Bella Ella Time!

 I didn't finish blogging the rest of my week long visit with Ella and her parents.  I loved the bath in the sink time each morning!  Yup, she sucks the washcloth like her father and it grossed me out just as much, too!

 We walked to the beach one afternoon when Caleb got home from work-it was very restorative to be there as always.

 Even Ella needed the beach to unwind.

 We tried to keep some shade on her all the time so that is why the shadows are on her!

 The crash of the waves was music to our ears.

  On Friday, I had planned to get up for the sunrise but I missed by 20 minutes and got this pic with the sun behind the clouds already!  It was still beautiful.

 In the afternoon when Ella woke from her nap, we would give her swim time out on her deck.  The sun was far enough around to not beat down on her but her pool was nice and warm!

 In the later afternoon, we went to the historic downtown area of Fernandina Beach and did some window shopping with Ella in her stroller!  We found this sign and I had to have a pic for a fellow blogger to enjoy!

Some of the shops had enough room to bring Ella in and some we stayed outside while her parents browsed.  Grandpa met us there in time for a visit and then dinner!  It was hard to say goodbye .

Beauty

 Early in the morning and late at night, I am getting a bit of sock knitting done.  I decided to put a cable up one side of the leg but hadn't brought a cable needle;  I am working with a bent Bobby pin!  Hey, it gets the job done!

 Most of the day is spent with this sweet urchin!  She is enjoying a few minutes with Baby Einstien before bed.

 We took a drive to see the sunset over the intercoastal waters at the northern end of the island.  The sand gnats kept us swatting but the wait was worth it:

Beautiful!

Sense

 Subscriber under the decking at Caleb and Cassandra' s home.  I am here for a few days so blogging on the Kindle for the first time from Fernandina Beach!

Seashells they have collected...see the bonus model?

We also saw the Space Station pass through overhead last night!  Sorry, my cell pic was not useable!

WANTED

If any one has the CD from Knitting Software called Stitch & Motif Maker and is willing to sell it to me, please leave a comment with your contact information!  It is no longer available and I would seriously like to purchase it.  I have the other software from them, The Sweater Wizard, Sock Wizard to name a few and I can't believe I can't find the Stitch Maker now!  Thanks for your help!

On a Roll

 I was given a small skein of Berroco Glace, a narrow braid yarn, and I knit it up into a circular scarf.  I was afraid it would be a bit scratchy but it feels nice!  I did random k2p2 each row so none of the sets lined up so it has a nice woven texture with no rolling!  I am going to try this with future orphan skeins!  (My friend finds them at a local thrift store and brings them to me-wonderful way to try different yarns!)

 It also wraps around the second time for a cowl look.  The original pattern called for 120 yards for a wider scarf but I only had this one skein of 79 yds--it works.

 I made another batch of lemongrass soap-my house smells delicious!  (The green blanket is to cover it up to keep it warm ...)

 The fingerless mitts are finished with just a bit of yarn left!

 Now I have a nice cowl/mitts set.

 I spun up the 2 oz of sea cell roving and plied it with silk thread.  I have several old wooden spools of this silk thread so I used them up to ply with this silky like single.

 The yarn has wonderful drape and sheen!  (140 yards just might find itself in the circular scarf above soon!)

This was in the latest bag of thrift store find-it is an acrylic blend but feels like wool in a crinkly  looking yarn.  I am knitting up a pair of socks, toe up.  The white line of stitches is where I am going to add an afterthought heel.  I will let you know how it goes! I am knitting a great tube for a long pair of socks since I have a lot of this yarn and will see how it turns out.

The antibiotics are kicking in and Bill is starting to have a reduction in pain, swelling and redness.  Pray that the Lord will bless the medicine to his body~

It's Called Life

 You never know how a day will unfold!  We had made plans last week to go and have a sewing day with Ashley and then when Bill woke up, his foot was hot, red and swollen....we had to go to the doctors and they put him on a new antibiotic for inflammation/cellulitus.  The fun just keeps going with his feet.  We did make it to Matthew and Ashley's later in the day, had a good visit while Bill elevated his foot.  After playing with Will for a while, we decided to go out and eat.  I got to snuggle Will in his pj's just before bed when we got home!  I love to see him growing up so!  See how well he is doing walking with his push toy  He does put up a racket when he bumps into something and can't keep moving!

 Today, I wrapped up the delicious smelling lavender batch of soap today while Bill did a lot of napping!

I also finished this cowl from Purl Bee and had some left over yarn which I split up and decided to knit up into a pair of fingerless mitts to match!  This is the lamb's wool I processed, dyed, spun and saved from a few years ago.  I revamped a pile of yarn, put them in big baggies with the pattern for which they are intended and feel like I have a good knitting line-up waiting for me!

RADIANT

 My little red car.

 The ginger cones are all red in the front yard.

 These are Resurrection ferns growing on a tree in our yard.  They are dried and dead looking until it rains.......

and they they are refreshed like this!  It is amazing!

 I realize I have a ton of red flowers in my yard-I love them as much as the hummingbirds and butterflies!  This plant stands as tall as I am;  we do not know the name of it and either did the woman who gave it to us!

 The blossoms is about 12 " long and flowers all over it at different rates.

 A Red Bay tree that died but still puts out a branch of leaves which I use in cooking!  (Yes, that kind of bay tree!)

 All the bromeliads bloom red in one way or another!

Some only have a little red in their centers to remind us they are blooming!

 Our Root beer plant is in bloom, too.  This flower stalk stands 7" tall.  The leaves in this plant have the aroma of root beer if used in baking, so the rumor goes!

 The Mandavilla climbers are all over my yard in full ruby red radiance!

 Quite by accident I found this pile of rocks in our yard (it was left by the previous owners, not nature!)  but they are specimens of petrified wood and some other beauties I added!)

 I even knit red!  This is a felted bowl with yarn I bought at a spinning demonstration a long time ago!

I have been on  a roll lately, and have spun up most of my woolen rovings but this one is Seacell (kelp/sea weed) and feels like a cross between soy silk and bamboo.

My grandma always cut up old t-shirts to crochet her rag rugs but I wove mine on the loom!

I use raffia to wrap around all my soap when I label them!

Play Time

 Look who visited!  He wasn't too sure about his first tractor ride.

 Grandpa turned the motor off and let him play a bit.

 Then he was willing to take a ride!  Very cute.  Ashley and I did quite a bit of sewing; she is learning how to quilt and so we cut out and sewed back together......yup, she is hooked!  ( I didn't think to take a picture of the four blocks she got done but we will be sewing again soon so I will do so next time!)

 Today, I cooked up a batch of lavender soap.  The smell is wonderful-I caught a good picture of the gel phase just working its way through the loaf.  The whole thing turns the dark color and then lightens again after it cools.

 I have been working on this hat in fingering weight yarn from KnitPicks.  It is a pattern from PatternFish.  My model is a child's size so the hat is a bit big for her but it fits just right on me!

 The chart comes in this shape so you work the repeat 6 times for the hat.  The G cleff is optional but I wanted to include it.

Look at the cool pattern in makes when completed!  I just love to knit!