An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor

This is the first in the series, and was every bit as good as An Irish Country Christmas, which is the third in the series (and I read first, before I knew it was a series). I like the writing, I like the story.

It has a hint of Mitford, thrown in with a hint of James Herriott's All Creatures Great and Small, but it's its own story, and stands on its own two feet.

I've been under the weather since before Christmas. I've had a cold which developed into an ear infection, coupled with laryngitis. Consequently I've had time to read and relax, and that's exactly what I wanted for Christmas.

We got some snow last night

Ray, shoveling snow

When we lived here 28 years ago, this was my job. Then we moved back a few years ago and I slipped on some ice our first winter here and broke my arm. Ray took over.

Sing Hallelujah!

Christmas Projects 4

This is why I haven't been blogging much about quilting lately. Most of my recent quilts/sewing projects have been Christmas gifts.

My mom pieced this quilt for my sister. It measures about 90 inches by 100 inches. Because of my mother's advancing Alzheimer's this is most likely the last quilt my mom will make for her. My mom brought the top when she came here for Thanksgiving, and I quilted and bound it last week. My sister is here skiing for the week with her family, so she now has it in hand and can take it back home to Hawaii with her. 

Christmas Projects 3

These quilts are properly titled Rise and Shout (BYU's cheer)

I made four of these quilts, one for each child and their family. The picture isn't great, but it has BYU fabric incorporated into it. I started them last spring, at my sister's weekend, and Elna, Amy and Ann pressed while I sewed, and arranged the blocks once they were done. I brought home all four tops completed at the end of the weekend, and spent the summer getting them quilted when my children weren't around. (These were some more of the items stashed in the cupboard that said Do not get into this cupboard.)

Among all of us (my husband Ray, me, and our four children and their three spouses) we have nine BYU degrees - seven undergraduate degrees, and two advanced degrees. We currently have two more undergrad degrees in the works, and two more graduate degrees in the works. Let's just say we're big fans.

Pattern: Turning Twenty by Tricia Cribbs
Size: 70 inches by 86 inches
Finished: September 2010

Christmas Projects 2

Debra found this Mario Brothers quilt online and asked if I could figure it out. So I did - I graphed it out and figured the fabric quantities. She raided my stash and bought some fabric to fill in the blanks. She just knew Ray would love it. 

So Debra pieced it, and I quilted it. It was definitely Ray's favorite gift for Christmas. It was fun to see his reaction when he figured out what it was. 

Christmas Projects 1

 Audrey and I got together to make some of our Christmas gifts. One of them was SnackSleeves. We were a regular little factory. We made them for friends and family, and they were almost as fun to make as they were to give away.

Typically when we work together Audrey makes most of the fabric coordination decisions, with a little input from me. Then she usually cuts, organizes, and presses while I sew. It works well, and we're very efficient while we're having fun.

Merry Christmas from My House to Yours

Beth, Rachel, Madeleine, Elizabeth, Matthew, Austin, Diane

Deadly Blessings by Julie A. Hyzy

I'm really enjoying Julie Hyzy's mysteries. Two sentences in and I'm hooked until the end.

I'll keep reading her stuff.