A Year In The Life..........

.....of Roy and Carmella. Really, it's hard to believe these two wonderful little cats have been with us a whole year already!

A few stitchy finishes to share. The latest gymnast creation, Shawn Johnson at the 2008 Olympics;an adorable Barbara Ana Design I finished a while ago but just now got around to "decorating" it a bit.

I had planned a long-winded, chatty post and a few more photos but I just received some very sad news. Dear, sweet Annemarie has just announced on her blog that her father is ill with terminal cancer. Please stop by and wish her well. Her heart is breaking and I know any comments and good wishes will be welcome. I'm thinking of you, Annemarie, and praying for your family.

The Gift of Friendship

Sometimes I get the most amazing gifts from friends. I am not one who is comfortable asking for gifts, but when they arrive unexpectedly....oh, what joy they bring! This gorgeous pin-keep from the artful hands of Harmien. Aren't the colors just beautiful. And to top it off there was the sweetest little card and more of the wonderful floss(Atalie "Ciuvre") in an amazing thread-keeper. Thank you so much Harmien. Then there is this friendly friend from my fabulous friend Barbara. Barbara knows how much cats mean to me and this smiling, delightful guy (or perhaps girl) arrived to me several weeks ago. I've been so caught up in my own self that I forgot to properly thank Barbara or to post a photo of my new feline friend. Thank you Barbara.

But the greatest gift of all is the friendship itself! Friends from the gym, from the pool, from my own town and the far-flung corners of the globe. Friends I have known for years, some only a few months and others that I didn't know were out there. I can not begin to mention all of your names here. I know I will forget a name or two so I won't even try. You all know who you are. Some of you read this blog; others don't know it exists. It doesn't matter really. Each and every one of you have touched my heart in a special way at a most difficult time of my life.

Thank you my friends.

Filled With Photos

The words don't come too easily to me these days, but luckily I am able to post some of photos of the most wonderful things in my life.

Yes, those are the chickens on the roof behind Carmella. How they got up there I'll never know.

Roy enjoys playing on the wood pile. Elliot prefers to bask in the sun. Coal and Sammy share a drink from the urn.

As the season changes all the garden ornaments patiently wait to be stored away for the Winter. The last of the corn waits to be harvested, and a single leaf hangs on for a little longer. That's all any of us can really do, isn't it..................