Saturday Snapshot....

Ahhh, taking a nap....

this is the bush right outside my front window. I love watching the squirrels cooling off and snoozing... I really love it when they jump on the windowsill and peer in at me!

Easy Peasy?

Right?  Wrong! LOL!  I'm doing this simple little scarf where you knit half of it one direction and then change direction to knit the second part.  Well, I have this talent of messing up many of the things I'm knitting - sometimes when I'm on the very last row - arghhh!  This one, I had the first half done, went to do the second half, set it down for a moment - and well, yep, you know the rest! So it all got taken apart and I started over! I'm now on the second half and this time - success!!  The pattern is called "Easy" and is on Ravelry....

I've just started this book.  The Mapmaker's Children.

 It sounded really good to me - goes back and forth in time - from Sarah Brown (John Brown's daughter) - who painted pictures with maps - to help slaves escape...  and a modern day woman who moves into a house and finds a doll head - that starts her on a journey back to Sarah Brown...

Saturday Snapshot....

This is my first time participating in this... If you would like to join in, here is a link to the blog where it is being done! 
http://www.westmetromommyreads.com/

It was one year ago, May 21st, that we had to say good-bye to our sweet girl,  Katie Sue Bird.  She loved to sit under this lamp in the winter to keep herself warmed up.  I still miss her so much....

Feels Odd - But In A Good Way....

I started cross-stitching again today - the first stitches I've made in linen in over two years (if not longer)!  I stopped for various reasons - and then just never picked it up again.  It felt odd to not be stitching (after doing it for over 25 years or more)...  But I just couldn't bring myself to start again. Not sure why!  So now I feel almost on balance again. Not sure how much of it I'll do each day - because I knit like a mad woman. But just to have that other creative outlet again -  is a joy to me!  The sad part - the two cross-stitch shops I had that were 20 minutes from me - are now gone.  Both women basically retired from it to pursue other things.  The other place I go to is about 45 minutes to an hour away. Which is maybe a good thing - LOL! That way I can't go as much!

Simple Pleasures....

 

 

I'm not sure how many times I've re-read this book. Maybe this is just the third time.  For some reason, I seem to be enjoying it even more this time around. Maybe because I need "comfort" and this is one of the books I turn to at those times. 

"Bette Nolan moves to a small town after the death of her husband.  She is looking for renewal - to follow down another path.  She is looking to find pleasure in simple daily routines.  Along the way, she has both expected and unexpected help in this desire. One of them being a quirky and sweet little 10 year old boy who lives next door."

There are many sentences and passages in this book that move me or make me think or make me cry or smile. I'll leave them to you to discover if you decide to read it.  I'll just share one of them with you!!

"Birds sat in a convivial row on the nearby utility wire.  Elongated drops of water hung beneath them, shimmering in the breeze.  I watched the birds for awhile, waiting for the invisible signal that would have them all life off together, but it did not come. That sat content, enjoying their version of a coffee klatch".

Crossing the "X".....

I used to cross-stitch all the time!  I started over 35 years ago.  At first I didn't care for it - so didn't pursue the hobby. But then a year or so later, I decided to give it another go - and it became a joy of mine. I remember my first project was a lighthouse - with all these marsh grasses and birds and outlining. When the person doing the framing for me realized it was my first piece, they said I was quite brave!  I just knew I wanted to do it for a friend I worked with at the time - so off I went, without thought.  So many projects over the years....many of them given away as gifts.  I haven't been cross-stitching very much lately - especially since I started knitting about 5 or so years ago! But I'm really itching to get back to it.  Below you can see one of my favorites! It is hanging on my wall - mine to gaze at, whenever I please!