Short Story Long

(I started this post in September, but here at the end of October  mid-November, we still have summer plants alive in the garden - hollyhocks hanging on!)  That is to say, it was a beautiful albeit hot summer at our house, and I happily look back on all the blessings of the season.   Family and friends visited, we had some lovely peonies, roses and other flowers; we went rafting and fishing and drove to the Northern Woods; saw the World's Biggest Dilly Bar, hockey stick, a beautiful stave church, and a couple of homes that Grandpa lived in when he was a kid.  We had a windy, smoky picnic with old friends, and lots of laughs with great-aunts and uncles.  We visited The City, and farms, and cemeteries and so much more.   We're in a new season of life; nothing bad, just different, and a little busier.  A lot less knitting, but still knitting.  Morning by morning, new mercies I see.  

HOW did I reformat my whole blog after I spent hours customizing it?  I clicked something irreversible and have not had time to go back through and edit it all again.   Moving on.  Happy autumn!  We're in the thick of it now, with leaves changing and the garden done.  Cool mornings, no more cricket sounds, and that light that gets a little lower every day.  At my house, we are cooking dinners inside instead of out on the grill.   We have spent too much time at home this year.  None from fear; mostly because the things we would do are not open, and possibly a bit of laziness.  It is easy to stay home and not do hair - or cut hair; not worry about matching clothes; not worry about timeliness.  It all blends.  I know you are there, too.  We have spent most of our church hours watching church online; it has been nice to have a quiet morning in pajamas, with hot drinks and fresh pancakes while we listen to a sermon.  ...

I'm blessed to be surrounded by many wonderful women, mothers, including my own, my grandmothers, aunts and mother-in-law, sisters, and friends!

Every year during November, we make a Thanksgiving Chain.  (Honestly, I missed a few years in there, when I was a young adult.)  Whoever is here at dinner or in the evening can add a link to it.  Needless to say, it is a good way to stop for a moment and be grateful, and to capture a season.   On our chain this year:  dogtags Lazz/Nico/Zeph LOL Suprize/Shopkins animals with wool Jesus's example Jen & Randi rest sunshine growth my mom my dad Grandpa's letters my wife opportunity God's faithfulness lemons family Lazz Nico Zeph Rachel funny parents and brothers socks music Christmas music chocolate hot tea a godly heritage thankfulness chilly mornings cloudy days soup autumn leaves grandparents Dairry mountains hot tea on a cold morning warm blankets snowy mornings good books out-spoken thinkers safety cheese sweet treats candle light roast Christmas mu...

Today, I discussed with a friend how fast the summer goes, especially when trying to make sure the kids enjoy it.  Where does the time go?  It's the second summer in a row wherein I have spent much of the time with an unfinished project that I thought would "only take a week or so."  I've been repainting my shed, and facing the fact that I am indeed ten years older than the last time I painted it.  I can't remember if I painted with a roller or paintbrush originally, but this time I decided a paintbrush would keep the integrity of the original texture.  I can't do much more than a couple of hours at a time, and it needs three coats - one primer and then two color.  And the only part that really needed a fresh coat was the door! but I was tired of the old color. Now I wish I had a picture for you, but maybe when I finish.   In the meantime, I am still chipping away at family lineage.  My own family is quite large, laterally speaking, fo...

These days, I am  making new garden beds.  The old ones have been falling apart for a couple of years.  It has been nice to realize we've learned some things since the first time around.  We invested some tax refund money in better wood (cedar) and are making them taller, and closer together - we had quite a bit of wasted space between the last ones.  Tons of my garden pics here .   cooking homemade pasta, but not as much as I'd like. reading Ready Player One , by Ernest Cline.  I joined a book club, that my new-ish neighbor invited me to, in order to get to know her better.  She's usually out of town on book club night, so maybe I just need to invite her over for tea!  I picked this book up, then, off my stack, which was recommended by my oldest teenager.  If you like 80s pop culture, you'll enjoy it.  I want to finish it shortly so that I can take my kid to go see the movie in theaters, although we all k...

February has been unseasonably mild.   It's President's Day.  Everyone has the day off except, well, my day is the same as usual.   I spent the morning writing up a new hat pattern for Windy Valley Muskox .  At shows, we often have customers ask whether we have men's patterns.  Many of our patterns could be unisex, depending on the color it's knit in, but this was designed with the guys in mind.  Of course, it would look equally nice on a woman, in my opinion.  Anyway, this one's photographed on a man, so hopefully that will answer the question!   Once I get the pattern posted on Ravelry, I will come back and add a link.  For now, a few details and a picture: Yarn:   WVM's Australian Merino in 7014 Bering Sea, and WVM's Luxury Blend in 7015 Celestial Blue Needles:  US 3/3.25mm and US 4/3.5mm, both 16", and US 4 dpns.   It's lined - the qiviut blend is on the inside for extra warmth and luxury.   ...

  Awe; and very pleased that we had agreed to go on this trip to see a hole in the ground in the desert.   A year or so ago, I was taking pictures at my nephew's birthday party and another mom said to my sister-in-law, "How nice that you have your own photographer!"  To which she replied, "Yes, but we don't see many of the pictures."  A few weeks after that, I was at another party and noticed a little stack of photo books.  Of course I looked through them.  (I always look through other people's photo albums if they're out.)  One thing I really liked about these books was that there were several pictures of the whole family.  A few thoughts came out of these experiences.    Happy birthday, this one; and the blizzard on the way home! First, I recall a scrapbook saleslady saying that (photo) books are a technology that will never be obsolete and doesn't require any equipment.  So true; raise your hand if you h...