Sue Spitulnik

I’m celebrating National Bittersweet Chocolate Day by telling you about my day yesterday. It started when I went out to fill the bird feeder. Sometimes, you have to admit your own foibles and laugh at yourself, just to carry on. Without really thinking ahead, I got my little bucket of seed, carefully stepped outside the sliding glass door onto the step, then onto the snow-covered ground, in flat soled moccasins…..of course I slipped and fell. My right butt cheek hit the corner of the step and lets just say it’s a bit sore this morning. I’m certainly glad there was no camera around. The squirrels and birds thought a patio size dinner table was quite the treat, nothing went to waste but my dignity.

I then went to my sewing studio and played with my new free-motion quilting machine, fabric, and organization. I was satisfied with the outcome, especially how nicely the machine works.

Monday afternoons I have the privilege of picking my grandson up from school and taking him to his private Karate lesson. It’s amazing how much he improves on a weekly basis. If we have time to kill between school and class we often stop at the local quilt shop, his choice over getting hot chocolate. (An empty stomach for class is a good thing.) He has a grand eye for color and helps with my selections. The street he lives on is one of those city streets that doesn’t get a lot of visits from the snow plow. By the time I got back on the expressway to come home, the underside of my car was snow-covered. It was 23 degrees and nothing was melting. When I got to my exit ramp, for whatever reason, everyone in front of me stopped….I hit the brakes, but they locked. They was no screeching of tires, swearing, or swerving; it was more like a big box sliding across the flat kitchen floor! I hit the back of the car in front of me with a big thump. Oh Crap! Long story short, there was no visible damage on either of our cars, we exchanged insurance card photos just in case and went on our way. I considered not even mentioning it to my hubby, but just in case the phone rings, I decided if I whined about what a bad day I had, I might get sympathy instead of disgust. It worked great!

So this morning I sit telling you of my immense need for chocolate yesterday to calm my nerves while trying not to put pressure on my right butt cheek. It hurts! Now it is snowing again, and we are supposed to get freezing rain about noon. I’m staying in the house! I wonder if there is any chocolate left in the cupboard.

A CleanBeginning

It’s National Clean Off Your Desk Day. The calendar says it is so you can start the new year with a clean slate and a sense of serenity. Huh? I’m one of those messy desk people that if I clean everything off and put it away, I can’t find the safe place I put everything. I’m also one that doesn’t remember what I have if I can’t see it. And, I’ve read that a messy desk is a sing of a higher IQ. (I like that concept. I’ll hold on to that one!)

My sewing room tends to be really messy too. The scraps of the last two quilting projects will be pushed to one side, so I can get on with the next. Why clean when you can be creating. My husband surprised me the day after Christmas by taking me shopping at a long established sewing machine store. We came home with a desk-style, 20 inch bed, free motion quilting machine.

Only one problem; I had to clean my studio in order for it to have a permanent home. Guess what. I love my clean space. I am looking forward to having my sewing buddies over to see my new toy. And yes; I have that feeling of serenity the calendar post for today mentioned.

I guess I have to admit and old lady can learn new tricks. Now my sewing studio has been cleaned, maybe I’ll attack my desk, it’s much smaller and wouldn’t take so long. But then would I be able to find my list of ideas that I plan to share with you. On second thought, I’ll go play with fabric, and leave the desk for another day. Fabric is my first love and I’m itching to try my new machine.

01/09/2017 6

Talking to the World

Back in the 1970’s when I was an Air Force wife, I got out my typewriter, used white paper with carbon paper in-between and wrote letters home; or should I say typed. Recently my husband came home from work and told me about one of the young admins that had never seen a typewriter. REALLY! It wasn’t that long ago! Or, is it in the realm of technology?

Today I sit at my computer, write a few words, and share them with the whole world. Amazing! Think about how our elders complained about rising hemlines and the changes in music. I wonder what they would say about the advances in technology? Sometimes I can’t even keep up with it. And we don’t even have to write, we pull out our smart phone and ask Siri. I do think we are losing human interaction along the way, but we sure can find the answers to almost any question when we want. (I miss browsing in the encyclopedias.)

It’s fun to talk to the world and have them talk back. I follow blogs written by people in foreign countries that I will never get to visit. I love to see the pictures they share, and enjoy learning about the different foods. It seems the common threads are we all like animals, nature, food and family.

Is technology power? I’m not sure about that. It certainly does make a difference. I have been saying for years, the way to hurt any advanced country is not with a bomb, but by turning off the power (electricity) for without it, very little happens. Think about that. How many daily functions do you do that are connected to electricity and technology. Kind of scary isn’t it. Oh well, I certainly don’t want to go back to the outhouse days…..giggle. I guess I’ll keep technology, enjoy what it allows me to do and say thank you to the people that make it all work.

01/06/2017 4

Backyard Birds

Looking at the picture provided by the National Day of Calendar for bird day I realize that the backyard birds I have in western New York state are not the same you might have in your backyard elsewhere. But birds are birds. I love watching them at the feeder, flying across the back yard from the shrubs that outline our property, and hearing them “talk” to each other.

I fill our feeder attached to the window daily, and the big hanging one about once a week. The blue jays, who always announce their arrival, and the quiet sleek titmouse come especially for the peanuts. Sometimes they scatter other seed on the ground, the doves and juncos clean that up so we don’t mind. We call the sparrows pigs because they eat anything, until it’s gone. I also throw scraps out for the crows; they very timidly approach the patio, pick up as much as they can carry in their big beaks, and fly off with it. When one arrives, if there are treats, they call to their friends and more crows land silently. I’ve read that crows bring presents to those that feed them, so far, nothing has been left for me. I’m still hoping.

When my granddaughter is here, she notices the bright red on the woodpeckers that visit the suet feeder. I still haven’t convinced the lady at the public market I don’t want loose chunks of suet when I buy it. They don’t stay in the feeder like a nice solid piece does. Once in a while we have a pileated woodpecker visit, they are the huge ones that look like Woody woodpecker. That’s a real treat to see them.

I guess my fascination with birds started when I was a kid and we often had a canary in our kitchen. I remember they usually sang when someone was doing dishes, and if my father whistled a tune to them. Currently, most of the rooms in my house have some sort of birds in them whether in fabric for the shower curtain, a quilt, photographs, paintings, needlepoint, on bells, and even the ceiling border. I’m fussy though, for decorating, I want my birds to be the correct size, color and shape for their breed.

Our cat, Useless, thinks it’s good we feed the birds, he catches the mice that eat the leftovers on the ground. I wish he’d chase away the squirrels that try to get in the feeders, but I guess they are too big to interest him. At least he leaves the birds alone.

01/05/2017 1

A Personal Greeting

I recently took a class on Blogging, because let’s face it, I am still pretty new at this and can always learn something to improve the experience. We were told one of the “rules” is to be consistent so your followers know they can count on you. I also learned there is a difference between a blog someone is hoping to make money with and a personal reflection blog. I think you know mine is the latter.

My goal was to be consistent, but life happens. I have been very busy helping family members this past few weeks, and it isn’t over yet. My sister had a knee replacement, then her husband ended up in the hospital. A tough situation when she can’t drive at the moment. We are all pitching in to help, because we want to. I don’t have a big family, but I do have a close one.

So, I have decided to take a break from my blog until after the first of the year. I want to wish my friends a happy holiday season. I did not say Merry Christmas season because I have a multitude of friends that are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and even Hindu. I love them all. We all celebrate something this time of year so out of respect for all religions I purposely choose to say Happy Holidays.

The picture shows my husband, sitting in my chair, with my blanket over his lap, holding my cat, Useless, while I am away. It was a big deal for all of us. Hubby is helping where he can.

Enjoy the season folks! And may we all have a healthy, prosperous, love filled 2017.

12/14/2016 2