In Love With David Austin!

Hello Friends! After a long hiatus filled with life changes and new beginnings....I'm back! I've missed you all, and I don't know where to start in filling you in. So, I'm just going to begin at where I left off on my last blog. My mom is doing very well! Thank the Lord! She came to Iowa with me to do her radiation therapy and we drove about an hour each day to Ames. The William R. Bliss Cancer Center was filled with the most wonderful angels. Kind and considerate, caring and loving. Mom and I miss them! But her treatment went very smoothly with very little side effects. She is home now in Dallas gathering her things and getting rid of things to move to Marshalltown to be by me! I'm so excited! We haven't lived near each other in many many years, and I feel so blessed that I will be able to spend time with her. She is feeling well, and just as busy as ever! I wanted to thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. God is faithful.
I have been busy in my garden this year, a bit late, but things are coming to fruition nevertheless. I took the big step this year....ordering David Austin roses!! It's been a dream of my to fill my yard with DA roses and peonies. While I didn't plant any peonies this year, I did plant DA "Shropshire Lad & Gertrude Jekyll" roses. Gertrude is in bloom (above) and looking wonderful. I began with knockout roses to see if I could get these so called "full (fool) proof" roses to grow. They did very well for two years so now I am on to David Austin's. Wish me luck!
I also planted a vegetable garden this year! Oh my goodness, I am up to my ears in sweet peas, green beans, and onions. We have the most delicious beets too! The tomatoes are not ripe yet, but there are many many on the vine. I'm looking forward to those.
I have been so lax with my blog lately, I hope that you all haven't forgotten me!! It seems I have the attention span of a newt these days.
My hubby has gone back to his old job, and is gone most of the week again....just when I was getting used to him being home!!! I think this job is much better for his health and happiness, so we will manage.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend...a special hug for MA!! Be well friends, Sharon

~Tears of Joy & Lavender Days~

Hello Friends~Bet you thought I fell off of the edge of the world!! It's been awhile for sure, and a crazy month. I've been in Dallas for just about a month with my mom. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of March, Bless her sweet heart. She had a Lumpectomy, and they took out some lymph nodes, and Thank you Lord!, no cancer in them!! We got the good news at the surgeon's office on her 83rd birthday! Oh my gosh, I just cried with tears of joy. She was a stage one. And they believe that they have gotten all of the cancer, and she will fly to Iowa to stay with me for her radiation therapy. It was so scary, but she remained very calm, trusting the Lord, and she was at peace through out the entire process of Dr.'s visits, (oh so many) and she was an outpatient for her surgery. I'm just amazed at how well she did! I only pray that I could handle it as well as she did. It will be so nice to have her here, and for me to be able to take her to her appts. A few days after I returned home, we had company for a few days, and it was a wonderful and relaxing visit. We went to Antique stores and visited the sites. It was Great!! On one of my visits, I found the most beautiful Cabin Crafts Chenille Bedspread! I was so blessed to get it a wonderful price. There's not a thing wrong with it!! I have listed it in my Ebay shop. I know that I am skimming through my life for the past month, but I am also in the midst of cleaning house and catching up with my gardens. We've almost got the mulch down, and are having to get out outside in between raindrops. I'm so happy to be back in blogland, and will be visiting all of you very soon. Thanks for stopping by~look for me to visit you soon. Hugs and Blessings~Sharon

~A Gooey Mess~

Hi All! I really don't know what has gotten into me lately....for 10 years I have used PINK for everything I made..no truly, I did. I found it difficult if not impossible to create without using PINK! People have actually written to me, asking that I make baby boy quilts! FREAK!!! Sorry no, unless you think he might like pink??? Even my mom, who is my biggest supporter by the way, would ask me, "So what kind of pink fabric did you buy today?" I came to believe that maybe, just maybe I was in a color-time-warp! But lately I have been exploring with many different colors of fabric...well, mostly camel, tan, beige, white, blaaah blaaah blaaah. (smiling) But I've come to love those colors as well, particularly white. Now for something country...Well, sort of country, I guess...actually I'm not sure WHAT country is, (and yet I live in the country), anyway, here's a country-folk quilt..Now...back to pink & white!!! Oh how I've missed you! So here's the question....am I losing it? Or do you get obsessed with colors and find that if looking at a color doesn't make you melt into a big gooey mess of hugs and kisses, it's just not a good color??? (Oh my...)

Here's wishing you a wonderful weekend~Don't forget to spring forward!! Hugs and Blessings~

~Robins & Tidepools~

Good morning all! I looked out the window this morning and in between the snowflakes I saw that the Robins have returned! Oh my goodness and there were so many of these beautiful little birds~I would not be exaggerating if I said 100 robins on the lawn trying hard to find a frozen morsel in the grass. It is a day to rejoice! Even though it is still cold, still snowing, and not at all spring-like, the Robins give me a feeling of hopefulness and excitement that Spring is just around the corner. I wanted so much to share this beautiful sight with you but....the day was too dark and gloomy for a good photo. So....I decided instead to show you the new shawl! It is finished and I think it looks so pretty! I call it "Tidepools." It makes me think of the Caribbean blue waters. I could use a vacation to the islands right about now! I'm off to search for more Robins!! Happy Monday!! Oh yes, next weekend is Daylight Savings Time!!!! Spring Forward All!! Hugs & Blessings

Knitting Ocean Waves!

Hello Everyone!! Well I have begun a new shawl-this is the most beautiful shades of blue, purple and green. It reminds me of Ocean Waves. I found this wonderful Knit Shop in Ames, IA., called Rose Tree Fiber Shop . Oh my goodness you would not believe the Fab Fiber in Stock! Some of the Extraordinary Yarn in this store comes from locals in this area. I can't tell you how beautiful these yarns are!! The proprietor is the Most Adorable Lady, Rosemary Heideman, and what a story she has to tell about how she came to be in the Fiber business! She really is such a Darling Lady. Follow my link to her store and read about Rosemary in the about me section on the web page. What a Hoot! She was in our local paper not long ago which lead me to her store. You really must meet this Queen of Roses! Anyway, back to the story....Rosemary had this yarn spun, dyed by a local woman and it is Beautiful! It's chunky, then thinner, then thin, oh my! A Rainbow it even has PINK TINSEL spun into it! Wow! So...here's my new shawl with some of that yarn. I will post the finish product soon...Knit one...purl two...knit one..............Hugs!

~Put A Little Pink In Your Grey!~

Hello Friends! To offset the grey days here in Iowa...I've been knitting up a storm! Knitting is the perfect craft for winter for me. I always pick colors that brighten my world..and pink is one of my most favorite colors! Pink just turns my insides to jelly!! (smiling) So I gathered up all of my leftover pink stash and made this V shaped Shawl. It has two layers of fibers throughout the entire piece and it is so incredibly warm...I made extra long, thick fringe because I just love the casual messy look of it. What fun! And I must tell you, working on it was a delight! Now I'm off to block it, but I just had to share this with you.

I hope that you are all well and as excited as I am to have winter almost over!! Let the Sun Shine In!! Blessings all!

P.S. I see signs of spring in my garden already!! Yikes! Crossing my fingers that it is not too early. Hugs~

The Winner of OWOH.... Belinda Ferrells!!!

Well another year and the last One World One Heart has come to an end. I have been so blessed to be a part of this wonderful blogging event! It has been incredibly rewarding to meet and visit the many participants, and to see the fabulous creations by talented artists. I have enjoyed all of your comments which have led me to your blogs and has opened up for me a whole new insight into the world of creative arts. I thank you one and all!
Now for the winner of my giveaway...this little clothespin bag, which was chosen through a random number website..the number is 102
The lucky girl is: BELINDA FERRELLS!!!! Her fabulous blog is Belinda Ferrells Polymer Clay OOAK Babies!
Oh what a wonderful and creative polymer clay artist she is! Her babies are so lifelike and beautiful. Be prepared to be AMAZED when you follow the link to her blog.
Congratulations Belinda Ferrells!!
Blessings~

~Stormy Weather~Heaps of Fun!

First...the Blizzard

My Driveway Covered in Snow

More of the Driveway and Turnaround

What a Storm! I'll get back to you when I'm done Shoveling!!

Hugs~