April Has Been a Whirlwind

 April Has Been a Whirlwind

Spring here in East Tennessee has been chilly and warm all at the same time. It has been glorious.

I received my new Lodge cards, the cards are for entry into the Lodge and the pool. 

I also received the new 2026 mahjongg cards!

Happy Spring Everyone!

All Has Been Merry and Bright

 All Has Been Merry and Bright

End of 2025 Vibes

I've enjoyed a very quiet and peaceful holiday season with all of those whom I love. It has been spectacular! 2025 has provided so many wonderful God given blessings. A new job that I love. Good health, real peace, and happiness.

I am blessed beyond measure and I am truly grateful!

Ending 2025 in a quiet and peaceful place. My prayer for 2026 is continued peacefulness, good health, and profound happiness for each of us.

Happiest of New Years to you all!

Rounding Out #62

 Rounding Out #62

I am truly blessed beyond measure and not just at my birthday. This year's birthday has been beyond amazing. Family, Friends, Food, Gifts, and Cards

😁😁😁

#62

Still Celebrating #62

 Still Celebrating #62

A wonder evening with friends celebrating. More birthday fun with the ladies. What a great evening!

Beautiful friends, amazing food, and tons of laughs!

#62

Are You Ready to Rumble ...

 Are You Ready to RUMBLE ...

#iceicebaby

I rounded out the Thanksgiving weekend with a great evening with friends at a Knoxville Ice Bears Hockey game. 

Festival of Tables

 Festival of Tables

What a blessing, I spent a wonderful evening with friends in fellowship at East Maryville Baptist Church.

Me and the ladies

The tables were decorated differently by members of the church and they were all so beautiful and thoughtfully decorated. We were asked to vote on our favorite tablescape and it was so fun walking around looking at all of the tables and talking with everyone.

The gentlemen of the church served us an amazing and delicious dinner ... and I chose carrot cake for dessert. It did not disappoint.

It was a wonderful evening from beginning to end. Sherree Bowen the guest speaker was so uplifting and encouraging. And, I enjoyed seeing and spending time with sweet friends.

It was a powerful evening.

Community

Community

I love things that bring us together as a community. Family, church, talents and games are just a few of those examples.

Last week these lovely like minded ladies came over for pizza and yarn fun. Over the years my daughter has been learning to knit and crochet, a few months ago our friend from our social bowling league asked me if I would teach her how to knit.

And just like our community of makers is growing.

😃😃😃

This beautiful hat was made by a young lady who didn't know how to knit 5 months ago! Amazing talent in just a few short months.

Community, friendship, and sharing of time and talents.

Celebrations

 Celebrations

At the end of June my daughter and I had the pleasure and honor of attending the wedding of a long time friend's daughter. It is an honor to attend the wedding of a child you have watched grow up.

The bride was beautiful, the shared vows were heartfelt, the couple glowed with happiness, and it was a perfect wedding. We enjoyed every moment and ended up with 2 pictures due to enjoying every moment.

One picture at the wedding and one picture of the morning after the wedding.

As it should be.

We traveled a bit for the wedding and the venue chosen was amazing and absolutely perfect.

Our hotel accommodations included breakfast which was delicious. 

Lots of Thrifting Lately

 Lots of Thrifting Lately

No ... I'm not really a thrifter, I only say that because I'm not really a shopper. Shopping is not my idea of fun. I am an online shopper but as of late I have become a brick and mortar shopper. For several reasons but mostly because I am working toward handmade and/or thrifted Christmas gift giving this year.

Note ... I don't know how it is in other places but in my area thrifting is NOT always cheaper. Goodwill and KARM in my local area are pricing items OUTRAGEOUSLY HIGH, in my opinion.

That being said, I have still found some good deals. I can't show you all of the items I have purchased as ... they will be Christmas gifts and/or part of Christmas gifts.

Goodwill

$1.99 - Santa mug - this will be part of a Christmas gift.

KARM 

$3.99 - 6 brass switch plates purchased for my daughter. Not a Christmas gift, I'm always on the lookout for decorative switch plates and such for her to upgrade details in her home.

FRIENDS

 FRIENDS

I really enjoyed the July 4th holiday weekend from start to finish.

 I kicked off the long weekend with a delicious Mexican dinner with a life long friend. Great food, conversation, and company.

The frozen mango margaritas were pretty darn tasty too!

Celebrating With Family

 Celebrating With Family

Celebrating July 4th out on my brother's farm. It was an amazing cookout and fireworks show with family and friends.

Note ... I only have 2 pictures because I was enjoying the celebration, my family and friends, the fireworks and the food.

As it should be ...

It was a wonderful evening!

Front Flower Bed - Mulch and BLING

Front Flower Bed

Mulch and BLING

Thanks to a friend for hooking me up with an app to calculate how much mulch I would need ...

I was off to my local Home Depot to get the required 16 bags of mulch required for the task.

**This post is not an advertisement or a sponsored post**

8:00 a.m. and already hotter than blue blazes!

But I was able to get the mulch spread in no time.

I went with black mulch ... who knew mulch came in so many colors?

I am very happy with the results. Hopefully my hosta plants and hydrangeas will continue to thrive.

A very sweet friend gifted me the cutest solar lite watering can BLING for my front flower bed.

I can now say ... after 3 years ... my front flower bed is now complete.

I love it!!!

Quilt Shop Hop Tennessee

 Quilt Shop Hop Tennessee

Now that there is no longer a Joann Fabrics I hit my GPS for fabric shops nearby where ever I go. It's been a fun little adventurous exercise for me.

That being said, me and Jo, my friend and fellow quilter spent Saturday on a little quilt shop hop of quilt shops in my hometown of Crossville.

I never leave a quilt shop without a bit of red/white fabrics for future Red/White quilt projects and Saturday was no different.

Fabrics from both Mountain Top Fabrics & More and Little Blessing Quilt Shop.

One of these fabrics will be the lining for a crochet Easter Basket that I am presently working on. I haven't decided the use for the other one yet.

Fabrics from Little Blessings Quilt Shop

These Bella Solids will be for a future quilt project and some for my stash. I am trying to build my solid color fabrics stash as well.

Fabrics from Mountain Top Fabrics and More

I needed this batik to complete the binding for the Mermaid quilts.

Fabrics from Mountain Top Fabrics and More

I love fishing around in fat quarter bins ... I can always find some inspiration there.

I was drawn to these fat quarters and I just couldn't leave them behind.

Fabrics from Mountain Top Fabrics and More

Fabri shopping, then pizza at Gondola, it was a great day.

Sweet Gifts

 Sweet Gifts

Sweet thoughtful little gifts from a friend.

A friend from work gave me this cute little salt & pepper shaker set. I've talked about my kitchen window shelf many many times, remembering that, my friend got me this sweet thoughtful gift.

Check Mate

 Check Mate

For a couple of years now I have been interested in learning how to play Chess. Fortunately for me, I work with a young man who has offered to teach me how to play.

We have been playing chess on our lunch break, in the break room after we finish our lunch. Chess is an extremely complex game ... to me at any rate. Boy, do I have a lot to learn!

Kitchen Window Shelf

 Kitchen Window Shelf

I was able to take some time off from Christmas through to the New Year. I'm glad I was able to really relax and unplug. I needed the break.

While relaxing at home I spent a lot of time in my sewing room, I read two books, got a few chores on my list completed, and just puttered around. It was beyond lovely.

While puttering I spent some time cleaning my kitchen window shelf and pampering my plants. While at my son's house for Thanksgiving my daughter-in-law gifted me two more plants for my kitchen window shelf.

All of the plants pictured above were gifted to me. I've had the violet for more than a few years and it needed some new dirt and a bit of a trim. I hope it will survive my "pampering".

This window shelf and the plants on it make everyday a bit brighter for me and brings me lots of joy and happiness.