I DO...

I've been doing more of the little bells and stockings and even hand sewed a cone-shaped bit of fur to be the 'head' to go under the gnome hat! 

 I still have to add a wooden bead for a nose and a jingle bell and hanger...

all in good time.

Most of our day yesterday was joining with our church family 

to celebrate a marriage ceremony! 

 It was so good to share good food and share their joy!

This is what greeted me as we pulled up our driveway to the garage; 

 Home Sweet Home all lit up!

 

Risen Still the Same

 So our plans for the day might be a bit reduced but we need the reminder that

He is risen whether we remember to celebrate or not.

We are going to 'watch' church by Face Book and then have a fried cabbage and ham dinner.

Bill fried and simmered the cabbage all day--it is caramelized to perfection.  

We will be talking to our family by phone and being grateful for all we have to rejoice about 

instead of dwelling on all of the shortcomings we could note 

comparing the day to previous years!

I did a bit of plying (it is easier than spinning) to make the first skein of the Cotswold Cross yarn.

I will be making four 2 oz skeins and dyeing two--

I am pretty sure I will be weaving a table runner with this fiber.

 And I am working on the second dishcloth;

I seem to be ripping it often--I can't seem to line up the trellis stitches!

So, it is taking longer but I am getting there!

I thought you might like to see the immune building supplements the doctor recommended;

an elderberry/vit c/zinc combo and a mushroom complex--

here's hoping they strengthen my immune system day by day!

Christmas is Early!

 We had a family Christmas this weekend!

Rain had been predicted but we had a glorious sunny day instead!

 On a walk, we found some beautiful blooming lichen!

I've never seen it in bloom and we appreciated these small (head of a pin small!) flowers!

 There were tons of deer moss or Reindeer Moss which is a fungus!

 Lichen on the old RR ties fence.

 A partial skull and torso bone of an armadillo!

 Look how sharp those teeth are?!

Nothing like a walk up the gully!

                                                              What a perfect day...

Easter Style

A repeat  performance by my orchid!

Today is a very important  day to Christians;

we celebrate not just the hope of what a Savior born into the world can do (Christmas)

but rather what the man/God Savior, Jesus Christ, did accomplish!

The Lord has risen!

He has risen indeed.

 I knit this small poncho to keep my shoulders warm during church.

I recently purchased one of these vintage machines that hooks up to my knitting machine --

 I drew a scaled version of the poncho I wanted,  entered my swatch information and then I knit!

Each row I knit advances the drawing so I know how many stitches to decrease and when!

Nifty, huh?!

I added a bit of a scalloped edge, knit away and voila, I have 2 halves

which seamed together while I watched a movie with recuperating husband. 

 Then I washed it and blocked it-and I will wear it for church today!


(Knit with 2 skeins of Deborah Norville's Apaca Dance worsted weight yarn)

Christmas Greetings

Today is a day to bless those around you-

to share the joy the world received when the Savior was born.

If there is sadness in your life, sort through your memories to share the good ones with yourself!

If there is nothing but joy around you, 

share that with tenderness knowing that there are those that need care.

Merry Christmas to all of you reading this!

Whoa! Slowed Down

A slow morning was enjoyed by all....

Saturday was Outdoors

 Caleb wanted to play outside;  he asked if there was something guy-fun he could do that would help Dad and I....yes, there were several trees to take down.  He didn't have to ask twice!  It was his first time at the end of a chainsaw and he was a natural!

 He even asked his wife to take a turn;  she is always game!

 He traveled around the yard cutting down unbalanced branches or trees.  We even took down a tree that needed rope and me behind the truck to place tension on the tree to pull it down the right way.
We had a wonderful time and worked well together!  The kids played around the branches, watched the trees 'timber' and helped with branches.

 This one fell across the right of way we care for and so we had to take that one down quickly.
He really got the hang of it!

 We all scrambled to pick up the branches and load them on the trailer as fast as we could!  Since the tree was a dead one, it wasn't as heavy as some of the others, gratefully!

 We had a large pile to haul down to the burn piles!

 The kids really enjoyed all the equipment and rides and mess and dirt!

 Even the youngest, Ethan, helped out with the yard work!  He is walking at only 11 months (tho he started a month ago!) and navigated the ground very well!

 But by far the tractor ride is still the favorite mode of transport!  Caleb not only cut down all the trees but cleaned up all the mess, too, separating the brush from the firewood chunks.  He felt good after a good day's labor and his father and I appreciate the strong, young arms!

 Here are a few out takes from the week.....making brownies on the floor because they couldn't both fit on the stool!

 Abigail at the computer during quiet time!

 Bruce enjoying the kitten that Caleb and Cassandra brought!  She was a favorite to all of us!

David stole my cell phone for a selfie!

Here are the three very different versions of the same pinecone flower wreaths!
 I love to have the kids around-both generations of my kids!  The week was too wonderful for words!
What am I thankful for...........you've just seen it all!  (But one-my NY family and my Seattle ones were in my heart and mind, too!)

He is Risen!

Thanksgiving Grand Finales!

 Here is most of us gathered around the table!

 In the afternoon, the guys helped me build the new fire pit.

 We gathered chairs and David cut us bamboo sticks and we had a marshmallow roast!

It was a wonderful way to close out the day!

 The kids enjoyed seeing the moon-it looks just like the story book drawings-you could see the 'nose'  so easily!

No, these are not fireflies!   The guys set off some fireworks!

It was a wonderful way to say goodnight!

 Friday morning, the kids got some driving lessons!   Will figured out how to press the go pedal .

Ella like having her own personal pedal pusher along side of her!

 She did excel at tree decorating which we did in the afternoon!

 She admired each ornament before choosing her spot.

 She even showed them to Puff and told him, "Pretty!"

 Happy house.........

Puff approves and takes his first nap under the tree.

 Saturday was a bit of a flurry as we all had to get ready to leave for a baby shower for Cassandra two hours away in Lake City!  All of the company was leaving for home afterwards so they really had a ton to do to get ready but we did it!

 Marsel got in a lot of Aunt time with the two cousins.

 We enjoyed a craft time instead of shower games-see me smile!  (I am allergic to shower games!)

 Cassandra loved the quilt......and I can't wait to hold the new baby in it!

 Ella and Will were not overy impressed with the oo-ing and oh-ing!

 Marsel showed Will how to spin himself!

A good time was had by all!    But the goodbyes that followed was not warm in my heart....