Pumpkin Sunrise

My days have been quiet and filled with peace.  I always relish the days when I haven't a worry or care in the world.  Every single day should be like that.  So I savor those non-stressed days and bank up that contentment feeling for when the storms brew in my head. I just love these "charlie brown christmas trees" in my yard.  We have many and they always make me smile.  I imagine a very large heavy ornament pulling their tender trunks towards the earth.  While my husband and kids were snowblowing and shoveling and sledding, Frodo and I did a walkabout to document the snow fall.  He loves when I grab the camera! Soon the end of the year will arrive and resolutions come to my mind.  I could list so many tiny goals and invent more and more.  I could be more productive, healthier, knit more (love that one) and organize this house from top to bottom. However, I just want to be in any moment in fullness and appreciate the beauty.  I want all my moments captured

These days have been quiet and calm.  Snow lays on the ground and there is a possibility of more snow this weekend.  I've been knitting and finished two projects.  While knitting my mind wanders to new projects that I'd love to start, another sweater, another shawl.  Yet I still have a sweater and shawl on the needles.  Ideally I like to stay under four projects on the needles.  Over four and I lose my mind.  Four is the perfect variety for me.  Do you have a maximum number?  Just wondering. I'm  still trying to get used to buying groceries for four people, that is a work in progress.  When they leave I think I'll have perfected the skill, only to then revert back to buying and cooking for two people.  I must say that the fingerless mitts are so wonderful in person.  The yarn is cascade 220 superwash and it is the softest wool EVER.      I hope you all have a lovely weekend :)

We are all just hanging out and relaxing, enjoying our time with one another.  Yesterday went by so fast and in between the opening of presents and the forever cooking in the kitchen (and the cleaning), I managed to sit and knit and just BE.  It felt good and I felt so happy.   I am tolerating the mess on the coffee table brilliantly.  Even Frodo looks like he is stunned by it.  It just wouldn't be Christmas without that big old pile of mess. Some yarns that have been knitted with and that blue is going to be a wurm hat eventually.  Haven't started it yet but I love looking at it. While cooking I managed to ball up two more skeins for my sweater that has been idle on the needles.  Every day my forearm feels better and I think it was more arthritis symptoms than abuse.  Let's just say I like to think it isn't from over knitting-tsk tsk tsk-that is like swearing.  Seriously I am happy with the amount that I can knit comfortably. How was your Christm

The wrapping is done and the menu is planned.  I still have a teeny bit of baking to do.  I am enjoying my family during their school break and there is plenty of laughter, talking, planning and remembering past Christmas activities.  Tonight, after the Children's Mass, we will watch A Christmas Carol  (with Alistar Sim of course!)  and eat many many desserts. I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!!

A happy solstice to all of you!!  Yay it's winter time officially, now if only we could have some flakes to make it look like the season.  Would you believe that we had no power from 4 a.m. until 7:15 a.m.???  I am all flustered up because of it.  I did not drink enough coffee and I am behind in everything on my list. My son and I are leaving shortly to go pick up my daughter.  My husband will be making some homemade pizza which I am so looking forward to eating for dinner.  The wrapping of presents is nearly done and I haven't even begun to bake.  But it's on that list that I was talking about so it will become reality.  Very soon.  Just not today. So as I type this post I am once again reminded to be grateful for such simple things.  I hope each and every one of you have a wonderful weekend.  May peace surround you as you approach this holiday and you can celebrate with the ones you love. Have a lovely weekend!

This week I'm working on a simple scarf with an easy cable and lace pattern from my imagination.  With only 37 stitches on the needles it should be going faster than it is.  I had a hiccup with some arm pain, but I think I know what caused it.  One word:  posture.  As in how I sit on the love seat.  Oh to be 20 years old again and sit any which way for hours with not one little ache or pain.  I should have appreciated my pliable body more back then.  Anyways, the yarn is Cascade 220 a basic yarn that can do incredible projects. My book this week, is the new Anne Lamott book Help Thanks Wow.   It is wonderful to read, her writing is fresh and real and you feel like she is just sitting across from you at a cafe table having a personal chat.  I love her reflections about God and her universal stance on life.  This is a great little book to pick up if you want to get a sense of her writing style.  I highly recommend it! On Friday I will be getting my daughter who only has two we

My weekend was filled with: -a heavy heart for the horrific events in Connecticut -crossing off tasks for the preparation of Christmas -shopping with my son and enjoying time together -menu planning for two weeks -new possibilities in the new year-thoughts that float about in my mind -watching HP movies, #4 and #5 this afternoon -knitting and knitting and knitting and not having any issues!! -being ever so thankful for my family How was your weekend? Joining Amanda

These mornings are chilly, quiet and spectacular.  I find myself taking in the beauty of a frost and deeply breathing in the cold winter air.  Each morning the frost looks different.  The absence of snow which is sad for me is soothed by the frost in the morning. Days are speeding by and my to do lists are manageable when I remember them or find them under piles of papers.  What I have been enjoying this week: -singing random Christmas songs -having video games going on (the son is completely at home!) -friendship and socializing, in real life! -oh the chocolate -incredible views of mountains and rolling valleys as I drove to my son's campus and back -my extended rest from knitting, I do believe it was much needed and necessary -chatting with my sister every single day :) What did you enjoy this week? Have a lovely weekend :)

I have to be completely honest, my knitting has been quite minimal since Saturday due to overdosing on knitting projects.  The good news is that because I have been barely knitting my forearms are almost as good as new!  I have my barnacle sweater on the needles, working on the body.  I savor every single stitch.  The yarn is Quince and Co. Tern  and the pattern is here . The socks are for my daughter for Christmas IF I finish them. She bought the yarn years ago with the hopes of knitting a stripy scarf.  So it sat in my stash and I saw a pair of socks instead.  If you knew her you would say "that is her colorway"!  I am not that fond of the colorway. I continue to read A Redbird Christmas  by Fannie Flagg.  I've read it before and it's a good book to read during the holiday season.  The book in the photo Life is a Verb  by Patti Digh was a gift from my sister.  She saw me flipping through it during our shopping expeditions.  Sneaky sneaky little elf.  I'v

I have written up the pattern for these stockings-keep in mind that they haven't been test knitted.  Just technically edited (thanks sis!).  I hope you enjoy the pattern and knit loads and loads of these little cuties. Thank you for all the well wishes.  My knit rest is doing the job.  My forearms are feeling so much better and I am quite confident one or two more days of limited knitting will do the trick :) Happy knitting everyone! You can also download it on Ravelry

This weekend was relaxing and I had a huge epiphany.  You know the kind that just stops you in your tracks.  I was knitting madly yesterday on socks for my daughter and made such significant progress, but you see it came at a cost.  Both of my forearms are hurting.  Especially my left arm-so, I am easing up on my self imposed (prison) goals.  I value my knitting time that continues to be my inexpensive therapy for when I dabble in anxiety. Today I did not knit all day until meeting friends for knitting.  Even then I took it easy.  I am also having a mild flare up of my arthritis so I'm hoping that in a few days I will be good as new.  Until then, I am NOT knitting three pairs of socks for Christmas day.  One pair seems doable.  In over thirty years of knitting I have manage to not be sidelined by a knitting injury, I aim to keep my lucky streak going. My husband cooked dinner today so after knitting I had delicious curry and then tackled the dishes.  My chores for today are

Yesterday morning was so beautiful I ran inside to grab the camera and thought I'd share what I captured.  Today I'm thankful for: -lights on the tree -crisp cold air -pink sunrises -Frodo when he is sleeping -hot coffee in my morning mug -hot tea in my evening mug -new page in a journal -broccoli, brussel sprouts, and black olives (not together) -shopping lists that get shorter -darkness after dinner and feeling cozy inside -frost covered leaves -homemade ornaments What are you thankful for today?

On Monday night I started a baby sweater with the same wool that I used for the fingerless mitts  which I completed!  My to do Christmas knitting list is dwindling down fast.  But so is my resolve.  I still have three pairs of socks to knit for my family.  I think I can do it.  I have many more movies I can pop in and watch while I loving labor over every single stitch.  Anyways, back to this sweater.  It is the top down sweater by Elizabeth Zimmermann.  I have this sweater pattern memorized over all and I love how quickly it knits up with worsted weight wool.  Today or tomorrow it shall be done.  After that, I will be button diving. I started reading A Redbird Christmas  by Fannie Flagg, who is an excellent story teller.  I've read this book at least twice before and it's a fantastic re read during the holiday season.  This will be my last holiday book read.  I am toying with reading Les Miserables  before the movie is shown in theaters BUT I am a slow reader and I know

I finished the fingerless mitts yesterday for Christmas gifts.  The yarn is moda dea which is incredibly soft and has a lovely feel to knit with.  I am pleased that it is superwash so it will be a breeze to keep clean. The pattern is fetching . This is my go to fingerless mitt pattern, I think because I have it memorized and it's super easy to whip up.  I like to do four cables on the wrist section and three cables on the palm section. On the thumb, I knit 10 rows before binding off.  I also eliminate the picot edging.

My weekend was slow and easy, finishing books, starting books.  Reading over Christmas lists and starting the big buy.  Ignoring my aversion to weekend shopping, then regretting every. single. minute.  I love to shop when no one else is around. The best shopping is on line shopping!! After Mass this morning the laundry was started, but not finished.  I talked to both kids.  Then Frodo and I settled down to watch the first Harry Potter movie so I could power through the fingerless mitt knitting.  Sometimes movie watching makes me quite productive in the knitting department. We made homemade pizza that happened to be the best pizza ever.  After a couple pieces of chocolate I'm ready to finish the very last mitt and drink my tea (in a festive mug!) It was a good weekend. How was your weekend? Joining Amanda