Sam yelled....Dad, quick, something BIG!!!

So math was interrupted for a brief 15 minutes or so while we all rushed the window. Sam spotted a male pheasant in the yard. Time to go hunting!!

Just Because He Loves Me!!!!

Tony sent me flowers today.

Roses, Lily, Hydrangea, and a couple others I'm not familiar with.

I'm loved!!!

Primary Color, String Quilt, Windowpane

Well it didn't turn out perfectly, none of my work does, but it is ready to be quilted. I'm trying a different quilt pattern, but so far it looks like a toddler did it. I'll have to practice some more, or go back to just stippling, which hides oops's so nicely.

Working on a Pillow

I cross stitched this picture for Grandma Vi (Violet) in 1987, the year I got married. It hung on Grandma's livingroom wall above the hutch. After she passed, mom had it in her craft room, and when mom passed away, I brought it home. I decided to take it out of the frame and turn it into a pillow. I love the colors and have some fabric from a grandmother's garden quilt I was working on that should work as a border. I've never done this before, so I'm learning as I go.

The Lily of the Valley flower was on my wedding announcement and on mom's headstone.

Who's that Doggy in the Window?

Sugar, our neighbor's dog, has found where we spend our days. She showed up at our schoolroom window eager to distract and entertain us! Of course it wasn't a hard sell for us, we were ready for a break anyway. One of the kids opened the window and popped off the screen and in jumped Sugar!
I think I need a grandchild..this puppy is looking very cute to me! She actually seems to smile when she sees us and bounds up the driveway and into our arms.

Wayyy too distracting!

Big Sam on his 150

Sam enjoying his Honda 150

Hang Loose!!

Sam LOVES to dirt bike!

Sugar - Puppy Fun!!

This is our neighbor's puppy, Sugar.

She is deaf but responds really well to open arms and a smile.

Sugar likes to play in our yard, with our kids and with Willy's toys.

Willy doesn't have a clue, and poor boy, he doesn't really know how to play with other dogs
He loves people, but dogs, he's not so sure.

Sugar makes daily appearances in our yard and at the window.
No one can resist her little face and sweet playful puppy-ness.



So in she comes or out we go and it is puppy time.
We wonder how BIG she'll be when she grows into her feet!

Blast from the Past

This is Tony at 19 yrs old, at his first base in Blytheville Arkansas

1979 - 1981

Tony's roommate, Joe, cut every one's hair

Tony with cornrow/braid/dreads before they were "in"
Boy this hair is SOoooo 80's!!

This is barrack living in Arkansas

Quilt Label

Mom's quilt label came in the mail today.

Once I figure out how to attach it, my project will be complete.

Close up I named the quilt, Pamela's Joy, because it truly was a joy to create.
I made it "in Memory of Mom", and of course not made by Pam, but Joy's Pam.

Fall in My Backyard

Rosehips - Pinkish Purple Arctic Rose in the summer

Twin flower - green ground cover, lovely, tiny pink bell flower in the summer

High Bush Cranberry, Birch and Spruce

I love fall, it is my favorite Alaskan season.

Quilt Projects: I took the colorful string quilt (previous post) apart into individual squares and will do a window pane quilt when I have extra hours. I am planning to make another "mom's clothes quilt" to use up the fabric. I can't seem to part with the scraps, so I'm going to try to use them up.

Sam sleeps with the quilt Gramma started every night. I'm so glad he is enjoying it.

God is good! We are grateful!

New Project String Quilt Blocks

Above are primary colored string quilt blocks made from children's sewing project scraps.

Started with 12" block foundations, sewed diagonal scraps of different widths and lengths, cut them into 4 smaller blocks, rearrange, then resew. Not sure why the middle bottom of the photo looks pink. I'm thinking I'll take the blocks apart and sash them with blue or red. I might try a flannel back so it will be snuggly for a toddler. The middle block hasn't been cut yet. I like it and wish I hadn't cut all the others now. I'm still learning.

Below are pastel, string quilt blocks made from vintage and current sewing project scraps

I started off with 6" foundation blocks so each one is unique. No cutting them apart and I'm not sure I'll sew them together. Still playing with the design. Will probably do a little sashing around each block and then a wide border and then coordinating binding. Flannel back, no batting since each block has a foundation piece it is sewn to.

I've got a few pieces of satin, velvet and textured fabrics I am going to try a crazy quilt with those. They are highly embroidered which makes a nice project that doesn't require the machine. Now if I can just learn to embroider while on the treadmill I'd really be productive!



We are in Acts this week. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Love it where Stephen, while being stoned to death, asked the Lord to not hold this sin against them.


Father help us to be more like Stephen, to see the bigger picture and not react with a selfish heart, but to respond in a Christ like manner to everyone.

Mom's Memory Quilt

This quilt is made from mom's blouses, night gowns, robes

and vintage fabric from her sewing stash

Rail Fence pattern, stippled, muslin backing and coordinating binding

Stippling is still a challenge but I'm learning

100 Skirt Project

Emily Joy's Skirt "Flutterby"

My dear friend Charity started the 100 Skirt Project to benefit the girls at Shadow of His Wings Orphanage in Guatemala. Here is the link. Charity posted her plan on her blog, invited girls from church to join the project and had a huge turn out of people intersted in serving the Lord in this way.

Sarah's Skirt she titled Salsa I made this skirt from fabric mom and I picked out to make a dress for Sarah when she was little


This was also a remnant from mom's sewing stash



Each skirt will arrive with a special embellishment, a matching tee shirt, and a tag with a name. Read posts at Charity's blog for more photos of adorable skirts people have lovingly sewn and for more information on the 100 Skirt Project.

Emily applying the finishing touches to her skirt

Sam's Quilt is finished!!! Praise God!!

I ended up stippling in the triangles and borders and outlined the hearts and sashes. All in all a fun first quilt project for both mom and me!

This shows the stippling up close a bit more


Here the red back with white thread shows all my fun and every mistake.

This was some leftover flannel that I pieced into blocks and then tied with soft baby yarn.

The top piece is a leftover from mom's stash. She had made my first baby blanket from it 45 yrs ago... and now I used the leftover for my first grand baby, Lord willing. I finished the edges with a decorative pale pink stitch that is difficult to see. Definitely a soft and snuggly blankie.

Sam's Quilt

I received a yard of fabric to help finish the border of Sam's quilt that mom started. She had all 18 blocks finished minus a few sashes. I pieced the triangle corners and put the blocks together. I found a neat site on line that helps you locate missing fabric. Within a week I received an email from a neat gal in Michigan. She has 4000 yards of fabric in her home...that's right 4000 yards. The woman is a quilt-a-holic with a very understanding husband. I thought it was great that she took the time to search her stash to find the one yard I needed to complete my project.

I'll add a red binding and either a blue or red back fabric. I'm going to design a quilt pattern for the top that will make the hearts pop. I'm still learning and having fun. I used a herringbone basting stitch and didn't have any trouble with the last quilt shifting during the quliting process, so I'll try that again. I think pin basting would be faster, but I'm concerned about the shift factor.

Melissa's quilt is finished

Childhood Memories - for Melissa

I made this quilt out of old fabric that mom had used to sew clothes for her children. Melissa and I can go through this quilt and point out the fabric mom used to make a dress, or pajamas or a doll dress. It was a lot of fun going through all the boxes and talking about our memories. The Hawaiian fabric used for the back and border mom purchased when she and dad went to Hawaii in the early 70's.

This was a first attempt at quilting and I know I have a lot to learn. Melissa promised to squint when she looks at my stitches.

Next on the table is to finish the red white and blue quilt for Sam that mom had started. I found a yard of the Patrick Lose fabric online and am waiting for it to arrive to finish the border.

We started school last Monday. We have history and science to finish up from last year. The kids are less than thrilled. Thankfully this Alaskan summer is wet and cloudy so being inside isn't nearly as painful as it would be if it were 70 and sunny. I'm hoping we'll finish up in 4 weeks and be able to take a couple weeks off in August before the new year begins again.

Hope everyone is having a terrific summer.

Happy 75th Birthday Mom

Today Beverly Joyce was born to Violet Elaine and Lloyd Garfield Brown. I wonder what was going through Grandma Vi's mind. She had Betty Jo and Barbara Jean and now a third daughter, Beverly Joyce! Whose idea was it to name their daughters with B's and J's?

I'm finishing up the first quilt that mom started. She made it for Sam. I'm enjoying working on it, my first machine quilt. I need to find some fabric for the border and then I'll be able to finish it up. I was telling Sam how grandma made each of the heart blocks and that she made them just for him. He thought that was pretty special.

Today is Father's Day and Tony is working a 12hr shift. The kids got up early and made him breakfast; cheese & veggie omelet, spam and rice (a Hawaiian thing), cinnamon toast and fruit cup. We'll surprise him with a picnic lunch after church. Emily wrote the sweetest poem for her dad. In general we just spoil everyone rotten on their special day.

We are off to church. Hope your day is blessed.

Memorial Service

The services for mom were lovely. Reverend Beaty did a wonderful job presenting the truth from the scripture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep (means to die), or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven (hallelujiah), with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Reverend Beaty encouraged us to remember that we do not grieve as the world grieves because we have the hope of Heaven! Yes we grieve, but it is not over yet, we will be reunited again one day, I hope very soon.

We read the Lord's Prayer, sang In The Garden, a favorite of moms and had a photo tribute and open mic time. We sang Blessed Assurance and then prayed. Sarah provided prelude and postlude music from a selection of mom's favorites.

The pipe organ and stained glass window above the alter were lovely. Boone is a beautiful church. Guests wound out the front of the church as we only had one guest book. As I walked down the line, I greeted faces I haven't seen since childhood and hugged necks of people I am related to but haven't seen in 15 years. It was wonderful.

The reception consisted of deli sandwiches, veggie trays, 3 bean salad, pasta salad, pea salad, green veggie salad, watermelon, carrot cake, cream puffs and 108 chocolate chip pecan cookies (baked by yours truly). I do so enjoy cooking, something mom taught me.

The deacons were terrific and helpful with setting up the food and cleaing up after our reception. Sylvia is a gem!

A few family members came home to visit with us. We had leftover reception lunch to munch on when we got hungry again. A friend of mine from high school happened to see mom's memorial service reminder in the paper and was in town from Jerome for a wedding and stopped by the house after the service. It was great to catch up.

It was a quiet evening and when everyone had gone home, it was very quiet. Dad retired to his chair to unwind a bit. I spent the evening reading cards and putting the guest book info into the computer.

Sunday I had planned to go to church at Boone, but ended sleeping in! I think the total of all the weeks prep caught up with me. With only two days left I still had alot left to do.

Cousin Babette invited our family to her house for dinner Sunday evening. She has a lovely home and a 7 acre dirt bike track in her backyard. Sam had heard about cousin Taylor and Marty's dirt bike racing and was excited to go. After dinner Sam suited up and had a great time. The boys are incredibly talented and I'm sure I've got a few new gray hair after watching them sail through the air. I enjoyed chatting with Aunt Sandy and meeting Babette's dogs...I'm thinking Brannon needs to send me one of his miniature/toy schnauzers....they are SOOooo cute! Left uncut they have very soft fur and the sweetest faces!

Monday we interned mom's ashes at Canyon Hill Cemetery. Mom was placed next to her daddy, Lloyd Garfield Brown. The tree next to Brownie didn't allow her stone to be placed beside his, but set behind the tree. This is just like mom, she wouldn't have wanted to remove the tree, but humbly her stone sits behind everyone else. Her life, sacrifical in nature, never putting herself ahead of another, humble, gentle, sweet.... my precious mother.

Dad, Aunt Cathy, Uncle Don, Melissa, Stan, Tony, Sarah, Emily, Sam and I prayed at mom's grave site, talked, laughed, put Curly and Colleens pink roses (mom's favorite) beside her headstone and said our good-byes. Melissa put a fan in with mom, and we placed a hankie that we found in her bureau with a note attached that said "I would like to be buried with this hankie, I used it the most and it will keep my nose from dripping." Mom always had a hankie with her, a symbol of her femininity.

Monday afternoon was solemn. I puttered around doing laundry, packing, cleaning, staying busy as usual. After hearing we don't have a Krispie Kreme donut restaurant in Alaska, Melissa ran and picked up some for us....what a treat! Oh my, what a treat!!!

Tuesday morning came early. We rose at 4:30AM and after 5 showers and last minute packing ,and a tearful good-bye with dad, we headed to the airport. Tony turned in the rental car. The flight was uneventful, I shed numerous tears thinking of dad alone now. The girl sitting next to me was on her way to Bristol Bay to see her fiance. She had never been to Alaska before...and I was thinking how life goes on. Here a new couple about to be married, and my dad grieving for the wife he shared his life with for 47 years.

And Life goes on.

Revelation 21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

Prince Casey and Princess Emily Joy

Banquet 2008 Casey and Emily Joy

Beautiful Alaskan background

Casey and Emily mugging for the camera

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Casey and Emily Joy have been friends since they were toddlers. When Casey invited Em to join him for his school banquet, she happily accepted. The flurry of shopping that ensued was quite the experience. The kids had a great time.

Sarah's College Choir Concert

Mat-Su College Spring Choir Concert

A Night at the Music Theater.

Music from Movies & Favorite Broadway Shows

They had a great time!! Sarah sang in a trio and did a terrific job

Sarah and Mr. Wonderful aka Caleb Lovelace

Friday is her piano recital, the girl is busy!! Thank goodness things will slow down by the end of this week and we can begin our preparations for our trip to Idaho.

Sweet Emily Joy is having wisdom teeth pain, so it is off to the oral surgeon for her.

Snow Snow Snow

We have had 6-10 inches of snow (according to the newspaper it was 12 inches!). Much of it has melted now with only about 4 inches on the ground. What a beautiful, bright spring surprise! This photo is early on in the day when it started snowing. Some people get a little bent at this weather, I just shake my head, kind of laugh. God certainly knows our need, all this snow filling up our well is just fine with me.

Our house sitter is coming in a bit to meet the pets. I'm hoping she is a match and they all get along well. I'm such a sap, trusting someone to care for my pets is tough.

Sam had a tumble on his dirt bike. This 150 looks WAYYYY too big for him, in my mommy mind. He has a forearm abrasion that isn't too deep. The green bruise around it is pretty gnarly, and he seems to enjoy grossing mom out. Sigh....where is that precious little curly headed boy I gave birth too 13 yrs ago!!! VBG!!!

Poppa Made it Home Safely

I've called dad twice and he sounds great. Thomas picked him up at the airport and they went to dinner. I called him later that evening and he was tired but doing fine. Saturday evening I called and he had had a full day unpacking and settling in. Melissa stopped by for lunch and Amanda dropped in as well. Thomas cooked dinner Saturday night and dad thought that was just great.

It is quiet here. We all miss dad. Tony has prison ministry tonight. Sarah Beth is babysitting the whole weekend way across town and won't be home until late. Emily and Sam are at the neighbors playing football. I'm trying to rest today. I miss dad.

I miss mom

Warning Idaho....Don L. Shaffer is heading home!!!

Dad received the paperwork he was waiting for in today's mail. We filled it out and then he was ready to order his ticket home. He has things to do in Idaho. I offered to go with him but after discussing it he wants to go home and get settled alone. I will follow in May with the rest of the family.

I'm mixed, I want him to go home so he can feel settled again, adjust to home without mom, get a taste of what his new normal is going to be. But I don't want him to go, when he goes I will miss being able to take care of him, the connection to mom through him...all that. Yet time goes on and we have to keep going. It is going to be hard...one more step in the grieving process.

Dad says he might summer in Idaho and winter in Alaska...we'll see.

So watch out Idaho....Don L is headed your way, look for him to land on Friday, April 18th.

9 Holes at Palmer Course

Tony did a pretty good job on the course today. Poppa said that it was a little cool to start but once they got moving it warmed up. The view is spectacular and dad said it was a little distracting. They had a good time. After golf they took a drive to Hatcher's Pass and stopped by the Matanuska River. It was a lovely day today for a drive.

Poppa is Golfing!!!

I wish I had had Tony take the camera to prove to all you golfers out there that we really DO golf in March in Alaska. The guys left after lunch to give the Palmer course a looksie. If the conditions are good they will hit a few balls. We were expecting snow today, so they might have to change their plans if it is too cold, but so far it looks promising.

I called the Canyon Hill Cemetery today and we will place mom on June 2nd. The monument company will place the headstone prior to her internment so we can see what it looks like before we leave Idaho. It could go in any time between now and June 2nd.

I have been working on the Memorial program and need to call the pastor to confirm what the church provides. Melissa's work will print them which will be great. A lot of little details to consider and work out, doing so long distance is a challenge.

God is good and it will all fall together I'm sure.