Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas)

I found this great story waiting for me in my e-mail box and had to share with you! Please give credit to Gingerbread Snowflakes. You should go to her website and sign up for the newsletter, Gingerbread Snowflakes

Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) in the Netherlands: History and Celebrations

 

 Go to Gingerbreadsnowflakes to  see the whole article and wonderful pictures. I had it up here on the blog but the photos were not showing up.

Submerged by Dani Pettrey

Bailey Craig ran away along time ago from her small hometown of Yancey, Alaska. She had made bad choices and felt major judgement due to those choices. When she gets a call that her aunt has died she has to face those same people that judged her so many years ago. The problem is that the only man she ever loved is also still living in Yancey. How will she be able to face him after all that has gone on between them?

Cole McKenna and his familyare co- owners of a successful business. He is a family oriented,and still is in love with Bailey Craig.It is very hard on him when he recovers Bailey's aunt's body from a plane crash.Will this bring Bailey back to Yancey? How will everyone treat her?

Cole and Bailey get asked by the local police to work on the case being Bailey understands the Russian language and some of the history and folklore of the area. Getting stuck working together brings all kinds of feelings up from the past.Can they deal with their feelings while trying to find out if her aunt was murdered and why? Does it have anything to do with the other murders that have happened in the area? This book takes you through history, mystery, love, forgiving and forgetting. The person that is reading the book can relate on so many levels as we have all struggled with love, being judged by others or the loss of a love one. Mix all those feelings along with a good mystery and you jave Submerged!

This was a really good book that I would recommend reading.I received it free of charge from Bethany House. All they asked in return was for me to post a book review. The opinions written here are solely my own.

The Hidden Truth by Judith Miller

Dovie is really struggling with her mother's death, she misses her mother and wonders if she really knew her or if she had ever really been happy. When her father gets transferred to Texas she decides to ask to see if she can go and visit her mom's family back in the Amana Colonies. Will her father allow her to go back there? Will they even let her come to visit being her mom and her cousin had not talked in years?

Dovie not only struggles to find out who her mother really was, how she was raised. But she has to adjust the way she lives her life as life in the Amana Colonies are very different than her life in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dovie finds her new life both challenging as well as full-filling. She has some big lessons to learn about her mom, colony life, love and family.

Karlina loves working with her father and the sheep in East Amana. She struggles when a new shephard comes to help her father with the sheep. Will the new shephard work out? Will her cousin come and like being in East? Karlina struggles within her own life as she does not fit the "normal" woman in East, she does not like to do the "woman" duties expected of her.

Will the cousin's find happiness? Will they workout the mysteries that each seems to be experiencing with the men that they have started having feelings for?

I really felt this book was well written. It leads you through lives that have not always gone the way the people wanted them to turn out. It is well written, leading you through the book- wanting more.

I recieved this book for free from Bethany House. All that they asked me was to post a book review, weather that be a good or bad review. The opinions here are solely my own.

Love in Disguise by Carol Cox

Ellie Moore wants to be an actress so bad. When an opportunity comes along that she wants so badly, does she have the talent to talk the men into giving her a chance. Can she pull off the biggest act of her life? Can she go to a totally different state and help solve a crime as a Pinkerton agent?

This is a great book set in 1881, crime, mystery,love, danger. Take the adventure with a young woman that has to make the decision of her life that will ultimately change her life forever. Will she make it through the dangerous assignment that she has taken with the Pinkerton agency? Will she find out who is committing the crimes? Will she catch the criminals? How will she achieve that alone in a new town and brand new to being an agent. Come along as Ellie finds quite the adventure in Arizonia. Can Ellie help  Steven save his business? Will he ever feel the same way towards her as she feels towards him? Or will he be mad at her deception?

I really liked this book, it was a good read that kept you guessing what was going to happen next. This would make a good book for someone in your list for the holidays.

Bethany House did supply me with a free copy of this book. All they asked in return was for me to post a book review of what I thought of the book. These are solely my opinions.

The Messenger by Siri Mitchell

This is a good curl-up book, I started reading and just had to finish it! Hannah, who is a Quaker really struggles between her faith and her heart. Her brother ends up in trouble but she is unable to help or comfort him due to her faith. Will she follow her heart? Or will she do as she is suppose to as a Quaker and not pick sides?

Jermiah is a Colonial spy and really asks some hard things of Hannah. She is put in the hot spot on more than one occasion for her beliefs. She has to come to terms with what she believes and how she will be able to balance those beliefs with being able to help out Jeremiah and her brother.

This book is set in Philadelphia under the British Occupation. It makes you wonder what you would have done in the same position. What are your core values? Are you willing to change those values or work with them to achieve something that is dangerous but is worth changing?

I would recommend you grabbing the book for with yourself or as a gift for someone on your holiday list.

I did receive a copy of this book from Bethany House free of charge. Thank you very much! All they ask of me is to post  my own personal review on the book, either positive or negative.

Hayward Piecemakers Quilting Guild- Nov, 2012

I joined the Hayward Piecemakers Quilting Guild awhile back and when we had our last meeting- November 12th I finally was able to wear my name tag! Yes, that's right I FINALLY got it quilted! Are you proud of me or what!!! LOL I have to say I was pretty happy as I had been trying to get it done and with being in school and all the other obstacles in life I have not been able to sew the name tag OR make it to a meeting. It was great being able to see all the lovely ladies, see what beautiful projects that they have been working on. Of course that day I did not have my camera, so no pictures of the wonderful projects. However I will walk you through the making of the name tag.


The pieces were cut into squares already, so I just made sure they were squared up. Then cut diagonal.




Did the same with the other colors. I had to make sure to keep the colors in their own piles as each color is a different size.




Now some would use the paper pattern and just sew the fabric to it and then later take the paper off. Not me as I have not done that before. I was on a time limit and I did not want to mess up. So I just pieced it like I have learned to do. So the white will be the center with the dark blue pinned in position for sewing.




Bad picture, my camera is going. I need to get a new one quickly! But here you see the red id sewn on two sides, then pressed out. Now the other two pieces are pinned and once sewn you will then press out.





As you see here each color has been sewn, then pressed out. The little triangles you see are trimmed off before you pin the next color in place.




I like to pin the next color on first and then what I do is trim it to make sure that it is straight and the little triangles are off.





Press them out. I am a presser. I like to know what it looks like and if it is straight. Whatever you are comfortable doing.




This one was pinned and then sewn. I did this as some people will sew and then trim. Some people pin and then trim.




This is what it will look like before pressing it out.




After pressing out. Wish the camera was doing better pictures, but you get the idea!



Squared up.



Then you get to put the strips on that go around the name and the square.




Half done, now do the other two sides.




So this is what the badge is going to look like. I will write my name on the white piece. But before doing that I have to bind it.





Here I am folding the edge over and pinning it. Then I will start sewing.




Here is the back, you can see I like little stitches. This is my first attempt at doing a binding. I was amazed at how long it took me to do just this little bit! My friend Anita can bind! She is super fast. Maybe some year I will be half as good!





Done sewing! The edges are straighter than they look! LOL




Complete for the meeting. Have my name on there and the Guild pin. At some point I may use some floss and stitch my name. For now it is just fine.

I was pretty happy that I got it done AND I won the drawing for wearing my name tag! I never win anything! I was super excited!
Do you belong to a guild? Are you in the Hayward, WI area? You are welcome to come to  our meeting. The next Hayward Piecemakers meeting is January 14th at 10:00 am at the Hayward Library.



Advocate Column not published in the paper.

I am putting this in the blog as it never made it into the paper this week as I could not make it to town to jump on Wifi! Ugghh I really need internet at my home just for these situations!! Sorry all you readers, I have heard back when you don't see the column in the paper. I value you reading my article every week. Let me know if you have info to put out there for the neighbors.

Good Morning their friends- Well we did get some snow over the weekend. I am sure there are people out there that are happy about that. I think it looks really pretty but I have to say the older I get the more I dread dealing with it. I look back at being a kid and I remember being outside for hours on a snow mobile, cutting wood or just playing. Now I have to gear up to go out, I have turned into a baby! I think it’s the responsibility that goes with knowing if the car does not start, YOU are the one that has to figure out what to do!

So here I sit with a car that will not run. What am I to do? First I have to just think, well it could be worse. I am stranded at home, not on the road. Does it put a crimp in my day? Sure does! I am glad my daughter rides the school bus- I used to drive her into school everyday- at least that is not on my plate today. What do others do when they are without  a car? A lot of people do not have a car at all. What do they do?? So I called Namekagon Transit, they are the little white buses that you see going around from Hayward to Spooner, other destinations. So if you are like me and are having an issue with your car, or if you are carless- you can call Namekagon and schedule a ride. You do have to call 24 hours in advance to set-up a pick-up, the lady I talked to was very nice and walked me through the process. I have to say I think the price is good, I just wanted to let people know that this is an option. You never know when you would like to do some shopping or have an appointment and can’t get a ride with someone you know. To schedule a pick-up call 715-634-6633 or toll-free 866-295-9599

I pray all the deer hunters had a great hunt. Hopefully a lot of deer were harvested to get folks through the winter. Nothing like a good pot of venison stew when it gets cold.

The Palace Theatre in Spooner are having a free admission  movie every Sat @ 1:00 pm. You do have to pick up a ticket from a business in town, Northwinds, Cat’s Meow, Spooner Advocate, Economart are just a few places to get tickets. Dec 1^st will be Alvin and the Chipmunks- Chipwrecked, Dec 8^th will be Madagascar, and Dec. 15^th will be Arthur Christmas. Santa will also be there on Dec. 15^th! If you are looking for a ticket call your favorite business and see if they have tickets to pick-up. A big thanks to The Palace Theatre for putting this on!

Feed-A-Family program has kicked off at The Lakes Community Co-op grocery store in Stone Lake. They are accepting donations to buy $10, $20, and $50 bags of groceries that will be delivered to needy folks the week before Christmas. The donations will be accepted until December 14^th, you can send your donation to  The Lakes Community Co-op, W106 Main Street, P.O. Box 356, Stone Lake, WI 54876 Please make the check out  to The Lakes Community Co-op and put “feed-a family” on the memo line. Last year 65 families received groceries and 75 seniors received fruit baskets from this wonderful program. If you or someone you know would benefit from this program please give Jim at The Lakes Community Co-op a call 715- 865-6989. Also if you know any youths that are in need of a hat, gloves, jacket or boots you can let Jim know that as well or call Marie’s Hide-away- the sooner the better!

The Christmas Fund is also accepting donations of money, new toys and new clothing at Spooner Advocate, Shell Lake State Bank, Washburn County Register, and Indianhead Credit Union. If you would like to send a monetary donation in please mail it to Christmas Fund, P.O. Box 321, Spooner, WI 54801. If you are in need of help please fill out an application before Dec 12^th, to receive help you need to reside in either the Spooner or Shell Lake School District. Forms can be picked up at Washburn County Register, Spooner Advocate, Washburn County Food Pantry, Washburn County Human Service Office in Shell Lake or Washburn County Public Health in Spooner. Delivery will be on Friday Dec 21^st  from 9-1pm and an adult (or the recipients) will have to be there to accept.

I hope each of you are having fun getting ready for the holidays. Please keep in mind that it is not all about the gifts. Being with family, spending time with friends that is the greatest gift you can give someone. Homemade gifts are wonderful to make with the kids and are a great to receive!

If you have news please let me know! Stay warm!