Paper quilled snowflakes and clean windows!

I've managed to finish four paper quilled snowflakes so far. Of course, I've also been teaching Pre-k, taking care of the house and yard and even slipping in some crocheting! I think I will actually finish the Japanese Flower Shawl I started last year around this time! I had to drag out a ladder and clean the transom window BEFORE I could take a photo of it! I have several tension curtain rods left over from when we first moved into this house and had no curtains or blinds. For privacy in the bedrooms, I safety pinned pockets into sheets and used the tension rods to hang them. I used one of them for hanging my snowflakes. So, here they are! I really enjoyed making them.

This transom also needed cleaning. It looks so much better now!

My list of "craft projects to try" grows as quickly as the laundry pile now that I have discovered Pinterest. Hmmm, maybe that is why my laundry pile grows---I'm on Pinterest! Actually, before I allow myself much computer time, I try to accomplish some chores. After school to day, I ran some errands, disposed of the dead rabbit the dogs caught invading the yard, fed the chickens, sorted some laundry, washed some dishes, straightened Brian's bathroom and emptied his trash can.

Y'all come back,

Lorilee

"Slogger" style

 I stopped in at our local TSC (Tractor Supply Store) for some laying crumbles the other day. Look what I found. Gardening ankle boots! In LIME green!

Check them out at www.sloggers.com. Mine are the Sloggers Garden Trekker Boots. I paid about 1/2 the price on the website. I'm hoping they will keep the dirt out when I till the garden!
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Wine bottle repurpose

My bottle tree is full unless I add some more big nails. The problem is that I am continuing to have empty wine bottles that I hate to throw away. Hmm.

How about wine bottle plant/row labels in the garden.

I like to use Citrus Magic to remove the labels. It is actually an air freshener, but it does the job beautifully while smelling good! Then I use a paint pen to write on the wine bottle. Hmm, Now I need more empty wine bottles.

Y'all come back,

Lorilee

Passing On Blog Love!

Elaine at Our Country Cove Life awarded Cackleberry Cottage the Liebster Blog Award. Liebster means "dearest" or "favorite" in German. Thank you, Elaine.

Now I have the priviledge passing on the award to FIVE up and coming bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.

They may then pass it on according to the following rules.

1. Choose 5 "up and coming" blogs to award the Liebster to. They must have fewer than 200 followers.

2. Show your appreciation by linking back to the blogger that gave you the award.

3. Post the award on your blog and list the bloggers you are passing the award to.

And the bloggers are......

Nana's Memories

Maple Lane

The Japanese Redneck

Birdnest Cottage

Rambling Wren

Back to "normal"

On my first day out since the kidney stone attack, I HAD to stop at Hobby Lobby.(last Wednesday) I found my next crochet project, and the yarn it called for was on sale. Well, if you can really call $3.66 instead of $3.99 on sale! Anyway, I had the itch to pick out the yarn. Hopefully, since I have invested money in the yarn, I will move quickly to finish my current project, the Japenese Flower shawl. I AM at the half-way mark! The colors I chose are "I Love this Yarn"
#130 Dark Olive, #160 Brown, #320 Sea Blue, #154 Burnt Pumpkin, #797 Light Taupe,
#103 Antique Teal, #301 Mulberry, #260 Light Sage

I love the bright colors the designer used, but our living room is mostly muted colors with a leather sofa and love seat and a lot of wood. It makes me think of the English Library look-just much smaller! I just hope I can figure out the pattern!
Now to finish the Flower shawl!
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Marjolein Bastin

Yes, it has been a month since Christmas, but I wanted to share this gift I received. It is a Marjolein Bastin figurine. She is one of my favorite illustrators. I love her attention to detail. Of course, her subject matter is also a favorite of mine, birds and flowers.Thank you, Pat.
Kidney stone update- The stint has been removed, and I am returning to work. I went to get some much needed groceries today. I also made a detour into Hobby Lobby. I'll share my purchase later. I haven't been anywhere but the doctor's office or hospital since January 2. I am elated to feel like my old self again!
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Winter Garden

I was thrilled to discover that while I was too occupied with other things to get out into my garden, the radishes had been busy growing! I pulled these lovelies out the other day!

They make a wonderful salad with the lettuce and spinach that I also have growing! The chickens get to enjoy the tops so all is good!

For a Kidney stone update: I went to the hospital as an out-patient to have lithotripsy done on my kidney stones on Wednesday. The Dr. was able to break up the 6mm x 10mm stone along with several others. I was able to go home that evening. The kidney is still "complaining" to me, but the pain is nothing like the initial attack! The procedure left me feeling like I got punched in the kidney! It feels bruised or tender to the touch. Yippee, there's "sand" in the toilet! (Or is that TMI!) No matter, it makes me happy!

Y'all come back,

Lorilee

 I had a mess in the house most of the day as I took down and packed up my Christmas stuff. I was working hard, but Samson was definitely taking it easy!

 He wasn't the least bit disturbed by all the packing and cleaning!

 Well, he did take a break from napping to inspect one of the tubs. He doesn't look pleased!

My Dad called as I was packing the last tub. We chatted for a little while and then hung up. I finished the tub, and my hubby helped me lift all the tubs and boxes into the attic. I AM still missing one old wine bottle and two brass deer that I stashed to make room for my "Little Drummer Boy" doll. We poured glasses of wine and sat down to relax on the sofa. Sweety then asked me where I put the cordless phone when I finished talking. Of course, I didn't remember. I had a horrible thought. What if it was in the tub I was packing when I was talking to my Dad. Then I had an idea. We'd just call our number from a cell phone and listen for the ring. We can go out into the garage to be able to hear it in that part of the attic. Well, hubby told me the ringer on the handset was not turned on. He then told me I'm going to need to back out the trailblazer, pull down the ladder and find the tub! UGH, I didn't want to do that. I started wandering around the house looking for it. I found a handset on our bed. It was the one the teenager was using before he left for work. The one I had been using had been on the charging cradle the whole time! BIG sigh of relief.
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Surprise Gift!

 We visited my husband's sister and her family between Christmas and New Years. The drive is several hours, and we don't see them as often as we would like. They have a beautiful home. Of course, I never got my camera out of the jeep during the visit! We were too busy just visiting! I showed her some photos of some pink glass that I had received from my grandmother this summer. She hopped up and went to one of her cabinets and GAVE this to me.

I love its scalloped edges. It is quite large as you can see by the charger it is sitting on! Thank you so much, Molly!
Y'all come back,
Lorilee
PS. Still dealing with the kidney stone. Most likely it will have to be removed this coming Wednesday.