Happy Thanksgiving!

 I am so grateful for YOU my friends for all your love, encouragement and friendships! I hope yall have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
xo jan

Books and a Beanie...

Hey yall! I hope everyone is staying nice and warm. We have had below freezing temps and snow on the mountain! I took this photo the first day of November from a friends hay field. When the hubby told me we were going to start hauling 70 or so rolls of hay home, I was very happy to know that I would be the one driving the truck, where it was nice and warm!

I carried some yarn and a crochet hook with me since I have been struggling with carpal tunnel again with my right wrist/hand. I can crochet and knit, but it really hurts to hold a needle and hand sew!

I love this yarn. It is a very warm acrylic blend. Since I lost my hat last year to a fresh cow patty, I don't like to use good yarn for wearing around the farm, just in case a cow patty claims another one. I really think that my color choices whether I am sewing or crocheting is highly influenced by my surroundings. However, the color name of this yarn is "Teddy Brights"! ha!

 Missy was very intent on supervising my progress! Or maybe she was counting stitches :)!

At least for a little while......

Then I think the warm sun shining into the cab while the wind was howling outside was just too much! I lost her quick! Sleeping on the job. Snoring too!

About the time hubby had the load ready to take home, I was making good progress on my beanie.

  And on a totally unrelated note, I wanted to show y'all this old home that we pass by on our comings and goings.

Isn't it gorgeous? Look at those triangular windows up top! It seems like I should know the history behind this house, but I can't recall it. I will definitely have to look it up.
    When we returned for the 2nd load, I decided to give my hand a rest and finish up a book that I was reading.

. This is "The Funeral Parlor Quilt" by Ann Hazelwood. It is the third novel in the Colebridge Community Series. The first and second books in the series are "The Basement Quilt" and "The Potting Shed Quilt". Now I want to say that I have mixed feelings on exactly how much I want to say here about these books. I am not an experienced book reviewer but I would give all three of these 4 stars. If you go to Amazon and look at the reviews there, you will find everything from 5 stars to 1 star!.The series begins with introducing you to the local florist, Anne Brown, in the small town of Colebridge and her extended family that gather to finish a quilt. There are some very repetitive phrases used throughout the books, especially the first novel, that are mildly annoying. I do not like to analyze why an author uses certain phrases, repetitive or not. Maybe that phrase holds certain memories for the author and she is just wanting to share. I certainly did not let simple over usage of a phrase or incorrect grammar deter me from enjoying what I think is a very well written set of events that brings you into the fold of the community within Colebridge.After all, The Basement Quilt is Ann Hazelwood's first novel!
  Now the books are set up as a SERIES! Someone actually wrote in a review that the books "left you hanging". I did not feel like either of the first two books ended badly.They could be stand alone books.  However, the third book, The Funeral Parlor Quilt, does leave you hanging. And at a crucial point! This, I did not like. It is like one of those movies where something happens right at the end and you don't know the outcome. It kinda leaves you aggravated, for lack of a better word.
  I also want to mention that the series has some "Supernatural" events going on that some reviewed as making the books unbelievable. Ya know, I am one of those people that kinda believe in "Live and let live". Once again this is an issue that did not deter me from enjoying this series. I think the author did a very good job in making the reader feel the attachment that "Anne Brown" feels to the supernatural powers within the books.
  Now all that being said, I have enjoyed reading each of these novels and I have already ordered the fourth in the series, The Jane Austen Quilt Club and the fifth The Ghostly Quilts on Main! From the first book to the third, I often found myself searching for my book. Whenever a book makes me feel like I know the characters personally and I can't wait to see what they are up to next, then I count it as a good book. It's been a while since I carried a book (s) around with me everywhere I went, but I have with this series. I just hope Amazon hurries and gets the next two to me quick! I need to know what happened!

After I finished my book, I finished my Beanie!

Ain't that color gorgeous!

 Yeehaw! for a warm noggin!
And no wise cracks about my gray  silver hair!
Time to head home!
Y'all, thanks so much for stopping by! I know my blog has been rather quiet lately but it really does hurt to type much. Hopefully my wrist/hand will improve soon.
Happy stitching and reading dear friends! 
xo jan
PS. I forgot to mention, these books are published by American Quilters Society and each book has a link for a quilt block pattern! Free! You Can't beat free :)!