Pumpkin Sunrise

I'm sitting here with a cup of hot green tea in my favorite mug savoring this weekend.  The past two days was fabulous.  The weather was beautiful and even though the humidity was more than I like and my RA flared a wee bit, I still loved every minute. On Saturday we went to some town festivals.  One was an arts festival where all sorts of artists sold their wares.  I was inspired to branch out of my knitting and dabble in drawing and painting.  I am envious of their skills!  My favorite is pottery....gah.  I didn't buy anything this year but I do drool over the bowls and mugs and more mugs.  My cupboard is busting from the amount of mugs I own.. I can never pass up a good bathroom tile floor :)  My husband and I shared a portobello mushroom wrap and some fries.  Sharing lets you eat lots of flavors for half the calories.  I've made the wrap at home a few times but it tastes much better when someone else makes it. ...

The dogwoods are in full bloom this week.  I'm lucky to have many trees growing wildly on my property.  Once the dogwoods bloom, I can safely believe spring is here.  Yesterday, Frodo and I took our daily walk in sunshine and warm breezes.  No jackets required. As I look out my windows, I see green everywhere!  Last night, a neighbor was mowing for the first time and the hum of the tractor reminded me of summer time.  Hopefully today, my husband and I will get the swing outside put up and ready decadent idleness.  Before you know it, the pool will be opened! This week had me struggling again with technology.  I keep thinking I'm winning the war, but those battles are wearing me thin.  Honestly.  I sometimes feel like I'm missing something.  However, here I am with imported photos and typing away so I do know enough to get by. Always learning is a key to growing.  I like that I have that stubborn streak that doesn't...

I never tire of the excitement when I finish a shawl.  The casting off is a reward that most knitter's get excited about.  There is the fun of casting on, then the steady momentum of the middle part, you know picking up a project and just toodling along. Then there is the cast off, soaking and blocking.  The dessert of a fabulous meal. This is my second Pebble Beach Shawl and I repeated the edge lace a bit more than was written in the directions.  I find that the crescent shaped shawl to be THE shawl that wears nicely around the neck.  Also the narrow depth distributes the weight of the shawl better. I think I have a delicate neck and I don't like weight around it... Ravelry notes are here !

This weekend was nearly a 'do nothing' weekend.  The very best kind of weekend, if you ask me.  I love when nothing particular is on the schedule.  Friday night, we went to a banquet for my husband's work and I dusted off the "dress clothes".  I rarely ever wear skirts, so it's a big deal!  I live in jeans all year round. Saturday, we had a slow morning of reading newspapers and doing some puzzles.  We headed off for a lunch out then a bit of shopping.  I recently broke my brand new coffee carafe.  I remember within of week of purchasing the coffee maker, I slammed the carafe against the sink and nothing (!) happened.  A few weeks later, I poured coffee and a big piece of glass fell out of the side.  Luckily, I had a back up carafe and as far as I know, I didn't drink glass parts. So yeah, slamming into hard surfaces will weaken glass... Sunday morning was 7:30 Mass and the laundry chores.  The weather this weekend w...

Ah, the never ending scrap sock blanket that I wanted to be finished by spring.  Well, that didn't happen but you know what?  I'm okay with that.  I've placed this work in progress on the loveseat and I have to move it to sit down.  That will remind me to do a few rows! One day I will show a photo of this cardigan with the sleeves on needles.  For now I'm working on increasing the body of the sweater, after those decreases to give it a finished fit.  I'm working on this while I read a book (yes, at the same time!). My husband's cowl is about half way done.  The knitting is super simple and a nice project to pick up and put down.  Easy peasy. Last but not least, I cast on another surf shawl with my gradient skein kit that I received for Christmas.  I love this pattern and this time around I'm making the large size. Have you started a new project lately?  What are your spring knitting plans?

I finally can reveal my secret knitting from last week.  I created three bunny dresses, one for me and two for my sister.  She picked the brown and and the blue one and I got to keep the purple one (yay!).  My sister was delighted to have some new clothes for her rabbit and I cannot wait to change out the brown sweater my rabbit is currently wearing to a spring-like purple one. I used up all the scraps I had in my stash of plymouth dk superwash merino .  I love the hand of this wool and the way it blocks.  So very soft, yet beautiful stitch definition. Since my stash is nearly gone of this wool, maybe I need to restock. Phew, unloading the secret knitting to all of you has made my burden a little lighter.  For now on, I'm going to knit transparently!

Did you have a nice weekend?  Mine was jammed full of family.  Oh and lots of evil (but delicious) food.  I was lucky to spend time with my sister and see the rest of my family.  The weather was perfection!  Suddenly it seems like winter is a mere memory and summer, yes summer is whispering. While visiting my sister I had the pleasure of hearing a northern mockingbird through out the night calling for a hot date.  I must say, he/she is quite persistent and caused a tiny bit of insomnia for everyone. I had fun being with family and eating delicious food.  My sister is a fantastic cook and baker.  I am ready though for a marathon of salads for lunch.  A tiny weekend of extra calories is not easy for me. The weekend is officially over and now I am tackling all the chores of returning home.  Unpacking, doing laundry, grocery shopping and trying to find the kitchen counters after a massive drop off of 'stuff'. me on...

I am almost ready for the weekend and celebrating Easter.  Almost.  As you might have guessed, I have a master list that I keep checking and making sure I don't forget something important.  So far, I think I am on top of being a thorough list crafting individual. Growing up, Easter was visiting both grandmas and eating two dinners.  I loved the deviled eggs, decorated hard boiled eggs, pickles (yes on the same plate as those eggs) and lots of potato salad.  Jello desserts were plentiful and you couldn't walk by the dining table without grabbing something to stick in your mouth whether you were hungry or not.  This was the only time my mother was not monitoring my candy intake and I took advantage of that leniency. Easter was potted bulbs as gifts and the car getting crazy dizzy from the perfumed aroma.  Hyacinths were the worst offenders.  We climbed into an orange Chevy Nova with cookie trays and flowers, wearing our Easter dresses. ...

I am thoroughly enjoying all of my projects on the needles when I do sit and knit.  This week is a busy one since we are approaching Easter.  I am nearly ready, I even finished the secret project knitting.  Hopefully I can share that soon.  I'm terrible at keeping secrets, so you must know how challenged I am right now.  Anyways- let's talk about knitting! I'm finished with the decreasing of the body of the sweater and now am working on the increasing before I get to the finished edge.  I'm contemplating on doing a simple rib edging instead of my icord edging that I've done on the two previous sweaters.  I guess I'm up for a different look. The cardigan is super squishy and soft.   Madeline Tosh Sock is a fabulous yarn! I did reach the lace edging of my dandelion field shawl (a.k.a. pebble beach shawl). This yarn is soft and has the slightest of haze, light and airy.  I'm anticipating finishing this project over the weekend...

Borrowing from my gram's colorful language style, I need another knitting project like I need another hole in my head.  Just saying.  But you know what?  Starting any knitting project is FUN.  I spent this afternoon winding up these gradient mini skeins that I received as a Christmas gift from a knitting friend.  I am almost sure which pattern I am using but not quite ready to commit.  I'm leaning towards another surf shawl . The weather returned to spring like temps and we were out and about walking the neighborhood.  Suddenly there is so much to see and notice.  More greenery each day, probably from the rain we had all week long.  Right now the sun is shining - I love going outside and standing, breathing in the fresh air. My knitting friends came over today.  Many delicious treats were shared as we chatted about our lives.  We caught up on past events and talked about future events.  Oh yeah, and we kni...

pebble beach shawl Are you the best version of yourself?  What would make you so?  These are the thinking thoughts I've been brewing over.  I guess because it's Lent and soon Holy Week, I become introspective.  I find myself during seasons reviewing my personal goals and creative pursuits. January first with new resolutions is an obvious goal setting time.  I'm motivated to stretch and grow and usually I wane in my intentions.  The best version of myself is not found during the first try.  Nothing is found during the first try (unless you are lucky!). my dear deer friends Spring is here, sort of and so I'm re evaluating my goals.  The goals are the same as always and I've added a few along the way.  However, anyone can list goals! super secret knitting and my cowl in the background How do I achieve the best version of myself?? - getting a good night's sleep -eating the right foods and exercising daily -carving out tha...