Day 334 of 2023

Two years ago, for M and The Trumpeter's wedding,

 I wore my hair in a french twist and wore a sparkly comb to hold it together. 

It never seems to be the right thing to wear for a normal day. 

I finally ordered a second comb that I feel will work well

 for everyday wear as well as a fancy occasion.

 

Day 333 of 2023

This year while clearing out the Old House, 

I brought home this white ceramic tree

 with blue lights and birds.

It stands at about one foot tall. 

I say they are lights but there is really only one light inside the tree

 that makes the whole thing glow. 

I'm not exactly sure why it glows more purple 

when it is actually very blue in the daytime when it is not turned on.  

The only thing I can think of is that the kind of bulb it takes

 puts off a glow with a reddish tint. 

Maybe I'll see if an LED bulb will fit and give a more accurate blue glow. 

 

Day 332 of 2023

As I am clearing things out, 

I came across a box with this whole book series inside. 

I don't take the time to sit and read much, 

but evidently I read the first three of this series 

and passed the books along to friends in my quilt group. 

These days I listen to my books on audio mostly from my local library.

(I get so much done around the house this way.) 

In the past I have checked for these books on audio

 and my library did not carry them.

 I thought I'd give it another shot and checked today. 

Now they do have all her books. 

I may get to "read" this whole series after all.

The first book is The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini

 

Day 331 of 2023

I am grateful for the early Thanksgiving 

which allows me more time to prepare for Christmas. 

It will be a slow and simple transition. 

Today I swapped out the fall mugs for green and red. 

I clearly have too many here. 

I might consider rotating them in and out as they are used.

 

Day 330 of 2023

Here's something I did not expect to see today.

 

Day 329 of 2023

Yarn update: 

The blue yarn is in its hand wound ball. 

I tried two different needles in order to get the correct gauge 

for the hat I intended to make for Fireball. 

After I finally got the right numbers, 

I did a little of the actual pattern which includes eyelets. 

The subsequent eyelet holes were way too large for my liking. 

I'm afraid that Fireball's head might not stay warm. 

So I selected a different hat pattern that I've been wanting to make. 

On that swatch I also had to try two different needles. 

I had to do some of my own math 

to change the pattern a little to make it work, 

but I am now on my way making a hat.

 

Day 328 of 2023

After some delays due to weather, our leaves are finally gone.

 

Day 327 of 2023

Keeping it simple here today. 

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Day 326 of 2023

Thanksgiving tomorrow will not be a big production, 

but I thought some broccoli salad might be nice.

 

Day 325 of 2023

Magnetic "paper" dolls are the best.

 

Day 324 of 2023

Well, hello there.

You are just what I was looking for.

 

Day 323 of 2023

I need to swatch for a hat I plan to make for Fireball. 

Once again I will be carrying two yarns together

 to get the appropriate gauge. 

I was going to wait to wind this yarn into a cake

 with my winder tomorrow, 

but I really wanted to get started on my swatch

 so I can cast on the hat tomorrow. 

I didn't want to go upstairs and get the swift and winder 

so I did the next best thing. 

I used my feet for holders 

and wound it into a good old fashioned ball. 

I am now swatching.

 

Day 322 of 2023

We celebrated an early birthday with GB#2.

 

Day 321 of 2023

We went to a tree lighting tonight. 

Everything was lit up and so beautiful.

 

Day 320 of 2023

I really don't leave the house much so I am not aware

 of the sun and its position in the sky. 

With the recent time change, the sun goes down so early. 

By the time I remember to check outside, 

the sun is already too low or gone completely.

As a result, my pictures have been lacking sunlight. 

Today I left the house in the morning

 and noticed the beautiful blue of the sky 

and the very bare ginkgo tree standing behind it.

 

Day 319 of 2023

Today I found something I've been looking for.

It was right there in plain sight.

 

Day 318 of 2023

If I have calculated it correctly, 

it's been at least three and a half years since I've gone to a meeting

 of our small quilt group. 

Today was the first time I have gone back. 

It was good to see faces I haven't seen in a long time.

Since showing and telling is part of the normal thing we do, 

I brought some of the quilt tops I completed while stuck at home in 2020.

 

Day 317 of 2023

There is something you need to know about Great Grandpa H. 

He loved to shop at Goodwill or better yet, at garage sales. 

This picture shows his signature "fix" 

for anything that had a logo, name or monogram on it. 

This one is an iron-on patch meant for little kids' pants with ripped knees,

 but he would also use some kind of plastic-y paint to cover the offending words. 

And he did not limit himself to sweatshirts. 

He also "fixed" t-shirts, tote bags and containers - really anything. 

I kept these two sweatshirts to make a muslin of a new pattern

 to check the fit I have before I cut into my fancy fabric. 

When I pulled them out of a box yesterday, I had to smile.

 

Day 316 of 2023

I'm working my way through some of the boxes

 we brought home from the Old House.

 I really love this vase but it has a giant crack

 that circles half of the base and travels up

 two opposite sides for a couple inches. 

I'm sure it would not contain the water I might fill it with

 if I wanted to put fresh flowers in it. 

I hate to get rid of it. 

I may have to brainstorm some non-water uses for it 

or some sort of container I can slip inside to hold water.

 

Day 315 of 2023

GB#2 and GB#4 took part in a  play 

written, produced and performed by GBs #2, #3 and #4 

for all the adults at the house today.

 

Day 314 of 2023

A couple years ago I got the advent calendar box

 from Stitch Supply Co. 

It was lots of fun. 

I decided it was time to do it again. 

It arrived yesterday but I opened it today. 

I can't wait to start.

 

Day 313 of 2023

I had an investigative procedure today

 and pretty much slept the rest of the day. 

I just woke up and realize 

that I still have ECG snap electrodes on me.

 

Day 312 of 2023

I'm always trying to improve my skills 

so educational reading is a necessity.

 

Day 311 of 2023

I am gathering inspiration from the holiday planters in public places. 

I think my front door planters need a little refresh this year. 

They've been looking a little tired the last couple years.

 

Day 310 of 2023

It seems all of my indoor plants are all putting out new leaves. 

I don't consider myself to have a particularly green thumb 

so I'm not sure why this is happening. 

Perhaps it's because I have assigned a time once a week

 to check to see if any of them need water 

so as to not over or under water them. 

Any plant people out there have a different explanation for me?

 

Day 309 of 2023

Here's a better look at the cute crocheted set that Little E made for GB#5. 

Here she is all packed up; 

although, she will also fit inside in her bed.

 

Day 308 of 2023

I'm working on some late night knitting with all my little lights 

and I've made some sort of mistake on the edge stitch. 

I don't intend to tear back the last three rows 

so I'm going to drop the stitches and pick them back up again. 

I'm not holding out much hope

 as the edge stitches do their own kind of twisty thing 

that I can never quite figure out.

 

Day 307 of 2023

GB#5's birthday was a month ago 

but her gift from her aunt, Little E, just arrived. 

She crocheted this adorable suitcase and its contents. 

The contents consist of Little Bear, just behind GB#5, 

lots of little dresses with matching hair bows, 

a pillow and a blanket. 

The case has a pocket for the wardrobe on one side, 

and the other side serves as the bed. 

As you can tell, GB#5 is obsessed.

 

Day 306 of 2023

One duck and the rainbow bridge.

 

Day 305 of 2023

Another one of my favorite days with the ginkgo tree

 is the day after the first freeze. 

The remainder of the leaves all fall at once

 and many of them land on our one story roof. 

I can see them from my window upstairs 

and the yellow and shadows make me happy. 

Frequently they blow away that very first day. 

I am lucky to get this picture today, the second day.