Pumpkin Sunrise

I'm reading two books and they are both the same.  They are both slow going as well, partly because of me and partly because of the full house.  I am not finding much time to read!!    Station Eleven  is coming along and I love the writing style.  My other book is One Thousand Gifts  and that is inching along. My knitting has been here and there as well.  I've been leaning towards quick projects.  The hat on the right is finished and came out a wee bit small.  I'm hoping a severe blocking session will make it bigger.  The wool is super wash and that tends to grow for me.  The hat on the left is making me quite happy to knit as well!!  Lovely pattern :) The origami butterfly was made by my son, who has been making all sorts of paper creatures scattered around the house.  I'm thinking of hanging them all on the tree. What are you knitting and reading this week? Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments  in the comment section with a link to your blog. How was your weekend? Today when I took Frodo outside for a walkabout, I spied four deer in the woods and lucky me, I got the photo of one!  It's not easy when Frodo is tugging me and I only have my iphone and it only zooms so much.  I feel like my day is complete. My weekend is the extended version since I didn't post on Friday.  Christmas was lovely and we enjoyed having all the kids home for the holidays.  We opened gifts, I made waffles and latter we had a traditional turkey dinner with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans and stuffing.  Before we said Grace we did Oplatek  and I remembered Christmases past and traditions that last.  I'm lucky that my church has the wafers available and maybe my children will keep the tradition w...

This week I've been knitting two projects.  The first is the scarf for my husband on size three, what was I thinking?  It is not a Christmas gift, phew.  But the purple is dark and hard to see for me so I keep making little mistakes...so daylight is the only time I work on it.  My next project is a hat for me?  or for whoever?  I loved this pattern when it was first out and have been itching to cast on!! I'm reading two books, first one is on the kindle-- One Thousand Gifts and my second book is Station Eleven .  I cannot really comment on either since both are in the early stages of reading. What are you reading and knitting this week? Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams

I completed this shawl a week ago and I wish you could feel this yarn.  So so so very soft, quite decadent.  There in nothing as thrilling as casting off on a shawl, those many stitches rhythmically taken off the needles.  Joy! The pattern was quite soothing and most of the time I was knitting on automatic pilot.  Until I arrived at the lace design.  I never quite achieved total memorization! I'm slipping in my brilliant knitting skills. The  wool  was hand dyed by my in real life knitting friend.  She is talented and generous!  She used Madder root, whatever that is.  I know this, I love the orange. Ravelry notes here

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments  in the comment section with a link to your blog. I'm a little earlier than usual but I've got company coming tonight and I know I'll be busy then.  So here goes my weekend summary. Friday night was a Christmas work party and dinner.  We had fun dressing up (as in no jeans) and eating out.  Fancy is fun once in a while, and I wore new dress clothes that fit like a dream. I felt comfortable instead of fidgeting with clothes that make me feel icky.  I'm donating those! Saturday was baking and, my oh my, did I bake!  Five different cookies:  peanut butter, chocolate chip, magic bars, gingersnaps, and Russian tea cookies.  I blasted the holiday tunes and eased into my rhythm of baking.  Later, I watched the first Harry Potter movie and finished my third, yes third baable hat. ...

Good morning!  So far during this early hour I've wrangled with my computer.  It seems that a restart was in order and my patience was tried.   I love technology when it works seamlessly.  We had an internet outage earlier this week and I thought the world was ending.  So spoiled!! And how blessed am I that an internet outage was the big deal. We are to have a green Christmas this year unless an ice age arrives and changes the forecast.  This green warm weather makes me appreciate last year's snowfall and cold!  I think the birds are confused around here, they are acting like it's spring.  I must say I do enjoy wearing a fleece jacket for a walk but still I am hoping for some chilly cold air soon. Good news!!  I have been discharged from the eye doctor on Wednesday.  The right eye is completely healed and the left eye still has some healing but I'm off all of the eye drops so she said there really wasn't any need to see her unl...

Call me crazy but I've cast on a scarf for my husband on size 3 needles.  I know I will regret this decision later on.  I've been spoiling myself with knitting on size 7 needles for many projects and the projects practically finish themselves.  My husband chose this purple wool and the only weight available was lace weight.  So I've doubled the yarn and size 3 needles looked the best.  Hopefully sometime today I'll update my Ravelry project page. I finished reading A Man Called Ove  and thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It's an easy read and somewhat sad and funny mixed together.  So now I'm in limbo between books.  I think I'll be starting One Thousand Gifts  by Amy Voskamp.  I bought the book on my kindle when there was a sale a week or two ago. What are you knitting and reading this week? Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments    in the comment section with a link to your blog. How was your weekend?  Are you ready for Christmas??  Getting there?  I am amazed we are half way through advent.  Friday night was quiet and at home, doing some knitting and relaxing. Saturday was more of the same.  I assessed the presents and what is left to arrive on my doorstep.  I might have to get "one" more gift.  Maybe.  For years I've been the kind of person that is done shopping at least one week or sometimes two weeks before Christmas.  I don't like crowds of people or that frantic feeling of picking something.  I like to mull it over, take my time. Anyways, back to my Saturday, we went out to shop for my husband's secretaries and then a dinner out.  Both activities, gift giving and eating w...

Good morning!!  My week has been fabulous and I cannot wait to tell you why.  I was so lucky to receive some awesome mail deliveries.  Do you remember when George Bailey, in It's a Wonderful Life, talks about train whistles being the wonderful sound? Well doorbells and car honks win this week.  My postal deliverer loves to honk before leaving a package outside our home.  UPS guy takes those extra steps to the front door and rings the bell.  Either way I'm a happy person. Jodie  sent me a lovely swap present.  I was filled with glee opening each item and felt gratitude for the world of knitters.  Thank you Jodie, I love everything!  And a big big thank you to Donna  who set up the swap. Next up is a sweet little treat from  Steph .  I feel like I know her in real life just haven't quite met face to face.  I imagine a time in my future where I'm sitting on her porch knitting and swinging and enjoying each ...

Ha!  I bet you were expecting the same old same old in my knitting and reading.  I am happy to report that my super secret knitting is finished and I am knitting for myself.  I cast on the Baa-ble hat that everyone on Ravelry has knit.  Okay maybe not everybody but I keep seeing this hat and I want it.  I want to wear a sheep hat while I walk and be like everyone else.  I'm simple that way. I had a thrill casting on and relaxing with a non Christmas present knit.  for me.  yes! Those stars up there are super cute and beautiful but I must say a bit labor intensive.  I would like to knit a few more but my weary hands are taking a little break.  I think I clench my hands while knitting them and get arm pains.  However, the pain is worth it, I guess. My reading has changed as well this week.  Well maybe it's the same.  I am reading on my kindle "A Man Called Ove"  it is a delightful easy funny book to read. ...

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments    in the comment section with a link to your blog. So far there has not been one single solitary snowflake to be seen.  Believe me, I've looked.  So today, as the foggy mist blanketed the area, I pretended the morning frost was snow.  It's all I've got so I'm making do.  This fog was pea soup thick and quite pretty! My weekend was quite nice.  I've met another self imposed knitting deadline that I can't share.  I'm quite pleased with myself and my knitting fury.  Also I've righted my slightly crooked back with perfect posture, lots of walking and some gentle yoga moves.  Ah, yoga, you are so so good for me and yet I put you aside for silly knitting marathon days.  I should learn, shouldn't I? Saturday afternoon my husband made a curry and a dahl and all I did was ...

my sister made my rabbit a new dress! This morning I'm sitting here at the computer thinking about how quickly December came upon me.  Honestly, time flies these days.  I remember when I was a kid and the time from my birthday in mid November to Christmas day was eternity. I've been marathon knitting to finish three items for the end of this week, again a self imposed goal.  Unfortunately too much knitting is causing some aches and pains in my back.  I knew that would happen and yet I continued to knit.  Silly me.  You would think I would be smart enough.  Ah well, live and learn and my self imposed goal is being set aside for the moment.  I'm doing gentle yoga, taking tylenol and focusing on really good posture. Oh good news!  My eyes are 50% better and I discontinued the antibiotic eye drops.  I've decreased the steroid drop more and see her (the doctor) in two weeks.  My eyes are feeling really really good and that makes...

I know, this photo looks a lot like last week's photo.  However I have finished one super secret knitting project and I'm on the second (out of three).  Super secret means I can't tell you about it, but let me assure you it's pretty exciting :)  I am enjoying knitting with Galway yarn and the stitches just glide from one needle to the next.  bliss! My reading, well I tried my best to finish the book yesterday and didn't.  I even read during the day!  I know I'll finish today.  At some point half way through this book, I became totally invested in the characters, the sadness, the hopefulness and the resilience of the story.  This is a GOOD book, so you should read it if you haven't yet. What are you knitting and reading this week? Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams