I've always wanted to take painting lessons.  Now that I'm retired, I can!  A friend has been taking lessons, and after checking with her, I've now gone twice.  Enjoying it, and hopefully I'm not a hopeless case!    Our class is once a month, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm and just a couple of us there, so we get a lot of help.  The first picture I didn't get done in that time frame, so finished it at home; but the class yesterday, I finished the picture.    I put the first one on as my header picture now for a few days, and here is the second one.  Our next picture will be a winter scene.  I'm learning the mixing of the oil colors and which brushes to use to get a desired effect.  Will have to try my hand here alone now as I get more comfortable. 

Do you have something that you've always wanted to try doing, and haven't been able too?  Our middle daughter is so talented artistically.  Wish she could do this with me.  She painted beautiful pictures in art in high school and won some contests then.  I think she'd really enjoy this if she had the time. 

Each one of us have hidden talents within - waiting to come out.  Take a risk and try new things.  It's great.

Have a great day! 

Fat Tuesday!

Wishing I was in Louisiana with daughter Jessica and Renee and Floyd to partake in the Mardi Gras parades!  Have had such good family time attending the small town celebrations in past years.  So missing them today and thinking of them going to their last parade today Fat Tuesday. 

Floyd is on his working shift this year, missing the parades, but Jessica and Renee attended one last week in New Iberia and in Lafayette.  They haven't had good weather this year, so some parades have been postponed.    Here is Renee's picture with feathers!  They call it her Mardi Gras picture!

 

Happy Birthday to my oldest Baby!  Leah I hope you have a wonderful day!  Dad and I are so proud of you!  Love you much!

Here she is about two years old.  Always have loved this series of pictures that I have.

The years sure do fly by, the girls, all three grown up, and now dad and I are the older generation.  Years ago, as young parents, we just didn't think much of being in our sixties, and now soon to be seventies!!!!!   

The three girls, Leah 12, Steph 8 and Jessica about 1 year.

Leah this Christmas with her "Princess" glasses on!

Happy Birthday Leah!

We got a few inches of snow - started Monday afternoon and throughout the night.  Still coming down really fine.  Now the ground is white again, but probably not for long.  A weird winter this year.  Not enough snow for good snowmobilers.  Daughter Leah got a different sled this year and hasn't been able to put a lot of hours on it.  As for me and winter - - I've enjoyed this very mild winter.  Easy getting around all winter on the roads, lower heating bills, not many days of slippery sidewalks so didn't have to worry about falling!  I could take lots of winters like this - but around here that isn't a very popular way of thinking, when "winter playing" is big business in this area with snowmobiling, etc. 

Hope you all have a great Tuesday! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you all have a great Valentine's Day! 

I was a winner of Poppyprint Creates giveaway and Saturday received my winning "Stitch" magazine from Krista Hennebury.  She was fortunate and has her appliqued Orchard Pillow featured in this magazine.  There are 36 projects in this issue, with directions on making them all!  I'm so excited to get started on the pillow project and several others.  Thank you Krista for drawing my name!

Also have been busy with other projects, just finishing a small table runner and a couple of hot pads made out of the scraps.  They will be given to a nephew and his finance for a wedding shower present. 

I like how it fits our table, so might have to make another one.  It was very simple to do and I did the meandering on my own.   Now to roll it up and get it ready for Brad and Jamie.

Also delivered a few hats that I got done.  Now have put the yarn away for awhile.  But I do enjoy crocheting while I'm sitting watching tv.  Hubby gets irritated with me, because I don't always have my eyes on the tv and miss some important parts, then asking "what's happened"!  Do you do that?  He sure gets irritated when I do!!!!

  I love these little hats!  So fun to do. 

Now on to a reupholstry project for a nephew.  He has 4 cushions that need to be redone.  They must have come out of a travel trailer, and he uses them now in his fish house.  I'll have to take pictures or this project.  Want to get that done, as it isn't something I want to keep thinking about.  He is overseas in Kwiat now until summer.  Want to get them done, so I can deliver to his wife when I drive to Minneapolis for this wedding shower in March.

Hope you're all keeping busy and have a wonderful day with your loved ones today. 
Happy Valentine's Day!!!!    love ya all,

Morning walk

 Took a morning walk and took a few pictures.  We've had frosty mornings and mild days here this past week.  So far a wonderful winter.  Not much snow, or cold.  I'm rather liking it.  Love that the heating bills are low. 

 

What we see out our kitchen window.  The dark clouds in the far background look like mountains! A couple of the cows are pictured.  The others must be off to the side.  Our youngest calf has been feeling frisky and getting out - exploring - daily.  Then when we go out, she runs back to the pen!  The little stinker!

This is snow and ice frozen in place having started to slide off one of the barn roofs. The corrigated ripples of the steel roof makes quite the pattern!

The frosty tree against such a blue sky is beautiful!  The snow and ice crystals just sparkled - too bad pictures don't show that.

Too soon warmer weather will come and we won't have any more frosty mornings! 

Here's Jessica's t-shirt quilt I started at Christmas time.   Just finished sewing on the outside border, and it's now ready to take to the quilter to get finished.  It will have red polka dot backing and binding.  Will show you the completed project when it's done.  Also have still been busy crocheting.  That's almost every evening when I sit down.  Have to keep busy doing something!

Have a great weekend!