I Like Thursday #149

 Welcome to my 149th I Like Thursday post.  Thank you to LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color for encouraging us to find things we like/love to share and bring a little lightness, brightness to the world.  

I like that my days have slowed down after Paczki Day last week.  After a few days of recovery I actually started to sew again.  

I finished the applique on a table topper I was making for Valentine's Day.  Yep I know a wee bit late. 

I pieced the backing and the quilting from the applique is kind of awesome looking.  I am currently working on the binding.  I like that I shopped my stash for the fabrics, backing, and binding. 

Since I finished the applique project I guess I should work on another project that has been sitting around for a while too.  More machine applique.  

I am using some specialty threads.  I have a lot more to do, but starting is good in my book. 

I saw this towel at work and thought it was awesome.

I think this towel needed to come out about a year ago when we were on a much more stringent lock down.  

After days of cold, some minus temperatures, snow, ice we had this today.

We actually got to 51 degrees.  It was nice to be outside and walk a bit.

While I have been resting up I have been reading.

Night Walker by Jean Hager, this is the 2nd installment of the Mitch Bushyhead series.  An odious resort owner is found dead during a blizzard in one of his employees vehicles.  Mitch has to calm the fears of the Native employees who fear a Night Walker, a Cherokee Witch.  Is it the housekeeper recently fired, and is in fear of losing her home.  The desk clerk that he had been having a extra marital affair?  The chef that was actively looking for a new position, but due to a negative reference, has lost future opportunities?  How about his younger sister, and he controls her trust?  Or the estranged wife he is currently engaged in a bitter divorce?

Cinco De Murder by Rebecca Adler.  This is the 3rd installment of the Taste of Texas Mysteries.  It is Fiesta Cinco De Mayo in Broken Boot, Texas. When one of the top contenders in the Chili Cook Off is found dead, Josie Callahan is determined to find the culprit, since the town council wants to oust her uncle due to the murder at the event.  

Death in Kalkinchie by Carly Reid.  Jessica Greer is settling into village life in Dalkinchie, Scotland.  Working at the local newspaper she is covering the Crafts Show and while the head judge is sampling the marmalade from the local Laird's cook, he keels over dead.  

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

I Like Thursday #148

 Welcome to my 148th I Like Thursday post.  Thank you LeeAnna for encouraging us to find things that we like, are positive, or uplifting to share.  

I survived Paczki Day!  I had a some help at least.  Saturday I made 240 boxes.  Sunday I was off.  Monday I went in at midnight and on top of doing donuts that day with some help we made about 400 boxes of Paczki.  Tuesday morning I braved the blizzard and we made 576 individual Paczek for the showcase, and over 800 boxes of Paczki.  We laughed when it was all over and called it the great Paczki Debacle because with all the snow and ice, there were very few customers.  You can read more about Paczki here.  Since Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, it isn't like you could push Paczki day back because of the weather.  This is my 2nds year, and I think I should get a shirt that states "I survived Paczki Day!".  

Since I have been working a lot of  12 hour days it was a challenge to come up with some things to share.  I do love the creativity of the M & M bags though.

Friends don't let Friends eat chocolate Alone!

Emotional Support Candy.

This morning I spied some lovely plants at work.

These beautiful tulips.  They reminded me of a summer, all oranges and yellow!

Small pots of Pinks!  I just love these little old fashioned plants.  My great grandmother always planted pinks in her yard.  

Thanks for stopping by now head over to Not Afraid of Color to see the other I Like Thursday posts.

I Like Thursday #147

 Welcome to my 147th I Like Thursday post.  Thank you LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color for encouraging us to find things we like/love and share with others.  

While many are having huge snow events, ours have been minimal.  The kids get out and make sure that the driveways, walkways, porches and paths to all the animals are shoveled.  They even shovel a huge area for Bobbin to use to potty.   I smile when I see all the kitty paw prints in the fresh snow.  They patrol the grounds to ensure there are no interlopers.

Our temperatures have been downright frigid.  Wednesday morning it was 4 degrees!  But the extreme cold temperatures also can be useful.  My off I defrosted one of the freezers.  All I had to do was empty the freezer and put the stuff out on the porch in coolers and bins. 

I had went to the barn to retrieve a cooler and came upon this old enamelware chamber pot.  

I heard stories that the bathroom was not installed in the house until the mid 40's.  Up until then there was an outhouse, so I am sure this came in handy on those cold winter nights.  

Oh and one freezer only took me 1 hour to complete defrost, and clean. My next day off I will do the other.  

Valentine's Day is Sunday, and the store has such pretty azalea trees.  I just had to take a picture.  A reminder that spring is on its way eventually. 

I finished my table runner that matches my mug rug.
 

I was so proud that I had shopped my stash to make it.  

I have been working on a wool piece now that the binding is on the table runner.  

I just had a realization.  I don't know where I put the rest of the blocks for this BOM.  Hmmm.

I only read a couple of books this week.

Flipped for Murder by Maddie Day.  Robbie Jordan has purchased a small country store where she serves breakfast, and lunch and sells antique kitchenware.  The assistant to the mayor of the small Indiana town of South Lick is found shot to death in her home and Robbie as the newcomer is instantly the top of the suspect list.  

This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber.  It is just a short time after the end of WWI and Verity Kent

has been invited to a house party for one of the former officers who had served with her husband during the war.  The only reason Verity attends is that she receives a cryptic letter which infers that her husband, who was killed during the war was a traitor.  

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

I Like Thursday #146

 It is Thursday, already?  

Welcome to my 146th I Like Thursday post.  Thank you to LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color for encouraging us to find things that we like, love and share--to add a little light and positivity to our world. 

I saw this towel at work.  No I didn't buy it, but it is too cute, isn't it?

When Bobbin was attending obedience school there was a Corgi, his name was Finn. 

I also saw this shopping bag and it made me giggle.

I mean who doesn't love a pun?

I usually drink from an antique canning jar, I like the blue ones.  I haven't broken any, but the downside is that they do tend to sweat.  I saw his sleeve, and lid with straw hole recently and I really like them. 

I have been working on my projects slowly.  Then I got distracted.  I had a Valentine's centerpiece I wanted to make, so I shopped my stash.  Once I chose the fabrics and started, I got distracted with the thought, hey I need a Valentine's Day table runner and since the fabric is already out.... and of course if I have a table runner I think I may need a mug rug too.  So far I finished the mug rug and have been using it.  

Perhaps my table runner will be done in a day or two.  The table topper is applique and I have stalled out after cutting out all the hearts.  But I will have it done before Valentine's Day, some year. ;)

Since my light in my sewing room is still waiting for the electrician my sewing time has been negligible.  But I did do some cutting and threw together this piece.  I thought it would be a wall hanging, but it ended up much larger than I anticipated.

The pattern is called the Red River Quilt, and the panel is Charlie Harper Sierra Range.  I like seeing all these different patterns for panels lately.  

I have owned Electric Quilt for several years, but never spent much time in it.  I decided to take a class and I will say after just 4 lessons I am excited to use it more.  

Finally my book selections for the week.  

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake by Sarah Graves.  This is a spin off series from the original Home Repair is Homicide, same protagonist  Jacobia Tiptree, but now she and her best friend own a shop specializing in chocolate desserts called The Chocolate Moose.  Business is going well until Matt Muldoon is found face down in their chocolate pot.  Throw in a hurricane, a surprise daughter-in-law, and getting ready for a Coast Guard fundraiser and Jacobia barely has time to breath let alone find the murderer. 

Feliz Navidead is the 3rd installment of the Santa Fe Cafe Mysteries by Ann Myers.  Rita is trying to convince her Midwest Mother that Christmas in Santa Fe is awesome.  Until Rita discovers a dead devil during the outdoor Christmas pageant which is held annually. 

Add some relics which are being repatriated from a wealthy socialite and a donkey on a diet and life gets very interesting.  

Shadow Dancer by Dinah Miller.  FBI Agent John Treehorn has a phenomenal solved case rate, until he is assigned to a 15 year old cold case involving a kidnapping of several teen boys, and the disappearance of their chaperone on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona.  The book is very good, but I will warn you it is very dark too.

The Good, The Bad, and the Guacamole by Rebecca Adler is the 2nd installment of the Taste of Texas Series. 

People are pouring into Broken Boot to check out the annual Homestead Days Celebration.  Josie is looking for an interview with up and coming country singer Jeff Clark, who was last seen leaving the dance hall with Josie's best friend Goth Girl Patti Lopez.  When Josie finds Jeff dead in Patti's living room, it is a race to find the killer before her friend goes to jail for a murder she didn't commit, and the bands leave town.  

The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras by J. Michael Orenduff was a fun read, even though initially I was not a fan of Hubert Shuze who sells Indian Pottery in his shop.  But all the twists and turns in this book made it a fun and interesting read, and Hubert does end up having some redeeming qualities. 

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

I Like Thursday #145

 One hundred forty-five weeks.  That is almost 2 3/4 years worth of posts.  I started joining LeeAnna's I Like Thursday bloggers in 2017.  Since that time I have traveled back and forth across the US three times, hence the reason why I don't have more post.

I like the interesting appliances I see while I wander the store at times.  A donut maker! 

Perhaps it could put me out of work if customers all decided to make their own donuts. 😮  Probably not ever going to happen.  

I recently purchased a new InstaPot that also has an air fryer too!  I will say I love it.  I was astonished at all the accessories for the InstaPot.

I saw a recipe recently using cookie dough in the insta pot and topping it with ice cream when it is done cooking.  Sounds yummy.

Bobbin got a sweatshirt. This is the first shirt I have bought her that the hood actually goes over her head.  While it is toasty on cold days she is not a fan, and can actually manage to wriggle out of it.  

While I am pretty proud of how self sufficient I can be, at times I fail miserably.  Example my sewing room used to have a ceiling fan with those small candle looking type bulbs.  Recently I had a day I turned the light switch, and nothing happened.  I shut it off and turned it on again, and it flashed on.  The next day same thing, but it took about 10 seconds before it came on.  I thought perhaps I needed a new switch.  After what felt like a bazillion trips up and down the stairs, I never did figure out what beaker would shut the power off to that room.  I finally resorted to shutting the power off to the whole house.  The new switch didn't work.  What happened was like a horror movie.   The light started flashing off and on.  We switched it off.  Decided to change out the bulbs....and it worked.  For a day.

Next was to just get a whole new fixture.  As I removed the ceiling fan/light I realized that the socket was cracked.  

The cracked socket made it so that the circuit was disrupted.  

This is my new light.  It has two 100 watt bulbs and is an amazing light.  The problem?  For some reason I have breakers which keep shutting down.  I finally decided that it was time to call an electrician.  My appointment will be for the 5th of February.  Obviously I did something wrong if it isn't working correctly.  Sometimes you just need to bring in the professionals, and say uncle.  

The books I read for the week were Desert Guardian by AW Baldwin.  Ethan was mountain biking the southwest, and goes over the edge.  He is rescued by a hermit named Relic.  Relic leaves Ethan at the River in hopes of hitching a ride with the white water rafters back to civilization.  

Throw in some relic hunters determined to protect their discoveries and a beautiful river guide and Ethan's life will never be the same. 

Magpie Speaks by R Allen Chappell.  The witch of Ganado is causing havoc and Paul T'Sosi needs to protect his family. 

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare.  My mother was a teacher as I was growing up and her specialty was reading.  I remember this book sitting on the shelves at my house, yet I never remember picking it up to read. 

Kit is left an orphan after her grandfather dies and in an act of desperation she boards a ship for Connecticut to live with her Aunt and Uncle.  Arriving in colonial Connecticut and living with Puritans is quite the change.  Kit befriends Hannah Tupper and old widow that lives on the edge of Blackbird Pond.  Headstrong and spoiled Kit has a lot to learn about work, and her family has a lot to learn about friendship.

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

I Like Thursday #144

Welcome to my 144th post of I Like Thursday.  Weekly LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color encourages us to share things we have found that we like/love.  

I don't know about many of you, but I will say today while I didn't get to see the whole inauguration I did get to see the poet Amanda Gorman.  All I can say is WOW!

 I will admit I felt a sigh of relief as if a huge weight had been lifted after the events of the past few weeks.  

Paczki season started, and then they came up with an idea of making some "designer" Paczki.  

A Bavarian Turtle Paczki....a Bavarian Paczki, topped with fudge, pecans, caramel, and chocolate drizzle.  

Raspberry Creme Paczki....Raspberry Paczki filled with cream cheese icing, and topped with a dollop of cream cheese frosting and a smidge of raspberry.

Have you ever had your brown sugar turn into a brick?  I have seen many different home remedies, but decided to try one of these.  A brown sugar saver.  Does it work.  A resounding yes it does.  You soak it for about 15 minutes in hot water.  Dry it off, then place it in your brown sugar.  It actually makes it nice and loose. 

Remember the cute shirt I saw at work that I wanted to get Bobbin?  

My daughter actually went to several stores looking for it.  No luck.  Either small or X-large.  :(  I found something similar though.

It has a crown and says, " Feed Me and Tell Me I'm Pretty."  Gray is not Bobbin's color though.  But it is so cute, and has a sweet little bow on the cowl neck.  

I saw this kitchen towel and thought it was so appropriate for the era we are in.  The last few years I have developed a thing for bees.  

I had to ask my mom to send a picture for me of the Christmas Stockings at her house.  I have cross stitched the tops of each one.

I have a stocking, as well as one for my youngest daughter and her 3 sons that live here in Michigan, so there are 4 more.  I had a stocking for Jeff, my mom returned it to me as a keepsake.  I need to make one more for my middle daughter's man.  I love seeing how our family has grown.  

Speaking of Jeff.  There are times I would like to just close down my Facebook page, but every now and then a memory shows up, and it means so much I hate to lose that.

This is a picture of Jeff when Finn was born.  There were a whole series of pictures with him and the older boys with baby Finn too.  

I have been working a lot this week.  People calling off are a trial--at least to me, it means that I get called in to work.  They keep trying to hire new people, but doing doughnuts seem to be very overwhelming to them, and so they decline the job.  Sigh.  

My books for the week are Chaos at Little Leaf Creek by Cindy Bell.

Cassie Alberta has purchased a house in Little Leaf Creek so she can make a new start.  Things go awry quickly when a sculpture that she would like to have in her yard must be approved by the town historical society, and the head of the group is found murdered in Cassie's yard.  

End of the Line by Emily James is the 9th installment in the Maple Syrup Mysteries.  It is only a few short weeks until Nicole marries Mark the town coroner.  But the town police chief turns up missing and another police officer is murdered at Mark's house.  How does it all tie together?  Throw in a food truck that specializes in cupcakes and police corruption.  Will Nicole and Mark be married?  

Thanks for stopping by, now head over to LeeAnna's at Not Afraid of Color to see the other I Like Thursday posts.