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Monday, December 08, 2025

A New Project, Reading About the Past to Understand the Present!

 

Started this corner to corner project a few days ago, and I currently have 83 stitches on the needles and it measures 26 inches across.  LOVE the colors.  Have had this yarn probably 2 years?  My favorite local yarn shop was going out of business, so I purchased a fair amount of yarn with guesses about how much I needed and or what I would make with it.  It's called Marble.  I bought 3 large balls of this and 2 that seems similar to me, but darker in colors.  My initial thought is to start and end with this and use the darker blend for sections 2 and 4 and this lighter for section 3...so every other section.  But, I'm not sure if there's enough yarn to make an afghan, given the yardage on each ball.  Sooooooo, I'm knitting this to see how much I get from 1 ball, and may continue with that plan and or once I see how far this goes....it might become a trainangle shawl.  The colors and textures would well for a shawl, as well as an afghan.  Only time will tell.

Snow number 2!  This is about 4.5 inches, and as luck would have it this hit the day we left town for a couple of weeks in Hilton Head, just after the Thanksgiving weekend!!  I'm a happy camper to have missed it, since I'm not a fan of snow or cold or winter for that matter.  My neighbor across the street took the picture and said......you got out at a good time.  She knows me.

A fascinating read.  I had no idea we, the USA smuggled books into The Soviet Bloc during the Cold War to help mold descent among the peoples of the U.S.S.R.  The brave people involved were incredible.  10 million books were smuggled in.  To read about this when here in our country currently the far right is banning books every single day is extrodinary.  Please put this on your to read list.
A backward island,, a dysfunctional family, an alcholhic actress and hiden treasure linking the present with the past.  LOVED this book, very entertaining.  Oh and let;s not forget a love story!
Wow......a long book.  The audio of World Enemy No 1 is 17 hours.  A very interesting look at WWII and how Nazi Germany, and The Russian Bolshevik's manipulated their own people, as well as the rest of the world about who was the aggresor, who was the victim in WWII, who suffered more and who gave more.  Very insightful.  Quite a lot of history to absorb.  After reading this, I did some googling to understand better what I read/listened to.  Highly recommend this book.  trumpie dump is trying very hard to use the same playbook about manipulated public opinion.

84 Years ago yesterday.  A day to pause and remember!
Still standing with Ukraine.

Blogging about my French Adventure HERE!

43 comments:

  1. Beautiful colours on your new shawl/ blanket. I have used that marble yarn myself and I loved how the colours came out. Shame your favourite shop had to close.
    Some interesting reads and I will bare them in mind to look out for.
    Having only just visited Pearl Harbour, 7th December had a special significance for me. Thank you, Sandie x

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    1. Love to see what you made with the Marble yarn. I like the feel of it and also am enjoying the colors. I can imagine how special it felt being there at Pearl Harbor. I felt very moved when we visited Normandy while in France back in the fall.

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  2. The books look interesting, I'll have to see if I can find them in our library. Love the colour of your yarn, whatever you make will turn out very nice and pretty. Enjoy your week.

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    1. Thanks Bill, appreciate the visit. Hope you're able to get some of the books.

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  3. i haven't done sort of project in the textiles for a while.

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    1. Hope you get back into it and share it on your blog.

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  4. Thank you for your book reviews. I always appreciate them.
    I love the color of the project you have started.
    Snow, snow, snow, it is snowing right now here, 6 inches in the forecast. It will be a white Christmas for sure this year.

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    1. Wow 6 inches is a lot. I'm not a fan, but do think White Christmas's are nice. Hubby and Darling Daughter always hope for snow during Christmas.

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  5. That yarn would make a lovely triangle shawl. Thanks for the book reviews.

    God bless.

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    1. Thanks Jackie for weighing in. I also think the texture of it would make a nice shawl, so playing through to see how it goes.

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  6. There are some lovely sunset colours in your yarn and it looks like it would make a beautiful shawl. Wow, that snow - it looks so pretty but is such a nuisance if you have to go anywhere. You always find interesting and thought-provoking books to read.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Yes these books really do get one thinking. Let me know if you read any of them. I'm really enjoying the colors and it's fun to see what the next section will look like as the yarn changes colors.

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  7. You live in a winter wonderland!! Snow sure is pretty but quite inconvenient. Hopefully we'll get at least some this winter. Years ago white Christmases were not uncommon in this area but climates do change.

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    1. I know what you mean about White Christmas's, over the years, it has really changed.

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  8. Hello Sandy,

    As neither of us can knit or sew, it is fascinating to see what can be created in the hands of someone talented. We shall look forward to seeing how this turns out eventually.

    Your book selections look most intriguing. It is always fascinating to reflect upon how history seems to repeat itself without any of the lessons being learned. We hope that 2026 may see a year of hope.

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    1. Sadly you're right, history does seem to repeat without lessons being learned. I hope things improve in 2026, because this year has not been good. I truly worry about the state of things in the country.

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  9. ...that yarn is beautiful.

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    1. Thanks so much Tom, I'm enjoying seeing how it turns out.

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  10. Yes, a very wintry scene! Love your Christmas decorations!

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    1. It stayed cold enough that it took almost a full week for the snow to melt. ARgh. Thanks, I like the outdoor lights as well.

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  11. Dear Sandy, I absolutely love your snow photo and Christmas decorations! And the yarn is very pretty.

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    1. Thanks so much Linda. Thught it was cool my neighbor took the picture for us.

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  12. Very pretty colors on your corner. Looking forward to seeing the finished project. Your home looks lovely with all the snow and how nice of your neighbor to give you her photo. You had more than we did and ours didn’t cover the roads or the driveway and footpath to our door. Thanks for the book reviews. I am always looking for something new. Happy December!

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    1. We suppose to get more again this wkend. More than the last time in some areas, hope not us; but we'll see how it goes.

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  13. Hi, Sandy! Happy Christmas to you, my dear. I applaud your yen for reading. I've not been too keen to get tucked in to a book in sometime. I've been reading Harry Potter in German to try to keep up my facility with that language, but it isn't a new and exciting adventure, if you will. Greetings from chilly SF!

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    1. I'm impressed you're reading the books in German. Good way to try and keep the language skills. I don't have those skills.

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  14. that is a lot of S N O W....WOW 45"....we don't get that much in years of snow records?!
    I like the triangle and the colors.
    I worked on a crochet project from May til September.
    a lap Afghan 20-7" squares I used about 8 different patterns. It turned out very pretty. They were all crocheted together. Then I crochedt a 2" border (red of course) around it. I'll send you the link to the post in another comment
    Hugs cecilia

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    1. 4.5 inches, might be a little hard to see the decimal point. Will hope over and look at your afghan. It's always fun to see what other folks make.

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  15. https://downhomeinnc.blogspot.com/2025/10/saturday-stitches-finished-afghan.html

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  16. Anonymous2:49 PM

    I'm with you! Loved this, want to knit that corner to corner something too, your yarn is my kind of colors!
    Oh and I'll take your cold and snow, after all it's winter in Colorado but.... it's so hot the snow would evaporate anyway. Thanks for the offer, I hate to be hot.
    LeeAnna

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    1. Hey LeeAnn, leave your name and url and not anonymous when you comment. Many times anonymous comments get deleted or sent to spam.

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  17. I just love seeing snow photos, Sandy :)
    Your corner to corner is looking great. Love crocheting those, they seem to grow quickly and are different to make with the end result looking good.
    Take care.

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    1. Thanks Margaret. I do crochet, but this one is knitted.

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  18. That Marble yarn is gorgeous and the way you’re thinking through sections has me curious to see where it lands, afghan or shawl. Projects that evolve as you go are some of the most satisfying.

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    1. I agree, it's fun to just sorta go with the flow and see what happens.

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  19. It's so common for governments to manipulate their own people and it's seen throughout history - it is terribly sad!
    You have so much snow! Your house looks beautiful!

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    1. It is indeed sad what governments do. This is the worst I've experienced in my 75 years.

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  20. Thank goodness for books!!! Do you follow Heather Cox Richardson? She's on substack and is a historian who writes about current events with a historical perspective. She's amazing! Merry Christmas Sandy!

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    1. Yes I do follow Heather Cox Richardson and several of the guys from Medias Touch.

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