Merry Christmas, AND

 

Our tree is a bit smaller than normal, shaped nicely.  Lots of ornaments from places we've traveled, some special ones from when our daughter was young representing her school days, and plays she performed in.  One ornament left from when hubby was a child.  So each ornament has meaning.  No designer tree here, but a rather old fashion one.  The candy canes are always the last I add as a special tribute to my Grandfather.  My Dad's Dad loved candy canes and he would sneak them to my brothers and I while Grandma would scold him about us not needing candy.  

Dining room, but I don't know if you can see the snowflakes on the window.  No need to make it look like snow now though, our rain yesterday turned to snow as the temperatures dropped mid afternoon and into the evening on Christmas Eve.  Only 17 now that it's warmed up, so the snow isn't going to melt anytime soon.  Boooooooo

There are tiny lights in my pot design that weren't on when I took the photo.  And battery motive candles inside the candles on the mantel which we only turn on at night.

I've continued to work on Coffee Latte, the afghan, but haven't taken any new pictures.  It's measuring about 19 inches now, so good headway...considering I've not had as much time to knit of late.

This is one of the books I've recently listen to as I walk.  I found it rather enlightening and recommend it for some insight into Racism in our country.    I used the library's Libby app and find the time goes quicker in my walks then it previously did.  I've found the selection for audio books to be very good.  I've read/listened to:  The Room Where it Happened (well almost all of it, need to get it again to finish), A Warning, Unhinged and both Michelle Obama's book and one of Barak's earlier books, Dreams of My Father.  Was on a political bend for awhile then switched gears to 

which I really enjoyed.  After finishing this one, I read another from the same author, Everything I Never Told You.

Then moved onto 

A fascinating read that is both sad and uplifting.  I highly recommend this book.  Next on my reading shelf is another by the same author Cilka's Journey.  But, I'm a bit boggled down as I'm using a 30 day free trial of Audible so I can listen to Obama's new book.  It's long, so hoping to get through it before my trial runs out.

****85 Days til Spring

The family and I did not get together for a family Christmas, all choosing to do our own thing and not mingle to stay safe as we await the vaccine.

Mish Mosh my Week or So

Sharing these beautiful flowers my daughter gave me for Mother's Day a few years ago.  Why now?  Pretty sure I did way back as well, but why now?  Cause it's ugly, cold, dark, and dreary out and I wanted to see something pretty.  I may add a count down to Spring on my blog.

No, I haven't done any Christmas Decorating yet, but I did manage to change place mats, and napkins prior to Thanksgiving with a nice colorful fall look.  Even leaf glass holders that go with the leaf napkin rings.  Now...I need to dig around and see where my Christmas ones are.  I might have discarded them last year....after having the same ones and not sure they held up after being laundered......hum, not sure.

Not me, but I started 2 new apps for doing a 30 day plank challenge.  Had no clue there were so many different types of planks.  I don't find these easy to do at all!

AND these really hurt my shoulders, plus I can't get straight like this, so not going to be doing these anymore.  Made my low back hurt as well.

There's a heater inside.  2nd to last home football game for The Ohio State Buckeyes, and it was COLD.  Having the tarps up on 2 sides really helped block the wind while we tailgated.  And the game after this one rained so I didn't go.  Sat through one really bad rain a few weeks prior and just wasn't up for it again.

Thought some of my knitting and crochet friends would enjoy this.  A few on there I've never heard of...PIG...oh how I should show you pictures of that system I have, except I have up-scaled it and they're not in grocery bags, but canvass totes.  

I'm still working on Potato Chip Scarf, just haven't taken any new pictures.  It's coming along.  AND I've managed to fight the start-itis problem, but did spend lots of time today and found the next pattern I want to make....so, I predict something will get started probably before Potato Chip is finished.  Just saying.

How's your week coming along?

I'm Participating in a new to me Linky Party

Shawls, and Photo Bombs

Making headway with my drop stitch shawl.  Partially cause it's bigger than it was when I last posted a picture, and partially because I found a pretty yellow for the next section that blends nicely with it.  On the left you see a section of garter, followed by drop stitch (in the darker blend), then a larger section of the lighter blend with fewer rows of garter between the lace/drop stitch.  Next section is back to the darker blend.  I'm hoping you can see the variance in the next garter stitch section which starts with dark, then light, and back to dark.  Then it's back to the lace/drop stitch area in the lighter blend, followed by another large garter only stitch area which is the reverse of the previous section and is light-dark-light. (click to enlarge picture so you help me with the sections).

I believe this puts this at a good point to enter the 3rd color, solid yellow.  Currently it measures just under 20 inches (doubling that would 40), so it needs a middle section and then repeat what's already here.  That's the current plan.  What I'm undecided about is......

• Solid yellow mixing sections of garter and drop stitch
• Solid yellow drop stitches with a mix of garter stitch sections in both the two multi-blends (light and dark)

Love to have some input.  This has been a piecemeal thing, in that I bought the light yellow blend, then decided I didn't have enough for a shawl...found the darker blend and liked the two together, but still wasn't sure I had enough yarn.....thus the solid yellow.

Meanwhile.......isn't this cute!  One of the ladies who donates to my charity, Bridge and Beyond sent this to me with her latest donation.  She knows how I hate  to see summer end and fall and winter come.  I personally don't like those seasons, but with regard to my charity, I worry about the homeless in those cold wet seasons.  This will serve as a nice reminder to me that spring will come again.  Currently it's on the tv stand in the living room, but I think I'll hang it on the wall here in my office where I'll see it more often.  Thank you Sandra R from Florida.  What a sweet thing to do.

And

I had laid this aside trying to decide whether or not to rip it out.  I decided not to.  As you can there's not enough left to another repeat which is 10 rows and would form one more point, so I cast off.  I've left the yarn attached as I'm debating about knitting or crocheting (probably crocheting) a bit of an edge on the side where you see the yarn down to the last point on the scalloped side???  The edge would look different, so I don't know if that's a plus or minus?  It's not an asymmetrical shape shawl...so maybe I leave that edge alone (that's the way the pattern is written).  Plus...I don't know how far my left over yarn would go.  Thoughts???  There are several bad spots due to a couple of my errors and not being able to properly fix it, plus a couple of places where the yarn was bad.  This was suppose to be a gift, but....I probably won't gift it.  Probably will keep it for myself.

Got a kick out of this meme on Facebook and thought I'd share it.

About the only thing I've seen recently that's funny when it comes to politics......things have really gotten messy.  But, this photo bomb of Bill Clinton's made me laugh.  We have to keep laughing or we'll go nuts from the shear magnitude of all of this current administrations dealings.

Friday 5

A change of pace for me today.  I thought I would do the Finished Object Friday Meme, though I don't ever week, can't get large items finished often enough for that.  When I came across this fun,  meme for Friday.  Getting in late as the day's half gone...but getting in.

1. Had an enjoyable time today meeting 2 Whetstone High School Seniors as they accompanied me to Homeless Families Shelter.  They are doing a service project with global implications.  They are to write about the problem, present how or why it happened and what might be done to make it better.  One taught the other to knit and they're both slowing working at making a scarf to donate to my charity, Bridge and Beyond.  I'm always impressed when young people want to do for others.  Good luck with your projections Anna and Emily, it was pleasure to have you with me today and answer your questions.
2. The sun is out and though it started well below freezing at 25% degrees this morning, I was able to take my outer coat off and open the car window a bit for some fresh air...sooooo nice, come on Spring catch up with the calendar, please.
3. Thank you NOT to our neighbors that seem to think it's ok to let their dogs out before daylight to bark and bark.  Not everyone gets up as early as you.
4. I enjoy Vodka in my Martinis, and hubby prefers Gin.  
5. I don't drink decaf...if it's not real coffee, what's the point.  I need it to wake up

(#7)

Spring has Sprung?

This is the first, the very first sign of spring in my yard. This is short lived I know cause these cute little miniature Iris never last. They pop their little heads up while the ground is still cold and can be seen normally only a few days before a snow, or freezing rain comes and destroys them. But......they do make me smile, they do give me hope. They don't reproduce well, or perhaps because they pop up too early, they don't get a chance too? I have 3 clumps, but it doesn't seem like the clumps get any bigger with each they show themselves. Now this picture is cropped from the one below.
Because of where I had to stand (to keep from sinking into the rain drenched ground), you see my shadow. I tried to stand off to the side as much as possible and still be close enough to get the picture. The question is this. Which is the better picture? In other words, to crop or not to crop? I almost always do with my digital pictures (the only kind I take). Partially because it brings the item closer, makes it easy to see, and partially because it loads faster for blogging and posting on forums and uses less bandwidth and all those things. But, it occurs to me perhaps the non-cropped pictures show you more? With my shadow being visible you know we actually had sun....you know that round yellow thing in the sky. You've seen it, probably not much lately though. This second picture also shows how nothing else is green, telling you how early in the season the photo was taken. So, which is the better picture? Do you crop your pictures?

Please leave your comments, thoughts, and suggestions. I'm interested to learn what you think.

Spring has Sprung, FINALLY!!

Nothing prettier than a tree blossoming in early Spring. I love all the pinks, whites, and purples. Better yet, I love the smell in the early evening. Truly heavenly. Spring has finally come to central and southern Ohio. Spotted this breathtaking tree on a recent jaunt to Chillicothe and had to get a quick photo. Hubby was stopped at a stop sign and I quick took this out the car window. Hope you're all having a pretty spring. We still have cold temps, particularly at night and frost; but oh the colors and smells. Take it all in folks, it won't last.

Have finished 2 scarves for The Bridge, and am working on a blanket for The Midwest OddBalls Groups. The name of the blanket is Besty Ross. Cute name, and I bet you can guess what the colors are. I'm the 2nd person on this blanket and will get a photo when my piece is done.