…..some knitting time!

It's been a very busy 3 weeks with dyeing the yarn club mailing, turning around to dye for SPA and then coming home to dye back orders.  C.R.A.Z.Y, but it's all behind me now and I have actually had some time to enjoy sitting back and knitting.

You may remember my dilemma whether or not to pull back my sweater almost all the way to the start when I had crossed my cables incorrectly.  I was so dismayed after I pulled it out, so much so that I had to put it aside for a spell, so I worked on another headband for my oldest daughter.  (pictures this weekend when she is free).

Once I came home from SPA, I sucked it up big and just worked on this sweater front, every evening and finally it is finished and blocked.  Tomorrow I will start in on the seaming.  I won't lie, I hate putting a sweater together, but it is my mission to have this finished by the end of the week, so my seaming needle is ready to go.
Wish me luck!

Storm breaks into pieces,
Clouds charge the horizon,
Revolving of the heavens
Generates all movement.
Deng Ming~Dao

Normally when I get behind in blogging even though I have the pictures, but didn't have the time, I just let the opportunity pass and look towards the next blog post.  The last 3 weeks have been crazy busy, but there have been some nice things tucked in between that I didn't want to let pass without a post.  The next few posts may not coincide with the immediate moment, but they were moments that made me smile.

2 weeks ago Carole and Dale came up to spend a weekend with us in the North Country.  Ken was the cruise director for the stay and I think he did pretty good.  When they arrived after a little rest, we went on a sleigh ride along with a visit to a few local watering holes that we enjoy up here.

The next day we headed over the Kangamangus Highway to visit the Ice Castles at Loon Mountain after we had an enjoyable lunch at Woodstock Inn & Brewery.  We had a lot of fun laughing our way through this winter wonderland of ice. 
That Dale, he is such a hambone, but we love him so!  I wish we could have seen this at night when it is illuminated, but we had a lot of fun all the same.  Next year Ken and I are definitely going to make a night trip over the Kanc to see the castle at night.

We really enjoyed showing Carole and Dale a little bit of the beauty of the mountains that we get to enjoy every day.  I knew that once they left I was going to be full steam ahead with the dye pots fulfilling a busy yarn club and getting ready for a show and this little snowman totally depicts the way I felt yesterday when we got home after my show at SPA and a whirlwind trip to Boston (more about that later).

It's a beautiful place that we are so fortunate to call home and I love it when friends come to visit!

Carole switched up Ten on Tuesday again with a sentence challenge starting with the words, "I feel", so here I go…

1.  I feel so fortunate to live in such a beautiful spot in our country and I love sharing it with friends.

2.  I feel under prepared for SPA, but for the first time ever, I feel ok about that.

3.  I feel very blessed to have a family of good, kind children and 5 beautiful grandchildren.

4.  I feel hopeful that I may have found something that is helping with the never ending inflammation and back/leg pain that I have.

5.  I feel the Sun's growing warmth in the sky even though it is still very cold.  Spring is coming!

6. I feel happy that Day Light's Savings time is right around the corner…w00t!

7. I feel challenged to get a sweater finished for SPA this week, but I'm not placing any bets on getting it finished.

8.  I feel that I am finally learning to cut myself some slack without feeling guilty about it.  Not always, but even sometimes is advancement. 🙂

9.  I feel crazy excited to see Sting and Paul Simon in concert next week!!  I have waited what feels like my entire life to see Sting live.

10. I feel the wonderful anticipation of spending fun time with dear friends this weekend.

How do you feel today?

This picture embodies the guests that we had here over the last week.  The word is Carole's "word" and the sweet little bird is a gift from Dale.  A gift of friendship and the hope of Spring soon to come.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together… there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart… I’ll always be with you.
~ Winnie The Pooh

I know that so many people loathe this holiday, but I have loved it from way back when I was young.  I remember how much fun it was to pick out my little box of valentine cards to pass out during elementary school.   The excitement of decorating my valentine's paper bag that would set atop my school desk and the anticipation of opening all of those cards from classmates…and the candy.

Valentine's day can be a hard one though, especially when you have recently been through a break up…been there and done that!  For some reason however, I have never connected romantic love with this holiday (probably a good thing).  It has always been more about love, just love, and candy.  Love for my husband, my children, my family and my friends and it is one I have always loved to decorate for.  Perhaps it is the grown up expression of what that little paper bag on my desk meant to me.  It was always a happy day for me in those young years.

So on this cold February day,
I want to say Happy Valentines Day to all of you out there!

 

The language of friendship is not words, but meanings.
~ Henry David Thoreau

Yesterday a delightful package appeared in my post office box.  A sweet little Mary Engelbreit card with the sweetest little hearts on the envelope.  Mary's designs always make me smile and inside was this beautiful kitchen towel in my favorite colors of honey embroidered with my favorite sister bees. 

Such a delightful gift to lift my spirits during this dreary and very cold winter. 🙂 I mentioned in my last Ten on Tuesday post that I am basically a shy person and it is super hard for me to put myself out there, outside of my comfort zone, but I do it because I love the people I have met when I do step out of that comfort zone.  My blog has really helped me forge some of my dearest friendships.  I have no trouble with the words once I get to meet someone, as my friends will tell you, it's just the putting myself out there that I am always challenged with, but I challenge myself all the time and because of this, I am so fortunate to have the people I get to call friend in my life.

In the past 2 weeks, I have had a delightful visit with Claudia, received this lovely towel from Margene and we will have a fun time playing in the snow this weekend with Carole and Dale.  I am very blessed!
I will end with this lovely poem.

~ Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
~Marcel Proust

Pattern:  Chic Knits Elisbeth Headband
Yarn:  Woolen Rabbit WW Kashmir
Colorway:  Man Cave Blue
Needle size:  US 8

What a trend our Ashley has set here in my house.  As you remember, she sent me a link to a Pinterest headband that she liked and I knew she was hoping I could make something similar for her.  I went to my favorite pattern place, Ravelry, and within a few minutes I found this beautiful pattern designed by the talented Bonne.

Once everyone saw Ashley's Christmas present, all of the girls in my family (and there are more than just a few) all wanted one for themselves.  I told them that I would be happy to make each one of them a headband, but the deal was a picture would be involved.  
I'm sure that anyone who knows me at all and knows how much I struggle with that darn second sock would be very proud of me for making 4 of the same headband and finishing the 5th tonight, which is for McKayla's mom. It speaks volumes for Bonne's pattern!

This is my oldest grandchild, McKayla.  She is a very busy young lady with school and sports, so while this headband has been finished for a few weeks, tying her down for pictures was not an easy feat.

Today, I knew she had a basketball game at 5, so with camera and headband in hand, I headed over to the middle school for a quick photo shoot, and I mean quick, because this **tchy woman was barking at me to move my car.
  (if she knew how hard it was for me to walk, she probably would have been nicer).

McKayla was so cute asking me if she should smile or be serious.  I said just be yourself as I snapped off a lot of pictures.  She is such a beautiful young lady and it was easy to capture her joyful spirit.

Enjoy sweetie!!  xoxo Grammy

 

Again…..

Kites harness the force of the wind.
They express our intent,
But they can not change the wind.
Deng Ming~Dao

It's been a while since i have done Ten on Tuesday, but I thought I would give it a go this week.  Carole asked everyone to write ten sentence that begin with the same two words: I am. Here is my list of ten:

1.  I am tired of winter.  I never thought i would say this but yet, I am.

2.  I am the proud mom of 5 children and a grammy to 5 more wonderful children….I could just eat up the two littlest ones, truly, I could!

3.  I am SO happy to hear new birds besides the Jays.  Ken told me some were home and I didn't believe him until I heard them singing while I was out with the dogs this morning. (see them in the picture?)

4.  I am so happy that a friend gave me a gentle push in giving Tai Chi a try because I am really enjoying it.

5.  I am starting to realize that I may have SAD (you know, that sad seasonal thing).  I don't think I could ever live in a mostly gloomy climate.

6.  I am learning to accept my limitations.  I may not have learned yet to embrace them, but I am accepting them.

7.  I am basically a shy person, even though most people would be completely surprised to hear this.  I have to constantly push myself outside of my comfort zone.

8.  I am the biggest procrastinator when it comes to housework.  While I enjoy a clean and organized home, I can find 10 other things to do until I just can't stand it any longer.

9. I am excited and nervous about some new challenges coming over the next year.

10.  I am going to finish your socks Courtney….I promise!

Thanks Carole!

Markings in dry clay disappear
Only when the clay is soft again.
Scars upon the self disappear
Only when one becomes soft within.
Deng Ming~Dao

The past few days have been a roller coaster of ups and downs, so I am a little late at getting to one of the "up" portions of our week.

On Sunday, we headed west to bring Hannah back to Plymouth to finish her second semester of her first year.  Ashley, lives so close and I had a little something to bring to her, so we decided to head up for a visit.  Usually it's one of the girls that I show on the blog, but since Brian was making some delicious mocha toddies to chase away the chill it was his turn…Mmmm, they were SO good!  Thanks Brian!

It's no secret that it has been cold, cold, COLD up here, actually it's been pretty cold over so much of the country.  It's only January, but it feels like it should be Spring pretty soon, doesn't it?  Ashley and Brian's little family of pets however know just how to stay warm by huddling around the radiating wood stove.  Little Romeo however did manage to singe the tip of his tail, silly cat!

Eventually we had to pull ourselves away from the toasty wood stove and away from the good company, but we were treated to an amazing sunset when we got home.

Hopefully the rest of the week is going to be filled with more "ups" 🙂