Marching In

 It's March!  I'm excited!  Are you?  And it's Friday.  And time for Friday Fave Fives.  Here are the five blessings I am choosing to share from my week.

1.  One evening when I was climbing into bed, I thought, "I am thankful for a warm bed."  Snuggling under my cozy blankets is something I don't take for granted.

2.  The weather has been very very rainy this week.  Finally, yesterday, it was mild and dry enough to take a walk around our neighborhood.  A bit more than two miles.

3.  We spent Sunday afternoon with a young mom at her place.  We've known her for a couple of years and adore her fourteen month old daughter.  Spending that time with them was a delight for us.

4.  This afternoon, my daughter-in-law and PAL drove down to the next county with me to a used book store that supports a local nonprofit.  We might have found a few books we want to read...  and then we stopped by a 'country store' where there is lots of yarn and fabric as well as used goods.  I only purchased two balls of yarn and a pair of needles.

5.  And it is almost Spring!  To prove it, the plants in my garden popped out some indications that Winter is winding down.

The crocus is blooming!

Daffodils are getting ready.

The forsythia hasn't begun to bloom, but it is setting out many buds.

Even the bees were busy outside of their hives.

That wraps up my first week of March.  I hope you had a great week, too.

All About Knitting

 If you don't care about knitting, you can just scroll down to the next post.

Here is my latest finished project.  Well, almost finished. I just have to weave in the ends on the back side.  Again, this is another baby blanket I will donate to the local pregnancy resource center.  It is supposed to look like the beach.

Details:  Yarn Bee yarn, Sweeet Dreams.  Needles, size 7 (4.5).  Pattern, diagonal blocks using 48 stitches.  It is a super easy blanket to make.

Now.  About this yarn.

Maybe I should have separated the colors into four groups.   Like this.

Does that make more sense?  Four little projects, identical except in color...

March 16

 March Photo a Day.  March 16.  Hobby.

Well, this was an easy one.  If you have been reading my blog for more than a month, you will know the answer.  My hobby?  Yarn and knitting.

Sometimes I spin my own yarn.

Sometimes, I knit with commercial yarn.

Nary a day passes without me knitting.

The End of February

 Goodbye, February.  It's not that I won't miss you, your holidays and beautiful snowy landscapes, but I am happily anticipating warmer and longer days.  It's time to say, "See you in eleven months."  You were very generous to me, February.  I did find many many blessings in your month, and especially in this past week.  So as we part, I will share Five Faves, Five Blessings from this week.  (the link takes you to where you can share your Fave Fives if you wish)

1. Speaking of warmer days, I am thankful for the warmish weather we have had a few days this past week.  We were able to take three walks outside along the local paths and in our neighborhood.  I am so looking forward to more and more walks and hikes in warmer temperatures.

2 and 3.  A double fave here:  One morning, The Professor and I were enjoying the company of a tiny seven week old baby (and her mom, of course) and getting to know her, holding her and watching her smile.  I happened to notice out our front window that someone had parked in our driveway and was bringing a package to our door.  I was surprised since we had not ordered anything from Amazon... But it was another young mom who was dropping off what she called a 'love package' for me.  This mom is a great thrifter and found the perfect sweater for me!  Included with the sweater was a little note just expressing their (her and her husband) love and thanks for us.  Oh my.  What a wonderful morning of love and care that was.

4.  Dinner with friends.  We always just eat soup and salad when we share with this couple.  And I always make my "Grandma R" rolls (recipe from my grandma) which they love.  I left all the extras with them for their sons who love them, too.  Their younger teenage son ate dinner with us and stayed to listen to our conversations.  That was so sweet.

5.  A spontaneous trip to Joann's with Younger Daughter.  I'm sure you have heard the news that J's is closing all their stores.  It has been a mainstay fabric/yarn stop for everyone in our community, so we are all sad that it is closing its doors.  But right now, everyone is rushing over to the shop to grab what they can.  Yes, the lines are long and the cashiers are busy.  Younger Daughter found some great fabrics for quilts she is planning to sew. I stocked up on my favorite yarn for knitting baby blankets.  (Don't ask how much I bought. I'm not telling.)  So in the sadness, we found fun and joy in choosing our purchases and in spending that time together.

Note:  no photos today because the laptop is again annoyed with me and is having a tantrum and won't download pictures.  The Professor is on it--working another fix.

I hope you are enjoying this last day of February.

Busy Week

Late. Late. Late.  Sometimes it is just like that when it comes to Willow's Week for Friday Fave Fives.  But I think I made it in under the deadline.

Edit to add:  I should have reported that the sale of our home is moving along.  So far, so good.

Here are five things that I have been blessed with this week.

1.  An older friend from church is decluttering his house after his wife passed away.  He has handed over all her yarn to me (as the conduit) to share with others.  Wow.  There is a lot of yarn.  It is going to be a blessing to my friend's weaving studio, Threadbender Textiles, and to a church's knit group which makes afghans, prayer shawls and hats for people who need them.

2.  I just can't get enough of the beautiful animals and birds in our neighborhood.

Herons and ducks night fishing

3.  On Saturday, a friend and I hiked up the very steep trail to the water storage tank across the freeway from where I live and almost exactly halfway between her house and mine.  When we reached the top just above the tank, we sat on the highest rock and chatted for a long time before hiking back down.  The views were stunning!

We were actually overlooking Highway 101, Camino Real.  Waaay out there under the fog bank is the Pacific Ocean.

One of the places where your California lemons are grown

4.  I had a good reminder to FINISH something this week.  I'm working on it!  There's a knitting project someone asked me to do (make a copy of an antique doll's sweater which was ruined) and I've been procrastinating.  It needs to be finished before we move.  So I picked it up and have been knitting and am nearing the end.

5.  This week was our anniversary.  We've been married forty-seven years!  My constant thought that day was--we started out on an adventurous life and it seems like we just continue with the adventures.

Our Engagement 

Bonus.  A favorite quote (taken from Micah 6:8)

Do not be daunted by

the enormity of the world's grief.

Do justly, now.

Love mercy, now.

Walk humbly, now.

You are not obligated to complete the work,

But neither are you free to abandon it.

May Day!

May First!  May Day!  Wow, 2020 is moving along. Some days it seems like it is creeping slowly and other days just zip by.  But here we are in the merry month of May (although it doesn't seem so merry right now).   And it's Friday and time for FRIDAY FAVE FIVES here at Willow's Cottage.

1.  I know that it seems like every week when we are focusing on our blessings that someone mentions acts of kindness that people either give or receive.  This week as I was talking with someone, she mentioned how her mom (for whom she is a caregiver) insisted on knocking on a neighbor's door to say hello when they were on a short walk.  It turns out that the neighbor needed help with some things, and so our church care group was able to step up and help.  A knock on a door resulted in an older man being able to get the help that he needed.  I love hearing that story of kindness multiplied.

2.  My friend is decluttering her yarn stash.  I cluttered up my stash with three bunches of beautiful yarn, one white wool yarn, one deep ruby red alpaca yarn, and one hand dyed variegated blue and green merino wool yarn.  I've been scouring various sources searching for just the right pattern for each yarn.  I see lots of blissful shawl and sweater knitting in my future because of my friend's generosity.

3.  I'm thankful for lots and lots of books to read.

4.  I love those phone calls that begin with, "Hi, Mom!"  Those may be my most favorite words ever.

5.  Do you love cloudy days?  I realize that where I live (right now) that most days are sunny.  That's what a mediterranean climate is.  So when we get those "May Gray" and "June Gloom" days, we are enjoy them to the fullest.  We even had some May Gray days at the end of April.  The fog and low clouds hang on the mountains and hover over the coastal plain.  I think it is beautiful, and I'm thankful for cooler days.

Five Birthday Faves

Hello from sheltered Willow's Cottage!  Yes, I'm in California.  That means I'm home.  Being forced encouraged to stay home is not a really hard thing for this somewhat introverted person.  We have food and water, books and more books.  Right now, we're good.  I want to be an encourager--here are five things that I am thankful for this week, my FRIDAY FAVE FIVES.

Usually, my birthday is celebrated all over the world with parades and green glitter.  This year, none of that happened, but this birthday is certainly one I will remember.

1.  We went shopping at two grocery stores.  Fortunately the lines weren't long and the stores had everything on our list.  I am thankful for food.

2.  We made one more stop:  for a birthday pie.  I didn't choose the St. Patrick's Day cookies or cupcakes.  I wanted pie.  Thank you, Professor, for letting me stop and get it.  And thank you, Marie Callender's, for being open.

3.  Other than that one day of grocery shopping, we have been home.  We have taken two walks every day which has been encouraging--sunshine, clouds, flowers, bunny rabbits.

4.  My son and his family sent me birthday gifts which are coming slowly via Amazon delivery.  So far, I have received THREE books (YAY! I have time to read!) and a beautiful skein of merino wool sock yarn.  Note the color:  hummingbird.  PAL was so excited to tell me she chose it because it is 'hummingbird'.  I know what I'm going to be doing the next few days.  All other knitting projects will be put on hold while I knit my hummingbird socks.

5.  Peace.  Trust.  I am focusing on some Bible verses.  Joshua 1:9. Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.  Psalm 28:7.  The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

In these distressing days, where are you finding thankfulness, peace and comfort?

Fiber Theme

I am so thankful for the ability to create beautiful things from fiber.  This week I've been focusing on finishing some things.  Other than the usual daily tasks, this is what I've done.  They're my Fave Finishes!  I'm sharing them for Friday Fave Fives with Susanne as our host.

1.  The main reason I have been focusing on the knitting is that I emptied the four drawers of yarn this week and reorganized them  My intent was to pull out and give away some of the yarn I know I'll never use.  The Professor told me I should have taken a photo of the bed--piled high with different yarns all in their little sections.  Acrylic. Wool. Sock. Cotton.  At least it's organized again and some is finding its way to others who will use it.

2.  A vest.  It's still in the beginning stages.  I love love love the yarn--wool and silk. Yum.

3.  Socks.  I've decided to work my way through a bunch of sock yarn.  You can't have too many warm socks when it's rainy and damp and cold.  I was working on this sock at the doctor's office this week and drew a lot of attention.  (Was it the sharp needles or the yarn?)

4.  Scarves.  It was almost Valentine's Day and I had some left over red and pink yarns.  What to make?  Another scarf!  I started it with warping on Tuesday night and finished it on Thursday evening.  I'll be wearing it to a Valentine's dinner tonight (Friday night). The colors in the photo show the scarf to have much more pink tones and less red.  In real life, the scarf is mostly red.

5.  Another bunny.  This one is for Easter.  Photos soon.

How did you enjoy your week?  Any creative outlets?

As Promised

Here are photos of the vest I finished last week.  Finally, I took it off long enough to get some pictures.  I wore it all day when I was spinning at a festival on Sunday.

The pattern is Artisan's Vest by Green Mountain Spinnery, copyright 1995. (It was older than I remembered. According to their website, the pattern is still available for sale.)  I made the smallest size and changed the edging on the neck and sleeves to match the hem which was different in the pattern.

The yarn is Telluride by Classic Elite Yarns.  I love the color!  Spruce.  Fiber content is 82% alpaca, 12% linen, 6% Donegal (synthetic fiber slub used to make yarn look like tweed).  I love the yarn, too!

This vest is simply perfect for me!

Fiber Goodness This Week

What I've been knitting.  There are a couple of other projects but these are the ones I'm focusing on this week.

Finishing an afghan for my daughter-in-law

A pair of fingerless gloves.  I'm not really a fan of using black yarn and smallish needles, but this is what the owner of the gloves wants.

And finally, something for me.  A raglan top down pullover.  The yarn is really a bit darker.

Size 6 needles

And more yarn goodness was added to my stash.    On Saturday, I helped the handweavers and spinners guild at our annual Harvest Sale. I came away with a few skeins that I am already having fun choosing projects and patterns to use.

Isn't this beautiful fiber?  I'm thinking that a scarf or small shawl would look great as the yarn is sock weight and will drape beautifully.

Five balls of Knit Picks yarn in three different colors and fiber content.

And (in a fuzzy photo not quite in focus) a bumpy acrylic yarn in my favorite colors.

What should I make with it?

Sometimes

Hello Friends!  It's Friday Fave Fives time!  Welcome to Willow's Week.  Follow that link to participate in sharing your blessings from this past week.

1.  Sometimes, I collect sayings.  Here are two I've heard this week in response to "[using whiny voice] It's not fair!"  Both are true.  Both are wise.

Life's not fair, and then you die.

Life's not fair, but you can be.

2.  Sometimes, I notice colors and textures.  Probably it's my experience in working with textiles.  If the light is just right in the kitchen, the sun changes the colors of my green shamrock plant.  My heart leaps when I notice the beauty.

3.  Sometimes, the texture of something will pull up a memory.  I grew up among the majestic evergreen trees of the Pacific Northwest.  This week as I was parking in a public lot in Ventura which is a LONG way from the PNW, I noticed the texture of this tree.  The memory it invoked of my childhood made me smile.  I might have reached out and stroked the bark.  Sometimes I miss the green forests of home.

4.  Sometimes, one thing will lead to another.  I offered to help a friend from the weavers and spinners guild who is also a artist group friend to bring together, organize and document all the equipment (for example, spinning wheels, weaving looms and drum carders) that the guild has to offer the members for rental use.  When I told my daughter my plans for the day, she responded, "That's great, Mom.  Organizing and helping others organize is one of your spiritual gifts."  I guess she's right.  I like organizing stuff.  So, I spent part of a day this week enjoying my friend's company and helping out the guild.

5.  Sometimes, the rewards are great.  The guild is given a lot of unspun fiber, yarn, and equipment.  I brought several bags and boxes of yarn home to cull and organize and take back to the guild.  Also, I was given the opportunity to choose to keep some if I wanted.  I should have warned The Professor that it wasn't all mine to keep.

What little blessings make you smile sometimes?

This Week in Five Faves

We are nearing the end of summer break for The Professor.  In fact, he has ridden his bike to the university campus a couple of times to spend the day in his office.  It definitely feels weird to not have lesson plans looming over me, to not be thinking subconsciously all the time about source materials, assignment sheets and checklists.  But I think I can deal with it. {insert large smiley face here}  The weeks are different in summer and in retirement.  Every day but Sunday feels like Saturday.  Indeed, The Professor calls Monday the First Saturday, and Tuesday Second Saturday, and so on.  It takes more effort for me to focus on getting something done and also on remembering what happened on Fourth Saturday.  That doesn't make it any less important.  Here are my Friday Fave Fives.

1.  My Garden.  I consider my little garden to be a place of serenity and calmness.  This week we planted a couple of fall crops-- dinosaur kale and red carrots.  I do love me an experiment.  The kale I planted in the spring and yes, it does grow to dinosaur size.

2.  Butterflies and Lizards.  The monarch butterflies are hatching.  It's a good thing it's that time in their life cycle because the caterpillars have eaten every green thing off my three milkweed plants.  Finally, I caught a photo of one.  They fly and flit around constantly after they hatch because they are trying to dry their wings.

And the lizards are so cute.  Here is a baby lizard.  He couldn't have been more than 1.5 inches long.

3.  Yarn.  The movie.  One evening our local yarn shop sponsored/arranged for the showing of an indie film titled "Yarn".  The Professor and I decided we'd make it a date--dinner at our fave Mexican restaurant (Sharky's) and then drive up to Ventura to watch the movie.  I was amused that of course I saw many of my guild friends there, but most of us had knitting in our hands or our bags.  An added bit--there were a surprising number of men in the audience and not all of them were husbands accompanying their wives.

4.  Cooler weather.  This week our temperatures have been Ventura County perfect.  I know so many people are either very hot or very cold, but here it has been high 70s, morning coastal fog to keep things cool, sunny days after the cloud cover breaks and evaporates.

5.  My computer desktop screen rotates photos from my files.  This week one appeared from the trip we took to England several years ago.  So I looked back at those files and 'relived' our trip.  I love the memories!  Bath, England.

Bonus quote of the day:  "The problem with a good book is that you want to finish the book but you don't want to finish the book."  So true!

Friday Fave Five, April 23rd

Friday is here again and so is Friday Fave Five! Welcome!

1. I am proud to announce that The Professor not only survived the fifty-five mile bicycle Ride for Literacy, he finished in great shape and time!

2. Our garden is growing! Soon we'll be enjoying kale, lettuce, peas and other green yumminess.

3. I had fun this week recycling a sweater that I am going to reknit into a more appropriate and better fitting garment. I posted details of how to unravel and old sweater and prepare the yarn for reuse on my new knitting blog.

4. The performing arts department of the local university where The Professor is on the faculty did several performances of "The Heidi Chronicles" this past week. Of course, we attended because usually The Professor helps out with the lighting design. For this production, we were just part of the audience. I enjoyed watching the set crew and performers work with the abstract stage set moving staging cubes around between scenes.

5. Ellen is in town for a couple of days packing the last possessions she has here. We enjoyed tea and then dinner at an excellent little Italian restaurant. Spending a few hours catching up on family and personal news was truly the best highlight of my week. Hopefully, we'll be able to meet up again for lunch before she heads to LAX.

That's a wrap on Willow's Week! What ONE event from your week reminded you to be grateful? Join our hostess Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and share your faves from this week.

Weekly Review - Friday Fave Five

Friday Fave Five is a weekly review of gratitude. Here are my faves for this week:

1. I belong to a spinners and weavers guild in my community. Last weekend, Sara Lamb was the featured speaker at our monthly guild meeting. Speaking for about an hour on Saturday morning, Sara showed us how she had taken white handwoven cloth and dyed designs on using paintbrushes. She was an interesting, enjoyable, and inspirational speaker, and I came away thinking, "Where am I going to put up my loom? I really need to get that thing set up!"

2. After a very rainy and windy Saturday, Sunday was glorious! The Professor and I spent a couple of hours in the blueberry fields with our dear friends where we picked two trays of fresh ripe berries. When we brought them to the house to dry the dew from them and package them, we sampled our bounty!

3. Some days, it seems that when you make one thing well, the next creation turns out, too. Spinning fiber is an art. We spinners talk about not always knowing what the yarn we are working with is going to do, how it wants to be spun and plyed (fyi: plying is the process of taking two of more single strands of yarn and twisting them together). The second skein of yarn I spun for my daughter in law plyed perfectly! It may be the very best yarn I've ever spun. And then, to add to the perfection, the cup of misto I brewed tasted just right because I finally used the correct proportions of coffee and hot milk.

4. How can I have a wonderful week of gratitude without mentioning the beach? The shore birds and local children shared the joy of playing in the sand on a sunny afternoon. I enjoyed watching from my car.

5. One of my tutoring students told me I'm the 'best tutor ever'. Whether I am or not, whether he was trying to distract me from his math assignment or not, his declaration reminded me why I persevere in teaching and tutoring.

How was your week? I'd love to read your list of gratitude. You can post it at Susanne's blog as part of Friday Fave Five or just tell me in the comments. Please know that if I don't respond right away to you or get around to visit your blog, it's because I have picked up some cold germs and am fighting a valiant battle which it seems that I am losing.

Happy Weekend!

What I've Been Spinning

All Spun Up

Luscious Superwash Wool, dyed by Crown Mountain Farm, which reminds me of Wrigley's Spearmint Gum.

Silk/Merino Blend Yarn, also handspun. I named it Amethyst.

Just a small sample of what has kept me busy the past two weeks.