Barn Quilts

A goal of mine for this year is to find all the Barn Quilts in Morgan County. Apparently Morgan County is the first one in Colorado to be a part of this tradition that is more popular in the eastern United States. The one below is in downtown Fort Morgan and is one of my favorites.

The block is on the back side of the business, along with this sign for the Flower Shop.
Visiting all the sites of the blocks may take a few weeks/months. Come back to see another one in a few days as I stopped in several locations for pictures late this afternoon. A few I found had weird shadows after the sun came out so I'll need to go again when the sun is higher.

Valentine's Party

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can! I've never linked to anything before, but here are some instructions for me to try, so I AM going to work on it. We'll see how that learning process goes...will I have the patience with my crazy internet connection?
I am positive the ground shakes the tower every time a semi goes by the house or the coal trains rumble along and shake the earth just enough to mess things up. Do I know anything? No! So, if anyone has suggestions, I am a willing learner.

New Toy

Sarah and I went to town yesterday for Valentine's Day papers, stickers, glitter, etc., and saw this Martha Stewart lace scallop heart punch! I had a 40% off coupon at Michael's so this toy came home with us.
After church this morning, I started pressing and pushing the lever and LOVE the little hearts! It does take some strength to go through cardstock, but regular paper is easier to punch out. Now we need to have friends over for a card making session. Maybe next weekend...

I have enough paper to make LOTS of cards, so maybe I should get started SOONER!

Napkin Ring Giveaway!!

I'd LOVE to win these napkins rings from The Style Sisters because they are my favorite color and they are gorgeous!
You can choose from these four colors if you enter. Visit the blog and enter NOW. You may also visit the Etsy shop, if you click here.

I'm hoping my name comes up as the winner!

Valentine Card Swap

I thought I had nothing to write about today, but was visiting Sarah's blog and saw she had signed up for a card swap. So being the good mother that I am, I had to join, too. We both did the ornament exchange at Christmas. I had a slacker get my name in one exchange, but was blessed anyway with Dot's partner (she included something for me!) and in the other swap had a fabulous partner. Disappointment was short lived, but the joy in receiving a hand-made treasure was and is still with me. Join in the fun.

Good Times

Good food, good friends, good time.

It's Your Special, Special Day

So we all shout Hurray,
As we sing Happy Birthday to You!
See you for supper at the Pepper Pod!

I know this is a bit early, but I wanted to have it ready for YOUR day. Love you!

My SUNSHINE

I had to send Sarah to town for cucumbers Saturday morning because the one I got for cucumber sandwiches must have frozen in the 'fridge. I certainly did not select a rotten one the day before, did I?!
My dot knows how I love flowers and when she returned she had the perfect cucumbers AND two lovely bunches of flowers. Tulips in my favorite color and mini daffodils. They just make my heart happy, especially in JANUARY, when spring is sooo far away.

Thanks, sweetie. YOU are the sunshine in my life!!

SNOWMEN LIKE TEATIME!

I gathered all the snow folks from years past and used them for pretties for the tables for Sarah's book club. As many were gifts from students, it was fun to look at their names and year on the bottoms. I just wish I had started doing that from the very beginning of my teaching career!
These little snowmen were from a boy several years ago. When his younger brother was in my room I also got a snowman!

Dot's book club people were happy with our TEA TIME theme and commented that it was the first real tea party they had ever attended. As the tea server, though, I must remember to always do tags for the teapots (as Sarah did for Jennell's wedding tea). It sure was a lot easier to remember which tea was which with them . . . or could it be that I am getting o. l. d.!?

Epiphany

Epiphany - twelve days after Christmas; celebrates the visit of the three wise men to the infant Jesus (January 6)

Now it's time for me to be putting the decorations away. I'm trying clear baggies this year. We'll see if that helps me find stuff next December!
I thought I had four long ornaments to hang by the front door. I'm sure I bought them on clearance...really wanted to have them up this year. Must be downstairs SOMEWHERE.

Must clear the table constantly because Book Club is Saturday. Here's to the magic of the cleaning woman getting things pretty--that would be me. Oh dear. Must go. Tell herself to get busy.

Sunrise

Red sky in morning, sailor's warning...Does this count for red sky?

I made Boo Boo wait for his breakfast while I took this picture. Well, he wasn't up when I fed my kitties! Tomorrow it's supposed to turn colder. AGAIN!

What a difference a few minutes makes. After the dog decided to get up, I went back out to take him breakfast! And another picture.

Frosty morning

"Early one morning when I opened my eyes,
Out my window was a nice surprise!" words from a poem/song my class used to do in January. An appropriate beginning this evening...

While the car was warming up, I went in to wait and thought about the frost on everything. An idea came (not my best time of the day--my best ideas are in the middle of the night)--I should take a picture.
It was so pretty outside, but usually I'm in a hurry to get to school. On this Data/Clerical day (no kids) there was TIME to click!

After the wind there are bare spots, but across the way you can see where the drift was cut to clear the road. Now a brown line from the dirt that also blew with the snow.
Tomorrow the kids come back and there won't be time for my fingers to freeze in 12 degree weather! That is a good thing.

Happy New Year!
On New Year's Eve, my friend Karen and I went to Denver to meet Sarah and Ali. We then went to the Denver Botanic Gardens and their Blossom of Lights. It was cold, but we bundled up and enjoyed over a million lights!
We even splurged on the $1 glasses that let us see snowflakes and Happy Holidays around all the lights! Goofy, but fun. The camera was in the car, so these are a couple of pictures from a site that listed things to do in Denver.

There were so many HUGE trees decorated that it is difficult to believe that they get lights up in them! Everything was SPECTACULAR.

Then on to supper at Annie's Cafe. YUM. Then home to bed. Ho--HUM.