Monday Night, 1-16-23

Let’s start with reader quilts!

Thank you for these quilt pictures!

Yesterday Hazel got rat #72! Orkin still stops once a month because I signed a one year contract but Hazel is much more effective, don’t you agree?

Remember my neighbor, Tom, who has Stage 4 brain cancer? He died this afternoon leaving Cathy, his wife of 46 years alone on the farm. Sad.

These pictures were taken last week – it has rained here almost all day melting lots of the snow but when it freezes again it will be very icy.

Next spring when the snow melts I’ll be able to see just how high the drifts were by this red ribbon.

My one and only rooster named Buddy was found dead today in the barn – he was very old. I always made sure he was on the roost every night. Remember how he would accompany his hens to the house yard every day? I will really miss him.

Finn and Keeper had a grand time yesterday in this pile of snow but my hydrangeas took a beating. Haha!

I think we should talk about good books, don’t you? Right now this is my favorite book.

Passwords make me so mad – half the time they don’t work even though I haven’t changed them. I hope there are no passwords in heaven!

That’s it from the farm – I’ll have some finishes for you very soon.

44 thoughts on “Monday Night, 1-16-23

  1. Colleen in Oregon

    So sorry to hear about Tom, will say a prayer for Cathy. Sorry about Buddy too.
    The quilts are beautiful! Makes me want to forget all the chores and just sew!
    Go Hazel!!

  2. Kathy L

    So sorry to hear about your neighbor Tom is very sad and also sad about Buddy the worst thing about having animals.
    I’ll have to get that book LOL

  3. Diane, Squeak, and Buddy

    That is sad news about Tom. It will be hard for Cathy. It is also sad about your old rooster. How old do you think he was?
    The reader quilts are so beautiful. I am still cleaning and am getting over my purple and yellow lovely bruise. I did clean the laundry room which is also where the cat food and litter box are. Big job finished😃
    Passwords—sometimes I write weird ones b/c I don’t like them either. But, I guess they are important. Your snow was beautiful. We are bare and the grass is still green!
    As always, thanks soooo much for your blog, Mary.

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Diane – I’m guessing Buddy was 8-10 years old – an ancient rooster and very loved.

      1. Diane, Squeak, and Buddy in Central Ohio

        Awww. I think that is very old for a rooster. My friends with Chickens say they do have personalities so I am sure he was an interesting character!
        It is going to be in the low 50’s here today. Nice.

  4. Teresa Klus

    Very sorry about your neighbor’s passing. Prayers for Cathy. And for your rooster. He was a beautiful bird. I think this will become my favorite book of all time! 😁 Passwords drive me crazy. Hazel is doing a great job! She deserves an extra treat tonight. As always, I look forward to your emails. Thank you for sharing.

  5. Dee from Shell Rock

    Is this the Tom from the field across the road? I had wondered before but forgot to ask. It’s so hard when the farmer is gone. Even the women who worked the land before find how much they depended on the partner. Sorry about the rooster. When they’ve been around so long you miss them even more. I lost a couple long term barn cats and it was hard. My yard is also ice. They moved out hay the other day, came early in day to get it done before it got too warm but I still have mud. But the hay has gone to cows who needed it. Take care.

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Dee – no, Tim is my farmer across the road. Tom lives south of me on an acreage – he was a trucker. Tim, Tom, Ted!! Those are also Farmer Tim’s brothers and their mom Darlene would spit out all names in the same breath – Tim. Tom. Ted!!!! Haha!!

      1. Beamer's Mom

        Darlene was a real gem, wasn’t she?? I remember getting to know her on a Country Threads bus trip to Kalona-many many years ago. Darlene just had the best personality.

  6. Ann in Virginia

    I’m so sorry about your neighbor, Tom. so Sad for his wife. I was married to my husband for 46 years also.
    and I am sorry about your rooster, Buddy. He was a lovely bird.

  7. Sandy

    Hi Mary, passwords are the bane of my life, l write them in notebooks, then lose the book! Found another sack of fabric, so back to ironing. Lots of lovely quilts today,l am sad for the loss of your neighbor and the rooster.We are finally getting warm weather, have had a cardigan on most days, so much for summer! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy

  8. Jeanie S, Central Illinois

    The readers’ quilts are wonderful; I love all of them! They are very inspirational.
    Thanks for posting, Mary. 🥰

  9. Jo in Wyoming

    Sad news about Tom, Cathy will have a hard time moving on without him.

    The reader quilts today are fun. I especially like the I spy one.
    Sorry to hear about Buddy. The dogs appear to have fun, in everything.

    1. Jenifer Fairchild

      Your poor neighbors. I don’t know them, but they are both are in my prayers tonight. The biggest part of my loved ones have gone on. The bright hope I cling to is that amazing away teams are gathering as our loved ones move on.
      Your poor hens. May they raise a worthy replacement.
      Mary, your love of dogs brings so much joy to your blog. The lovely quilts, great farm-life news, purrrfect cat antics, and doggos are all so uplifting.

  10. Nancy K Walker@gmail.com

    Dear Mary I was so surprised to get a wonderful quilt book from you on Saturday! I love it and it was so sweet of you to send it to me! I’ll have fun reading it and getting ideas. Very sincerely Nancy K Walker

  11. Sherrill

    Awww, poor Buddy. He was a beauty. Some beautiful readers quilts today. Those damn brain tumors are so horrible. I feel Cathy’s pain as it happened to me over 10 yrs ago, way too early.

  12. Sue in Oregon

    My password keeper is called Rolodex. It sits on my computer (PC) desk and I use it nearly every day. HaHa
    I love all the quilts. I see quite a bit of black in some of them. And, some pretty stars too. I am stuck right now because my room is such a mess. I have to take everything off my corkboard tomorrow so that we can install a TV stand on the wall for my new 23″ flat screen. More mess. It will be fun to have the TV in there, though.
    Your old rooster was a very pretty bird. So sad, but he did have a very good life. And, Tom’s passing must be such a sadness for you, Mary. Hug his wife, as I know you will be watching out for her.

  13. Joanie

    Fun to see the results of everyone’s hard work on their quilts. I always enjoy the farm update but was sorry about your rooster, Mary. Thank you for sharing.

  14. Charlotte S in northern California

    So sorry to hear about Tom’s passing. I’m praying for Cathy. Buddy was a beautiful rooster.
    Another beautiful quilt show today! I love show and tell. Hazel is awesome!! #72….keep up the good work.
    Passwords drive me crazy too. I keep them in a notebook.

  15. Lynette in Orlando

    Mary, so sorry about Buddy. Thank you for the reader quilts, they are so inspiring. Then I came to the end of your post and the book…… gave me a good laugh. Thank you for that — it is always good to laugh.

  16. Marsha from Kansas

    My thoughts and prayers are with Tom’s family and friends. Nice that Cathy has family close by and a neighbor like you. Do the farmers in your area have “city family homes”? I lived in Western Kansas when I was in high school. Many families had the farm home which would pass down to the next generation when the time came. The older generation would move into the town home and if their parents were still living, they would take care of them and live together. So the progression of life. You had just gotten Buddy when I found your blog. So sorry about losing him. He was a beautiful rooster. Always enjoy the quilt show. Passwords do seem to be a necessary evil.

  17. Vicki Ibarra

    Love the reader quilts and I am quite taken with the second one as it has a color combination I wouldn’t have thought of, yet I find it quite delightful and soothing. Sorry about your rooster. And it will be interesting in the spring to see just how high the snow drift was around that tree. Good idea with the fabric marker!

    It is great for the dogs to have outdoor play time….burns off some energy. Thanks for sharing about your life.

  18. Judy - Michigan

    Hello Mary,
    I feel the same way about passwords – such a pain. Sorry to hear about your Rooster, he was quite impressive. Stay Warm!

    Judy

  19. Kathy Hanson

    So hard to lose wonderful neighbors ! And, surely a beloved Rooster that you have had for a long time. Sending you hugs and prayers! Loved the quilt show, always fun to see what others have been making! This winter has certainly given us some interesting weather, yesterday was warm and rainy, and now we hear that a big snowfall is coming tomorrow. One Day At A Time – that’s all we can do. Give that Hazel an extra treat, she is amazing! what a wonderful dog for you! As for passwords, they are needed but such a pain!! Hope you get to do some quilting and fun!!
    Kathy Hanson in Rochester, MN

  20. Sally J.

    What a beautiful variety of quilts today!!
    Sorry to hear of Tom’s passing and the loss of Buddy.
    Thanks for this blog Mary,,,,I enjoy it so much!

  21. Kathy in western NY

    Very sorry you lost Buddy. He lived a good life on the farm. I feel sorry for your neighbor Cathy losing her husband to a devastating disease. Prayers for her. I know you will be there for her to help her move forward day by day. Times like this are a wake up call to how precious each day is.
    A really nice quilt show everyone! Cute I spy fabric. I finished my red snowball lap quilt yesterday and thinking I can try quilting it on my own domestic machine. Jeanine’s quilt gave me the inspiration to try doing it.

  22. Debra Reber

    So sorry about Buddy. And very sorry about your neighbor. I love your idea about the marker on the tree to remember how high the snowdrifts were! Great job Hazel! And I hate passwords too!!

  23. Joy in NW iowa

    Sorry to hear about your neighbor. We, too, had rain and mist all day yesterday. They we got some snow to make things slippery. It is winter.
    The reader quilts are all pretty. Sorry about your rooster. He was pretty and quite the master of his hands! Hazel is a good ratter! If they were mice it would be mouser but I didn’t know what to call a dog that was good at catching rats! 😂.
    Hubby is loading corn today. It is guaranteed that when he sells corn and the trucks come it is going to be windy and cold!
    We are both battling a bad cold…..hangs on! Well, off to the hobby cave!
    Have a good day everyone!

  24. Lorraine McGeough

    So sorry about your neighbor. Cancer is an awful disease. We have a friend that is close to the end of his life and it is very heartbreaking.
    Sorry about your rooster-he looks like he was a beautiful bird.
    Thank you for the fun quilt show. I loved them all. We have been shoveling snow for 3 days and still snowing today-30 inches so far in northern Arizona.

  25. Jackie in NY

    Hi Mary – I’m sorry to hear about your neighbor and your rooster. So
    E nice quilts from readers today! We’re supposed to get freezing rain tonight. Hopefully my drive home from work will be ok- it’s not far and it’s at the beginning of the storm.

  26. Carol Ann Lovejoy

    beautiful, all BEAUTIFUL! can anyone tell me please the name of the last quilt (charm packs and black “plus)? thank you.

  27. Jan Smith

    I’m sorry for your neighbor, and your loss.
    Isn’t the password issue aggravating? When I went to pay a medical bill online I was asked for my new password. Ugh, I didn’t think I needed one. Sometimes I’m recognized, and sometimes not. Annoying.

  28. Susan K in Texas

    Wow some beautiful scrappy quilts! I always love seeing what everyone is working on.
    So sorry to hear about your neighbor. I lost a niece to brain tumor. She was so young and it was hard for us all. I’m sure his wife feels a bit lost without him. That’s a long marriage.
    I’m sorry about your rooster too. It’s so hard to lose our pets.
    We’ve had crazy warm weather here so far this winter. My bridal wreath plants are already putting out leaves. Blooms will be next. Hopefully we won’t get a bad freeze that ruins the blooms this year.
    I’ve been fighting this virus since January 3. At least the cough is mostly gone but I’ve got an ear infection that doesn’t want to go away. I rattle like a pill bottle with all the medications I’m on.
    I’ve been able to sew some every day and am anxious to have the top finished soon. I got 5 books from Martingale and have found a lot I want to make.

  29. Kate

    Only password we will need in Heaven is Jesus’ precious name. Sorry about your neighbor and his poor wife being left alone. She needs our prayers for sure. Seems like your weather eventually gets to Indiana and I’m not looking forward to it at all. But Spring is on the horizon.

  30. Pat in Michigan

    Mary, I was so sorry to hear about neighbor Tom’s passing. It is never easy to lose someone. I’m sure his wife is feeling very alone, especially in these dark wintery months.

    The quilt show was very beautiful. What a great treat to see such wonderful quilts. I especially liked the second quilt with the small stars. Does anyone know the pattern? The border treatment was very interesting.
    We are having mild temps today. Mid 30 and no snow at all on the ground, only mud.

  31. Bea knight

    Hi Mary

    Sorry about your neighbors husband. Cancer is horrible. My heart breaks for her.

    I’m so sorry about your rooster. He was gorgeous!!

    I have not read all your posts. Could you tell me how you got Keeper? I know he’s a rescue but why him did you keep?
    Keep warm, Thankyou for your posts God bless you always🙏🏻
    Bea knight Florida

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