Pumpkin Sunrise

  I'm thrilled to share with you the completed Wedding Shawl .  This is my favorite of all the Citron shawls I have knitted.  I loved the beads and how they clink on the table when you set the shawl down.  That is one of the most satisfying sound.  I also love how the beads add weight to the shawl. I decided against a beaded cast off because that would have taken forever and I wasn't convinced I had the resolve to do it and I wondered if the beads would be seen.  I'm glad I choose not to add the beads at the edge because the bind off was over three hours long. The wool is Shibui Knits Lunar and I highly recommend the yarn.  It is so very soft and a delight to have in your hands. Ravelry notes

  Hello!  This is a super quick post - my weekend was extended because we went to visit our son and future daughter in law in West Lafayette, Indiana.  It was a VERY long drive.  10 hours going and 11 hours coming back.  Sadly there was a major accident on one of the highways - so there was lots of sitting and fretting when will the traffic move. It was nice to finally see his apartment and his town.  Purdue University has a beautiful campus.  No matter where we went everyone was wearing masks, including the outside.   I'm glad to be home (best bed ever) and I'm playing catchup with my messy messy house.

  Guess what!  I finished the wedding shawl and it is blissfully blocking and drying in a spare bedroom.  The casting off took 3 hours. Phew! I don't know what your weather is like but we are saying good bye to cool breezes and hello summer weather once more. Hopefully it will be a brief breeze by hello. I do like the cooler weather, I might think better and my knitting productivity goes way way up. This week was kind of all over the place with scattered thoughts. I've had some minor stresses and that puts such a wrench in my day. Above all I chant 'this too shall pass' and realize that this moment is not going to be the ever lasting moment. In these times I find just allowing myself not be so focused on productivity and trying and to be content with whatever I am doing while I'm doing it. If I'm cooking or making dinner, I try to be present in that moment.  I'm not sure why but just allowing a day to be non-productive is productive!  I feel renewed. I love ...

  Good morning!  My knitting has been quite productive this week.  I finished the red socks over the weekend as I had planned.  So the first pair of socks are done out of at least four pairs I'd like to make as Christmas gifts.  In the above photo, I started the second pair of socks with the most delightful green color way.   What are you working on this week?

  My weekend was full of goodness, how was yours?   On Saturday our daughter and son in law came for an afternoon visit outside and it was wonderful. Sorry no photos, you'll have to conjure up happiness in your imagination. I was busy making a late lunch and bringing everything out and then after we ate I hauled everything back in. It was SO good to see them and to be with them. Isn't it funny that before March we entertained frequently and the work involved seemed minimal. Now after months of doing nothing, a social day with food preparation is so much work! I guess I'm used to endless days of no socialization. We sat outside trying to find some sun beams to sit in because in the shade it was quite brisk. Last time they visited, we were desperately trying to find shade because it was over 90 degrees. I'll take the brisk any day. While Saturday was busy, my Sunday was not. I did laundry and cleaned then tried to stuff in some knitting. I loved the nothingness of Sunday ...

  Are you enjoying this fall-like weather?  I have been in heaven.  I even changed the bed comforter to the fall/winter one.  The pool will be closing this week and I cannot get enough of the fall foliage that is emerging.  Thank goodness for Autumn! This past week was a little busy.  After many months of staying at home we were out for the first time in six months to a neighboring city to look for a dress for me to wear to my son's wedding in January.  I tried on five, liked two and picked one.  See - simple.   I honestly do not want to go store-to-store scouring the selections which is what I would have done before the pandemic.  I also didn't want to order online.  All I need are a pair of shoes and that can wait for a few weeks for now. On Saturday I drastically cut added sugar in my diet.  I gave up desserts which was easy after one day but I have been chipping away at the sugar I put in my morning coffee.  I hav...

  Good morning!  Another wonderful Wednesday where I show you minimal knitting progress! I'll blame in on the one-month-retired husband who distracts me, and I'm sticking to that excuse. How are you? How is your life going these days? We are going to the urgent eye clinic this morning because my husband did something to his eye a few weeks ago and it's not really better but worse. I'm taking my knitting and my book and have positive thoughts of getting the second sock done.   The wedding shawl is my most favorite knit of all. I love the weight of the beads and the bit of sparkle they give. I love doing my wedges too. I am on the ninth wedge (out of ten total). It takes longer and longer to do each row. The beading row is now taking more than 2 hours. I'm in knitting heaven! What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? Mine was quite nice especially since autumn is squeezing out summer days by leaps and bounds. The mornings are chilly and the sunset inches closer and closer towards dinner time. I love all of it and am savoring it. I spend most of summer trying my best to enjoy summer but really deep down inside I long for fall. I did a bit of puzzling, reading and knitting. Also a lot of research on the internet about healthy diets. I cut added sugar on Saturday because of a really crazy high-salt high-sugar Friday. I felt so crummy this weekend. I remember being in my 20s and eating anything I wanted without ill effects. Oh how I miss those glorious days. I have to do yoga frequently so I can sit and knit. I have to exercise frequently so I don't have chronic back pain or joint pain. Now I believe I need to cut the added sugar (most days I am low salt so that isn't an issue). I'll keep you posted on the journey. I don't like to obsessively track health goals b...

  Good morning! How are you doing? Did you have a good week? Sometimes these days seem the same day in and day out. I like it over all and find it soothing. My week was pretty good, the maple trees are slowly dropping leaves and even though it might be summery temps it feels like early fall. Today is supposed to be cooler and I'm all in for that. Yesterday I made chocolate chip cookies and zucchini bread (two loaves). The aroma was delightful and I couldn't wait to take a bite of one of those cookies. They might be my favorite cookie. Since his retirement we have settled into a routine of sorts. I'm still getting used to him being here everyday for lunch and the 'noise' he creates with the tv on. I sit in silence all day long! However, if he puts on Mystery Science Theater I am all in for the distraction. I giggle a lot. My journaling goals are going quite well. The only task I am unable to incorporate as a daily task is sketching and drawing. There is next week so ...

  Good morning!  I thought I'd share with you the progress of the wedding shawl which is nearly two-thirds of the way completed.  I just wound up the last skein of yarn and I am making the eighth wedge out of ten total.  The beading row now takes me two evenings to do.   This is a wonderful knit and I will be sad when it is finished.  In other knitting news that is not photographed - I am on the second sock for my daughter's Christmas socks.  Remember I have a grand knitting plan of knitting the kids and the significant others each a pair of socks. What are you working on this week?

  My weekend is still going on since it's Labor Day weekend, however I decided to pop in here and do a quick posting.  How are you?  We've been pretty good.  This weekend has been ultra chill filled with morning walks now that the heat and humidity have ebbed away.  It's been nice to be out and about feeling cold my only whimper is the fall allergies! On Saturday morning I heard the Canadian geese for the first time, they honk to tell me of things to come.   After my first week of September, I've managed to stay mostly on task with my creative goals.  Knitting and reading always happen daily no matter what. The sketching and watercoloring are currently set at three times a week (I'd like more often than that).   the moon this morning Since the weekend  is still going strong, we might take a country drive.  He wants to show me his local bike routes on secondary roads that take you up and down some hills (mountains) to places I'v...