the list! Thank you, Diane, Amanda, Karen and Selma for your very kind comments re my own wallhanging! You made my day!! I just love being a Sloanie!

Well, back to sewing...and laundry...and cleaning!!!

Mary

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2008

Today I finished the top of my Owl Wallhanging! I don't know why but I am obsessed with OWLS! I still have to finish back of wallhanging and then machine quilt it, but I think it turned out cute! I have never actually sketched out a pattern before, so this was a first for me.

This weekend, Pat Sloan at Yahoo is having a sewing weekend! Am excited for that and am going to try to get some UFO's finished!

Well, off to bake a Meat Loaf, sounds exciting right? Oh the life of a Domestic Goddess!!!!

Have a great week Ladies,

Mary

FUNKY FABRICS!!!

Picked out some new "fun, funky fabrics" for my "owl" theme card! Then sketched Owl's on Branches! What do you think?

FLU BUG HAS BITTEN!!!!!

Yes, it is true! Myself and teenager daughter have been sick with the flu for the last several days! Coughing, Coughing, Coughing and yes, more coughing!!!!!!!

Hubby and Son and Oldest Daughter and Friends are going to the Chicago BlackHawk's Hockey Game today and Emily and I were supposed to be among them, but due to the "coughing", did I say we can't stop "coughing"?!?!?we didn't go! So....I should be in sewing room finishing up some things and starting on others, but here I sit at computer! Did I tell you I am sick? Oh, yeah, right the coughing thing...well was at the local Walgreens and picked up this adorable card! You can just imagine why I was at the drugstore (coughing thing, remember), and anyway, I think "Owls" are the NEW THING, because I keep seeing them everywhere...on fabric, cards, paper...you get the picture...so I thought, maybe I could sketch this picture and make into an adorable wallhanging! Sounds like a plan!! OK, now to post picture so you can see it...

Also, if you have been following my previous posts, Oreo (my black lab) is doing much better!! Surgery went well on his paw, all the tests came back negative - GREAT NEWS! Only problem is still trying to get him to go out with baggy on his paw, so that bandage does not get wet...will post pictures of my "Baggy Dog" so you can see he is NOT very happy with me.

And, MOM LOVED HER QUILT!! It has been delivered to her and she has it at the foot of her bed, so when she takes a nap, she can pull it up over her and be snuggled in by my Aunt Lois!!

No new adventures on horseback because....you got it right - the "coughing thing"!!!

Take Care to all of you in Blog Land (can you tell I have been in the house way to long!?!?!!?!?)

Hugs,

Mary