A WEEK FROM TODAY.......

is Christmas Eve. Can you believe it? And two weeks from today is the last day of this year. Time is going somewhere. And it's going too fast. It went SO slowly when I was younger. Now it's going at a blur.

I didn't get a lot of anything done today-much less my stitching! Wednesday and Thursday are always the worst days of the week for me and tomorrow is even worse. But Friday-ah, Friday- I don't intend on going anywhere. I'm going to stay here and do---maybe nothing.

The picture in the header is a shot I made last Sunday morning of the tree in the foyer at church. It's HUGE. I made several snaps that I'm going to use over the next week or so.

In the meantime everyone take care and stay warm (or cool, as it is down here! Snowing a week ago and now back into the 70's and 80's). Happy stitching and happy cooking.

ANOTHER "HAPPY BIRTHDAY"

Today is good friend Robin's birthday. I'm not sure how old she is and I'm not going to ask. She's younger than me, but then again, everyone is younger than me.

Robin is my chief stitching advisor. She can be found everyday at my favorite needlework shop, Cross Stitch Corner, on Coursey Blvd. She knows fabrics, threads and finishes better than anyone I know. And has a great sense of color, balance-all the elements of design.

Happy Birthday, Robin. I hope it's a good one and that you have many more.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANE AUSTEN!

Jane Austen, by far my favourite author, was born on this day in 1775, in Steventon, Hampshire, England. She was the daughter of the Steventon rector, Rev. George Austen, and his wife, Cassandra. She was the second daughter of eight children-her sister, Cassandra, being her closest and best friend. Although some might consider it dull, I do envy her her childhood. It was simple but active-mentally and physically.

She did things women didn't ordinarily do. First of all, she never married. It was almost a necessity that women did marry for financial reasons, if nothing else. They could not inherit and did not work, other that being a governess, for instance. Secondly, she was an author who actually was paid, although very little, for her work. She wasn't blessed with great riches but never lacked companionship and intellectual stimulation. To say nothing of great needlework!

Her books are wonderful. Like Dickens, they are social commentaries. They are also written in her biting, delightful humor. She didn't spend a lot of time on physical descriptions but her personality descriptions are wonderful. I can actually see people I know in her characters.

Persuasion has long been my favourite of her books. Not too long ago I took one of those little tests to show which of her characters you most resemble. Oddly enough, I was Anne Elliot! I would have thought I would be Elizabeth Bennet. I'm more of the "speak off the top of your head" person like her. On the other hand, who wouldn't like to sail away on a ship with the long-wished for man of your dreams, knowing you "pierce his soul".

I re-read her books often. And I love her History. And how I would love to meet her and have tea and a great conversation with her.

Jane Austen died on July 18, 1817, in Winchester. She was 42 years old. She was buried in Winchester Cathedral. Interestingly enough, her own sister and mother did not attend her funeral: women did not do such things in those days. Several years ago I was privileged to visit her resting place. I spent those moments in a sort-of awe that I was finally that close to the woman who had given me so many enjoyable moments through her works. I'm planning one more trip over in a couple of years and part of that trip will be a pilgrimage to her birthplace and to Chawton and again to Winchester.

Thank you, Jane. I hope my granddaughters will come to love you as I have. I'm going to do my best! Happy Birthday.

IN THE LANE SNOW IS GLISTENING......

If I had not been here, I would NOT have believed it. When I opened my eyes this morning I thought maybe it was a little foggy outside. Snow and sleet had been predicted for last night, but when I went to bed it was just cold. I crawled out of bed and looked out the window and a Christmas card was staring me in the face.

Believe me, this is not a place that gets snow. It's way too mild. I think the last snow we had was 10 or 12 flakes maybe ten years ago. And believe it or not, it will be back in the 70's by Sunday. ENT specialists make a fortune down here. Kids were out having snowball fights and, even though I didn't leave the house today, there were snowmen everywhere. The local news stations were having a day.

The snow is about gone now. The trees are bare again. But yards are still covered. We lost a lot of branches. Bonfire time again! I'm glad we had today. We had Christmas early. And for a little while the earth seemed so clean and sparkly.

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW

It's snowing here. I don't mean a little. A LOT!!!!!! 4 inches or so. Wow! Everything is closing down because we're not used to this. But, boy, is it beautiful. Pictures later. As the news person says "serious snowmen".

OH, THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS FRIGHTFUL..

It's nasty outside and snow and sleet are predicted for tonight. That's something!!! This usually doesn't happen down here. I'm tucked in bed with my electric blanket on high, so come on down snow.

We had choir practice tonight--in all this bad weather. But our Christmas music is Sunday night and we only have one more rehearsal on Friday night. If any of you are in the area, it's Sunday night, December 14th, 6:00 PM, at Parkview Baptist.

I've a couple of finishes for you. This has been the month of ornaments. I've got several more in the works and they will appear later. They're both resting on my little panda that I brought back from Beijing, China, several years ago. I also bought the cute little hat he's wearing in Beijing.

The rose ornie is a freebie from La-D-Da. The fabric is a mystery: it came from my stash. The threads are GAST. I did make a few changes on those. The noel ornie is a freebie from Blue Ribbon Designs and is one of my favorites. The fabric is also a mystery and the threads are the ones suggested on the instructions: GAST, again.

Time to tuck in with my book. I"m reading The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry. It's very good. Can't wait to finish it. Then on to the new JK Rowling book.

CRIMSON TREES AND SUGAR BOWL

It's been awhile!! Sorry, but I just got involved and never really got back to the old blog. I did write one a couple of days ago but couldn't get the pictures to do what I wanted so I just deleted the whole thing.

We all got through Thanksgiving and my team beat Auburn quite well-actually, a shut out: 36-O. It was drizzly and COLD. It had been so pleasant the day before. But the tailgaters were all out and all was well. We lost our game last night. Florida beat us for the SEC Championship. It's okay, though. We did so much better this year than expected and we are going to the Sugar Bowl on January 1st. I'd love to go but DH doesn't "want to go to New Orleans". 60 miles down the road and HE doesn't want to go. Gee, let's be boring about it.......

I have a lot more to say but it's getting late and I have to be at the dentist's at 7:45 in the morning. I will surrender to a drug-induced state, get the work done and return home to a peaceful afternoon of sleep.

Hopefully will see you all tomorrow night. Until then---the picture at the top of the blog was made in the woods next door to my MIL's house. The other picture is tailgating with the Crimson Tide in front of the Ferguson Center. Even the trees are crimson!