End of the Year Thoughts

 

 Copper Lou is doing his dogie Yoga.  This Fall we lost Sadie.  She was 15 1/2 and just as sharp as ever.  Her elbows not hips give out and she was covered in tumors.  I could not blog about it till now. I told very few people about her passing . Even when I type her name I cry. My grandma Keith would say," child don't you be crying over the barnyard".  I can't help it. I can't even post a picture of her. Its been a little over 2 months.  She was born under the shed with 13 others.  Her mother was so thin and weak she could not stand.  We fed her and took care of her and the pups.  All found good homes except Sadie girl baby girl chunky monkey girl.  We didn't know it then, but we were winners. We kept the prize.
She would guard our side of the hill and each one of us like no other dog .  She in her old age became my protector.  Almost blind, and needing help up, she still made a valiant effort to make sure I was protected. I miss her. Zoe D. Crackers the cat, now can come close to me, and is trying her best to fill the gap. The D. is for Diane(She thinks shes a princess). Copper Lou is WP's dog, and now is getting fat because of extra dog treats.  WP. forgets and takes 2 out of the canister so Copper gets 2.  I (now mind you in their old age) taught them to sneeze when they came in from going potty.  I would say did you get the piggie flu outside and they would both sneeze for treats.  WP says its the most annoying thing I ever did. (((smiles))) Copper still carries on.

We have lost more of mom this year, but still our family sweetheart.  My DIL's mother has lived 6mo longer than expected with lung cancer she is in her early 50s.  My Bri. Z. lost a baby.  It broke our hearts. WP. had to work this year instead of retiring early.  So its been a year ya want to say 2010 don't let the screen door hit you on your way out.

Good stuff: and there is so much good.  WP and I still have our parents. He gets to retire in 11. Our children have good jobs. We have the cutest and sweetest grand kids. WP. and I enjoy being with each other. Now that is a real blessing because sometimes time with rob you of such things and we held on tight.  We have a warm comfortable home and lots of food.  Good friends, and I have my dear ones that I have met online. Like Marla, she helped me years ago learn to link and other little things an old woman needed to know.  She took the time to respond to me and help.  That is no small thing.

This year I am ending off making men's fingerless mitts.  Snowmen mitts have been lost so I need to make another pair.  Some fingerless mitts for a 5 year old.  I have just 4  chapters in my Bible to finish up another year.  Each year I read my Bible cover to cover...each time I find astounding things I had missed before.  Nan and I always pray the old year out and the New Year in .

This New Year I want to slow down and do projects that may challenge me. Read my Bible. Do more charity knitting and crocheting. I always need to lose weight. Its almost a joke to add that. Take more pictures of the family.  I have been falling down on the job  picture wise.


For each one that may pass this way, I wish for you all the good things of life. May this New Year bring you such joy. May the bad stuff get better and the good stuff get gooder ((smiles)) My dears I send you my love for the coming year.

Year End Projects

    I made a little pixie hat to go with the sweater.  The sweater set has found a home already.  The hat is one that my DD ask for her boyfriend. I liked the green pom, she liked the white.  Ha, Ha, he chose the green. I never said a word.  When he wears it sticking straight up it looks very whoville.

   We had a lovely Christmas.  Everyone was here. Thanks to anyone who sent a prayer for strenght for me.  I needed it.  I am still very weak, but the coughing is almost gone.  I have slept nearly all day today. Many things to do Monday.

   I am going to put my blog back together and give this a few months.  I have several relatives that love to check in and my family thinks it keeps me out of the woods (((smiles)). 

Christmas Things

     Every year WP and I have Nan and Popaw over before Christmas.  I give them their fruit bread that they love and a few little gifts. This year I added dad's hat scarf and fingerless mitts (no pic I forgot).  He seemed pleased with a new set.  I had not made him one in years. I just made a simple dinner. I am still not up to par.   I feel so weak and everything is such an effort. Christmas Eve is a big sit down dinner that rivals Thanksgiving. Popaw reads the Christmas story and we have the Christmas prayer. We talk to the kids about Christmas . The presents are all opened Christmas Eve except one is put back for Christmas day with the stockings.  Christmas day is more food, but on a smaller scale...my dears it is all in my lap. Send me prayers of strenght.

   Pictures are of the orange scarp and a Christmas one I tossed in.  The other set is for a 5 year old for Christmas. I just winged it except for the mitts those are from Bev's country cottage (child's mitts).
Pics of the fruit bread for my mom and dad.  It is so yummy WP. and I stole  a couple of pieces from one of the loaves.

I have not been out checking blogs and my favorite places. Maybe after the first of the year I will be back to normal.........well whats normal for me.     Hugs and wishes for such wonderful things to come your way.

I am making a orange scarp!

 My grandson is 3 he picked up the phone for his mom  to call Mimi.  Girls he wants a orange scarp. This is my Christmas present. I made his dad and mom scarves and he noticed he didn't have one.  So he said Mimi make me an orange scarp...I love you.... My dears I have about 6 inches done on it already.

I know every old crow thinks their crows are the blackest, but even if you have a 3 year old grandson mine is pretty darn cute.  Not that I sayin I win or anything (((smiles)).

Still coughing and sleeping and everything else...maybe not as much. Hugs I had to share my scarp story.

Merry Christmas from the past! My 1950's story

I know I put the pics up every year, I guess its my forever Christmas Card. The pictures never tell the story that I keep in my heart.

I am very sick today. Wp. Blessed me with what he has and I embellished on it . So I am extra tenderhearted today.  You may want to skip this post.

I remember the day we left to have our pictures with Santa made.  It was very cold. Grandpa turned my little wool coat inside out and held it in front of the wood stove to get it warm. I was their baby. Mom put my wool headscarf on me and buttoned up my coat . Away we went.  I remember crying to sit on someones lap. Then as predicted the car would not start.  Now momma was bent on the pictures. Daddy got the chains out and pulled grandpa up the hill. On top of a very steep hill the chains came off and daddy pushed  the car  down the hill.  Grandpa kept trying to fire it up and low and behold it started. Momma praised God and the rest of us cheered. Off we went to town for the pictures. Going to town was always an adventure.

When we arrived in town.  I could not believe the decorations.  We were in wonderland. I remember wondering where the music came from. I could not get enough of it.  I just wanted to stand and look. I had never been to a movie and it would be years before I ever got a glimpse at a TV. I am sure my eyes were big and my mouth dropped open.  The only stores I could remember were the creamery and the little shops we rarely went in on fifth street.  This was huge.

We got in line for Santa. Jack said he would walk up with me because he wanted to see if Santa had on engineering boots not those fake ones. (that's what hes looking at). When not farming daddy and grandpa worked for the Mo. Pacific railroad so Jackie knew what good boots looked like. Surely the real Santa would have such boots.

I remember looking at the old fellow straight in the eyes. I was not afraid just awestruck. He ask me what I wanted for Christmas.  I choked out a doll. ( I got a little green chair daddy made I still have it). I did have a doll so the chair was OK. Santa must have known about blueyes my doll (still have her )

All of a sudden I heard momma say oh my goodness, dear heavens I never took her coat off.  I got another picture made to show off the dress gr grandma Eliza had made me and sent from Ar. It was all hand sewn with baby rickrack on it.  My shoes had plaid shoestring and were brown.

I remember Santa telling mom I was the sweetest and prettiest little girl he had ever seen. Momma must have know it was a stock comment, but she repeated it for years.  I gloried in it.

I remember going back to the car.getting on someones lap and going to sleep.


From the bottom of my heart you are wished the most Merry Christmas, and wonderful memories, may they fill your heart and mind.

Send me thoughts and prayers of good health for Christmas .  I must be on my feet and about .

I love this little sweater

 I made a baby sweater to make me feel better. (Yes it did).  I have to make dad aka popaw a scarf in ribbing 2 hats and some knitted gloves ( things that will be an effort).  I treated myself to a baby sweater first.

What I did different: decrease 7 sts around neck. rev sc around entire sweater. No buttons. I made a cute little tab.  I really am proud of this one.  I was always wanted to make a sc top down baby sweater. Mistake: I used (Now before I say this I am not a yarn snob.)  Red Heart .  It needs a softer yarn.  This sweater will be washed and Downy added before it is sent off.

Patter is from August 2010 Crochet World it is the Autumn Baby Set. Mine looks very different , but it is that pattern.  It was well written.  The yarn may have added to the size of the neck thus I decreased  a little.

I am feeling better, but WP is really sick coughing etc. my dears its just a matter of time........

For you Marla (my dear)

       I am a getting better. At this moment in time.... I took a hot bath for my hips and knees.  I call my baths roasting beastie (thank you Grinch). You see the water is so hot my behind gets fire engine red ( I know more info than needed)....so therefore I roast beastie. Took pain killers and a cloud of minty ben-gay is hovering over the house. All this so I can sit in my computer chair for a spell.

I am rethinking this blogging thing.  I shut everything down because If I see something on my blog list or following list .....I have to go check out my  girls. It helped not to stay online so long if I don't look at the teasers.  I am getting better, but I am not sure this is worth the effort.  You know you reach a point and think...why am I doing this..what good does it do.etc. 

While sitting in my chair this what I got done.

My dears ..joy to you and yours!!!

Thankful!

           I am thankful for my family and friends.  Your presents in my life has been no small thing.  I hope  you know what you all mean to me.  May you be blessed with joy, a peace that never fades, and neverending love.  Mimi

Not sure about this project????

     Once again what was I thinking.  It will be linned, but its the handles that have me ???? I really don't like the star point just flapping in the breeze.  This is in theory only... turning one flap into the lnning and you could slip a scarf ot umbrella in it or.. I could just cut one star point off and conceal the cutting by the linning of course I would stitch across before cutting. You could sew the two star points together for a handle, but it kind of looks goofy.  What was I thinking???? I have spent so much time on this . Its Fall on the side of the hill which translates to working every min. on getting ready for winter.   Tote pattern


   We had a fire in the wood stove this morning so I could wash my hair.  I love this weather if it could  always be like this. I know heaven for me will be Fall like ((smiles)).  I put on sweet kraut and sausages this morning .  It smells divine now. Once again I am starved.

   I have been working on the purse? tote?, but I have not been online . While I was felting I was washing clothes so I could feel a tad self righteous about that. Now off to clean my bathroom and before we sit down for our meal I will make banana pudding. Maybe the pudding will distract from the fact there are zillions of acorns still rolling around on our deck.

  May your week be just so good you will remember it for weeks to come.....and smile..Hugs

Stuff going out the door

  The side of the hill is still a crazy place to be. Its seems every Fall it gets a little harder ((smiles))
I have worked on a few things and they are going out the door by this weekend.

   The baby sweater is my fav. pattern with a collar sweater .  I have made one almost like it in the past. The long school color hats I linked to in a recent post. I made fingerless gloves for the girls.  The little beanie is just a baby bean striped in crayon colors. I just made it up as I went.  The Rainbow Brite hat is similar to one  in Ravelry the  designer is April Draven.  Same designer as the long school color hats.  I just made one and it goes to a  little girl that draws rainbows all the time, she is seven .  It is an adorable hat and idea.

    I am working on a big project now and it is giving me fits.

    May you have a lovely week my dears filled with projects that just fall in place and look ever so much better than you planned....... I so need this wished back.  Hugs

Hat and baby blanket

   The hat was a lot of fun, super fast.  The pattern was well written.  I saw this on sale on her esty shop for a 1.50.  My DD had  been looking at it  and  ask for it or something close...I am no longer doing close if I can get the pattern ((smiles).  DD is 26 and turning into a hat person. This sets off a chain of events my GD sees her young Aunt with the hat and wants one ...she is 12 .  Vanna White yarn. Hat

  The baby blanket had 2 rows done in a shell stitch when it was given to me.  I ran out of yarn and low and behold I had some in my stash.  That almost never happens for me and I have a very large stash. It was Bernat Baby.


 I have just finished another long  hat in school colors for Ya.  I am going to make her some fingerless mitts to go with it.  I hope I can get it done by Sat. We are all gathering for another tree cutting and stacking event. I should take some pics. I am the cook so its fried chicken and all that goes with that for dinner.  Supper it will be stew,cornbread, lots of tea and a blueberry cobbler. 

I hope and pray your week is going well for all that stop by is wishes always the best. Hugs

Snowman set

  This  snowman set was requested. along with 2 candy corn hats an adult and child size. The candy corn hats were taken before I took pics, but I have made them before so  nothing  new.  The candy corn hats are on ravelry ( pattern.. candy corn hats.)  The pattern is very good. I  have adapted this pattern for all sorts of things many times its one of my favorites.

  The snowman hat is a Lion Brand pattern they are not letting me link.  The name is snowman hat and the pattern # is 90147AD.  What I did was used Pound of Love Yarn (worsted) and made the hat in the round.  I fits a 5 year old perfect.  Any roll top would do the trick.   I had a devil of a time finding this link for the scarf. The photo may not be there it was from 08. Scarf.    I  scaled down the carrot nose from the hat (ch6).  I liked the buttons idea, but there were none to be found in the old button tin.

  I still have  a baby blanket and a hat to put up.  The side of the hill is just crazy with must dos.

  Each one that passes this way may your week be rich in all things good and joyful.  Hugs my dears. 

Happy Birthday Mom aka Nan-Nan

         My mom will turn 83 on Sept 5th.  She may be blind and have memory problems, but she never I mean never lets it effect her love of life. This pic was taken at Christmas this year. See that smile that beautiful smile..she is the love of this family. She had a very difficult childhood yet she came out of it like a diamond from fire.  She is my hero. You know what she is doing at this moment trying to line the holes up on a potholder she is crocheting.....and no she needs no help.  My dears everyone should have such a mother as mine. Hugs

Numbers Game!!

 When you hit a  millstone I mean milestone you play the number game.  You think of people that were 60  when you were younger like my grandma was 60 when I turned 19. She lived to be 83 and that was not long enough. .  Now I feel not young not old, but as Goldie Locks says just right.  Those that are headed my way....it is good being  this age. You can blame alot of stuff on being 60...I have already started this and it works girls.((Smiles))

I have several things done, but I need to take pictures.  I thought my grandson was taking this home so I snapped a quick pic. ( he forgot it). My GD now wants one and my GS loves his. They will be worn to football games. I made the hat in their school colors. Everyone is having a fit over this hat.  I bought the pattern from  hat .  April's patterns for me have been well written , and things my grand kid's love.

May you have a weekend full of joyful things.

Being in my 60s is Looking up.

    Bri. Z. (my daughter-in love DIL) made me a cake for my birthday.  Three layers girls from scratch choc cream cheese frosting. It is divine. I cannot tell you when someone made me a cake...its been awhile the last one may have had clown candles(((smiles))).  It made me cry.

    I have many things to put up. 3 hats, a baby blanket and some things on the needles. Its a busy time on the side of our hill.

    Hugs my dears and may you feel as special as I have this week.

ACK!!! Today I am 50-thru

Baby Sweater detox progress

The weekend off from the baby sweater detox center ( my mom's house)
I took no baby sweater patterns yarn or anything related to baby sweaters. Dino hat is from Sept/Oct/09 Crochet Today. Looking at my baby sweater file....Sweet

Baby sweater love....Top down cuties

Mini Mouse Sweater ( I don't want to get in trouble with Disney;) I love this yarn..yarn..Hat pattern is mine and I am really proud of it. app is mine I saw one on esty after I had started this and since its not made the same way I feel comfortable not buying it. My mini app was made not breaking the yarn from beginning till the end not even for the ears..graph like. I can tell you this is much cuter in person...honest. The booties are Sylver Designs crocheted booties. I always knit them, but not this time. Sweater pattern

I should not call this a Peter Rabbit Sweater, but I am going to anyway. I loved the little blue sweater maybe because I can't pull off really super cute boy sweaters. I came really close this time. Sweater pattern
The yarn is I Love This Yarn. The apps are mine rev sc around the sweater. The hat is mine and I don't like it...going to make a brown bunny hat with soft pink ears. The hat will get blue booties and will be given away separately.

If I can do the Mini app again maybe a Mickey sweater someday. Dad's surgery is Wed at 6:15 am that means getting up at 4:00am to be there on time...my dears hold me close...I will be gone for a little while. Hug my Bugs