January 2026

Large areas of the US are suffering with ice storms, snow-covered roads, and power outages.  South Mississippi is sunny and windy some days, 20s a few days at a time, meaning protecting a few potted plants is necessary. I have tried to get my outdoor cat Lacey to sleep in the box where I have put a blanket I've warmed in the dryer. Of course, it doesn't stay warm very long, and she doesn't stay.

Lacey on warm blanket, briefly

A happy surprise recently was a visit by a violinist friend Alejandro Lopez. He graduated from USM and now lives and teaches in Mobile. His talented wife Magarita Minta grows succulents (along with caring for baby Matias). She sent me this beauty she had recently repotted. I hope I can keep it happy in its sunny spot in my living room.

With Alejandro Lopez

Echeveria

I spent quite a bit of time reading this month. I borrowed several children's and youth novels from Linda. These are enjoyable and quick to intersperse among longer recommended books. I also read The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman. I had read it several years ago and was moved by the bravery of this family in Poland during WWII. Next were two recommended by NPR--The Correspondent, a novel by Virginia Evans, and Theo of Golden, a novel by Allen Levi. I just finished one that has been on my Kindle for months--The Storied Life of A J Fikry by Gabrielle Levin. 

I didn't sew much--completed a stole for our pastor in green for use during the longest period on the liturgical calendar--Ordinary Time. It has vine/leafy quilt stitches in a lime green thread (pictured on left); dark green thread in the bobbin (on right).

Front (on left) Back (on right)

I was glad I had not sewn any more after I managed to trap two paper CD covers on the back of a small quilt I was working on. This necessitated unpicking all the stitches from the areas with the heavy paper and repairing all the loose stitches this created. It was good practice for burying ends of threads.

Trapped CD cover in quilting stitches (back)

I'm not a very fast puzzler, but I do enjoy them. One of my granddaughters, Kaley Jordan, sent me this beautiful 1000-piece bird puzzle. I started it on January 1 and finished it today, January 31. I gave up several times but would come back in a day or so and make a little progress. My friend Daniel Magalhaes brought me a latte and helped one day. My granddaughters in Texas often do a puzzle in a day, but I'm hoping even at my snail's pace this helps my brain keep working.

Finished puzzle

Detail