A Special Day

January 20 is a special day for our family, as five years ago we became grandparents when our beautiful little granddaughter was born. It seems like only yesterday that we were cradling her in our arms for the first time, and now she is such a busy little girl. Here she is at just nine months, 'playing' the piano.

She started kindergarten last fall, and told me that while they are allowed to sit anywhere in the classroom, she would rather not sit too close to the 'silly boys' because "Grandma, I need to get my work done!". She has swim lessons on Saturday mornings, and, until recently, did gymnastics on Monday evenings. She played outdoor soccer last spring and will do so again this year. Last September, she started dance lessons. Every Wednesday evening she does ballet and tap. Her mommy (our daughter) was a beautiful dancer.

Years ago, I started this little counted cross stitch piece for our daughter. By the time it was finished, she had outgrown its cutesy-ness, so it was put away. I found it recently and realized it would be perfect for our little granddaughter. Not only is she our little ballerina, she also loves bunnies! Happy birthday sweetie.


Sandy

A little colour therapy

A little colour therapy has worked wonders. I was not sure that I wanted to commit to making a big quilt, but this mini has hit the spot. It is 12 and 3/4 inches square -- perfect for a wall hanging or even a little table mat. I might have to wait until March to officially display the Jim Shore egg (a favourite).

Our weather has improved a little, and we should be on the plus side of zero by Friday. I'm hoping for an early spring!

Sandy

I forgot to mention that the little blocks were paper pieced.

A thing of beauty

Keats said it best. A thing of beauty is a joy for ever...

We have been experiencing some truly awful weather. Snow, howling winds, very low temperatures and high wind chills. People have been stranded in their vehicles. People have been stranded in their neighbourhoods!

My amaryllis should have bloomed by Christmas, but waited until Monday for the first two blooms to unfold. It is a thing of beauty, especially when you consider what is going on outside.

I have been very unsettled (and at loose ends) which I blame on our crazy weather. I have pored over binders full of patterns, have flipped through countless quilt magazines and have even surfed the web looking for inspiration. Nothing -- at least nothing that I truly want to make. I do have a half-finished quilt I could work on, but even that is unappealing. The local meteorologist predicts a change (for the better) in the weather by this weekend. I will have to settle for catching up on my reading until then.

Historically, January is our coldest month of the year (March is the snowiest). You would think that I would have this weather thing figured out by now.

Sandy

Book note...
I read a variety of books, mostly novels. Last summer I read a beautifully written book by French novelist Muriel Barbery. "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" is one I would recommend.

The Promise of a New Year

We were fortunate to be able to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with our kids and grandkids (we then packed up the car with dogs and gifts and drove three hours north for a visit with family), as well as New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, too.

Our two older grandkids (both four) have been learning to skate this winter. Now, skating is one of those things that looks so easy, yet couldn't be more difficult. I watched them skate yesterday, and since I was a non-skater (my daughter borrowed my skates at least a dozen years ago, and hasn't yet returned them) I was also the photographer. I love this picture of the two little ones.

These two are not just cousins, they are best friends. They spend their time together talking and laughing. There are rarely any tears. What amazes me is not their friendship, it is their determination to learn to skate. They each fell at least half a dozen times, and they just got back up and tried again. Even a trip to the benches for a rest was not without peril, as the hard packed snow hid ice below. Eventually, the wind and cold forced us indoors for a bowl of soup and lots of great snacks at our son and daughter-in-law's home, but I couldn't stop thinking of our time at the skating rink.

I do not make resolutions, except maybe the vague "I want to be a better person" sort of thing. This year, I want to be more like my two young grandkids. They are, for the most part, unafraid.

Sandy

P.S. My mom loved her Hello Betty quilt. I am so glad I made it for her.