Hood Canal

It was good to sleep in this morning. They predict snow which we don't get very often so I hope it does ! Listening to Josh Groban's new Xmas CD "Noel" I"ll be home for Christmas is a touching rendition which brings a tear to my eye. I wish the album was more classical than pop but it's growing on me.

Friend Cindy took me to a family cabin on Hood Canal last weekend to celebrate my birthday. It is in a lovely location. It was pretty chilly though as there is no heater in the living area. We wore many layers and tried to coax the fire into providing a little more warmth. Stopped at Linda's Knit and Stitch in Silverdale on the way. It is a charming shop. Had to buy at least one skein - Farmhouse Lumpy Bumpy "Autumn" Watched DVDs, knit, and partook of the wonderful food that Cindy made. Thanks Cindy !!




Mist floating on the water, slowly burning off as the morning went on.
















Finished a cloche hat to give to Anna for Xmas. Making a pair of fingerless mitts to match. Used Farmhouse Lumpy Bumpy "Rhythm and Blues" I really like that yarn








These came this week from AnneSofie of Slöjdmagasinet.nu. Was very happy to get them. My Nordic knitting book collection is slowly growing.

Landmark Passage

Oh, they make me smile. When Ryan was driving us all up to take their written drivers test Marc was teasing him by talking in a monotone voice like a drivers ed instructor "Please accelerate evenly when going thru a turn", "Slow down please, you are exceeding the speed limit", "I said left not right". Ryan smiled, I was laughing so. Friday they took their driving test. The woman who gave their test one after another looked pretty serious and grumpy when they started. Afterwards she came up to me, smiled, and said " Your boys are great" That just warmed my heart. They PASSED ! Marc looks rather like Leonard Nimoy in this pic I think :) They are both such goofballs. Anna is pretty cheery and goofy in her own right.

There is no friendship, no love, like that of the parent for the child.
Henry Ward Beecher



Donna gave me this wonderful yarn she brought back from Sweden on one of her trips. It's from Wåhlstedts Textiles. Used a little Berocco Ultra Alpaca on the bottom.


















Used parts from patterns I had done earlier from Kids Knits and Blue Sky Alpacas.






Even if I weren't having a "pharmaceutical lobotomy" I am not a technical knitter. I jump from project to project just learning a little bit as I go. It gets pretty intimidating to be around people who are "knitting techies". There is so much to learn. "One day at a time", "Rome wasn't built in a day", " All good things come to those who wait" !!

Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am thinking of doing the "Jaywalker Scarf" pattern I found on Ravelry.com with these two Claudia's Hand Painted "Midnight". They are from the same dye lot but so different in color !

Ravelry.com

Just spent the morning setting up a new group on Ravelry called "Wermland Sticka" Within two minutes a woman from Germany joined ! I'm looking forward to meeting people thru there and seeing their projects. Ravelry is the greatest !!!!



Here is the progress on my Faroese footlet. It's hard being brain dead. I just couldn't grasp how to get the pattern going on the sides. I'll have to make the same mistakes on the other one so they'll match ! It feels very nice with the Ultra Alpaca and Barbro's homespun. I hope it fits !




Finished my simple Ullcentrum Shawl. The yarn was a gift from Irene. Thanks again !!




The shawl pin didn't show up very well in the last post so tried again. Here's the link to see more of her lovely creations.

Karin's Designs











What would I do without friends and family..............


The Gift Of Friends
by Karin Schaefer

There are days when
bubbling from us comes
the innocent child within,
who giggles at the little things
and wears a silly grin.

There are days when
melancholy comes to
visit for a while;
the mind feels tired, the body weak;
we have no strength to smile.

There are days when
joy abundant
grabs a hold of you and me;
wraps us up in all it's splendor,
lifts us up and sets us free.

There are days when
sorrow wraps us
in its cloak of grief and fear,
'till our hearts ache to the breaking,
'till our eyes can't shed a tear.

There are days when
love bestows us
with its wonderment and light;
with its beauty and its mystery,
its power and its might.

And there are days when
life rewards us
and seems to make amends
by granting us a marvelous gift,
the precious gift of Friends.

Reflections

Like love, grief fades in and out.

Mason Cooley






It's been a year since our lives changed drastically. I keep wanting to wake up and find that nothing ever happened, even after a year. The effect of another person's addictions can be so heartbreaking, emotionally wrenching, permeate almost every aspect of our lives. We did not ask to be in this situation yet here we are trying to pick up the pieces. My heart aches so for my children having been exposed to this. "It's not what happens to you, but how you react" I try and keep that in my thoughts but it is a struggle. It does take time to heal and we are so blessed with family, friends, and counselors who try and support us thru this.

Our destiny, our being's heart and home,
Is with infinitude, and only there;
With hope it is, hope that can never die,

William Wordsworth


"Graham Thomas" blooms on even into November.















Thank you Barbro for the booklet and the wonderful wristwarmers !
Bought these shawl pins from a friend of hers when I saw them on her blog.
I love hearts. One will be a birthday present for my oldest sister who has taken up knitting again.














Finally broke down and bought a Kromski wheel. I so look forward to learning more about this craft from friend Karen and Heidi at The Artful Ewe
Found this Gotland/Silk blend on Etsy.com





To those who keep their hearts their own
The winter is the spring.

John Clare