Hi everyone!
What a crazy week it has been here. Snow, sunshine, wind…you name it we have seen it. I’ve had some special visitors to my yard this week. The first is this handsome guy. He is the first blue jay I’ve seen this year and he had his eye on the bird feeder (actually a bird bath that I fill with bird seed for all of my little finches that live in my giant blue spruce tree). Then Charlie stopped by to say hello and munch on some fruit and nut blend. I love my Charlie’s. I have about five that I feed regularly. This is one I call baby Charlie, because last spring, he was just a baby. Not so much anymore. He is very comfortable around my husband and I. I can sit on my front step, just two feet from his bowl (yes, my squirrels have their own bowl of food – it keeps them from eating all the bird food) while he sits and munches on his dried fruit and nuts.
On another note, I did get some work done on my “Santa’s Magic” cross-stitch. This sucker is enormous! It is the biggest cross-stitch I have done (14″x17″), and I work and work and don’t seem to be getting anywhere. I am also bummed out because it has been so long since I started this (7 years) that some of the white stitching that I did is yellowed (I’m guessing from dirt and oils and not being cleaned). So, I think I’m going to have to take out some of it and do it over. Oh well. This is Santa’s sleeve and glove. It is kind of hard to tell.
Here is the pattern. I highlight the sections that I have finished so I don’t lose my place. See how big this pattern is? I have done a lot, but still so much to go. I am glad that tomorrow is Friday. I am especially looking forward to the weekend because we are supposed to hit the 70’s on Sunday! Finally a weekend that I can get out and work on my yard a bit. Would you believe I still have leaves from the fall to rake up in my front yard. I left them there to provide insulation to our poor lawn, and I think it worked. The grass is coming up and it is very lovely and green! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Hugs and Love, E
A Dilettante of Fruition 
looking good! I know you can do it.