MAY,SO FICKLE

May and Spring in Colorado is nothing to place any weather bets on...the odds are stacked against one coming out on top of those kind of bets.

The promise of being in the garden planting and soaking up the warm spring sunshine one day- only to be dashed with rain, cold and wind for days. The seeds I did manage to get in the ground between long hours of rain, I believe are drowned,  rotting, caput in the ground now. It's starting over again this weekend. But that is gardening in the Rockies. I am so glad I didn't hang my laundry out on the line today, it may have been on the line till July 4th before the clothes are dried. Yes, woke up with the promise of a day with sunshine. Nope, big black clouds are building up over the foothills only to roll done to me and open up with rain. It's on to inside things to do, no shortage of inside projects that need attention.

First up is the biggest quilt I have ever had on a table top machine. I have pieced bigger quilts, though they have all been quilted by a long arm quilter. This quilt, though my machine is handling it,  feeding it through the machine evenly, I feel like the quilt is handling me...big and heavy by gosh.

I spend about one hour increments quilting this monster before my back and wrists are fatigued. Then it's on to knitting, baby dress of course. Small, knit, knit, knit....mindless.

Great way to spend an afternoon watching dark clouds building-soon to be over those mountains.

My sister called this morning, she asked me to go on this diet with her. Something called The Mama Diet? Well it's fairly difficult to say no when looking down I have to extend the ole' double chin/neck to see the toes, that would be my toes. So I ordered the cook book, she is getting the "how to" book. Funny, I know how to do it....STOP BENDING the ELBOW with food in hand to mouth......

Also, all the hobbies I enjoy do not burn that many aerobic calories ( ok, lets be honest, no aerobic calories are burning), however they do provide plenty of opportunity for body fat to slide south...ugh!

I want to be up front and honest here, I am no good at diets! But, hope is eternal!

Soo.... we are starting Sunday or Monday I think, and I just bought this great magazine on CAKES! I know... I am making one this afternoon!

And thats all I got to say about it!

TODAY

She is the most perfect baby on the planet!!

She took to life like her Mom, laid back, "I got this down" attitude. Both Mom and Betty are just naturals at their respective roles. Thumbs up all the way around!!!

Eric has been gone all week fishing the Bighorn. The first 3 days on the Bighorn were less than optimal, cold and rainy,  but the worst was the wind. If you haven't fly fished, know that casting out into a river in wind is most difficult and frustrating. It would send me back to the car each and every time. Fly fishing is relaxing, wind and fly fishing is miserable.

Yesterday, Eric reported that fishing was good. He had caught 20 good size trouts and the wind was mimimal. So glad, when you are on the Bighorn only once a year it's disappointing to have a bad week.

I, on the other hand a great week getting things done. Of course not over doing it since I was on my last week of vacation. I sandwich a BIG quilt together and starting quilting the monster, planted flowers, vegetables and then planted some more. Made some non-patrolium jelly from scratch and love it!!! Have a jar for Little Betty, she is pealing like a chameleon, (and yes chameleon's shed their skin). Also, the never ending knitting projects got some attention. I have 3 sweaters and 2 dresses on the needles at present time.

A little cooking and baking were accomplished, plus one full movie watched.

Bridges of Spies

Good movie, well worth the 6 dollars to have On-Demand.

SUNNY and WARM HERE

It is truly Spring here in Colorado. Rain and more rain.

I am not complaining, just trying to get my garden in-inbetween the rain.

Anyone who has been in Colorado during the drought that lasted 12 years and then witnessed the fires at the end of the drought, well it is plain silliness to complain about late snows and rain.

I will take them both whenever and in whatever form, however, I do prefer to not have damaging hail.

Sew, in-between the rain and waiting for the garden to dry out a wee bit, I have been sewing and knitting.

I started this quilt on a business trip to Colorado Springs. Of course I took my Featherweight along for those quiet evenings in the hotel all by my lonesome. I had all the 2.5" squares pre-cut prior to my trip. Sewing them together, several rows at a time, watching a movie or two till late in the evening was the perfect hotel project. The quilt is now on the Jukie for quilting. A simple single line on either side of the seam.  The quilt is 99 x 99", the biggest I have attempted to machine quilt myself, hence only straight lines.

This adorable little dress( Little Sister's Dress) is for Betty! So much fun knitting for a Grandchild, let alone the most beautiful baby on the planet!

I have been holding and taking walks with Betty every opportunity I can. Having four children I know how fast the time slips away, "in a blink of an eye".

My garden is 80% in the ground!! A huge job, but one that brings me a lot of satisfaction,  it's a good time to think, dream and meditate. Plus, it's good exercise.

I read one of the BEST books I have read in a very long time!
The Meadow
It's about a few families that ranched from the 20's-80's on the Colorado/Wyoming border. So much history and those people were tough as nails. It's sad to know that none of them or their decedents ranch up there anymore. How the WEST has changed! And not all for the good!

Happy Spring to you all.

WHERE HAVE I BEEN

Where have I been?

Around and busy.

Had a rough late winter with colds, spent a lot of quit time healing and knitting.

Of course working full time, which always seems so stressful and I can't figure out why.

But, I have some wonderful news....

Betty, our first Grandchild has arrived and she is the most amazing, beautiful baby. She is a really good baby, came on the scene and just knew how to do the living thing that infant's needs to know.

Her Mama is doing well, took to mothering like a natural. 

All that knitting I have been doing for the past nine months is so fun to see Betty wearing.

I doubt there will be many pictures of Betty in the future for privacy reasons, but couldn't help myself to show her off this once.

In other good news, I turned in my RETIREMENT papers at work!

Yes, after 36 years I am leaving the hospital! 

It was a hard decision -though so happy I made it. First week in July I will be a free and dancing Grandma!

Hope all is well in your world and to be back here at Little House often.

Happy Spring to everyone

and

A Very Happy Mother's Day!