So Much Gratitude

Our Thanksgiving week was more than we had hoped. Our company arrived early and stayed an extra day, during which time we were able to enjoy the world around us, make and EAT so much good food together, knit, sew, talk, and just be.

Our guests survived a horrible house fire a month ago. This Thanksgiving was so meaningful because we were grateful to have them here with us, safe. Kim & Craig, thank you for bringing what is important in life to the forefront in our minds, especially at this time of crazy consumption and frazzled, over packed schedules.

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Happy Tofurkey Day!

Whatever you eat, whether you celebrate this holiday or not, may gratitude be a part of your day.  May you be buoyant and light with it.

I am so grateful for . . . my life.

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A Coat for the Cold

I’ve been working on this sweet coat for L4 for over a month now. It’s been a fun project, and wrapping her up in it for walks in the world will be satisfying. It’s another project on which I’m learning new skills. I’ve only once lined a knitted object, and it was L3’s wand holder from the Harry Potter knits book, so it wasn’t a garment to be worn. Despite all of the clothes sewing that I do, I’m nervous for the lining on this project. And the zipper I plan on putting into it. But the fabric is soft and L4 chose it herself, from Anna Maria Horner’s new flannel line.  I have only the hood left to knit, then the lining will commence.  Hoods, however, are some of my least favorite things to knit.  But the pattern is well-written (Kate’s patterns generally are.  I love how very specific and detailed they are.  She makes things so very clear.) so it shouldn’t be difficult.

Soon, I hope, I’ll be back to show you pictures of my girl scampering about in her new coat.

 

What projects (knitted or otherwise) have been teaching you lessons of late?  I love to hear your stories!

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Jasper’s Friends

Look what I found when downloading pictures this morning:

Apparently the kids were having a photoshoot last night while I was getting on pajamas and sewing one square for my bento box quilt. I heard them giggling and talking about putting friends around Jasper. Now I know they were documenting the experience. It was a nice little surprise.  At least they know to put the camera strap around their necks!

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A Reading Milestone

L4 has been writing her name, and all sorts of other letters and even words when she asks us how to spell something.  But this morning L1 and I realized that she has her first sight word.  Are you ready for it?

***DRUM ROLL***

Poop.  Yes, you read that correctly.  It’s poop.  Figures.

**edited to add**

Upon reflection I realized that L4 also frequently writes, “mom” and, “wow.”  I suppose that I should feel better now.  🙂

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Signs of the Season: Frosty Morn

After days of warmer temperatures, this morning we awoke to a cold, clear day with a hard frost on the ground.  We’ve had frost already, but without the protective cover of the leaves on the trees, it ws far spred in our yard this morning. The cold makes for a happy, happy dog!

While Jasper romped about in the fresh air, L3 and I were busy exclaiming to each other about what we were seeing in the frost.  He showed me this:

and I asked him to notice the frost here:

The coldframe has been closed, protecting the tender growth within.  This morning all the condensation was highly noticeable on the inside of the lights, but the greens within were cosy as could be.

Despite the multiple frosts we’ve had, the cosmos are still in bloom.  Though I look forward to each season in its turn, there is still something so hopeful about those pieces of color shining through in the stark landscape of the dark season ahead.

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Fall Spices

Remember my knitting hubris that I had to correct? I did finally finish the vest and the boy has worn it happily since.  I suppose his eagerness to wear the handmade love has  made all the angst worth it. 🙂

Fall Spices Vest

Pattern: Pembroke by Kirsten Kapur

Yarn: Sirdar Denim Tweed DK (it was a door prize from a LYS last January)

Needles: US 5s

• The pattern calls for changing needle size, but I didn’t do this because I forgot and it worked out fine.

Mods: I made the cables surrounding the center motif symmetrical rather than all twisting the same way as the pattern was written.  Though not really a modification, I knit the front cables without a needle and have been cabling without a needle ever since (currently on this project). From this project, then, I learned two new skills–how to fix a cable twisted the wrong way several rows back, and how to cable without a cable needle.  I’ll admit, I’m proud of myself for those gains.  Even if one of them was because I made a mistake. . .

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My Bliss: Walks Made New

It was absolutely amazing weather in upstate NY this past weekend.  Laundry was flapping in the breeze on the line, the sun was shining, and we took to the woods.  On Saturday we headed out to one of our favorite walking places, Big Field, only to find it quite crowded.  It seems many of us had the same brilliant idea.  L3 suggested Webster Park as an alternative, so we headed there instead, and went to a place we haven’t tried in awhile.  I love how those choices so small can have such lovely repercussions.  Off we headed across field to wood, trying a new path, letting the kids lead the way.  It was beyond delightful.  We crunched our way along the paths, found a new-to-us playground, and even ended up in one of my favorite spots at the park that I couldn’t remember how to get to until now.

On Sunday we made our way down to the Bay, as we often do. We haven’t been since the leaves have fallen. Oh–the sounds of it all!!  And it was another lovely walk with happiness abounding.

How I love pictures for capturing memories. They don’t contain all of the sensory experiences, but they capture enough of the moments for me to make the other memory traces. The smell of pine, the sounds of the leaves and the voices, all of the little details we saw and didn’t capture on “film”, the joy in bodies set in motion–all from our pictures.  And what bliss it is to have each turning of the Wheel make everything new again.

How did you enjoy your weekend?  What kinds of sensory experiences did you have?

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A New Day, A New Way

Twelve years of new days, of changes big and small. Twelve years of finding a new way.

This morning I watched the glow of the new day fill our home and gazed at the rising sun with my boy.  We found delight in it together.  When bringing in more wood I found this little sign on one of the logs.  Pieces of beauty making up the whole all around me.

I always play the “what-ifs” scenarios in my head on this day. But maybe, on this day, I’ll just think about what is, not what might have been.

Everything lost is found again

in a new form, in a new way

Everything hurt is healed again

in a new time, in a new day.

—Starhawk, “Kore” chant

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The Bright Side of Life

Before this look came into our house , the kids enjoyed their dress-up for Halloween.

L3 was thrilled beyond belief when we found his Star Wars garb whilst thrifting. And L4–for those of you who don’t recognize, she is Bubbles from the Powerpuff Girls (we don’t have cable, btw, but L4 saw an episode from the library once).

L3’s costume required nothing of me this year, but I did sew the dress for little miss. It is now properly soiled after a fun time with trick-or-treating. L1 pulled her around in the wagon (also found while thrifting) most of the night because she was on her way to the land of sickness, but she did manage to run through a lovely muddy patch at one point during the night.

We usually have an ancestor feast before trick-or-treating, setting a plate for our ancestors, talking about and remembering them, as part of our celebration of this harvest holiday. Unfortunately with L1 just recovering and me on my way to being sick, it didn’t happen this year. At least the jack-o-lanterns were carved and lit-up.

Thank you, all, for your well-wishes as we all make our way back to wellness. L3 is the last of us still with fever, though truth-be-told, you wouldn’t know it if you didn’t get a thermometer reading. Not much holds him back. 🙂

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