I have never really abandoned my interest in sewing, embroidery, crochet and knitting since I was about age nine. The amount of time that I have put into my sewing crafts had dwindled during my 34 years of employment but now that I have retired and I am happy to return to these activities. During my childhood, I belonged to two youth groups: the Campfire Girls and the 4-H Clubs. Both clubs encouraged girls in their sewing skills. Also in the town where I grew up many women worked in local clothing factories so there were many talented seamstresses around including my mother and my grandmother. There was no limit to their abilities and my mother would make us clothes and at Easter, my sister and I had new handmade spring coats. My abilities never rose to their level of talent but in the early years of my marriage I made slack outfits and dresses to save money. Also because I was short, I was always altering my clothing anyway so it was a benefit to make outfits that were tailored for me.
The internet now is playing a huge role in driving my leisure activities. If you have forgotten what a treble crochet is, just do a search on You Tube. Sites like Pinterest inspire you to explore all manner of crafty ideas. I find it amazing that there are so many blogs with free step by step tutorials to help anyone looking for "Do It Yourself" ideas. If you have a talent you can share it just for the joy of it on Wiki-How and so many other similar sites. "How To" blogs for crafts, sewing and cooking have huge followings. If you are a talented stay-at-home mom, I would be trying to make a little extra cash---who knows it might grow into something big. I have no fantasy of developing a following like that so I make my blogs mostly for my own enjoyment and if I get a few views I am thrilled.
I remember reading in grade school a description of early American girl's calico dress. I have been a fan of calico ever since. I love printed cotton fabrics if I had more patience I would have started quilting for a hobby just to work with the colorful fabrics. Since I seem to have senior attention deficit, I have been sticking with quick projects in the past year. I have made needle books with a blanket stitch edge, ruffled scarves with the Sashay ribbon yarn, and now I am making lined zippered pouches. I bought zippers by the "lot" on Ebay, quilt square packs and found several videos and PDF files that give you fool-proof directions.
I have a Kenmore sewing machine but recently came across three vintage sewing machines that I just had to have. Two of them are still quite serviceable and one I bought just because of the golden decals.
Woke up to about 4 or 5 inches of snow. It was hard to measure because the wind had already started to make the snow drift by the time I got out there. I was quite excited that I was going to have my first chance at using my snow blade in three years. Because of all the past difficulties, it made this chance all that much sweeter. It started when I first went to order this snow blade a couple of years ago. I could tell the John Deere salesman was reluctant to sell it to me. Maybe he thought a I would not be able to handle the mechanism. I guess I ordered it around September and I was not getting a call to say that the blade had arrived. When I called back, I found that the order had to be placed again. Luckily it did not snow that season and when it came the salesman came to install it and spent about three hours struggling to get it to work properly. Then summer came so I took off the blade and then I put it back on for the next season. I probably never put it on properly but no matter. It did not snow that year. So now it is the third winter season since I got the blade. I put the blade back on removing cotter pins and putting back the pins that anchored it to the frame. Then I had a chance to ask my neighbor to look at it and he said I had it all wrong but together we managed to get it on properly. It took a good 5 hours of work. So even though I still have trouble angling the blade in two directions, I had a satisfying morning plowing the driveway and I decided it was time for a "selfie". Selfie is a new word added to the dictionary because people are holding out their camera phones to get a photo of themselves. I did not use a camera phone but I did prop up my Cannon camera on the trunk of my car and used the timer to be able to jump into the shot:
Notice the chains. I installed those, too, with the help of a You Tube video. I was careful not to push the snow into the highway out front. I got stuck a few time but managed to get out. So as several plows went by I was glad not to be in need of service for this storm.
Even when I was a kid I would try to beat my father and get out there before he did and I did that to my husband, too. My husband was ready and willing to shovel but I think I had more motivation. I am trying to figure out why I would enjoy this activity so much. I hate the cold. Especially when I feel the oil burner is running so frequently to keep it up to 68 degrees. I just want to stay under the covers but when I am outside but bundled up, I actually like it.
Neither snow, nor rain, will keep
the US Post Office from functioning
or the UPS people either for that matter:
So I was eager to use my tractor but here is
another purchase that I have not used yet. I am not looking
forward to using this generator:
Although I had an enjoyable evening celebrating New Year's Eve with friends, I also enjoyed taking a trip on one of my favorite routes in New Jersey on New Years Day.
Rose the cat looks out on the first day of 2014 before I leave with my camera.
The route that I take is 563 through the pinelands. Someone recently reported seeing a great blue heron at the Egg Harbor City Lake so that was my first stop at less than a mile from my home. The map traces the route I took. I was hoping to see wild turkeys but I did not see them at the usual spot near Evans Bridge. In fact I am beginning to think that turkeys might have run into a bad spell recently. There are a few sites that I would always see them and I have not seen them since early November. Several vehicles were parked at Evan's Bridge. Were they out canoeing? I guess the little tributaries were ice free but most places had some ice. My photos are in no particular order but all are from along this route.
From the north shore at the Egg Harbor City Lake:
Heading north this was on the left side of the lake. When the wind died down and the sun was shining on the lake edge I thought I was hearing frogs. I have to research that one to see if that was a possibility:
I know this one was not at the lake because I see a pump house on the far shore. So this is a photo of a cranberry bog up 563 in Jenkins, NJ:
At a cranberry bog showing a few remnant berries at the edge:
Even out in the pines you need to be bilingual in your "Keep Out" signs:
The bog with skim ice:
Telephoto shot of the houses as I crossed the Green Bank Bridge:
Leaving the Green Bank Bridge on the way back home. I used special effects on this one:
Notice the brine lines on the road. This is a county road so it gets extra attention for safety:
This hardy bunch is not going to be stopped by frigid weather. Route 563 is a biker's favorite. Every year an increasingly larger number of bikers ignore the cold. My sister at 64 recently went for a ride and she admits the cold reduces your reaction time. She quit dancing because of her knees but said this sport is not bad for her knees so I guess that is why she keeps on biking:
Have a great 2014!
Green Bank and Lower Bank info:
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