Pumpkin Sunrise

Call me crazy but I've cast on a scarf for my husband on size 3 needles.  I know I will regret this decision later on.  I've been spoiling myself with knitting on size 7 needles for many projects and the projects practically finish themselves.  My husband chose this purple wool and the only weight available was lace weight.  So I've doubled the yarn and size 3 needles looked the best.  Hopefully sometime today I'll update my Ravelry project page. I finished reading A Man Called Ove  and thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It's an easy read and somewhat sad and funny mixed together.  So now I'm in limbo between books.  I think I'll be starting One Thousand Gifts  by Amy Voskamp.  I bought the book on my kindle when there was a sale a week or two ago. What are you knitting and reading this week? Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments    in the comment section with a link to your blog. How was your weekend?  Are you ready for Christmas??  Getting there?  I am amazed we are half way through advent.  Friday night was quiet and at home, doing some knitting and relaxing. Saturday was more of the same.  I assessed the presents and what is left to arrive on my doorstep.  I might have to get "one" more gift.  Maybe.  For years I've been the kind of person that is done shopping at least one week or sometimes two weeks before Christmas.  I don't like crowds of people or that frantic feeling of picking something.  I like to mull it over, take my time. Anyways, back to my Saturday, we went out to shop for my husband's secretaries and then a dinner out.  Both activities, gift giving and eating were fun.  Speaking of gift giving....today was our k

Good morning!!  My week has been fabulous and I cannot wait to tell you why.  I was so lucky to receive some awesome mail deliveries.  Do you remember when George Bailey, in It's a Wonderful Life, talks about train whistles being the wonderful sound? Well doorbells and car honks win this week.  My postal deliverer loves to honk before leaving a package outside our home.  UPS guy takes those extra steps to the front door and rings the bell.  Either way I'm a happy person. Jodie  sent me a lovely swap present.  I was filled with glee opening each item and felt gratitude for the world of knitters.  Thank you Jodie, I love everything!  And a big big thank you to Donna  who set up the swap. Next up is a sweet little treat from  Steph .  I feel like I know her in real life just haven't quite met face to face.  I imagine a time in my future where I'm sitting on her porch knitting and swinging and enjoying each other's company.  Thank you Steph!! Nicole

Ha!  I bet you were expecting the same old same old in my knitting and reading.  I am happy to report that my super secret knitting is finished and I am knitting for myself.  I cast on the Baa-ble hat that everyone on Ravelry has knit.  Okay maybe not everybody but I keep seeing this hat and I want it.  I want to wear a sheep hat while I walk and be like everyone else.  I'm simple that way. I had a thrill casting on and relaxing with a non Christmas present knit.  for me.  yes! Those stars up there are super cute and beautiful but I must say a bit labor intensive.  I would like to knit a few more but my weary hands are taking a little break.  I think I clench my hands while knitting them and get arm pains.  However, the pain is worth it, I guess. My reading has changed as well this week.  Well maybe it's the same.  I am reading on my kindle "A Man Called Ove"  it is a delightful easy funny book to read.  I am involved and invested, just like a well written b

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments    in the comment section with a link to your blog. So far there has not been one single solitary snowflake to be seen.  Believe me, I've looked.  So today, as the foggy mist blanketed the area, I pretended the morning frost was snow.  It's all I've got so I'm making do.  This fog was pea soup thick and quite pretty! My weekend was quite nice.  I've met another self imposed knitting deadline that I can't share.  I'm quite pleased with myself and my knitting fury.  Also I've righted my slightly crooked back with perfect posture, lots of walking and some gentle yoga moves.  Ah, yoga, you are so so good for me and yet I put you aside for silly knitting marathon days.  I should learn, shouldn't I? Saturday afternoon my husband made a curry and a dahl and all I did was make the rice and clean the

my sister made my rabbit a new dress! This morning I'm sitting here at the computer thinking about how quickly December came upon me.  Honestly, time flies these days.  I remember when I was a kid and the time from my birthday in mid November to Christmas day was eternity. I've been marathon knitting to finish three items for the end of this week, again a self imposed goal.  Unfortunately too much knitting is causing some aches and pains in my back.  I knew that would happen and yet I continued to knit.  Silly me.  You would think I would be smart enough.  Ah well, live and learn and my self imposed goal is being set aside for the moment.  I'm doing gentle yoga, taking tylenol and focusing on really good posture. Oh good news!  My eyes are 50% better and I discontinued the antibiotic eye drops.  I've decreased the steroid drop more and see her (the doctor) in two weeks.  My eyes are feeling really really good and that makes me so very happy.  Thank you so much

I know, this photo looks a lot like last week's photo.  However I have finished one super secret knitting project and I'm on the second (out of three).  Super secret means I can't tell you about it, but let me assure you it's pretty exciting :)  I am enjoying knitting with Galway yarn and the stitches just glide from one needle to the next.  bliss! My reading, well I tried my best to finish the book yesterday and didn't.  I even read during the day!  I know I'll finish today.  At some point half way through this book, I became totally invested in the characters, the sadness, the hopefulness and the resilience of the story.  This is a GOOD book, so you should read it if you haven't yet. What are you knitting and reading this week? Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams

Weekends are for memory making,  relaxing and enjoying quiet moments of our days.   If you would like, please share your weekend moments    in the comment section with a link to your blog. Well, my weekend was full and busy and action-packed.  Our son came home on Tuesday night and on Thanksgiving day we visited my family.  The first three photos are of my sister's house and the last photo is a massive Christmas cactus that my aunt has, isn't it awesome? This weekend was shopping at all the stores that no one else was in.  That's the nice thing about being a crafter.  The lines in craft stores are much shorter and everyone is nice.  I started Christmas shopping too.  Saturday, I decorated my house which I will snap some photos soon.  Football was on the tv, so I had to hum my holiday music while decking my halls.  It's the little things.. I loved seeing my family and spending time with them.  Everyone is getting older and the teens are growing an

In Gratitude: - mornings - quiet - family - friends - pumpkin pie - words and pens and notebooks - novels - kindness of others - chocolate - birds singing - the woods that surround me - my deer - comforts of home - cell phones and who they connect me to - knitting and the joy knitting brings to me - technology - the internet - woolen socks (and hats and mitts and scarves and shawls and sweaters...) - coffee and tea - lunches out - making lists and crossing off to dos - fresh sheets - memories of my mom - my health - my faith - my church - visits from the kids - blog hopping - creativity - cookies - donuts - bookmarks - yarn stores - bookstores - visiting my sister - talking to my aunt - seeing my dad - top 40 radio - knowing the current songs because of top 40 - Christmas music - my bed - knitting bags - pointy needles to knit with - starting a knitting project and finishing a knitting project - and the in between of a project - photography - the hopefulness of life - new beginnin

Same book this week I'm afraid.  I haven't been reading much because of all the knitting and because of my eyes being tired at the end of the day from the endless drops.  I'm hoping that they are getting better!!  Next week I see the doctor.  Anyways, I'm enjoying my book when I do read it. My knitting has been productive.  I finally did the photo shoot of my pullover and posted yesterday .  Thank you for the kind comments and I agree that I'm being picky.  I finished all the mitts I wanted to finish and I've started on some more Christmas knitting for December.  Super secret knitting so I can't say much.  Hopefully over the holiday weekend I'll be starting some more projects that I can talk about. What are you knitting and reading this week? Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams

Hey, guess what?  I finished that sweater - more than a week ago and my oh my was my blocking off and maybe still is with that pesky garter stitch slant...  The first time I blocked it, I did a slap dash job and it showed.  The sweater was too long.  So the second time I blocked it wide and used a measuring tape.  Much much much better. I might be picky but do you see how the front bunches a tiny bit?  Yup.  I don't like that.  So the question is:  is it just me being very picky?  is that the way pullovers are and I'm a die hard cardigan wearer?  should I block the sweater again? When faced with such dilemmas I tend to put the garment aside and wait it out.  There have been countless sweaters that I finish and my expectations are not met exactly.  Time away does do wonders.  For instance, on Saturday when I took the photos I really was not happy.  Now that I'm blogging about it and looking at it, I think I might be crazy and picky.  I like the sweater! The pa