tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85007154058291274812011-07-25T15:01:17.828-07:00A blog depicting the life of a farm girl who loves her family including the fur-babies and her dabblings in cross stitch, canning, quilting, knitting, gardening & camping.~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.comBlogger491100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-75281981188066106422011-07-25T10:52:00.000-07:002011-07-25T10:52:11.919-07:00

Oh my, I did not realize it had been almost two years since my last blog post. So much has changed but so little has changed. I decided it was better to ramble on here instead of on my Facebook page. Not that anyone has commented when I start to ramble but I have seen on the negative comments on others pages. So here I am to ramble because I know that if you really do not want to hear me

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-9263230033954099062008-09-29T12:56:00.001-07:002008-09-29T13:53:08.561-07:00

Our anniversary started out with a goodbye kiss and happy anniversary wishes at 2 AM when Don was heading out for work. After a couple more hours of sleep for me, I baked our anniversary cupcakes. While I was waiting for them to cool, I had the great idea to dig out some of our wedding things.I was completely surprised that our silver champagne goblets had not tarnished. Yeah, I won’t have to

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-6956621188030570142008-09-28T14:55:00.000-07:002008-09-28T15:01:16.004-07:00

It does not seem like it was ten days ago when I finished setting up my stitching area and needed to try it out. From the progress that I have made on Smokey Joe, I would have to say that I must have it set up correctly.Unfortunately, the white latticework on the outside does not photograph well on the buttermilk colored fabric. I am thinking I will really have to play with the matting to get it

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-90136175331370793092008-09-21T15:31:00.000-07:002008-09-21T15:56:48.183-07:00

A couple of weeks ago my grandma sent me a package filled with autographed books, souvenirs from the Boys & Girl Conference in San Francisco and an email regarding their garden. I put things away and set the email aside with the thought that I would view the new photographs later. Let me back track a little. My Grandparents have been gardening for as long as I can remember. They have scaled back

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-8451305179029508882008-09-21T02:54:00.000-07:002008-09-21T03:17:56.112-07:00

Since my blog was not entirely about Sadie Jo, I decided that a name change was in order. I also felt that the other family members, especially Cash, were feeling a little neglected. Like any of the furbabies around here could ever claim neglected. A majority would claim they don’t get enough food but I would have to argue. Last month when everyone was out or extremely low on food, I with

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-60751032445443650862008-09-18T15:37:00.000-07:002008-09-18T15:56:04.801-07:00

Of course, after the installation of the pellet stove, I had to rearrange the furniture in the living room. We even moved the heavy entertainment center...oh my goodness! This was the first time in almost three years. Both the entertainment center and TV are heavy so I usually move everything else but not this time. I still have not gotten everything back to an acceptable location so no pictures

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-64173031209189322552008-09-17T15:01:00.001-07:002008-09-17T17:12:58.384-07:00

"We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."I believe that every year each US citizen should read this important

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-55881778643052642552008-09-17T15:01:00.000-07:002008-09-17T15:37:44.096-07:00

I came across this mission on Cyndi’s blog, Just One More Stitch. This was a blast even though I had to keep going back to Wikipedia to find out what some of the items were.Your mission, should you choose to accept it:1) Copy this list into your own blog, including these instructions.2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.4) Post a comment

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-84138395757852439182008-09-17T00:01:00.000-07:002008-09-17T16:15:58.419-07:00

Today would have been my mother in laws 80th birthday. It is hard to believe it has been two and a half years since she left us, and not a day goes by that we don’t think of her.Here is one of my favorite pictures of her and Don. She was so tickled to see Don unexpectedly and then get into his semi-truck.We miss you dear sweet Corienne Louise. Here is the finished piece that I had started for

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-76412568239713088732008-09-15T15:01:00.000-07:002008-09-17T17:58:40.795-07:00

Kudos!!! Your September 10th monologue was outstanding and very powerful. Hopefully it will inspire more US citizens to get out there and due their “duty” and yes those who do not vote are “morons”. Also thank you for taking the stance on celebrities keeping their mouths shut about whom they will cast their vote for. Voters need to make up their own minds and not do what someone else is doing

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-20123667183093505172008-09-11T00:01:00.001-07:002008-09-17T18:22:43.269-07:00

Firebike built by Orange County Choppers. If I remember correctly Paul Jr was given the bolt by a fire battalion chief who lost fellow brothers and sisters on 9/11. This picture was taken in Spokane, WA at the end of July 2006.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-29963675093539949452008-09-09T14:10:00.000-07:002008-09-17T14:33:19.128-07:00

Almost a year later and we finally have our pellet stove..happy dance!!! I was thrilled to learn that the installers were able to set the hopper (pellet storage area) to its maximum capacity due to our fireplace opening size being large. You might be wondering why I’m so excited by this feature but our house is a little outdated...our only heat source is the fireplace. So this means I will not

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-38816683141878018032008-09-06T11:42:00.000-07:002008-09-15T17:18:34.222-07:00

As part of Don’s 60th birthday, we bought tickets to see the Seattle Mariners play the New York Yankees at Safeco Field in Seattle. It was a long day...13 hours but well worth it especially when the Mariners beat the Yankees 3 to 1. It was almost a no hitter, which kept things exciting. Our seats were great and the food was scrumptious. Sadie Jo and Cash showed us that they could be trusted.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-23092755235964299792008-08-28T20:45:00.000-07:002008-09-13T21:48:59.257-07:00

Goodness, I am not sure where the last nine months went to...let’s see if I can do a highlight of those months.DecemberNow I remember, this is where all the fun started. I think it was the 13th around 11 am when I got a call from the temp agency asking how soon I could report for work. By 2 PM that day, I was filing a huge stack of paperwork. To make things interesting, I had barely started my

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-25235887277384440212008-08-28T10:17:00.000-07:002008-08-28T11:18:14.716-07:00

Take the Quiz here!

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-63060461952630365052007-11-07T18:50:00.000-08:002007-11-07T19:16:57.533-08:00

Yesterday I opened my email to approve a comment on my blog from Heather. Well she did not just leave a comment; she gave me the "You Make Me Smile Award". Thank you sweetie and yes I do read your blog.It is going to be interesting finding 10 people who have not received this award already. So if I fail to find enough first time recipients, I will note the ones who I would have given the award

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-87482595579111733212007-11-07T02:25:00.000-08:002007-11-07T18:23:22.469-08:00

I am so excited to announce that I have completed another WIP that had been ignored since April 2005. When I was packing for our trip at the end of October, I needed a project that was smaller than my Smokey Joe piece to take along. I was not too excited to take a linen piece since I have become spoiled using my Ott-Light at home. I could not find any projects that had all their supplies in the

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-45493367735548672007-10-28T16:57:00.000-07:002007-11-07T17:15:19.119-08:00

This weekend was another road trip for Sadie Jo and Cash and their first motel stay. As soon as they see their doggie harness, they start dancing and squirming all around us. If Sadie Jo is really excited, then she will start singing. As soon as you call Sadie Jo over to put her doggie harness on, she settles down. Cash on the other hand is quite wild. I told Don that it is like putting clothes

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-2530992477088369552007-10-24T17:02:00.000-07:002007-10-24T17:07:07.551-07:00

Feel free to post this little guy on your Blog or pass him along to someone else :o) Thanks to Cathey for posting him on her blog, Pumpkin Patch & Co.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-49144648880266084562007-10-22T08:52:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:25:00.315-07:00

Best wishes today and may you hit a hole in one while golfing today. Check out this photo...we were some bathing beauties back in the day. This photo was taken of my mom, Nae, my aunt, Jude, and me, Tone at my grandparents home in either 1973 or 1974. I am not sure any of us would be caught topless, in the curlers, or in a bikini now days.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-85520004567982612762007-10-20T18:55:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:24:32.720-07:00

At least today was not as windy as it was yesterday. It had the kittens, Calleigh and Boo, seeking shelter in their fancy kitty condo a.k.a. a produce box from Costco. Sadie Jo, Cash and Don spent the day doing little projects around the ranch. “Two more items down and how many more to go?????”, said Don at the end of the evening. Good thing I fixed him one of our new favorite dishes, homemade

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-47833219670420431872007-10-15T19:10:00.000-07:002007-10-22T11:19:51.572-07:00

Hooray and yippee were followed by a little happy dance after I finally completed a project and in 17 days. The only downside is that it was not from my long list of UFOs or WIPs. It still feels good to have a project done plus I had to finish this one before June 2008 when my cousin, Ashlie, graduates from high school. Ashlie has been involved in 4-H and FFA with sheep since she was old enough

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-65770568211614482962007-10-14T17:19:00.000-07:002007-10-22T11:18:23.315-07:00

Finally, I found a fruit stand that knows when a pickling cucumber should be picked. It was definitely worth the hour drive to get these cucumbers. Once home that evening, I started my Sweet Pickle Chunks. Two days later, I had 20 ½ pints to add to my previous 11 pints. So I think we are set for sweet pickle chunks for the next year. I also made a batch of Bread & Butter pickles, which produced 7

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-80986850148994266652007-10-11T18:31:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:24:09.843-07:00

Well it may not be a big deal at your house but the first fire of the season brings great joy at our house. There is nothing like the heat from a good old fire. The funniest thing is shortly after starting the blower fan, Squeekers shows up for basking in the heat. Sophie is getting just as bad. Since Cash is a puppy, he was not sure why I was wadding up newspapers and stuffing in the hole in

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-52427813133161788172007-10-10T15:43:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:23:46.123-07:00

A couple of vistors to the ranch: The hawk having his morning snack and the preying mantis who hitched a ride into the house on Don's back and is now waiting to be returned to the wild.Just a little rain... ... ... ... ... ... ...To help my roses

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-47333678753215262592007-10-08T23:47:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:15:52.589-07:00

If I did not know any better, I could swear that this year was a major birthday. I have been celebrating my birthday for the last 10 days with different family members. So today for my birthday, I am calling a lazy day for myself. =)Here is the fruit and vegetable sculture that the chef at the China Buffet in Albany, Oregon made in honor of my birthday and wedding anniversary. Just to clarify the

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-89662410629692786252007-10-01T10:08:00.000-07:002007-10-22T11:12:47.646-07:00

Last Saturday, Don and I got the news that his former boss had died of a heart attack. We knew that we needed to be at his wake on the 29th. After some quick thinking, I came up with a great plan to visit lots of family and friends, got to a wedding and the wake. The only down side was the trip was going to be just under 900 miles. This is when Don & I decided it would be much easier to do if we

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-9491361329735309222007-09-29T02:28:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:25:31.731-07:00

September 29, 2000 1st Picture: Don & I toasting to many happy years together 2nd Picture: My sweet little brother and so handsome 3rd Picture: Wow, was I the glowing bride.And 17 years later....1st Picture: Don & I celebrating 17 years of marriage 2nd Picture: My sweet little brother that you just cannot resist snuggling up with.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-53418504903757583332007-09-27T02:25:00.000-07:002007-10-10T02:27:07.655-07:00

Okay it was 10 minutes before midnight when I finished my sweet pickle chunks. I would like to say that this is not common for me but it seems to be a trend. I guess I should try to organize myself before I start a canning adventure. That is a funny thought...hahaha. I did end up with a very nice batch, 4 quart and 3 pint jars) of sweet pickle chunks. This recipe comes from my Great Grandma and I

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-79574261826651024192007-09-25T02:22:00.000-07:002007-10-10T02:24:51.140-07:00

Thanks to a friend of my moms, I now have a Singer Featherweight 221. It was made in 1941 at the Elizabethport factory in Elizabeth, New Jersey. When I received it from my mom early in the month, it needed to have the electric cord replaced and the bobbin assembly was jammed up. After a couple of days of repair, it now humms along as I sew. Okay it was only a couple of repairs that I did but it

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-22903487456018671572007-09-22T02:19:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:26:06.520-07:00

Well you do not have to ask Sadie Jo twice. Don & I decided that we would pickup dinner. It was a warm afternoon so A&W rootbeer without ice sounded refreshing. Sadie Jo was interested in the bag at first then she decided that whatever I was drinking with the stick thingy (to us human the straw). She then decided that I would not mind if she had a lick or two. Creep!!! This was not cool. I then

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-72537337187538775142007-09-14T04:14:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:20:16.574-07:00

Well I finally have finished my painting that I started almost two years ago. It was interesting trying to paint with two doggies running across the drop cloth. Good thing they wore each other out and I could finally paint...worry free.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-58171477994964139192007-09-04T04:20:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:19:48.579-07:00

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-50291086843385367412007-08-24T04:07:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:21:10.050-07:00

Introducing Cash. He is our latest addition to the family. He is a registered Australian Cattle Dog (ACD) also known as a Heeler and is 5 months old. Now to convenience Sadie Jo that Cash is her mate or “sweetheart” as I keep telling her.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-27066324341173731292007-08-04T03:52:00.000-07:002007-09-27T04:14:18.709-07:00

Just some of the goodies from the garden this year...yellow tomatoesand pickling cucumbers.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-8041271379226027492007-07-27T03:48:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:21:45.078-07:00

Sadie Jo has finally gotten her feet wet! We bought this pool at the beginning of summer. At the beginning of the month, we decided it was time to get Sadie Jo acquainted with her pool. She ignored it for weeks until today when I got the bright idea to toss her Frisbee in the pool. She watched the Frisbee from the side until it finally made its way to her. On the second toss in the pool, it

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-56620169064154414682007-07-25T03:44:00.000-07:002007-09-27T04:12:49.739-07:00

Well I think the title says it best but my shoes are the proof. Some call these thorny boogers goat heads. I think tack weed is a better name since they have these horrible spines that are as sharp as a tack. Worse thing about these weeds that they stick to your shoe and then break off and they have more than one tack. So you can track them into the house and then find them with your bare feet.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-60565033619732557002007-07-24T22:34:00.000-07:002007-09-27T04:13:15.428-07:00

Our nephew, Wyatt David arrived at 9:13 AM today. He is the spitting image of my brother. Our family resemblance is strong. I am looking forward to spoiling him rotten like any good auntie should do and of course his uncle has lots of experience building Logo forts and vehicles.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-33789848906202269532007-07-16T21:52:00.000-07:002007-07-16T22:24:58.397-07:00

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays because I love to give to others. My friends and especially family know how much it fills my heart to make gifts. I loved the idea of PIF (pay it forward) when I first heard of it a couple of months ago. Since I love to stitch and give, I thought this would be the perfect way to bring a smile to someone.I recently signed up for Irene's PIF so now I am

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-1858032374458284332007-07-07T22:00:00.000-07:002007-07-17T22:33:32.299-07:00

Well for several couples it was their lucky day like our friends, Doug & Dotty. We attended their Harley themed wedding. Instead of the traditional wedding march guest heard the roar of a dozen Harley Davidson motorcycles as the brides parents walked her down the aisle. Not to break with the Harley theme, there was a procession of motorcycles lead by the bride and groom to the reception location.

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-9601672371490026582007-07-06T23:40:00.000-07:002007-07-11T23:56:54.988-07:00

It may have been 105 degrees today and no electricity but that did not stop me from starting another cross stitch project. Last year a bunch of the gals from the Bent Creek Yahoo! Group said it would be fun to do a stitch a long (SAL) for the Drawn Thread's Sampler Gameboard. Since I had made the New Year's resolution not to start a new project without completing a WIP, I did not start on

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-10793430694303970352007-07-05T23:08:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:22:10.417-07:00

Oh my, I did know how hot it could get when you are not able to get out of the heat. In our area today, we experienced temperatures ranging from 104 to 108. It was just before noon today when our electricity went out for almost 6 hours. We tried making the best of our simple lives...Sadie Jo slept, Don counted and rolled change and I stitched. After four hours of the simple life, I had to see

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-8305554719134248352007-07-04T15:19:00.000-07:002007-07-04T15:48:40.241-07:00

I thought it was appropriate to display this piece for today's post. Last year I was involved in a round robin and my project theme was the American Flag and flowers. The pattern comes from Zweigart's American Flags leaflet J003. I plan to stitch all thirteen designs and make them into a quilt. These designs have lots of confetti stitches and take lots of concentration to stitch. Only one of the

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-62891402526275896292007-07-03T15:13:00.001-07:002007-07-04T16:28:05.737-07:00

Shortly before 2:30 AM, I finished my Home for Christmas piece. Boy, does this feel splendid. It has been quite some time since I finished a large project like this. Now I need to decide on the wording for my signature. After a quick wash and ironing, I will attach the beads. Hopefully, I have a couple of mats in my stash so I can cut them and get this piece in to be framed.Back in 2000, I

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-52793292576359510142007-07-01T22:32:00.001-07:002007-10-22T10:16:50.616-07:00

Our baby is 1 today! It seems like it was just yesterday when we brought Sadie Jo home and now she is a big girl. Well, that is what her daddy and mama have been telling her all day long. It seemed like a normal day until dinner. We surprised Sadie Jo with her own plate. For her birthday dinner, she had grilled teriyaki chicken, bow-tie pasta with alfredo sauce and stir-fry veggies. It was all

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-27935204778555458292007-06-30T00:15:00.000-07:002007-07-03T15:12:36.567-07:00

In the Bent Creek Yahoo! group, we had an ornament exchange to mark 6 months until Christmas. Each of us received another stitchers name and their likes so we could stitch the perfect ornament for them. I was excited to be stitching for Dara, who loves to stitch over 1 on 40 ct. She mentioned that Brightneedle was one of her favorites. I had never paid much attention to their designs. So I spent

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-35134634881736293112007-06-29T17:20:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:22:33.088-07:00

Sadie Jo loves her fruit and raspberries are near the top of the list. The first time I picked raspberries, she was not very interested and spit them out. The second time, she noticed I was eating them so she gave them a second chance. The third time, I was not picking them and handing them over to her fast enough. So Sadie Jo decided to take matters into her own paws. This is her approach to

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-644932556589388622007-06-21T07:20:00.000-07:002007-07-03T15:10:38.656-07:00

Goodness, I had not realized 10 days had gone by. I guess that is what I get for spending lots of time stitching. I have to say that I am on a roll. I finished two projects!!!! The first project, Sam Sarah Summer Welcome, was one that I was not sure if I would ever finish. For some unknown reason I decided to drag it out of the drawer and stitch on it. Then it became addictive. I customized it

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500715405829127481.post-90307598222700648042007-06-11T17:48:00.000-07:002007-10-22T10:20:45.042-07:00

Well, I have finally done it and am now blogging. I was inspired to do this by so many wonderful ladies who share my love of cross stitching. Now this will give me an outlet and not bore my fellow group members with my long winded stories and the latest updates on Sadie Jo.For those who do not know me, I have been married going on 16 1/2 years and cross stitching for just around 25 years. My

~ Toni ~noreply@blogger.com1