Pumpkin Sunrise

  Since my husband's bike fall last Sunday, the beginning of the week was busy. We had our furnace and AC replaced (by choice) and had workers here Monday and Tuesday. We also had appointments with specialists for my husband's forearm because there was still a tiny stone inside (!). For now they want to leave it in there, I guess it's more trouble to cut in again. They are the experts right? He's doing really well and we continue to keep a close eye on the stitches as it heals.  The little cross stitch birth sampler is 3/4ths of the way completed. I am so excited. We've got a month to go before our granddaughter is born near the end of August. Our grandson is growing fast as well, I can't wait to see him too. I continue to read most of the afternoons outside on the back patio. We have no big plans for the weekend which suits me after the bike fall weekend. Give me all the boring dull days please. I'm doing my best to not wish the summer away, it's my lea

  How was your weekend? My weekend was restful and felt like a mini-vacation. I ate lunch every day out on the back patio, enjoying the nice weather in between the raindrops. I'm grateful that we are not super-super hot, just regular warm weather pushing humid. Frodo and I walked early each morning before the full sun and or heat was blaring down. The neighborhood is quiet except for the birds singing. More flowers are blooming in our yard, my husband did so much work last year and we are reaping the benefits this year. I mostly read this weekend for hours on end. The library ebook,  Spare,  became available Friday afternoon and I quickly started reading the memoir. I'm also trying to finish A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths before the next ebook becomes available through the library. July might be a massive reading month for me. I work a little bit each day on the baby cross stitch sampler, I'm over half way done! How was your weekend?

  Good morning! How was your weekend? My weekend was restive and I'm ready for a brand new week to start. I am feeling much better and after a whole week of not exercising, I'm jumping back into my daily routine. I need to stretch and move. Did you get the ridiculous warm weather? Gosh it was beautiful which will make the cold days ahead that much more challenging tolerate. Poor Frodo has a 'summer' cut and is shivering. My entire weekend was huddled up at home and chilling out. I pulled out my paints to start some little loose floral pictures as gifts. I had fun! The photo above is the beginning process and not completed. I also read a bit and knitted a lot. I drank gallons of water or tea. The baby blanket is coming along. I enjoy adding rows and chilling out.

  How was your weekend? My weekend was relaxing overall. First of all, I tried really hard to ignore the wintry cold air blast as much as possible. It was bitterly cold and windy - Frodo and I don't like that kind of weather at all but I do not want to complain about it. Today is the first day of Spring and let's hope spring temperatures arrive soon. I found pockets of time to read and to knit at home even though I am still driving down to the hospital to visit dad who is now in a regular room. My family and I are hoping he can go to a rehab facility soon.  I continue to enjoy knitting my top down sweater . How was your weekend?

  Good morning! How was your weekend? After last week mentioning the endless rain, I'm happy to report our weather switched to snow. It's pretty to look at and it's a nice change.  My weekend was a socializing one. My husband and I attended our grand-nephew's second birthday. He was sweet to watch with a room full of people celebrating his big day. Of course there was cake and tons of family to catch up with.  Afterwards some family came to our house to continue the socializing. We had pizza and played a board game. Seeing family on a regular basis is one of the reasons I moved here. Sunday afternoon I had an art date with my sister and I started on some Valentine Cards. We drank tea and painted - these watercoloring sessions filled my creative heart.  During the entire weekend I feverishly read (but did not finish) Stephen King's book Fairytale . I'm over half way through and it's captivating. I also worked on the scarf that is getting closer and closer to

  Good morning! How are you all doing on this fine Monday morning? All is well here in the land of ordinary time. After all the festivities that Christmas and New Year's Day brings, I'm welcoming the ordinary. I'm basking in the ordinary. Overall my weekend was restive and restorative. On Saturday morning, my sister and I did a long walk in the neighborhood with our dogs. Sunday morning was Mass then laundry (not too much laundry since the grandson had me doing loads mid week).  The whole weekend was filled with lots and lots of knitting and reading. Below is a little stack of current reads. I'm also reading Fairytale by Stephen King on my kindle which is not in the photo. The Walden book is a long term reading project, I try to read a page or so a day. His writings are not easily breezed through and each sentence is dense. After weeks of dreary cloudy days the sun was out yesterday! Sunshine instantly makes me happy! 

  Hello! How was your weekend? Don't you love the look Holly is giving? She is half asleep and half alert to Frodo's rustlings. My weekend was great because I celebrated my birthday over the weekend! I had a lovely time with my family and received some really nice gifts. My husband bought me a new fountain pen (TWSBI ECO medium nib) and it's divine. I received some journaling supplies and of course more books to read. My sister made us dinner and a delicious apple cake for dessert. I'll be visiting a yarn store this week to supplement my knitting stash. I also decided to start decorating the house. Yesterday, I managed to put out all the knick knacks. Today I hope to do the little tree. Each year it takes me longer to do the task, but it's fun!  How was your weekend?

  Just when you think you've had it with the hot humid weather, Mother Nature just goes around and blows in cool crisp air. Heavenly! I opened a few windows and enjoyed the chill, refreshing and rejuvenating. I just might make it to the fall season without being overly grumpy. How was your weekend? Friday night we had dinner at my sister and brother in law's house (no cooking!). Afterwards, we sat on their back patio and enjoyed the evening. On Saturday after walking Frodo, I did a bit of cross stitching which is frustrating for me because it is white thread on off-white linen fabric, ugh. I also did a mini marathon reading session of the novel,  The Stand . I am closing in to the end of the book. (yay me) Sunday we went to Mass and I did the usual pesky household chores once we were home. Throughout the weekend I sat outside either at the patio table or on my gazebo swing (reading of course!). Oh and I started a pair of socks for my husband, just because. How was your weekend?

  Well hello! This week there hasn't been much knitting because what I thought was a terrible allergy attack over the weekend was really a nasty nasty cold (definitely not covid, I tested twice). I haven't had a cold since before the pandemic and was not really ready for it. However when are we ready to be ill? I am thankful to not be blowing my nose every second, sneezing my head off every second and being able to sit upright --  it's those little things we take for granted.  Since Sunday I have been marathon reading Stephen King's The Stand which is about a pandemic virus. I do love how he weaves a wonderful story line and his in depth character development. Also the tingly creepy feeling of doom. Above is the seashell shawl and below is the sweater I am working on. For the sweater I went down one size and really hope that was a good decision.  What are you working on this week?

  One year ago today, we moved to be closer to my sister and my family where I grew up. Can you believe it? I cannot. A friend asked me if I had adjusted and I said 'almost'. Moving during a pandemic has raised some challenges. I still haven't joined a gym nor do I seek to be with tons of people. If you remember, I wanted to have a 'bubble' and being with family has achieved that goal! I miss my friends and country dirt road walking but I do like this house and living in a neighborhood and having museums and shopping close by. (not the greatest sentence but it says what I want it to say) Right this very second, the roofers are here banging away, bless them, because it's going to be a hot day. Frodo yet again is sleeping on the loveseat completely oblivious. I'm sure Holly is hiding under our bed. I'm in the kitchen typing away.  Hot weather is back and I'm trying so hard not to hate it. Seriously, why can't we have 70-80 degree weather? Why does

  My weekend consisted of playing catchup from our traveling days with bill paying and my off-scheduled laundering of clothes. On Saturday morning, I received my first shingles vaccine and was thrilled that the reaction was minimal. I actually made a menu plan for the week usually I fly by the seat of my pants.  I read a lot over the weekend making up for all the time I did not read while visiting our son and his family. This weekend, I fully appreciated my bed and my coffeemaker and not sleeping in a hotel room with noisy people outside. I live in a quiet neighborhood which is wonderful! How was your weekend?

After some ridiculously warm weather last weekend where it felt like summertime had arrived, the wild swings of Mother Nature are now taunting us with winter weather once again. We had about three inches of snow the other day, unpredicted I might add. The snow was beautiful. Tomorrow they are forecasting 3-6 inches of snow (trying to be more accurate in the guessing). No matter what, the birds continue to sing and the daffodils continue to grow. You and I both know it will melt quickly. Besides the weather swinging wildly, my knitting mojo has ramped up to normal production. Oh how wonderful it is to be knitting and enjoying my knitting. There is nothing like it in the world. I'm on the hunt for a baby sweater pattern and will probably use an old printed pattern that my mom used for when my kids were babies. I just have to locate the pattern! I finished reading, The Girl from the Train by Irma Joubert and it was really good. I wasn't expecting to be so engaged in the plot so th

This week we celebrated my husband's birthday by going to the Van Gogh Immersion Exhibit. We loved the experience but it was very short compared to what we thought the length would be (expectations can be brutal). Also to celebrate, we stopped at the local bakery for a treat and on the way home we picked up pizza and wings. We had a lovely time and we both were happy to be doing something cultural in Pittsburgh, one of the benefits of moving so close to the city. How have you been?  Winter keeps trying to be a big show-off but spring is edging her way in. The birds are singing, the daffodils are sprouting. We are warming up a little bit (but not today, brr). I love winter but I'm excited for spring time and some lighter clothe wearing. Even Frodo walks with a jaunt in his step when he doesn't wear his doggy coat. I am fully recovered from the stomach bug, for some reason fatigue was a huge factor for a week. Yesterday on my walk I felt like I had the energy to walk.  Can yo

  Good morning! How was your weekend? Mine was really nice. Each day that comes and goes I feel more like myself. Thanks for all the well wishes on feeling better. Nothing like a virus bug to make you appreciate feeling as your regular self. This weekend was snow, then melting snow, then crazy winds. I managed to do a walk both on Saturday and Sunday. While winter keeps showing itself with snow dustings, the birds are singing away heralding in SPRING. Yesterday was the weekly chores which tired me out a bit. I love the result of a clean house so it was worth the physical exertion. My knitting continues to be minimal and I'm hoping now that I feel better I can start ramping up my knitting progress. How was your weekend?

  How was your weekend? Ours was quite cold, even Frodo has had enough of the frigid temperatures. Lucky for us today just might be above freezing! Yesterday around 3 pm, Frodo and I took a walk because it was warm -- 23 degrees -- what a weird mindset to think that that temperature is balmy. We bundled up and layered up. Frodo hates to wear sweaters and coats but I think he is coming around to the benefits of some cozy warmth. How do I know? Well he doesn't run away from me when I pull it off the hook. The coat he's wearing now I ordered from amazon and I think it keeps him toasty warm. Yesterday afternoon we attended our grand-nephew's first birthday party. How nice to be with a small family gathering to celebrate one year old. And I did not cook dinner since we at a big lunch - double bonus for me. My weekend mainly was reading and knitting but I didn't snap a photo of either of those activities so you are left with an early morning photo of my morning reads. 

  There is something about January days that are delightful. The Christmas gift giving, planning, knitting and wrapping is completed. The house is undecorated from the holidays and clean spaces are everywhere where I look. The days are getting a little more daylight each day, do you notice that?  I continue to love watching the birds at my back yard feeder. Winter is glorious. After nearly a week, I am recovered from our trip to Cambridge MA. We have another winter storm brewing this weekend but I do not have to be anywhere important through most of it. While up in Cambridge I started a pair of socks for my husband who was the only knit-worthy person who did not receive a Christmas hand knit. Better late than never, right? I am just making a plain pair that requires no thinking on my part. I am knitting on auto pilot. I have been reading the Sister of Auschwitz during the day when my mind is fresh, it's really good. The other book Amaryllis in Blueberry is a really weird book, can

  Hello! How is your first week of January? Mine has been delightful. I thought I'd share with you some of the new books and journalling stuff I received over the holidays. The above book pile is what I'll be reading in the next few weeks. My kindle has a ton of books and I like to have one of those always going so it's light in my purse when I'm out - I can guarantee you if I don't take a book with me I am waiting somewhere for a very long time so I try to keep it with me. (Emergency reading?) Last March, I switched to a Hobonichi Weeks planner and loved it so much. So I bought one for 2022. I use this for personal planning and keeping appointments. I also track my health, exercise, knitting ideas or projects, and all sorts of thoughts. This planner is a thought catcher. For my birthday, my daughter gave me the above pencil pouch that is delightful! She purchased it from JetPens   and along with the pouch,  there were lavender pens and markers and washi tape. Swoon