I finally took a couple snow pictures...these are from over in Illinois, not too far across the state line. Doesn't it look so cold and lonely? I didn't have the nerve to go far because I was afraid of running into drifts that I couldn't get through. The roads going east and west were fine for the most part, though some of those only had a lane wide enough for one vehicle to pass through. I don't know what would have happened had I met another car.

I also went to Lori's_Pins_'n_Needles. I had to buy a couple things there to finish up one Christmas present. She has the most beautiful selection of fabrics that I have come across in one quilt shop. She carries a wide variety. If anyone is ever passing near Paris, Illinois, I highly recommend this shop.

I bought my friend a couple half yard pieces of fabric, then I bought two half yard pieces that I am going to make us each a fat quarter from. Then I bought a couple or three things I just wanted. I bought a little pin cushion with a magnet to stick to my Juki...I think I will eventually want one for my Pfaff...then I bought some freezer paper pages till I don't have to cut my own. Also got myself a 6 1/2 Creative Grid ruler...I think I will eventually switch over to those.

I have Christmas presents wrapped now, but not bows. They are going to be lucky to survive the cats this year. I have had to get the little Princess out of the tree several times since she has started feeling better. And they tend to like to play under it--even with all the presents under it. They just play on top of them, or knock them out.

I have been sewing a little bit, but it is not something I am driven to do. Been making scrap blocks--just sewing bits of scraps together...using a rotary ruler and cutter and cutting a straight edge, adding more strips, till I can cut a 6 1/2 square from the sewn together bits. Not sure what I am going to do with them when I get done. But it is enjoyable to sew even a little bit.

I am glad I have a cheap iron--the cats have now knocked mine to the concrete floor twice--and it still works! I told my husband he was going to have to make me something to hold it till they couldn't knock it over. Not quite sure what it is going to be or how it is going to work, but he will come up with something once I start pestering him about it.

Since wet stuff keeps falling, I have yet to get out and take any pictures...so I kept digging around to find something to post that reminds me of the weather we are having now.

This was taken December 8, 1973 in Tennessee with a polaroid camera...remember them? This is one of my favorite pictures--takes me back to childhood almost instantly.

There was nothing better than snowy days for me. I would get my cheap old boots on, get the dogs and take off on a 'grand' adventure...this is just some of the area I might cover in an afternoon. This was just part of my growing up playground.

The barn that is prominent in the pictures was ours...it was built by my brothers under the direction of my dad when they were in high school! My dad had muscular dystrophy and by the time we got moved to the 'new' house, he was not able to do much. This barn, as well as our house was all built from wood that was taken from the trees on our land....my parents were nothing if not self sufficient in so many ways.

There is a creek that is the boundary between our property and the neighboring property...there were two or three summers that I played in that creek a big part of the day each summer. Catching crawdads, skipping rocks, etc....I really don't know what we did to have so much fun, but those are some of the best memories of my life. It was a couple or three years that my nephew, who is a month older than me, spent the summers with us.

That barn holds tons of memories...of calves we raised on bottles, of swings we had in it, playing hide and go seek, building tunnels back in the hay, or just me sitting in the loft hunting blackbirds with the old .22 rifle. I don't hunt anything now, though if I was back in a place where I had a garden and birds or groundhogs were destroying what I had planted, I could still do it. Might not enjoy it, but I would do it.

Enough of memories for the night...snow is really beginning to fall. I sure hope I can get out tomorrow and take pictures. I love snow pictures....

Mama Cat and the Puss Puss were spayed today--they are still under the affects of anesthetic. Though probably more sore than under its affect by now. When we brought them home they could hardly stand. I sat and held Puss Puss for the longest time...Mama does not want to be held. I am so relieved to have it done...no more worries about kitties having more kitties.

Will wait a bit on the boys...I forgot to ask how old boys have to be to be neutered. My daughter is in hopes of finding an apartment that she can have her boy in at least....so she may have to get him de-clawed as well. I really do not like the thoughts of that, but realize she really would miss him. That is a ways down the road though. She is hoping the divorce will be final the last part of January.

I keep forgetting and calling my boy Cougar, or Coo....he just reminds me of him so much. Sometimes I think I was a complete fool to allow myself to have cats again, knowing how much pain there is later on down the road. Yet I would not go back to being without them for anything.