Wednesday, March 30, 2016

A Little Bit of This A Little Bit of That

Stitching
I recently finished Count Your Blessings by La-D-Da. This seemed a  very appropriate piece to stitch - while the year has had a few rough patches everything has worked out in the end. I thought we were getting ready to go through another rough patch the other day. What do you get when you mix my son (the child who inherited the fear of spiders gene from his father), a shower, and a spider. Well, I will tell you. You get a ripped shower curtain, a crashing sound that makes you think something really big has hit the house...something really, really big and a busted knee. We spent the better part of 2015 getting my son through a torn MCL...and of course, it was the same knee. Thankfully, just a little bit of swelling and pain but nothing incapacitating.

Knitting
Malabrigo Hand Thingies by Anne Sahakian and seen on Mary's blog. I started these sometime in December and finished them a few weeks ago. I knit them using Malabrigo's Velvet Grapes - they go with my winter coat and I may just get the chance to wear them in a few days as we continue on this wild weather roller coaster.

They aren't perfect - and I know there are a few mistakes here and there. I thought of my grandmother while knitting these when -
a. I had to lick that calf over again...and again (Lick that calf over again was an expression she used when someone had made a mistake and needed a do-over). Especially on the second mitt. I was ready to bind off the hand when I decided to compare it to the first one. I wasn't thrilled to discover that I had left out two rows . So of course, I had to rip it all the way back and more or less start over again. I could knit these in my sleep. : )

b. I cut myself a caper (If someone cut a caper it usually meant they had acted like a fool over something). This happened when I discovered my mistake on mitt number 2 and then again when I was finally finished with both and realized I had actually made something with thumbs. Lots of ridiculous jumping around while repeating over and over again "I made thumbs!!!" My husband and son just didn't get it and the cats all ran for cover.

I also discovered that it is possible to knit inside out. Fortunately, this is easily fixed. Caper averted!

Reading

It's a big one at 849 pages. I'm halfway through and have been having too many late nights because I can't put it down. Maybe a little concerned that it won't have a happy ending because...well, it is Stephen King. On a side note - my husband has been told by many people that he looks just like Stephen King. 

Wanting to try
TRIPLE BERRY WINE SLUSH
  • (2) 12-ounce bags frozen mixed fruit (raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries)
  • 1 (750mL) bottle of your favorite red wine
  • 2 cups ginger ale
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
I love the pretty purple color! I may just have a thing for the color purple. : )

Appreciating
The beautiful sunset a few days ago. It seems like every time you turn around a little more of the countryside has disappeared. Fortunately, this little piece is still just around the corner from us.

Thank you, everyone, for reading along! Hope everyone is enjoying some lovely spring weather! Take care ~

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

A Pre-Spring Walk In Old New Castle

I used to think that crazy up and down weather was limited to our little corner of the U.S., but I know we all experience crazy up and down weather sometimes. After a couple of snowy days, we were treated to a couple of beautiful warm and sunny days with temperatures in the lower 80's! Weather like this makes me feel hopeful and happy!!! And when you have weather like this at this time of the year you have to get outside and take advantage of it. So I decided to take a walk in Old New Castle - one of my favorite places.





William Penn right before the blizzard

William Penn happy to shed his scarf on this beautiful warm day







And finally, a teeny, tiny St. Patricky finish

A few weeks ago, I got a call...my son telling me he had been involved in a head-on collision. Thank God he walked away with minor injuries. The same can't be said of his truck. He is still pretty shaken up over it, so even though he was eligible for a rental while his truck is in the shop, I've been his chauffeur. I'm not complaining but I'm beginning to add little touches to my car to make it more homey since I have been spending so much time in it. :) 

Hope spring has shown signs of springing where you are. Thank you all for visiting ~ take care.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

The "S" Word

Well, my family room no longer looks like a convalescent's room. Although my husband could probably have used a little longer to recuperate, he is finally back at work. I think there is a permanent impression on my couch where he whiled away many contented hours watching television. I can't tell you all just how much your caring inquiries and prayers meant to me. I'm really hoping we don't have to go through anything like it ever again. 

Now, the "s" word - I almost hate to say it - slump. I have really struggled to get into anything over the last several months. I don't know how many books I've started and then put down. Some I have been quite a way into and just thought why am I reading this? Same thing with my stitching. I do have one small finish 

Handprint on My Heart by Heartstring Samplery

And I have made a little progress on Margaret Randolph from The Scarlet Letter


Such a pretty sampler and I think I could have finished by now if it weren't for... the slump. I attribute it to the winter. I just don't function well when the sun is limited. It really is amazing what a difference a sunny day makes. I tell my husband that someday when we aren't working I would like to live in the southwest - he says he wants to live in the northwest. I say well, we can meet up a couple of times a year.

Three samplers I would love to stitch this year. The threads for them are beautiful.




And it was close...number 5 or new grandkitty. Thankfully, I can say meet Naya, the new grandkitty. : ) She is sweet as can be!


Well, hopefully I can get back into a more regular posting schedule. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to visit and those of you who keep in touch even when I disappear for a while. And I apologize for leaving such late comments on your blogs. I mark them to go back to and read and comment on and before I know it days have passed. Speaking of time passing - hard to believe it is March already! Take care and I hope to be back soon.