Yesterday I cooked 4 chicken hindquarters and 2 full breasts in my biggest crockpot – with come celery and onion, salt and pepper. By late afternoon they were falling apart and I moved them in a roaster to the island so I could debone while watching the news. Rick came in from doing chores and was in the kitchen and my phone rang. I took the call and walked to the other room so Rick could watch the news without me talking. Ten minutes later the call ended and I went back to the kitchen I saw this!
Rick was nowhere – I saw him outside shoveling snow! Hazel was guarding the chicken. I know she didn’t touch it – there were no telltale signs on the island, her mouth, the floor – nothing. I never prepare food on the island – never! I have a pantry with counter space, sink and frig and all my pans and this is where we can leave food out. We know better than to leave food on the island where a cat or dog would help themselves. Thank goodness we didn’t have to make a run to the vet with a chicken bone caught in Hazel’s throat!
And look at this – Peggy wasted no time making a runner with a snowman charm pack!
And last week Peggy (a different Peggy or the same Peggy?) made a Christmas Split Square table mat.
And here’s another Dirty Dozen finish.
You loved Finn’s story and I wanted you to see this great picture of Finn and his mom, Marline.
Here’s another tidbit – if you’re a Michigan State fan you will recognize the name Brian Lewerke, their quarterback. Brian is Bob and Marline Lewerke’s nephew. It’s a small world and we’re all connected in some way, aren’t we?
Remember my story of the psaltry, a Renaissance string instrument shown last Saturday at our brunch?
Our friend Tanya sent this picture of her psaltry that she bought years ago for $10 at a yard sale. She says she is not musical but was attracted to the woodwork and now she thanked me for making the blog so educational.
I am now doing my PT at home – for those of you asked. I went for 6 weeks and did well so I opted out of going into town for PT appointments – too cold.
My friend, Beryl, sent me this great picture – she said it reminded her of my tribe! Sweet!
I love this picture, and it does remind me of you!! I think you would be one to set up a Christmas tree for all of your animal friends!! Glad you liked the picture and a number of people commented on it also!
It is so cold out there. Guess it can be expected this time of the year. I remember when growing up near Minneapolis, January would bless us with days of below zero temps, it was just what would happen. It was -4 when I went to bed but up to 3 this morning. The high is only 5, no wind, please!!
I may make KrumKake today and then get going on finishing some Christmas projects. Hope you get lots done also! So glad Hazel didn’t get into the chicken! That could have been a huge mess. Maybe no stools as an invite for her!!
Beryl in Owatonna – I really did love the picture and so did others! Hazel can jump to the island in one leap – no stool needed – haha!
I play Christmas music for the chickens and on Christmas Eve I always go to the barn about 11 pm for my own personal nativity scene.
Mary, if that would have been Libby.. we would be off to the vet!! Hazel is a rock star
i love the finished pillow
Robin Rauk – we had to make a dash for the vet years ago with another dog so I was thrilled to see Hazel just guarding it! Hahaha!
I love your stories and pictures. Glad you continue healing.
Oh Mary thanks for sharing my Christmas table topper. Loved your quick & easy split square pattern. Thanks for sharing it with all of us. Although I absolutely love it, I sure can’t take credit for the flying geese table topper!! Another Peggy did a great job!!! Keep resting & doing your therapy. Merry Christmas!!!
Thank you to the “other Peggy” commenting on the snowman runner!! Love your table topper, too!!
Peggy S
I’ve told you about my Bailey because she was a dog who needed a home? After reading the story about Hazel and the chicken-on-the-counter, I have to say that if Bailey had been there, the chicken would have been devoured, bones and all! That naughty girl has eaten loaves of bread, muffins, coffee cakes, sticks of butter–anything she can get her little paws on. EVERYTHING–and I mean everything–has to be put up high and out of her reach. Congratulations on graduating in your physical therapy. One-step-at-a-time!
We used to have to put stuff thawing in the cupboard, oven, washer or drier so the cat couldn’t get it.
Lois Ann Johnson – Connie said the same thing about her Betty! Oh, Bailey! She must be afraid of being hungry again like she was in her prior life. We have to beg Hazel to eat so I’m not surprised she didn’t help herself. Really also would have eaten it all!
Oh, Happy Day!! I held my breath when I opened this post and pictures!! And it worked!!! I don’t know what was wrong, but I was beginning to feel like the ugly stepchild as I wasn’t getting the pictures for the last couple weeks. Fortunately I could remember the quilts you were talking about, probably because I printed them out before. And I love every one of them. The really good part is now I could go back and look at the posts I had problems with.
I don’t know if you realize it, but this blog is such a good friend and I really missed it. There have to be so many others out there that feel the same as I do. The picture of the chickens with the Christmas tree is perfect – kind of like all is right with the world?
We survived Thanksgiving. I didn’t go out of the house from Wed noon to Sunday morning and I wasn’t complaining. Sunday we shoveled.
Betty – I am thrilled to hear the blog posts are now being delivered correctly. I have no idea what might have been the cause. Connie and I were just chatting this morning about all the meetings she attends. I said I hate meetings and that’s why I don’t ever agree to be on a board or committee – I think this blog must fulfill that same “need” to connect with people!
I was a bit quick in my excitement. When I went back into your email, it was fine, then morphed all the pictures out leaving lots of white space.
BUT that isn’t the whole story. When I signed up again for your blog, I marked that I wanted to be notified when there were new postings. I thought it meant when you posted something new. Instead it is when anybody writes. That is going to be interesting when you get over 200 replies when you’re giving something away.
BUT that still isn’t the whole story. When I enter any of those postings, your posting is all there, pictures and all. Darned if I know what happens. Has to be spooks?
Betty Klosterman – oh, I’m sorry but I’m also almost chuckling. Go back into your settings and uncheck that notifications box – you won’t want to have that many emails coming to your inbox! I really don’t know what to say about the way your computer is acting – it beats me!
Small world. I worked with Julie Lewerke who is married to Ben, they are originally from Mason City. Probably related!
My Banshee would have eaten the chicken in a heartbeat. A few years ago my husband left a dozen raw hamburger patties unguarded on the counter while he went outside to light the barbecue. Came back in plate was empty and clean, Banshee was laying down looking innocent. My hubby thought I had moved the patties and washed the plate. Nope! I love your blog, thank you. I am sure many others feel the same when I say though we’ve never met I feel we are friends and we have many similar interests.
Mary you are a gem and I look forward to reading all your blogs! Love the picture of
Hazel “guarding” the chicken! My dear mother’s name was Hazel too. She lived to be 100 years old! God rest her soul!
I too, have had both knees replaced and I am still dealing with pain and problems with the second one which was done three years ago. As we both know physical therapy and exercise is so important!
Stay in and off the ice that appears to be everywhere in southern Minnesota.
Judy E – I hardly notice the knee I just had fixed – it feels like it’s mine now. The other one is painful and I suppose has gotten worse since I relied on it so much after surgery. Oh, wow! 100 years! Our mom, Hazel, only lived to 92-1/2 but even that is quite remarkable! So now I know my Hazel has a couple of namesakes!
Beryl….Thank you for that beautiful photo of the chickens. I posted it on Pinterest so I could look at it now and then. Where did you find it?
Hazel is a very good girl. Chicken guard. Cooked chicken guard. Amazing!
Love Peggy’s blue runner, the Split Square matt and the snowman pillow.
Sue in Oregon – my friend sent it to me and I loved it so much, I also saved it!
Isn’t Hazel the sweetest. What a good girl.
Those chickens are gorgeous! I think I have a soft spot for friends with feathers.
I started pt today for some back trouble…he said walking sideways is good. So quilting is good, ironing is good. As a long arm quilter, I walk sideways a lot, so I guess I need to do more quilting, less vacuuming.
Jo in Wyoming – so that side step on the longarm is good for us, huh? I think I’ll get some started this afternoon! Hope your back issue isn’t too serious.
Bless Hazel for her ability to take over when needed! I hope she got a well deserved treat!
All the pictures were delightful. Love seeing the weathered barn wood door in the chicken flock picture; reminded me of a CT neighbor’s barn hay door my husband used for two barn watercolor pictures’ frames. The older than 1826 barn was being downsized and we received the hay door as a gift! We resided in CT over 3 years.
Your Split Squares and HST runner are on my TO DO list, Mary!
Wouldn’t the picture of the chickens make a beautiful appliqué quilt!
Amazing that Hazel was so good and left the chicken alone. She is a sweet dog! Love that Peggy made the table runner right away, it is great! Love the table mat too. It has been such fun to see the #12’s come in, we have all gotten so much done this year. Congratulations on completing your PT. Makes sense for you to continue at home. Congratulations on doing a good job recuperating. Hopefully you will be able to get the other one done and having two good knees that keep you active!!
Such beautiful finishes!!! I’m impressed with the Peggys and their very quick turn around on the two new projects!! I have both of those on my list for the future!
I’m afraid my pups would have made short work on the chicken on the counter. When Akira was just a puppy (she just turned 10), Jenica made cupcakes (chocolate) and we turned away for just a brief moment and half of them disappeared very silently. Thankfully, she didn’t get sick, but we learned very quickly that we could never leave food on the counter.
I love that you go to the barn in Christmas Eve for your own personal nativity—what a beautiful visual!
Hazel is amazing “guarding” the chicken. My son had a black lab that ate a whole bunch of bananas off the counter, peelings and all. They always kept things out of his reach and never dreamed he’d eat the bananas. I love all the pictures. Thanks for sharing. Great jobs on the table topper, runner and pillow.
S glad Hazel didn’t get a bone! Those dogs can get anywhere though…mine jumps on chairs to table every chance he gets!!❤️❤️So we are extra careful to push chairs in!😂. But you have to love them. Glad you are moving along with PT and able to do it at home. Love the chickens!!
Finn is adorable!
I think Hazel is a great watchdog! So glad she didn’t eat the chicken. A few years ago our friend’s dog ate a whole rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, bones and all. They did take him to the vet. Luckily, he had no issues, and survived the ordeal. After that though, our friends joked it was their $600 chicken, and they didn’t even get to eat it! Ha-ha!
Hi Mary, I am catching up on the latest postings and reading through the comments. Happy to hear that you are doing so well and PT is now at home. I loved Finn’s story, and I just hope that there are many more stories like that out in the world. Not sure if I was the only one who had to confirm that Marlene and Marline are two different people. I found myself flipping back and forth between this post and the Ladies Christmas Brunch post. Marlene, the woman who is your guest at the luncheon, looks just like Marline in the photo with Finn in this post.
I really enjoy seeing all the dirty dozen completions. They are all really great, and such variety.
Love Beryl’s photo.
Janice – she is one and the same! She spells her name Marline and autocorrect changes it to Marlene every time and sometimes I don’t catch it. Thanks for asking!
Mary, Thank you for the clarification on Marlene /Marline.
What a good girl Hazel is guarding the chicken! Love everyone’s stories about their animals and food, haha! The Christmas quilted table topper and runner are beautiful. Finn looks a lot like our Old English Sheepdog that we inherited from my father in law. Such a good dog. Nice to put a face with a name, Finn is lucky to have been adopted by Marline and it looks like Marline is pretty happy with Finn! I can’t believe $10 for that beautiful instrument! Wow! And that picture of the chickens, so beautiful. Glad you are feeling so much better Mary! Jan in MA
I also LOVE the picture of the chickens. Such a beautiful, simple scene.
Peggy’s Christmas Split Squares looks just like wrapped presents with ribbons under the tree. Very pretty, as are all the finishes.
Thank you Mary, for continuing with the blog. I look forward to it every day.
you are lucky. I have a lab that would have devoured that chicken in a heart-beat. last week she devoured a one pound block of cheese when I went to the door to talk to the internet tecnician. (!!)
Mary, Ron says Hazel looks guilty. Lol
Brenda – haha! I know how Ron feels about JRT – and she can be really naughty but we have to almost beg her to eat so this time I think she’s innocent.
Good girl, Hazel!! That chicken might have escaped if she hadn’t watched it. Our Irish Setter, Arsenic, ate half of my husband’s German chocolate cake while we were at his church softball game. Of course, we had invited the players back for cake after the game🥴🥴.
The quilts are very pretty and Finn is adorable. Today is was 25, yesterday 54. Sigh.
What a cute story of Hazel guarding the chicken so the cats don’t get it. I loved all the pictures of the great projects readers completed.
Finn looks exactly like my 5 year old rescue dog. She came on a transport from Tennesee and was so skinny. Developed kennel cough after we got her and it took so many trips back to the vet for stronger antibiotics. I was so afraid of losing her. Now she weighs 42. Bigger than Hazel but she cant jump up well except to the couch. She’s our love like Finn looks to be as well. It breaks my heart ours had a bad puppyhood as our vet put it but they knew our patience and love for her would mend her. She use to twitch at night for the first year and I would pet her to calm her and now that has ended, thank God. Like you I wish I could save all the pets. Christmas Eve in your barn sounds so serene. You are so blessed.
Hi Mary
The year before you closed your store there was a gray kitten. I wanted to bring him home to Texas but I already had a cat that was way to happy to be an only child. The question for you is do you still have him. sometimes would post pictures of him, but I haven’t seen a picture of him in a long time. And for the life of me I can’t remember his name. He was just my fav!
May this holiday bring your family happiness and health.
Sue Davis
Argyle, Texas
Sue Davis – and I just took his picture this afternoon! He’s a huge cat now and his name is Colton – look for him tomorrow! What a sweet memory!
Oh , I really enjoy everything you write about. From animals, to snow, to corn, to quilting, to cooking, decorating, gardening, and etc well, life is real! Thank you for taking the time for a peek into your life! Hazel was so good, at least for the minute. Ha!
Mary, Country Threads. Recently, I inherited a lot of odds and ends from Mary Hart’s personal sewing room. I found the Quilt Sampler 1995 magazine. The magazine shows very little wear…and, I thought you might like it. If you do, I would love to mail it to you, I probably have the same copy on my shelves. You two look so fresh and, for sure, I have seen the quilts, etc many times!
Linda Thompson – oh, that’s so sweet of you to think of mailing it to us! Thank you so much – we’d love to have it!
So glad your knew is doing so well. Loved all the pictures!
What a story about Hazel! My dogs would have devoured that chicken in no time and maybe even fight about it! They did that yesterday over a treat and I couldn’t believe it. Love the chicken postcard, the flying geese table runner and the sweet mat. Hurrah for you, Mary, doing PT at home. Keep improving!
Felicia Hamlin – well, Hazel doesn’t like to eat unless it’s something that we are eating so I’m not surprised that she didn’t touch that chicken- only guarded it from the cats – haha!
How is Miss Sunshine? Are the pills working? Is she better? Have you been back to Dr. Holmes? I might have to email you so I know.
Oh, I am SO HAPPY TODAY because your blog showed up online in full photo and comments!!! Whatever was accomplished to your blog via the “professional treatment” worked. I had actually given up checking on your blog every day, because all I could see was November 7, 2019.
And here is a months’ worth to read today! Thank you for sharing that last chicken picture. Too bad the teeny chicken disappeared, and the cat Moda. So sorry Emma died. So many have joined your dirty dozen and shown lovely pictures! Glad that Hazel was “protecting” that chicken. Beautiful psaltry instrument.
Ok, yes I’ve commented WAIT!! THE PINCUSHIONS!! They are so varied! ‘K, Bye!
Ruth – I am so glad you’re back with us! You had lots to read to catch up, didn’t you?
We did like that show too, we are wondering if is going to come back under a new guise. I did love the wedding scenes and the pretty dresses. I was able to copy the instructions for the little table runner. Thank you.