Spring is Coming

It may be rainy and cold, it may even snow, but these little buds tell be that Spring is finally on it's way. They are tiny and delicate, they break at the lightest brush, but they are beautiful promises of warm, green days to come.

Every year I try to capture the first flowers I see, usually in someone's front yard as I walk to the train, but this year these were found in my Mom's garden. I am on my third week of coming and going and trying to enjoy it.

This week has been decidedly springy, besides little flowers...

There were more little baby things to ooh and aah over. Paula had Lester bring a tupper of Grandma knits. I liked this bonnet, so cute. I got to keep a couple different items to use for patterns. Although most of them are in pretty good shape, the acryllic yarn isn't exactly en vogue. I look forward to sharing more of them as I reknit them.

Another sure sign of spring is all the dog bathing that's been going on. Stanley got his back home and I gave Mom's dogs a bath. They sure look pretty and shiny in the sunshine.

And when Paula's Bianca came, it didn't take long for her to get good and muddy and into the sink she went, too.

We celebrated the coming of spring and Mom getting better with Margarita and Chips!

Our favorite! We EAT IT UP. And drink it up too. Paula don't even eat anything but the chips with ranch (and a little salsa mixed in). My friend Shannon would call that Texan Style, I think. It was fun and yummy and a great way to celebrate this rainy spring.

Hangin' at Mom's

My mom is recovering from a hysterectomy. It was an aggressive treatment for some rogue pre-cancerous cells. We are happy she took this route. But now she is stuck at home for six weeks. Well, one down, five more to go. She is doing VERY well. The only thing she needs help with is getting in and out of her bed. So here I am helping out all the days I can (about 3 a week), but her big sis, my aunt, Paula is here for the first 11 days and my sister comes by too, so she has lots of people around her helping, with more to come.

I have to say I love spending time with Mom. And when Paula is around, that's a bonus. So although I wish she hadn't needed the surgery, I am glad I am able to come and help and spend time with them.

Especially since it is the perfect enviroment for craftiness...

My big sis, Julie, has started keeping all her scrapbooking stuff at mom's, so I am treating this as the perfect opportunity to work on Erin's Wedding Scrapbook, my wedding gift to her. I am making good progress, have 11 pages done so far.

And then there's the knitting...

Hours of tv we all love, Bargin Hunters, CSI, Let's Make a Deal and MYSTERY!, are very condusive to knitting. I have made this pair of socks for Mike...

...And one of a pair for Mom

Paula is a sewing machine...

She makes adorable soft flannel blanket for people having babies, which there always seems to be lately

And cross stitches, too.

I am excited about this one, becuase she is making it for me. A cross stitch version of Van Gough's Cypress Trees, I CAN"T WAIT to frame it for my living room.

We are getting mom into it too, between naps.

These "Puzzle Balls" have been a family favorite for years, we just call it a "Baby Ball." Mom got the pattern years ago in New Hampshire at a quilting shop. Now it is in this great book, "Last-Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts" by Joelle Hoverson.

And let's not forget the food. Talking about it, making it and eating it. I love being with the women in my family because we like to plan what we will be eating over the next couple days. Every meal or found recipe is an opportunity. I love that. So when I found a recipe for "Prune Bread," they said make it, make it! And so I did.

And it was good. The recipe made two loaves, the second of which will be coming home with me to share at my Stitch n Bitch this sunday.

That wasn't all the good food, there were oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, stuffed potatoes, meatloaf sandwiches and more. Best of all, I'd have to say, was when Julie's husband Jeremi made crab legs, lobster tails and shrimp for Julie's birthday, yummy.

But no blog about Mom's would be complete with out a pic of Josie...

Modelling my new baby bib design. She's such a cutie, such a sport.