Mother's Day

I hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day weekend. I had a quiet one with some significant moments of fun.

First of all, I got a new camera from my DH and kids . . . a DSLR! Here's a sample of one of the first few photos out of the shoot:



Also, I enjoyed going over to Cedar Falls in order to pick up the camera from their Target (ours didn't have any) and having the chance to see my FIL. He's a sweetie and hasn't been feeling well of late...so I'm glad we got to visit.

While in CF we grabbed a couple caches too.

Then, en route home we made a detour through Eldora, IA. What a cool town!! We want to go back and explore the Pine Lake State Park area as there appeared to be quite a lot of cool things to do there. We went to Deer Park across the street from the Hardin County Fairgrounds and found a cache and our third letterbox!! Yeah!! I love letterboxing, possibly even more than caching. I love the element that the pay off is a little piece of unique art in the form of the hand-carved stamp. This one was called "Peter Rabbit."

There was also an old car show and live music going as we passed through town.

On the actual day DH grilled delicious steaks and twice baked potatoes, which DD supplemented with healthy cupcakes.

[Check it out: one box of chocolate cakemix and one can of pumpkin--plain pumpkin, not the pie filling kind with spices. That's ALL you use. They are moist, high in fiber and fat-free. And you don't taste the pumpkin at all!! Amazing and oh so good!!]

The kids and I went out and found three more caches which brings our grand total to 100! A great milestone to hit together on Mother's Day.

I am blessed. (And really for so many more reasons than what I wrote about.....)

Happy shooting/knitting/caching/boxing!

On Top Of It

I've switched from my slipper knitting frenzy (because I THINK I have them all completed!!) to doing a few last minute hats, etc. My DD saw a beret she liked at Target a few weeks ago and I took a picture of it with my cell phone. I went on line and found a very similar pattern, took her yarn shopping and commenced knitting. I found the "Druidess Beret" pattern on Ravelry and here's how it turned out.







I really enjoyed this pattern as there was somthing going on all the time. It's also the first chart-only pattern that I've actually completed! I knit it with Cascade 210 (it calls for DK weight yarn) in the colorway "Turtle."

Also it occurred to me that I did not show you the pair of slippers I did with Granny Square flaps or the way I put a decorative edge on one of the pairs of plain colored slippers. Without further ado, this is what they look like:


Granny square slippers for niece in Texas.


Blanket stitch edging on slippers for niece in Sioux City. (The hardest part about this was choosing which contrasting color to use!!)

I have a few other quick things to finish off for the holidays, but the bulk of it is finished. What isn't done yet are all little "extras"--so if they don't get finished it's no big deal. I can give them to the receipients at any time.

Hope you are all in full swing either enjoying the holidays or preparing for the ones yet to come!

Happy Knitting!

The Problem With Reading

I visit several blogs each day. It's a habit I enjoy and I feel I have a connection to others across the blog-o-sphere who share some of the same passions I have.....fiber, food, books, travel, etc.

The problem with such a reading habit, however, is that one is likely to stumble upon a variety of buttons and counters on other blogs.

Yesterday I ran across a blog which included a "Countdown To Chrismas" clock on the sidebar.

Yikes!

That was a wake up call!

Less than 2 months left until the gift giving festivities! (Even less if you're celebrating Hanukkah!!)

I finished off the handknit gifts for guys a while back. This was not really too difficult as the hand knit portion of the guy gifts is small this year. (Especially compared to the aspirations I harbor for the ladies' gifts.)

I'm not saying who is getting what, but here is what I have thus far for the women:


Thank goodness it's a felting project! That means (generally speaking) using larger needles than I do when knitting socks. This results in quicker knitting times.

Wish me luck!! (and do you think people in warm climates need something like what's pictured above?)

Fools Gold

The minute I saw Chris Church's pattern, Fools Gold over at Knotions, I knew it was a pattern I HAD to make for my niece and nephew (whether for Christmas or otherwise).

It is simply THE cutest hat I've ever seen!

Even though they were actually visiting this past weekend, I went ahead and cast on for the project. I had some Swish bulky from Knit Picks left over from another project. It is a washable, 100% wool, so it seemed ideal. I started Friday night, knit a little on the hat Saturday evening and completed it Sunday afternoon in a couple of hours. (All total, knitting time was around 3-4 hours....I think.)

Here's the completed project:



. . . and atop a real head (though, granted, a head larger than the one it is intended for!!)




Chris Church's design rocks! It was easy to knit (and fun too!) It only takes about 135 yards of bulky weight yarn (1 skein!!) and a U.S. #10 24" circular needle. I think the wee kiddies (and their mom & dad) will like it!

Happy Knitting!

Just Say "Yes!"

I had one of those experiences that makes me realize I'm a typical Midwesterner today. It came to me as I thought about a conversation I had while at work at the coffee shop over the lunch hour. The conversation went something like this:

"So, you're the editor of the Today magazine?"

"Yes, I am."

"So do you write as well?"

"Yep."

"A lot?"

"Well, usually two or three articles each month."

"Does it come easily?"

[insert awkward feeling, long pause on my part.....]

"I guess so. Most of the time."

Did you spot it there? Just at the end? The big "MIDWESTERNER/IOWAN" sprang up and bit me!

Why is it so hard for so many of us to simply say, "Yes" when it comes to acknowledging a gift or talent we might have?

It's not like the person I was talking to was trying to discover if I had an overly inflated sense of my self or my abilities! She genuinely wondered if I found writing to be a major pain/difficult task or not. (She is on her own journey of discovery about her own gifts and talents and reflecting on whether writing is something she could or would pursue.)

I have been writing on a fairly regular basis since I received my first diary in 4th grade. I have always enjoyed writing letters. Through the years I've had many pen pals, both in the U.S. and across the world.

In high school I was on the newspaper. Although I'm a GREAT procrastinator and usually finished papers about 4 hours before deadlines in college, I still enjoyed writing and usually received good marks on my papers. In grad school, the writing continued. As a pastor, I did a lot of writing--newsletters, sermons, letters, etc.

Now I write for a living. (Ok, it probably doesn't qualify as a "living" given the fact it's less than half-time, but it's what I do!)

I often hear people who seem honestly amazed that I write. Not because they know me and wonder how on earth I can do it, but more so because they do not see in themselves the ability to write, let alone for publication. It has led me to believe that writing is a gift or talent. Not everyone has the ability. I am blessed.

We need to learn to claim the gifts and talents we have been given. We don't need to be showy about them, but neither do we need to be overly humble or dismissive of them. I'm learning to simply say "yes" when someone inquires whether I've done a knitted piece which catches the viewer's eye.

I think next time I am asked if I write and whether or not it comes easily, I will smile and simply say, "yes."



(And yes, I took the photo.)

Something Rotten in the State of Iowa

(With apologies to William Shakespeare.)

Yes, there is something rotten in the state of Iowa. It's me!!!!

Today I received a box from Washington state. This is what I found when I opened it up:





This was graciously and generously put together for me by my spoiler in the Reducio Sock Swap #4 from Ravelry. Since I was/am a member of Gryffindor house, my mini sock is done in Gryffindor's house colors.



The fun new element in this round was the addition of something related to the care of magical creatures. Thus my newest friend, Ryuu:



Ryuu is a unique little dragon (only 3 have been found!) He doesn't breathe fire. Instead, Ryuu is a guardian of all things fiber related! Isn't he just the cutest?

Of course, all things in Hogwarts swapping are delivered by owl. This is the one that delivered all my goodies safe and sound:



With a little help from:



And, I also received delicious Starbucks chocolate and my very first handmade stitch markers (I can't TELL you how cool I think they are! I'm going to be showing ALL this off to all my knitting friends next Wednesday at sit-n-knit!)




I have to say a hundred "THANK YOU'S" to Dawn in Washington for the wonderful swap gifts!!