In the Middle

Do you sometimes just not feel like doing something, even something you enjoy doing? I just haven't felt like blogging. Summer was pretty uneventful. There was no exciting knitting, knitting but not exciting. I just didn't feel I had much to share. I'm not sure I have much to share at this point but I feel like blogging again.

This is some recent knitting. Two baby hats, one child's hat and two baby bibs and a scarf that is stash busting at it's best. My friends and coworkers are accumulating children and grandchildren at what seems to be an alarming rate. I think this is linked to my age. I was at yet another funeral recently when I realized I am in the middle of my life. Considering the average life expectancy for a woman I am over half way but I don't like to think about that. What I came to realize at this funeral is that being 50 something I know a lot of people younger than I am and a lot of people older than I am. I have friends not much older than I that are going to be great grandparents and I have co workers who are younger than my own children. Working in health care and photography I see all phases of life almost daily and I realize what an amazing place I am in. I have been given the gift of caring for friends of my parents in their declining years, comforting and assisting their children in dealing with this new phase of their lives, sharing in the joy of my childrens friends marrying and starting families and I am still healthy and active enough to enjoy it. Many, many times I have heard elderly patients state they don't see what is so golden about the golden years. I now believe the golden years are the middle years. The years you can see the beginning and the end and appreciate what you have right now in the middle.

I wanted to try a pair of fingerless mitts. I picked this fun stripe from my sock yarn stash and knit away. What I learned from this project is, try them on as you go if you intend to wear them yourself. That way you would realize you would like the cuff a little closer fit and they could be a little longer here and there. The result was a fun little knit and a few teaching moments that hopefully I remember.
So, what do you do when you have knit fingerless mitts and still have yarn left over? Not enough for a pair of socks, maybe ankle socks but I didn't think of that at the time. There was this water bottle cover pattern I had been wanting to try. Perfect! Mindless knitting, perfect for a road trip and a little TV knitting. Actually remembering what I just learned from the mitts I tried the cover on my favorite water bottle. Perfect fit! While the water bottle clothed in it's new cover sat on the kitchen counter I realized I really didn't want a cover on my water bottle. I just liked the idea of a water bottle cover. Plus, there was still too much yarn but not enough to do anything with. I left the project lying on the floor next to my chair for a day or two and then it struck me. It wanted to be a reusable gift bag! So I knit on making it as tall as possible and still have enough yarn to make the icord closure. Two fun little projects, some lessons learned and just a little yarn left over. See it lying there in the middle? What do I do with that?! I am now on the hunt for a project to use up little bits of leftover sock yarn. Any suggestions?




My daughter was home for the 4th of July and we decided to make a fruit pizza for dessert. She created fireworks out of the fruit pieces. I enjoy having her home. It is amazing the things we talk about when we are working on projects together. I miss her.

A good friend, local retired doctor and nationally known author passed away this summer. I loved reading his articles each week in the newspaper, was honored to care for him when he was ill and am thankful for the influence he had on our family. He always closed his articles with, see you down the road. Thank you Don.

Fall - It Came and Went

Hello and welcome back. Actually you haven't been gone but I certainly have been. I have been gone much too long and fall is over with nary a post. We have had a bit of family illness of the parent variety with several trips to the emergency room including one ambulance ride and a few days in the hospital for Jerry's dad. My mom had a total knee replacement. Her knee is doing great but she had some other complications that has made recovery a long, slow process. All of this has lead to lots of impromptu over nights by various family members, canceled plans, last minute changes of plans, etc. I know most of you have been there. To top it off blogger has eaten two very nice posts. I have no idea where they are but if anyone finds them please let me know. I think they were some of my best posts ever.

We have had some fun and there has been a fair amount of knitting going on. So, let me entertain you with a few of the highlights of fall.

We went with Jerry's daughter and her family to the Kansas City Renaissance Festival.
We had so much fun. We did face painting but on the arm so it could be seen and enjoyed by the one painted on.
We got to know some very lovely sheep.
We looked through holes in walls simply because the adults told us too. They thought we were soooo cute.


Grandpa bought us flower shaped fairy hats. It was a day of making memories. I am printing a book of all the pictures from that day as a Christmas gift.

I knit this pattern back in August and love the pattern. I have started knitting it again in I Love This Cotton! from Hobby Lobby. It is so soft and yummy feeling I am truly enjoying knitting this little baby blanket. There are several babies baking and will need sweet little things knit for them. As soon as I get done with Christmas knitting I will be back to this blanket.

Speaking of Christmas knitting..... I have three granddaughter's under the age of 6. They are each getting an outfit for Christmas. I am knitting the vest and buying jeans and matching shirts. If time allows there will be a belt and/or headband. The pink and green is for the youngest and the pink one is for the oldest. I have yellow and lavender on the needles for the middle child. One front is complete and almost 1/2 the second front.

I keep a prayer shawl on the needles all the time and this is the most recent one. These multi-color, multi-yarn ones have been very popular.

I have talked about this shawl before but I like this picture much better. A dress form opens so many more opportunities for making a shawl look like something. I love the textures in this one and there are just hints of colors that the light picks up.


While talking about scribble lace shawls this is one of my favorites color wise. It is made with cotton crochet thread so isn't as slick and drape able as some of my others. I actually prefer it as a scarf.


Finally the mega afghan/blanket is complete. In case you have forgotten it's humble beginnings you can see it here.


I attempted to take a picture of my son with it before he left on Thanksgiving but I didn't have a memory card in the camera. Relatives took pics for me but I don't have them yet.

Congrats to KU in their win over Mizzou today. Thanks to the Olpe Eagles for a great season. I am so proud of you for making it all the way to state playoffs and for playing a good game against Smith Center.

More Football and Fiber

Why not start with the fiber? I like it better than football anyway. I took advantage of the early morning overcast sky and tried a black background but am not happy with the way these yarns photographed. The colors are off. This is a really yummy Tussah Silk lace weight from SeeJayneKnitYarns.
She calls it Sand and Sea Glass and that describes it perfectly. I purchased it for a shawl that isn't started yet so it is a lovely stash enhancer.

Guess I had already photographed this yarn. If you combine the two of these, the shine in the first and the color in the second you have pretty much what the yarn really looks like.

This little jem is also silk. I see a theme happening here. I didn't have a project in mind just had to have the yarn. It is called Peridot and is from No Two Snowflakes.



This is a work in progress and it is a great TV watching project. The pattern is easy to remember and as long as I pay attention to which side I am on I don't have to rip. I had a little trouble the other night during "Pushing Daisies". I love that show and there were scenes that were so funny I couldn't knit. If you haven't watched it you ought to go back and watch from the beginning to pick up all the story line but if you like dry humor, inuendo and knitting, yes one of the characters knits and uses/wears knitted items you really should check it out.
This is a scarf for my daughter who attends K State so of course chose purple. It is a much richer purple but I could not get it to show up well. The yarn is Lamb's Pride Worsted in Amethyst. She has a grey coat to wear with it.

10/2/08
The football I watched last week was my nephew's freshman game. He is #59. It was fun hanging out with my sister.

A Wonderful Weekend

We kept two of the grandchildren this weekend.

Saturday morning we went to Council Grove, Kansas to see the Wah-Shun-Gah Days parade.

These handsome young men presented our colors proudly.

Of course there were bands.

This is the reaction of Two when the band started playing right in front of her.

This covered wagon spent the last week on a trail ride across eastern Kansas. The driver is my dad and in the jump seat is my mom. On or around the wagon were various family members.

Four was watching quite intently. She was pretty sure there would be ice cream after the parade. Of course she was right. Who knew two little girls could eat so much ice cream? Strawberry for Four and "choco chip" for the Two.

Other activities over the weekend included naps. Everyone needed a break from all the fun. Then there were wagon rides checking out the livestock. They don't like bugs, they did like the turtle and the cats stayed way far away from the fun.

When the long wagon ride was over it was time to cool off in the pool. The general consenses was the water was still cold but we simply couldn't wait any longer for it to warm up.

A fun time was had by all.

They love their Grandpa.

Signs of Spring and Knitting

4/21/08

Another dishcloth. The ballband pattern finally makes sense. I had knit one before and I think I fought the pattern the entire time. I just couldn't "see" the rhythm of it. Maybe that is because it was a ball game knitting project and I could never really concentrate on what I was doing. This one went quickly and was quite fun. I love the texture and colors of this one. I hope its recipient is enjoying it.

 

4/26/08

This little guy came to visit for a couple of days. I'm not sure how long he was sitting on the rail before we noticed him but for the two plus days we watched he didn't appear to ever move. He didn't seem bothered by me or the camera either.

5/4/08

My favorite place to knit outdoors. Depending on the time of day I am in shade or sun. The picture is facing east so it is a beautiful spot in the mornings and shady and calm in the evenings. The knitting is my Mystic Light. Yes I am still on clue #1. It is knitting up beautifully but I can't do it when there are distractions around. I have tried and it was not pretty. I do not like frogging or tinking if I can avoid it. So, I only knit when the world will leave me alone long enough to get a pattern row done. There have been so many other KAL's I would like to sign up for but that is silly with how slow this one is going.

 

 

5/5/08

These are my knitting/gardening companions. Two were not present for this photo session but were not very far away. They never are. If I'm outside they are close at hand to help with anything I might need. There is actually four generations in this photo. Mama is checking out the bird feeder that was blown down during the storm the night before. Notice all the leaves blown up against the house? The trees took a beating. On with the lineage account. Next is Baby Mama who is the black one posing in the foreground. Third generation is Baby dressed in white and standing. Last but not least is Lady. The long hair shunning the camera. Don't you like my original names? When Mama and her two babies were dumped on us we didn't expect them to live long because we have coyotes, fox, etc. and cats just don't usually survive. Mama survived and one of the original babies stops in occasionally. Three generations later I finally started naming them because they obviously were going to live with me awhile. Before that Mama, Baby Mama and Baby seemed just fine.

This should be a photo op weekend. I have a baby shower for the daughter of one of my best friends to attend. She is my sons age. Is it possible someone my son's age can be having a baby. Oh ya, they are adults. When did that happen?

My daughter will be home for part of the weekend and of course it will be Mother's Day tomorrow. We plan to all get together for a meal, probably out since my sister and I don't really like to cook either and then if the weather is good off to a lovely garden to see the iris blooming. My camera batteries are charged and waiting. Hummmmm, doesn't sound like much knitting.

Happy Mother's Day to all.

A day in the city

I am no city girl and I don't particularly like to shop. I do love to eat at different restaurants and since we were shopping for furniture I could endure that. There was not a yarn shop within a reasonable distance and our legs hurt and we still wanted to stop by a book store. There should be more yarn shops so I had to settle for one of the big chains to satisfy my yarn fix.

The furniture pictures will come later as the furniture hasn't been delivered yet.

1/20/08

Cotton yarn for dishcloths or other items requiring cotton. Have to keep the stash up you know.

The brown in the back is needed to finish a grandson's afghan. The color isn't exactly the same of course but I am double stranding with black so hopefully it won't be too obvious. There were skeins in the bin that were almost purple. A lesson learned. Always buy way too much yarn. The stash is always hungry.

1/21/08

I like cottontots for baby hats, kimonos, etc. I don't like using acrylic yarns for baby things. What cotton yarns do you prefer for baby items?

1/22/08

Lion Brand Wool-Ease for a pair of mittens for my daughter. They must be washable because she doesn't need anything that requires special care. Freshmen in college who work and carry an A average (had to brag a little) don't need anymore to think about. I have not knit mittens before and plan to use this pattern. I can't seem to photograph reds well. The yarn is actually has more brown in it but this is pretty too.

The baking

Notice I don't say The Knitting? There isn't much of that going on. I also didn't say The Wrapping. There is still lots of that to do. That is also what college age daughters are for. She has her instructions for tomorrow while I am at work. She will have the assistance of the almost teenage granddaughter who just blew in from Utah. The Utah family drove through some awful weather and we are very thankful they are here safely. The girls are watching the Polar Express, the men are playing poker and I am making lists, checking them twice and then making some more lists. The menu was set and the shopping was done, that is until I found out this evening I will have four more than I expected for Christmas morning breakfast. No problem, a new list for my man to take to the grocery store in the morning while I am at work. Notice the theme here, I am at work, everyone else is at home. This will be the biggest Christmas morning since we joined our two families five years ago. I can hardly wait. We will be having the main meal for this bunch tomorrow night before everyone moves on to various spouses families Christmas celebrations after breakfast Christmas morning. (I am not going to guess how to properly punctuate that sentence.) The men will be preparing the turkey and the ham, while I am at work. We will also have sweet potato casserole, fancy corn, hot rolls, fruit salad, pumpkin and pecan pie and anything that any roving relatives add to the mix.















The pictures I want to share with you are of my biscotti. The CD's included in the pictures are of the Christmas music playing at the time. The poor oven was on from 10 this a.m. until 6 p.m. I baked the four pies mentioned above, two batches of biscotti, two loaves of banana bread, biscuits and at least two other things but they have probably already eaten it. This doesn't include the big pot of soup that simmered along all day.

Back to the biscotti. I got this recipe last year from Giada De Laurentiis on HGTV. She is my man's favorite cooking show hostess but I don't think he can tell you anything she makes. Anyway, we all love this biscotti. My inherited-son was so impressed that I had made it and I won't be telling him how easy it is.
I must now get back to my lists so that I can sneak off to work in the morning knowing everything will be ready when I get home.

I can dream can't I?