Barbara – you can find her on her blog at CAT PATCHES  - is hosting a foto finish with a theme of  THROUGH THE WINDOW.  She has a picture of  her precious cat that is looking out the window.   Naturally I felt compared to  share our cat window pictures too.

http://catpatches.blogspot.com/2012/02/foto-finish-through-window.html

Honestly, I just ABSOLUTELY HAD to share my own photos of our cats watching the world outside.  The largest cat, Midnight, makes bird noises – it is SO FUNNY!  She now paws at the blinds of the bathroom window if I go in and FORGET to open the blinds so that she can get on her perch!!!  Cats are definitely on my list of FAVORITE THINGS.  I cannot imagine my life without a cat in it!  Here is Midnight looking out the window!

Midnight FIRST started her bird calling from the bedroom window

After VIEWING this FUN, Oreo Cookie joined Midnight in her window viewing activity!

Then there were Midnight AND Oreo

Before long, Grandangel Sarah joined the cats in looking out of the window.  Maybe WE should try looking out the window – it does look like fun, doesn’t it!!

Grandangel Sarah joins the cats

Yes, there are FOUR cats in this family.  Oreo and Cuddles are in the window – and poor Midnight and Hannay Faye are left behind…..but not for long!  I love the way Midnight stands up on her hind legs…..she does this a lot!

Cuddles and Hannah Faye want to have fun too!

Cuddles, Midnight and Oreo made it to the ledge - Hannah Faye is left behind

Isn’t this so sad – little Hannah Faye KNOWS there is something WONDERFUL going on in the outside world – but there doesn’t appear to be any more room!!!!

If you have cute WINDOW PICTURES that you would like to share, go to Barabara’s blog at CAT PATCHES and click on that LINKY THING!

http://catpatches.blogspot.com/2012/02/foto-finish-through-window.html

Great Tips For 2012

1. Stay out of trouble.

Stay OUT of Trouble

2. Aim for greater heights.

Aim for HIGHER GOALS

3. Stay focused on your job.

Stay Focused

4. Exercise to maintain good health.

Exercise will keep you STRONG

5. Practice team work.

TEAM WORK!!!!

6. Rely on your trusted partner to watch your back. Take your time trusting others.

Rely on someone that you trust!

7. Save for rainy days.

SING AND DANCE IN THE RAIN WHENEVER POSSIBLE

8. Rest and relax .

REST!

9. Always take time to smile.

Smile and the WORLD SMILES WITH YOU

AND

10.. Realize that nothing is impossible.

With God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.....NEVER GIVE UP

OK – so here is what I DID do.

FIRST… I put together the top for my grandangel, Jannae’s, art quilt.  

She made these drawings on cloth with crayon when she was 5 and 6 years old.

Second – I knitted a hat for my Grandangel, Leanna.

Leanna's knitted hat

I think I have redeemed myself after making her an ugly scraf that my brother, Dan, says looks like she was wearing intestines around her neck.  I still do not know what to do with it………I guess it would make a good WHITE ELEPHANT gift if that ever comes up!

Leanna and the UGLY Knitted Scarf

Third – I helped Grandangel Leanna make a pieced skirt for her sister’s American Girl Doll.  She made it with 2 1/2″ fabric strips from my 30′s fabrics – I have a special basket for this fabric collection

Grandangel Leanna and the SKIRT

Fourth – I finished my 2012 January Color Challenge – combined with my January Free Motion Quilting Challenge – it is my first Alzheimer’s Art Quilt to be donated this year.

The colors were given by Vicki Welsh – the picture is of tiles of an 1882 Ship that she saw in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  I used yo yo’s that I purchased at an “estate” fabric sale.  I just couldn’t let this deceased quilter’s pickle jar of yo yo’s that she worked so hard on NOT get used for something special!

I also quilted it using HEART LEAVES – the January 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge.

The Spangle Tree

I named the quilt the THE SPANGLE TREE in memory of my friend Margarita.  She was a Spanish Professor at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, CA  where I taught for 20 years.  We used to walk together in the early mornings before our classes started.  I loved her!

Margarita was very spiritual and shared the story of how “GOD SPOKE TO HER ONE NIGHT AND CALLED HER HIS SPANGLE.”  She was very distressed because she dreamed and prayed in SPANISH and God had spoken to her in ENGLISH.  So she had to go look up SPANGLE in the dictionary.  She said it meant sweet, and special – like a sparkling  star.  (I looked up the meaning on WIKIPEDIA and evidently it was also a candy made in the 1950′s as well….now discontinued.)

Here is the BACK of The Spangle Tree…..I used a BIRD HOUSE label (you have to have birdhouses to go with a Spangle Tree) that I got on the WHITE ELEPHANT TABLE at my Colonial Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild meeting.  I love using unloved and unwanted things for a new purpose.

The Back of THE SPANGLE TREE

Fourth – I made my 11 x 14 block for the Richmond Modern Quilt Guild Round Robin that will begin in February.  We had to use a word that represented our dreams or aspirations for 2012.  I chose SPANGLES (I guess my friend, God’s Spangle, Margarita, is on my mind a lot lately, and I had a DREAM about this block – SERIOUSLY, I planned it in my dream!)   So, in 2012, I hope to be sweet, special, different, sparkly like a star, colorful, and FUN!….so SPANGLES is my word for 2012.  The dots in the fabric represent the CANDY NERDS which I tasted for the FIRST TIME this week.  Grandangel, Sarah, shared some with me.  The ONLY candy that I really eat much is chocolate….so this was a taste adventure.

Spangles

Fifth – I put together my 2011 Summer Mystery Quilt!

Summer Mystery 2011

So what will I do this week?  WHAT I HAD ON MY DESIGN FLOOR LAST WEEK!  LOL.

Go to Judy Laquidara’s Blog at Patchwork Times.Com to see what quilters around the country are working on!

 http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/01/23/design-wall-monday-january-23-2012/

Orca Bay 1 and Orca Bay 2 are still on my DESIGN FLOOR!  I am loving the Ohio Block that Bonnie Hunter gave us as an EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT CLUE!!!!

Orca Bay 1

Orca Bay 2 Ohio Block

For an update on what quilters are doing this week (or not doing this week – depending on how much cooking, cleaning and company fun has been going on) go to Judy Laquidara’s blog at Patchworktimes.  Judy is busy this week with a zillion (or more) flying geese blocks on her Design Wall…..and speaking of Judy – A BIG THANK YOU for hosting Design Wall (among other things!!!!)

Are we all ready for the 2o12 UFO Challenge……I hope to get a zillion things accomplished next year (and just for the record – in case anyone wants to know – knitting a pair of socks isn’t on my TO DO LIST for 2012 – I am taking a YEAR OFF from not accomplishing this!   :)

 http://www.patchworktimes.com/2011/12/26/design-wall-monday-december-26-2011/

AND….ta da…..for that linky link thing on Bonnie Hunter’s Blog at Quiltville – hop on over and see what other Orca Bay Mystery Quilters are up to.

 http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2011/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html

AND ONE MORE THING…..Happy Birthday to my DH……what a day to have a birthday, right?  We are heading to his favorite restaurant….CRACKER BARREL ….no , I am not kidding. 

Happy Birthday Max

The food was great (I had a CA Omelette with mushrooms,  avocado, and goat cheese) and I discovered that I like homemade biscuits with strawberry jam and fresh ground pepper (Grandangel Cooper peppered it for me!!)

Here are my pictures to PROVE that Santa is real – and we had brunch with him today.  PS…if you click on the pictures you can see my DD’s head on her body at the lake!  :):)

When we got home the Epps family opened their first FAMILY GIFT – a WII game – JUST DANCE 3.  OH MY is this ever fun.  I am here to tell you that it is the BEST EXERCISE ever – but you don’t even know you are exercising.  You are just trying to dance and keep up with the little dancer on the screen.  I am so uncoordinated, it is pathetic.  BUT….I had fun anyway…..and there will BE NO PICTURES OF THIS EVER on my blog – or anywhere else, for that matter!!!!!!  lol

Seriously – if you need a gift idea – JUST DANCE 3 for the WII is a winner and good for folks of all ages!  It passed the three-generation test here today!

Quite a few of our extended family members gathered to SURPRISE Daddy and help him celebrate his 90th Birthday in Kansas City, MO!  We ate, we laughed, we played…..and we took LOTS and LOTS of pictures!    We had a pizza party at home for the FIRST PARTY….the next night we had a gala Italian dinner party at our favorite KC Restaurant – Cascone’s…..and Saturday Daddy’s sister and some of his nephews surprised him at yet another birthday party!  Daddy said it was a party worth waiting 90 years for THREE DAYS OF PARTIES!

We had LOTS of fun.  Daddy’s Grandangel Amanda decorated his cake with clowns – oh my – GREAT CLOWNS made out of icing!  

The NEXT GENERATION of his grandangels and great-grandangels had a ping pong tournament that was  SIMPLY MEMORABLE.   The guys dressed for the occasion…..it was hysterical.  They even had an official tournament bracket thanks to technology.  (YEARS AGO we just played and the winner stayed in and welcomed a new opponent!  LOL)  Grandangel Amanda and Great-Grandangel Harry won the tournament!  :)  Daddy even had fun pinging and ponging a bit!

At the end of the pictures you will see some pictures of Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri and some shots of Crowne Center – even the Emory Byrd and Thayer Laughing Santa!

We are going to have another SURPRISE party for Daddy’s 100th birthday – but I guess since he reads my blog, it won’t be a big surprise!  :)

Enjoy the pictures!

We had one of the best Thanksgiving Days ever here in Midlothian, VA.  The Grandangels worked on their Christmas ornaments.  Usually, each year,  they each choose and buy one ornament  for the Christmas tree – but this year they decided to make theirs!  Leanna made a beautiful butterfly ornament.  She wrapped a styrofoam circle with wired garland ribbon and added butterflys, glitter paint, red ribbons and bells!  Here she is – and yes the tree is up *immediately after dinner was over we launched into our  Christmas decoration tradition!

Leanna and her butterfly wreath ornament for 2011

Leanna's Ornament for 2011

Sarah made an elaborate oragami Christmas ornament for 2011!  I was pretty amazed.   I am spatially challenged and do not think that I could ever do this!

Sarah's Christmas Ornament 2011

Cooper made a Christmas Tree Oragami ornament for 2011!

Cooper's Oragami Christmas Tree Ornament 2011

What else did we do while we were waiting for the turkey to cook?  Well we had a contest to see who could bend their left leg around their right leg other the most times!  (OK so I will admit that we MIGHT be a bit UNUSUAL…..but we sure have fun!)  Grandangels Cooper and Sarah (*AND ME) could make TWO TWISTS!

Cooper

Sarah

Me doing a DOUBLE WRAP

Ok – so enough of our silliness.  Before we move on to our Thanksgiving dinner I must mention that SIL Greg made an amazing Bacon and Egg Double Crust Pie for Thanksgiving breakfast.  It was pretty amazing!    You can get his recipe on his blog!  It is a funny read!  You can tell a guy wrote this recipe!

http://www.der5er.com/2011/11/24/new-zealand-bacon-and-egg-pie/

SIL made Bacon and Egg Pie

DD Christi and Grandangel Cooper made the pumpkin pie…….it was DELICIOUS TOO!

Pumpking Pie in the Making

Cooper also delivered a SURPRISE breakfast chocolate cinnamon roll (made by SIL Greg)  to Poppa Max’s mailbox across the street….and yes he is delivering it in his SHORTS….too funny.  I could NOT resist taking the picture (I had to be outside to watch him cross the street – and I just HAPPENED to have my camera in my hand….and the rest is history!!!!)

Cooper is delivering a chocolate cinnamon roll!

And what would Thanksgiving Day be without pictures…….sorry this one is a bit lopsided….I was dancing and being funny to make people smile!

Ruby and the Epps Clan

Grandma Shirley and the grandangels

DH Max and sao

We had a great dinner…..I made cherry, walnut, apple cornbread dressing this year! *YES I REALLY DID!

We are all very thankful!

Then it was time for dessert…..chocolate chess pie, apple pie and pumpkin pie.

See this angelic grandangel…..Leanna….

Innocent sweet angelic granangel Leanna

She ACCIDENTALLY spritzed whipped cream on her papa while decorating his pumpkin pie.  (I think accidentally is a relative term!)

SIL got spritzed with whipped cream

I happened to notice that SIL Greg had whipped cream in his hand and REVENGE in his eyes.  I PLEADED with him not to put whipped cream on Leanna – her hair was so beautifully curled.

And being the nice SIL that he is…..he listened to his MIL…….   Wouldn’t you just LOVE to do this to your MOTHER-IN-LAW!!!

OOPS

We had a great Thanksgiving……..and we REALLY are civilized people, but you might want to make a note to yourself not to ever invite us to your home for dinner!  :)

Grandangel Sarah is eating olives and reading my sausage recipe

We are missing ingredients!

So, did I go to the store and buy what we needed.  NO…..being the adventurous person that I am I just made substitutions!

MAD SCIENTISTS MAKING UP A NEW RECIPE

We have no dried crushed red pepper – no problem – we will leave it out (my DD complains that it is too hot anyway!)

No tarragon…..no problem, we used Steak Rub – Grill Mates.

No white pepper….no problem,  we used fresh ground black pepper!

No celery salt …..we used Lawry’s seasoned salt.

No liquid smoke……THIS WAS THE INGREDIENT THAT ALMOST SENT ME TO THE STORE!  But we substituted Blackened Seafood Seasoning and Sarah added an extra T of barbecue sauce too.

Grandangel Sarah is stirring the brew....

So we mixed and rolled the sausage into little rolls….wearing baggies because NEITHER OF US WILL TOUCH RAW MEAT (I know……pretty silly…..but true!)

Rolling the sausage!

All ready to be baked!

Did you notice that little black thing in one of the sausage rolls?  Sarah got so inspired by our impromptu recipe alterations that she threw in a few black olives…….so like the little baby doll baked into the KING CAKE during Mardi Gras…..we had a little olive baked in our sausage.  Sarah said that the person who got the olive would get a prize.  SHE HID THE OLIVE IN PLAIN SIGHT SO SHE COULD BE THE ONE TO GET IT!

We had lots of fun making the sausage…..and guess what……it is the best that we have ever made…..so I am including our REVISED RECIPE HERE!

sao’s Turkey Sausage (made since 1964 – revised in 2011)

5 lbs ground turkey (do not use white meat – too dry)

1 T Parsley

1 T Cilantro

1 T Curry Powder

1 T Chili Powder

1 T Garlic Powder

1 T Boston Jerk

1 t Mustard Seed  (one teaspoon – usually I use 3 tablespoons)

1 T Oregano

1 T Steak Rub (Grill Mates)

1 T Lawrys Seasonsed Salt

1 T 21 Season Salute (from Trader Joe’s)

5 drops Tabasco (I usually use 10)

1 T Blackened Seafood Seasoning

2 T Teriyaki

2 T Soy Sauce

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

2 T Italian Dressing

3 T Barbecue Sauce

Throw in a few sliced black olives – or anything else that happens to inspire you at the moment!  

Mix well – roll into logs

Bake in 250 degree oven

Turn and Drain every 30 minutes

Takes about 3 hours