Pumpkin Sunrise

  Hello! How are you? It seems like forever since I posted but really it was just less than a week ago. How was your Thanksgiving (if you celebrate of course)? Our son and daughter in law arrived on Wednesday to stay with us during the holiday, It was nice to see them and we will not see them again until the baby is born in early February or later, it is all up in the air since babies do not follow a set schedule.  We spent Thanksgiving Day at my dad's house and exchanged presents with him which is our yearly tradition, We missed our daughter and son in law as well as my nephew, his wife and child who could not be there. Hopefully 2022 will be the year we are all together! On Saturday, my husband and I hosted a small baby shower for them. Lots and lots of preparations but also a really nice time with close family and a few of their friends. I was exhausted AND I had many many helping hands with my family. I cannot imagine how tired I would have been without their help. We've h...

  I finished another Christmas knitting project last week, isn't this the cutest set ever? I love them, they are for my grand-nephew. I've knit this hat a few times and love the way it comes out especially the earflaps. The construction is fun and those wee little bear ears just about kill me every time I look at them.  The mitten  pattern was recommended to me by Jane a few years ago and it is super easy and comes in a large range of sizes. Thank you Jane! Thank you all for the birthday wishes, I had a great birthday celebration. Just a note that I will not be posting on Friday, I'm taking the day off to be with family. So Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who are celebrating! What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How was your weekend? My weekend was my birthday weekend!  To be honest though I've been celebrating for a few weeks. Why not? My sister and brother in law came over on Saturday for dinner and apple cake. Of course I opened presents as well.  Below in the photo are some of them. My sister crocheted the red basket and I received some books and pens from my husband (how did he know??). I also received some new rain boots to slip on and off quickly when I take the dog outside and a new tote bag.  I put up the little tree yesterday since our son and and daughter in law will be visiting mid week! I'm assuming Holly will not bring it down, fingers crossed. How was your weekend?

  Can you believe it will be Thanksgiving next week? I'm dazed. I have some Christmas gifts that have to be ready for that day so I'll be wrapping them and singing Christmas music. I continue to be on task for all of my knitting goals and what's even better, I'm enjoying all the knitting that I'm doing.  Around here I've been mulling over whether to put up one or two Christmas trees. Over the years I've simplified but lately 'going big' seems like a fun thing to do. Our big Christmas tree box was battered from the move so if I put up the tree then I can repair the box again. My big concern is Miss Holly and her investigative spirit. She is four years old, is she going to behave? She hasn't bothered with the cuckoo clock chains like I thought she would...but I just don't trust her! Around here my reading has been mostly about mindfulness for months and months. I plan to continue with that since being mindful keeps me happy.  However I've d...

  I started this little wee hat and finished it within 48 hours - now that is a fun satisfying knit. This bonnet is for the grandbaby-to-be and it matches the little sweater that I knit a few weeks ago.  I finished another set of fingerless mitts to be given as a Christmas gift. I have the pattern memorized in my brain so that gives for even speedier knitting. I definitely have one more pair to make - possibly a few more after that if I haven't burned out from making them. What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? First off I'd like to announce we had our first snow of the season. This knitter was quite pleased and the snow event occurred both Saturday and Sunday - sweet!  Over the weekend I managed to finish the cross stitch holiday ornament, I just need to glue some felt on the back side and find where my ribbons are (I think I know where they are but moving makes everything wonky with memory). Yesterday's morning walk was quite chilly so Frodo wore his coat under his harness, he is so trendy! Someone handmade this coat many many years ago for when our previous dog, Zoe, was a pup. She never wore it for long and then I tucked it into the back of the hall closet. Last year I unearthed it and trained him to wear it (he stands frozen like a statue with coats....) because he shivers a lot as an older dog. Of course I did a ton of knitting this weekend but more on that on Wednesday. Tell me about your weekend!

  Every single morning I write in my journal about the day before and anything else I'm pondering about. I've been doing this daily journal writing for years and love the ritual of picking up my Lamy fountain pen and Moleskine notebook and beginning my day in the very best possible way. I pour myself a cup of coffee into a 'current' favorite mug and sip away while writing. Sadly one of my favorite favorite mugs sprung a leak. So sad. However, that lets me shop to find new favorite mugs along the way. The sprung leak mug was over 30 years old so it served me well. art journal In my daily planner (not the writing journal), I write what I'd like to accomplish in that particular day. Sometimes I am really good at meeting these loose goals and sometimes I am not. I just move them onto the next day or the next week.  While sitting in darkness and silence sipping coffee, I play fetch with Holly. This particular fetch game really isn't a true fetch game. I throw a mouse...

 I know, I know you all are just stunned that I am finishing so many holiday knits. I've finished two pairs of mitts for my daughter and son in law for Christmas. This mitt pattern ( peekaboo mitts ) is a very fast knit and I've already started the third pair as I type this post up this morning. After the manic mitt knitting I intend to switch to hat knitting (also speedy knitting). What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? Mine was frosty and beautiful. This week there will be a slight warm up but I'll have the memories of a frosty, cold, chilly weekend. The news people say we are past peak fall color but I'm still enjoying the colors that are currently around. The oak trees are still doing their thing and some maples are trying valiantly to hang on. This week I'm sure will be the Big Leaf Drop. Over the weekend, my husband and I walked a new to us path/trail that is near our neighborhood. Every so often we try to explore a new place getting a sense of where we are. Bit by bit I file away places that family and neighbors tell me that I should explore and then when there is time we do it.  I have been crushing my holiday knitting goals. I know! I'm overly confident that I will get all the knitting done by my self imposed deadlines.  That is a really good feeling. How was your weekend?

  Oh November, why do you go so quickly in my mind? Already we are on the fifth day. I cannot remember when I started to love November - well first of all it's my birthday month but I love the days leading up to Thanksgiving and witnessing the leaves dropping and the weather whispering winter temperatures. I love how Christmas creeps in before you've celebrated Thanksgiving too. November is usually a coat wearing month and a wool wearing month. I've been receiving emails from all the stores giving me birthday presents for the month. Ikea sent me such an email and we made the trip yesterday to visit the store in Pittsburgh. He needed a new office chair and I picked up a few things for around the house. They were in the process of decorating for the holidays and my last photo of the gnomes on the counter was one of their rooms in progress. Every month I give my self a little challenge. I've done daily haikus and daily sketching but this time around I am carving out one ho...

  This cowl is really sweet! I found the pattern  while noodling around on Ravelry and thought it would be a perfect present for gift giving. If I were to knit this again I would go up a needles size because my knitting is slightly tighter than average. (I did not do gauge, I like to fly by the seat of my pants). Blocking the cowl really makes the mini cabling pop! As you know I 'm knee deep in Christmas knitting, and so far I am motivated and enjoying each project which is a really good place to be. What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good. Over the weekend I purchased some remote controlled candles for inside the fireplace that we currently are unable to use. Since we can't decide what to do (fix the fireplace or purchase a gas insert...) my sister texted some photos of fireplaces with candles.  With a flick of a button I have ambient lighting. The local fall foliage is PEAK this week if you ask me. Everywhere you look you see some brilliant shades of orange, yellow and red. The multitude of rain makes everything bright and vibrant. I did all those pesky chores yesterday and have a mostly clean and tidy house. For now. My knitting is on fire and yet I did not take a photo of it this weekend to share with you. You'll just have to conjure up some wooly goodness yourself. Tell me about your weekend!