SO MANY FIRSTS!

Yesterday, we woke up to a birthday party for me

 and then Christmas for the rest of us!

After a big breakfast, we drove to the boat launch to pile into son's boat and head to their special place-a sandbar/island in Nassau Sound just before it opens into the ocean.

The guys set to fishing while we girls took a walk

 and hunted for shells and sand dollars!

In Florida, when you turn 70, you no longer need a fishing license so when one of the poles had a bite, I ran to get it!  Everyone shouted advice and in a few minutes, I had reeled in my first ever fish!  It is a whiting!   

And since we caught several, we did cook them over the camp stove and enjoyed a fish dinner! 

I had never seen this colored crab shell--it looks like a leopard and guess what?  That is what it is called!  They are small and this one is 2" across.

We also found these 'lily pad' like animals and learned they are sea pansies! A type of soft sea coral. 

And when stressed, they emit a luminescence which my son learned!

It's been a great start for my new decade

and now we can say we are both in our 70's!

A perfect close to one of the best days of 2025!

 

FAMILY, FOOD AND YARN

At the outing on Thursday, I picked up some new yarn to try the solid Granny Square pattern.

The yarn is so soft on my hands!

  In no time, I have a good start on a blanket!

I am with my youngest son and family for our Christmas celebration.

A nice way to spend my 70th birthday, isn't it!?

 

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS!

I had special guests for my birthday-there is  nothing

 like family to make your day bright!

We are ALL December birthday people-it was fun to open our cards and gifts together, too!

Today was the first day I was able to stay out of bed all day--

I did lounge on the couch some but I stayed out of bed

 and that is PROGRESS and the best birthday present. 

This plan of action to decimate the chronic migraine is beginning to give relief-- I just might recover after all!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

Lena and I share down time before bed-she does love to be brushed!  She is now 8 years old and I am 69! 

And just a throw back to our first days--she was rescued from our garage when  she sought sanctuary after an animal attack during a T-storm.  (she still hates storms!)  

She has been a joy to me.

SHOPPING GOOD COMPANY!

Since I am enjoying making these hexagons so much, I needed to buy (so much for using up all of the old stuff!) some additional yarn for more and especially the cream colored yarn! 

We found the cream and several more good colors to add to this project bin!

I also bought enough fabric to make 6 more of the NICU incubator cover quilts.

And a few more crafts for this Christmas time intrigued me!

Look at this--new blossoms are opening on my orchid!  It is a thing of beauty each day!

(Mary and I had a wonderful day together yesterday.  We went shopping, had lunch at Applebee's, did some more shopping and ended with a dr appt which went well.  It was a perfect birthday!)

 

WINTRY CELEBRATIONS

All day the weather did this~  blowing snow and high winds.

 The temperatures were brutal.

And they will be like that again today! 

 The winds make the below zero temps even worse!

And in spite of it all, family came for the big 90th birthday celebration.  Here are four of the thriteen great grandchildren! 

FRIENDS

I made a friend for the gnome. 

 I need to use a finer yarn for the next one to make it smaller!  (This was included in the pattern)

We had another birthday party for the last December and my youngest grandchild.  His brother is on the left who had a party two weeks before!  (the other boy is a friend.) 

 This is my second son, Matthew.

Remote cars gave us a long time of laughter!

The Calliandra bush is in full bloom-just magical!

The blooms are about 4" across!

The hot pink Camellias are like a rose 

when they begin to open but....

are their own style when fully open!

I hope the New Year finds you in your best and pleasing places.

 

Celebration!

 Today we enjoyed a lunch at our favorite 'deck' at Corky Bells on the St Johns River!

 There was still a lot of sanitizer and disinfectants but we at a meal out and it was wonderful!

Warm and not humid--what a treat!

Bill turned 69 today.

We laughed and laughed at the thought of being in our 60's; 

 sorry but it is a wonder to us.

 The little gator has grown since were here months and months ago! 

 I began quilting the vintage paint brush churn dash quilt on the frame--splashes of paint!

A design by Beany Girl Quilts called Drip!  Perfection!

And the socks did get finished though

 they need wet blocking to get rid of the side 'seams' 

where the magic needle leaves a line.  

Wool is much more forgiving than cotton 

because it has more bounce but these will wet block perfectly!  

Very comfortable and a fun knit! 

Thank you, Jessica!!

 (SilverSpun cotton/silver/lycra)

National QOV Sew Day

All day Saturday I sewed with others to make quilts for Quilts of Valor !

There were about 24 of us who hauled our machines and set to work 

measuring, cutting, sewing and pressing to make quilt tops for this group. 

 I had a partner from my weekly group

 and we almost finished our top;

I have to finish the bottom right corner which I will sew during group today.

I'm going to share this photo because today

is my Dad's 87th birthday!

For the past 11 years,
 I have had the pleasure of my Dad's company on his birthday
but with their decision to avoid travel ,

I won't get to see him today!
 Skype will have to do!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Will You Still Feed Me?

....When I'm 64?*

I enjoyed a wonderful birthday yesterday doing what I enjoy,

at home, 

in my studio!

From Bill I received yarn, chocolate, jewelry and flowers!

What more can you ask for?!

 I began the day finishing the sleeve on Bill's sweaters

 and tracked Bill down for a try on 

and

immediately saw that the sweater was way too small.

I made several mistakes on the sizing--I forgot the cardinal rule of ease--giving yourself room to move!  And I goofed on figuring the stitch count--my rows were spot on 

and the length of the body and of the sleeve was perfect

 but the 'around' wasn't 'round' enough!

I decided I needed to walk away for awhile!

I knew the inevitable was coming but I couldn't do it right away!

So I went to the quilting frame and finished one quilt

then immediately loaded the second.

In nothing flat,

it was time to take them both to the sewing machine for binding

and voila!

Two successes outweigh the one loss for the day!

I did unravel the whole sweater at day's end.

It was a good time to reflect on life.

Then I redid my math and allowed for ease.

I'm ready to start to knit that sweater-again!

*did you note the Beatles' song reference?  

64 Sounded so old back in the olden days......

A Full Day!

 I'm knitting a pair of socks for my Dad;  using the K2, P2 rib up the top of the foot to ensure a good fit since I haven't knit him a pair in fingering weight before now.

It's nice to have a pair of socks going again!

We had an incredible time at the movies!

My daughter and I haven't been to see a movie together since she was 5;

it was time!

My DH bought me a rose-he hasn't missed a birthday in more than 40 years!

What a perfect day!

Giveaway!

I'll gift this pair of  Tough & Toasty mitts to one person who comments on my blog today

 in honor of my 62nd birthday!  

I finished knitting them in the car yesterday on our drive to GA!

Knit of handspun, superwash Merino, 

 they will be easy care 

while comfortably warm and stylish to wear!

Thanks for stopping by my blog and brightening my day!

Happy Day!

 M & M's are always a welcome treat but especially when they are in a fun dish-

 a Snowman dish!   This is just a knitted cuff over a globe dish!   (Allfreeknitting.com)

 Matthew, Ashley and Will stopped by for a visit.....

 Because today is my birthday and my sons treated me to the latest Hobbit movie at a theater ...together!  The daughters gifted me by keeping the babies home and giving up their Saturday!
When the boys were boys, we used to go to each new showing of Lord of the Rings.  We haven't made it to one Hobbit movie together but this time it was a hit!  A homerun.......just wonderful to share it with them!  I am ready now for a LOTR marathon on tv!

 Once we got home (we went to an early show) we had birthday presents and then a Christmas party!

 The kids got into the gift thing much better this year!

 Will knew just what to do after his birthday last week!

 Caleb got the job of putting Ella's princess castle together.....I will get a picture of her playing with it later.

 Will was patiently waiting for Dad to undo all the anti-theft wrapping......

 so he could get his hands on the helicopter set!

 After a delicious dinner, we had my favorite birthday cake-angel food with strawberries and Cool Whip!  So nice to hold the babies, too!

Can I mention it was an utterly perfect day!