Michigan

Wow, this is the 2nd time that I will be writing this. Would I learn to "save as draft"? I
guess not. So I will try to recreate what I just wrote 2 minutes ago!
Welcome to my blog, sweet reader. Hope you are all having a wonderful day.
Just some photos of our trip to Calumet, MI for Mother's Day weekend.
The first photo is of SNOW! Might I remind you, dear reader, that this is
MAY. However, it is northern Michigan and anything can happen....and does.
The next 2 photos are of Lake Superior, the bottom one being the view from the
lonely Brockway Mountain Drive. This road is a poorly maintained--this is
Michigan, after all--a two lane road with an amazing, breath-taking view of the
landscape. At the top you are rewarded with a view of Lake Superior that reminds
you why it is named Superior. On a clear day (you can see forever....) you can see
Isle Royal, which is nearer Minnesota than Michigan.
Speaking of Isle Royal, my niece works on one of the boats that sails from
Houghton, MI to the Island during the summer. Her Grandpa would have been so
pround of her, amazed I am sure as the sailing bug bit the girl and not both boys
of my sister's family. Altho one of her boys is a sailor, too, down on the Mississippi.
Been busy with some sewing projects: an Amy Butler pattern and fab for
the MFA. Hemming a long skirt for a teen, who needs it next week! And a
pair of jeans for a tiny lady, got those done last week.
Need to make a coupld of tops for a gal @ church and just finished a couple of
nursing covers for one gal @ church and one gal on deputation.
Plus I have to get the ASG newsletter out this next week! Busy.
Well, I trust you will enjoy these photos. I will tell you it was around 45 degrees....
and windy, hence the white caps.
All from the bush.
me

Thought you might like to see SNOW in May! Yes. We went to Calumet, MI for Mother's
Day weekend, and were greeted with snow on Sat. morning.
Here is a photo of the snow-in-the-woods on the way to Copper Harbor.
Next photo is of Lake Superior and the last photo of the view of the lake, looking
north (I think!) from the Brockway Mountain Drive. This road is a poorly
maintained 2 lane--I remind you, this is in Michigan, but the view is amazing.
It has been some time since I was on this drive and it is truly breath-taking.
The mountain is some 12,000 feet above sea level, or maybe more. I didn't
take a photo of the large wooden just-the-facts-board, and a little history
of the area.
Been busy with sewing projects, trying to finish up a blouse for my MFA, a pillowcase
for the granddaughter, made 2 nursing privacy "tents". They are not tents, but
a cotton double sided blanket with boning in the top and it ties around the
neck. It is a Kwik-Sew pattern.
The blouse and fab for MFA is Amy Butler.
Also, I will be making 1-2 maternity tops --NOT for me!--for a little gal from church.
I do enjoy this, plus I am working on heming a skirt for a teen from church. The teens
don't have a prom, but a fancy dinner and so get dressed up. The girls browse the
2nd hand shops for fun dresses--modesty is important, so it can be a challenge in this
show it all times.
Well, got to get to the laundry! Hey, you can check things out on the Facebook
page that I created a couple of years ago. I dropped it for a time and now I am back.
Take care, sweet readers.
All from the bush
me

A New month

Good morning.  Thought I would change things up a bit.  Here it is May already.  In March I was sick for 2 weeks, just a really bad cold.  I honestly do not know what happened to April.  We did get spring and I have been busy with company for our missions conference held the end of April.  We hosted a lovely young couple living in South Carolina and on deputation to serve the Lord in Uraguay.  The lady was raised on this mission field, and her husband on another mission field.  A very sweet couple.  He has a cousin that lives and works in Kohler, WI and is coming to IA to work in the Bochner chocolate factory.  I said that she could come and stay with us until she finds a place to live, and she can pay me in chocolate--even broken chocolate.  I sent my BFA some of this chocolate, the best.  We will be heading up north the end of the week for just a few days.  See the gaves, and the ones still living.  Sounds morbid, but it isn't.  May in the UP!  Bring my winter coat!  Oh, I forgot to let you know that I went ot a wonderful ladies retreat hosted by Morningside Baptist in Rockford, IL.  Ran into several ladies that I know and so that was fun.  The speakers were Elizabeth George!  Yes, she is wonderful!  And Holly Stratton, the wife of the president of Clearwater Baptist Bible College in Clearwater FL.  Total opposits!  But great lessons from each of these Godly women.  Mrs George is such a humble lady, a great speaker and a wonderful author.  Do check your local Christian book store for any of her titles.   "A Woman after God's Own Heart" for starters.  I picked up her title on being a meek and quiet sprit, something I struggle with. Being a prophet, I see things in balck and white.  I tend to be very intuitive.  If I say anything to anyone at my local church, I am met with "are you bitter?" or "you are reading into things/"  Needless to say, I am not understood, and so it is with most prophets. So I generally don't share my thoughts, but sometimes I don't listen to my instincts and let it all out!  Mistake! 
I will try to get some new pics up, but I think I will have more from our trip.
Later ladies, have a truly blessed day.  And remember: Whatsoever things are true, think on these things.
All from the bush.
ME

Spring...maybe

Good morning: It has been a short time since I blogged.  Is that a verb??  I wonder what they are teaching in college English these days.  Our language, always changing.  My dear sweet MFA spent a little over a week with us, in the north: cold, snow!  But she had a great time visiting her firneds and her parents.  She is fun to have a round and is missed.  Spent 2 days trying to get myself together after she left.  Maybe just lazy, but I forgot some things that are of import, but not neccessary.
Just sewed up an outfit for a little gal at our church who is expecting their 2nd child.  She told me that her old maternity clothes didn't fit, not that she has gained wieght, actually has lost weight!  Ah, but we know that scenerio.  So I made her 2 tops from some great knits, one from Hancock Fabrics, from a newer Kwick Sew pattern.  Then I made her a skirt as she was tired of wearing the black one all of the time.  When you know your weight is going to be different for only about 6 months, then it is hard to justify buying all kinds of new outfits.  Hey don't we do that anyway!!??   Then I have to finsih a purse for a friend, sew up some really pretty silk dupiona that I got at Hancock Fabrics.  This yardage is for a dress for Little Lilly who will be 4 in April, just before Easter.  So I have to get that made up and sent.  Then Dear Hubby wants to have a lunch bag that is insulated....sounds like another project.  With all of this on the sewing table, what am I doing here? 
All from the bush.
ME

What! Feb. already?

Wow, where did January go? The MFA had another birthday, as did dear hubby. Here are some photos from our trip to South Carolina in December. The top is my tree, w/o the flash. It really did turn out very nice this year. We had a real tree, I love real trees. I suppose someday we will get a fake one. The next photo is driving back from SC, the mountains and the snow--the little bit they get. I think the next one is of dear hubby and me with his new truck, the real reason we went to SC.
Then, the communion table at church with the really nice fake pointsettia. Several people asked me where I got it and they were very suprised when I said "Michaels". The table has a sheer drap with twinkle lights underneath. You need a close source of power when you put lights on the table like that. This year (at church) I did simple and elegant. But of course.
OK since it is now Feb. , that means it is MY birthday month. And BFA came through once again remembering the event with a lovely box of goodies, including a wonderful tea cozy. Along with a small box of Abduluah's chocolates (yummy!), several altered art (at least in my mind) items and her wonderful ACT's, they go right on the 'fridge! Napkins, the tea spoon, which went up on the china cab. This year dear hubby surprised me with a party on the 4th. Since the 3rd was a Wed and we have church, we did not go out to eat. So he told me we were going out on Thurs. I was looking forward to going to eith the Red Avacado or the Linn St. Cafe. Mostly I just like the names! But, just 5 minutes before we were to "leave the house" the door bell rang and there stood 5 gals from our church. He served us pizza and cheesy bread and then Dairy Queen ice cream cake. He had 3 games, all of which were the kind that I had to guess at something about the 5 gals that came....
I did ok, and they got prizes--which he bought himself! The big gift was a gift card to a local stamping/scrapbooking shop that also offers classes. I did get another gift card to my fav coffee shop: Witt's End. All in all, I had a great birthday. The gift box from Mpls is always the most special, though (and not just 'cause you read this blog, either).
Well, this is all for today. Go worship and rest, as this is Sunday.
I have been reading Sarah Palin's book and so the scripture for this day is :Prov. 21: 1 The King's heart is in the had of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will. Pray for our country.
All from the bush.
ME

the new year

I trust that all had a great Christmas season. Goes fast. We took another trip down south, this time to Greenville, SC to be with Emily. We had Christmas with her and Christmas dinner with some of her friends, duck with dark cherry sauce...really yummy. On Christmas Eve, Emily played the keyboard and led a string group in Christmas singing at a Presbyterian church in Simpsonville. There were readings from Scripture inbetween the traditional Christmas songs. Emily did a great job and we are so proud of her and the talents that God has given to her.
I do not have the photos uploaded from that trip and the house decked out for Christmas, thought that hubby had done that, but will get that done soon. Here are some photos from the week before Thanksgiving when were in Atlanta. Are not these the cutest grands you have ever seen....of course, they are not your cutest-grands-you-have-ever-seen....
Oh, forgot to tell you the REAL reason we went south: Hubby picked up a white Toyota Tacoma, 2007--no rust! Drove it back to salt-n-sand country and it is a nice truck, will serve him for many years I am sure.
Later
All from the bush
ME

after Thanksgiving

Good morning. Bet you all thought I had forgotten about this space! Not on your life.
Here are just a few of the photos from out trip to Atlanta and Greenville, SC the week before the
week of Thanksgiving. We had Christmas, passed the Thanksgiving thing altogether. I had bought
poppers last year and then forgot to bring them with me when we went down for Christmas last year.
So, I took them this time. Poppers are an English tradition. They wrap little toys, trinkets in a tube
much like a toilet paper tube and then wrap the tube in Christmas wrap. There are little metal thingys
that snap when you pull the ends out away from the tube, and voila all the little trinkets burst out, plus these
cute little paper hats. My daughter-in-law looks like something from one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, with her lovely dark coloring, her dark eyes and hair. Drew and his family are at the top, Landon being 4' at 5
years old! Lilly is 3.5. They have a dog, a puppy. Lucky. Hummmm, I call him Unlucky.
Here is a photo of Landon taking Lucky for a walk......or is it the other way around??
Then of course, the lovely MFA in the lower pic. Any one know of a great  single Godly guy, late 20's , early 30's...
OK, so. The weather was great until we left Greenville on Sunday after the services at Emily's church.  It rained and was downright cold, after experiencing 70 degrees most of the time.  I had to drive in the dark through the mountains, and in the rain.  The Angel Protection Services were very, very busy with me at the wheel.  Back to the church......
Her small congregation is just a great bunch of wonderful Christan people. They love us because they love Emily so much. How refreshing. Drew's church is much, much larger and so they just have a small group that they interact with most of the time. I think that happens a lot in larger churches.
Tonight is ASG program so I have to get ready for that and wear the top and jacket I fashioned out of that crazy material that I have a photo of on this blog. I will look festive, and I am glad it is going to be warmer today! Last night I got most of the church decorated for Christmas, with the help of a a gal from church and Jerry, doing the manly hanging wreaths and such. Forgot to photo the fall table! Arg! And I wanted to do that for this blog. I will get a photo of the Christmas-look....I promise.
I do that a lot don't I??? I am too much like my Mother. Procastinate--a way of life!
You all have a great day. Thank you so much for reading this blog. Please leave comments. I love them.
Thanks Deb, in advance ;-)
All from the bush.
ME