Friends would you say a prayer for Mabel?

Hey everybody! I did not mention it before because we were busy preparing for Madeleine's Confirmation. Thursday night Mabel woke me twice whimpering. Very unusual,but I didn't understand in my grogginess. She held her head up funny on Friday. We took her to the vet on Saturday. X-rays show she has two slipped or herniated discs in her back! SHE IS 3 YEARS OLD! Our dear, sweet Mabel was given a steroid shot. She has been on oral steroids and pain pills, and will be for 10 days total. The vet says the inflammation should subside and she should return to normal activity. This problem could take years to flare up again. Or it could not resolve. She could eventually become paralyzed from this problem. Oh LORD please no!

She seems sad, but I know it is painful. She is lethargic, I know it is the pain pills making her laze about. Very unpuppylike. I think you may have noticed we love her very much!

She must not have free roam of the yard for these 10 days or jump or use steps. We are praying for her recovery. Would you also friends? We would truly appreciate it. Truly. We believe in the power of prayer so much. Yes, even for animals. Even for Mabel. God made her!

My new Bible verse at top is Madeleine's Confirmation verse. I helped her pick it out.

praying and stitching,
Vickie

Confirmation and stupid odds

Hey everybody! I hope you are all doing well, we are here. :) Madeleine was confirmed in our Lutheran faith yesterday alongside 18 of her classmates.

yes, it is true, her favorite color is also pink! :)

The weather was a sunny 97 degrees. We had a beautiful time with family.

grape scented iris

Chocolate Chess iris

And finally friends, what do you say the odds would be on me digging up the peonies that were here when we moved in, writing with sharpie marker on each one, pink or white (on the leaves). Then I went to transplant them 2 days later and all the pink and white markings were gone.  I guessed. I figured I will plant 6 and surely get pink and white. Well 4 of the 6 have started to bloom and guess what?! Yes! They are all white so far! The one I gave my MIL?? Pink of course! :(

I finished The Fiddler, it was great. Worth the read.

stitching and reading,
Vickie

Chocolately goodness

Hey everybody!  So glad you are here. :) Welcome to new followers!

I finished Maggie's bath and haircut. I should have known better than to let her wander while I was watering the garden beds. She of course ruined her whole white and fluffy look. :(  Actually a quick blow dry seems to have fixed her up. She is not a girly dog. The camera battery died before I got a good picture of her for you.  I did get this one of the latest iris to open up around here.

Huckleberry Fudge Tall Bearded Iris

Pretty huh? How about this one too.

Pink Mocha Begonia

You can see how dark brownish the leaves are. These small dark red flowers are called Bittersweet William, because of the chocolate type leaves. Instead of Sweet Williams, get it? :) Yes, sometimes it is a stretch to place the flowers in the chocolate category. But if I like it, it's in. My favorites always remain the chocolate scented ones. ♥

Bittersweet Williams

 I am still reading The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis. It is a good book.

reading and stitching,
Vickie

Busy and a finish

Hey everybody! How are you all doing? We have been busy getting ready for Madeleine's Confirmation. There will be 20 young people getting confirmed on Sunday in our Lutheran Church. She had her questioning last night. The pastor asked all of them 200 questions regarding the faith, and they all did very well. Confirmation occurs on Sunday at 10:30. We will have family there and over afterwards. This is where the busyness comes in. Yes, the children and I have been crawling over the lawns, front and back, pulling dandelion weeds. Brian says this is completely unnecessary. Well, I like a clean, neat appearance! I have planted some too.

I think you can tell I chose this elephant ear plant because the leaves look like big pink hearts.♥

So this is our fence along the driveway. We put up trellises every year. I planted sweet pea vines a week ago. They have popped up and started. I filled the baskets with pink and purple flowers.plants and vines.

So the two on the outsides are light pink, the one in the center has dark pink geraniums. I prefer the light pink ones, but like them all. ♥

purple columbine

And finally, I did finish up that adorable little Bent Creek bunny from Sally.

Bent Creek Little Bunny

Now I am think, think, thinking on how to finish him off. I would like to say I am on to my next stitch, I cannot. I have to give both dogs baths and haircuts. Neat appearances remember. :)

reading and cleaning up,
Vickie

Happy Mother's Day to all you stitchy mamas out there!

The smell of chocolate!

Hey everybody!

I do not know how, but I forgot to tell you that those chocolate swirl irises I showed you last time, smell of milk chocolate.  They are just wonderful as you can imagine. :)  I took another photo for you of a second one that opened up today.

Chocolate Swirl

Here is yet another of the concrete poodles I made.  Her name is Cocoa and she lives in the chocolate heart garden. :)

One last picture I took for you tonight.  This is of a pink and yellow columbine that was planted by the original owners of this house.  The wife was a lover of pink like me.  I transplanted a few of these to the small garden we created on the side of the garage.  I have planted almost all pink and purple flowers there.

I did finish reading Threadbare by Monica Ferris on Monday.  It was a good book.  It is the latest from her in her Needlecraft Mystery series.  I have read every one of them.  I may guess part of the mystery, but not all.  The main character owns a needlecraft shop and has a gift for sleuthing.  I was disappointed though.  I am ashamed to admit that I did read the whole book, even though she did add probably 8 swear words in it.  I find it sad when an author feels they need to do this.  They don't.  I do not like to read books containing foul language.  I do not use it myself and find it offensive and just plain unintelligent.

The next book I am reading is also a fairly new one from the library.  I love that place!!  It is The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis.  I already know that this will not disappoint me.  It is number one in a new series by her.  This time involving an "English" lady and an Amish man.

Stitching, reading and planting seeds,
Vickie

Flowers, some chocolate and some not :)

Hey everybody!
How are you this evening?  I am feeling fine, only because I am ON PERCOCET!!  Yes, again.  Whatever!
See this pretty yellow rose?

My husband surprised me with it this morning just because.♥  He is very good that way.  I get flowers very often actually.  Roses seem to be the favorite.  Yellow always reminds us of the first flowers he gave me.  I was sixteen, he was seventeen.  I had my tonsils taken out and he came to visit me in the hospital.  This was when you still stayed over night for this.  We were only friends at this point still. :)  Anyways he brought me a small arrangement of yellow roses.♥

Look what I found in the chocolate garden this evening.  The first iris.  This one is a standard dwarf bearded iris.  It is called Chocolate Swirl.  I love it.

Chocolate Swirl

So, I have been planting a bit more, but mainly reading Threadbare.  It is a good book thus far.

Went to my mother's yesterday for our Mother's Day celebration.  She loved the heart I stitched up for her. :)

Jacob and his date had a very nice prom.  They enjoyed themselves.  He is not asking her to be his girlfriend, and he is my son who does not expand upon explanations. :)

Hello new followers.  I am glad you are here.  I am glad for all of you.  Thanks for your caring comments.♥

Planting, reading and stitching,
Vickie