On Valentine's Day, Ken came out with two red roses for me.  How sweet!  I like it when he is single.  He remembers his mom!

Jessalyn and a few friends went to a Valentine dance that weekend.  The night before she and her one friend got together and played "dress up"  by trying on all kinds of dressy dresses.  She decided on this maroon one.

Becky stopped by one day to color my hair.  And wouldn't you know, she joined the ranks of broken cars!  On the way over it blew a hose off of something or other.  Tom brought home a clamp and fixed it right up.

One of the young ladies at our church is expecting her fourth child.  A boy this time.   The shower that was held in her honor was more to celebrate life, not just the expectant new son.  She is the one that was in the van accident a few months ago and we watched her little girls for a week while she was in the hospital.    The main gift was diapers.  I too gave her diapers, but made these black and white high top sneaker booties and a tuxedo bib.

I got on a roll and decided to use up some of my extra yarn.   I made up this tulip afghan in about a week or so.   Next up is a V-neck burgandy sweater.  I am about to start on the sleeves.

I am in the process of cleaning out the big freezer and wanting to turn it off.  I took all but two whole chickens out.  Most of the meat fit into the top freezer of the fridge.  Some of the breasts I canned.   Looks like brains in the jar!   But when I pulled out a jar to cut up and add to make chicken salad, it was so tender and tasty!   I am trying to calculate how I am going to can all the chickens from this year.

The instructions are on my Knittin' and Pearlin' page.  Just a little something to keep my busy.  Tom didn't care for it as much as the Dancer's Doily.

We saw our own bald eagle overhead while out enjoying some fresh air.   Then another.   So awesome!

The heat wave came through and began to melt all the snow.  It became so warm that you could see the snow evaporate and blow away like smoke in the wind.

  Beneath the layers of frigid snow I was surprised to see my daffodils still struggling upward! In fact, just yesterday before the dusting overnight, I saw my Sweet Williams starting to bud!

  During  the melt, Tommy was continually having problems with this car of his.   The car had to sit a week outside of his sister's house until a starter could be put in.   Wow, that worked.  Started right up.  But he didn't get far.   Ideas back and forth, back and forth, until it was revealed that he hadn't had a gas cap on the tank for some time.  Tom picked up some dry gas and a new cap on his way home from work.   So far we haven't had to retrieve Tommy.  Guess that solved some surface problems.  In my running around  I had the delight of seeing my first bald eagle!  It swooped down about 25' in front of my car, flew around the drivers side and behind me, and up in a tree in the nearby field.   A few days later we were all in the car taking Jess to youth group when we spotted not one, but two!   Tom stopped the car and snapped this picture.  It was as close as we could get.

That was the day Jess had her friend over  to ride again.  She like to come on Sundays after church and stay through until we take her to youth group.   I had a nice surprise too when my friend Dorothy told me she would be coming to church.   I really enjoy the chance to sign to her.  Tom has a scheduled day off today, but still took Jess in for DSL connection to do school.  He made use of the time by taking my car in and doing a look over.   Seems that the front end is making unwelcome noises so hopefully he can fix that.  Later, we will be putting up some more hay that we are getting from the neighbors.  At least the sun is shining, regardless of it being only18 out.  Some cold days I have spent inside working on some needlework.  Becky has ask me to make her some doilies.  I had been working on this Dancing Doily for a while,  and then I attempted to generate my own pattern piece after seeing only a picture on the Internet.   It used a whole skein of yarn.   I think I will pass it off as a hot pad.

Since the girls have gone home, I just can't seem to get enough rest. I find myself dozing mid afternoon when I sit down for a cup of tea.  I think Jess finds this funny!
After such a busy summer, she is now at Grandpa and Grandma's for a short stay.  She has wanted to visit all summer, but having a job makes that hard!  Now school is to start in less than a week, so she skee-daddled over there. The first thing I did coming home was make myself a yummy homegrown tomato and canned pickle sandwich on homemade bread.  Yum!   Then I went out and mowed the front lawn.  I just did the whole thing last weekend, but it was so incredibly high that I wanted to get at least the front done again.  I hate those clumps!   Besides, I weeded most of the front gardens yesterday and the weeds were thrown into the yard waiting to be mulched over.  
It has been a few milkings now that I have skipped with Sister.  I am trying to dry her off, bringing down the amount of grain she is getting.   It has at least three weeks since we bought grain!  Amazing now that those meat birds are done!  Poor Belle, though. 

She is still trying to grow her hair back after that nasty bout this summer.   It is coming, slow but sure.  I'm just glad sister didn't get it too!
The dogs are enjoying lounging around now that they are back free to roam as they please around the house.  Bob is a little disappointed I think.  He likes the little ones!  

I need to get back on track with canning, but know that I am low on propane so I am bidding my time until we get a fill.  I don't want to run out half way through.  I did finish the corn and put it in the freezer for now.  

I went out to pick and found this icky stuff on an ear or two and decided to pick the rest before it was all a loss.   They say we are to get heat during the day, but nights are 40ish.  How am I to have all those tomatoes ripen?  I picked an 8 quart basket if that.   And I am eating them too.  I won't have much to can if they don't start turning!   I have at least half dozen if not more of butternut squash.  I think I have a pumpkin or two, and a few acorn squash.  Good pie and smoothies this year!  I have to try my hand at  beets.  They look like they are coming up good this time.
I made chicken the other night using some that was given to us and some of our raised broilers.   Can you guess which is which?

So I finally refinished the sweater I made last year.

 I still think I have to make the neckline bigger, but now I have been working on a doily pattern at night.  I have to block this one yet.  Not quite right, but I am making another one all in white. 

Becky ask about doilies.  She is moving into her own place this weekend.  I don't see her much, but through the grapevine I hear she is setting up quite well with other people's generosity.

With all the excitement mid week, I forgot to post a picture of what I made the ladies at study group for Valentines Day. Little Heart Bookmarks.

Even though it was yet another three day weekend for Tom, he didnt' stay home for long. He took Becky to school this morning and then went off to work. He and Ken took the time to strip Becky's car and get it ready to be towed for scrap. It was a little cool out when he came home early afternoon, but with the sun out, it must have inspired him. He began cleaning up the area he and Tommy split and stack wood out back.

Tonight the youth group is having their all nighter. Movies, bowling, activities like basketball and lots of snacks. We won't see them until 7 a.m. tomarrow!