Pumpkin Sunrise

  This week before the daily rainy days, we were walking our usual daily route. Most of the leaves have fallen but there are some trees that are resisting, mainly the catalpa trees. Maybe we are on our third rainy day, I've lost count. Rainy dreary days are perfect for knitting endlessly. My new planner arrived on Monday afternoon as well as a new fountain pen and new ink. I've been setting it up so that I start in November. This planner is replacing two to four notebooks or loose pages. I am focusing on daily tasks, menu planning, exercising, budgeting and my schedule. Migrating information from one location to another has been fun. Nothing motivates me more than a new system. I'll keep you updated with my progress. The fountain pen is a TWSBI Eco pen  and my new ink is 54th Massachusetts Noodler's ink  which is a blue/black ink - I love it. (I purchased through JetPens this is not an affiliate link) I continue to use my creativity planner as well. That holds my knit

  I finished my sister's featherweight cardigan on Friday but then had to redo the cast off edge of the neckline on Sunday after waiting for it to dry from the first blocking. I believe I did the cast off edge over a two day period and when I picked it up on the second day I guess I just cast off with tight stitches.  No amount of blocking could fix that. I'm pleased with the way the cardigan turned out and I hope my sister will be as well. This is her requested Christmas present - to finish her sweater and I succeeded. Ravelry Notes

  My coffee table is organized chaos, isn't it beautiful? I had a really nice weekend, did you? I visited with my sister and aunt, made cookies, talk a lot. My mom would always say that getting together and talking was 'free talking' because back then the phone calls were toll charges. Cell phones have definitely improved my quality of life. On our daily walks I've notice that the leaves and past peak, I'm feeling bittersweet about it. I tried to appreciate the fall colors every day and yet I feel like I didn't appreciate them enough. I'll miss those glorious colors. I am looking forward to winter and hunkering down in my cosy house, knitting away. On Sunday I did all those pesky household chores most of the day so that I could sit and knit on that baby blanket which might be done today! Let's hope so - I need to dig though my yarn stash to now find some washable wool for a cardigan. How was your wekend?

Miracles of miracles, my photos uploaded in the order I wanted, does this foreshadow a fantastic day? I believe so. How are you? How is your October going? We have been enjoying the colors and the change of seasons. We have walked nearly every day and now I'm just waiting for this pesky warm up to disappear so we can go back to chilly days and romantic dreams of wearing wool. After many days of sleepless nights, I slept so nicely last night. I would love every night to be like that but I will be grateful for last night.  I ordered another planner that should be coming next week. This planner will hold my appointments, budgeting and boring mundane tasks that come with life. My current planner that I bought is more of a creative tracking planner. I list daily gratitudes, do a bit of art journaling and keep track of my knitting and art habits. Of course, along with a new planner is a new fountain pen, and along with a new fountain pen is new ink. It's a slippery slope my friends.

  This photo, my friends, is a photo of me approaching the end of knitting this black sweater. My sister started this featherweight cardigan for herself and did the body and one inch of the ribbing. She asked me to finish the sweater for her since it's been in her basket for a few years. I have romantic visions of finishing this project tonight while watching TV, if not tonight, then tomorrow night.   Once this sweater is off the needles I'll be returning to marathon knitting my nephew's baby-to-be blanket . I cannot wait to have a semi-empty knitting bag to fill up with new projects. What are you working on this week?

  This weekend was perfect.  We did daily walks in our neighborhood and the fall foliage is at its peak, I love it. Along with fall are fall allergies which I am not a fan of but there is always a price for happiness.  A frost would be nice, don't you think? I did a lot of reading and finished a memoir, Hunger , by Roxane Gay. It was sad and heartbreaking but a compelling read. I will definitely read more of her essays and books. I worked feverishly on my sister's black (black!!!) sweater. Golly, I wish I had the eyesight of a 20 year old. However, I finished the second sleeve and after all the pesky pick up stitches around the band that I hope will be completed sometime today, I will be sailing into easy 2 x 2 ribbing. How was your weekend?

  Good morning! How has your week been? Overall my week has been a good week. I've been thoroughly enjoying watching the leaves change color around my neighborhood. The oak trees are starting to do their leaf dump, in the next week or so the oak trees will be finished. Autumn goes much too quickly for me! All of the holiday plans in the next coming months are completely undone and I keep trying to think of ways to gather without gathering. Can a fire pit keep you warm outside for socializing in late fall early winter? I don't know. Also if it's raining sleeting or snowing that makes it a little nuts to be outside. If you have any suggestions let me know! always a sunrise photo neighborhood sign I saw my kidney doctor yesterday and she said 'you are too healthy to be in my clinic'. So I'm discharged!  That was quite exciting. I was so upset when I was referred to her back in February, but now I will miss her, she is a kind, patient and caring doctor. I'm in t

  Hello! Another Wednesday and another update on my knitting. First off, is the above featherweight cardigan that my sister started for herself and then just could not knit on. I'm not sure when she started this cardigan but I am guessing years ago. She finished the body and did one meager inch of ribbing. For her Christmas gift she asked me to finish it for her. Super easy to do!! I had to drop down a needle size to match her gauge and I finished the body ribbing. I'm about half way down with the first sleeve. The yarn is mystery yarn, she thinks it's Mad Tosh Lace - I will know when I block it if it grows significantly. I've knit with that wool  many many times. My other project is the baby blanket for my nephew's baby to be that is due in mid-January. How delightful to be knitting on size EIGHT needles, super speedy!! What are you working on this week?

  I had a busy weekend!  My nephew got married on Saturday and while they had to overhaul their wedding plans and scale down the list, we were excited to be invited and attend.  They had a lovely ceremony and reception.  My sister looked beautiful! I now am sitting in my house with a million things to do and haven't as of yet written my to do list.  It's going to be a LONG list.  In the car and when I had the free moment I worked on my nephew's baby-to-be blanket.   How was your weekend? P.S.  Yes I did make my shawl :)

  How's your week been?  Mine was somewhat busy and a little bit stressful. I decided to bundle a lot of my errands and tasks on Wednesday just so I could cross off a huge list, instead of every single day having a dribbling effect of going somewhere or doing something. So my Wednesday was full but I was quite productive. We've been going on daily walks, where I soak up the autumnal changes, I'm afraid I'll blink and the colors will be completely over. The maple trees are in peak colors right now and the oak trees are starting to drop leaves. There's a mini warm up predicted for the weekend and then hopefully we are back to light jacket wearing. I've got some plans in my head for some aimless car rides on back roads in the next few weeks.  Frodo continues to act like himself and chases Holly whenever he gets a chance. It's nice to not be worrying about him as much as I was over last weekend. My husband and I have been watching all the Marvel movies in the or

  First and foremost, Frodo is acting more like himself now that he is on some medicines to help him get better. Thank you for all of the well wishes for his speedy recovery, I am grateful.   I started knitting a baby blanket  yesterday for my nephew's baby-to-be that is due in mid-January. This yarn has been in my stash for over twenty years...I love when I use something that has hung around forever. Using stash yarn justifies the collecting of stash yarn. I am on the second sock for my son in law for his hand made Christmas present. I had grand plans of finishing it over the weekend but I didn't.  Maybe by this weekend??  What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? Mine was a mixed bag of sorts. Just so you know, Blogger insists on uploading my photos in the wrong order and I've given up fixing them.  Does it matter? I'm not sure! I've contacted them numerous times and I don't think they care or it isn't a high priority for them. Also free is free, you get what you pay for. Anyways, Saturday was a beautiful day, we drove to a neighboring town via back roads and drank in the fall foliage that is slowly emerging. I don't want to miss it!  We had the best bagel sandwiches ever for lunch outside while the weather permits. I think hunger makes everything taste good these days. We walked around the town and then headed home. Yesterday was stressful. Frodo started a cough Saturday night and coughed the whole night through. I just don't know how I did babies-toddlers-preschoolers back in the day. I was extremely exhausted yesterday morning! Anyways we took him the a 24/7 emergency vet hospital who said

  October!!!  I made it to the best of the first months of glorious brilliant fall foliage, cool breezes and the quietening of summer.  Phew.  Now the question I ponder upon is how do I savor this blessed month? I already keep a journal and I take photos.  I document so much of my days in more than one notebook even though they seem mundane and nothing changes day in day out. I guess I will try my very best to be mindful and in the moment.  This is a challenge since I'm thinking of the next thing I want to do or accomplish. Inktober started yesterday!  I do love pens and ink the best (besides watercoloring).  I'm eager to return to a daily sketching habit.  My husband mainly does pastels and is now dabbling in colored pencil.  Oh I am a wannabe when it comes to colored pencil and it just doesn't jive with me.  I like the permanence of ink and the sloppiness of watercolor.  I'm also not patient enough to layer colors like he is.   Thank you  Mary for a great book recom