Holiday Greetings

Sometime during the wee hours of Christmas morning, I heard the rain change to sleet and then snow. Monday, four inches of snow fell at times with gusty winds. We had no plans to go anywhere and were happy to be tucked in at home with FaceTime calls, coffee, and brunch. 

As is my custom, I wrote a poem to send in my holiday cards.  I share it here with with my best wishes for a last gentle week in 2023.

Notes from a Winter Day, December 2023

Clouds do not mean to create weariness

in the world. Remember, 

rain or snow refreshes the story. 

Junco's bright voice does not break over

the dry-brown winter day. Instead

she sings from the crooked apple limb 

and drinks frost with a pale pink beak,

a beak strong enough to crack seeds or

open hearts to wonder and hope. 

Jane A. Wolfe, copyright December 18, 2023

December Making

Hello Gentle Readers. Our December weather continues to be mild and dry. While the high-forty degree days are unseasonable, they make for good walking weather. Walking feels more important than ever as the holiday treats are tempting and plentiful. 

Today is Unraveled Wednesday with Kat and friends. I finally finished the Hocus Pocus Socks, leaving one scarf on the needles. As I knit the scarf, I am considering new projects. I spun this yarn with a shawl in mind so I am mulling over pattern options. Sometimes I think the best project is always the next one. 

In the meantime, I'll share the apron saga. Once my sister gave my daughter and I a Purl Soho, Cross Back Apron. Kate's good friend loves to bake and admired her apron. When we visited, I volunteered to sew a mother/daughter apron set for her to give to this friend. In spite of all my mistakes, I would gladly sew again for my wonderful daughter. 

The free pattern is well written and finished with French Seams. However, this pattern is to sewing as EZ's Baby Surprise Jacket is to knitting. In other words it seemed like sewing origami. And it's been awhile since I sewed a garment. I cut two of six pocket pieces incorrectly which required another trip to the fabric store. I made another error when sewing pocket pieces together and so ripped out and resewed a long seam. A few days later than I expected, I finished the apron. The child's apron was much easier although I cut the pocket two inches two short to stretch across the entire apron. I adapted the pocket. Oy.

I had enough leftover fabric to make an apron for Norah. Jonah also likes to wear his "kitchen robe" so I decided to make one for him too. Off I went to Joann's for more bias tape. Anyway, I finished them earlier in the month, sent them off with cookie cutters and they have arrived. Whew. 

As for reading, I'm about half-way through The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. McBride is quite a story teller. I'm still formulating my opinions about this book. I do appreciate the humor he injects into the stories about people who live in difficult conditions. 

Next on my agenda is a grocery list and menu for the week. My goal is to make today's grocery run the last before the Christmas weekend. I hope your plans for the week are going well. I wish you peaceful contented days filled with the people and things you love. 

The sunbeam wasn't visible to me when I took this photo but there it is in the photo. I'm sure there is a metaphor or a lesson here. What is it? 

Unraveled Wednesday on Thursday

Hello Gentle Readers. Here in southeast Nebraska, the first half of December has been mild with little precipitation. This morning, I am happy to be sitting near the south windows looking out at a bright gray day. Late yesterday afternoon, I walked at dusk. My day was taken up by errands, some planned and some not. A quiet walk, with lights coming on in the neighborhood, was just what I needed. 

Thanks to the Computer Hardware technicians, my laptop is cleaned up and repaired. One to two business days, stretched into a week but with a warranty, I have a new battery and keyboard as well as a machine minus malware. Life is an adventure. At the same time, the oven needed repairs. These are first world problems so I am not complaining, only explaining my absence. Please know that I will read all the posts but may not comment on every one. In the meantime, I wrapped and mailed packages, sewed four aprons, and finished and frogged knitting projects. The aprons could be a separate post, maybe later. Even though it is Thursday, I'll link with Kat's Unraveled Wednesday post.

I finished the wrap that was the Knit Paper Scissors HusKAL fall project. The yarn and pattern were well suited to each other. I do enjoy knitting a sampler kind of project. It blocked beautifully. I wove in ends and was reminded why I save every bit of yarn until a project is completely finished. I found a dropped or loose stitch and was able to secure it with the leftover short length of yarn. 

I finished the Christmas socks and the Gold Thumb Mitts. Then I looked at four more projects. Everyone knits differently and that is a good thing. I know that if one of my projects languishes for months, it means it isn't for me. I frogged a shawl I started last Spring because I wasn't enjoying it. The other clue is a nagging voice inside my head telling me a project isn't working. After pulling on the handspun Creekside shawl every time I knit a row, I took a good look at it. I knit almost to the lace section, so I spent plenty of time ignoring that voice. The fabric was stiff and heavy and I knew I'd never wear it. More shawl fabric wasn't going to change the weight. The handspun held with a mohair silk lace was a bear to frog. If the yarn hadn't been handspun, I might have thrown the whole mess away but I didn't. Both yarns survived quite well. 

Now I am down to the Hocus Pocus socks and a scarf/shawl shaped like a Sophie Scarf. I plan to finish both of these projects before starting another knitting project. Having a clean slate at the end of the year doesn't always happen but it's nice when it does. Most evenings, I knit one repeat on the sock and then pick up the scarf. So far so good. I'm enjoying both projects and don't feel weighed down by unfinished ones sitting in the bins. 

I came to the end of Walking in Wonder and am still thinking about some of the essays, particularly the one on aging. At my age, how can that not be on my mind? There is a lot of wisdom in O'Donohue's writing. Currently I am reading The Quickening: Creation and Community at the Ends of the Earth by Elizabeth Rush. This is a nonfiction account of the author's journey to Antarctica on a vessel designed for research. Rush includes short transcriptions from her shipmates, including the gentlemen who crew and cook for the international team of researchers. Rush was one of the few journalists allowed on the boat. The journalists were charged with raising awareness about the speed at which glaciers in Antarctica are melting. The science is so interesting and Rush is thoughtful about her writing. She writes a little about previous exploration stories as the domain of white males. At the same time, she describes the beauty of the area, she explores her decision to bring a child into the world. The book is fascinating, enlightening, and frightening. 

Thanks for reading. It's good to be back. Now that I have a working oven, I hope to do a little baking. What are your plans for the rest of the week? 

Ravelry Links

HusKAL Wrap

Hocus Pocus Socks

Be Kind Scarf

November's End

Hello Gentle Readers. I'm sitting in a sunny spot in our living room, soaking up the warmth and quiet afterglow of Thanksgiving. Light wet snow fell on Saturday morning and then again on Saturday evening. As usually happens the day after a snowfall, Sunday was quite cold. Juncos foraged for the seeds in clumps of lazy susans. The stalks are brittle and thin so they bounced about trying to perch. After awhile, they may have knocked the seeds to the ground in order to eat them more easily. Their behavior looked both playful and scrappy.  

Today is Wednesday and the day to link with Kat and other makers. The HusKAL wrap I knit with other customers of Knit Paper Scissors is blocking. It feels like a big finish. When it dries I'll have a weaving-in-the-ends party, take photos, and share a few thoughts. 

I finished spinning this BFL fiber. Four ounces of fiber yielded 423 yds of sport to dk weight yarn pictured at the top of this post. One skein appears more compact because I wound it on a new niddy noddy. I acquired that tool, along with some other items, by way of a birthday gift certificate from my son and his family. My plying could be more consistent. Still, whenever I finish a skein of handspun, I am amazed that I can make yarn. 

I want to give a small present to a service provider so I cast on these mitts. I knit this pattern often because the 2 x 2 ribbed hand will fit a variety of sizes. I also love knitting the leaf/thumb gusset. It ranks right up with turning a heel.  After these mitts are finished, I plan to get back to works in progress. Famous last words, right?

As for reading, I'm listening to Tom Lake written by Ann Patchett and narrated by Meryl Streep. I wondered if listening to Streep would distract from Patchett's writing but it does not. She adds just the right amount of interpretation. I admire the subtle way Patchett, weaves the pandemic into the background of the story. As many of you know, the characters shine and the novel is a beautifully written. 

I'm slowly reading Walking in Wonder by John O'Donohue. Last weekend I read the section on "balance" and am still thinking about it. I was struck by O'Donohue's words about holding contradicting ideas at the same time. He wrote that the mechanism of physical balance in human beings is in the inner ear, the organ also associated with listening. What a connection and message for our time. Mary Oliver's Devotions is also keeping me company. 

And so, speaking of balance, I best move from sitting in the sunshine and to bundling up for a walk. Take a deep breath and enjoy the last few days of November. 

Ravelry Link

Gold Thumb Mitts

Where Was I?

Hello Gentle Readers. Since I last posted, we traveled to Connecticut to visit our daughter and family. Now it is good to be home. A brisk November wind blows out of the north. However, the sun is bright and that makes all the difference. The weather is perfect for Thanksgiving. 

We had a wonderful visit full of adventures with my daughter and her family. We managed to get a photo with all four kids in our summer camp t-shirts. Somehow it never happened in August. We also took a photo of Norah in her rainbow sweater. I was happy to know she is wearing and enjoying the sweater.

One blustery day, Kate, Norah, and I walked around Tod's Point. I've never been in November or at such a low tide. For a few minutes, Norah got out from under the blanket in her stroller to look at rocks and shells. My daughter found a few pieces of sea glass. 

We enjoyed ordinary days, filling them with walks to and from school, games of UNO, baking muffins, and taking fewer photos. Emmett and I remembered our infamous back-to-back photo and he is now officially taller. 

One morning, Lance and I walked to a local coffee shop and then to the park a block or so away from Kate and Patrick's home. It was a beautiful brisk morning and we enjoyed the New England color. See the park photo above. 

Another day, Kate and I took the metro-north train into NYC. We toured the incredible Morgan Library and Museum and then we walked to The Strand Bookstore and all the way back to Grand Central. I logged more than 13,000 steps that day and kept up with my athletic daughter. Excuse the less than stellar selfie. 

Today is Wednesday and the day to link with Kat and other makers. My travel knitting was yet another pair of socks. Before leaving, I knit the ribbing and a few rows of the pattern. I haven't touched them since we arrived home late last Thursday. Truth to tell, I am a little tired of sock knitting so I'm working on the HusKAL wrap. I now have six WIPS, including a Christmas gift. This is at least two too many for me. In my defense, I knew I'd never be able to knit the Hocus Pocus socks in between playing UNO and reading bedtime stories so I cast on the travel socks with an easy familiar pattern. 

I read a hard copy of The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis. This historical novel is not great literature and the storyline isn't altogether believable but I did enjoy the information about Grand Central Terminal. I find Grand Central so interesting with it's blue ceiling, grand staircases, and the clock ticking in the information booth. Although I wouldn't change my life, growing up in small town Nebraska and living in the small city of Lincoln is quite a contrast to the hustle and bustle of Grand Central.  

This Thanksgiving week, I am grateful for family and friends - both near and far, those I see in person and those I know only virtually. I am grateful for a safe trip, two smooth traveling days (no small accomplishment when one is flying), happy times with family, face time and phone calls with our Texas family. I am grateful for a warm house and clothing, good health, delicious food, hot coffee and tea. Did I mention wool socks and shawls? The list is long. I wish you all a good week and if you celebrate, a Happy Thanksgiving.  

Ravelry Link

Herminones Christmas Socks

Simply a Moment - 11.7.23

 

Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 11:07 a.m. 

Hello Gentle Readers. This morning is sunny and mild. I am soaking up the warmth in front of a south window. A breeze rustles the linden leaves that are a dull green with brown edges. The autumn colors of the maples have faded and some trees never did turn. 

My Mom would have loved this bright autumn morning. This is her birthday and so in honor of her I'm sitting in the sunshine with my knitting and drinking a Blonde Vanilla Decaf Latte. I believe she would have chosen strong black coffee with a dab of whipped cream. 

I've written about Mom more than once but I am thinking of her this morning. She was the best kind of mother, gentle and kind, encouraging all four of us to be what we wanted to be at the moment. She held a BS in nursing, a career that combined her compassion with science. Over the weekend I found an old yellowed paperback, (price $2.98!) Revelations: Diaries of Women, that she gave me for Christmas in 1978. In a way it is outdated and in a way not. I like the quote on the back, "To read this book of selections from women's diaries, is for a woman reader, to experience an excitement, a warm recognition, and a dizzyingly expanded sense of possibilties . . ." And isn't that "sense of possibility" what we want for all of our daughters and sons?  I'm rereading parts of the book. 

I received the most touching gift from my son yesterday and tomorrow we leave to visit my daughter and family. Years ago, a good friend gave me the pillow in the rocking chair. In case you can't read the words it says, "A Family is a Gift that Lasts Forever." Now more than ever I appreciate my family, those present and those alive in memory. 

Take good care friends and hold fast to what is good. 

 

Hello November

Hello Gentle Readers. Here we are in November. These days, that feels like an accomplishment. Last Friday brought a cold snap. We even had a few flurries of snow on Saturday. I am not ready for such cold weather but then again it is November. Leaves fall, some turned to the rich autumn colors but others are a dull green and brown. This time of year I think of Carrie Newcomer's recording, "Leaves Don't Fall, They Just Let Go." The predictable seasonal changes bring comfort. 

Today is Wednesday and time to check in with Kat and the Unravelers. I continue to work on the local yarn shop knit-along. This "slanket" is growing and will require a good blocking when finished. I am enjoying the different stitch patterns and textures. Some are new to me and others are not. Unfortunately I ran short of the colorway for the latest section. I'm going over to the yarn shop to look at the finished sample to see how I might adjust the rest of the wrap. I'm sure this is due to my loose knitting and gauge although I did check the gauge of the garter stitch as directed. I have yarns in the other colors so I'll figure out something. As the saying goes, "no one will notice it on a galloping horse." I'm giving myself a lot of credit here as I rarely gallop and never run but you know what I mean.

The sock is coming along nicely. I finished the heel flap, turn, and gusset and am knitting down the foot. I've been listening to the early Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Laurie King while I knit on these socks. They are going to be forever associated with Mary Russell, a strong smart female protagonist who now and again disguises herself to solve the mystery. Hocus Pocus indeed.

I cast on the Creekside Shawl with handspun BFL /silk held double with a strand of mohair. The finished edge will be a familiar simple lace pattern. It's not quite feather and fan but reminds me of it. At the moment, the name escapes me. I'm letting the handspun do the work and it is performing admirably. I'm knitting on size 7 needles. I chose it both as a break from the smaller needles in the other two projects and also because I have always wanted to knit this pattern. Where do those "yens" come from? Patterns appeal to us in different ways at different times. Right now knitting a shawl is comfort and shelter from the news.  

I'm reading Walking in Wonder by John O'Donohue and inspired by his quiet elegant thinking and writing. I read a bit and then stop to reflect and then read a little more. I finished The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths. I won't say much because I don't want to give away the story but I found the conclusion satisfying. Others think differently. I'm going to miss Ruth and Nelson. I'll even miss Cathbird and Judy as well as Bruno and Thing.  

Welcome to November. Stay warm and have a good week. 

Ravelry Links

HusKAL Wrap

A Little Hocus Pocus

Handspun Creekside Shawl