The Sounds of Springtime Up North

• The splash from the loons' feet as they dive under water 

• The croaking of the frogs in the ponds along the road

• The crunching of the leaves as the squirrels scamper through the woods

• The quacking of the wood ducks as they swim by the dock

• The drumming of the woodpecker on a hollow log

• The gentle crashing of the waves on the rocky shoreline

• The hoot of the owls calling back and forth in the woods

• The purr of a 4 wheeler in the distance

• The gentle whisper of the wind

• The peaceful, warm silence of the sunset on my face

Silhouette Project

Here are the latest projects I've made using my Silhouette.

I made this cute little jar from a jelly jar. I used the Silhouette to cute the owl out of vinyl - but instead if sticking the owl on the jar, I used the outline to stencil the owl onto the jar using enamel paint especially for glass. Then I painted the lid the same color.

For this picture I again used the Silhouette to cut the letters out of vinyl. But this time I used transfer paper to transfer the letters on to the glass. I found the chevron fabric at Joann Fabrics. I cut a piece to fit behind the glass. And then I put the whole picture together.
(I found the blue rain boots at Goodwill. Aren't they cute?)

With each project I learn a little more about how best to use the Silhouette and materials. Thank goodness for Pinterest and YouTube. I've found lots of helpful hints and tutorials.

Do you have a Silhouette? If so, what projects have you made with it?

A Basket for all Seasons

Last fall I found a cute basket at a shop in Nisswa. It is turning out to be a basket for all seasons. Unfortunately, I can't find a picture of the flowers I put in it for fall - it hung outside our door this fall.
When the snow came, I moved it inside. Here's how it looked for Christmas and the winter.

After this long, cold winter I am so ready for spring. So today I redecorated the basket. If it can't be spring outside, at least I can have spring decorations inside.

The rest of my spring and Easter decorations are in the garage.It's supposed to be warmer tomorrow - maybe I can bring the boxes in and do some more decorating.

A Wonderful Mother's Day

Today was a wonderful day -

• Worshipping at Emily Wesleyan Church.  The congregation recognized the importance of mothers and honored all the moms. Then the focus of the sermon was the hope and joy we have in Jesus:
  
  "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
  
  What a great reminder and encouragement for the day!
• Lunch back at home with my husband, Craig - fresh salad, baked sweet potato and grilled chicken.
• Visited Craig's mom and wished her a happy Mother's Day.
• Spent the afternoon at the shop with Craig, getting ready for our garage sale next weekend. I was able to get almost everything priced, and did a lot of arranging to (hopefully) more artfully display things so people will be able to see how they could use something, and want to buy more.
• Received phone calls from all my boys. It was so good to spend a few minutes talking with each one.
• Pizza for supper and lemon blueberry cake with fresh strawberries on top for dessert.
• Skyped with my daughter, who lives in Guatemala. We had a good chat, and I got to see my grandson, Micah, even though he was fussing and tired. 
• Went for a walk with Craig and Percy, our dog. It's chilly outside, but the snow and ice are gone. The frogs are croaking, the trees are budding, and the grass is getting green.
• Heard the loons for the first time this spring. What a wonderful sound!

I am so thankful for the moms in my life -my mom, who is now in heaven with Jesus; my mother-in-law, Marcy, who lives just three miles away; my daughter-in-law Stephanie, who is a great mom to 3 of our grandchildren; and my daughter, Carrie, who is a brand new mom to our youngest grandbaby. These 4 women are incredible. I am so blessed to have them in my life. In addition, there are many other fantastic women (moms) who touch my life in many ways - coworkers, Christian friends, etc.

 Happy Mother's Day to you all!

From Winter to Spring

It has been a long winter.

Back on April 19 we had a big snow storm.

And we wondered if spring would ever come. But ever so slowly, the snow melted, and then the ice on the lake began to melt.

Every day I would come home from work and go to the window to see if the ice was off the lake yet.

Last night the lake looked like this...

 And today, when I got home it looked like this!

There's just a little bit of ice left close to the shore, and the trees hide it from view.

 Welcome, spring! We're glad you're finally here.

“It was such a spring day as breathes into a man an ineffable yearning, a painful sweetness, a longing that makes him stand motionless, looking at the leaves or grass, and fling out his arms to embrace he knows not what.” 
― John Galsworthy, The Forsyte Saga