TGIF - Last Friday of 2022

The morning began with a frosty overcast sky but now the sun is shining. The fox just went by on his morning run and a red-bellied woodpecker is climbing the birch trunk. His bright coloring shows beautifully against a blue sky. 

Thinking about the red-bellied woodpecker and his name. His breast is hard to see but honestly it looks creamy white. Since the color on his head is the dominant feature, the name seems off-kilter to me. Perhaps the red-headed woodpecker had already been named and someone thought an orange-headed woodpecker would be confusing or redundant. An internet photo of the bird shows the brighter colored breast. Once more, google to the rescue. 

Grateful for my family, near and far. Although we weren't with our kids in person, we talked to them via Face Time on the Christmas weekend. My husband's brother and wife invited us to have Christmas dinner with their family and it was nice to be included. This past Wednesday we had a lovely sweet day with my sister and her husband, my niece, and little great-niece. My sister made a delicious soup and served it with cornbread and fruit. We had a few cookies for dessert. This simple celebration warmed our hearts. They gave us this special gift. 

When we were girls, these two pieces of needlepoint hung in my grandparents' home. We think Grama made them from a kit. She did all kinds of needlework and sewing. She taught both of us to sew and me to knit. Anyway, I hadn't seen them for years and didn't even know my sister had kept them. She took the pieces out of frames that were falling apart and gently cleaned the needlepoint. My brother-in-law made new frames out of some pine he reclaimed from his Dad's work bench. The wood grain lines up beautifully. This is a gift that comes from the heart and hand. What a treasure. After I put away the Christmas decor, we will find them a special place for them. 

Inspired by the reading done by friends both locally and in this little blogging community. My local book group met earlier in December and chose books for the coming year. It's a varied and interesting list. As always, there are a couple of books I would never read on my own but that is one of the benefits of a book group. I have enjoyed the Erdrich-Along organized by Mary. In the past Erdrich's books felt almost too heavy to read but I enjoyed discussing them with this group and we have two more to go. It's been interesting to see how Erdrich expands the characters as well as themes, particularly in the justice trilogy. 

Fun. This morning I talked to Jonah and Norah as they painted snowmen with watercolors. Jonah was quite careful using watercolor pencils to add special buttons and mittens. Norah painted a rose-colored snowman with enthusiasm. Then we read The Mitten Tree and Wake up Bear, It's Christmas. This week I cast on a Christmas sock with yarn from my stash. Next to turning the heel, the other part of sock knitting I enjoy is knitting enough cuff to see how the yarn is going to look in the pattern. The yarn is Holly and Pine by Fibernymph Dyeworks. The pattern is Impossible Girl. 

And so, onward we go into 2023. This afternoon I'm going to take a walk and put most of the Christmas decor away. I am ready to mop up the dust and generally tidy the house as the new year begins. This evening I will finish the Advent Scarf. 

Happy New Year. 

Kindness 2022

I chose the word, kindness, for 2022, kindness as kindling for a practice. What I have learned is that kindness is doable. One doesn't have to be an activist on a street corner to be kind. Quiet actions are valuable and kindness is a place to begin. Kindness is extended and received. 

I kept a fuss-free imperfect journal, making an entry for each month. In September, Norah picked out this birthday card for me. She thought I would like dogs in pink tutus. She was right. What Grammy wouldn't love this card on her 71st birthday? Right after she brought it home, she showed it to me and signed it while we were on FaceTime. I love that her Mom let her choose the card and share it immediately. 

Extending kindness to those near and dear is natural and easy. Extending a smile or thank you to a stranger or a grocery checker becomes a habit. Donating food to the hungry feels good. When I reframe, I am able to think kindly about the driver who pulls into a parking stall just ahead of me. Perhaps that person carries a heavy load. Perhaps they need to get to work on time or home to a sick child or family member. As a wise friend once said, "There is no need to send my angst into the world." Being kind to myself is also part of the practice. 

For me, the challenge is to extend kindness to an acquaintance who is annoying or irritating for some reason. Let's say, they don't recycle or they litter their yards with eyesores, or their political opinion is different from mine, or they monopolize a conversation with trivia, or, or, or.  Here, as the saying goes, is "the rub" that creates a blister. However practicing kindness or trying to reframe a behavior makes me feel better. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail. Kindness is a practice, a process. I hope I don't sound like goody-two shoes here. I am far from perfect. I make mistakes but for me it's worth the effort. As I mull over a word for the new year I will carry kindness with me. Onward we go. 

This is the poem I sent with our holiday greeting cards. Now I send it out to you.

Kindness *

Outside my window

junco shelters in the birch.

Around her, bark flutters

like a string of prayer flags.

The gale peels away

layers of roughness,

years of care that

protected the heart.

A flag frays, then falls,

a postcard of kindness

sent to a neighbor

just down the street.

What if we squared our shoulders,

bent our hearts to generous care?

What if we spoke nothing

but kindness to the prevailing wind?

*Copyright Jane A. Wolfe

Birch comes from Burg and means the tree whose bark is written upon.

Happy Solstice 2022

Today is a very solstice kind of day. The sky is a soft gray and frost clings to tree branches. Light snow fell earlier and the temperature is a balmy 15 degrees. A warm home is a blessing. The neighborhood fox went by earlier. He is a busy guy. Last night, I saw him around 9:45 p.m. as I was getting ready for bed. I hope you are all warm and well. My back went out earlier this week but is improving. Between my husband's ankle (also healing) and my back, we are almost a functioning pair. Walking doesn't bother me but sitting, lifting, and carrying heavy objects does. He can lift and carry but not walk long distances. Oh my, at least we still smile at each other - most of the time.

I join Kat and other makers for Unraveled Wednesday. I continue to knit on the Guernsey Scarf. I prefer the lighter colors but am enjoying the last skeins with their rich moody colors. They reflect the deeper winter days ahead. In today's light, it is hard to get a good photograph. Now and then I take a break from the scarf to knit on another project. In this way, I finished the shawl that's been languishing for quite some time. I'd like to finish the cowl below by the end of the year and start fresh in 2023. This almost never happens but maybe is the year. I am dreaming of two new projects.  

This shawl could have been slightly bigger but it is the size I prefer to wear. I also didn't want to play yarn chicken with the picot bind-off. Who wants to get half-way though a long picot bind-off and have to rip out rows to have enough yarn?  Although the cashmere in the yarn is lovely, I am noncommittal about the shawl. I enjoyed making it but may give it to someone in the future. 

Last night I put a few rows on a cowl I'm knitting from some early handspun. It's my reward for finishing a section on the Guernsey Scarf. I used the stitch count and three motifs from the Land of Sweets Cowl. I'm nearly out of handspun so I started the ribbing rows. The next week and a half are quiet here so I plan to savor these days. I'm letting the dust pile up while I knit and spin. I have coffee and tea in the cupboards and a nice selection of books and cookies to keep me company. 

In an evening or two, I read an old mystery by Anne Perry, A New York Christmas. Perry writes a short mystery each Christmas. I prefer the first few in the series. Later on, she gets too preachy for me. This was fluffy reading and I enjoyed the NYC setting. Two weeks ago, I was looking for an audio book on Libby and happened onto The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. This historical fiction is the story of two Korean women who work in the sea with their village's all-women diving collectives. The writing is good enough but the story is more than excellent. The novel begins in the late 1930's as two young girls from different backgrounds become friends and learn to harvest food from the sea. Set against the turmoil of Korean history from the late 30's to the present day, I learned more about Korea. The heart of the story is the strength of these women, physically and emotionally, as they face tragedy, hardship, and joy. I am still thinking about the story and characters.

On this frosty day, however you celebrate,  I wish you peace, joy, love, and light. 

Ravelry Links:

Guernsey Scarf

Cosmic Girl Shawl

Mostly Handspun Cowl

Oh, the USPS delivered all the hand knits safely to Connecticut.  Jonah has his scarf. 

  

Mid December Days

Hello on this gray chilly December morning. Two cardinals are the bright spot in the landscape and several juncos keep me company. Monday evening rain fell as our book group convened. We had a lovely evening enjoying treats, wine, and hot tea as we chose books for 2023. As I walked to my car with several good friends, lightning flickered and thunder rumbled. A thunderstorm in December isn't unheard of but rare. We were on the edge of the big winter storm that came in from the Pacific. A half an inch of rain fell. It's not nearly enough but it is some moisture.

After several trips to the mailing station in our neighborhood grocery store, I hope every package that needs to be mailed has been mailed. It was a process this year. Now I can bake cookies with a clear conscience. Last week I tried a new chocolate cookie recipe that was disappointing. Those cookies are in the freezer but probably destined for the trash. This morning I set out butter for a tried and true recipe, Cappuccino Chocolate Slices. 

Today is Unraveled Wednesday with Kat and friends. Although I forgot to take a photo of Jonah's scarf, it is finished. I added a second stripe sequence to the other end of the scarf. My husband mailed that package Monday. This morning I received a video of Jonah on the way to school telling his Mom "I need that Grammy Scarf because it is so cold." May the USPS elves be on their best behavior. My daughter promises to take a photo of him with his scarf. 

Last weekend I unearthed the Guernsey Wrap/Scarf I started last January with the Advent yarn set I received as a birthday gift. After seeing all the colors, I selected the pattern, cast on, and then set it aside in the Spring. This year I pulled the project out on 12/10 and discovered I had knit though most of the 9th skein. Up to this point, I am knitting the skeins in order they were numbered, light to dark. I plan to knit on it through December to calm the frenzy of the world and the season. I do not have a goal for the number of rows knit each day and mostly turn off podcasts and audiobooks while working on it. The pattern is lovely, easy but interesting as the textures change. 

I've also spinning this bright BFL colorway fittingly named Sapphire. I ordered two four ounce packages of fiber in order to have enough for a project. The fiber comes from Greenwood Fiberarts. Sunday I finished spinning, the first four ounces. The yarn will be a 2-ply of undetermined weight - maybe sport. 

The picture book Christmas Tapestry is one of my favorites. Patricia Polacco, who lives in Michigan, writes and illustrates her books. At one time, she toured and spoke in schools. Years ago, she spoke in Lincoln and explained that she struggled with dyslexia and learned to read by studying the space around letters and words. She had a wonderful Special Education teacher who believed in her and helped her learn to read. Her books have a lot of text and are better suited to older elementary students but are all wonderful. Christmas Tapestry is an interfaith story of a Christian and Jewish family and an act of kindness. It still brings tears to my eyes. 

I'm almost finished with The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. I have several thoughts about the cover design but will reserve judgement until I come to the end. As with all good artwork, several interpretations are possible. The characters are believable and the women are strong. Erdrich threads enough humor and many literary references to make it an excellent novel. 

I am off to redeem my cookie-making reputation and make a grocery list. What are you up to on these mid-December days? 

Ravelry Link

Advent Guernsey Scarf

Simple Pleasures

Hello on this bright December morning. I am watching a tiny tuft of a feather caught on the end of a birch twig outside my window. It has been there for at least a week, this little white feather with gray at the base, fraying a little more each day as the wind blows it to and fro. I took a photo but it's in the shade and doesn't show up against the birch bark. The birds have come and gone from the feeder. My husband is out for coffee with friends so the house is quiet. 

Or perhaps I am wrong about the birds. Now a flicker pokes his beak into the birchbark. Man, what a beak. He looks so large compared to the juncos, finches, nuthatches, and chickadees that are more common in this tree. The neighborhood fox just trotted though the cul-de-sac across the way. Maybe the neighborhood isn't so quiet this morning. 

But this is Unraveled Wednesday with Kat and company so on to the knitting and reading. I started Jonah's scarf three times. He requested a red scarf with gray. When we visited further, he mentioned "the same stripes as the mittens I like." He and his Mom hunted up the mittens and called back so I could see the hat/mitten set he had in mind. First I cast on way too many stitches and then I knit about twenty inches in a broken rib pattern that I use in the kids' hats. I hoped the broken rib would prevent the scarf from rolling but it did not. I did the thing a lot of us have done, I kept knitting even though the voice in my head said and eventually hollered "I don't think this is working." Perhaps blocking would have corrected the problem but the scarf was still too wide for a six year old.

So I asked Jonah if the stripe sequence could be on the diagonal. "Oh sure, no problem." He is an easy going kind of guy. I frogged the scarf and began again with garter stitch on the diagonal. I'm skating along 😉, knitting exclusively on this scarf, and relying on a progress keeper as motivation. When the scarf is finished, all four items can be mailed in time for winter weather.  

The picture book Red and Lulu is the story of a pair of cardinals who are separated when the tree where they nest becomes the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. Amidst the beautiful illustrations, Red searches and finds Lulu. When the tree is taken down, Red and Lulu find a new home in Central Park. Several years ago, I gave a copy of this book to Jonah who loves Christmas. He chooses Christmas-themed costumes on Halloween and also requests Christmas-themed birthday parties. Now and then he tells me he has seen Red or Lulu.  

As I read The Sentence by Louise Erdrich, I wonder about significance of the cover design. I'm about a third of the way into the book so maybe it will become clear as I finish the novel. Although the subject matter is never easy, Erdrich is a master at layering themes throughout a story. 

Today I am making a list so I can grocery shop for fresh fruit and veggies to balance to the butter, brown sugar, and chocolate I need for baking. I do like to make and share cookies. Last week the sun caught this small apple. Sometimes the simplest things are the most beautiful. What simple pleasures are you finding this week?

November into December

Wednesday: Today, I have a lunch date with two good friends. It has been forever since we've been together so we are looking forward to catching up. We had a dusting of snow yesterday and today will be the coldest day of the week. FedEx just delivered an amaryllis bulb. This is an anonymous gift but how fun. I look forward to watching it grow this winter. Surely someone will confess to this kindness. Update: Yes she did. One of the friends I met for lunch, sent me the bulb so I could have flowers in winter. Evidently Breck's forgot to include her gift card. 

I am joining Kat and the Unravelers as we post about knitting and reading. Tuesday evening I finished Micah's mittens. He requested mittens with one inch stripes. Although the photo doesn't show the dark green stripe very well, the mittens came out just as he wanted them. I knit their hats, mittens, and scarves from superwash wool, mostly KnitPicks Swish. These are playing-outdoors mittens in cold but not snowy bitter weather. "Grammy Mittens" work for catching footballs and holding onto handlebars among other things. This family spends lots of time outdoors in all kinds of weather. My daughter's motto is there is no bad weather for being outdoors, just inappropriate clothing. Up next is Jonah's scarf with red, gray, and navy in "the same stripes that are in my mittens." We had a FaceTime chat so he could show me the stripe sequence he has in mind. 

Thursday:  My friends and I enjoyed a leisurely lunch with lots of good conversation. The rest of the day I ran errands and finished some housework. In other knitting news, I worked some on this shawl. I'm hopeful blocking performs its usual magic on the lace/texture portion. Honestly, I might just prefer garter stitch in that section but blocking does work miracles. One way or another I'm close to finishing this shawl. 

I am reading Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher.  It's a sweet old-fashioned story about five unlikely people, each with a past sorrow, who create a family during the winter holidays. I have also just begun The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. This novel is the current selection in the Erdrich-read-along with Mary and friends. As in other novels, Erdrich begins with a distressing event that I imagine will have repercussions for the characters. I am just into the book but am enjoying the word play and Erdrich's humor threaded through a more serious topic.  

So now I bring this two-part post to an end. A female cardinal searches for the last seeds in the feeder outside my window. Warmer temps today mean I will have a nice walk past this small plot of grass. If time allows I hope to finish decking the halls with a few more of our favorite things. Have a good week.

Ravelry Links

Micah's Striped Mittens

Cosmic Girl Shawl

  

An Orange Roll Adventure

'Twas the week before Thanksgiving and rolls were requested. . . "  I love an excuse to make rolls and decided to make my grandmother's recipe for orange rolls for the first time. I found two copies of the recipe, one in Mom's handwriting and the other in Gram's. Neither were long on instructions. Gram's recipe didn't even mention a second rising. Mom's card said, "cut as cinnamon rolls." Except Gram served them as individually shaped rolls in a bread basket. I called my sister and asked her how she remembered the rolls. 

Last night I stirred up a big bowl of dough (6 c. flour) by hand and put it "in the icebox overnight." No wonder our grandmother's gave good hugs. There is more than one way to build up arm muscles. Then, I made some orange glaze from the "sugar, juice, and rind of three oranges, cooking until thickened. Make the night before so it is ready to go in the a.m."  It took longer than I expected and my glaze was a little on the thin side. The sugar requirement was 2/3 c. as per Mom.

As I rolled out dough this morning, I remembered Gram rolled the dough like cinnamon rolls but baked them in muffin tins and then as they came out of the oven, dipped the tops in orange glaze. Her rolls had orange glaze inside and on the top. I didn't have enough muffin pans for four dozen rolls so I made crescents. However crescents rolled from the wide end drip glaze from exposed surfaces. It was a mess. I finished shaping the first twelve and baked them. They were gooey and tasted just like Gram's. With the rest of the dough, I made and baked crescent shapes without filling and brushed glaze on the warm rolls. They are slightly less sticky but delicious. I'm not sure how we will get them to my sister's without having them stick together but where there is parchment paper and a will, there is a way. Gram made rolls early in the morning of holidays and Sunday dinners, cleaned up and then prepared the meal. As my sister said, "we just waltzed in and there were all those beautiful rolls." Gram, my baker's hat is off to you. I am so grateful to have had these women in my life.  

Since I'm linking with Kat and the Unravelers, I'll write about the little knitting that was accomplished this week. I finished Emmett's mittens and cast on the cuff of the pair for Micah. Micah requested mittens with one-inch stripes. I love a grandson with a strong opinion about his mittens. I'm waiting for a color consultation for the stripes. I also knit a few rows on the shawl I showed last week but it doesn't look much different. Thank you to all blog readers and other friends who share their making and reading.

I have it on good authority that the Cranberry Orange Bread recipe at the end of Cranberry Thanksgiving is quite tasty. I don't think I've ever made it. Maybe I'll try it in a few weeks. Right now we have all the orange rolls we need.  

Next up, I'm going to whip up Mom's fresh Cranberry Relish. I've made that many times so it should be easy-peasy. Then, thank goodness, I'll load up the dishwasher and go for a walk. 

I wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving filled with delicious food, friends, and family. 

Ravelry Link

E's Gator Mittens

Deep Fall

On this cold morning, sun streams in the living room windows. The warmth is welcome. I moved from my desk to the love seat to enjoy the sunshine. Monday snow flurried but melted when it hit the ground. Right now that is a good thing. As of yesterday my husband is sporting an orthopedic boot to protect a partial tear in an achilles tendon. He has no idea how this happened but he won't be scooping snow anytime soon. If such an injury had to occur, the timing is good. The hoses and tomato cages are stored in the rafters of the shed. Early last week he mulched the leaves for compost. The bathroom project and bedroom painting is finished and we don't have any holiday travel plans. Phew. As we say, "it is always something" and "it could be worse." We may know more after he sees an orthopedist next Tuesday.

So this Wednesday, I link with Kat and the Unravelers. I am grateful for knitting, spinning, and stitching that keep me company on these cold days. Monday evening I finished this little piece for the coffee table in time for the Thanksgiving season. I used materials on hand, only purchasing one or two skeins of embroidery floss. Of course, once upon a time I bought the fabric and the batting and most of the floss. Still, it's nice to use what's on hand. I pieced some coordinating scraps together for the backing, something I often do. 

Tuesday I finished Norah's scarf with about 2.5 inches of yarn to spare. I wanted it to be as long as possible with one skein and succeeded. The yarn is superwash merino so I plan to wash it and stretch it a little to add some length. With that project finished, I cast on mittens for Emmett. The yarn in his school colors was leftover from the last mitten/hat set I made him. Micah requested mittens and Jonah, a scarf. I am waiting on some KnitPicks Swish to arrive for those projects. 

I also knit a few rows on this languishing shawl. Do you remember it? I barely do. Anyway, one night when I couldn't knit any more garter stitch, I ripped out previously added stripes, and knit on the lace section. The lace pattern is fun to knit. Also in the WIP list is the Guernsey Wrap Scarf I began last winter. The yarn was a gift of an Advent Set and would be fun to work on in December but first the mittens and another scarf.  

Currently I'm reading Four Souls by Louise Erdrich. This book was on my bookshelf but I hadn't read it. Erdrich's writing and storytelling is very rich. She revisits characters and develops their stories across multiple novels. Four Souls is mostly the story of Fleur or Four Souls, a Native American woman. It is set sometime after World War One, maybe the late 1920's. At the same time, I'm reading The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell. This story is set in the 1500's. Both of these novels feature women whose lives are limited by cultural and societal expectations. It's interesting to consider the ways in which these characters exercise agency in their lives. It's an odd pairing of novels but good reading. 

This afternoon I plan to grocery shop. Yesterday when I drove past the grocery store where I shop, the parking lot was full. It seems early for Thanksgiving shoppers but perhaps the early bird gets the worm - or the last can of pumpkin. Last time I shopped flour was in short supply. I found it at a store owned by different company. These are curious times. Stay warm and enjoy wearing all the wool.  

Ravelry Links

Rainbow Scarf

E's Gator Mittens

Cosmic Girl Shawl

Gentle November Days

Good morning or more like mid-day by the time I edit and publish this post. A downy woodpecker climbs the birch to the suet feeder and a cardinal perches on the lip of the safflower seed feeder. The sky is cloudy and the air is humid. Today will be a warm 74 degrees and then the temperature will drop dramatically - again. Perhaps it will rain. 

In honor of my Mom, I dedicate this week to being gentle and kind with myself and others. Monday, 11/7, was her birthday. I bought a latte in her honor. Mom was smart, hard-working, kind, and gentle. She volunteered for several organizations but especially for the American Heart Association. She taught CPR for years and organized and ran a blood mobile at the community college where she worked. She scheduled the blood mobile drives on Halloween and threatened to wear a Dracula cape over her navy nurse's uniform. She never did wear that cape but she was the best kind of mother and friend. She also liked a good cup of black coffee.

I join Kat and the Unravelers today as we wait on the final election outcomes. I did some negative knitting on Norah's scarf this week. Evidently I can't keep the bias garter stitch straight while knitting during coffee with friends and the Erdrich-along zoom discussion. Somewhere I added five stitches to the width. For heaven's sake. Since I only have one skein of yarn and it was the last one at the yarn shop, I ripped back and reknit. I don't want to run short. In the meantime, because scarves are a little boring to knit, I may cast on Emmett's mittens and alternate between projects. The mittens will be green with a white stripe because he likes green and green and white are his middle school colors. Bonus because his last hat was knit from another skein of this green yarn. This second skein was in the stash.  

I finished spinning this braid of Polworth. The smallest skein contains five knots as a single kept breaking. The twist in the yarn is balanced so I think the breaks came where I joined new lengths of fiber. I am spinning a more consistent yarn circumference on the wheel. Slow steady progress is my goal. Although I didn't plan to spin a gradient, it's almost what happened. Sarah encouraged me to spin a braid with some white areas and watch what happens to the colors. Fascinating. Fiber looks one way in a braid, another as a single, and different again when plied. It changes again when knitted into fabric. I am embracing the transformations. This is good for my Type A organized personality that likes predictability.  I plan to learn more about manipulating color within a braid just because it is so interesting.  Yarn-i-tec-ture by Jillian Moreno is a good resource. Courtesy of my son, I own a copy. 

In the last few days, I read Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. I was going to save it to read during the holidays but in the wee hours of Saturday morning, I needed a quiet book about a character choosing kindness. The writing is lyrical and I enjoyed it very much. Keegan recently published Foster, a short book that first appeared as a short story in The New Yorker Magazine. I look forward to reading it. In other book news, I was just notified that my library hold on The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell is available. I expected a longer wait so hooray. 

Take good care of yourselves, gentle readers. 

Early November

Here comes November. I wrote this post off-line on Wednesday as our internet service was down. As I edit this in Blogger, it is Thursday evening. Honestly not much has changed. The wind was blowing then and it is blowing now. This last week the days have been beautiful. Leaf litter glitters in the sun. Lots of leaves have fallen in the last two days. Every year as I watch them fall, they remind me about letting go with grace. 

Belatedly I link to Kat and the Unravelers. Tuesday evening I finished the mitts in the above photo. They are a birthday gift for a niece. Although Pebble Island Yarn by Rowan is not superwash, it feels cozy. It has a nice hand. The two-ply structure would pair nicely with two-ply handspun. Since I knit loosely, I cast on four fewer stitches. I knit a two fewer rows on the hand because they were the right length. These mods allowed me to knit both mitts from one skein. 

In Connecticut, Kate and I went through the handknit hats and mittens to see if any new items are needed for the cold weather. Many of the mittens look worn and loved but the kids enjoy wearing them on walks to school and on the playground. Honestly, they have plenty but this Grammy wants to knit for them so we decided each child could request one new item. Norah requested a "rainbow" scarf. We looked at yarn together online so I had an idea of what she wanted. She called shortly after we returned and asked if I had forgotten to leave the rainbow scarf for her. She has a lot of faith in the speed of my knitting. 😊 So first up is a scarf for her. The shawl I'm working on can wait a little longer. 

The S'mores party celebrating the end of the Sock Scrimmage was fun. I met some of the knitters as we sat outdoors and knit. For the record, the s'mores were made and eaten outdoors and no yarn was harmed in the process. Approximately thirty knitters knit 101 socks in four weeks. I knit two pairs but had the first sock started before the scrimmage began. A few women knit a pair of socks each week. That much knitting would make my hands hurt but more power to them.  

Last night I finished The Round House by Louise Erdrich. This book is the second novel in a trilogy exploring ideas of justice and revenge. The narrator is a grown man, looking back to the summer he was thirteen and his mother was raped. Erdrich weaves information about legal jurisdiction on a modern-day reservation into this coming of age story. The story contains enough humor to keep the story from becoming so sad it is unreadable and she is an eloquent writer. As always her characters are complex, human, and believable. The book was first published in 2012 but the ideas about justice and abuse of Native American women are very applicable to today's world. This book very deservedly won a National Book Award. I don't often rate books on my blog but this is a five star book for me. 

I hope you are looking forward to all the good things this November. 

Just for fun: For Halloween, the Connecticut kids mostly dressed as characters from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Micah wanted to be a Ninja and part of the group. There could be a Ninja Santa in Whoville right?

The Grinch, Bricklebaum, Cindy Lou Who, Ninja Santa

Ravelry Links

Gold Thumb Mitts

Rainbow Scarf

 

October's Gold

Last Thursday we flew home from Connecticut with full hearts. Full hearts is an apt description for the days after a wonderful fun-filled week as well as the bittersweet feeling when it ends. I hugged my daughter and those kids all week long. We did all the things and then some. Kate and I spent one day in NYC where we took in several exhibits, including one of Japanese Kimonos and other textile art, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. We managed to visit a small indy bookstore close to The Met. The fall color was glorious. Norah, Jonah, and I looked at leaves while walking. Pops and I tagged along to baseball, soccer, and Kempo Karate. One morning, Kate, Norah, and I had our fingernails painted at a salon and then stopped for coffee and 'sants (croissants.) We packed in as much fun as possible. Both flights went smoothly which is a bonus. We are grateful that we are able to take that trip.  

At home, the fall color is beautiful but more subtle. The maples are red and red/orange. The ornamental pear has yellow/gold leaves. Some trees in the neighborhood are dull dead green or brown due to the drought. The weekend was exceptionally warm. Saturday we cleaned out the vegetable garden. My husband wrestled the tomato cages and drip hoses into the shed while I scrubbed out all the pots. Sunday the high temp was 84 degrees with strong wind. Two grass fires ignited in the county. Three homes were lost and two firefighters significantly injured. Between dust and smoke, the afternoon was eerie. Thankfully light rain fell early Monday. We are back to crisp October days. 

Since I'm linking to Kat and the Unravelers, I best get to my knitting and stitching. Yesterday I cast on a pair of mitts (see photo above) that I plan to give as a gift. Although I don't wear gold, I am enjoying knitting with this October color. If only October lasted a bit longer.  

I cast on a pair of socks before our trip and finished them Monday evening. Happy Trails is the October "Knit Lincoln" colorway from Lazy Bee yarn, a local dyer who sells her yarn only at Knit Paper Scissors. This colorway pays tribute to the walking and biking trails around Lincoln. It will also remind me of this Connecticut trip. I contributed four socks for my team during the friendly sock scrimmage at Knit Paper Scissors. Saturday is the S'mores party with some new colorways of this yarn available to the sock scrimmage participants. Really, I DON'T NEED one more skein of any kind of yarn. I plan to wear my new socks and enjoy the outdoor fall celebration. 

Sunday while the wind blew, I worked a little on this small quilted piece. I am quilting the layers together with leaf motifs. One fall I gathered leaves and traced their shapes thinking they would make good quilting motifs. In hindsight, I should have reduced the size of a couple of leaves so they would be more proportional to the embroidery. I didn't think about it and now they are traced onto the fabric. I decided the piece will be fine. The background of outside triangles reminds me of ginger cookies.   

I reread The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams on our trip. The first time I listened to the audio and I wanted to read the hard copy. I also chose something lighter as I knew I'd be tired by the time I got in bed at night. This historical fiction is narrated by a young girl whose father is one of the lexicographers working on the first edition of Oxford English Dictionary. Women were involved in composing the dictionary so Williams tells the story from their point of view. Esme, the narrator keeps paper slips of words used by women and sometimes not included in the official first edition. The question, "Do words mean different things to women than they do to men?" runs through the narrative.  I think it would make an interesting book group discussion. 

Enjoy this last golden week of October. 

Ravelry Links

Gold Thumb Mitts

Happy Trails Socks

    

This October Sky

Something about the light and the leaves turning autumn colors creates a gorgeous October sky. I do my best to enjoy each season but I do look forward to October skies. Many of the leaves keep their green and I wonder if some will just wither and drop because of the dry warm weather. Today is blustery. Leaves and dust swirl in the air. We need rain. If I sound like a broken record, that's because I am. The air is dusty, the grass is crispy, and the garden beds have big cracks. 

I am participating in a Sock Scrimmage at my LYS. The two teams, red and white, UNL colors, are neck and neck with ten finished socks for the white team and eleven for the red. I just sent a photo of my completed socks which might tie the two groups. October sock knitters are kind of crazy. My goal was to get this Christmas-gift-pair finished. I'll cast on another pair as a travel project. They may or may not get finished.  Finishing this pair is a win for me. 

Last weekend, we had one slight frost that nipped the tomatoes and some flowers. In some ways, it's hard to let the growing season go but the ground, the trees, and the plants must rest. And so I look to the October skies for beauty. Wherever you are, I hope the October is treating you well.  

Ravelry Link

Candy Floss Socks

Separate Projects

Good October morning to you. By the time I publish this post it will probably be afternoon. And so it goes. The house and my routine are topsy turvy this week. Yesterday afternoon, my husband finished painting the master bath and bedroom, including the closet that runs along an entire wall. Tomorrow we hope to hear from the handyman and his plumber who will replace the bathroom sink and counter-top. After new bathroom flooring is installed, a plumber will replace the toilet. It's a process. We learned a long time ago to hire a plumber and to work on separate projects. I help as I can, feed the painter, and otherwise steer clear. This afternoon I am going to thoroughly clean the bedroom and then we will move the furniture back into place. Some swearing occurs but no blood or paint has been spilled. At the end of the day we are mostly still smiling at each other. I feel fortunate that I don't live in the path of Hurricane Ian so am not complaining. Some discombobulation is the price of progress.  

Most Wednesdays, I look forward to posting with Kat and the Unravelers about making and knitting. I was glad to have a touchstone this week. Kat has a beautiful finished sweater on her post today. 

The last two weeks I knit some on the shawl in the photo. A few years ago I used part of a mini-skein set to knit a shawl for my sister. Her shawl was two shades of blue with a beige/sand color. I bought another full skein of the light blue to add to the mauve skeins and the leftover dark blue. Peaceful garter stitch was a good knit this week. It was nice and orderly. Next up is the lace section. 

I finished the first of the Candy Floss socks and started the second. If you think that is a long foot you would be right. My daughter has a long narrow foot and they are for her. I joined a sock knit along/class at Knit Paper Scissors, my LYS. "Sock Scrimmage" includes four Tuesday evening Zoom sessions with encouragement and teaching of new skills. Friendly competition is involved as we are divided into teams, hence the scrimmage. At the end there is a S'more party at the yarn shop. I love the pun of S'more socks, S'more yarn, and S'more treats. I thought it would motivate me to finish the socks and be fun to support the shop. 

In the last two weeks, I made the fall embroidery piece into a small square coffee table quilt and have begun quilting. I'll write more about it when it is finished. 

I listened to The Secret Keeper of Jaipur by Alka Joshi. This is the second in a trilogy and follows The Henna Artist. Once again, I enjoyed the vocabulary of Indian culture, the descriptions of food, fabric, customs, and remedies. Part of the story is set in the Himalayas and some in Jaipur. The audio narrators had wonderful voices. This is a lighter novel and spoiler alert: it has a happy ending. I am reading The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths. It's hard to believe this is the fourteenth book in the Ruth Galloway mystery series. Ruth, Nelson, and the familiar cast of characters are entering the pandemic. Ruth, as always, is very human. I like her slightly overweight but intelligent witty middle-aged character.

Now I've got to wipe down floorboards and vacuum corners that haven't seen the light of day for awhile. Candy Corn to the rescue. Also, this week I learned that lavender blooms when it is watered. Go figure. Have a good week. 

September 30, 2022

Here we are on the last day of September. The days are glorious - warm afternoons sandwiched between cool mornings and evenings. And "it's Friday" as my Mom used to say joyfully when she called me on Friday evenings. Here is my TGIF offering.

Thinking about what comes next in my writing. Recently my daughter and I finished a Storyworth Project and the books have arrived. Kate gave me a year's subscription to Storyworth, a digital product. She chose the writing prompts that arrived via email in the form of a question. We chose a two week interval for questions and then I wrote a short piece in response to each one. I posted them to the website and they were also sent to her.  It's a wonderful way to collect and record memories. It is also a big time commitment. I enjoyed the writing and am pleased with the result. Since finishing, I've felt a little at loose ends. I am thinking about what else and how I might write.  

Grateful for running water and the city services that provide it.  A week or so ago, we woke up at 7:00 a.m. to the unusual sound of water draining out of the toilets. After checking to make sure our basement or bathrooms weren't flooded, my husband stepped outdoors to find other neighbors in the same predicament. The water main that supplies our street had leaked and a nearby intersection was under water. The city crew worked all day and by 6:45 p.m., we had water in the taps and toilets. I can't imagine living in the Ukraine or in the path of a hurricane or somewhere else where water and sewer services have been disrupted for weeks. A glass of clean water is a beautiful thing. 

Inspired by the prospect of fall flavors and a change in menu. Tuesday we drove an hour to an orchard and bought fresh Jonathan apples. This weekend I plan to freeze a batch of applesauce and make an apple crisp. I'm looking forward to soup weather.

Fun. I'm looking forward to our Fall trip to Connecticut. The older boys are still playing baseball. Jonah is playing soccer and Norah has her nail polish, cowboy boots, and bike at the ready. We look forward to attending their events and reading as many stories as time allows. We haven't been to Fort Worth since May so that may also be in the offing. 

Happy Friday!