Purge the Old

The end of the year is just as exciting to me as the new one will be tomorrow.  I like to spend the day in thoughtful thanksgiving while cleaning out piles of clutter; cleared mind, clean house.

Have a safe evening with those you love.

What a Great Week!

                            

Christmas Eve family time-yes, the kids kindly roasted these for everyone!

Bill and I surveying the blessings of a family gathering.....

Kitties were enjoyed by many laps......

They were a bit overwhelmed by the gift frenzy but did seek shelter in nooks and crannies to watch us.

Nyki did not like the little kittens much to my disappointment but she did like a nap after playing with Mindy who was more her size.

A new pair of socks brought knitting smiles to me and my hands....there is some lanolin left in this Targhee wool I carded and spun which gave much needed healing to my hands- the difference in temperature and humidity in Georgia wreaked havoc on my skin!

Abigail posed for a shot of her new dress with matching doll dress-she is just picture perfect!

Merry Christmas to You!

The birth of Christ was only the beginning...

He still desires to dwell in the lives of people today, don't be like the innkeeper of long ago, excluding Him because you have no room ....

Luke 2

Contented

I am enjoying a lot of grandkid time!  Its a good thing I had a few days with them before the Uncles got here because then I am second choice! 

We brought up a 'tunnel' for Marsel's new cat.  Her and Nyki are getting along just fine and they are very entertaining to watch!

I warped up a black thread for 2 plastic bag totes and used black strapping-

wow, it sure does make the colors pop!  I am going to use the black again when I am back home.

I finished knitting one of the big  boy socks (our sons take after dad and this is another men's sized 15 sock!)but before I could cast on the mate,

 David asked if I could make him a new pair of fingerless gloves.  Of course, I cast on for them instead.

He watches me knit and likes to feed out the yarn so I can go faster!

Oh, yes, this is my birthday present from Bruce and Marsel.   Yeah, fiber!

This morning while the chatter of my grown children hummed around me, I made a few of the yarn potholder loom items which I will sew together for a doll shawl for Abigail.

I hope you are having a great day, too.

Son Shine

We took the boys a load of wood from Bill so they have something to burn in their fireplace.

 Bill got is all stacked under their carport, ready for the fires to come.

 I brought a beef stew for dinner when they got home.

And I took a few toys to the new 'furry' grandkids-Caleb and Kristen's new kittens, Sketch ...

...and Storm. 

They play hard and then sleep hard, too.  They are adorable!

 

They both liked to help me knit this sock-one of several pairs I am going to make this winter for the men in the family!

Then they surprised me with my fav birthday dessert! (I have one of those on Sunday!)

 When I asked the boys for a pose to send to their sister for the annual family calendar, this is what I get!!
Did I mention we laugh a lot when we get together?!

Colors of December

Blogging friend of Life Looms Large, Sue, has asked for participation in her colors of the month photo shooting.

Here are the colors in my yard this week....

Well, this is on my front porch!  (This is the faithful Christmas cactus that has been blooming for 18 years at least....thank you brother-in-law, Duke!)

Camellias are in bloom........,

the earliest one, 

and the largest one.

.....the aloe is in bloom, too.

While the leaf fades and goes dormant, the flowers all bloom on this bride's veil plant.

The East Palatka Holly is in full berry, this is a great gift to the birds in our region.

And just in time for Christmas, a poinsettia from last year!

Our maples are losing their leaves, and the tall grasses are at the end of their cycle but around here, the maples will get new leaves next month and the grasses will sprout soon after.

On the path at the foot of the maple tree, is this colorful toadstool.

And while this isn't in my backyard, it is the beach in December!

Naughty Nyki

Walking by my tree today, I heard a triumphant little mew.......peek-a-boo!  She is near the top of our 7' tree.  I did run and get my camera  for a shot before I scolded her! 

So Much Activity!

The heating/cooling unit is outside on its cement pad!  (Heat comes off it, and Bling liked the warm air-plus, cats always check out something new.)

My hall has a new return vent in the ceiling.

Bill had to do some more duct work and Nyki helped him-she does love running up the ladder.  She was ready for her nap-or bored with the slow work pace-what do you think?

I have a new set of plastic bag totes on the loom!  It is good to be weaving again.

A different kind of loom called me this afternoon when a fiber friend on my YahooGroup mentioned this site.  (Scroll down until you find the how to weave with yarn on your potholder loom May 5 entry)
I had to dig out my potholder loom and try it for myself!  She suggests using wool yarn instead of the loops that come with this frame.

 Do I have wool yarn lying around or what?  Well, let me tell you, such fun!  There are more of these  on way-this is a great way to use up scraps! 

***Workermans Are Here!

This morning a *crew of two arrived to move this to its new home in the breezeway.  We will eventually be removing this closet to give us more space in the diningroom. 

Here it is set up but not working yet in its new home;  we will be framing it in after all the work is done.  We are without air/heat but it is so mild outside  (65F) that it is just perfect to be without this tonight! 

I worked in my sewing room making a hoody for me to match the pants I had finished quite a while ago.  I don't need the hoody here yet, but since we are going to Marsel's for Christmas, I need to shore up my cold weather clothes!  (The fabric is fake velour....easy to wash and wear!)

For the fun of it, I sewed up a t-shirt and a tank out of some stash fabric.  I haven't worked with knit fabric in a long time and forgot how quick it is!

On to finish the second sock for Bill.  It is a marathon of sock knitting when they have to fit his size 15's!!!

***When my oldest son was little, he needed to categorize everyone and when he would see manual laborers-think jeans/tshirts/workboots and in cold weather, add some Carharts and he would point them out, "Look, Mom, workermans!"  He outgrew the moniker but I still use the phrase.  The funny part of this story is that he grew up to me a workerman himself!  Right down to the Carharts!

PS on Yesterday

The birthday party was such fun-always cheering to see all the kids play.  The pants fit and she almost lost her arm trying to find the bottom of the pocket!

The college graduation was very interesting.  The speakers were dedicated and brief; refreshingly so. 
We had a great time afterwards, celebrating the big event with dinner and much laughter!  What a great day.