I Like Thursday #153

 Welcome to my 153rd I Like Thursday post.  I Like Thursday is a group of bloggers that share things they have discovered during the week that they like or love and bring kindness, and positivity to the universe.  Thank you LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color for encouraging even when times are really tough.

Saturday was the first day of spring, and the weather has been nice.  I have been spending more time outside than in, once I am done with work.

 I have some flowers poking up.  The trees are budding, and the grass is getting green already. Even some of the chickens want to take walks.  

There seems to always be one that won't stay in the yard.  Sigh.

Easter is coming soon and Bobbin lucked out, no bunny costume, but bunny ears.  

She was really not a happy girl with me.  

Speaking of the heat hog....here she is crawled under the old dresser I use as a TV stand, laying on the heat vent.

Another sure sign of spring.....my new peeps. 

There were supposed to be 30 but one didn't make the trip from the hatchery.  Didn't help that the postal service which around here used to be very good seems to have slipped, even paying for next day service.  My chicks which were hatched on Monday and shipped wandered around and finally landed at the local Family, Farm and Home store.  I was lucky they saw that they belonged to me and called me.  They very well could have just added them to their stock to sell.  

The books I read this past week were A Tine to Live, a Tine to Die by Edith Maxwell.  

Cameron Flaherty has taken over her family farm and is attempting to get an organic certification.  Cam fires the long time family farm hand right before the CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) pick up and that evening he is found dead in her hoop house.  

Pork Pie Pandemonium by Steve Higgs.  Albert Smith is a retired Detective Superintendent, recently widowed decides to go on a culinary excursion of Great Britain.   Albert's travels with his “assistance dog,” Rex Harrison. The German Shepherd is “the only dog in the history of the Metropolitan police to have been fired for having a bad attitude,” first stop is how to make pork pies.  When a thumb is discovered in the makings during cooking class, Albert's interest is piqued' especially after the pie shop's owner's daughter asks Albert to help solve where the thumb came from so that the family business may be opened once again.

The Fire Carrier is the last installment of the Mitch Bushyhead series by Jean Hager.  It is winter and there is a prisoner on the loose, and the local medical clinic's doctor hiding an abused wife. 

Then Jesse Hatch's husband is found dead in the woods there are a lot of strings to unravel to determine who killed him.  The abused wife, her teenage sons, or someone else?

Now head over to LeeAnna's at Not Afraid of Color to check out the other I Like Thursday posts. 

 

I Like Thursday #152

 Welcome to my 152nd I Like Thursday Post.  Thank you to LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color for encouraging us to find and share things we like for the week.  

I love the different doggie outfits I see.  

How about a bunny outfit?  Or maybe just a headband of bunny ears?

The weather has been much warmer, but still not warm enough for Bobbin. 

This is my laundry room it is barely 6 foot wide.  There is a huge heat vent and when I am in the laundry room Bobbin parks herself as close as she can get to it.  The only thing that keeps her from getting closer is my drying racks.

I am always amazed at how fast merchandise for holidays come out at the store.  There were these two signs which I thought were amusing.

I tried a new recipe called melting sweet potatoes.  You cut the potatoes into 1 inch rounds and

Then bake at a high temperature.  This recipe called for maple syrup and it was very yummy.

I did a little sewing this past week.  

I finished up the paper piecing block "Hope".

I also did another of the 3 inch blocks.

My company has been encouraging wellness programs.  One of them is called Hinge, which works on helping strengthen joints that may be causing you problems.  Hips, knees, back-upper or lower, shoulders.  Many years ago I injured both of my shoulders at work.  I tore my rotator cuff on both sides, even after many months of rehab, cortisone shots I never was back to full motion.  I have been having some pain lately so I hope this program helps.  Just for signing up they sent me a yoga mat, tablet, power bands, electronic sensors to ensure that I am doing my exercises correctly, a plan, and weekly call with a coach.  I like that they are working on prevention.  

I read a few books this week.

Plunder another installment of the Faye Longchamp Mysteries.  After an explosion on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, Faye, and Joe are hired to do an assessment of an area which they fear will end up being destroyed by the oil. 

A Thread of Madness by Blythe Baker.  The Dickinson sisters own a dress shop in 1800's England.  When one of the sisters witnesses a man killed by a shadow, it is determined that they must find the killer to protect their good name. 

The Weight of Night by Christine Carbo.  This is the 3rd installment of the series which is set in Glacier National Park.  Multiple fires are raging, and one of the hot shots ends up digging up a body.  Add to it a missing teen boy and Monty a Park police and Gretchen a forensic's expert realize there is a pattern.  Will they find the missing boy in 5 days?

The Hanging Tree by Irina Shapiro.  A Writer's retreat at an ancient manor house is the setting and Nicole over hears an ancient legend about Alys Bailey who was hung as a witch in the 1640's.  Nicole feels that there is a story and as she researches, Alys's story unfolds.  

Ghostland is the 3rd installment of the Mitch Bushyhead series by Jean Hager.  While walking through the woods on of the local spinsters trips over the body of a child.  Mitch comes in the investigate the murder of the child from the local Indian School.  

Now head over to LeeAnna's to check out the other I Like Thursday posts. 

I Like Thursday #151

 Welcome to my 151st I Like Thursday post.  I don't know about many of you, but doesn't the darkness seem to be lifting, even with the pandemic going on?  Days seem to be much easier even with all the other stuff going on.  The daylight hours are longer, the temperatures are getting warmer things just seem better somehow.  Perhaps that is why I have been struggling to remember to create a post for I Like Thursday.  *big smiles*

I picked up a paper piecing project from last year.  I had joined the Quiet Play 2020 group.  Every month you receive 3 or 4 paper pieced patterns.  I kind of stalled out after the initial introduction which was an asterisk.

The past week I finished the rainbow.

I have been working on the next piece which has 9 sections.  Perhaps I will finish it by next week.  

I had thought I would work on finishing up lots of projects that I have sitting around, and I have been picking up stuff ans working on it, but I was enticed by a project called Little Blocks 365.  Every week you receive 7 three inch paper pieced blocks.  The program began in January. I will admit it took me until mid February to decide a fabric scheme.  I want to do a red and white quilt, and I wanted it to be reproduction fabrics. 

After looking at some of the patterns I also added in gray.  So far this is just block one.  😊

I love working with wool, and have been prepping my next "Taking Home the Tree" blockwhich is quite extensive.  I am ready to start to fuse it all now, but there are almost 60 + parts. I wanted something to sew while sitting in the evening and winding down.  

I saw these wooly mug rugs.  The patterns are free from Shabby Fabrics.

You can buy the kits or just use or buy your own wool.  I have some wool, but I went wool shopping (doesn't that remind you  of wool gathering? LOL   Well technically it is wool gathering, in a way), and found the fun green plaid. 

I love sewing with this lana wool by aurifil.  I would never have thought that wool thread would be so easy to use.

I have been sticking to my eating plan, and finding healthy sometimes is very difficult.  On top of finding food, some days I have trouble eating enough to get to my necessary calorie count. I discovered these recently.

The thins are about the size of a half dollar, and the serving size is 21 thins for about 130 calories.  

My books for the week are Findings, Floodgates, and Strangers all by Mary Anna Evans.  These are the 4th, 5th, and 6th books in the Faye Longchamps archaeology series.  

The book Findings, Faye is working for a friend, cataloging artifacts in his collection for a museum he is going to open.  A break in, his murder, and a mess are left. While Faye is helping to clean up after the break in, she discovers nothing is missing, but her field notes.  Is the murder related to a fabulous emerald that Faye discovered while surveying her property Joyeuse?

Floodgates takes place after Hurricane Katrina.  The body of a missing archaeologist is discovered in a condemned house, what is interesting it appears that the body has been weighted down with a pile of heavy objects.  Was Shelley killed during the hurricane or in a much more sinister way afterward, and why?

Strangers--A very pregnant Faye, and her husband Joe are running a dig in St. Augustine on the property of a 100 year old mansion.  A woman disappears, her abusive boyfriend find murdered in a nearby canal, a 400 year old journal, and a gilded age murder all combine together to form a puzzle.  Or do they.

What I like about this series is Faye is a strong woman, she meets Joe and their relationship slowly develops over the books, until they are married and starting their family.  Archaeological sites, local folklore, Native American legends, old journals all work together to weave interesting books.  

Now head over to LeeAnna's at Not Afraid of Color and check out the other I Like Thursday posts.

I Like Thursday #150

 Welcome to my 150th I Like Thursday post.  I almost totally forgot.  Thank you LeeAnna for encouraging us to find things that we like or love and share weekly.  

Last week was my birthday.  I had the day off and it was a quiet day.  My oldest daughter sent me these beautiful flowers.

The youngest gave me a cute birdhouse.

I tried making a recipe of a fresh banana cake.  I will say it was not spectacular.  

I have been looking for recipes for 1 or 2 and I have seen several where you make individual casseroles.  I have found some that are even low calorie, and low fat.  But I needed some ramekins.  I bought these for myself for my birthday.

 

At the beginning of February I decided I needed to lose weight, and get a bit healthier.  Perhaps it would help with the aches and pains of old age.  If not help, at least make it so there was less stress on those joints.  

I started tracking my food using an app called My Fitness Pal.  I can use it on my computer, or on my phone.  I feel much better already and have a lot more energy.  Also the joints are feeling better.  

I have also been using my treadmill so that I get at least 10,000 steps a day, even on my days off.  Jeff bought it for me just before he died, and it has pretty much sat unused for the past 4 years.  

Walking on a treadmill can get boring.  I usually listen to a book while I am doing it, but I found this app which I downloaded onto my IPad called BitGym to give me a new view.  It will synch with the treadmill, and I get to hike trails all over the world.  

The app tracks elevation if you incline your treadmill, and tracks your steps per minute.   Also there are pop ups with information and history of the area. 

I saw a new quarantine towel at work.  It made me giggle.

Also there were Easter Togs for Dogs.

Trying to get my steps in, does take a big chunk of time out of my days, so not a whole lot of sewing going on.  I did finish up the 2nd month of Bringing Home the tree, including the embroidery.  I need to work on some of my embroidery skills.

 

I have been prepping blocks 3 and 4 as of late.  

 

I finally finished the Valentine Table topper.  

I like that all of the fabrics was from my stash.  I especially love the background.  I was also happy to use up pieces of fabrics for the back.

I read some really good books this week.  

 

A Buried Past by Alexandria Clarke.  Jacqueline (Jake) Fry is in England to care for her friend.  Jake's interest in serial killers makes a Jack The Ripper Tour a must do.  Imagine when people start showing up dead in the same manner as the Jack the Ripper victims.

 

Death Distilled is the 2nd installment of the Whisky Business Mystery by Melinda Mullet.  Abi Logan returns to  Abbey Glenn to check on her distillery.  Abi meets her girlhood crush Rory Hendricks, the lead singer of The Rebels.  Rory invites Abi to be his photographer on the groups comeback tour. 

People associated with the group keep meeting with accidents, but are they really accidents?

Effigies by Mary Anna Evans is the 3rd installment in the Faye Longchamps archaeology series. 

Faye and Joe are in Mississippi working a dig for the road department.  A nearby mound is enticing, but when they ask to dig at the mound, the farmer gets angry and begins to level it.  Soon the farmer is found dead.  

The Corpse Wore Tartan is the 3rd installment in the Liss MacCrimmon series.  The Spruces the newly opened Grand Hotel is hosting the Scottish Heritage Appreciation Society, they seem to be a surly bunch, and after the Robbie Burns Banquet one of the guests is found murdered.  Throw in a blizzard, which makes leaving impossible, and takes out the electricity will they find the murder before they kill again?

The Plot is Murder by V.M. Burns.  Samantha Washington has dreamed of owning her own mystery bookshop.  Before her shop even opens a local realtor is found dead on her property. 

I liked this book because Samantha is also in the process of writing a book so there is a story within the story.  

Now head over to LeeAnna's at Not Afraid of Color to check out the other I Like Posts.