Completed Knitting Projects

The last three days have been sooooo productive. I have gotten 3 of my Christmas knitting projects completed. I have two more to go. One I will start tomorrow. But I have met my goal of what I wanted to have done by this time. And the one is in the mail on it's way to my brother so he can gift it to his friend. That one I can post a picture of since the friend doesn't read my blog...



It may look simplistic but the scarf really took some time since it was knit pearl knit pearl, wide scarf and long. But it turned out beautiful if I do say so myself.

The others have kept my interest easily as they were Fair Isle design, got to love that strand knitting.

I do have pictures of everything, so if I can get the recipients to model them I will at least post the completed works.

Happy Thanksgiving and Dogs On Thursday Post

We have already been out for our walk this morning in our winter wonderland. The pups have had their fun playing in the snow! At one point they were trying to make doggy angels! It didn't work so well. But if you look close at some of the pics you will see their foot prints and the drag marks of their ears!

When we were done playing in the snow and were ready to go into the house, guess what we discovered? Yes that is right, I locked us out by not unlocking the door before we left. (It is one that you can open from the inside even though it is locked.) No cell phone, no keys, and evidently no one awake in the house to let us in! It took about a half hour banging on the front door before some one figured out we were out there!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

And More Snow

Honestly I will quit posting winter pictures soon, the novelty does wear off pretty quickly. Since it is so snowy, blowy, and cold outside, I will be getting finished with my Christmas knitting projects! As you know we celebrated Thanksgiving on Sunday so it leaves the next four days free to knit as much as I want! Yeahhhhh Me. (I am so selfish!)

I probably will schedule a couple of walks for my pups though!

Here is one last picture for you today...

Happy Thanksgiving you'all!

I was tagged...

I was tagged by Soulbrush to list 7 things about myself....hmmmmm.....

1. At different times in my life I wanted to be an English teacher (largely due to my fourth grade teacher Mrs. Hoover, who I just loved!), a veterinarian (because I have always been animal crazy, even fed a baby field mouse with an eye dropper!), a nurse, a psychiatrist (because my family tree is full of nuts, JUST KIDDING!), but now that I am 45, I stiiilllll don't know what I want to be when I grow up!

2. I like schedules and to do lists. It makes me feel that I actually have accomplished something when I put that little check mark beside the number. *This only works at the office. In my home life, flexibility and spontaneity is key and relationships are more important, as everyone is coming and going now a days, so I live in the moment to enjoy life to the fullest.

3. My body is definitely at my physical age (some days it feels like it is pushing 60 ;)) but in my minds eye, I still see myself as 20!

4. One of my favorite things God has created that I find true beauty in every day is....trees. I know most people look at them and see shade, firewood, and think; yes that is a nice tree. But I find they have so much character. The texture of the bark, the way that the winds of life have shaped but not broken them, imagine what a tree, if it could talk, has witnessed in it's lifetime. All the changes it has seen. Animals that have passed by, birds that have landed on it's branches, the horrendous storms it has survived, the sun shiny slow days of summer it has enjoyed...just by standing in one place and being a sentinel, if you will, to life going on around it.

5. I collect rocks. Not small ones (well they could be) but rocks that appeal to me from places I have visited. All my friends know this. In fact, my boys, family, friends, and my husband are always on the look out for rocks to gift me with from their travels. This quirk of mine has also started some of my friends to start their own "rock collection"! My husband for instance went on an elk trip to Colorado a couple of years ago, and a friend commented that he spent more time looking at the ground for rocks for me then for the elk. I am sure he was just kidding but you should see the quartz he brought home!

6. I love the ocean! Since I live so far inland I don't get to see it often. I do make do with pictures from others, and Lake Wilhelm that is near by.

7. I am a very greeeeeedy person. I like large gifts that are hard to come by. Sometimes I wait years for them before I get them because I want perfection. For example I have been asked for my Christmas list this year, and here it is;

• All my sons home for Christmas so our whole family can be together on this special day.
• My whole family at the midnight Christmas Eve Service at my church.
• My life surrounded by the white picket fence. (my mom knows what this means!)
• Peace on Earth for all .

I don't think this is too much to ask for, do you?

I tag Sunny!

If We Could Bottle Time

I can't believe it is Monday already. Have you ever noticed how you can take the same period of time and it either seems like it drags on forever or it is gone in an instant. My weekend was the second example.

Both of my boys and their girlfriends made it home safe and sound ( a big thank you for those that prayed for safe traveling mercies as it was snowing the whole time). Tim and Eve are on their way back this morning. (If you are reading this could you send a prayer up for a safe trip for them back to New York?)

But really the weekend simply flew by.

We celebrated Tim's birthday (which is at the first of December, but he won't be home for) and had our Thanksgiving celebration on Sunday too. I meant to get pictures of all of us at the table but as usual forgot to in the hustle and bustle of getting 11 people seated and the food served. My dining room table was extended clear into the living room. It was fun and the company and food was great.

We went to Light Up Night down town which was spectacular as always. Here are a few pics from that.

Victorian Lamp Posts Line the Franklin City Streets, I thought they were particularly beautiful with the snow floating down around them.

Tim and Eve Under the Barrow Civic Theatre marquis.

Ben and Elise (the smart ones bought their hot drinks before entering the downtown melee).

The float from Galloway United Methodist Church.

Kerry and I with fireworks from the park in the background.

(Did you recognise the hat?) Elise says ha, ha.

(this pic by Stephen West)

Even Kerry Lee went to Light Up night this year, but still as elusive as ever when it came to getting a picture!

Time is just too fleeting. Ben will be with us through Thanksgiving and then it is another parting. I thought being a parent is supposed to get easier, sigh, I think watching them go is harder than the raising of them.

It was a great weekend, and now another countdown till everyone is back in the house just after Christmas.

Snow

I woke up to this this morning. I think it is absolutely beautiful...as long as you don't have to go out in it.

Here are some pictures of the yard, and by the way we are expecting eight inches more today. This wouldn't be so bad but I have kids, ahem, excuse me, responsible members of the younger generation, driving home today. Please say a prayer for safe travel today for them won't you? They are expected to arrive around 8 PM or so this evening.

Can you see the shy miss trying to stay out of the weather?

Have you ever had a dog that was so naughty...

...that he took a time-out and put himself in a corner?

Neither have I. Sampson was just pouting because it wasn't time yet for our walk!

Happy Dogs on Thursday Everyone!

Introducing A soon to be famous Artist

I am glad I have the opportunity to introduce (at least on my site) a very reclusive artist! I have been encouraging him for years to take the leap to advertising and at least posting his pieces online. And with the help of my very talented sister Gwen he now has a blog and web page.

His name is Gene Anthony and his website is Glass Reflective Artistry.




This piece is one of his works. It was inspired by the Harry Potter Books and it has always been one of my favorite pieces.

Over the years I have been the recipient of some of his work and if you click on the picture or go here you can see more of his pieces, plus his contact information. Leave him a comment when you stop by his place to visit, won't you?

To Fringe or Not to Fringe...

That is the question and I am going to enlist the help of all readers out there to weigh in on this topic. I have just finished the scarf to a hat and scarf set for a male friend of my brothers. Well I say 'finished' but I am using the term loosely. The pattern calls for fringe.

Here is my dilemma, the scarf is 55" long, I have never met the person who it will be gifted to (doing this as a favor to my brother) and my brother works different hours than I do. It looks a little plain. Would fringe make it flamboyant? Here is a picture of it...

I have asked my husband who first of all wouldn't be caught wearing a scarf in the first place and has made it very clear he definitely wouldn't wear one with fringe, when I asked his opinion. Is he an accurate representation of all men or just the ones from our neck of the woods?

So I am asking you all, knitters, readers, husband of previously typed. I would like to get this out in the mail by the end of the month so please leave a comment by say Saturday if you care to assist me with this? I look forward to reading any and all comments! Really!

In the meantime I am casting on the hat. No questions on the hat because no fringe there!

Proud of my Papa!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words....

Look at that smile!!!!

Congratulations Dad!

Dogs on Thursday Post

Hound dog layer cake!

That 3:00 AM Call...

Do you know what every parent's worse nightmare is? The dreaded 3:00 AM call...

Son: Hi Mom, how are you doing?
Me: I am fine, um Ben it is 3:oo in the morning, is everything ok?
Son: Well yah except I left Jacks at around 11:30 and the next thing I know a deer jumped out in front of me, and I hit the brakes and uh the jeep is toast.
Me: Are you alright????
Son: Yah except I hit my head and woke up with the jeep against a tree.
Me: Where are you now????
Son: I am back in my dorm room.
Me: Yes but are you ok, did you go to the ER or the campus nurse and get checked out?????
Son: No, but I am ok. I had one of the guys here look at me and he said I look ok...I am just upset about the jeep....

You can imagine the rest of the conversation. Trying to persuade someone who positively hates Doctors, hospitals, and won't take an aspirin or even a cough drop...to go get checked over...

By this time Mr. S. is awake and asking questions...

We couldn't be there to check him over, help with calls to insurance etc. For myself, I could hear his voice, he was calling, not a hospital, or police or the college, his voice was good, shook up but he called so everything, in my book, is going to be ok.

Thank you Father God for looking after my child.

Give someone you love a big hug today.

Busy Saturday

Ah the weekend, here today gone tomorrow, enjoyable but fleeting. So I make the most of it...

1. Walk the dogs. √


2. Grocery Shop. √


3. Lunch. √


4. Laundary. √
   
5. Bake Apple Pie. √


6. Clean the kitchen. √


7. Clean the bathroom. √


8. Dust and vacume living room, dining room, and entry way.>>>Will have to wait.


9. Winterize front porch. √


10. Fill the birdfeeders (again. Seems like I am feeding more squirrels then birds!) √


11. Cook dinner. √


12. Walk the dogs. √


13. Clean laundary room. >>>Will have to wait.


14. Blog. √


15. Knit and relax! √
    

Good thing we have Sunday, after church it is "the day of rest"! Typical Sunday night...

Heh, that is my chair!

Picture Heavy Post for Dogs on Thursday Edition

Sunday was such a nice, warm day, the pups and I decided to go to Lake Wilhelm for a romp in the afternoon. Just to let the dogs be dogs, run, bark, and play. Here are some of the pic's...

Honey Dew's Princess Leah impression...

Sampson wanting in on the action...

Down on their level...

Nope not fighting ...just rough "housing"...

Looking for rabbits...

"Want some help? Wait for me, I like looking for rabbits too!!!" says Sampson.

Okay let's try for one of the boats...I think I can make it!

Come on in the water is fine!

"Honestly, you don't know what you are missing!" says Miss Dew...

"Oh alright if you insist...hey this is great!" says Sampson.

And as we say our goodbyes, the Lake returns to it's natural state and awaits the next visitor to infuse them with the calm peaceful serenity of it's beauty...

Happy Thursday you'all!

Who Knew?

And all because I like the ocean or anything that looks like waves...go figure!

You Should Be a Doctor

You are practical, sharp, and very intuitive. Optimistic and energetic, you are a problem solver who doesn't get discouraged easily. You are also quite compassionate and caring. You make people feel hopeful. You're highly adaptable and capable. You do well with almost any curve ball life throws at you. You do best when you: - Are always learning new subjects - Use your knowledge to solve problems You would also be a good therapist or detective.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

I can't wait to see the results...

I exercised my right to vote today. It was great to see friends and neighbors at the voting booths bright and early this morning.

One of the individuals that I ran into there had suffered a great loss over the summer. Her 23 year old son had died. I had asked her how she was doing and she burst into tears. I again expressed my sympathy (which really means nothing in a situation like this). After which I was at a loss for words. What can one say in the face of grief. I gave her a hug. At times like these, I feel very inadequate. I have never experienced a loss like hers, but I am sure there can be nothing worse. Her name is Shirley. Can you send up a little prayer for her today for comfort and peace?

My Eldest Son

Aka...most camera shy..."a picture cheezzzsh mom, why?". I use several arguments like; relatives would like to see a picture of you, people who don't know you read my blog and wonder if I have you chained in the basement, or maybe I made you up, as they never see you on here. Most of the time the persuading does not work and therefore no picture.

Until today.

He is going to a costume party.

He probably doesn't realize this, but I think he dressed in character of who he is on the inside. Searching for a freedom that doesn't exist today, a thirst for adventure (not really the blood letting kind), a manly man, making his own way on the high seas....

He really is a cutie! Definitely has that Johnny Depp /Pirate of the Caribbean look-a-like thing going on (that is his own hair and beard!) But I am thinking he wouldn't have enjoyed the 'full of the scurvy, missing teeth, smelly going without baths for a year', eeewwe yuck, reality of actually being a pirate.

That is what Halloween is for. Dressing a part, having a good time, an escape from the day to day. Fun.

I hope you have a great time at your costume party, Kerry Lee!

Indian Summer?

If so, I will take it! It was absolutely beautiful outside! The pups and I took advantage of it this afternoon and took a walk on the Sandycreek Trail. Beautiful scenery. Honey Dew and Sampson absolutely had a great time and we had company too. Elise joined us today for a catch up and visit (she was home for the weekend from college) and I was tickled that she wanted to spend part of her time with me. (Possible ulterior motive? just kidding!!)

This is a span that goes across the river on the trail, as you can see the pups were having a little freedom for photographic purposes and no bikers in sight!

They are such good pups coming when called (whew!). By the way this span is high above the river. It is a looooonnnngggg way down before you would hit the water. Never fear, the pups where never in any danger as there is the fencing and no openings. You can even see them checking the view in the middle picture.

Elise and I tried to get some other scenic pictures but we encountered some technical difficulties, i.e. uncooperative clouds, unmovable structural spans, dogs tugging on leashes and last but not least or maybe finally dead batteries.

But we enjoyed the time, the walk the smell of the fall air and fallen leaves, the beauty all around us, the peace and quiet, the lack of midterms, pressing schedules, etc.

The best news is that this weather is supposed to last thru the weekend and Monday! Yeeeeaaahhh!