Wednesday, October 26, 2022

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


    


13 comments:

  1. What a wonderful trip! Even reading your description makes my heart a little fuller, along with that last photo. I love your Happy Trails socks and those gold mitts will be glorious. I've saved the pattern as I want to make a pair for my gardening SiL. I hope you have rain, some humidity in the air, and lower temperatures as October ends.

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  2. What a dear photo of you and your grandchildren! The love radiates from my screen.

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  3. Sounds like it was a lovely fall trip! I love your warm and cozy socks. So glad that your fall is going well. :-)

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  4. That books sounds interesting. What a lovely trip. Full hearts - a very good thing

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  5. I used to love making interstate trips to see grandchildren when we lived away from the family - now they have flown and are the ones coming back to see their Grands😊

    You’ve chosen just the right colour for the purpose isn’t it? The gold has a warm cosy look about it. One day the sock making urge will arrive at my house….one day

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  6. May your heart remain full for a long time! The socks are wonderful: I like the colors and the stripes. Only a few pockets of Fall color remains, and the wind has been strong this week.

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  7. Sorry to hear about the grass fires.
    Your trip wounds wonderful, and I love the end photo, I presume that is you with your grandchildren ? Its a lovely pic :)
    Jillxo

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  8. My heart is full hearing about your trip and all the time you were able to spend with your grandkids. I know they'll have wonderful memories of your visit to carry them until you're together again. I look forward to hearing about the s'mores party -- congrats on finishing your socks!

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  9. I'm so happy you had such a wonderful trip to visit your family. I'm sure it's delight to spend time with you grandchildren -- and a treat to be able to have some adventures with your daughter. XO

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  10. I know exactly how you feel when you say goodbye after a visit with the family! I wish mine lived closer.. So glad you had some fun one on one with your daughter in NYC I love that city and how much fun it is to be in it.

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  11. That is fast for a pair of socks! And your trip sounds fantastic. I'm glad I read your post, because _The Dictionary of Lost Words_ sounds right up my alley.

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  12. What a fantastic trip, Jane! And your knitting is so beautiful! I want to read that book, and you make me think I need to read it soon!

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  13. What a wonderful trip and what a beautiful picture of you with your grandchildren. So nice that you and your daughter could sneak away for a little mother/daughter time in NYC. Sounds like fun! Pretty socks and those gold mitts will simply glow. You little embroidered...and now quilted...piece is lovely. And woosh! Now it is November.

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