Pumpkin Sunrise

After a wonderful family visit last week where I was happily with all my children, I'm back once again at home (home sweet home) and I have been vigilantly working through my tasks and errands.  Monday and Tuesday were a blur of playing catch up after being out of town. Also, after ignoring sinus issues for more than two weeks, I contacted my doctor and started some antibiotics.  I must say, I love that I truly believe I can kick a virus with a compromised immune system.  That proves that I am a "glass half full" kind of gal. My house is decorated and today I have a few photos to share.  I love the season of Advent and the preparing my home for company and preparing my heart for reflections of peace and love during this season. I bought the above flicker candles during my holiday visit and they are fantastic.  I love that they are battery operated and yet look real to me.  Every night, I am filled with joy just looking at them, you should buy some! (mine are f

As you know, I'm knee deep in holiday knitting.  I have yet to knit:  two fair isle hats, a wurm hat, and a cowl by Christmas day (and maybe a pair of socks...).  Yet yesterday, I set aside some time to start a lace weight shawl for myself.  Many of you might think this is thwarting my self imposed goals, not so!  I consider this a self care knitting project.  I was quite joyful during my self indulgent hour of knitting. The amethyst shawl is the Asana Shawl and I am thrilled to be facing miles and miles of garter stitch.  Who knew I'd be such a fan of this squishy stitch pattern. I am still reading Alexander Hamilton and enjoying it immensely.  I'll be reading this for quite some time and I'm in this for the long haul.  I started Commonwealth a few days ago.  I have no opinions as of yet but so far I'm enjoying the plot. Oh hey!  I'm having a giveaway  hurry up to enter by Thursday midnight! What are you knitting and reading this week? Joining

I had the pleasure of being a test knitter for Lisa from Happy in Dole Valley .  I finished this sweet little bonnet about two weeks ago and have waited for the pattern to go live!  Well guess what? Not only is the pattern ready but I am hosting a giveaway for the pattern.  Lisa is such a generous giving spirit.  If you are looking for a quick knit for a little someone, this pattern is for you. To enter your must: Leave a comment on this project page with your ravelry name by midnight Thursday, December 1. I will choose a winner with a random number generator and announce the winner on a blog post on Friday December 2. Good luck!!

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. I'm exhausted.  Not only did I see my side of the family over the past few days but I celebrated Thanksgiving and exchanged Christmas gifts with them, attended a gingerbread house making party, went shopping with my favorite sister ever (not to mention my only sister). my sister and me!  The whole trip was lots and lots of good food and family.  Oh yeah, my daughter and son in law were there as well.  So much busyness that one on one time was limited.  However, they are coming during the Christmas break for a week.  There will be plenty of time for that. The California Gal and me :)  I had such a fun time out with my sister.  We shopped and then had a great lunch out during the Black Friday madness.  Luckily we shop in craft stores, so the madness is less. gingerbrea

Family is togetherness oneness celebrating holidays one with crust and one without Family is remembering relatives who are from the past who we see in each other Family is belonging accepting laughing and smiling loving the obligatory messy coffee table Family is  friendship community Family is you and me

My house has been busy with the prepping for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Am I ready?  Almost.  I have finished the musts and now I'm onto the "wouldn't it be nice to get this done" list.  Thank goodness I've written down every single detail.  I almost forgot about the pumpkin pies....what? My reading has been slightly slow because my son arrived on Saturday and so instead of reading, I'm talking.  However, I'm still plugging away at Alexander Hamilton and yes, I am thoroughly enjoying the book. My knitting has changed.  I finished this and this .  I started a red fair isle hat that is secret knitting and then that blue project is another secret knitting project that I cannot say what it is.  Maybe you can infer what it is by how it looks. I cannot wait for secrets to be revealed.  I want to shout from the rooftops!! What are you knitting and reading? Joining Ginny Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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. I celebrated my birthday this weekend and one of the birthday wishes I wished for growing up was snow.  Sometimes I would get snow and sometimes not.  I had fun thinking about it all throughout November year after year,  wondering if it might happen.  Well guess what?  I woke up to this!  What a delight to have snow :) I've been frantically trying to get all of my knitting done for Thanksgiving when I see my people.  I am nearly there.  I'm down to hours of knitting instead of days.  I am happy!  Oh and I spent this morning wrapping stuff while doing laundry. Today we went to see Rent  the musical in Scranton at the Scranton Cultural Center .  I thoroughly enjoyed the show and recommend it if it's traveling in a town near you.  This was my first time at this theater

Perhaps maybe, snow will fall this weekend.  Since I was a starry-eyed teen, I've wished for November snow especially on my birthday.  My mother would be beside herself listening to Christmas music coming from my bedroom at the start of Halloween.  She thought that was too early.  I disagreed and played my Johnny Mathis albums as loud as possible while singing along. Perhaps maybe I will finish my super secret knitting.  I'm starting to feel the crafting ennui in the project but I'm ignoring that feeling and pressing along.  I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I am so very very close!  Once I finish, I can cast on something for myself. Perhaps maybe this photo of Frodo with his wee tongue sticking out is the sweetest ever.  He hates to be photographed.  Camera shy?  You know who else is camera shy?  Those deer that are in my yard, they scamper away every time I see them.  I know and you know, I will get that photo shot, I always do. Perhaps maybe I wil

I only just realized that I have a mere seven days to get done what I want to get done before the Thanksgiving holiday.  My self imposed deadlines are looming.  So I went into high gear knitting for the mitts.  I finished the one in the above photo and started the second pair of mitts.  The second pair is the last pair.  To the right in the basket is my super secret knitting project that I cannot show you.  Sigh. I have a difficult time with secrets....so let's see if I can hold out for a few more weeks?? I continue to read The Book of Speculation  which started off quite good but now I'm just wondering why all the character's conversations seem forced and unreal.  The plot gets weird and I'm suspending belief to finish.  I have less that 80 pages to go.  Thank goodness. Alexander Hamilton is FANTASTIC.  Each sentence is loaded with information.  This is my first time reading a non fiction historical book.  I must say, I love it!  I wonder, why didn't my hi

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. Another weekend here and then soon to be gone, was yours a good one?  Mine started off super relaxed and lazy.  I was unplugged (again) from news feeds and media and really it's been quite refreshing. I restarted up my yoga practice yesterday morning after a six week hiatus due to some minor back issues.  I'm easing in with every other day and seeing how it goes.  I'm "hyper aware" and being cautious.  I need the yoga, my frantic knitting makes me kind of a crooked lady!! not too sure about this book....I'm half way through and the characters are getting weird. We didn't go anywhere except Saturday early evening Mass.  Have you been watching The Crown on Netflix, it's quite the visual delight.  I am hooked and I love that there is enough talkin

Something happened this week that I've been anticipating for quite some time.  I am energized and focused on many exciting creative projects.  Finally.  I have to confess when I had my RA flare up in the spring, I was sidelined with my knitting and with that my enthusiasm for crafting. Sure I was still knitting here and there and cranking out the projects.  But that spark of excitement was dulled by health challenges and worries.  Summertime is my worst season for my joints and I scale back on my knitting.  I'm an oddity because the cold weather makes my joints feel fabulous.  My doctor chuckles whenever I mention that.  He says every single time "oh, you are one of those".  Yup. My enthusiasm starts with a list.  Always and forever, a LIST.  I get joy seeing my wishful thinking on paper using my favorite pen.  That giddy feeling of trying to cross off each task.  I wish I could explain it more.  But you list makers out there know what I'm talking about