Short Story Long

  Apple pie for Thanksgiving, pretty new turkey plate, Christmas decorations in Olde Town and in our home, big and little knitting projects, and cutting homemade marshmallows. 

Another blogger used to have a monthly "what are you reading, what are you knitting?" post,  but she's moved on to raising new babies.  I'm posting mine today for posterity.   Before my local yarn shop closed its doors, I bought a bunch of yarn with the intention of making an "advent calendar" of mittens.  I thought I'd make one a week, no problem.  As it turns out, I've gotten more like two a year finished!  One of the reasons I didn't race to the end is because I liked some of the stitch designs more than others.  I knew I would be able to come up with some alternative stitches, but I need to set aside time to modify the charts.  Luckily, I left off the number on the first one, so I've stitched the ones I like, regardless of their order. Pattern:  Mitten Garland Advent Calendar Yarn:  Elsbeth Lavold's Silky Wool in 114 Maraschino , 086 Dark Oak , 002 White Sand , and a bit of 083 Sapling Green Needles:  US1/2.25mm, 40" (I ...

  Making time to make the things that say 'holiday' - pizzelles, homemade marshmallows, dried orange slices, gingerbread men, and enjoying time with all my guys.   Tonight, fifteen of us went caroling, which was a foreign concept to some in our group of carolers, and to all the houses we went caroling to, but it was so much fun.   I know my people think I'm old-fashioned but now and then I see they realize why people used to do these things, because real things are worth doing.  Saying 'Merry Christmas!' to friends who are recovering from surgery, or moved to assisted living, or are going through a difficult relationship spot, or financial hardship - so many challenges in life... it's so nice to celebrate the good moments together!   I hope you are having a season of wonder and peace, love and joy!  

When I first started blogging, one of the things I loved was seeing all the preparations my fellow bloggers were doing: crafts with kids, and fresh-made beds for newly finished quilts, decorated mantles, cookies and baking.  Many gifts!  It seems those things have migrated to social medias, and I missed my intended post date of December 24th, but I want to get this out there for future nostalgia.   Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I spent a couple of months this year on some Christmas presents, but as my family was all together at Thanksgiving, it was more fun to hand them out on Thanksgiving evening.  They were a big hit!   Last year, I made a couple pairs.  They turned out nice, but I realized they weren't going to be as quick as I'd hoped; I gave those to my mom and my aunt.  I worked the snowflake chart that came with the pattern on the first two pairs, but I didn't want to do it over and over again.  This year, I used my Pinterest board to find lots of inspiration for stranded knitting ideas.  Many snowflakes!  I wrote up a list of my people, what colors I thought they'd like, and an idea for the picture - and hunted down some shoe sizes!  The list made it a lot easier to keep track.  All the soles are different, too!  Eighteen pairs, and yes, I did block them all!  Project details  Basic pattern - Uppsala Slippers by Ram Wools Yarn Co-op Yarn...

Silent night, holy night

We made our annual visit to the National Forest to cut down a Christmas tree last weekend.  This tradition is important in many ways: we like to spend time with family, we like to spend time outdoors, we like that we're helping our local forest service by thinning the forest - and we know firsthand about forest fires.   Most importantly, although I don't know of  a direct tie-in from Christmas trees to the meaning of Christmas, we are so blessed to celebrate the birth of Christ.  So if you're a knitter, and you're walking around in a high country forest, what do you wear??  I'll tell you!  ~ a qiviut blend hat, pattern Aisling .  ~ a wool cowl, my own pattern called Folsom Points ~ a hooded, long, wool and alpaca sweater, pattern Cobblestone Trenchcoat ~ some stranded-colorwork wool mittens,pattern Now with Thicker Frosting! ~ and don't forget wool socks! pattern, my own recipe Picture by my husband, and yes, we found th...

Just one more on Christmas, for my mom.  Christmas traditions from my childhood that we've adopted into our home include the Advent Wreath, which I previously wrote about , wow, three years ago.  This year we finally incorporated the Thanksgiving Chain.  Each day in November , we each write something we're thankful for on a slip of paper, a link in the chain.  Guests for dinner also get to write something, and become part of our chain.  In December , we hang up the chain around the room and attach Christmas cards we receive on it.  It's a festive addition to the decor, and cards don't get lost!  In January , we take down the chain and put all the cards in a basket.  Each night at bedtime, a card or cards are drawn out, and we pray for the sender.  I like that we talk about who these people are, since my kids don't know all of our distant friends and family, and I like that they are so good about praying for other people.  It's ve...

My mom subtly hinted that she's hoping for a Christmas post...  Shall we start with homemade marshmallows?  My husband makes them for his mom.

It feels a little like cheating to call this #1 on my list, because this is not the project I had in mind when I made my list.  However, the summer is zipping by and technically, it is going to be a Christmas gift.  I need to knit a few more so that I have one to keep, and can bear to give the rest away!  The best part is that it pings at least three things I love - knitting, gardening, and savoring the small wonders in life.   Every year I ponder cutting my lavender so that I can use it for something, but I think, I'll do it after I get a picture that does justice to the lavender plants .  And then I leave it for the bees.  And then... it is past its cutting prime.  This year, I did not hesitate, because I'd found this cute little sachet pattern and I knew it would be lovely to dry some lavender.  I also have bits of vanilla bean that weren't quite fine enough for the vanilla sugar, and when I remember where I put them, I think that will ...

  Today's to-do list: -cut out and count Box Tops that expire this month. -work on that one last gift, even though it will never get done in time. -don't eat all the chocolate cookies; after all, I told the boys they still need sprinkles! -watch some Poirot while working on the previous three items.  -iron blouse for church tonight.  It's red, of course!  Merry Christmas to all my friends and loved ones, near and far!

Personally, I enjoyed the cool morning, with my newly finished, hand knit sweater, and a stack of packages waiting to be sifted through, presents waiting to be wrapped.  We usually make some of our preserves into smaller jars to give as gifts at Christmastime.  It is the perfect gift for a teacher or neighbor - consumable, not expensive enough to warrant any strong obligations, and yet very personal; not something we just ran out and got.  In addition to the preserves, this year I was inspired by this post to try my hand with vanilla extract.  In May, I purchased a pound of organic vanilla beans and split them with a friend (I think they came out to about fifty cents a piece), and bought some vodka.  Then some more, then some more.  I filled up five quart jars with Fleischmann's Royal Vodka, chopped the ends off of eight beans (per jar), split them lengthwise, and put them in the jars.  We gave the jars a little tip or shake every day for a ...

December dawns. We began this month with the anticipation of many great things, including the hunt for the perfect tree.  After a good night's sleep, my parents, my brother's family, and my own family headed out.  Despite the lack of snowy, or really any wintry weather, in northern Colorado, and being surrounded on all sides by beetle kill and evidence of the fire , we all found perfect trees.  I'll post a picture of ours soon. Many more good things to come.  One that I relish, real mail:  hand addressed envelopes with notes from people I know! 

I usually start the New Year in a place of tranquility, with plans for the future already in motion. Last night I started the New Year in a car, almost home but not quite, tired and feeling like we'd stayed too long but left too soon, and not knowing whether we would be finding the house dark or light.  We didn't have any power when we'd left, and as it turned out, didn't when we arrived home seven hours later.  However, I remind my self that while I may have had many failings today, it is simply one of seven New Days I get every week and my New Year can start tomorrow.  It's all going to be okay.   I was talking to a friend earlier today and sort of decided, subconsciously, that I'm going to attempt a Project: 365.  Though of course this year it will be 365+1.  I thought I was going to do this last January, but on Day 3 or 4, I found my pictures so far so dismal that I immediately quit.  I have a much different perspective on photography now t...