by Kat | Dec 22, 2016 | General, Words
The Think Write Thursday prompt for this week is to write about the ways I stay positive when it feels like everything is going wrong. What do I do to get through those times and stay focused on the good?
For me the answer is not to make lemonade out of the crisis/issue/problem. Some problems cannot be sweetened or made better no matter how hard you try.
My solution when there is an issue/crisis/problem is to focus on something else entirely. And, not in an ignore the issue/crisis/problem kind of way, but instead it is a way for me to not get mired down in the issue/crisis/problem.
I want to stay “out of the pit” and approach it with a better view. I won’t solve anything if I am drowning with the problem.
Now, that does not always equate to staying positive, but it does help me keep my focus.
The other thing that I find extremely helpful is that I do not believe that every problem needs to be solved or has a solution. Sometimes it can’t be – and maybe the solution is to have a different focus.
I try to focus inward (perhaps you might even call it internalizing!!) Or, I might journal about the problem or I might meditate about it or I might even laugh about it. But, what I don’t like to do is to talk about the problem or solicit advice regarding the problem. This is in part because I have a huge aversion to being told what to do nor do I want you to “solve it for me”. I really do want to muddle through it on my own and in my own time.
So, when the life gives you lemons, my advice is to take a deep breath and eat a Clementine or two!
If you would like to join Carole and I in our Think Write Thursday adventures, we would love to have you – it is easy, just sign up here!
by Kat | Dec 21, 2016 | General, Making
21 days of Peace Knitting have brought me to the bind off and, as you can see, I am going to do the suggested i-cord bind off. It is by no means a quick bind off, but I am enjoying the pace of this knitting tremendously – I will continue the bind off in the peaceful fashion that the cowl has been knit. Stay tuned for the matching i-cord on the bottom of the cowl. I am not sure how peaceful picking up 318 stitches will be, but I will let you know!
I really love the texture of this cowl!
I also FINALLY bought Slow Stitching, and WOW! I am almost finished reading it and my head is FILLED with ideas on how to incorporate this into my life. This is especially exciting because I did not do well with my resolution to stitch daily last year, however 2017 will bring a renewed purpose with stitching into my days. I hope to incorporate many of the techniques talked about in the book – I am really inspired and will spend some time between Christmas and New Year gathering things that I have in the house to begin this exploration.
David of Southern Cross Fibres has always been an inspiration as well, and when I saw this posted on his Instagram feed earlier this week I had a bit of an ah-ha moment!
I am excited to start this new journey in the New Year.
My reading this year has been nothing short of phenomenal. There are two people who significantly improved my reading this year – Carole and Bonny! Carole inspired me to join Summer Book Bingo and Bonny is always reading something interesting which inspires me to add another book to my “I want to read this” list on Goodreads. A huge thanks to both of them!
I began and finished Behind Closed Doors on Saturday (it is amazing what an electrical outage will do for your reading!!) and was excited to get an email from the library that Michael Chabon’s Moonglow is ready for me to pick up! This year I have read 52 books and with any luck I will be able to get that to 55 before year end!
Jeffrey Brown of PBS Newshour released a compilation of 31 books that you should add to your holiday reading list. There were several books that I will be adding to my want to read list for 2017. So many books, so little time.
As always, I am linking up with Ginny’s Yarn Along. Happy Wednesday everyone!
by Kat | Dec 20, 2016 | General, In This Moment, Making, Words
Borrowing an idea from Vicki to wind down these last days of December, here is my Blog Year in Review!
January opened the door for a Year of Gratitude.
February 1st started the Bang out a Stopover phenomenon – 35 hours later, a sweater was born.
March started with a fun 10 on Tuesday!
April was all springtime and flowers. Boy, does that look good this morning!
Started with a what am I doing right now post and the iced coffee is a pleasant reminder of warmer days!
June began with a mystery – Kirsten Kapur’s Mystery Knit Along that is!
July kicked off the Tour de Fleece and I had a plan. Bonus because some of this frenzied spinning is bringing peaceful knitting!
I think the best thing all year happened in August! We went to see Hillary when she came to Pittsburgh to campaign.
September started off with a bit of sweater surgery to make a no longer fitting sweater fit.
October started with the end of our vacation in Michigan, which provided a good number of photos for the remainder of the month!
Sigla
November ushered my second successful participation in NaBloPoMo2016 and my 30 days of posting began with an almost completed Sigla!
Think Write Thursday’s was born in 2016 and the December first TWT post was a welcome letter to the month.
Happy Tuesday everyone!
by Kat | Dec 19, 2016 | General, In This Moment
It’s Day 19 of Sprite Write’s Virtual Advent Tour and today I am thinking about light! Especially as we are drawing near to Winter Solstice which will usher in the gradual return of light!
There is no shortage of light at my house – the tree has a myriad of lights, the little houses on the mantle cast a warm glow as well.
Candles flicker all over and there are even lights outside that add our bit of cheer to the neighborhood!
However, some days even all that does not seem enough. They cobbled our furnace together with the promise of a return date of Saturday to finish the work (apparently installing a new furnace is not an easy thing to do…) when the weather vetoed that idea.
Ice Storm + power outage = no heat and no furnace crew. However, the ice did provide a lovely, if albeit dangerous view. Everything seemed to be encased in light!
I am thankful for a battery-operated light and a very good book to while away the 6 plus hours of no power.
Yesterday, they were here most of the day working and of course they are not done and won’t be until tomorrow – but at least we have heat in the interim!
Today the Electoral College votes and I wish I could say this would be an enlightening process. But, I did manage to find some enlightenment in history today:
Today in 1776 Thomas Paine published his 1st “American Crisis” essay, which included these much-needed words: “These are the times that try men’s souls” – yes, indeed they are!
In 1932 the British Broadcasting Corp began transmitting overseas. I am sure this was as significant then as it is today. I appreciate the BBC and their unflagging determination to report the news without bias every single day.
And, in 1958 the 1st radio broadcast from outer space transmitted to Earth via a short-wave frequency President Eisenhower said, “This is the President of the United States speaking. Through the marvels of scientific advance, my voice is coming to you from a satellite circling in outer space. Through this unique means I convey to you and to all mankind, America’s wish for Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men Everywhere.” While the satellite was short-lived, the message certainly is not. Those words give me hope as Christmas draws near and I will be doing my part today as I knit my Peace Cowl and I send you all good will from my little corner of the world where the lights shine brightly and the door is open!
Happy Monday everyone!
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by Kat | Dec 16, 2016 | General
The arrival of Friday always brings a sigh of relief, but some weeks that sigh is more of a groan.
This is one of those weeks.
Yesterday, the furnace gave up the ghost. Quit. On the coldest of days.
Three cheers for the world’s most perfect timing. Ever. And, ever. And, FOREVER even!!
Because really, ten days before Christmas replacing the furnace is what everyone really wants to do! Somehow, my inner child belief in Santa does not equate to him delivering and installing furnace systems – or I would have put that sucker on my Christmas Wish List – and then hoped for an early Christmas!!
All joking aside, I am so thankful that we have the means to replace the furnace (which does not diminish the pain at all, just in case you were wondering!!)
This will put some things on the back burner for a bit, but that is alright too but, sometimes adulting sucks and sucks royally!
Peace knitting was again my saving grace. First, having wool in your hands when the temperature is 13-freaking-degrees out is a blessing as is the peace knitting process – I am jubilantly happy to report that the meditative knitting worked!!
Add to that Sherman is a superior foot warmer, which is balancing out the fact that he is refusing to go outside in this weather, to well – do his business. Yep, Poop Strike Season has begun! I am sorry if this is TMI. But, I am finding it comical – and really, laughing is so much better than crying!!
Now, for those of us who are living in the Land of Delusion – thinking that we are going to accomplish more Christmas knitting – there are only NINE days until Christmas!! So, if you have not cast on yet – what are you waiting for????
Here are some links that may or may not be of help (okay, really, they won’t – but you can start now for next Christmas and have wild success!!):
First up, I do not understand this phenomenon at all, that is until I saw this. Knitting Sarcasm FTW!!
Sunflower Mittens are delightful!
I love Short Rose – almost as much as I love the play on words!
Truly Myrtle has published a trio of lovely things – there is a hat, a shawl, and a sweater!!
End-less Squares Blanket by my friend Simone is so lovely. And, it is designed with no ends and no sewing together of squares. Yeah. Plus, scraps of yarn!! We should all get on this ASAP!
Socks with holiday names like Frasier Fir and Mistletoe are fitting. However, they won’t be available for purchase until January – but, would be perfect for next year’s gift knitting extravaganza!!
This just cracked me up! I just love the dog, the cat, and the lamb, but the Pig is the BEST!! And, if you come from Holland Michigan where the saucijzenbroodjes are the be all, end all – and so good to boot! This is absolutely going on my knit list.
Now to finish off with two final links that just might work for last minute gift knitting for THIS CHRISTMAS!! My Mini Mitts and (appropriately named) Homestretch Hat.
Have a fantastic weekend! See you back here on Monday!! Oh, and stay warm will you?
P.S. Of course this could not have happened on Saturday where temps are forecast to be in the 50’s. Yes, you read that right from 13 to 50 in 24 hours! Only in Pittsburgh!
P.P.S. For any Holland Michigan Pig in the Blanket connoisseurs – IMO Hempel’s Pastries on 13th and Maple made the best. Period.
