Family Excursion

We went to Blue Springs State Park for a family trip-two van loads of family! It started out a rainy day but after lunch was warm and sunny again so we headed out.

One advantage of a cold winter is the number of Manatees still in the Blue Springs (36) and we were able to see them easily.

We took the boardwalk tour and even enjoyed the kid's time on the playground. We finished our adventure with a stop at an Ice Cream store!

Florida's native jasmine-hardly any smell; just pretty.

We were packed too tightly into the van to do any travel knitting but we did have a pleasureable time of conversation!

An Orchid

Matthew brought me an orchid............my last one , which had been hanging outside, got zapped by the frosts. Thank you , Son.

Knit Headband

I finished Marsel's headband and she tried it on and left it on all day-for those of you who have tried a headband and removed it in only a bit of time because it squeezes your head too much- you will need to try this! Stays in place, looks lovely and it is a quick, fun knit! What more can you ask for-I am making one for myself.

While I knitted, Abigail waited patiently for her turn on the tractor..............she had been playing in the sand-she likes Grandma's big sandbox yard!
(IceCream + Sand=Dirty but Happy Grandchild)
She actually 'drove' it this time, too! It was a monumental moment!

I have been distracted............

This arrived on Thursday afternoon-Grandkids! And the pace has picked up around here!

We picked oranges at a friend's tree.
We sit and talk and laugh and tell stories and watch the kids and get sun-kissed.

(We taught my sister to knit!!!-this is a milestone!)
Mom played 'dress-up jewelry with Abigail.

And investigated a sanddollar with David.

The new baby goats next door get a visit and a snuggle!
Alicia and Amanda make quick friends with the new kids!

I finished my bamboo scarf-it is so soft and drapey! (and twice as long as my Mom's!)

I am using the last little bit of the bamboo skein to make a headband from KnitPicks. Lace and quick and beautiful ..........

My Gallery

First, I can now add to my repertoire, plying on a spindle! I searched YouTube for a lesson that would fit my style and found this..........

winding the single plies off the spindle onto the ball winder and then spinning both ends of the single ply back on the spindle for a balanced 2-ply yarn. It was very satisfying every step of the way! I am liking the spindle more than I thought I would!

I then unwound it from the spindle onto my niddy noddy as usual and now I have a beautiful skein of wool (54 yards!) It will be knit up into another momento pouch........ .......now that I am done with Bruce's socks! They are in the mail son-in-law! Be sure and unpack the hug, too!

I have another pile awaiting their turn on the quilting frame.....

and one ready on the design wall.

I am making progress on my bamboo scarf (it is only 16" long) but it is on the top of the knitting list now!

I am ready for my turn for a visiting daughter and grandchildren-AND my sister and family get here on Friday so I am putting that waiting-energy to good use!

Mom's Gallery

Here is a gallery of Mom's handiwork:

A cardigan for herself with self-striping yarn her friend, Sharon, gifted to her.

A shell out of her new yarn nemesis -a boucle' but the sweater is beautiful even if the knitting wasn't! The bamboo yarn is now a scarf-she didn't want to race making it but wanted it noted she got hers done first...............exactly.

Happy Birthday, Brother!

Happy Birthday to my little brother, Bob.

I always picture him smiling because even when he gets mad, it usually ends with him cracking a joke and smiling!

Here he is a few years ago (1981) with my son, Jared.

Bob has upgraded to Harley Davidson cycles now but the smile is the same!

I love you, have a great day! The gathering of bikers has started here.......

An Early Valentine's Day Gift!

Yes, my husband is very romantic; more than I am in a lot of ways. For example, he cries at weddings-so do I but for a very different reason. He has bought me a rose for every Valentine's Day I have known him (36 years!) and that is a wonderful thing. He even buys roses for no other reason than and 'I love you!'

Tonight he surprised me with a new faucet for my kitchen sink! This thrills my heart-really! He stayed cheerful installing it even though he had to read the instruction sheet; he let me help and even let Nyki help, too.

Marriage is a labor of love. This wife sees love.

Saturday Projects

I finished the first sock for Bruce.

I finished the Psalm quilt out of dog fabric. I think this will be a fun one with the kids to find 'their' dog.
I am making progress on the bamboo scarf that Mom and I are both doing.

I spun up the Bling fiber and made up a skein of yarn-
I then added beads and will knit a pouch out of this .

(No it isn't as peachy as it looks here-the first pic is the right color!)

Nyki found a good place to take a bath while I am on the computer.

By the way-it was a Florida warm day today-74 delicious degrees witha balmy wind! Welcome back warm weather!

Chilly Week

Hopefully, this is the last morning for freezing temperatures. This is my patio table covered in frost.

It has changed the flora of our yard for sure. Frost covered everything in the backyard but the temperatures did climb to 60 degrees though little warmth was generated. Making good progress on the sock. I think I will finish the first one tonight. K2 P2 ribbing does feel like a Twilight Zone but I can see I am making headway. I finished the other flannel baby quilt and Nyki helped me cut the backing and load the doggie fabric Psalm quilt.

My Dad put his back out of kilter so we took the day off so he can rest-we will re-evaluate on Monday after he has had a few days to recoup--company comes next week so he will have a break from carpentry work!

Happy Birthday, Dad! (updated)

Today we get to celebrate my Dad's birthday ! For most of the last 11 years they were in Florida while we were still in NY so it is nice to be here with them! Thanks for being you, Dad!

We are off to Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach and any interesting stop along the way!

Lunch was enjoyed despite the brisk wind to get there..........we had a wonderful time at this new restaurant! There was a lot of activity in Daytona getting ready for next week's race-we even saw some race fans while in the restaurant!
Mom and I got to shop at JoAnns while the men did their Home Depot thing. Then we (Mom and I) stopped at a yarn shop and picked out bamboo yarn for knitting dress scarves together -the pattern is from the book (Luxury Yarn One Skein Wonders) Dad bought her for Christmas.

Back to their home for games and birthday cake. What a great day. Knitting was accomplished while in the car-in between laughing and caramels..........Nyki investigates the progress when I get home.