boat

lo and behold . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

It's almost August! How did that happen??? July started with a bang ... pun intended ... with our July 4th holiday and a lovely day with the family on the boat!

This crew loves being in the water ... it's hard to get them back out of it when it's time! Little man thought he was big stuff, hanging out in the Captain's lap. LOL!

Todd's surgery was scheduled for the 5th, so we came in early . . . unfortunately, the surgery ended almost as soon as it had started. We knew the surgeon was going to use cameras to ...

added by Denise :) 8 months, 3 weeks ago. under boat , cancer , cross stitch , family , hearts , holiday , patriotic , photos , sunflower , wool

Where have we been lately? from Romany Quilting

We are heading back up the east coast of the South Island, making our slow way back to the Ferry Terminal. Staying at Christchurch for a couple of days gave us the opportunity to catch up with son Michael again. And I had so enjoyed our previous visit to Sign of the Kiwi Café on the Port Hills last time we were here, that we collected him from his home and went there for lunch. It certainly was a long and winding drive up the road. There were plenty of people there already there enjoying their lunches in the fresh ...

added by Jenny 1 year, 1 month ago. under beach , boat , caravan , cats , earthquake , eating out , family , sculptures , south island trip , tunnel

Cruising about from Romany Quilting

Something ticked off the Bucket List, and what an adventure we had. We are currently in Te Anau (which means place of swirling waters) and recently enjoyed a Coach/Cruise/Underwater Observatory combo to Milford Sound and through the Homer Tunnel. Our adventure started in Te Anau when we boarded the big red coach – with several photo stops along the way. The scenery here is spectacular. The very pretty Mirror Lakes were just off the roadside, and it was a nice easy 5 minute boardwalk there and back. People everywhere, we certainly weren’t the only bus in the car ...

added by Jenny 1 year, 2 months ago. under boat , bus , eating out , fish , gemma , knitting , lake , south island trip , tunnel , waterfall

whirlwind . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Well, all I can think of to say is that it's been a wild ride, this past week or so (and I'm not talking about the tornado watch we're currently under)!

We had a lovely Christmas . . . but there were some sad things, too. Most notably, my dad went to the hospital by ambulance on Monday, December 20, with an exacerbated COPD episode. We (and the doctors) had hoped he would be home by Christmas, but complications arose and that was not to be. He came home late this afternoon, by the same method he went. Hospice has ...

added by Denise :) 2 years, 3 months ago. under baking , boat , camp , christmas , family , friends , grandchildren , photos

october's here . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Got an update on June this week; she saw her shadow . . .

. . . four more weeks in the cast. But this time she got a pretty bright blue one! And a side trip to the San Diego zoo! Sweet girl. She's handling it all very well. She is getting a little antsy. She misses her gymnastics!

Also got an update on this sweet kiddo . . .

Pictured here celebrating getting two parts in The Nutcracker! One is a solo dance (one of the gift toys in the early scene of the Christmas party) and the second is a group dance as one of ...

added by Denise :) 2 years, 5 months ago. under acorns , autumn , boat , embroidery , fishing , grandchildren , photos , stitchery

tried and true . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy binding? I really do. I love the rhythmic stitching motion. It's soothing and settling. So I often volunteer to do the binding on group quilts. (I dislike giving blocks for group quilts ... not because I don't want to give or participate, but because of comments someone once made about my blocks in a swap. It hurt my feelings and I'm just afraid to stitch up bad blocks for a quilt someone else is having to piece. So I bind.)

I volunteered to do so for a quilt we were ...

added by Denise :) 2 years, 11 months ago. under baby quilt , binding , boat , create , eq , family , grandgirls , longarm , nook , photo , picnic quilt , pinwheel , quilt

Holiday Knitting and Tripping Around from Romany Quilting

I’ve taken both knitting and stitching projects away on the trip. Must admit I often do knitting in the car while we are traveling, and have finished two little sleeves on the toddler cardigan I’m making and have now started on the back. I’m not in any hurry with this project, and I’m using up left over wool from my own jumper finished recently.

Knitting in the car, and two sleeves finished

After the Covid scare in Auckland we changes our travel plans are have been moving slowly southwards. We drove along the Desert Road and ...

added by Jenny 3 years, 1 month ago. under bbq , boat , bridge , caravan , eating out , family , gemma , knitting , laundry

Off and Away from Romany Quilting

Our three week caravan trip away started off with a weekend rally with our caravan club buddies. And what fun we had. There was quite an adventure planned for Saturday, with a trip to Day’s Bay and back on public transport. Originally we were to travel from Naenae to Wellington by train, but track maintenance was being carried out and the trains were replaced by buses. Not such a disappointment, as along came a big yellow double decker bus to carry our bunch of OAPs into the big city. It’s been a while since we were in the ...

added by Jenny 3 years, 2 months ago. under boat , bus , caravan , eating out , mountain , tunnel

late out of the gate . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

So. Obviously my resolution for 2021 wasn't to spend more time on the blog. Ha!

In fact, I didn't make resolutions (I haven't done that for the past several years, actually). I took stock of 2020 (for what it's worth, am I right?), and instead made a couple of goals. Really, I just made a goal. I finished my complete read of the Bible on December 24, but decided it was a lot of reading (the Bible in a year) without a lot of study. So this year I decided to start over again, read just ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 2 months ago. under 2021 , birthday , boat , granddaughter , hospital sketches , new year , photo , quilt , study , sunrise , wool

ebb and flow . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

So do you ever get in a place where you've been sticking to a good blogging regiment, and it's time to blog and you think, "I just can't." Not because of some emotional duress or physical stress. It's just not there. That was me this weekend. I've been trying to post at least once a week—because I enjoy going back and reading my posts and seeing what I was doing—and any posts beyond that are just a bonus. The months (and the years) when blog post offerings are slim make me sad (in ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 5 months ago. under binding , boat , lake , life , photos , quilt , slow stitching , sunset , wool

weekend busy happies . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

I'm going to tell you a true story . . .

I read a quote that caught my attention: "The secret to having everything, is believing you already do."

Immediately I thought of my current fabric stash and felt a little convicted. Then this verse of scripture popped into my head: "Lord I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)

Then I ordered this . . .

To go with this . . .

Which it does, and very nicely, I might add. The end. No names were changed to protect the not-so-innocent.

Where do I go from that? It's been a very busy weekend! Of course ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 7 months ago. under acorns , birthday , boat , craft , embroidery , fabric , granddaughter , handwork , lake , photos , pumpkin , slow stitching , squirrel , stitchery

splashing into autumn . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Hey hey! Just checking in before we head into the weekend. We enjoyed a lovely, beautiful day on the lake on Monday. The weather couldn't have been more cooperative. We're at that time of the year where sometimes the water, at 85 degrees, is warmer than the air temp!

That means we spend LOTS of time in the water (because it's too cold to come out)! The girls had a blast splashing and swimming. Edith even decided it was her day to jump off the boat into the water, multiple times. She was a champ! But we ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 7 months ago. under anniversary , birthday , boat , christmas , epp , fall , family , granddaughters , handwork , photo , potc , pumpkin

starting july off right . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

We enjoyed a terrific long Independence Day weekend! On Thursday, we had 'staff enrichment', which means we went to lunch together at a nice restaurant and then went home afterwards. Hip, hip! On Friday, Todd and I did our usual boating trip where he fished and I mostly read. I never get tired of the scenery!

On Saturday, we hit the lake again, this time with the Merkel crew.

We spent the day swimming and splashing (and eating), and then we headed towards the shoreline at dark to watch fireworks. It was fabulous!

All the big shows had coronacancelled, but ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 9 months ago. under 4th of july , boat , family , granddaughters , mystery quilt , photo , quilt , roadtrip

pandemic pass . . . from Count it *all* JOY!

Evidently, that's just what I did. Took a pass on blogging during the height of the pandemic. I have no good excuse for it, either! Except how you know when you miss something one week ... and it makes it a little easier to miss it the next week ... until the week comes and it's hard to do it because you've missed so much?

Yeah. That.

I *have* been busy (for the last seven plus weeks). Lemme 'splain . . .

I made some masks (click here for the tutorial):

I made quilt tops and finished quilts:

(Temecula mini is finished ...

added by Denise :) 3 years, 11 months ago. under baking , boat , books , camp , pandemic , photos , quilt , tea

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