Looking for an Ark

I've decided I need to start gathering up two of everything and then start building that ark. In the last 3 weeks or so we've had something in the neighborhood of 8 - 10 inches of rain, 6 of it coming in 48 hours last week. Our basement is flooded and we have been unable to get anyone out here to do anything about it. The sumps are working overtime and the ball valve gave out yesterday - what a MESS!! All is sort of working again, but we still are waiting for someone to come and give us an estimate on the basement. The mold continues to grow and I am extremely sensitive to it, so I don't sleep particularly well, and I don't feel up to par.

 Told my Granddaughter last night that I was ready to run away and asked if she would like to come with me. I've had to move my quilting studio up to the dining room table so of course I'm not getting nearly as much done. I can't find things, and I just don't have as much room. My fabric and supplies are in plastic crates so they are all fine - but not as accessible as I would like.

The other day I went out and was amazed at the flooding - and the Rock River isn't due to flood until Sunday and I don't know when the Mississippi is due to Crest.

Old Collapsed Barn on the Back Road

The Bridge on Coal Creek at Highway 150 and Indian Bluff Road

The Parking Lot at the Corn Crib Market

The road beside Ben Franklin ahead is the Park for Harrold's Landing and beyond that the Rock River

This is at the edge of the Airport on Highway 150.  ShyShy calls this the little Rock River - there is a small drainage ditch near where the telephone pole is, it is not small anymore

The creek in front of my house is actually a very small creek and is in the background of this shot - the rest is flood into someone's yard.

The sun is actually shining today, but it is very cold out - but believe me, I will take the sunshine no matter what the temperature!!

March Book List:
Flood Tide by Clive Cussler 
Fruit of the Poisoned Tree by Joyce and Jim Lavene
Ghost in Trouble by Carolyn Hart 
The Sixth Man by David Baldacci 
Whose Death is it Anyway? By Elizabeth Daniels Squire
The Chase by Clive Cussler
Threadbare by Monica Ferris
While my Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo

I'm still on my Clive Cussler Marathon - and a new Hero in Isaac Bell.  Set in the turn of the 1900's it is a really good and interesting read - and of course Clive Cussler made a Cameo appearance!  Anne Canadeo is a new author to my list - I enjoyed the book and plan on reading the next.  The format is very similar to Maggie Shefton's knitting series so I will have to watch it.  Carolyn Hart's Ghost series is a lot of fun and I love Elizabeth Daniels Squire Peaches Dann who can't seem to stay out of trouble.  Monica Ferris always come forth with a winner and I've enjoyed the second outting with Joyce and Jim Lavene's series on Botanist Peggy Lee.  David Baldacci is always a winner in my accounting - always fast paced and he keeps you going from beginning to end.  There is a new TV series coming out in June based on his characters, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell - looking forward to watching it.

Hopefully tomorrow or Monday I will have some quilt blocks to post.

Happy Easter

With winter hanging on for so long I nearly forgot it was Easter!!  But Easter did come and it is a little nicer today - The Maple tree out front is actually trying to bud out so maybe there is hope!!

Photo Award!!

I won an award at Photobug for a Photograph I posted a couple of months ago - I was really surprised

 

I really need a pic me up today - and an incentive to go out and do some more photowork.

Car's Fixed!!

I'm really excited today - they got my car fixed in record time!!!  I get to go to Bible Study tomorrow and to my Luncheon - That is sooooo wonderful.  I'm so tired of being stuck in the house all day - I need some distraction.

We went down to pick up the car and we had to go to the grocery store.  While we were out I took some pictures of the flooding down on the Rock River.  It has come up a lot in the last couple of days.  It seems unbelievable that 6 months ago we were worried about a drought.

Rock River at Harold's Landing

Rock River Bridge from Harold's Landing

ShyShy's Little Rock - actually the drainage ditch from the Airport

All of this from 4 days of rain and some snow melt.  What's going to happen with the Mississippi comes up in a couple of weeks?

First Robin

I am so excited!!!!  No my car is still not repaired - either one - one is now in the shop - the other awaits warmer weather.  No my basement is still damp and there is no way I can move my sewing back down there - the ditches are flooded and now the river is coming up!!  BUT - I saw my first ROBIN today!!  That always means that spring is here and things will get better.  I love Robins!!

First Robin of Spring - March 12, 2013

I saw my first robin
Of springtime today
Out on the lawn
Looking dazed and dismayed
Shivering with cold
On this late winter day
Wondering dismally
If he'd lost his way
Taken a wrong turn
In his long Northern flight
Instead of a left
Mayhap he'd turned to the right
And come to this cold and
Forbidding dark place
Without any warmth of
The sun on its face
The winter's been long
And dreadfully cold
So dear little robin
If I may be so bold
You're most welcome here
As the first sign of spring
With grand celebration
Let all the bells ring

© 2005 KayDee Ward
All Rights Reserved

Maybe now I can get out and do some photowork and enjoy some lovely places.  Of course we have to wait for the rest of the snow to melt and the ground to become less of a bog - but it's coming!!

Yesterday I finished a doll quilt for Quilt Guild.  The quilts are collected and given to needy children in the area at Christmas time.  I decided to practice my machine quilting on it rather than just tie it.

Doll quilt - about 24" Square

Well, I'm back to the sewing machine - and maybe a cup of tea!!  Happy Spring and have a lovely day.

Michael's Quilt Square

I know I'm a little behind. It has been a crazy week. Both of my cars are on the fritz. One has an oil leak and the other has something wrong with the fuel injection - neither can be fixed in this horrid weather - one day it's snowing and the next day it's raining - today it's raining and we are under a fog advisory. I don't drive hubby's car - I'm not going to be the one to put the first scratch or dent on it - so I've been staying home and the weather has been running havoc with my bad joints. Not to mention the CABIN FEVER!! I'm used to getting out for a couple of hours every day and doing my own thing. Now I can't get to quilt club, or the quilt shop to get the thread I need to finish the quilting on a table topper. GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!

 Anyway - I'm looking for the bright side to all of this and the lessons God wants me to learn. I'm a slow learner - but I know God is patient with me - I'll get it soon - I really will. I just finished pulling most of my current projects from the sewing room along with my machine and equipment as the floor is flooded from all the rain and melting snow. It's a real bummer - but I'll have to work upstairs for a while until the rain stops and we can get the floor dried out down there. It hasn't taken water like this in a lot of years.

Anyway - I did finish the Women of the Bible block for Michael - Wife of David - and her sister Micah.

Michael's Block - Open Window

Michah's Block - Sister's Choice

Hope you have a great day and that God will bless you in your endeavors.

February's Book List

Believe it or not but it is still snowing today.  It's not snowing a lot and there shouldn't be any accumulation - but come on - we had little snow all winter and then the end of February it snows for 4 day straight!!  To say the least I'm tired of snow.  Thankfully the wind isn't blowing hard and it has been warm enough that the roads are all clear.  Hopefully tomorrow it will stop snowing and we might see a little sunshine.  Of course it is March 1st - so I'm hoping this counts as March coming in like a lion - so it will go out like a lamb.

I didn't think I had read very many books in February - it being a short month and I really was busy with my quilting projects, but the list is longer than I expected.


The Silver Master by Jayne Castle
Ghost Hunter by Jayne Castle
Agony in the Leaves by Laura Childs
All Shall Be Well by Deborah Crombie
The Lost Night by Jayne Castle
Bones of a Feather by Carolyn Haines

I know I sort of went on a Jayne Castle Marathon this month - I do like her Harmony books and the Rainshadow books - which are also set on Harmony.  I just happened to have a stack of them in the basket of unread books.  Deborah Crombie is the only semi-new writer to my list - I've read one other book in this series.  I really like them - they are set in England and the main characters are a Detective Inspector and his Sargent from Scotland Yard. Her books are about police procedure - but they are also about the people and I like that.

I've read nearly everything that Laura Childs has written and the latest in the Tea Room Mysteries does not disappoint.  And then we have Carolyn Haines and her Bones Books.  I have to say I love Jitty and she has a good part in this story.  

I've already started on my pile of books for March - but I'll let you know what they are when the month is over.