Aging

I have heard that whatever you are becomes accentuated when you are old. Oh! This is what I am, a lover of color and texture and creating beautiful things. I am truly looking forward to getting old!

December Enlightenment

There’s been entirely too much time since the last post! Ah, me. September was a time of getting back to ‘normal’, after a kidney summer and the Scotland trip with this year’s 10 year old kidney. Unpacking, catching up, sorting through photographs. Then, not too long after I returned our Slovakian son Dan came for a visit. He was an AFSer in the mid 90s. A couple of days afte Dan flew home, the Arizonz kidneys arrived for a week of fun. Their cousins came up for a weekend, which we packed with as much fun as possible.

Making brownies and a visit to a dairy.
Family time is precious. The boy got to show off his stormtrooper costume we made for him

and on their last night here we enjoyed a meal together at my favorite gluten free restaurant, Burton’s Grill.

My knitting projects have gotten less than the usual attention since I’m having some RSI issues, but I am working on socks a bit.

I had the guts to throw out a sweater project that just wasn’t coming together. It was a brave act and I did feel badly for a day or two, but what a relief it is to not have to struggle to make it right.

I’m starting quilts for the kidneys when they’re here.

And I’m working the Pay-It-Forward projects. I can’t show photos of those as they are surprises!. My new project is ‘365’-a photo of my garden every day made into a rememberance book for when we no longer live here.

I’ve been posting more in Instagram (the link is to the right), and decorating.

Now that the holidays are upon us, I am busy writing for my free course “December EnLIGHTenment. It gives me such pleasure to gift this to students and friends. If you need some joy and magic this season, let me know and I’ll put you on the list.

Blessings to all.

Back Home Again

I’m home in my nest, getting back to the simple pleasures of life; dinner on the porch, hanging out the laundry, Sammy on my lap while I read. Soon enough the responsibilities and obligations of my life will take up much of my time, but for right now I am enjoying the quiet. The cat snuggled up with me last night-I guess having extra space in the bed doesn’t make up for a snuggle partner. Also, the pile of mail, a full inbox, and an empty refrigerator are calling my name. There is a sweetness to these moments on the cusp of the season’s change-letting me know that all life is change, and mine has changed because of this trip. I’m not sure how this will look, but I can feel the shift in energy. Welcome home my spirit!

Here’s the tailend of our trip.

On Saturday we packed up and turned in the car in Inverness and took the train to Edinburgh. This time we were awake and could really enjoy the scenery. (Remember the sleepyhead photo on the way up to Inverness!?)

And we even caught a glimpse of the Edinburgh Castle from the train. No time this trip to show it to the girl. I saw it the last time I was here, and thoroughly loved it! There are statues of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce (potentially an ancestor, I have some research to do there) at the entrance.

Rather than the shuttle, we took a cab to the hotel out by the airport.

It’s always so funny to me how large the British hackney cab is on the inside when the outside looks so small!

Our hotel room was just fine, but unfortunately there was an all day and all night party going on in a warehouse next door. Swarms of teenagers, and boom-boom-boom until 4 AM. Somehow I slept. I think it was the 2 glasses of wine!

Today I finished the socks…I will always remember that I knit them in Scotland.

Time to finish unpacking and put everything back to rights, not to mention getting my creative groove back!

Dunnottar Castle

The day started with this guy on the patio

It was a long, long drive there, and a long, long drive back, but sooo worth it. We drove to Aberdeen to see Dunnottar castle, a stunning ancient ruin.

Isn’t it beautiful, jutting out into the North Sea like that?

The drive there was mostly on one track roads,

Once even trying to share the narrow road with a bus, bicyclists and sheep, driving through the Cairngorms.

It was a day of primo knitting time too!

On the way over, if we had had time we could have seen this

On the way back, I thought this looked like an Andrew Wyeth scene

A Quiet Day on Loch Ness

We all slept well and woke late, so it was a really quiet day. I was up first so a cup of tea and my knitting kept me company.

Shopping for the remainder of the week was our expotition for the day. Salmon for dinner, with a view.

Look what we found at the store!

The girl and I went for a walk after supper and found my next house, and look, someone is already fixing it up for me!

And this is the dock that goes with it. Heaven!

Tea with this view before settling in for the night.

A Kidney Summer

It’s kidney time again, which means two of the grandkids are here for 8 weeks. It’s a crazy, wild and amazing time for us, so, I like to share a bit. So far, we’ve been creating

Eating ice cream

 

And hanging out at the beach.

G and I built a teepee

And Sasha’s been keeping the boy’s booster seat warm on the way home from dropping him at circus camp

Apparently she’s discovered the great advantage of being higher too! They love each other

I’ve been working on Scotland plans, and knitting socks!

And drawing facws

I must get a move on with the two-color tank top or it will be too late to wear it!

Best Day of the Week

New sock yarn…yum!

Yellow to go with the blue for this tank top.

Herbs to plant.

And books to read.

And my sweet girl hiding in the sofa.

It’s been a good day. Nothin’ better than that!

It’s Been a While

We just completed a kitchen renovation, and it’s beautiful, but we’re all still dealing with some anxiety over all the noise and mess. 

Almost done in this photo! I do love it!

And just to add to the drama, this happened the other day on the highway

I needed a drink and a hot bath after that!

The good news is I finished the quilt for the boy, and I hear he sleeps happily beneath it. That picture does a grandma good! Also finished the socks

And began another pair, I’m obsessed.

I guess it’s finishing time….I finished the blue sweater also, and gloriously, it fits!

I am loving the art journal class I’m taking

Now that spring is finally here, I am enjoying the magnolia

 

And the patio

Today it is raining hard, so I’m meditating drawing mandalas

Blessings to all

 

 

 

New Season, New Kitchen

It has been chaotic around here with the kitchen renovation happening right under my feet. I have kept myself sane with knitting, of course!

Wonderful soft and comfy socks. I think I’ll make another pair!

And a non-knit item for the girl’s birthday, a felt needlecase.

As you can see I still haven’t finished the quilt for the boy 😔

Here she is wearing the skirt.

On her way to see Matilda on Broadway for her birthday. So glad that project is done. It had its own crazy issues. Oy!

Here are the projects I’m working on-please excuse the upside down, sort of, photo, the kitchen is blocked off and I can’t retake it!

This is the one with the cables at the neckline. Yummo! I love working with this yarn. Perfect tension.

And then this wonderful color!

All the pieces are finished, just waiting to be put together.

Then this gorgeous thing:

Yeah, this is the one that’s upside down, but you get the picture, right? It’s called Afterlight, designed by Amy Herzog. I am so looking forward to finishing it up, and wearing these chilly spring evenings. I better get going!

Lastly, I have bungled the socks I am making. As you can see, I have knit past the spot where the heel begins, so I must rip it out….sigh.

Til next time folks…carry on and stay in touch.

 

 

It’s kidney time in CT

While taking care of the kidneys, of course we make art! Check out the paper dress she made after school yesterday.

He made drawings of the seasons and a paper hat. New rule: if you’re watching TV you have to be doing something creative.

Lately I’ve been working on # 10s and #1 needles at the same time. This is a bit strange. Generally I don’t do 10s, but I couldn’t resist the pattern. It’s a post or two back-a gorgeous purple sweater for moi! I just started a couple of new projects. Here we go:

New socks! Some lucky male in my family will get this pair. The pattern is wonky though…a straight shot from cuff to toe, kind of like those crappy gym socks we wore in high school, so I’m going back to my old sock pattern and wing it from there. Should work out just fine.

And then there’s this gorgeous magenta thing! It’s a Vladimir Teriokhin design i found in Vogue Knitting with a to-die-for cable around the V neck, like this:

 

It’s going to be divine!

Another thing i am super excited about this week: my clivia is going to bloom! This is the first time I have been successful with a clivia.

So I’m celebrating!

Go find something to celebrate yourself!