Wednesday, November 26, 2008

What Is Wrong With EBlogger?

If you are wondering what is going on- here's the way the quote is supposed to be:

To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.” ~ Albert Schweitzer

Have a good Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving! A Time for Gratitude!

cted at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.” ~ AlTo educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is direbert Schweitzer


This is the holiday I always set aside as my special day of gratitude. I don't like to mingle with crowds of people, and I don't like to stuff myself with rich food. As a hermit and a curmudgeon, I prefer to be alone. As a practise, I began to do prayers of gratitude years ago.

Of course, I do say prayers of gratitude every day. What makes this day special? I guess it is the change in the season. It is the time of year there is lots of gluttony, ego, and selfishness going around. I just decided this was a day to try to balance the world a little bit. In my own little corner.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ Melodie Beattie

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Wait! It's Not Christmas Yet!

About 44 days to Christmas-and the Christmas cactus is blooming. This is the first blossom. It was pure white with a pink stamen. Very sexy-for a flower anyway!


The second flower is pale yellow. I swear last year I remember pink, but maybe I don't remember well. They are very pretty. But it isn't time yet to bloom. Oh-well-who am I to tell the plant when to bloom and not to bloom?
This is Uni. She is my new other me. It is a Uniquely You dress form. This is Uni naked out of the box.



This is Uni after the first fitting. I have to try on this cover and fit it on me. It has to be skin tight. When I put the cover back on Uni, it was two inches two big in the bust and hips. The waist was just right. So again back to the sewing machine, and now I have a Uniquely You that is my size.
At least I would look like this if I had on a body shaper. It does not show the lumps and bumps and rolls. I guess I could stick on some padding in places, but I really don't need a reminder of that. I see it everyday. At least now I can place stuff on her and see how it drapes or fits. I think this is a good thing to have.


I am now putting the lace border on the shawl I have been working on. I am almost finished with another pair of socks. And then I think I am going to go back and finish some things I started and never finished. Maybe.
I think I am getting a cold. I am not a happy camper. But I am trying to stay away from others, and I am doing my best to not spread the cheer to others. So stay home, knit, read, and not be sociable.
Later.




Saturday, November 8, 2008

The ? Future of Knitting?

http://io9.com/5076139/3d-knit-dresses-let-you-go-mecha-chic

There is nothing to say. Once you've seen them, you will see what I mean!

I had surprise visitors yesterday. I was watching t.v., knitting, and thinking about putting supper in the oven. And here comes my friend CF, her daughter and two grandsons. Both the boys took naps, and we caught up on news. Both the boys were not "feeling well", and I hate to admit that as soon as they left I wiped things down with Clorox wipes. And I took the pillowcases and blanket and put in the laundry room.

But it was nice to see them all again. They live in a town that is about 3 hours from here, and B. wanted to go to an art gallery opening to see if she could get a show there. She has always done this funky, surrealistic type of painting. She can do conventional stuff, but doesn't like it. She would rather not sell something than compromise her way of doing it. Obviously she needs support from her husband and mother to do this. But don't get me started on this.

I ordered a Uniquely You dress form. I got an email that it was shipped on Thursday. I have already named her Uni. I haven't got a clue how this is going to affect my psyche to see "myself" in 3-D. I am really a little bit nervous about it. I think this will help me make better fitting sweaters and things. And I can see how things drape easier than trying to put it on me and peering in the mirror backwards.

We have had the most pleasant Fall weather this week. It has been in the high 50's-maybe touching low 60's briefly in the heat of the day-and cooler in the 30's at night. It has been very windy and the leaves are blowing off the trees. I got my new Roman shades that have insulation on them for the North windows. So I am ready for the cold. No, I lied. I am not ready for it to come. But when it does, I am prepared.

My neighbors' son brought a load of fill to put on the west side of the driveway to fill in where everything is settled. Now the whole family is getting involved. I must be their "project". He told me that he was doing some work around the yard, and had dug out a lot of "fill", and he would just bring it over and take care of the low spots for me. So when I got home Thursday night, there was the first load put in. I just shake my head and sigh. I guess colder weather will keep them at home. But I guess I have to get tough next Spring and Summer.

I guess I will go and watch Fons and Porter on t.v. I am cutting out quilt pieces right now for a simple, easy quilt. So maybe this will inspire me to keep on working on that.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Voting Day!

These are three little skeins of yarn I just finished for JF. She gave me some roving she bought a LONG time ago, and asked me to spin them for her. It was an interesting batch. The one on the left is 4 ozs of Wensleydale, the one in center is 2 ozs of merino/silk, and the bottom one is 2 ozs of merino/tencel. JF said she thought she wanted to learn to spin, went to a class, bought a spindle and these rovings. I personally would never have suggested merino/tencel for a beginner on a spindle. But......... This is the merino/silk. It took the dye the brightest. The colors really were distinct with the silk.
This is the merino/tencel. As you can tell, it is really shiny. I had little tencel fibers stuck all over me when it was done. It also bled pink when I washed it. But only on the first wash.

These colors are more what I think of for JF. She likes the soft and muted tones of the dyes. This wool was a little bit scratchy. Not really good for a scarf or anything close to the skin. I have never spun Wensleydale before. It is also hairy. I did put some Lanolin rinse on after the wash, but it didn't seem to help a whole lot.


Now this is the newest thing! I have been putting my fleeces, rovings, dyed stuff, etc. in these storage boxes for about ten years. I have lived in cramped quarters for a while. This was the only way I found to store them safely. Since moving to my house, I put all these boxes in the storage shed. Well...... what a treasure hunt this has been.



I have no idea where the blue, pink or some of this stuff actually came from, or how it was dyed. Evidently, and I am sure this is the truth, I would get a spurt of creativity and I would dye a little batch of something. I then put it in a bag and stuffed it into the storage box. This will have to stop now. I can't be guessing this stuff.
But here's proof that I actually used to dye correctly. I found this roving in a bag marked:
Green Hulls, Black Walnut, Iron Water, Gray Wool. It is 2.5 ozs. I carded it up this morning, and it is so lovely. When it is in the sun, there are golden fibers shining through. I am going to spin this up right now. I love it.




I cannot believe that this is finally the end of all this campaigning stuff. I am sick to death of everybody. I have been invited to a party tonight to watch the t.v. reports. But I personally will probably read, knit, or maybe spin during the whole evening. I may occaisonally go to the t.v. to check on progress, but I am not going to glue myself to it. I have no control over the outcome. I have cast my vote, and that's all I can do.
Today is the 4th of November and I am wearing shorts around the place. I was cold this morning and I put on sweats. But while carding up the wool, I got very hot. So I put on shorts. On the 4th of November! A cold front is due tomorrow, with rain, and then we will be back to normal.
I am going to start spinning. Talk at ya later.





Saturday, November 1, 2008

Happy All Saint's Day

It is so hard to believe it is November 1. My gosh! This year is almost over!
Some things to be grateful for today-
warmer weather, lots of sun, a quiet deck, birds chirping all around, hawks looking for a snack overhead, and geese flying by.
I have been sitting on my deck spinning, and enjoying the sunshine. Somehow it is important to sit in the sun while I can. One winter my husband told me I was a lizard at heart. He could always find me in a spot somewhere outside in the sunshine and away from the wind. The winters seem so long.
CJ and I were discussing this last weekend. I have a little trick that as soon as Solstice arrives, I tell myself every day that the days are longer now. But about late February and into March, this doesn't work. It is when winter is breaking, and the transition is occurring. I just want to be outside digging in the dirt. But it is too early for most gardens here.

So today is a sunshine day. Sit outside on the deck, soak up as much as I can, and enjoy the day for what it is. And be grateful that it is a sunshine day.