Pumpkin Sunrise

morning sunbeams Good morning!  The sun is shining today and it is a glorious day.  We had quite the mini heat wave since Wednesday and while I did walk the first day, poor Frodo thought it was too hot for him.  So yesterday we stayed inside.  I guess since he is approaching eight years old, he has his limits.  I'm not a huge fan of heat waves so any excuse to sit inside and knit is fine by me. For a mini health update, I am excited to tell you that I resumed my morning yoga routine and so far I've had no back issues.  Thanks to the awesome physical therapist that gave me a take home back exercising program that I've faithfully completed for the past month.  I feel stronger and much better.  The yoga routine for now is gentle stretching and I'm extremely careful about being aware of my posture at all times. I've missed doing yoga, for me it's a great stress releaser and it's one of the few areas of exercise that I feel empowered even with my RA limi

Yesterday, I officially started knitting for Christmas.  Seriously - I did!  I wanted to knit an asymmetrical shawl but I knew my intended recipient would love a crescent shaped shawl better.  I believe Curious Handmade is spectacular at designing this shawl shape.  I dug deep into my stash and unearthed a cotton yarn that will be lovely to wear in transitional weather. I'm still toodling along with my surf shawl , this is such a comforting knit.  I might just keep going to make it as big as possible.  I'm still thinking about the mathematical consequences if I do that and will I need to rejigger the pattern.  Oh the thinking I'll be doing. A sleeve!!!  Isn't is sweet :)  I worked on this last night and have merely an inch to go on the cuff.  Boom, ready for the second sleeve, as quick as you blink.  Sleeves and button bands are simply the best part of knitting a cardigan .  Closer and closer I'm getting to finishing my sweater and wearing it.

Happy Mother's Day!  I hope you celebrated with your mother, grandmother, sister, and/or children.  My weekend was nice.  I started celebrating my motherhood on Thursday with dinner out and since then every day has had a mini celebration of sorts. Yesterday, my husband and I went shopping where I purchased a purse that I've been thinking about for two weeks.  Yes.  I anguish on certain things- you see, I have many purses!  So of course I added to the collection. At Saturday night Mass, the Council of Catholic Women gave each woman a carnation for Mother's day.  That was an unexpected delight.  Flowers make the world a better place and can make just about anyone smile.   Today I did the laundry as early as possible so the rest of the day was my time.  I sat and read a poetry book, Blue Iris by Mary Oliver.  I thoroughly enjoyed the quick read.  I balled up some cotton yarn for a soon to be shawl probably for a Christmas gift.   In January, we switched our

These days have been predictable and comforting.  In a few weeks my husband's job will be more flexible and that means we can go out and about and do 'things'.  Since late last August, we've been juggling a crazy stressful schedule. Can you believe we are nearly half way through May?  Where does the time go?  The past two weeks, I've focused on improving my health.  I've been walking daily unless it's raining and after a physical therapy consult, I've been doing assigned exercises for my back.  I hope in time I'll be able to return to yoga, but for now, these exercises make me feel proactive and healthy. I'm eating a salad a day every single day.  Phew.  That is quite a goal!  I have to confess, it was bumpy start.  The devil foods were calling my name over and over.  However, feeling healthy after eating a salad wins out in the end.  I feel kind of crappy if I eat garbage food.  Doesn't everyone?  And yet we go back to eating garb

I am savoring each stitch of my cardigan each afternoon and I'm thrilled to report that I've finished the body ribbing.  I wish you could feel the squish factor, seriously, unbelievable!  I'm on the first sleeve and I'll go as far as I can on 16 inch circular needles until I have to switch to either two circulars or double pointed needles. In the evenings, I work on my shawl that is slowly changing from dark purple to light purple.  I'm making the largest size and can't wait until I can wear this knit. Oh and I feel the need to cast something else new on the needles....so far resisting but still! Have you seen Andrea's new cowl ?  She released yet another new pattern! Also I read an interesting article about being super healthy and avoiding breast cancer in the New York Times.  It is definitely worth a read.

I finished my husband's cowl that I started during the March snowstorm .  He is thrilled to have his very own cowl after envying the one I made for my son in law over the holidays. While in NYC  the week before the snowstorm of doom, we visited a yarn store and he picked out the wool for his cowl.  I directed him to a big ole pile of Madelinetosh and said 'you choose out of these two shelves' (yes! two shelved of Madtosh!) I love when a hand knit gift is personalized and meaningful.  He will think of me, NYC and a crazy snowstorm whenever he wears his cowl. Ravelry notes are here

Another weekend almost finished, doesn't it seem like they come slowly and end too quickly?  My weekend was wonderful even though the rain was prevalent and the sunshine was mostly absent. Yesterday morning, I woke up and saw the sun briefly and thought 'this is going to be a great day'.  I dressed in capris and we went out to some garage sales.  After returning home and having a bite to eat, Frodo and I went out for daily walk.  By the time I came home and rested a bit, I changed those capris into jeans.  The temperature dropped nearly nine degrees since waking. My husband and I attended Saturday night Mass then picked up a pizza for dinner (delicious!).  Later in the evening we watched a few more episodes of Parenthood .  Family drama is entertaining when it isn't your own. Today, I spent the better part of the day doing my continuing education which I started on Thursday.  I passed all five on-line tests.  Phew.  I'm thrilled to check that task off my

always a black pen For many years I've established and kept a writing practice that I thought I'd share with you.  I wake up quite early, by choice around 5:15 a.m.  That is my time where I sit quietly in my kitchen with a fresh cup of coffee in my favorite mug and I write before the day begins.  I am a morning person and have been one since I was a child.  My best thinking is before 2 p.m., after that I'm toast. I keep a hard cover Moleskine journal without lines as my daily account of what has transpired the day before (since it's early!).  I write about what happened, the weather, what I was thinking or worrying about and maybe what I wished I was doing instead of wasting time. At the end of each daily entry, I write a gratitude list and focus on positive thoughts.  I see good around me in minute detail.  Writing a gratitude list is a saving grace for me and has served me well in my overall attitude on life. The red paperback moleskine is a writing prom

I've been feverishly knitting this shawl and love the gradient color changes.  So subtle and yet striking.  The pattern is memorized and I seamlessly pick up and knit away and get lost in the rhythm of the knit.  Knitting is meditative and soothing. I finished that cowl I've had on the needles since the unexpected snow storm, right now it's upstairs drying after a soak and a block.  Oh yeah, I'm nearing the body ribbing of my cardigan .  You know what that means -- sleeve knitting! I started this book, A curious Tale of the In-Between  which has been mildly entertaining.  I think it's a middle schoolish book but some of the vocabulary is meaty.  I picked this novel up at a used book sale last week.  If you know me well, you know I chose the book because of the cover art! What are you up to these days?

I'm sitting here with a cup of hot green tea in my favorite mug savoring this weekend.  The past two days was fabulous.  The weather was beautiful and even though the humidity was more than I like and my RA flared a wee bit, I still loved every minute. On Saturday we went to some town festivals.  One was an arts festival where all sorts of artists sold their wares.  I was inspired to branch out of my knitting and dabble in drawing and painting.  I am envious of their skills!  My favorite is pottery....gah.  I didn't buy anything this year but I do drool over the bowls and mugs and more mugs.  My cupboard is busting from the amount of mugs I own.. I can never pass up a good bathroom tile floor :)  My husband and I shared a portobello mushroom wrap and some fries.  Sharing lets you eat lots of flavors for half the calories.  I've made the wrap at home a few times but it tastes much better when someone else makes it.  I wonder why? Today I babied myself to r

The dogwoods are in full bloom this week.  I'm lucky to have many trees growing wildly on my property.  Once the dogwoods bloom, I can safely believe spring is here.  Yesterday, Frodo and I took our daily walk in sunshine and warm breezes.  No jackets required. As I look out my windows, I see green everywhere!  Last night, a neighbor was mowing for the first time and the hum of the tractor reminded me of summer time.  Hopefully today, my husband and I will get the swing outside put up and ready decadent idleness.  Before you know it, the pool will be opened! This week had me struggling again with technology.  I keep thinking I'm winning the war, but those battles are wearing me thin.  Honestly.  I sometimes feel like I'm missing something.  However, here I am with imported photos and typing away so I do know enough to get by. Always learning is a key to growing.  I like that I have that stubborn streak that doesn't quit no matter what.  I have been like tha