Pumpkin Sunrise

  I cannot believe we are celebrating Easter this weekend. The Lenten season has gone fast and yet is has gone slow at the same time. I am excited about the weather being more like springtime and less like wintertime and I say this with my fingers crossed.  How are you?  Earlier this week, my husband and I went to the conservatory to see the spring flower show and it was the first time going without my sister and brother in law. We had a nice time and enjoyed seeing the flowers. I was surprised that some of the glass roofs of the greenhouses were drippy from the outside rain. I guess a lot of work and maintenance goes into the upkeep of not only the plants but the structural integrity of the buildings as well.  I've had the whole week off from my classes and have focused my attention on knitting (carefully so that the flare doesn't flare up again). I'm looking forward to seeing my local family on Easter Sunday and eating lots of food. Happy Easter!

  Good morning!  My knitting has been progressing nicely. Two days ago though, I had to UNKNIT 385 stitches while working on this shawl because there was a mistake. I decided to change the pattern from 'make one left or right' to a yarn over because I could not see the pattern well and lace-weight yarn is oh so fiddly. I am happy with my decision but the unknitting took forever! (well it felt like forever but maybe it was an hour...) I am on the border and that is so close to a finish! What are you working on this week?

 Good morning! How was your weekend? I'm sitting in my kitchen watching the sun try its best to shine among the clouds. Today is going to be a beautiful day and I am going to be outside in it. My weekend was great. I cannot believe its Holy Week already and yet I am ever so ready for Easter. I mailed the kids their packages last week and the only thing left to do this week is make a rice salad on Saturday for dinner at my sister's house on Sunday.  My wrists are greatly improved and my knitting is back as usual (with me being careful). I forgot about my wrists yesterday morning while plunging a plugged drain and irritated the right wrist. Lesson has been learned!! Besides going to Mass on Sunday, nothing exciting happened which is the way I love my weekends.

  Good morning! How are you doing? Life has been quite nice around here.  First of all, thank you for the well wishes, they worked! I am gingerly knitting and have minimal wrist pain. Slow and steady wins the race, so they say. I am learning to have patience. Yesterday, my husband and I went to the science museum early in the morning to see the titanic exhibit. The exhibit was nice and informative but the crowd was not nice. I am not a fan of crowds and I especially do not like being near people who are sneezing (and NOT covering their mouths....). Goodness! We toured the exhibit and quickly left. The science museum is our least favorite because of this reason. I did not have the patience I clearly needed. Once we were home, I snuggled with Frodo and did a few rows of knitting. I also enjoyed reading my book. I am on the 13th book (out of 15) of the Ruth Galloway mysteries by Elly Griffiths. I read number 14 first over a year ago and will probably read it again before the last book, ju

  My knitting news is minimal! The arthritis flare in my wrists has greatly improved but it's because I've significantly decreased the amount of time I've been knitting. I started these pair of socks over the weekend but then switched my limited knitting attention to some simple dishcloths for Easter gifts. I keep my knitting time to about one hour a day, sometimes a little more with lots of stretches and breaks. I am grateful that I am getting better each and every single day! What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How was your weekend?  My weekend was a regular weekend, those are the kinds I like best. We had nothing on the schedule. I did my daily walks with Frodo and my husband came with us. I wrapped up the Easter packages to mail out to the kids later this week. I didn't knit too much because my wrists are improving and I don't want to make them worse, but I did knit! I read books, I cleaned the house - ordinary stuff.  Overall the weekend was pleasant and relaxing.

  And just like that, spring has arrived. Yesterday was a warm and sunny day - everything is starting to bloom. Maybe it's a little earlier than usual compared to previous springs, but I do like it. The weather is heading back to colder weather over the weekend and I thought I heard the word snow once more in the forecast.  Spring is such a fickle season and that is one of the reasons I like it.  I pulled my sketchbook out to draw a downy woodpecker. I was outside and heard a woodpecker and used the merlin app to identify the bird. I then fell down a rabbit hole of differentiating a downy woodpecker from a hairy woodpecker (I do love a rabbit hole!). I spontaneously wanted to try a sketch. I could list a million things wrong with my sketch, but I am focusing on the fact that I did a sketch and did enjoy the process. Creativity also blooming. I hope you are experiencing some spring time magic where you are!!

  Good morning! How are you all doing? I finished the socks on Monday night and already started another pair of socks the same evening. He is proudly wearing these socks which makes me happy. I do not know how much knitting I will be getting done because I'm in the middle of an arthritis flare in my wrists. I wish I could be patient but alas, I am not.  I'm doing my best to knit briefly and then take a rest.  What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How was your weekend? On Saturday morning, I had a sister outing that was so much fun. We went to various stores then ended up with a smoothie and yarn shopping. That is the perfect outing. I bought three more skeins of sock wool for my husband. I completely forgot about shopping for myself.  Later that evening, my sister and brother in law came over for dinner and game night. It seems that game nights are seldom since our schedules are busy. I'm glad we squeezed one in before my sister's second grandson is born this month. We are all excited about a new baby! I worked more on the second sock, I haven't bought any new knitting needles yet. I'm still thinking about it. I am resting and stretching my wrists and avoiding the marathon knitting that I can easily do.  On Sunday, we had the craziest weather. It was snowing so much that you could not see across the road at times and yet the snow would melt, well mostly melt. Frodo and I were not happy about how

  Along with sock knitting mania comes some lovely time sitting and enjoying the afternoons. I didn't have classroom classes this week but still had Tai Chi. Next week we have a break from all classes then I start back up the following week for the second half of the spring semester. One of the best decisions I've ever made is doing these classes. I've met lovely people and I do enjoy absorbing knowledge. Spring is in full force here. The birds are singing away and this weekend the clocks go forward one hour. My body has already done the time change, I've been getting up at 4:30 a.m. like a crazy person. I just go with it. Frodo is ready to go to bed at 7:30 p.m. at night. Holly doesn't do time changes, I guess. I'm on the second sock and of course with my sock knitting mania I have some wrist pain from my arthritis condition. I guess I have to ease up a bit? Double pointed needles have that way about them for me, and I am going to look into flexi-flips and see

  Good morning! I have been focusing on these socks because we have a 'hand-knitted sock crisis' going on in this house. I threw away another pair of my husband's socks. They were threadbare! What is going on here? What forces are descending on this humble home? My husband has four pairs left in his drawer. Can I darn the worn out socks? No, I cannot - the holes are over an inch big at the soles where he wears them out. And so my knitting epiphany is to always have a pair of socks on the needles from here on out. I really do not want deadlines (I'm still recovering from the blanket deadline I created for myself) so I'm just going to have a pair on the needles. Slow and steady wins the race! (as a side note, I am thrilled he wears my socks threadbare and loves them so much, what a knit worthy person!!) What are you working on this week?

  Good morning! How was your weekend? My weekend was swell, we celebrated my husband's birthday all weekend long. On Saturday, we did a few errands, stopped at the local library for a look-see, then dropped into Whole Foods for some special cupcakes. Later in the evening we ordered pizza.  On Sunday we continued celebrating and eating those cupcakes but thankfully they are gone today. Phew! We talked to our kids and some family members who called to say 'Happy Birthday'. I haven't been knitting much but I am knitting and enjoying my projects. Below is the colorful shawl, I'm making steady progress and love how each row gets longer and longer. 

  Good morning! How are you on this first day of March? March!, can you believe it? Time just fly by sometimes and sometimes it moves at a snail's pace. I love winter but I have to confess, I'm excited about spring jacket wearing weather.  With a new season so close to arriving, I'm thinking of goals. Personal goals, menu planning goals and what I want to focus on.  Whenever the summer schedule is released at school, I might do more exercise classes, maybe. I enjoy Tai Chi so much, maybe I would like the others and the only way to know is to try one out. What I choose depends on what class it is and when it is offered. I try to bundle my classes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I like Thursdays and Fridays free for my regular life and other commitments. My knitting goals are to not have knitting goals. I am thoroughly enjoying my free and easy knitting time. Below is a shawl I started early in January. After a month long break from it, I have returned to leisurely knit