12. How many drafts of potential blog posts do you have right now?
None, I write my blog posts and post them immediately---I don't have the time or inclination to stress over them---I take the time the first time.
13. In what medium do you draft your posts?
Right on the Blogger page.
14. How often do you completely scratch or delete drafts or blog post ideas?
Rarely.
15. If you had to leave your blog in your will to another blogger, who would you choose?
I don't plan to leave the blogs to anyone---I'm the only one of my friends on bioidentical hormones (for the Holy Hormones blog) and this blog is just about my life and thoughts, no one could write it but me.
16. Are there other blogs that you feel are similar to yours in content, style, or voice?
Likely quite a few, I don't explore other blogs as much as I probably should!
17. Has anything surprised you since you started blogging?
I'm surprised at the number of people who read BOTH my blogs.
18. What are your goals or plans for your blog going forward?
Hope to expand the HH blog to reach more people and teach them about bioidentical hormones.
19. Do you make any money from your blog? (optional) about how much a month?
Very little from AdSense.
20. What blogging system do you use?
Blogger.
21. How did you come up your blog name?
Needles Notes because some of it focuses on my knitting and othe crafts, Holy Hormones because everyone here in NC is evangelical about something, with me it's just hormones instead of religion!
22. How many blogs do you have? What was your peak?
Two, I don't see me having any mor than that!
23. Are you having as much fun as when you started?
Absolutely, and I learn something new every time I blog!
24. Where do you find other bloggers like you?
Google searches, some of the meme lists.
25. What’s your one wish when it comes to blogging?
I would love to have Holy Hormones get bigger and help to launch me into other teaching opportunities relating to bioidentical hormones and menopuausal issues. Oh, and making money at it would be very nice!

Super Saturday!

I am SO over this winter weather, although yesterday the snow never materialized, just an icky, dreary rain. I swear, I am going to go out and personally kiss every daffodil, tulip, and Bradford pear tree in Mecklenberg county next moth----that's how anxious I am for spring!

I got the COOLEST gift in today's mail from my friend Katie ----- a gorgeous handmade shawl pin!!!!!!! Check it out (and I apologize for the picture quality, just found out the closeup on my camera no longer works):

I am definitely wearing it tomorrow to movie/lunch day! Thank you so much, Katie, you made my whole week!

After missing two weeks in a row, had my usual Saturday lunch with Connie, Joy and Karen. Joy brought us each the cutes little gift, it's called an exercise block:

The wood block is about 1 1/2" square. The tag says: "Exercise Block" Place block on floor, walk around it twice. Sit down! Relax! You have just walked twice around the "block". I love it, thanks Joy!

I scored a great blue cotton sweater at Belks for less than $8, so it has been a quality shopping day, too. A quick stop at Michael's (I cannot resist the pretty notebooks in their $1 section, at least it's something I use all the time), and now I am home for the day.

I started a blankie for Ciera, her birthday is March 9. Once I finally got the pattern memorized, it's pretty easy:

Good TV knitting! I'm also making good progress on the pair of socks I am working on (finished one sock yesterday, started the other one and I'm about 2" into the cuff), but I left it down in the car, so I will get a picture of it soon and post.

Tomorrow I am going to see Avatar, I am not normally a sci-fi fan, but I have heard good things about it, and I like seeing as many of the Oscar nominated movies as I can.

I have one eye on qualifying for the Daytona 500, but honestly, I'm not into it anymore, I have too many other things going on. I will probably keep the Superbowl on TV tomorrow, but I'm more interested in the commercials than the game. Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

1. I know _____________.
That winter doesn't last forever, but right now it sure feels like it!
2. _________ the longest month.
Right now February seems like
3. You can't help but __________.
Notice the days are getting longer!
4. _____________; bring it on!
Daffodils, Bradford Pear trees, and tulips are fighting to be the most beautiful sight this spring
5. Where have you looked ______________?
For contentment, peace, happiness, joy?
6. ________ is now available.
A great relaxation/meditation app for the IPhone
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!
a quiet evening warm and dry in the house, lunch with the Saturday bunch (haven't seen them in two weeks!), a movie and lunch with Linda and Jacki!

This Friday is National Wear Red Day

Check out this article from the Examiner.com-----don't forget tomorrow is National Wear Red Day!

New Spring Sweaters!

When I saw these spring sweaters at Target about a month ago, I was drooling----and waiting for them to go on sale. They finally did---and of course, wouldn't you know it, I saw the ad on Sunday, but couldn't get out because of the icy roads. Today the sun was out and the temperatures warmed up, so I was able to get out and about (thank goodness, I was getting cabin fever!). I got all four colours that I wanted----they look so springy----I can't wait to wear them! Eeyore was so excited when I came in with the bag, that he decided to pose with them---he does look lovely!

Snowed In Sunday---

The sun is shining brightly in NC, but it's still pretty cold, the roads are still very icy (authorities are asking people to stay off the roads, and I am happy to comply), today is another "in" day for me. Tomorrow it's supposed to hit about 45 degrees, and I am going going to be happy to get out and about a bit. Believe it or not, there might be another storm next weekend! At this rate, I will have my house totally organized and all my knitting projects caught up by spring.

Speaking of knitting, I have been productive this weekend----I finished another dishcloth that L'Eeyore promptly snitched to use as a blanket/Snuggie while he's watching TV:

I also finished crocheting a baby blanket, my first, here it is on the living room floor blocking:

I'm also making good progress on the current pair of socks on the needles---will share that picture in a separate post.


A lot of my beading projects this weekend are for gifts (for people who read this blog) so I can only share this one of some necklaces with beads I got at AC Moore last time they had a 50% off sale:

I also finished up 3 sets of stitch markers for gifts and a stitch marker swap I am doing on Ravelry. I've also spent a lot of time this weekend getting my blogs caught up, so all in all, it's been a productive weekend, and I feel accomplished. That being said, I am going to be so glad to get back to my regular routine!

Eeyore and the gang think that any handmade card that comes into the house is for them---they consider it their "fan mail". Eeyore is posing with a card from Betsy in Ohio:

And we also got a beautiful card from Caroline (Caroline, please note, I tried to get a picture with Eeyore----he loves the card, but I couldn't get any of the detail to show up):

We think "quality mail" is a big deal around here----so the cards were much appreciated, thanks so much!

Mmmmm, the house smells delicious, I just finished cooking scalloped potatoes and ham, good comfort food. I'm going to get busy finishing up a book review I am writing for the Holy Hormones blog (I was given a complimentary copy of a book on bioidentical hormones to review for the blog-----it's a terrific book and is going to make a great reference for anyone interested in/considering BHRT). Hope everyone has had a safe, productive weekend. Oh, yeah, Happy Groundhog Day on Tuesday ------ this year in particular, I am hoping for spring in no later than 6 weeks!

1. How long have you been blogging?
I started Needle Notes in August 2008, Holy Hormones January 2009
2. What made you start?
Needle Notes---way to show my friends what projects I have been working on, as well as have some fun with the "lives" of my stuffed animals --- Holy Hormones because there is so much misinformation out there about bioidentical hormone therapy.
3. Who inspired you?
Jackie probably inspired me about the Needle Notes blog ---- she has a great blog on stamping and had already been at it for over a year.
4. About how many hours a week would you estimate you spend on your blog?
Between the two blogs, probably about 8-10 hours a week (easily)
5. What kind of experience or background do you have with writing?
I have two Master's Degrees, so by default I have written a lot of college papers!
6. Talk about how you come up with blog topics. Where do you get your ideas?
Needle Notes: What's going on in my life, what's funny, what's interesting. Holy Hormones: whatever new and interesting topics come up on the newsfeed relating to bioidentical hormones.
7. What or who inspires you and your blog?
The world around me.
8. Where and/or how do your brainstorming for your blog?
Often a good idea will come to me while I'm working out, or sometimes while I am knitting quietly.
9. Do you have any blogging rules or guidelines you follow?
I'm very careful with my Holy Hormones blog to be very professional, confidential about the women/men who write to me seeking assistance in finding a hormone doctor/compounding pharmacy. I'm a lot looser with the Needle Notes blog!
10. Is there anything you will not blog about?
I'm not really one for putting my "heart on my sleeve" and talking about deep emotions on my blog. I've seen people write entries on their blogs for the whole world to see that I would only discuss with my doctor in the privacy of his office.
11. Do you have any sort of a publishing schedule in terms of day of week or topic?
I try to blog on the Holy Hormones blog at least every other day (often I post nearly every day). The Needle Notes blog I post at least one meme and one "personalized" post every week.

Winter Wonderland

This is what my "deck view" looked like at about 4:15 yesterday afternoon when it started to snow:



And this is what it looked like at about 9 am this morning......

We only got about 4 inches of snow, but then during the night it changed over to sleet (and woke me up), so now there is a layer of ice over the snow that fell. The temperatures are in the low 20's, and are predicted to fall to about 15 tonight, so the roads are not going to be much better tomorrow. I'm going to be really ready to get out of the house by Monday!

Eeyore and the gang like having me home for a couple of days, they think I have been out entirely too much the last few weeks. They have been watching the Weather Channel (they think it's cool that Jim Cantore is here in Charlotte reporting on the storm) while I've been puttering around the house. I fixed myself a nice hot breakfast, did two more loads of laundry, and caught up my Holy Hormones blog with several articles. I also cleaned out the cabinet under the kitchen sink, and both junk drawers in the kitchen, so that's a job well done.

Now I am off to be creative, so I will post again tomorrow with what I've been working on. Stay warm and safe, everyone!

Visual explanation of why I no longer live in CNY----

These are pictures my friend Sue sent to me yesterday from Oswego, NY (where I used to live):

And I took these pictures yesterday at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden (it was 60 degrees here yesterday in the Piedmont of NC):

Are we clear now about why I moved south? You can see more of my orchid pictures on my Flickr site.....click here.

Foods which disgust the crap out of me:
Fish, brussels sprouts, Chinese food (looks like it was pre-eaten)
TV show I loathe:
I think most reality shows are pretty stupid
Movie I loathe:
Duplicity with Julia Roberts---it was two hours of my life I will never get back!
Music genres I loathe:
I'm not into punk rock
Magazine which annoys me:
Most fashion magazines, that's not how realy people dress
Makes me cranky at restaurant:
Loud cell phone conversations
Makes me cranky in public:
people driving and phoning/texting
Makes me cranky in general:
stupidity and ignorance
Pisses me off at home:
When I can't find something ----I know I laid it somewhere!
Pisses me off in general:
Health insurance companies
Makes me impatient at home:
A knitting project that gets boring and seems to go on forever
Makes me impatient in public:
People who carry on a conversation right in the middle of the flow of foot traffic (front door of the Y is a prime example)
Celebrity I hate:
Rush Limbaugh
Music artist I hate:
Profane rap artists that talk about cop killings
I could care less about:
Most sports---
Annoys the crap out of me weekdays:
The Charlotte Observer is way, way to small
Annoys the crap out of me weekends:
TV isn't very good
Blogger's habit that annoys you:
Vague, rambling posts, don't waste my time.
Feature on your blog you hate:
Nothing, if I hated it it wouldn't be there!
Movie star you despise:
None I really despise, I don't like arrogance, especially in men
Politician that you hate:
Hate is too strong a word----but I do not like the "birthers" or the "death panel" people