Spring is Beginning!

                                   

A few years ago, Marsel and family gave me this King Orchid for Mother's Day.   It has blossomed once but this Spring, it is going to out-do itself!   There are five stems of buds!

 They slowly begin to split.

 And then there is a spectacular bloom!   I am so excited to see them!

 Yesterday, I finally made a batch of soap with Mom!  This one is Oatmeal, Honey and Peppermint!

 This morning I sliced them and now they will set out to cure for a few weeks!  Then I will trim and label them and they will be ready for use or sale, whichever comes first!

 Mom and I started a new project together-this is the top of a beret.   More to follow...

 I divided for the body of the sweater.   It is always a big step to get off those shoulders and onto the shorter rows of the body when working a top down sweater!

This morning I had fun using up the last of the curtain fabric to make some matching pillows in the family room.   I have been meaning to do this for a few years!

Going for the Gold

 I finished knitting the Zuzu's Petals Cowl!  The whole time I was knitting it, I had that sinking feeling that it wasn't going to turn out.  This is a good example of lace knitting needing to be blocked also!  It is pretty hard to see what I have even off the needles!

  The shape is similar to a triangle shawl as you are knitting it from the top down but I made the mistake of knitting it on 16" circulars so I couldn't try it on as I knit it and since it was all bunched on the smaller needles , I wasn't getting a good idea of the size.   I kept the course like any good athlete until I crossed the finish line!  (I even had to knit the last pattern a bunch more times so that I had enough of the brown part of the yarn to make it look good!)

 But against all odds, the cowl turned out beautifully!   I am thrilled with it!
 I am awarding myself the Gold on this one!  I am finished with my Ravelry Olympic knitting!

And so I immediately cast on another project, this one a sweater called the Vodka Gimlet!  Crazy name but a great looking sweater!

Grand Finale Visit!

 Wednesday still had a few of us out of commission with the stomach bug but several were brave enough to take a swim in the 74F pool!  ( I must say, it is nice to not fall victim to this virus for a change!)

Thursday, the majority of us headed to the beach!  I am happily knitting!  The wind was a bit nippy when we first arrived!

 The kids knew how to have fun without any encouragement on our part!

 They both have so much imagination!   I love it!

 They had good helpers in their Aunt and Uncle!

 I think this was one of their favorite beach activities, though.  David wants to bring more crackers for next time!

 On the way home, we stopped at the vegetable stand.  We even bought some strawberries for shortcake.......yum!

I finished the Shetland yarn mitts for Marsel!  They are so much lighter than the Cormo yarn I used for the last pair.   I must say, it is a good knit!

Bruce, Marsel and kids left for home this morning.......I need some knit therapy to console me.

Time Flies!

 I can't believe it has been a week since I posted!   I finally lost the headache...pain pills from the doctor stopped the cycle finally-that was a 8 week long headache;  a personal record I have no desire to break!  I am still knitting on the cowl-I am in the lace portion and it requires more concentration than a house full of company affords!

 So I cast on a pair of my fingerless mitts since I can do them almost without looking!

Thursday, Bruce and Marsel and the grands arrived for a week long visit!  Friday, Caleb and Cassandra and Ella arrived for the weekend....Saturday, Matthew, Ashley and Will came!  We went over to my parents (2 miles from us) and spent the day because my sister and her family are here for a visit!  They are enjoying the break from the hard New York winter and we are not disappointing them with the brilliant and warm spell we are having!

 We had a great time catching up with each other and watching the kids all run around and play.

 The sunshine felt great and warmed our bones.....

 Oh, yes;  the food was great, too!

Marsel and I got to do some sewing today-Bill and both of her kids are down with the 24 hr stomach flu......we grab the minutes when we can!

Downton Two

 See how funny the hat looks when it is finished being knitted?!

 Then you fold up the brim and you have a very classy hat!

Or two very classy hats!

On to a cowl..........

One Downton Done!

 Ta Da!  The Downton hat is finished and it was so much fun to knit!

I couldn't wait to cast on another one!

 Mom's quilt is off the frame;  I sewed the binding on the front for her and now I will pass it back to her to do the hand sewing.

I tossed it on one of my beds to give it a preview!

Olympian Knitting

It is a fun challenge to set a goal and push yourself to knit it (or spin it or whatever...) during the Olympics.   Lots of knitters/spinners join Ravelry for a good competition during this time.  I didin't join in this time but I did set a personal goal and have a pile of projects to keep me knitting in overtime!   This is the Downton Hat.  I made good progress on it yesterday and am ready to begin the brim in the contrast color today!

Bill and Dad did some maintenance on the nails on the roof-covering them in silicone to prevent leaks.  A new roof in in the future!

 This is why the yellow house is also called the "train house!"  The trains go zipping by about 100 feet from the side of the house!  Woo, woo!

Birthday Celebration

 Today we celebrated Dad's 81st birthday with a lunch at Corky Bells... out on the deck, in the sunshine and warmth for a change!   (It  has been a very cold and gloomy January, very unusual for us!)

 The River looked very inviting and there were several boaters and jet skiiers except when I took this picture...!

These are some cypress knees.......they look very cool, don't they?  We went back to Dad and Mom's for games , a walk and then some strawberry shortcake!  So nice to spend the day together!

Catching Up

 The men finished their third wall in the master bedroom and then began the last wall.

They got the sheet rock up and Dad temporarily replaced the moldings until we have the professional come in and finish it later this year.

 Mom knit up a pair of fingerless mitts for me to sell at my next market.  This is from my hand spun / dyed Cormo.  She knit these from the pattern I wrote and so she enjoyed it-ever the Mom and so encouraging of my endeavors!

 I finished another pair of dish cloths for a friend.

 It is thick and squishy in the Brioche stitch!

 I am making good progress on Mom's quilt.   I have more than half done now.

It is in a swoopy paisly-like pantograph.

Architectural Photo Challenge

I am participating in another photo challenge.  Each month we will post a different architectural feature and this month the subject was doors.   I spent the month mostly on the couch so didn't get out to any of the wonderful old homes to catch a picture of their front doors.  Since I didn't want to bow out completely, I have included my front door.........where the welcome mat is well worn with the passing of many loved ones' feet!   You would be welcome here, too!

 I pledge to have many more entries for February's feature;  I am starting to feel like my normal energetic self again!

Dabbling in Projects

 Saturday brought the boom truck bright and early to cut down a tree that had died and posed a health risk for residents at the train house!

 After it was brought down, Bill and Dad made short work of it!

 Then, they ripped out another wall in the bedroom and got that insulated and sheet rock up.  On to wall number three!

 I am still a bit under the weather, so I did a bit of spinning-more of my level of activity right now!
I accomplished 278 yards of Romeldale. This fiber is a cross of Romney and Rambouillet and a very soft, cushy yarn results!  Another first fiber for me and it was a great spun - I give it a four star rating!

 Mom brought her completed quilt top over and we loaded it up on the frame so I can quilt the layers together!  Isn't it pretty!?  Now to decide what pattern to work on it!