Who's The King?

Stuey's a little princess!
(Bek used to give Stuart this answer! bwahahahaha!)

I'll tell you who the king is! S-T-U-A-R-T! He is one of the hardest working guys I know. Stuart has been my co-partner in crime DYI work for years! But about the time he turned 16 there was a subtle shift from ME being the boss and Stuart being the helper, to Stuart taking the lead and me delegating more and more of the actual work. Bless his sweet-hard-working-stump-diggin'-heart!


Ms STUMPY TRYIN'TA HITCH A RIDE TO THE GREEN-WASTE SITE!

When I told Stuart about my plan to burn the stumps out he wouldn't hear of it, "You'll ruin your lawn, Mom!" So a week ago Friday he started and for the next week, come rain or shine, cold or warm  Stuart worked like a house garden-elf!

That boy MAN DUG...


BACK YARD WILLOW STUMP

Used his impressive man-strength to SWING...



CHOP... look at the chips fly! ka-WHAM!



LEVERAGE...



SAW...


FRONT YARD WILLOW- WILL YOU LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THOSE ROOTS?

And REPEAT FOR DAYS! Actually he got the backyard willow, which was comparatively quite small, out in one evening.

But the front yard willow, well, she'd had such a happy life she wasn't planning on being uprooted easily! He worked on that bad girl for a couple of nights! On Thursday evening Uncle Wayne and several neighbors came over to help him get her out. I was at Women's Conference, hence no photos of the gaping hole that must have been left in the front yard! It took all of them to leverage that bad-girl out of the hole and roll it onto the sidewalk! (Where it now waits patiently for a ride to the green-waste dump!


AGAIN I SAY- LOOK AT THE ROOTS ON THIS BAD GIRL... IT'S ALMOST 3 FEET OF ROOTS

Stuart  lovingly and carefully planted both new trees. We decided to go with a flowering pear for a couple of reasons: there are several in the neighborhood that survive our severe weather quite well and they were $40 each at Costco!


BACK YARD FLOWERING PEAR


FRONT YARD FLOWERING PEAR

I can't even begin to express how thankful I am for my Stuart. We've planted trees together since he was small, not to mention all of the other DYI projects!

What's this mama going to do when he takes off for med school this summer... I just don't know!

Fledgings

This morning before church I was taking the trash out, as I traipsed down the path I caught a flash of yellow movement out of the corner of my eye- it was a tiny, little fledgling bird. He alighted on the little rock border that follows my path. I was quite close so I *talked very gently* to him and told him there was nothing to worry about, I wouldn't hurt him.



I'd talked to him for a few minutes before I realized I really did want a photo of him (duh!) So I came in, got my 70-300mm lens and came quietly out the back door again, telling Harley he just needed to step away from the birdie stay were he was on the deck.

I came fairly close again, even though I had my super zoom lens and could see his little breast heaving... poor little baby bird!

It seemed more than coincidence to me that I would see this sweet little helpless bird on Easter morning. I reflected on how we are so much like this helpless little creature. We don't know how to fly on our own and we need our loving parent to help us learn... and protect us when we fall out of the nest.

I want to bear strong and fervent testimony that Jesus is the Christ.  He came to earth, born a helpless infant. He lived and taught, healed and loved. He was crucified on Calvary.  He accepted all our sins in Gethsemane. He was laid in a borrowed tomb and on the third day took up His body in the act of Resurrection. He lives! Because of His willing, loving sacrifice, we, too can live again with Him. He is the only way! I am so grateful for this abiding testimony!

Toas-Tite Nostalgia

Today was our first one of our first sunny warm days this month (I think we many have had one other day)! I knew I needed to get out and do yard work. Work is good for my soul this time of year**!

I was nearly finished with my work and was thinking how hungry and thinking *Hmmm, what to eat?* All of a sudden it popped into my mind... Mom's sandwich maker that lives on the top shelf of my pantry, which I'd just seen on Sunday when I was putting things away after family dinner.

So, I have to know, how many of you know what a Toas-Tite is, or have one? A quick Google search found this cool old ad.



Now, for those of you who don't know what a Toas-Tite is I will show and tell right now. Here's mine-
I inherited it when my Mom died 34 years ago.



You start by buttering one side  of two pieces of bread(when I was a girl we used to do both sides, but I'm trying to cut back!), add your filling- mine is leftover ham from Sunday dinner and cheese. Scootch the filling towards the middle so it stays in the samich.



Close the Toas-Tite and trim off the excess bread.



Scoop it all together and if you are really nice...



Put it into Harley's bowl for a nice puppy treat.



Then put it on the stove. Gas works so much better than electric.



Turn it several times, making sure to keep the flame low so it doesn't burn.



Tip it out onto your plate, pour yourself a cold drink and get ready to enjoy!


(NOW IF I WAS PIONEER WOMAN I WOULD GIVE YOU A CHINA CHECK RIGHT NOW... SO HERE IT IS- 
KID'S PLASTIC-WARE FROM IKEA! bwahahahahahaha)

Enjoy the yummy meltiness of this samich and remember a happy time 50-some years ago when your Mommy used to make it for you.



Happy samich... happy day.

** Tony's birthday was yesterday, feeling sad this day.

My New Nest

Two weeks ago my new quilting machine was delivered and literally turned my life upside-down! But all in good ways! My previous workroom/playroom/sewing room is in the larger of the two upstairs front bedrooms but now I would need that extra space for my new and LARGER quilting machine. That meant there wasn't going to be room for much of any thing else that wasn't sewing! I would have to do a major change up in my creative suite (yes, there it is... I really am spoiled; I have all three upstairs rooms for my use! But I'm a nice spoiled girl and share the master bedroom with my #1 fan and enabler!)

Ahhh, I got to build a new nest! Yay for little Joanie! I knew I wanted a very HAPPY COLOR for my new OFFICE. My inspiration came from two different quarters, umm, halves, umm, I know! sources! First, I'd found 3 (count them, only three) pieces of scrapbook paper in my stash that I was fell in love with. Second, I'd just returned from visiting Bek and she has some wonderfully happy colors at her house. So what do you think? Did I hit that happy color? I think so!



I had to wait until I had several projects out of the way before I could start the painting. I sent off P's quilt, bought my happy-paint, and sequestered myself to paint (with lots of plastic to protect the new carpet!)  Late that evening, when I was finished, I told Gordon how happy it was. The next morning this is what I found permanently poster-taped to the closed door. I LOVE IT!



So let's talk about those 3- 12 x 12" pieces of scrap paper! How in the world can I make that work? I had my mental image of this wonderful valance; which turned out just the way I wanted it to. (I decoupaged the paper to 1/4" foam board and taped it to the blind valance).



But what about my plastic Sterilite drawers? Now they were totally visible, obvious, ugly and cluttered looking from the door.

OOO-ooo-ooo, ME, pick ME! I know! I scanned the scrapbook paper and then printed it on card stock! I cut it to fit the front of the drawers then used my tape-runner to stick it on the inside of the drawer.



Now I can reveal in the beautiful Velvet Morning and Watermelon colors that grace my new nest!



See? I told you! Happy, very happy new nest!

Narcissus for Mom

Today my Momma would be 98 if she were still alive! (Sadly she's been gone for 34 years.) But as I've looked out at my happy-daff-o-dillies this spring it has reminded me of her.

Narcissus were one of the *perennial* flowers that lived in Mom's yard. (I'm using the term perennial loosely here, I know that narcissus are bulbs.  They were a constant.)  I love them with all their varieties. Growing up I thought only the all yellow ones were daffodils and the multicolored ones were narcissus. But last year I learned from Wikipedia that they are all narcissus, that is their botanical name.



This happy specimen is like the ones Mom used to have in the planter bed between the house and driveway. They were always my favorite.



How can you not love these three happy little maids?



And here is a nice daffodil, not the honking kind like Professor Sprout has!

Remember, Remember...

(MY WHITE *DE-LOR-EE-US* TULIP- SHE GAVE ME THESE BULBS LAST YEAR)

I’ve been waking up early- 7:30 to 8 and appreciate having these hours to think, work and be obedient to the injunction, “Arise early that your mind and body might be invigorated”. I know that when I sleep in I wake up tired, not the least of which is from stupid dreams, and stupid-headed.

Yesterday morning while I was mowing the lawn and was being assailed by negative thoughts. I hate that! Then I recalled to mind one of my favorite scriptures which I have memorized and stored away like nuggets of gold. As the words of Helaman 5:12 passed through my mind I could feel the power of the adversary with “all his hail and mighty winds” being blown away and replaced with sweet peace. I AM built upon the Rock of my Redeemer! Satan will NOT drag me down to that gulf of misery and endless who!

How grateful I am for the scriptures and the sweet peace they bring into my life.

I'm Not Spoiled...

...just well taken care of!

Look what my sweet husband bought me!  An HQ 16!



I've wanted one of these beauties for years!

I started machine quilting 16 years ago on my old Kenmore sewing machine, you know, sitting down and manipulating the quilt under the presser foot. Then I got a Husqvarna Rose, which I literally used up and wore out! Most recently I had my second-hand Little Grace Frames and a Juki machine.

Ahh, but this one... yup, it's a Cadillac of quilting machines! I put on two big pieces of fabric so I could practice before I started on a *for real* quilt!

And here is the funny part... when Stuart came over after the Priesthood session of General conference he wanted to try it out. Gotta love that boy!



(I've already finished the second quilt.  It was a beautiful quilt that Auntie P made for her son Matt's wedding.)

Cowboy Salsa

I love clever ideas! Debra and Jared had light refreshments at their reception: chips & salsa, cupcakes, grapes and a yummy lemony punch!

But the one that stole the show for me was the Cowboy Salsa!



I was there early to take photos of the family between the ceremony and reception. I tried one little taste and was hooked! I fantasized about it until I finally broke down on Saturday afternoon and went to Ream's and bought the ingredients to make this yummy salsa!

I will share my version of-

COWBOY SALSA

2 tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, chopped
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 can black beans, drained
1 1/2 c frozen corn
1 pkg Western Family Italian Seasoning mix (dry) [it's WF's version of Good Seasons]
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 8oz can tomato sauce
lime juice to taste (I gave a healthy squirt from my plastic lime, maybe 1 tsp.)

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until serving. Makes about 5-6 cups.

April Fools!

Lasterday and the day before that (the real April Fool's Day) were beautiful, sunny, warm, temperatures in the high 60s and even creeping into the low 70s...

BUT LOOK WHAT I WOKE UP TO THIS MORNING!!!

8" OF FRESH HEAVY SNOW... what the chicken?

I just mowed the lawn yesterday!



And, apparently, I am doomed where my globe willow trees are concerned. You will remember that last August thunderstorms took my front yard willow.

Lasternight it was heavy snow on the backyard willow... sad, so sad...

Happy Wedding Day

What a great couple who know that the right way to start their lives together to get married on April Fool's Day. These two sweethearts know how to find the joy and humor in life. I just makes me happy to look at them.

Meet Mr and Mrs Jared Munn



This has got to be one of my favorites of the pix I took of them. I love the expression on Jared's face.



This one is special too. I identify with Michaela who is so happy for her brother and Debra.



And these sweet little girls? How can I not love them?



What a glorious day... thanks for letting me capture the moments.