Pumpkin Sunrise

  Good morning! How was your weekend? My weekend was my birthday weekend!  To be honest though I've been celebrating for a few weeks. Why not? My sister and brother in law came over on Saturday for dinner and apple cake. Of course I opened presents as well.  Below in the photo are some of them. My sister crocheted the red basket and I received some books and pens from my husband (how did he know??). I also received some new rain boots to slip on and off quickly when I take the dog outside and a new tote bag.  I put up the little tree yesterday since our son and and daughter in law will be visiting mid week! I'm assuming Holly will not bring it down, fingers crossed. How was your weekend?

  Can you believe it will be Thanksgiving next week? I'm dazed. I have some Christmas gifts that have to be ready for that day so I'll be wrapping them and singing Christmas music. I continue to be on task for all of my knitting goals and what's even better, I'm enjoying all the knitting that I'm doing.  Around here I've been mulling over whether to put up one or two Christmas trees. Over the years I've simplified but lately 'going big' seems like a fun thing to do. Our big Christmas tree box was battered from the move so if I put up the tree then I can repair the box again. My big concern is Miss Holly and her investigative spirit. She is four years old, is she going to behave? She hasn't bothered with the cuckoo clock chains like I thought she would...but I just don't trust her! Around here my reading has been mostly about mindfulness for months and months. I plan to continue with that since being mindful keeps me happy.  However I've d

  I started this little wee hat and finished it within 48 hours - now that is a fun satisfying knit. This bonnet is for the grandbaby-to-be and it matches the little sweater that I knit a few weeks ago.  I finished another set of fingerless mitts to be given as a Christmas gift. I have the pattern memorized in my brain so that gives for even speedier knitting. I definitely have one more pair to make - possibly a few more after that if I haven't burned out from making them. What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? First off I'd like to announce we had our first snow of the season. This knitter was quite pleased and the snow event occurred both Saturday and Sunday - sweet!  Over the weekend I managed to finish the cross stitch holiday ornament, I just need to glue some felt on the back side and find where my ribbons are (I think I know where they are but moving makes everything wonky with memory). Yesterday's morning walk was quite chilly so Frodo wore his coat under his harness, he is so trendy! Someone handmade this coat many many years ago for when our previous dog, Zoe, was a pup. She never wore it for long and then I tucked it into the back of the hall closet. Last year I unearthed it and trained him to wear it (he stands frozen like a statue with coats....) because he shivers a lot as an older dog. Of course I did a ton of knitting this weekend but more on that on Wednesday. Tell me about your weekend!

  Every single morning I write in my journal about the day before and anything else I'm pondering about. I've been doing this daily journal writing for years and love the ritual of picking up my Lamy fountain pen and Moleskine notebook and beginning my day in the very best possible way. I pour myself a cup of coffee into a 'current' favorite mug and sip away while writing. Sadly one of my favorite favorite mugs sprung a leak. So sad. However, that lets me shop to find new favorite mugs along the way. The sprung leak mug was over 30 years old so it served me well. art journal In my daily planner (not the writing journal), I write what I'd like to accomplish in that particular day. Sometimes I am really good at meeting these loose goals and sometimes I am not. I just move them onto the next day or the next week.  While sitting in darkness and silence sipping coffee, I play fetch with Holly. This particular fetch game really isn't a true fetch game. I throw a mouse

 I know, I know you all are just stunned that I am finishing so many holiday knits. I've finished two pairs of mitts for my daughter and son in law for Christmas. This mitt pattern ( peekaboo mitts ) is a very fast knit and I've already started the third pair as I type this post up this morning. After the manic mitt knitting I intend to switch to hat knitting (also speedy knitting). What are you working on this week?

  How was your weekend? Mine was frosty and beautiful. This week there will be a slight warm up but I'll have the memories of a frosty, cold, chilly weekend. The news people say we are past peak fall color but I'm still enjoying the colors that are currently around. The oak trees are still doing their thing and some maples are trying valiantly to hang on. This week I'm sure will be the Big Leaf Drop. Over the weekend, my husband and I walked a new to us path/trail that is near our neighborhood. Every so often we try to explore a new place getting a sense of where we are. Bit by bit I file away places that family and neighbors tell me that I should explore and then when there is time we do it.  I have been crushing my holiday knitting goals. I know! I'm overly confident that I will get all the knitting done by my self imposed deadlines.  That is a really good feeling. How was your weekend?