Pumpkin Sunrise

  I have been religiously working on this project and only this project for a few days now. I have high hopes of finishing this by next week. I need space in my knitting bag for some serious holiday knitting. I perused my knitted gift box and there aren't many gifts to give that I've knit throughout the year - I'll blame the move. I'm happy to report that my knitting mojo is back and I'm thoroughly enjoying sitting down with wool in my hands and on my lap. I'm sure the change in the weather has helped me along the way. What are you working on this week?

  I love how Holly stuffs herself in this small cat perch. How are you? How was your weekend? I had a relaxing and restorative weekend. I did a lot of knitting on the never ending shawl  but with every single row I am one more row completed. I am thoroughly enjoying watching Autumn shove its way in while the remnants of Summer continue to cling desperately but unsuccessfully. My husband and I did a lot of walking and chose a different neighborhood route. I do appreciate all of my wooded secluded walks in my old town. It's been an adjustment living in a suburb with a lot of traffic. Twice a week we drive to a local park to walk where the traffic is scant, that is lovely. We are here almost three months and I am finally feeling like myself. It takes me a long time to adjust to change. Sunday I did all those pesky household chores and finished them in lightning speed so I could read my book and later do some more knitting. Dare I say my knitting mojo is back? I'd like to think so...

  I've been reading a lot this week. I started 10% Happier by Dan Harris and it is really good. He writes about his personal journal into mindfulness and meditation, I've been captivated and squeezing in reading here and there during my day to gobble up the book. I highly recommend! I've been also reading a chapter a day/or every other day of Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn (revised edition), also a good book but jammed packed with lots of science and data so the reading is slow going - almost like a textbook but worth the read. The Madness of the Crowds by Louise Penny became available on my e-library loan request so I've set aside all the other novels to read this one in 21 days. Nothing like a deadline to make you rejigger your reading priorities. I love her writing and have read all of her books. I convinced myself that I did NOT need a Hobonichi Weeks planner until March 2022, then broke down and ordered the January start Hobonichi Weeks planner for 2022....

Good morning! I finished the baby sweater ! Somehow finishing a project and sewing the buttons on feels like such an accomplishment since we moved. I continually feel like I'm not getting much knitting done and then boom I have a lovely sweater off the needles for a dear friend's daughter who is expecting at the end of December. The yarn is from the baby blanket stash that I over bought. The pattern is my tried and true Elizabeth Zimmermann two needle baby sweater . You know very well that I'll be casting on another baby sweater for the new grandbaby-to-be shortly. What are you working on?

  Our daughter and son in law came for a weekend visit and we had a great time. Boy was it busy! We drove to the south of Pittsburgh to go to an art store and a book/greeting card store on Saturday afternoon. Then we drove all the way back up north to another town to toodle about - that's were they grabbed some coffee and croissants (I had iced green tea). In the evening we had my sister, brother in law and aunt over for a family dinner. I keep forgetting how much work is involved with hosting - and navigating the small kitchen, but I was successful at both. The key is to keep cleaning as you go. Yesterday was saying goodbye to them and putting the house back together again. I was thrilled to finish all the laundry by dinner time and the best part is we have tons of leftovers so I did not have to cook. Thanks for all the comments about how you drink your tea/coffee and your morning habits. I have done the 'tea in the morning' for about four days and I'm going back to co...

  Hello! How are you on this fine Friday morning? Can you believe that fall is around the corner (finally.). I'm excited about that. I know and you know that there will be hot days but they are just not sustainable this time of the year. I'm sitting in my kitchen watching my bird feeders and currently a chickadee is visiting. I do love having the bird feeders. The above photo is my new coffee/tea station set up. As you know, I've been improving my lifestyle for that past month. I have been a serious morning coffee drinker for 40 years. I drink it black with sugar. I have tried to cut down the sugar and can only go so far. I do not like the taste of artificial sweeteners. Added to that I'm probably caffeine sensitive and feel edgy with 1/2 decaf coffee. With green tea I do not use any sugar and it has way less caffeine unless I drink the decaf version. So I cleaned the coffee maker and put it away. I brought out my beloved electric tea kettle and bought some green teas t...

  I never thought that this poncho would be finished after knitting what seemed like miles of stockinette stitch which I wanted to do and then after 12 inches wondered what was in my mind. However this turned out so beautiful! Of course I was having camera issues. My SD card would not unlock and I had to find a different one to use. Then on my Mac the image resizer program that I've used faithfully for years quit working and I had to find another app to replace it. So I'm not sure why the photos are a teeny bit blurry (could have been me and my excitement in photographing...). I'm also trying to figure out where is the best place for photographing at this house. So much to learn! This poncho is for my daughter in law for her birthday and I am sure she will love it since she picked the pattern and the wool.  This finished project makes so much more mental room for my upcoming Christmas knitting projects. Ravelry notes

  Good morning! How was your weekend? Mine was filled with: -getting so close to finishing the poncho! - lunches on the back patio - watching Holly successfully hunt and kill a dried green pea in the kitchen - daily walks - saying goodbye to cool breezes and resisting the hot humid weather that is returning - cleaning - laundering - menu planning - reading - more knitting! - homemade pizza - Mass on Youtube  What did you do this weekend?

  Good morning! I'm sitting at my kitchen table early in the morning with a window opened and it's a bit brisk. I am in heaven. I know that next week the weather forecast is back into the 80's but I'll take these low 70's in a heart beat. How has your week been?  We drove to a local park twice this past week to walk a loop. The first time was without Frodo and the second time it was with Frodo. Each time was wonderful, I think Frodo liked the walk. We do walk in our neighborhood but there are more cars here than where we used to live, it's manageable but different to what we are used to doing. I've been trying to increase my exercise for all that heart healthy 'stuff'.  Besides walking, I'm either strength training or doing yoga in the mornings. It's felt really good getting back into the groove and I'm sure my body appreciates it. Around here, there's been lots of journalling, sketching, haiku writing and reading. The knitting, well ...

  Good morning, how are you this fine Wednesday morning?  My knitting has expanded a wee bit with a sweet little baby cardigan for a friend's first grandchild. I do love this yarn and I over-bought on the yellow, it's always better to have too much than too little. I like to make the February Baby sweater by Elizabeth Zimmermann - a true classic! I omit the gull stitch pattern for the body and just zip along in knitting bliss. Apparently this is the eleventh time I've knitted this sweater on Ravelry. What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How was (is) your weekend?? We went to visit our son and daughter in law in Indiana over the weekend and came home yesterday. We had a great time and ate good food. Our drive in was 10 hours in the car because of a 2 hour traffic jam/accident outside Indianapolis and a minor accident outside of Columbus. I really was tired of being in the car by the time we arrived and I do not miss traveling. If I had my say I would never travel unless it was a day trip or 3-4 hour drive to somewhere. However this kid lives where he lives and our daughter and son in law is looking to relocate to New England instead of staying in Delaware.  I see longer distance trips in my future. Maybe flying might be the way to go? I did not knit ONE  STITCH for the entire weekend! I have no excuses except I didn't feel like knitting. I did read some but not much. Let's stick with I was being mindful. On our way home yesterday we took a northern route through Ohio that worked out much m...

  Right now I'm sitting in the kitchen before dawn writing this post. I've been reading many books at the same time about mindfulness and taking notes. My sister and I are reading together Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Since October, I've been reading and learning about being mindful in my everyday movements and meditating daily. I'm learning I have a lot to learn.  My husband and I were discussing that this new house does not feel like home ... yet. We feel like we are on an extended vacation. He thinks it's because we eat lunch on the patio daily weather permitting and that's something we would do on vacation. I think it's like a condo rental with all of my 'stuff' in it. When I go to cook it's weird trying to remember where everything is, just like vacation. Yesterday the electrician was here updating the original electrical panel (eep!) and the electricity was turned off for five hours. That then felt like we were at camp. We are...

  Ta da! Or should I say 'Ta done'? I am so pleased with this baby blanket for our first grandchild. The pattern is one I've knit before and enjoyed the pattern immensely. This time around, I chose the medium size which is about a crib-size if I was the guessing sort. The cotton yarn is soft enough to not cause issues with my handing getting stiff or sore.  Ravelry notes What are you working on this week?