A Sweater for Soren and Kraft Paper Boxes

I finally used the pumpkin yarn that I bought this fall.  Was going to make a different baby sweater, but it wasn't looking the way I wanted it to, so I went back to this pattern.  It had just the simple elegance that I wanted, for such a bold color. 

I added my usual booties, and the norweigan cap.  I'm loving these modern color combinations, a favorite these days being gray and yellow.  In fact, I have a shawl I hope to finish this year in those colors. 

 

This little sweater is for a sweet boy named Soren.  Love that name!

I made macarons for my family this year, but didn't get much more done.  I had fun wrapping them though!!  I have a serious thing for Kraft Brown paper anything. 

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas. 

A Hand-Knit Christmas

We live in a real treehouse, almost. 

Has something to do, I think with the fact that when you drive up to our home, you see the deck first, surrounded by large cedars. 

We decided to go with the woodland theme, and knit ourselves some well, some MUSHROOMS!

I followed this very easy, no-sew pattern for Knitted 'Shrooms  on this blog.  For the red ones we glued on some white felt dots. 

This was inspired of course, by the many mushrooms that we are finding near our home, and are fascinated by.  (Though not ready to eat anytime soon, if you were worried.)

We put together a small tree of our favorite hand-knit ornaments.  We stuffed in some of our hand-knit gnomes.  And I knitted a star ornament for the top of the tree, from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac. 

We have always had affection for gnomes, fairies, and woods, so we created a display area in the front entry for such. 

Merry Christmas from the Treehouse!! 

Snow

Today we woke up to marvelous snow. I have awaited this day since we first got the news that the house would be ours. School was delayed, and the kids and I went out to discover the magic of woods and field in white.

 

Pond starting to get icy

Throwing Snowballs into the pond


 

As I sit here blogging I am watching snow falling on the cedars out the window. 

View from the deck

Time for a fire and some knitting needles.  

 

Saying Goodbye to our Little Old House

Last night we took our kids over to our old house for a goodbye party. It was empty, and chilly, and our voices echoed in the open space.  We sat in a circle on a blanket and shared our memories from living there. 

Among my kids favorites were:

Nerf gun wars in the front yard with their cousins.

Building forts in the backyard out of rubber floor mats.

Getting to walk downtown.

Pillow fights with Mom and Dad.

Playing Grocery store in the basement with the food storage - all together, with the whole basement set up into stations.

Marshmallow and bug and fairy themed birthday parties.

Having Mom and Dad line them up on the couch, instruct them to open their mouths, and compete with each other at pitching mini-marshmallows into their mouths.

The rope swing in the backyard.

Climbing the (only) tree.

Sitting on the front porch swing.

Cooking and baking wonderful things in the kitchen.


It occurred to me that their most precious memories of our home had very little do with the place where we lived.

The common thread that ran through them all was FAMILY.  All the times that we spent with our kids doing ordinary things, or the times that they spent playing together  have become their most treasured memories.

It was comforting, in a way, as we sang an early, "Happy Birthday to our House" that will soon be 100 years old.

To Know.

It doesn't matter where we live at all, what matters is the stuff that happens there.

The time that we spend with each other.

Here's one last look at our home........

Goodbye Little Old House. I know you are just a house.

But thank you for 8 years of wonderful memories.

Inspired by Wild Salmon

 

Where the Wild Things Are

It's been a bit rough lately. Moving Mayhem, as to be expected.

Our neighbors had a bear in their yard.

We've already had raccoons get into the trash.

We found nests of dead mice in the basement walls, leading to a lot of de-construction.

My two-year-old set off the home security system.  My fourteen-year-old got quite a surprise from the Sheriff at the back door.

My husband wore his suit to church with his white tennis shoes.

And we've had the mess that you would expect.  Boxes everywhere, piles of things I don't know where to put, and children sometimes enjoying the adventure, and sometimes really sad.

My two year old started rubbing her eyes and crying the other day, "I wanna go home, I wanna go home."

I really haven't had time to knit a single stitch!!

But it's close to Thanksgiving Day.  And Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday.  For me, it comes like a needed break from any stress that I'm going through, and puts my life back into proper perspective.  Gratitude is the cure for everything :)

Inspired By Salmon

Not all the critters have been unwelcome visitors.  We have seen some marvelous Blue Heron liftoff before our eyes.  We've seen some elegant deer. 

And we have been immersed into a world of Wild Salmon.

The lovely creek by our house has been full of beautiful bright red salmon.  There is a bench by the bank where you can sit and quietly observe them.  We watch as they struggle and swim against the current.  They search for and find a place to pass through the tree limbs that are blocking the way.  Sometimes they can't fight the current anymore, so they give up and float back for awhile - but in a few minutes you'll see the same fish coming back, fighting it's way upstream again.

Our whole family has been fascinated.  We found ourselves becoming a cheer squad for those fish, really wanting them to make it back to their home where they were born.  It really hit home with some of my kiddos especially.  We are finding strength from watching Salmon.  We can fight our way upstream too, even if we have to float backwards for awhile, or rest in a shallow pool until we have more strength. 

Then this morning I take the dog out and see the sun coming through the foggy trees and it takes my breath away!  YES, everything is going to be ok.

I am going to love living here.

Packing up ...........

This week has been a mess.

I'm packing up all kinds of things.

The books I meant to read.

All the sheet music I still haven't perfected.

The instruments I wanted to learn.

The art supplies we haven't opened - yet?

The games we forgot to play.

The pictures we didn't know we had.

I'm finding the dried flowers my daughter turned into fairy dresses.

The art from France that had fallen behind the bookshelf - like a time capsule to be opened today.

Rocks and treasures my boys gave me as gifts.

The hand-painted drums from cub scout day camps.

I'm finding my husband's childhood journal and reading,
"For Christmas I got some fun glowing legos and space land legos, two new star wars figures, and two books (one on science and one on the space shuttle)"

Some things never change.  Some things SHOULD never change.

But that was a mild distraction, so it's back to packing up I go.



Empty Shelves

Gold and Green - and Vintage Aprons

Fall Loveliness

I took some pictures today as I was driving out to our new place.  Mostly to check the stream for spawning salmon.  Saw one, but didn't get my lense cap off in time :)

Even with an excessive amount of rain, it's pretty out here this time of year.  I love watching the clouds settle into the foothills.

At least all the natural beauty is helping to take my mind off the, um, unforseen difficulties on the new house, that we have not moved into YET!  But more on that later.

Oh How I love Vintage Aprons!

Here are some dandy aprons I thought I would share with you.  It is the month for all things orange, right?

 

 

I give unto you, Exhibit Orange.

A lovely, 70's brown and orange retro paisley print - with a smart touch - a dish towel sewn right in.

And better yet, nothing was wasted, the fringe on one end of the towel became pocket trim.  I love it!

And, the rest of Exhibit Orange:

Orange poofy tulle!  This dandy apron is even orange AND black. 

It's almost enough to make me think ' the good old days' really were better.  Though, as my Dad reminds me, outhouses were not much fun.  Guess you gotta be grateful for things like indoor plumbing.

Ahhh, so much for my romantic notions of the past today. 

Happy Fall!