Pumpkin Sunrise

  It's only fitting to use a cat project bag for the wool that Holly nibbled on as a kitten when I was unawares she was a sneaky naughty cat. All yarns are safely tucked into progress bags or hidden into a closet.  I started a new project ! I know, I know you are wondering if I finished the sweater yet. No I did not but I am so close to being done that I could not resist a new cast on. So it goes. I chose a simply memorizable triangular lace shawl that will grow until I am done with whatever size I wish it to be.  What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? It's beginning to look a lot like springtime around here. The grass is greening up and then poof the daffodils are blooming! One day I look out the window and there's nothing and then the next day there's brilliant yellow blossoms. Fantastic to behold and somewhat magical. My weekend was mostly the same as all the others. Saturday was kind of lazy with lots of afternoon reading - I love carving out a marathon reading session - it makes Saturday feel like Saturday. We took a walk with Frodo but couldn't do the dirt road because I could hear there was target shooting going on (not a fan of being accidentally shot). So we walked the road and not one car passed us. So the paved road felt like the dirt road walk. Do you see that yarn above? Wonder why there are two balls? Well....this was from deep stash and I thought I'd start some shawl knitting once my sweater is finished. I'm guessing the many many breaks in the wool was a gift from the P...

  Earlier this week we picked up some sandwiches and headed to the local park to watch the river, the people and enjoy the sunshine and warm weather. It was weird to see people out and about after a long winter of huddling at home and only going to the grocery store once a week.  I watched families with their children playing and running around, sitting at park benches and picnic tables enjoying each other, laughing and talking to each other. All of this made me miss family so very much.  I've been looking forward to being outside more and doing more adventures this spring season. My husband and I are back to daily walks (weather permitting) and watching signs of spring.  I've been journaling my brains out. Lots of creativity with creating art journal spreads, reflective journaling and sometimes I go out for a wistful wishing and pondering entry. The journaling has helped me digest this phase of life and helps me discern where I want to go. I'm obsessed with planners...

  I finished the hat on Monday night. I thoroughly enjoyed this knit and I still have more than enough left over wool to make a third, well maybe. For now I've tucked the left overs in the closet for another day. I'm pleased with the way this hat turned out.  Here is the first one I knit that my son adopted in 2014. My notes were quite thin for the first one, they were lacking many details but I designed the hat using a book (don't know which one) of charted patterns. The cast on was 144 stitches so the stitch designs were either a 6 stitch repeat or an eight stitch repeat. I just randomly chose which two colors would be in each section. This hat was intended for me but I think my husband might want it....so at least we live in the same household and can share wearing it. (not at the same time of course!) Ravelry notes What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend?  Mine was picture perfect - there was abundant sunshine and endless blue skies and slightly warmer weather. Today is going to be better than yesterday. I adore when Mother Nature gifts us with hints of things to come. I know you are thinking 'but Karen, you love winter'. I do love winter but this season I'm ready for a change and to be outside more. Saturday and Sunday we walked down the dirt road that isn't a dirt road anymore but it was for a long time so the name has stuck. There are no signs of green but the creek is flowing and skunk cabbage is sprouting. The earliest beginnings of springtime. Saturday, I read my Stephen King novel, The Outsider , in the afternoon. He is such a gifted writer! I wish I could read this at bedtime but I can't see the print with my junky cheapo readers that I use (I won't use my progressive prescription eyewear because I don't want to bend the frames from accidentally falling asleep - which I do ever...

  Good morning, how are you doing?  Today is looking to be a sunny day and that is a welcomed sight since it was overcast and blah for two days not to mention rainy as well. As you can see by my photos we still have snow on the ground but I'm confident that pile will disappear over the weekend.  I've been knitting only at nights now instead of during pockets of my day. Can't say why but I've been trying to read more in the afternoons and not multitask while I do my reading. My other reason to read more during the day is because when I read at night I fall asleep so quickly! I don't think I read more than a page or two and I have trouble remembering what I've read. I've decided to decrease the sugar I put in my coffee (again) and decrease the amount of salt I add to my food (again). Yesterday was a slow going morning drinking sad coffee. Today the same coffee tasted happier. About a year or so ago I worked at decreasing and eliminating the sugar I put in my g...

  My knitting this week has been minimal, no excuses for me. It is what it is. I am finally on the ribbing of the body of my fair isle pullover  sweater. Just think I'll be whipping through some sleeves in no time. I guess it does take a lot of time to knit the body. As I mentioned before, I'm making two Christmas stockings for the newlyweds for their home and one for my daughter-in-law at my home. I found two skeins of red and I highly doubt all three stockings will be made, I wish I would have kept better notes when I made these for my daughter and son in law for their first Christmas.  Last but not least this hat ! I am so close to finishing it and yet it sits at the bottom of my knitting bag. I do remember now that the decreasing was all done in one color so that makes my knitting a bit easier.  What have you been working on this week?