HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

MAY YOU AND YOURS BE BLESSED DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!!

Catch UP

Where does the time go?  It passes swiftly and I can't find time to blog these days..so I'm playing catchup with this one.

Yes, we had Thanksgiving and everyone except Dylan's mother showed up at my house. I have not heard from my daughter in over four months now.

We ate lots of wonderful food and hung out together the whole day.  I was very pleased that my brother and his wife were able to attend.  Neither of them is in good health and I wonder every year if they will  make it once again.  My sister-in-law has been undergoing tests to determine if she has an infection in her bones as she is not healing well from the fractures which happened last year.  She is such a wonderful person and has been laid so low, not so much from having cancer, but from the treatment which destroyed her bones.

My grandson, Dylan, moved to Kansas City in the hopes of finding employment there.  He had not been able to find anything in the small town near where we live.  He has not been happy there, missing his friends and family back here.

I am waiting for my granddaughter as we are going to decorate the tree.  I have made gingerbread cookie dough since she asked for it.  I know that her shining eyes and beautiful smile will light up the house and we will enjoy putting the tree together.

I

Halloween

Oh my two posts in one day.. imagine that.. *giggle*

I did mean to post about Halloween right after it happened, but I didn't so I'm doing it now. We held a small party for my grandchildren and their friends and it was a huge success!

The kids wrapped each other in toilet paper to simulate making mummies.. bobbed for apples.. made masks and in general ran amuck.

I was the only adult who dressed up. My granddaughter, Anah, dubbed me the "Scary Fairy" and I liked the name. Baby Josiah.. remember the little preemie guy.... was all dressed up as a tiger.

We ate mummy dogs, spider crackers, dead fingers, chili and drank hot mulled cider. In lieu of further text I'll just put up some pictures:)

Kittens

Last week one of my favorite people and someone who I met online.. yes one does make real friends that way...came to visit me for several days. My friend is a cat breeder who raises and shows purebred Persians and Exotic Shorthaired cats. She also rescues cats and kittens from a local shelter and fosters them until she can take them to cat shows and put them up for adoption there. Right before she came to see me, she tweeted that she had found two brown kittens. Brown? I had never heard of brown cats before.

I was immediately interested. So I tweet my interest back at her and she says, "I can bring them down so you can see them and if you don't like them, I'll take them back." I said sure, bring em on down:)

Well, I fell in love. They are just so darn cute and yes they are really brown. According to my friend they are very likely a breed known as Havana Browns that have been bred from Siamese. No wonder I was hooked so easily. Siamese are just about my all time favorite breed of cat.

My older cats are really pissed and only now have started coming back into the house. They still hiss and shy away from the kittens like these two tiny scraps of life are going to do them so damage. But, they'll adjust or they'll spend more time outside. The kittens are here to stay.

Purple Socks

I just completed this great pair of purple tweedish socks!  This is my first time at knitting with a pattern stitch and in the beginning I nearly gave it up as I had to "frog". (rip it) quite a few times before I got the hang of it.  Once I got the rhythm of the stitch it went easily and I am loving wearing these beauties.

They were knitted on size 1 needles using Stroll fingering weight sock yarn from Knit PIcks.www.knitpicks.com/knitting.cfm  I like this yarn.  It works up well, will know more after I wash them for the first time.  It is superwash merino wool with just a bit of poly something for stretch.

The pattern is called Hedgerow Socks and is offered as a free download at Ravelry..http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hedgerow-socks-2. 

I continue to knit mittens for charity, am sending them to a Native American reservation in the Dakotas and my next project will be a scarf.

Bicycling

I am so happy that I have taken up bike riding.  I can even stay up on it!  As a child I did not demonstrate a great deal of talent in the area of bicycle riding.  Received a beautiful blue Western Flyer for my 12 th birthday and immediately ran into a tree and dented the front fender.  Still have a scar from another bicycling incident.  Thus, it was with a wee bit of trepidation that I approached the concept of getting on a bike and riding it.  I did fall off twice in the beginning, but  did not get badly hurt.  My pride was a bit dinged. 

My first adult bike was a purple Wal Mart one, not a bad bike, but not super like the one I have now.  I was never comfortable on it, couldn't quite reach the ground and felt all shaky.  But, now I'm "cooking with gas".. for my upcoming 63rd birthday my wonderful husband bought me a  comfort bike complete with soft seat and front shock, aluminum frame and upright handle bars.  I am one very grateful woman!  I love this new bike and I love riding it.  We've been going out to the park and teaching our granddaughter, Anah to ride.  She's just starting out and is using training wheels. 


We love to ride on Sunday mornings in town when there is very little traffic and are planning an excursion to the Katy Trail that winds along the Missouri river just as soon as the leaves turn colors.

Putting Away the Wire

And so today I finished packing away my wire and beads.  I can't seem to find time or inspiration to make jewelry right now so am concentrating on my knitting projects.

Completed the first pair of mittens which are for a charity project that I got hooked up with via an Etsy friend.  They will be sent to a reservation in S.D.  If I can just figure out how to eliminate the little hole where the thumb attaches on I'll be more than pleased with the outcome.  Have started pair #2.

I continue to make socks, socks, socks.. and am just about ready to begin a pair for me.

I love my new knitting needles.. not only are they a delight to look at with their brightly colored wood, they are so smooth the yarn just glides along.  You can see them here.
. 
http://www.knitpicks.com/needles/wood_knitting_needles__L300306.html

And, while I was organizing my jewelry making stuff I found a little tree of life pendant that was almost finished and completed it, adding some fluorite and rose quartz beads, a strand of leather and a ready made clasp and voila a new necklace!

Magic House was Fun

http://www.magichouse.org/

Took the granddaughters to the Magic House in St. Louis, Mo recently. They have added new attractions and the girls really had a good time.

We've been going to the Magic House since the early 80's and every time we find something new and wonderful to learn and experience.

If you're in Missouri or visiting check it out.. a great place for children and for those of us who never want to grow up!

On Second Thought

Ok.. so I reread my post yesterday and felt like I was whining.. and what I really want to say is that I do so realize how difficult this whole thing is for my grandson. He is going to a new school, strarting his first job, and has been deserted by his mother. And, he is holding up really well.

I am proud of his resilience and his smiles in the face of so much change.

I appreciate his offers of help, love listening to him playing his guitar, and want so very much for him to succeed in his new endeavors.

I Never Imagined

I never imagined that I would be raising a teenager again.

Throughout the summer there have been many incidents of my son-in-law physically abusing my 17 year old grandson, Dylan. Dylan has come here for refuge several times. Now he is living here.

His mother, who had come to me for help and with every intention of divorcing the abusive husband has moved away and abandoned Dylan. I do know she is alive after talking to one of her neighbors, and I have found out that she has gone to a city about 400 miles away with said husband taking her two small children with her. She has left her job as a nurse, her very nice home is sitting empty and her dog and her son are with me. She has changed her cell phone number and has not been in touch with anyone in the family. Am I worried? Yes!

We converted what was the little kid's playroom back into a bedroom for Dylan and he is back in school. His mother let him drop out last year. He also has a job and we are all working to adjust.

Gosh its hard having someone in the house all the time. I find myself with little time for the computer, for making jewelry, for having fun. I know it will get easier as we settle into a routine. I hate to admit it, but I am being way too hard on myself for not feeling differently right now, not giving myself enough time to get used to all this it seems. Its just hard.

I am grateful that my husband and I have the room for this kid. He's bright and he's had such a hard time of it.

I wish my daughter would call. I hope she's doing ok.

And, I've got to go do laundry.

What's goin' on?

What am I doing?

I am busy.. I am freezing green beans, tomatoes and peaches. I am working to integrate my grandson into my life since he has moved in to my home to live. I am getting him ready for school.

I am working to accept that my daughter just moved away and left her son.

I am loving the company of my grandchildren large and small.

I am baking a pie for a neighbor whose husband died.

I am doing laundry.

Where have I been?

I went to see Heart in concert last Friday.. that was fun! It evoked great memories of concerts past and dreams of concerts future.

I went to St. Louis with two of my daughters and 3 grandchildren. We took the kids to the Magic House and watched them find their joy.

I'm up .. I'm down.. I'm all around.. dealing with lots of family drama.. trying not to let it get me down. I am facing life drug free and there are days I would like to take a hand full of pills, but I don't. I won't..

I'm learning to cope.. to find joy.. to let go.. to sing and dance again.. I have everything I need to etch some copper and when things calm down a bit, I'll be back making jewelry.. and I'm still knitting socks..

and now I've got to finish that pie..

love you all..

How about a pic from the night of the concert.. taken with my daughter's Blackberry..



xposted to LJ

Living, but not Blogging

I've been simply terrible about blogging this summer, too much life to live I think.

I ate delicious tomatoes from the garden instead of blogging.

I find myself twittering instead of blogging.

I find myself swimming instead of blogging.

Today I went shopping and purchased a lovely piece of denim for use in recovering the bar stools. Lots of grandchildren eating lots of meals and dropping lots of food particles on the old ones has rendered them quite nasty. I refuse to shampoo them one more time so am redoing them instead.


So, I'll be sewing instead of blogging.

I made several pairs of earrings and am nearly finished with a bracelet, took a trip to the lake, read a great many books, but didn't blog.

But, now I've blogged and I feel pretty darn good about it.

Swimming Pools

Just back in the house from a little dip in the pool. Now when I say pool don't get the idea that it is a huge inground pool.. nope nothing like that, but it is 12 ft in diameter and plenty deep enough to get good and cool in. Heck, I can even swim back and forth across it. And the grandgirls love it!

For years I had wanted a pool of this sort because *gosh* Missouri sure does get hot in the summer. Even the AC doesn't seem to keep me cool enough. My husband was adamant that a pool would #1 be too expensive, and #2 be too much work. When we tore down our old garage what remained was a large concreted pad.. hah I thought... the perfect spot for a pool. Thus, last year I just jumped in and went out and bought a pool. It was great. I loved it. One day all the water went out in a giant *whoosh*.. oops.. Big leak in the ring at the top, couldn't find the leak, couldn't fix it. So, I bought another pool, different syle, bigger, better and within two days it was ready to go. It has lasted thru the rest of last year's season and so far so good this year.

Husband.. who never gets in the pool... takes care of it, keeps it clean and everything in working order! He seems to have forgotten or let go of all his arguments against having it. Today I am grateful for the pool, for the husband who takes care of it and pays for the water, and the grandgirls who enjoy it so much.

Here's a pic of my first pool which is a bit smaller as am I, and the grandgirls enjoying the one I have now:)



xposted to LJ "Rosegardenfae"

An Attempt at Being a Diarist

I know I don't post very often. Summer is a very busy time of year especially with all the gardening going on. In an attempt to better record simple daily happenings I am posting today.

Morning.. delivered bookcase, computer desk, and file cabinet to my oldest granddaughter who lives about 30 minutes away. Went there with youngest daughter and enjoyed playing with Josiah, the Miracle Baby who continues to thrive and smile and is now crawling.

Came home picked a HUGE bowl of green beans, one of the stainless steel "mother bowls" as they are known around here. Hope someone comes by to pick some up. They are beautiful. I appreciate Erin's help in the picking.

After picking since we were very hot, Erin and I got in the pool and cooled off. Ate a bit of lunch and then pulled up some of the going to seed lettuce and planted beets and eggplant. Wasn't able to find eggplant starts so this is an experiment to see if the seeds will actually come up. These went into the raised bed. Soil there looks really good! Years of compost pays off!

Did not see the Manifesting Monday thread so let me say that I appreciate good health and prosperity and the way it continues for myself and my family. I love the beautiful flowers, vegetables, butterflies and birds. And, I am most appreciative that my relationship with my husband is improving. We've always been friends and that is enough:)

Big wind last night left leaves and debris scattered across the newly mown lawn. I'm thinking that it will lay there till its time to mow again at which time it will be chopped to bits. I'm sure not picking it up! More wind in the forecast for tonight anyways. What is it with the wind? Every year it increases. Chopping down too many trees!!

And, of course I can't resist a picture.. how about one near the pool. I'm very happy with the way that area has blossomed this year, it's a great place to relax.

Love and blessings to all!




xposted to LJ

A Bit of Wire Wrapping Re Enters My life

Recently I enjoyed making a few pieces of jewelry again. I had all but gotten rid of my beads and wire thinking that maybe I would never do this sort of work again. But, I am pleased that the urge to play with wire came at me again and I grabbed on and got busy. As is usually my habit I made the first pair from copper. I love the look of the copper especially with the peridot beads and the rosy headpins fromHigher ChakraSupply. For the silver ones I chose sodalite beads for the accents along with some 2mm silver beads and plain headpins. I like them. I'll wear them. My kids will wear them. It's all good!

First Pair of Socks Complete

I just realized that I never posted a picture of the finished socks.. and now I've almost finished two more pair.. I really like this particular yarn, Lang's Jawoll Sock Yarn, and I've now got three more balls of it in my yarn stash.

Anah's New Hairdo

Anah has been talking a lot about wanting straight hair, not liking her curls, wanting to have hair like her mom's.. an awful lot of thinking too much about what she looks like for a six year old. Not wanting to chemically straighten the child's hair, her mother purchased some "stuff" with natural ingredients and headed off to the beauty salon where said "stuff" was duly applied and then her hair was blow dried and flatironed with a whole different girl emerging.. It lasted only a day. By the second day the high humidity was causing the curls to return, but for that one day Anah was very happy with her new look. She tossed her head this way and that and ran her hands through the long strands. Personally I prefer the curls, and have spent a lot of time and money on perms for my hair to get them. Perhaps it's just that we always want what we don't have?

Wordless Wednesday

Gardens are Growing

I have just been so slothful when it comes to blogging but I've been really busy and it just seems to take a back seat sometimes.

Still working steadily on the socks.. almost finished with the first pair!

Here's what I've been working on outside:

First the garden path.. the whole thing had to be lifted and new sand put down underneath.. and we did one of the brick patios too!

Right now the iris are blooming and they are certainly beautiful:)

I've been picking salad greens for a couple of weeks and they are delicious..

And the girls are loving the new hanging chair too!

Knitting Socks

I've got to say that I just love knitting socks! At first I was confused dismayed and frustrated as I worked to learn how to control four tiny knitting needles. It felt like knitting with toothpicks. Time passes.. doesn't it always? and with practice and patience I feel comfortable with the needles and, in fact, like using the little ones much better than the bigger ones. The needles are siz 1 1/2 and are wooden.. another thing I love, wooden needles.. and the yarn is cool too.. what fun to see how the stripes come together and wonder what color is coming up next. The yarn for my first pair is reasonably monochromatic, but just wait the next pair is going to be done in rainbow color.. can't wait. It is a fingering weight yard of wool, cotton, and nylon.

Creating the heel was a challenge, but I am pleased with the result and the next one will be much easier. Moving on to the toe now and soon the first sock will be complete! I have many future knitting projects in mind, but for right now it's socks!

And, sure I've got a picture..

Daffodils

I've been very busy working outside in the yard and gardens and have not been online much of late, thus no blogging.. this is a quick one with daffodil pictures.. the cooler temperatures have allowed the bulbs to stay in bloom a long time this spring, but warm weather has come and they are fading fast. I've a lot to be grateful for as always.. lovely weather, beautiful flowers, loving grandchildren, happy family, good health, improving knitting skills, stable income, increased energy, up time, down time, time, good books, wonderful home.. and now for pictures

My Horoscope Today from Free Will Astrology

   SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If intelligent extraterrestrial beings
arrived on planet Earth and asked for a meeting, who would we send forth
to serve as our ambassador? Believe it or not, the favorite choice, as
determined in an Internet poll, was heavy metal musician and TV
personality Ozzy Osbourne. Although he wouldn't be my own top
candidate, I could see how a Sagittarian pioneer like Osbourne would make
sense. Your tribe is especially adept right now at facilitating
unprecedented combinations. If anyone could successfully compare apples
and oranges, it would be you. If anyone could explain to an anthropologist
from Mars the deeper meaning of Paris Hilton and the Octo-mom and the
American government's purchase of toxic assets, it would be you.

I'm Knitting

Went to the library on Monday where an old friend is teaching knitting classes and I have been inspired to pick up my needles again. I finished a dishcloth in a gorgeous red yarn. I started it before Christmas, and today began another dishcloth in variegated blues. I find that these small pieces are a great way to introduce myself to new stitches.

I also ordered a kit for a delightful purse and some yarn for socks. Will be going to the city next week to pick up a bicycle for Anah's birthday and while I"m there am going to a local yarn shop to get some bamboo needles for the socks, and then I'm ready for the knitting adventure to begin in earnest.

I seem to have lost interest in jewelry making and certainly am not into selling it anymore, but need a new way to express myself creatively. I have two new books on collage making and am also tending to think about working in collage again sometime quite soon. It feels good to let go of the need to be a commercial success and to make art for its own sake alone

Today the sun is brightly shining and I plan to get out and work in the yard again. The days that have been available for working outside have been spotty so far this spring so I jump at any chance to get going out there. I am thinking to place my focus on the herb garden today as I have done little out there so far.

I am grateful for sunshine, energy and desire for gardening work, emerging creativity, reconnection with old friends and the love of my family.

Namaste`

xposted to LJ Rosegardenfae

The Mexican Riviera - a great place to vacation!!

The computer issue has gratefully resolved and so before I become involved in working outside today here are some pictures from my vacation on the Yucatan Peninsula aka The Mexican Riviera. The hotel staff welcomed us with a glass of champagne and continued during our stay to be helpful and courteous. I felt like a queen with all the attention. We took a tour of the hotel's greenhouse and after hearing about all the ways in which this particular hotel uses "green" technology knew that we had made a good choice and will go there again. The whole family is saving money for another trip to Hacienda Tres Rios.

The food was ever present and delicious, a constant array of delights in which I indulged to my heart's content. We tasted every strange dish, enjoyed ocotopus kebabs, reveled in fresh fruit and were awed by the avacados.

The beds were soft and the pillows plump. The three pools stretched out forever and were a great place to lounge. I loved the beds on the beach, what fun. Went on a foray into the jungle and paddled back down the river to the ocean in a kayak. Took a side trip to the ecopark, Xcaret, http://www.xcaret.com/, where my granddaughter swam with the dolphins, creating lifelong memories.

Didn't want to come home to the freezing temperature lol.. but am grateful that we survived the worst plane ride of my entire life! And now for pictures....

The Pools

Our Favorite Spot for Breakfast

How about a nap on the beach?

And YES I did rest!!

Ah the beautiful blue ocean!
Anah swims with the dolphins!