Winter Freaking Wonderland

Winter Freaking Wonderland

Happy Friday? Yeah, I am not so sure with all the SNOW that we got last night. Oy vey. The warmth of the week has abruptly ended and it is back to hats, mittens, socks, and sweaters here! I am thankful that the snow blanketed everything to protect it from the bitter cold that is forecast for later this weekend. Fun times, I am telling you!

Now, how about some diverting links?

  • Romi’s Mystery Shawl 2017 – I am really tempted to join in with this. I will be tossing my stash this morning to see what I might have that would work! Who’s interested in joining me?
  • Stormy Sky Shawl – I love the simplicity of this pattern, and the suggestion of using a special skein of yarn for it is brilliant. I might just have one that would work…(also FREE!)
  • Linen Noir is perfect for the thoughts of summer dancing in my head!
  • These Kissing Cousin Socks are GENIUS! Really… oh.my.gosh. Genius!
  • Isabel Kraemer’s Aileas… perfect timing for this sucky weather!
  • Kimono – In theory, I love this…but I think wearing it would be disastrous, at least for klutzy me! Although, this might be perfect for a yarn that you know will pill like mad, because there won’t be many friction points!
  • This one is for Carole – something she can knit up with all that gorgeous yarn she spun last weekend!
  • Rainbrioche – the name says it all!
  • Now, this speaks to the Sheep Rare Breed Lover in me – Coburg Mittens knit from yarn that is 70% German Coburg Fox Sheep with 30% Merino. (You only need one skein…just sayin’) Oh, and in case you have never seen German Coburg Fox Sheep… some sheepy cuteness for you!
  • Do you get Taproot Magazine? The Weave Issue has two really cute patterns: Quill and Three French Hens (LOVE!!)

And, lastly – a huge Congratulations to Gudrun Johnston for designing the official 2017 Shetland Wool Week ‘Bousta Beanie’ pattern. You can get a free copy of it here.

That is all I have for this week – stay warm and I will see you back here on Monday!

When Bullying Hits Home

When Bullying Hits Home

This week’s Think Write Thursday topic is to tell a story about bullying. A time you witnessed it and stepped up or maybe a time you witnessed and did nothing. Or, if you haven’t had a personal experience with bullying, feel free to write a fiction piece on this topic.

Some weeks I would like to say – who the heck picked this, but yeah – that would be me, so I apologize in advance for such a challenging topic!

I think we would all like to say that if we viewed a person being bullied that we would step up and speak out. We would like to, but this is not always the case. However, recently in Olanthe, KS an incident occurred of harassment occurred and a bystander stood up for those being bullied, sadly he was injured in the incident that left one victim injured also, and one victim was killed. Still – someone stood up for what was right – even with peril to his life.

However, I have no such noble tale to tell regarding my heroics in standing up to a bully. Rather I found this quote by Michael M. Honda most appropriate:

Everyone in America likely has a bullying story, whether as the victim, bully or as a witness.

Let that sink in a minute… yeah, bullying is all inclusive…

Now I will share my story:

Most of my childhood I shared a bedroom with my younger sister, and we shared a double bed. Not so bad, really… unless one of you is a bed-wetter. My sister, sadly, wet the bed for years – really…years. However, thankfully, she does NOT read this blog! However, I am quite certain that I did not help at all in her bed-wetting issues, and perhaps I even made things worse.

I am ashamed to admit this today, but I delighted in scaring my sister with tales of the “monsters that lived under the bed, and if you could avoid them – the ones in the closet never, ever miss,” and delight I did. The more she was scared the happier I was.

Perhaps her wetting the bed was my just reward for being such a truly horrid child. I am most certain I deserved it, yet my sister, miraculously, does not hold my pathetic behavior against me – although we do not talk about the night terrors I gave her. Perhaps it is time that we do – a conversation that begins with my sincere apologies for my horrid behavior.

I am no longer that horrid little girl and I have grown to be a vocal advocate for bullying where and when I see it. I debated with my self about turning off comments for this post – but, I opted to leave them open. This post was not written to garner your sympathy, and as Mary said it is amazing the things we share here – if she could share her closet, I could do no less than share this story.

Today the final line from my Lenten devotion hit home… ‘is there a task that God has put on your heart?’ Yes, indeed there is.

If you would like read more Think Write Thursday posts from today you will find them here. If you would like to join Carole and me in our Think Write Thursday journey – we would love to have you join us! You can sign up here.

Sock Along

Sock Along

It is all sock knitting here. Mystery Socks – one done, one to be finished.

Handspun Montadale Plain Vanilla Socks – in process

Birthday Helical Stripe Socks – in process

At least sock knitting is portable!

Actual reading has stalled, but audio books have been getting a good work out. I finished Orwell’s 1984 yesterday. I gave it 5 stars – I really loved this book. How spooky or perhaps eerie in how relevant it is to what is currently going on is crazy. If you have not read it – you should. It is brilliant writing.

I began listening to Orwell’s Animal Farm – this is a “re-read” for me, however, I read this book over 35 years ago, and felt a refresher was in order. The same company published this audiobook, and I am thrilled because the narration is stellar.

Oh, and I started reading The Zookeeper’s Wife last night. It is too soon to have any thoughts on the book as of yet.

As always, joining with Ginny’s Yarn Along – what are you reading this week?

When you have nothing and it is Tuesday

When you have nothing and it is Tuesday

Perhaps a throwback to Carole’s 10 on Tuesday with ten random thoughts courtesy from my brain!

  1. This head cold has totally derailed my night time reading – I have not even tried to read a single word. However, I feel I have turned a corner and perhaps tonight will be the night that before bed reading resumes… I have my fingers crossed.
  2. I made great strides on my catch-up list yesterday, which means my list for today is only semi-daunting! At this rate, my Wednesday list should be back to normal.
  3. I am almost finished listening to Orwell’s 1984 and wow. Just wow.
  4. This website has brought new clarity and understanding to my thought process.
  5. My forsythias are opening, the red-winged blackbirds have returned, and there is joy in my heart that the weather was mild again this morning.
  6. Amazon Prime Exercise Videos have not been a rousing success – I am blaming this waning but damned cold.
  7. However, Lenten meditations are – and have even offered a few moments respite from thinking about my foggy head.
  8. I jumped on the Helical Stripe Bandwagon last week – Birthday Socks have begun. A word about Helical Stripes – WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE???? Yes, they are that good.
  9. My concern level for the number of projects in the works is growing – there are way more of them than there are of me!
  10. Tomorrow is International Women’s Strike Day…I love this statement: “Some of us are striking, marching, rallying, and boycotting. Some of us wish we could. Everyone, everywhere can join the PUSSYHAT GLOBAL VIRTUAL MARCH!” YES!!! You can participate virtually! Really. It’s a wear, declare, and share kind of day – so, put some red on and your pussyhat, make a little sign about where you are from or what you are for, and take a selfie!! Share it on your social media and tag it #pussyhatglobal All the details are on Pussyhat Project.

There you have my Tuesday, Gentle Reader. Oh, and dust off your Pussyhat’s for tomorrow!

Catch Up Monday’s

Catch Up Monday’s

The weekend’s list of accomplishments was short – laundry being the sole item.

Which leaves me catching up on Monday.

A bit of vitamin C and coffee paired with some nourishing meditations will hopefully get me ready to move those things left undone from the weekend onto my Monday list.

It will be a full week – I hope your weekend was just what you needed to tackle your week!

Happy Monday, everyone!

Rambling Links

Rambling Links

Overnight snowfall certainly puts the arrival of March in the Lion Category. And, sadly, while we got snowfall – it was not enough to insulate the newly budding and growing things.

Frozen Chives make me sad.

Oh, and add to the mix what I knew would be inevitable with warm/cold/warm/cold weather – Welcome to the House of the Head Cold! Yeah – fun times!

Good thing I have a pile of knitting to keep me company. And, if that were not enough… Mary shared with me this juicy tidbit (which will make all of us Benedict Cumberbatch fans ecstatic!!) I have not read the books, but I got them on my Kindle yesterday.

Now, how about some links to keep your knitting mojo on track (or get it back on track…)

Sock knitting is always a good thing and there were a couple of nice patterns released this past week:

There was a plethora of shawls:

  • High Woods Shawl (on sale for £1 until Sunday morning)
  • The Bee Queen (Free until March 4)
  • Lori Versaci has sinuous – this is such fascinating construction!
  • Persistence – with donations from each purchase to a variety of organizations, i.e. ACLU, SPLC, Planned Parenthood, etc.
  • With Ease – a comfortable friend for your shoulders
  • More Svetlana – she is an artist with yarn and needles

Garter stitch sweaters make my heart sing:

Miscellaneous, but noteworthy:

And finally, Easter Bunny Egg Cozy… really, we all need these asap!

Have a great weekend everyone, see you back here on Monday!

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