God Bless America

God bless America the land that I love.  Thank you veterans...all who served and all who are currently serving.  Thank you for your sacrifice and thank you for my freedoms.

Here's Stash enjoying her Memorial Day.  My friend Mary helped me pick out this rug on our recent trip to Ligonier PA.  It was a perfect pick since my wool supply business is called Eagles Nest Woolens.

Do you love surprises?  I do.  My dear friend Crystal and her husband, Jude came today for a visit and she gave me this rug.  I was so surprised and grateful.  I love the teal horse and the tan duck and the bird, you just have to love the bird.  Okay, I guess you can tell I love everything about it, especially since it is something she hooked herself.  I have already hung it it a place of honor in my living room.  I love you girl!!! Thank you.

Some of my rugs

This is a Spruce Ridge Pattern I hooked at Mtn Laurel Rug School.  This was the first time I took a class from Barb Carroll.  I changed the house to a log cabin since Ron and I live in one.  I love my teal trees. 

This is a Edith Oneal rug sold by Woolley Fox.  My teacher for this rug was Jayne Hester.  My guild had her as our teacher for a 3 day workshop.  We loved you.  She brought her hubbie along with her and they stayed in our home.  She is a great teacher and together they are a lovely couple. 

My children

Let me introduce you to Miss Beezley.  She is 13yrs old, but she's still my baby girl.  We used to walk miles together everyday.  Now our big walk is up the driveway to fetch the newspaper.  

Last September our family expanded by two.  The little girl in purple is Maple and the little boy is Otis.  I kept telling myself when we went to the breeder that I was not going to get another dog, but to tell you the truth I had them named before I even laid eyes on them.  We just put down my Dad's beagle, Harry.  I loved that dog so very much.  My Dad had passed a few years earlier and Harry became very important to me.  I was very protective of him.  It was so hard to put him down, but he was in pain from prostate cancer. 

Several days later on the way home from work I saw a "Beagle for Sale" sign.  Well the rest is history as they say.  I have never bought a puppy from a breeder before, but I just had to have them.  They filled the empty spot in my heart from losing Harry, you might say the turned a bad situation into a good thing.  They are now 11 months old and have grown up to be beautiful dogs.  We walked three miles this morning so they are passed out right now.  I'll take some current photos in the next couple days. 

This beauty is Stash.  She has her own kitchen cabinet.  It is lower than our other cabinets because of a window and because of the doggies.  Miss Beezley just loves cat food.  She is a bit spoiled.  My hubbie carries her downstairs every morning so he can give her milk.  She loves Wal-mart brand milk and she can tell the difference if we buy another brand.  You might call her a milk snob.

Tomorrow I hope to post some of my hooked rugs.  I hope you will enjoy them.

May 23, 2011

Over the next several posts I will share some of the things that warm my heart and fill my life with love.  There are many, but I have to start with the love of my life, Ron.  He is a wonderful husband and yes I must say I am blessed among woman.  He was worth the wait.  I was 39 and Ron was 45 before we found each other.  It was the first marriage for each of us.  So I can truly say we took our time finding each other.  He is pictured here with Maple in my friend, Mary's backyard.  Maple is ity bity for sure in this photo.  We only had her for a couple hours when this photo was taken.  Ron has a tender heart and a gentle spirit.  I think you can see that in this photo.

Welcome

I'm excited to start on this new adventure of blogging and I hope you enjoy getting to know me and my crazy life.

I worked for a local government for 22 + years until January 2011 when my department was eliminated.  Please don't feel sorry for me.  I think at the end of my life I will look back at this event and be very thankful.  It was a stressful job and I must admit the older I was getting the less able I was to deal with the stress.  People are not at their happiest when you tell them NO.  They didn't like it when I said no you can't buy that or sorry no, I can not pay your claim.

I took things to heart and couldn't sleep at nights.  My stress release then and now is rug hooking.  I love wide cut primitives and folk art rugs.  I have been blessed to have taken classes from some of the very best primitive teachers around.  Rug hooking has opened so many doors for my husband and I.  We have met some really wonderful people who we are proud to call our friends. 

After losing my position I was in a haze for a while.  It was the first time in my adult life that I didn't have a job to go to everyday.  I went from being on call 24/7 to total freedom.  I think I have adjusted well, maybe too well.  I am looking for a job, but right now I must admit I am loving getting up in the mornings and walking the puppies for miles at the Antietam Battlefield.  I live in a beautiful part of the state of Maryland where you can still see wildlife and farmer fields.  I sometimes have watch for the deer in my driveway.

In the next couple days and weeks I hope to share photos of my rugs, house & puppies....of course I have to show off my babies.  Yes, I'm a dog lover.  They bring me joy and have been very good company the last couple months.

I have also tried to turn lemons into lemonade.  I have started a small wool business carrying supplies.  I hope to vend at some local hooking events.  I also hope to start teaching.

I am so looking forward to the new paths before me.