Oh luggage, where art thou?

Firstly, my Mom is already perking up and is recuperating after her surgery. She's amazing. We're having a very mellow time here. It's so nice to visit with her. So strange to not have my little men with me though.

My luggage didn't make it here to Iowa. I'm betting it's the combination of canceled, shuffled and delayed flights out of Chicago. Hopefully it makes it here though ... five pairs of my favorite socks. Patti's mittens, plus a hefty stash of emergency sock yarn. Oh yea, and my clothes, toiletries, vitamins, yadda yadda. However, no diamonds. No medication. It won't be the end of the world. That combined with the canceled and delayed flights yesterday made for fun travel, I tell ya what.

Sounds like I got out of there just in time though. I heard that we got 10 inches of snow in Maine overnight. Crazy! Didn't see that one coming. I just hope that the weather is decent when I fly home on Saturday.

Thanks for all of the well-wishes and good thoughts. I appreciate it all. I ended up saving the last post about my Mom as a draft... some of you read it, some of you didn't get a chance. It was mostly therapeutic and very personal... definitely better left as a draft and not floating out here in blogland for all eternity.

Oh luggage, where art thou?

Firstly, my Mom is already perking up and is recuperating after her surgery. She's amazing. We're having a very mellow time here. It's so nice to visit with her. So strange to not have my little men with me though.

My luggage didn't make it here to Iowa. I'm betting it's the combination of canceled, shuffled and delayed flights out of Chicago. Hopefully it makes it here though ... five pairs of my favorite socks. Patti's mittens, plus a hefty stash of emergency sock yarn. Oh yea, and my clothes, toiletries, vitamins, yadda yadda. However, no diamonds. No medication. It won't be the end of the world. That combined with the canceled and delayed flights yesterday made for fun travel, I tell ya what.

Sounds like I got out of there just in time though. I heard that we got 10 inches of snow in Maine overnight. Crazy! Didn't see that one coming. I just hope that the weather is decent when I fly home on Saturday.

Thanks for all of the well-wishes and good thoughts. I appreciate it all. I ended up saving the last post about my Mom as a draft... some of you read it, some of you didn't get a chance. It was mostly therapeutic and very personal... definitely better left as a draft and not floating out here in blogland for all eternity.

Help Haiti!

I'm so utterly inspired to help those who have lost it all in Haiti. It's so hard to imagine how tough life is at this moment. The devastation is overwhelming from afar... it must be all consuming up close and personal. :(

I'm in awe of the generosity of our knitting community as seen over at Yarn Harlot and all throughout blogland. Lets keep it rolling!



ALSO -- From today through 1/21/10, Purl Diva Ellen will be donating all of the profits from online sales of the Sniffle Mitts pattern to the Red Cross to help the earthquake victims in Haiti. If you already own the Sniffle Mitts pattern, you might consider buying the pattern for someone else through Ravelry's gifting option. Click HERE to start the process. (also, it's just a rockin' great pattern that I know you'll love).

Help Haiti!

I'm so utterly inspired to help those who have lost it all in Haiti. It's so hard to imagine how tough life is at this moment. The devastation is overwhelming from afar... it must be all consuming up close and personal. :(

I'm in awe of the generosity of our knitting community as seen over at Yarn Harlot and all throughout blogland. Lets keep it rolling!



ALSO -- From today through 1/21/10, Purl Diva Ellen will be donating all of the profits from online sales of the Sniffle Mitts pattern to the Red Cross to help the earthquake victims in Haiti. If you already own the Sniffle Mitts pattern, you might consider buying the pattern for someone else through Ravelry's gifting option. Click HERE to start the process. (also, it's just a rockin' great pattern that I know you'll love).

Random Wednesday

• I think it's time to update my blog design. I'm tired of the blue.
  
• I started knitting a moebius cowl last night: Harmonia's Rings Cowl by Sivia Harding. I watched Cat Bordhi's wonderful moebius cast on video on You Tube to help get me started.
  
• I love the 'Rules by the Meanest Mommy in the World' blog. Funny stuff that I can relate to.
• I also have a pair of mittens on my needles. The pattern is the Snow Glade Mittens. I'm using Rowanspun 4ply. They're knitting up beautifully! I'm pacing myself -- 10 rows per day. I'll have a pair in about two weeks.
  
• I finished another pair of mittens but they're a gift so I'll share the details after my friend receives them.
• I have the itch to build something. I'm thinking a new headboard for my son, and maybe a plant stand. We'll see how far that itch goes. Maybe I'm just itching for tag sale season.
  
• So far, Winter here in Maine has been lovely. We have had a few snowy sessions, but in between it's been bright and sunny. What a treat! I can't remember the last time I actually enjoyed winter.
  

Random Wednesday

• I think it's time to update my blog design. I'm tired of the blue.


• I started knitting a moebius cowl last night: Harmonia's Rings Cowl by Sivia Harding. I watched Cat Bordhi's wonderful moebius cast on video on You Tube to help get me started.


• I love the 'Rules by the Meanest Mommy in the World' blog. Funny stuff that I can relate to.


• I also have a pair of mittens on my needles. The pattern is the Snow Glade Mittens. I'm using Rowanspun 4ply. They're knitting up beautifully! I'm pacing myself -- 10 rows per day. I'll have a pair in about two weeks.


• I finished another pair of mittens but they're a gift so I'll share the details after my friend receives them.


• I have the itch to build something. I'm thinking a new headboard for my son, and maybe a plant stand. We'll see how far that itch goes. Maybe I'm just itching for tag sale season.


• So far, Winter here in Maine has been lovely. We have had a few snowy sessions, but in between it's been bright and sunny. What a treat! I can't remember the last time I actually enjoyed winter.

Winter Wonderland

Balsams Grand Resort, Dixville Notch, NH
MOOSE!

Winter Wonderland

Balsams Grand Resort, Dixville Notch, NH
MOOSE!

Meandering Musica Mittens

Yesterday I got the opportunity to take some 'mental health' time. Getting out on my own is something I rarely get a chance to do. But it does us all a lot of good when I do. I was gone all day just doing what I want... it mostly ended up being a lot of driving but that is how it goes out here. I cranked the tunes loud enough so there was nothing in my head but lyrics, and cruised to several of my favorite spots. I had seafood chowdah for lunch at Pineland Farms, then I high tailed it out to Fort Popham and took a very brisk walk around the fort and along the beach. It was a balmy 32 degrees but the wind was biting. It was so peaceful and quiet. This is one of our favorite summer spots and it's just so different in the winter yet equally as awesome.

While out there, I took some photos of the mittens that I just finished up:

Musica Mittens by Lilia Mankki
US 4 needles
Elsa Wool Company Woolen-Spun Sport Weight Cormo
Ravelry Link

The palm of the mitten is shown on the left

After my walk, I went to Halcyon Yarn in Bath. My favorite spot at Halcyon is the aisle where they keep the Peace Fleece, Bartlett and Harrisville. These are all local yarns so that alone is so cool. But the aisle is actually two huge old wooden shelves that tower high above me. It's a spiritual experience for a knitter to stand in that aisle and just bask in the wooly goodness. I am sure that many other knitters who have been in that aisle have felt the same. I picked out enough Peace Fleece (Lena's Meadow) for my next project and headed out.


I continued to meander around a while... I went to Grace Robinson in Freeport and bought some discontinued Rowanspun 4ply for a pair of mittens. I also picked up the latest Piecework which has the neatest birch mitten pattern in it and also a new stitch pattern from Barbara Walker which I'm now trying to figure out how to build in to a project. Socks? A crew neck pullover for the babe? Not sure!

I headed down to Portland after that. It's been a couple months since I've been in 'the city' and it was rush hour. After living out here in this small town where everything I need to do is within town limits, it was quite the shock to the system to be in the fast pace of traffic again. I drove past Knit Wit Yarn Shop again and there was no where to park like usual so I skipped it, again. I parked up on the eastern promenade and went for a long twilight walk. After that I headed home -- a good 50 miles along with rush hour traffic makes for a long drive. After about 15 though I was out in the woods again and appreciating our quiet, small town and quiet, small life. I actually made it home for dinner with the guys After that my fingers were itching so much to dive in to all that new wool.

A great day all in all. One that I really needed.

Meandering Musica Mittens

Yesterday I got the opportunity to take some 'mental health' time. Getting out on my own is something I rarely get a chance to do. But it does us all a lot of good when I do. I was gone all day just doing what I want... it mostly ended up being a lot of driving but that is how it goes out here. I cranked the tunes loud enough so there was nothing in my head but lyrics, and cruised to several of my favorite spots. I had seafood chowdah for lunch at Pineland Farms, then I high tailed it out to Fort Popham and took a very brisk walk around the fort and along the beach. It was a balmy 32 degrees but the wind was biting. It was so peaceful and quiet. This is one of our favorite summer spots and it's just so different in the winter yet equally as awesome.

While out there, I took some photos of the mittens that I just finished up:

Musica Mittens by Lilia Mankki
US 4 needles
Elsa Wool Company Woolen-Spun Sport Weight Cormo
Ravelry Link

The palm of the mitten is shown on the left

After my walk, I went to Halcyon Yarn in Bath. My favorite spot at Halcyon is the aisle where they keep the Peace Fleece, Bartlett and Harrisville. These are all local yarns so that alone is so cool. But the aisle is actually two huge old wooden shelves that tower high above me. It's a spiritual experience for a knitter to stand in that aisle and just bask in the wooly goodness. I am sure that many other knitters who have been in that aisle have felt the same. I picked out enough Peace Fleece (Lena's Meadow) for my next project and headed out.


I continued to meander around a while... I went to Grace Robinson in Freeport and bought some discontinued Rowanspun 4ply for a pair of mittens. I also picked up the latest Piecework which has the neatest birch mitten pattern in it and also a new stitch pattern from Barbara Walker which I'm now trying to figure out how to build in to a project. Socks? A crew neck pullover for the babe? Not sure!

I headed down to Portland after that. It's been a couple months since I've been in 'the city' and it was rush hour. After living out here in this small town where everything I need to do is within town limits, it was quite the shock to the system to be in the fast pace of traffic again. I drove past Knit Wit Yarn Shop again and there was no where to park like usual so I skipped it, again. I parked up on the eastern promenade and went for a long twilight walk. After that I headed home -- a good 50 miles along with rush hour traffic makes for a long drive. After about 15 though I was out in the woods again and appreciating our quiet, small town and quiet, small life. I actually made it home for dinner with the guys After that my fingers were itching so much to dive in to all that new wool.

A great day all in all. One that I really needed.

Blue Moon!

On New Years Eve the clouds and snow cleared just long enough for us to see the blue moon! Shortly after it clouded up again and it's been snowing ever since.

Blue Moon!

On New Years Eve the clouds and snow cleared just long enough for us to see the blue moon! Shortly after it clouded up again and it's been snowing ever since.

Happy New Year!

My 2009 Knits

2010 New Years Knitting Resolutions:

1. Knit a pair of socks in every Shaded Solid Socks That Rock Colorway.
2. Participate in the 52 pair (of socks) plunge.
3. Participate in NaKniSweMoDo (knit 12 adult sweaters in a year)
4. Participate in Ravelympics.
5. Go to all of the Sheep & Wool Festivals on the east coast.
6. Spin enough yarn to knit a sweater
7. Learn how to spin

OK... so these aren't my real New Years Knitting Resolutions... but wishful thinking!

Here are some realistic goals...

1. Have fun with my knitting
2. Try new things
3. Buy local
4. Knit local
5. Knit from my stash more often
6. No pressure! See #1.

May we all knit happily through another year. Happy 2010!