A couple of OLD photos--from the time before my digital camera..I have the actual photos that I scanned in. This is a barn from here in Indiana, but right now I can't think where it is at. I do that sometimes...forget things that is. Plus, it doesn't help that a lot of time I go for drives and just take a side road and wonder around, not really knowing where I am, till I come to a major road and can maybe figure it out. I really don't know what I would do if I actually needed help...

From my house to yours, Merry Christmas!

Actually the house below is the one I grew up in! This was taken in 1973...a lifetime ago. The lumber for the house came from our property, my parents had a couple friends that were carpenters--one laid the block foundation. And if I am remembering what I was told correctly, they helped get it framed. But my brothers and all of us helped with all the rest of it. I was not even in school, but I was given a block with sand paper wrapped around it to sand down where two pieces of dry wall were seamed together. This will always be home to me...my brother owns the place now. We go down there on an irregular basis. Hopefully when my husband retires we will have more time to go.

Instead of listening to Christmas music like normal people, I made myself a new tape from songs I have downloaded over the past few months...the first four songs specifically mention Tennessee, and two of those mention Knoxville. I am not from Knoxville, and only been there a few times, but it is the nearest big city to where I grew up. Guess you can tell I sort of been homesick....and it is something that can't be cured. Because I can't go back in time.....

I had to search my photos to find one I wanted to upload...this is one from nearby Parke County. I still have not taken any pictures of Christmas lights. I had the time tonight, but it turned so cold and the wind is just howling again. Nothing sounds quite so cold as when the wind is howling across the flat land of Indiana and Illinois. Anyway, I have been cold all evening anyway and just didn't want to get out in it.

I did sew a couple lines today, but that was it. I am really in the mood to sew, but seems like when everyone is around I have a hard time going down there and starting. I need to make a decision about a couple baby quilts. My oldest daughter wants to make one for one of her secretaries...and my youngest daughter's best friend is due in April. She is having a boy, and I don't have any fun panels to use that would go good for a boy.

I really don't want to get into any more quilts like the Raggedy Ann and Andy one we did a year or two ago. And then a couple years before that, we did one for my oldest daughter's boss's daughter. And we had the mom sneak us a sample of the wallpaper and did a custom one based on the wall paper colors and figure....the more I read the more I have become uncomfortable with doing anything like that because of copyright. I wasn't doing them to sell, and sure won't be doing any more. But I am still just uncomfortable with that whole process.....

So this time around I want simple and quick if at all possible...