Pumpkin Sunrise

  Thank you for all the prayers and well-wishes for my dad. He continues to improve and we are hoping within the week he will be out of ICU. He was admitted on February 22nd and throughout the early days and the unknownness I've been pondering on the word Nourish. How do I nourish my body, mind and spirit? As you know, I was thoroughly enjoying writing a haiku a day and doing a bit of art sketching to go with the words. That daily process stopped the day he was admitted. I just didn't feel like writing or sketching. I gave myself grace to quit. Maybe at the beginning of April I will start back up? I also gave myself grace to blog when I can instead of blogging on a set schedule. Nourishing my mind for me is letting go of some creative pursuits and clinging to the ones that soothe me. I continue to meditate daily, knit daily and do a bit of reading. I pack knitting for the hospital visits in case there is waiting time to visit. When I visit by myself, I also pack a book to read

  Oh my, we are knee deep in ordinary days. I might be one of the few people who love January. I love the cold weather and the restive schedule that envelops me since the holidays are over. I've been enjoying my bird feeder and watching the birds who are making quite the mess. They delight me. Through my back yard, through the woods, at an adjoining business development exists a private preschool. Every day I listen to the children play (squeal) outside during their recess while I am outside walking Frodo. Another delight. January has a slew of family birthdays, I wake up and text/call each family member wishing them a wonderful day. This week I've chipped away at all of my works in progress in my knitting bag. I finished a hat and now I'm working on my scarf. When this scarf is finished I'd like to whip up two pairs of fingerless mitts for me and for my husband.  I am delighted that you visit, read and sometimes comment on this space. How wonderful to have a like minde

  After many months taking a break away from this nearly impossible cross stitch design, I'm back at it, trying my best to stitch it correctly. I have grand plans of finishing this before spring arrives, wish me the best of luck! How are you?  Around here, I've been busy being 'Santa' and wrapping the gifts that needed to be mailed. Every morning I try to do at least a half hour of gift wrapping. This year, I have more holiday spirit than last Christmas season. Maybe I'm more adjusted to living in this house? I have less thoughts of what I miss from my old house, and that's progress.  Around here, my bird feeder is a continuous delight! The raccoon has yet to be messing with my feeder and whenever I'm at the sink I watch MY birds. I love them so. Around here, I'm closing in on finishing my fingerless mitts. I'm on the second mitt of the second pair. Today that mitt will be done. yay. After that I am done with holiday knitting! I can then revert back

  And just like that, it's wintry cold out there. Frodo is sporting his lovely plaid dog coat that keeps him toasty warm on our walks. I'm wearing lots of wool and loving it. The newspaper today indicated that this chilliness will remain well after Thanksgiving. Bundle up! How was your weekend? I did massive amounts of knitting and finishing both Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday I invited myself over to my sister's house for an 'art date'. We think we created something good. I packed up what I some of my supplies and we painted together while listening to Christmas music. Oh and she made biscotti! yum. It was a lot of fun. Last night we had a fire in the fireplace. The room looks cosy and warm! In other news, my dry eyes are feeling a bit better, thanks for all the well wishes. I've got quite the to-to list this Monday morning as I start another week.  

  Isn't Holly just the sweetest? She's been sneaking into the 'Frodo' zones undetected. She has a swing in her step because she is successful. Frodo has got to know she is there and just doesn't care. If only they could talk to us. It's raining today and that makes it a wonderful day to read and knit. Yesterday we drove to the Westmoreland Museum of American Art for the morning to see their exhibit on Gate Crashers (self-made artists). The paintings were excellent and I learned about some interesting facts on the various artists showcased. The rest of the museum was just as informative and inspiring.  After a quick lunch at a local cafe we drove to the south part of Pittsburgh to return a purchased item no longer needed and we avoided 'highways' due to a major traffic jam. Let me tell you, I saw a lot of towns that I probably never have been to in person. It was fun! I hope the museum inspires me to dust off the paints and start exploring with technique

Good morning!  This week I've been enjoying the trees and the colors that are in abundant display. It won't be long before they are all done and winter will be whispering in the winds. Sigh. Every year I find Autumn arrives quickly and is just as quick in leaving. Yesterday we drove up to visit my dad and step mom in the country. I worked on my husband's sock in the car but quickly set it aside to enjoy the countryside. Being in the country reminds me of where I used to live and the beautiful dirt road that I used to walk with Frodo. I do love my walks in my neighborhood but I miss the country (NOT the bears). I do like living here and it's so nice to be near family! My husband and I went out for a lunch at the local park on one of the warmer days so that we could eat out on their patio overlooking the pond. The views were spectacular! Frodo was recently groomed this week and he's been shivering since. Every morning I have to bundle him in a blanket. If I put a swea

  I keep forgetting to show my progress on a cross stitch project I started last week or so. This is for our grandson and it might be an ornament to hang or a framed picture depending on which is easier for me. I am loving that the fabric is 14 Aida count and I can see it. Honestly, having older eyes is challenging. While I do enjoy the cross stitching and it reminds me of all the cross stitching in the past, knitting is my comfort zone. I don't really use my eyes for knitting like I do for cross stitching.  This week has been glorious weather. I walk daily early in the morning when the elementary school bus does its rounds and I eagerly wave to the bus driver and the kids. Actually I wave to just about everyone that passes. The air is crisp and fresh. So so beautiful.  On my walks, I try my best to be present. I go through my five senses to notice what is happening at the moment. For instance, I look for five different things, then listen for four different sounds, then feel thre

  Good morning! Well, it's another Friday and here we are checking in with each other. I've quickly jumped back into my ordinary days enjoying my creative projects and it's been wonderful! Traveling does that to me, I am renewed in being grateful for the simplest of things: my favorite mug, sitting with Frodo, oh the list could go on. On my daily walks with Frodo, I am paying attention to the slightest changes of fall showing up. The mornings are chilly (yay) and I am all for it!  Besides knitting daily, I've been doing a small drawing challenge - The Inchie Challenge . My sister alerted me to the challenge and asked me to join her. We share our daily sketches via texting and compare our interpretations of the prompts. I've been using my graphitints by derwent . These pencils are water-soluble colored graphite and are fun to play with. I only have seven colors so I have to be creative with what I have. Yesterday, my husband with the help of a neighbor removed the fa

  On Monday afternoon we spontaneously decided to go to Indiana to help our son and daughter in law as a virus (not covid) was shared in a staggered fashion and surprisingly it was two different viruses. How is that possible? Our grandson was fully recovered and as happy as can be. Our son was well until we left on Friday when he started a fever. Our daughter in law had the worst of it the whole time we were there. I did tons and tons of laundry, cleaning and cooking. My husband trimmed hedges and installed five smoke alarms in their purchased home. Since we live near a BIG city we were unable to board Frodo at the kennel (I miss living in the country, I never had that problem) so we packed up Frodo and brought him with us. He did surprisingly well! He acted like he loved the adventure. He's not a fan of riding in a car but if he sits on my lap for SEVEN hours straight he manages his dismay. Let's just say I did not knit, draw, paint or do anything creative, unless you count co

  Good morning to you! How has your week been? Are you soaking up the last bits of summer? I have been very excited this week for many reasons. My knitting has been good, I'm enjoying my projects and that sock yarn in the above photo is soft in my hands. I keep forgetting to mention the bag in the photo was made by my sister many years ago. It's my go to sock project bag because CATS. My big news this week is the photo above. Look at that dogwood tree changing colors. Autumn is creeping in and I'm all here for it. Also that deer is a bold one, she stands and waits until I'm practically right up to her before it snorts and runs away. Frodo would love to chase her! The flowering apple trees in the backyard are dropping leaves as well.  On my daily walks, I focus on my five senses (a mindfulness technique) and now I have an added goal - seeking out signs of fall. The crisp air is delicious and being chilly is so nice.  For Mother's Day this year my sister gifted me a b

  Good morning!  Around here the humidity has left and Mother Nature has gifted me (us) some beautiful cool crisp air. I'll be walking this morning with a sweatshirt on - what blessings! The days are shortening quickly hinting at fall weather, thank goodness. I'm sitting here with jeans on hoping that I do not need to switch to capris later in the afternoon. My husband and I went to a restaurant with outdoor seating for lunch over looking a pond. The food was delicious and the views made the food taste better. All you could hear were birds chirping and an occasional flopping fish in the water. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I've been in a creative lull.  I'm just going with it because I know it will pass. Yesterday I wanted to start a pair of socks for my husband with this delicious merino yak blend in the photo below. I ignored the voice in my head that said 'but you have three other projects you should be working on'. Life is for living in the moment an

  Today I'm counting my blessings: - Frodo's groomer who 'gets' him and is so wonderful to him and gives him a great haircut - Frodo snuggles and Holly antics, both pets make me smile - phone chats with my children - living near family especially my sister! - my early morning routine - -my yarn stash which is massive and yet I can always buy more yarn, go figure - this little blogging community where we uplift each other and support one another, it is one of the best blessings the internet has provided - summer yielding to fall ( I know! it's crazy but the days are shortening and I've been putting a light on in the morning, we are getting closer to fall!) -  - BIG salads and no cooking days - dark chocolate - green decaf tea - my favorite mugs - a tidy house - my husband - this house - books - knitting - daydreaming - believing in the goodness of others - friendly waves of hello to total strangers on my walks - all the drivers who slow down and yield to me on my

  There is nothing really going on around here - true blessings! It's hot and humid so we are all hiding in the air conditioning and only going outside if it's a must. Frodo and I walk daily in the early mornings and that's enough outside for me. I'm trying really hard not to romanticize about fall and all its goodness. The cicadas started up this week and joyfully I thought 'yay, one step closer to fall'. Next up will be the acorn drop in a couple of weeks. My husband is a summer lover so I keep all these thoughts bottled up. I also try not to complain about the weather. But you and I know, fall is coming and it's going to be glorious! I bought a humidifier for our bedroom after being gently told by the RA doctor numerous times (four visits?)  it would help with dry eye and dry mouth. (Sjogren's Syndrome). The photo below is Holly giving the humidifier the stink eye. She cracks me up. And if you are wondering, YES the humidifier helps. The tattered tan

  Good morning! Here we are another Friday and here I am writing another post about everything and nothing at all. This time around I'm going to be musing about simple pleasures and what I take for granted on a daily basis. Grab your tea, coffee or juice and join the meandering. When the nasty summer cold was at its worst, I romantically thought about all those days I could breathe through my nose. Seriously, we should all sing praises to nasal breathing. When I sat around and read my book, I thought about all the exercising and walking I do on a daily basis effortlessly. I have walked this week but golly it was an effort and I was so glad to get back home to sit. I am grateful I had the time and the luxury to sit at home and recover, there are many who cannot do that. I am feeling so much better! I am grateful for that.  Simple pleasures:  knitting, as always - thinking about a pumpkin hat for the grandson - buckets of hot green decaf tea - logic puzzles and sudoku puzzles - summe

  Good morning! Boy do I have a lot of catching up to do so grab your tea or coffee and let's begin! Last Wednesday our son, daughter in law and GRANDSON arrived for a three day visit! We haven't seen them since March and the visit was fantastic. Our little guy was friendly and full of smiles after a brief 'who the heck are you' look that was priceless. I fed him many bottles and changed very few diapers. (that is a great visit) They left on Saturday morning and I miss all of them already. I forgot how tiring babies can be and cannot remember where I had the energy to keep up with them. It took me 48 hours to recover from their stay. During their visit we went to the zoo and we had a family get together at our house. The other set of grandparents were able to attend and we had a grand time doting on the baby. Holly does NOT like babies. She hid under our bed until they were all asleep each day then came out begrudgingly.  Poor Holly!! Frodo thought the baby was here to