Christmas Cactus

There is nothing I love more than seeing my Christmas Cactus bloom at the Holiday time! Today was such a great day for the blooms to turn to lovely flowers... it is cold and somewhat dreary. We had a little bit of snow overnight and this morning, but it has now turned to freezing rain and is horrible out. Besides that, there is nothing I want more than to have my children all home for Christmas and that isnt quite possible this year. Ahhh well, at least I know they are safe and happy in their lives.. and I am so very proud of all of them!

100+ Reading Challenge 2009

Once again the 100+ Reading Challenge will be held. I joined for the first time in 2008, or at least carried the link on my blog. Am hoping to at least complete the 100 bookS for this year and will definitely keep better track at this spot next.

Happy Reading!!

1. A Farewell To Yarns-Jill Churchill
2. A Quiche Before Dying-Jill Churchill
3. Casting Spells-Barbara Bretton
4. A Cold Day For Murder-Dana Stabenow
5. Just Desserts-Barbara Bretton
6. A Class Menagerie-Jill Churchill
7. A Fatal Thaw-Dana Stabenow
8. Dead In The Water-Dana Stabenow
9. Death Trap-Sue Henry
10. Now You See Her-Linda Howard
11. The Knitting Circle-Ann Hood
12. A Knife To Remember-Jill Churchill
13. Midnight Rainbow-Linda Howard
14. A Cold Blooded Business-Dana Stabenow

February
15. Bone in the Throat-Anthony Bourdain
16. Play With Fire-Dana Stabenow
17. Blood Will Tell-Dana Stabenow
18. My Nerdy Valentine-Vicki Lewis Thompson
19. Open Season-Linda Howard
20. Breakup-Dana Stabenow
21. Anyone But You-Jennifer Cruise
22. From Here To Paternity-Jill Churchill
23. A Murder At Five Finger Light-Sue Henry
24. Silence of the Hams-Jill Churchill
25. War And Peas-Jill Churchill
26. Kill and Tell-Linda Howard

March
27. Degrees of Separation-Sue Henry
28. On What Grounds-Cleo Coyle
29. Through The Grinder-Cleo Coyle
30. Killing Grounds-Dana Stabenow
31. Mount Vernon Love Story-Mary Higgins Clark
32. Latte Trouble-Cleo Coyle
33. Fear of Frying-Jill Churchill
34. The Merchant of Menace-Jill Churchill
35. Cold As Ice-Anne Stuart
36. Murder Most Frothy-Cleo Coyle
37. Decaffeinated Corpse-Cleo Coyle
38. A Groom With A View-Jill Churchill
39. Mulch Ado About Nothing-Jill Churchill
40. House of Seven Mabels-Jill Churchill
41. Bell, Book, and Scandal-Jill Churchill
42. A Midsummer Night's Scream-Jill Churchill
43. Voice Of The Blood-Jemiah Jefferson

April
44. French Pressed-Cleo Coyle
45. The Accidental Florist-Jill Churchill
46. Dream Man-Linda Howard
47. Espresso Shot-Cleo Coyle
48. Tender Prey-Patricia Roberts(did not care for)
49. Hunter's Moon-Dana Stabenow
50. Midnight Come Again-Dana Stabenow
51. The Singing Of The Dead-Dana Stabenow
52. The Wizard Of Seattle-Kay Hooper
53. Anything Goes-Jill Churchill
54. The Ghost And Mrs. McClure-Alice Kimberly

May
55. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder-Joanne Fluke
56. Trust No One-Christiane Heggan
57. After Midnight-Merline Lovelace
58. The Waterfall-Carla Neggers
59. Stealing Shadows-Kay Hooper
60. Shocking Pink-Erica Spindler
61. The Ghost and the Dead Deb-Alice Kimberly
62. A Fine And Bitter Snow-Dana Stabenow
63. Strawberry Shortcake Murder-Joanne Fluke
64. A Grave Denied-Dana Stabenow
65. The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library-Alice Kimberly
66. A Taint In The Blood-Dana Stabenow

June
67. Blueberry Muffin Murder-Joanne Fluke
68. The Ghost and the Femme Fatale-Alice Kimberly
69. Summer On Blossom Street-Debbie Macomber
70. Just Take My Heart-Mary Higgins Clark
71. The 8th Confession-James Patterson
72. The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion-Alice Kimberly
73. In The Still Of The Night Jill Churchill
74. Sundays at Tiffany's-James Patterson
75. Wormwood-Susan Wittig Albert
76. A Deeper Sleep-Dana Stabenow

July
77. Susie Bright Presents Three Kinds of Asking for It
78. Someone To Watch Over Me-Jill Churchill
79. The Miracle-Irving Wallace
80. The Lady and the Unicorn-Tracy Chevalier
81. Bloodlines-Dinah McCall
82. Hooked On Murder-Betty Hechtman
83. Max-James Patterson
84. Whisper To The Blood-Dana Stabenow
85. Love For Sale-Jill Churchill
86. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder-Joanne Fluke
87. Dead Men Don't Crochet-Betty Hechtman
88. By Hook Or By Crook-Betty Hechtman
89. It Had To Be You-Jill Churchill

August
90. The Shack-Wm. Paul Young
91. Fudge Cupcake Murder-Joanne Fluke
92. Who's Sorry Now-Jill Churchill
93. Left For Dead-Kevin O'Brien
94. If She Only Knew-Lisa Jackson
95. Killer Dreams-Iris Johansen
96. Dropped Dead Stitch-Maggie Sefton
97. On Thin Ice-Cherry Adair
98. Sugar Cookie Murder-Joanne Fluke
99. On The Run-Iris Johansen
100!Fatally Flaky-Diane Mott Davidson
101.Most Likely To Die-Lisa Jackson
102.The Doomsday Key-James Rollins

September
103. The Camel Club-David Baldacci *good*
104. Peach Cobbler Murder-Joanne Fluke
105. Talkeetna Twines-Suzanne Bassette
106. Hide Yourself Away-Mary Jane Clark
107. Ted, White And Blue-Ted Nuggent
108. Cherry Cheesecake Murder-Joanne Fluke
109. Gone-Lisa Gardner

October
110. Candle Sparks-Lilly Goodman
111. Laced With Magic-Barbara Bretton
112. Fatal Burn-Lisa Jackson
113. Sandcastles-Luanne Rice
114. Sea Glass-Anita Shreve
115. The Third Victim-Lisa Gardner
116. Lost-Michael Robotham
117. Nature Girl-Carl Hiaasen

November
118. Among Grizzlies-Timothy Treadwell
119. Shiver-Lisa Jackson
120. I Scream, You Scream-Wendy Lyn Watson
121. Holiday Grind-Cleo Coyle
122. Lost Symbol-Dan Brown
123. Final Truth-Mariah Stewart

December
124. The Christmas Sweater-Glenn Beck
125. The End Of The Road-Sue Henry
126. Breathing Lessons-Anne Tyler
127. Murder On A Girls' Night Out-Anne George
128. Murder On A Bad Hair Day-Anne George
129. Murder Runs In The Family-Anne George
130. Murder Makes Waves-Anne George
131. The Perfect Christmas-Debbie Macomber
132. Blue Christmas-Mary Kay Andrews
133. Murder Gets A Life-Anne George
134. Murder Shoots The Bull-Anne George
135. Murder Boogies With Elvis-Anne George
136. Twilight-Stephenie Meyer
137. Reading~New Moon-Stephenie Meyer

Farmers Market Tote

This is a fast, fun, easy knit and was my first ever felted project. The pattern was a freebie from Knit Picks and the yarn is from Elann.

It had actually been done for quite awhile, just needed to weave in a zillion or so ends, attach the handles and felt it. Felting it made me nervous.. Had read all the stories about the messes that can be made and was just sure it would happen to me! Alas, I discovered my washer is perfect, the hot water temp is great... and it only takes a short time. Wish I would have put on gloves before I stuck my hands in the hot water though.

Will definitely be doing another felted project soon... Maybe the slippers at Knitty!

True Love

Received this from my Canadian friend, Dean. Thought it was so very sweet and so very touching that I just had to share it with my friends!

This series of photos tells the suffering of bird shocked by his mate's fatal injury. His mate is injured and her condition is fatal.

He brought her food and looked after her with love.

Then when she lay still, he tried to move her.

Realizing that she would never come back to him, he cried in anguish.

He stood beside her, calling out in grief.

Finally aware that she would never return, he just stood beside her body for a long, time.

The photographer sold these pictures for a nominal fee to a leading French newspaper. The newspaper was completely sold out that day.Thousands of people across Europe and the US mourned for the little bird

Learning A New Method

I started this great entrelac scarf using Patons SWS in Natural Pink. This could become an addiction... never realized how easy entrelac is! After just a few blocks, the pattern is easily memorized and it is oh so wonderfully quick. It would be a lot quicker if I would quit just looking at it though. Mmm, wonder if Laura would like this for Christmas... is this your color Laura??

Sunrise Sunset Socks

Finished this pair of socks today. Again, I used the Knitman's pattern with a simple 3-1 ribbing for the leg. Am not positive what the yarn is-tag was gone-but I believe it is Plymouth Happy Feet. Other than the color variance between the skeins, this was fabulous yarn to work with. The color doesn't bother me~everyone know that I am off the wall anyway!

These were done on 2.00 needles with 82 sts.

Life may not be a party, but while we're here we may as well dance!