Funny Magic

Big, Bad, Bloggy Mish-Mash

I've been rather quiet in the blogoshpere as of late...here's what's been up with your's truly:

My bestie and I had a great time on our vacation up north, talking and laughing. And talking and talking and talking. And playing cards. And going to the yarn store:

I bought some goodies for my Knitter's Coffee Swap partner, and earlier this week I got some very delicious mail:

Chocolate (x2!), coffee (x2!), yarn and not pictured, a John Denver cd!! (Because I mentioned to her that I like JD, and she's from Colorado. Cool, huh?)

I've been planting and cleaning up my gardens, too. Lots of work, but it's worth it. Juliet picked out some Lantana for her little space in the garden this year - I think it's so pretty, with it's bright colors and delicate little flowers:

And today marks Juliet's last day of preschool...Charlie will be done for the year in about 10 days. I'm so ready for summer vacation; not that I won't have to work, but at least the kids will be home and we can enjoy our days together...playing outside, camping on my dad's property up north, staying up late and sleeping in...it all sounds good to me.

And Flossie, too.

I'm off to catch myself up in blogland now - have a super-duper weekend!

This Moment

(...inspired by Amanda of SouleMama...)

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

*** *** *** 

I'll be back next week with more semi-regular posting. See you then!
 

(...inspired by Amanda of SouleMama...)

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

*** *** *** 

I'll be back next week with more semi-regular posting. See you then!
 

Pillowcase Dress + Finished Quilt

Well, hello there!

I had the best of intentions in participating in Kids Clothes Week, but it just wasn't meant to be. I had wanted to make some jammies and a skirt, but alas, the only thing I finished for Juliet this week was a little pillowcase dress:

Charlie was home sick for two days, and I've been dealing with a nuisance of a cold myself, so there you go. But I'm really happy with the dress, and Juliet likes it, too. I've always wanted to make a pillowcase dress, and as I guessed, they're super quick and fun to make - I followed Anna Maria's instructions found here. Although, if I'm entirely honest, I must admit I was a little distracted by this:

I finished the Folksy Flannel quilt last night, and I couldn't be happier with it, despite an imperfection (or two). It's a basic patchwork quilt with white yarn ties that hold it all together and a thrifted sheet as the backing.

I was determined to finish it up by today so that I could take it with me up north this weekend; one of my best girlfriends and I are heading up to the north shore to stay here for the weekend, something we do together every year. (I can't wait to hit the open road...!!!!). Anyhoo, I'll be back with pics of beautiful Lake Superior and tales of general foolery. Til' then, I wish you a very happy weekend!

Random Tuesday Stuff

This week is "Kids Clothes Week" over at elsie marley, and I'm gonna participate because my littlest rascal could use some new clothes: 

What she really needs is a nightgown or two for the warm months ahead, but I need a new pattern to accomodate her growing little self; I guess we'll be making a run to JoAnn's today.

Last week I visited Lecia's shop and bought a set of bookmarks and notecards - I love getting good stuff in the mail, and Lecia's stuff is very good, indeed. I gave the bookmarks to my mom for Mother's Day, and the notecards I'm keeping just for me.

For Mother's Day Charlie wrote the sweetest note to me that said, "Dear Mom, I couldn't wish for a better mother. You sparkle like a diamond in my life. I love your cooking. The house is always filled with your fragrant dishes." Let me tell ya, words can't begin to describe what a sweetheart he is, through and through; I am lucky and blessed and grateful to be his mama.

Finally, here's one of our furry friends - Miss Millie - enjoying a rest on my WIP table. Speaking of WIP's, I'd better get crackin' - my Folksy Flannel quilt top needs completing, I've gotta find an hour in which to sew for Juliet, and we're out of bread. Ta-ta for now!
 

Mother's Day

Just popping in with Happy Mother's Day wishes; today I came across this wonderful interview with poet Ted Kooser, whose work I like very much. And of course I've gotta share one of his poems that I read today, and loved:

TO THE MEMORY OF MY MOTHER

You have been gone a month today. ...
the month of my birth, as you know,
the best month to be born in, thanks to you,
everything ready to burst with living. ...
You asked me if I would be sad when it happened

and I am sad. But the iris I moved from your house
now hold in the dusty dry fists of their roots
green knives and forks as if waiting for dinner,
as if spring were a feast. I thank you for that.
Were it not for the way you taught me to look
at the world, to see the life at play in everything,
I would have to be lonely forever.

-Ted Kooser

I don't know about you, but I've gotta go call my mommy now. I've got a lot to be thankful for.

This Past Weekend...

...the kids and I spent a couple of days at my mom's place, and had such a nice time together. On Saturday afternoon we visited my uncle at his small farm, a place that I've posted about before and can't resist posting about again.

This Flowering Crabtree just took our breath away when we got there; it's big and it's beautiful and it's been there for what seems like forever, and to me, it gets lovelier every year. Here's a view from inside and underneath:

We were fortunate enough to be able to gaze on some brand new life at the farm, too:

Three of my uncle's cows have had babies within the last few weeks. We couldn't get too close, but they were so sweet to see.

My uncle said that this sweet lady was pregnant, but that he hasn't heard, nor has she shown any signs of having had kittens:

We were hoping for a look at some babies, and despite looking and listening there were none to be found. But alas! There was plenty of this:

Juliet picked a whole mess of rhubarb at Granny's house, and we all spent time cutting it up and freezing it for future yumminess, but not before baking a rhubarb cake.

Hello, dear rhubarb - I've missed you!

Turn the Page :: Tuesday

Hi there, and happy May to you! I love this month...everything blooming, super-green grass, filling my garden pots and boxes with annual flowers, I could go on and on...but I've got some books to squawk about, so here we go. This past month I finished two (!) books, both of which I liked quite a bit. The first one I read was Family Linen by Lee Smith:

It's a book about a Southern family, quirky and somewhat fractured, who come together again upon the death of their elderly mother (who had a secret or two of her own that she literally took with her to the grave). It's told from the viewpoint of different characters throughout, which I liked; there's a lot of people involved in the story, and it was nice to hear more than one voice tell their version of history. Smith's characters were well-realized, darkly funny and utterly human; I'm pretty sure I'll be reading more of her books.

I also read A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick:    

I had heard this book reviewed and recommended on the radio, so I picked it up and couldn't wait to dive-in. Ultimately, I liked it and found it compelling enough to finish; set in turn-of-the-century Wisconsin, it's the story of Ralph Truitt, a lonely, wealthy man who's placed an ad in a newspaper seeking "A reliable wife." Enter Catherine Land, the woman who answers his ad - a woman who is not who she appears to be. But then, is Ralph Truitt who he appears to be, either? Both characters have secrets and shame aplenty, as well as questionable motives for coming together in the first place. Here's a review/summation that says it far better than I:

"A Reliable Wife is eminently readable and should delight fans of old-fashioned Gothic romances... Goolrick is a solid wordsmith, and he handily manages the impressive task of making readers care about a woman bent on cold-blooded murder. And generating the proper Gothic ambience in Wisconsin is no mean feat." Christian Science Monitor

Happy reading to you! More TTPT reviews at Adrienne's place.