Duke here . . .

Hey there! Duke here with an update.

Mom is taking a nap again and I'm looking around for things to do.

I'm so helpful.

I found mommy's tape measure yesterday, it's a little spool thing.

I don't know how she figured out that I had it - it was hidden in my mouth,

but she got a cookie, and I couldn't take it unless I opened my mouth - what a

dilemma! Finally, I opened up just a little and the tape measure fell out!

But I did get the cookie.

Here I am brushing my teeth!

. . . with mommy's toothbrush.

One of my jobs is to guard the house!

So, If I hear anything, I have to bark. The last two days something has

been prowling around at dawn. A cat! It sits and looks at me!

I bark and bark!

Finally, mommy gets up and I jump into her bed. It's toasty.

Sunny gets in too! She never got on the bed before, I'm teaching her

lots of new things. We like each other!

I really have so much to do around here, that I'm pretty tired

at the end of the day. Mommy thinks I have

"calmed down" a lot.

Love, The Duke

Welcome to the Grow Your Blog Party!

Back in June, Vicki from 2 Bags Full came up with a wonderful party! . . .

HERE!

so, along with over 300 others, I signed up! I have 86 followers now, and it's always nice to meet new friends, right? It's fun to peer into others crafty spaces, and kind of "chat over the back fence."

My name is Linda and I live in a house in the woods with my two dogs. What with Hurricane Sandy this year, Irene last year and the wierd snow we had with all the leaves on the trees, I am beginning to feel like "Pioneer Woman," between the 5 day stretches without electricity and hauling wood into the house for my wood stove and getting water from the creek to flush the toilets and wearing a headlamp to read. I have actually started stocking up on canned goods and a three day supply of water - Prepper Linda, for heaven's sake. And Hurricane Sandy dropped a tree on the corner of the House of Beautiful Dogs. The tree is finally cut down and aging for next year's firewood, but the roof isn't fixed yet - soon I hope!

Well, first the dogs. I usually have three, but right now am down to two (I lost my German Shepherd, Marley last July), both ten year old golden retrievers. Sunny was a breeder dog in a puppy mill in her former life. She has been with me for about 5 years.

Duke, has been with me for a month and it has been interesting. Duke - uh - snaps. When he has something of yours he doesn't want to give up. We are working on this, and he is at the point where he will trade for a cookie. Sometimes. He also counter surfs and howls in his sleep. He does NOT walk nicely on a leash. He hates being left alone. But isn't he CUTE?? I didn't want that gardening glove anyway.

I volunteer at the Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue where I do canine massage. Yes, I am a licensed Canine Massage Therapist. (If you need a golden retriever they are the place to go!) I have had some success with "troublesome" and "hard to adopt" dogs, so a few weeks ago they loaded Duke into my car.

My day job (or night job in my case) is RN at a local hospital where I do 12 hour shifts as a critical care/trauma nurse. I have been doing this for almost nineteen years now, I know, I can't believe it myself!

So about three years ago I found this house in the woods and moved here. There are sure a lot of bugs in the woods! Spiders, daddy longlegs and those big ones that come in with the wood. Uck! There was a snake last summer! And if you plant anything, tons of worms! I know worms are good, but please, lets be reasonable! But it's quiet. And the birdsong is incredible! I didn't know birds could sing like that. Woodpeckers, owls, deer walking down the driveway. There is a little stream that runs along the edge of the property and the frogs (peepers) start singing in the spring, then the bullfrogs start.

I started the blog because I started a sewing business on Etsy. I love to sew, and I make pillowcase dresses embellished with antique lace, bonnets, teddy bears, and also sell some floral china, mostly rose embellished, along with other little treasures.

I make aprons too, and one of them was featured in apronology last year!

But I have a lot of other things to blog about, my dogs, recipes, my forays into canning, trips and places I have visited. Here's me at the Phila. Flower Show with really flat hair!

Because of blogging, I have met so many creative people, seen their studios and met their pets. I think it's pretty special to be able to talk to people from all over the world. I can't wait to get started with all the new visits!

So Welcome!
Love, Linda

Organization

I have GOT to get organized!

I don't even know what I've got!

Bags full of scraps!

Oh Dear!

Starting to gather ribbon colors together.

So much fun sorting all these colors (NOT!)

Two days later, I'm getting there . . .

Soon I'll be sewing again - found LOTS if stuff I forgot about!

Love, Linda

Grow Your Blog Party!

  Vicki at 2 Bags Full is hosting a Grow Your Blog Party You will want to participate in this big event, either to Grow YOUR Blog or to visit some really special ones! Click on this link Grow Your Blog! to be taken to Vicki's website. On January 19th, 2013 you will find a huge list of blogs to visit. Lots of giveaways too! See ya there! Love, Linda