Amazing What Appears After a Rain

We always have something weird pop up after a rain - some new bug, moss, fungus - we have never seen.  It is always one of those WTH moments - What the heck?  Or we get some cool stuff, that the rain enhances like the spider web below.  Here are a couple of pics from our weekend rain.

Spider Wormhole



Mushroom Farm where one has never been before

 Still recuperating, but feeling better.  May get some art quilt projects worked on during this staycation yet.
Kat

Staying Positive on Staycation

We were supposed to be in Utah this week - specifically Canyonlands and Arches - hiking our hearts out and feet off. But I developed really bad tendonitis in my foot and ankle, and am having ongoing physical therapy - thus, the doc said that hiking or extensive walking was out. Bummer !!!!  So, we regrouped, decided to still take the much-needed time off and enjoy a Staycation (vacation at home - not fond of them, but any vacation now is much appreciated). We planned on making some local trips out and about around Oklahoma (which we haven't done much of since we moved here). Then, I wake up Saturday feeling pretty puny. Sunday morning, I go into the doctor and I have a full-blown sinus infection - fever & chills, congestion, sore throat - then antibiotics, nose spray. Really??? At this point our short trips are on hold until the antibiotics kick in.

I persevere - to make this feel more like a vacation than a staycation, Keven went shopping for easy meals that require little cooking and cleanup. We have a supply of library books and I have hand projects I can do while resting. Kev has projects in the garage. No house or yard chores - just FUN, SIMPLE, and REWARDING projects that we never seem to get to otherwise. We took a quick trip to the bookstore - Christmas magazines are out already!

And, what vacation would be complete without a stop at a quilt store? (yes, it was one of my local ones, which we are blessed to have two awesome ones in OKC, though it would have been nice if it had been the one in Durango, CO I had planned to stop at on the way to Utah).  A trip to the quilt store always makes the hurt feel better. Got some yummy fabric in bright colors to cheer me up - will use it to make a modern quilt over the cold, dark Winter.  And a new book out that offers simple sewing projects for every room - sweetwater's SIMPLE HOME by Lisa Burnett, Karla Eisenach & Susan Kendrick.

Off to an early night's sleep, praying for healing -
Kat

Gratitude Sunday - It Is Raining !!!

Clouds roll in on Saturday



Radar this afternoon



High tech rain gauge - about 3" this afternoon



Still pouring !!!

Blessings,
Kat

Creating a Bird Bath

I have decided to create a bird bath - that is a bird-themed bath room.  It is all because of this great fabric that I bought at the quilt store without have a purpose for it.  It is from the French Journal Collection by London Portfolio for Michael Miller. 

It was not the french theme that caught my eye, but the beautiful colors, the birds and the flowers (and several other motifs in the fabric).  And since it just happened to match the color of our guest bathroom walls and the bathroom was needing a little bit of an update - WA LA!  I will use this fabric to make a curtain for the window - can't you just see it with a sheer beneath it moving in the breeze coming in the open window?

My next idea was to add a tree-like "something" that I can hang little crafted birds on.  So off I went this morning, exploring the yard for fallen branches that would work for a "tree".  Here is what I found. 

Good thing I have a few days off - still have a bit to do to finish my living room "makeover" and I can start on the birdies for the bird bath.

Hope my cats don't mistake the bird ornaments for the real thing!!!
Blessings,
Kat

Short and Sweet ...

Friday night - ready for the weekend.  Have a few days off next week, so I am looking forward to some creative time.  I will finally be able to finish up my simple living room makeover and work on a few art quilts - really happy about that.  Just some quick pics for today.  First, trees are starting to turn to their Fall colors here (the ones that still have leaves on them after this summer!)


Oklahoma Cottonwood



Sweet Gum

I finished my circle wreath and hung it up above the fireplace.

And thought I would introduce Rascal and Sissy, since I found them both in the same place, relaxed, and looking at me (a one in a zillion probability!).  Rascal is on the left, Sissy on the right. 

Blessings,
Kat

Decisions, Decisions - Flip a Coin

I sometimes have trouble making a decision - sometimes about big stuff, but often about small, piddly stuff - 

• do I go out for lunch or stay in the office and read? 
• do I work on a quilt or read a book?
• do I go to a meeting in case I need to be there or stay home and relax (ok, - that should be a no-brainer)?
• and so on and so on and so on.

I know I need to be open to God and God will lead the way.  On the big stuff, it may take lots of time and many prayers to feel God's guidance.  But for those pesky little things, what form does God's guidance take?  


I have always heard that "if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."  (very wise lyrics written by Neil Peart of Rush).  Unfortunately, I choose not to decide sometimes, and I really don't like "my decision" afterward - feels like wasted time.  Then, one day while watching the start of a football game, the officials tossed the coin to decide who gets the ball first - and I thought that (light bulb moment!!!) that would be a SIMPLE way to do it.  Why not flip a coin?  At least for the simple stuff.  And so I do.


So out came on old Eisenhower dollar we had.  Heads is YES, tails is NO.  Heads is QUILT, tails is READ.  And so on.

When I started doing this, I thought "this isn't a very Godly way to decide something".  But who is to say God didn't have me watch that game and pay attention to that coin toss at that very time just so I could think of the idea of a coin toss to help me.  After all, all coins do say "In God We Trust".


And, it seems to be working for me!  When I start having trouble making a decision, I flip, and do what the coin tells me.  Interestingly, sometimes I flip, the coin says one thing, and I say "Oh no - I really don't want to do that!" and do the other thing. It took a coin flip to make my head realize my heart had already made a decision.  And I have realized over time, I have less trouble making those little decisions.  My head is listening more to my heart!  Awesome!


Now, as long as I don't start worrying, "should I flip the coin or not flip the coin?", I should be OK.
Blessings,
Kat

Off to the Lavender Farm -

Saturday was such a great day for a drive - so Keven and I took off on the backroads to the southeast of Oklahoma City.  We did have a destination in mind - Country Cottage Primitives and Lavender Farm on the western outskirts of Shawnee, OK.  This place is a true jewel off a small country road - well-visited due to its good word-of-mouth reputation and coverage on local OKC travel shows.  

Besides having a slowly expanding lavender farm out back, the building that houses the Country Cottage Primitives gift shop is to-die-for cottage gorgeous.  Words can’t do it justice, so here are the pics...

If you are in the area - this is a must see place - to me it is magical.  They always decorate for the season.  Please visit their website - they have workshops, products and beautiful pictures.
           http://www.countrycottagelavender.com/

After paying for all my purchases at the Lavender Farm, and after Keven was able to pry my fingers off the porch rail of the cottage and get me in the car, we headed into Shawnee to eat at Benedict Street Marketplace, which was recommended to us.  It was kind of a mix between a tea room and a meat market - yep, hard to imagine, but that is really what it was.  Excellent sandwiches and salads, homemade cookies - then, after lunch you can purchase cuts of meat and cheese from the meat market.  Just never know what you will find when out driving the backroads!

Here are pics from along the backroads to and from the Lavender Farm.

What an awesome day !!!

Blessings,

Kat