Summer's here, I'm knitting socks, and there's a pattern here for a baby hat!

It is so hard to realize just how quickly time passes...that is, until I check my blog and see how long it's been since I last updated a post.  Yikes!  One might think that retirement would lend more time for keeping a blog post current, but oh no.  Not this "one" anyway!  Of course, I spend a lot of time being sedentary because my body betrays me, but my mind is as active as always!

One of the things that has kept me extremely busy for the past eight months is the injury of my parrot, Quillie.  He lost the toes from his right leg on November 13th, 2010, finally came home and then suffered a severe infection in his "good" leg about 12 weeks later.  This involved countless trips to the vet's office, which was 100 miles round-trip, sometimes for several consecutive days.  It was not only exhausting, but took its toll physically most of the time rendering me too tired to sit at the computer for the long period of time I need to adequately blog as I wish.  I am thrilled to report that Quillie has made a complete recovery and is fully back up to baseline.  He has adjusted beautifully to the loss of his little toes and is happy, healthy and well-adjusted.

Undoubtedly, summer is here with a vengeance!  The heat index at our house today was 105 degrees.  Yesterday, a trip to the grocery store at around three o'clock left me wilted into a puddle (and I NEVER sweat!) and totally exhausted.  There's something about this kind of heat and humidity, coupled with being in my 50's, that completely depletes whatever energy I might have left at that hour of any given day.

Whatever the summer heat steals from me is beautifully replenished by the loveliness of my garden and the birds of spring whose families are growing and showing new adult plumage daily.  Baby feathers are now replaced with the full regalia on the Cardinals, their big eyes now surrounded by brilliant red feathers and black masks.  There is a young family of four visiting our feeders every day, nearly all day.  So precious.  I even have a purple finch this year who is enjoying the syrup from the hummingbird feeder just as much as the hummers are!  They are so cute and sweet, and such a splended reminder of how good God is to me in the unexpected as well as the "norm."

This summer, I broke down and replaced a beloved Hibiscus I'd lost three summers ago with a new braided Hibiscus this year--a sort of tropicana color, rich in orange/red hues.  When it first landed in my garden, I thought my former misfortune would be repeated because the leaves began to turn yellow and dropped like confetti almost immediately.  I was apparently over-watering it.  So, I backed off with the watering and fed it Miracle Grow...it is gorgeous, having celebrated its beauty yesterday with four blooms at once!

It is full of budding promise and I am enjoying its beauty immensely! 

I always enjoy a hanging basket in the flower bed in front of our house and it's full of pink petunias and fuschia-colored verbena--so sweet and soft in its presentation.  Every day, I enjoy the process of dead-heading the petunias and other plants, affording me a piece of gardening in lieu of what I'd really love to spend hours doing if only my body would comply.  Any amount still brings me peace.

Each year, it seems the winter reduces my 15-year-old Peace Lily to a nub, so I routinely must attempt to resuscitate it in a new pot with new potting soil with great results.  This year was no exception, but the difference is that I covered the "nubs" of peace lily with Vinca and Celosia....beautiful!  I fight to keep the Peace Lily alive because it was given to me by a dear friend when my grandfather transitioned into Heaven and I do cherish it so.  The Peace Lily is alive under the flowers you see below.

I also have a Bleeding Heart (cuttings from my friend, Faye) that are on the south side of my house (no photo).  My trusty front porch planter maintains its spot with Vinca and Marigolds.

I haven't been spending ALL of my time on a sofa.  I've found a wonderful lady, Carol,  a sister in Christ who knits, quilts, sews and crochets.  She is teaching me to knit socks, and it's so exciting to think that I could possibly learn such a feat (no pun intended, regardless of the spelling).  This project has been on my "bucket list" for years.   Thus far, I have learned how to do a provisional cast on and knit the socks from the toe up on two circular needles (no DPN's), which affords me the opportunity of sizing the sock as I go.  This is especially helpful because of the swelling in one foot over the other.  I will soon have a pair of custom made socks by none other than myself.  Exciting...at least to me!  As the socks progress, I will post more photos and current updates.  If my friend, Carol, permits me to, I will post her pattern for you upon my completion of the socks.

I had a lot of graduates this year, so I made purses for the females.  I really enjoyed making these very simple yet cute little clutches!

The above, bluish-colored bag was made out of Raffia, flower and all.  I made the flowers so that they are detachable via a pin on the back of them.  This is easier for laundering and having the option of wearing the flower on a garment.  I lined the bags with 100% cotton fabric and put a pocket in some of them.  It was a lot of fun, and I will definitely keep that pattern near my sewing table!

I have dear friends in Lake Junaluska, NC and his mother broke her hip recently.  She just now was able to return home, so I made a walker caddy for her to tie to her walker for the convenience of carrying her things wherever she goes.  This was made with denim fabric and lined with a nice floral print, and the flowers were made from Raffia with pins on the back for easy removal and laundering.

My above-mentioned friend, Carol, recently began a knitting and crocheting group called "Chicks with Sticks," and we gather together every Tuesday night for the sole purpose of making items for charities.  We are making hats, scarves, and fingerless gloves and mittens for the local homeless shelter in Kingsland with plans to reach out to other organizations in the future.  On July 5th, Carol shared a precious knitted baby hat which she was given from a lady at her church.  It was so sweet and yet simple, and left such an impression on me.  My mission for last weekend was to learn how she did this, so with the collaboration of other patterns on line, I figured out how to knit the hat.  Now, don't faint, but I am including the pattern (finally after over a year of promises) for the hat.  I truly hope you enjoy making it and, if you have questions don't hesitate to contact me.

Straight needle baby hat with garter stitch cuff

Size: 10” circumference

Materials:

Sport Weight (or baby) yarn, ¾ oz.

Size 8 knitting needles (or size required for gauge)

Darning needle to sew seam

Gauge: 20 sts = 4” in Stockinette St

Instructions:

Cuff: Cast on 48 stitches. Work one inch in garter stitch.

Crown:

Row 1 (right side): Knit

Row 2 (wrong side): Purl

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 5” from cast on edge, ending with a wrong side (purl) row.

To Shape Top:

Row 1: *K2tog, K2; rep from * across: 36 stitches

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: *K2tog, K2; rep from * across: 27 stitches

Row 4: Purl

Row 5: *K2tog, K1; rep from * across: 18 stitches

Row 6: Purl

Row 7: K2tog across: 9 stitches.

Finishing: Cut yarn leaving long end.  Thread yarn into darning needle and draw through remaining stitches on needle at top of hat. Draw up tightly and fasten off securely, tucking in ends.  Sew side seam of hat. Turn up cuff if desired.

I know I've shared health issues in the past, but I don't enjoy dwelling on that subject.  However, I feel it important that you know I am having foot and ankle surgery on July 21st and may be incapacitated for a while.  A complete recovery takes 18 months and I must be non-weight bearing and in a cast for a minimum of four months.  I know the Lord will see me through this and I look forward to feeling better at the end of the recovery and able to do more things in my daily life and ministry for Jesus.

Until next time, be blessed and to God be the glory!

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.  I Thessalonians 4:11-12

Finally...

Time is such a strange element.  In and of itself, we are dependent on it and no one is exempt from this strange and nearly co-dependent relationship.  In my mind, I will assess a time frame and suddenly realize that I've run out of time.  I've heard it said so many times, "We have all the time in the world," and yet there are days when I wonder where the time went!  I remember when I was a young child trying to assess time in my mind and thinking that there was such a wealth of time that I would never see the age of 13, 18, 21.  And then it was there, like a flash of lightening, and just as powerful in its arrival.  I was 13 and beginning junior high, 18 and graduating from high school, 21 and married, working in the medical field and loving my "young" years and life.  Then, I was 25, 30, 40, and 50!  A decade is beginning to seem like the lengthy, yet short, commercials we see between segments or scenes in a favorite television show.  I remember thinking that I would surely remember being 17, riding in my boyfriend's car, when I turn 40.  It seemed like lightyears away that the 40th birthday event would take place...and then I blinked...and there I was...and here I am.  Time...a precious commodity...something none of us really possess enough of...and we pray for more...and sometimes less...depending on our comfort levels.  It is yet difficult to believe that not all of those things on my "Bucket List" will be accomplished, for I have begun the painful realization that I haven't enough time to complete the list before my life is a vapor. 

Since my last blog post, Mother's Day came and went, my husband's birthday was celebrated, and we've had a guest or two wander in off I-95.  We are conveniently located near the Interstate going south to the fabulous Florida.  Mother's Day was once again not easy, but this year I was prompted to honor my mother in church on that Sunday.  I prepared a three-page presentation to honor Mom and just knew I would be fine...I would not fall apart...I would honor her with dignity and pride, and mostly with love.  Yeah...right!  When I arrived at the paragraph where I received the phone call telling me she had died...I totally lost it!  By the grace of God and through my sobs, I got through the presentation and the congregation was compassionate and loving.  I was so thankful for this, for I am by no means a public speaker, and I truly felt like I was going to melt on that stage!  I managed to remain in one puddle, and I honestly don't remember much after that until I was on my comfy sofa and napping, which is my usual m.o. on Sunday afternoons.

I finally felt like I would get the chance to sit down and share my projects with you and then before we knew it, it was time to begin getting Tom ready for his one-month sojourn to Diego Garcia.  There was medication to order, clothes to either purchase and/or launder, and prepare for packing, and all of the tasks that accompany the usual preparations for a long trip.  Tom has been gone since June 6th, and after resting and attending a doctor's appointment and my usual Tuesday morning Bible study, I made up my mind that nothing was going to get in the way of updating this blog!

Happily, in the interim, I have been experimenting with some new patterns, wanting to beef up the inventory for the Ladies Basket Ministry at church.  I find that if I am able to keep a few items made ahead of time there won't be 20 babies born in the same month or day and catch us empty-handed.  I have found some luscious patterns, and made booties, sweaters, hats, and even a bear for the Mother Bear Charity, which is listed in one of my newest gadgets, Favorite Charities.  I hope you will find time to visit some of these sites and learn of the wonderful things being done for those who are less fortunate than others.  Making charitible items is not everyone's preference...nor...ahem...do they have the time, but for myself it is perfect.  I often find myself buying into feeling like I'm useless because of being disabled and not working any more, so being able to do something like this blesses me more than the recipient!  The Mother Bear Project is dear to my heart, especially after seeing the brochure that accompanies the purchase of the pattern(s) for the projects.  For most of these children, the bears are all they have in this world!  To be a part of that is humbling and yet exuburant in it's aftermath.  There is something so special about making a child smile. 

In this photograph, the bear is shown nearly completed and will be seamed together and stuffed.  The organization furnishes you with a tag for each pattern which the knitter/crocheter ties on the wrist of the bear before shipping it.  This is the first project I have knitted that wasn't just straight and flat, although it is sort of like a scarf.  There was a bit of shaping and a lot of praying during its construction!  I am going to crochet the next bear and I'll let you know which I prefer.

As I mentioned, I have been experimenting with booties because they are always a nice little gift to have prepared in case someone slips up and has a baby without me knowing it, and of course they are perfect items for our basket ministry.  They have been such fun to make and at times maddening mainly because I am often dysfunctional when it comes to reading and actually working a pattern correctly.  Often, I will later find something on line where someone has wondered the same things I have wondered regarding a particular pattern, so maybe I'm not the village idiot I think I am!

I obtained this pattern from one of the charity sites but didn't copy down the name of the person.  As soon as I locate the name, I will publish it.

This is a little pair of moccasins that I sort of woke up in the middle of a rainbow while crocheting them...and...voila!  The pattern is from a book entitled First Crochet Projects For Beginners.  I have made this pattern for several friends and they love them!  The wonderful thing about these is that you can experiment with different yarns and colors, and the ribbon possibilities are endless as well.  Also, both boys and girls can wear these.

These tiny little wonders are fun and easy to make, and so delicate and feminine.  There are buttons on each side to fasten the booties.  These are precious with a pair of baby socks on those sweet little feet before donning the booties.  This pattern came from the magazine, Crochet World, Volume 28, No. 3, copyright 2005.  I obtained the pattern from the Internet.  It appears somewhat vintage.

I am still in the process of designing a pattern for a pair of booties I have made in the past for which I cannot find the pattern.  They are precious, easy, and work up very quickly.  I will add my own touch to make the pattern mine and publish it by the next blog (hopefully....but no more promises!). 

Currently on my needle(s):

What you're seeing is a yellow baby dress from the May/June 2010 issue of Crochet Today Magazine.  I haven't attempted a lacy dress before, so please pray for me.  The yoke is what you are seeing on the right and it looks so much larger because of the photograph in the magazine being so small...but you get the idea, I'm sure.  I will post the finished product before it goes to my neighbor for her granddaughter.

On different note, I have been blessed with so many beautiful flowers.  On Mother's Day, my daughter, Dessi, blessed me with a beautiful bouquet of roses which lasted nearly two full weeks!  She surprised me with them the Thursday before Mother's Day so I was able to enjoy them early.  What a joy and sweet surprise!  She blesses my life in ways unimaginable!  Her mother, Sashka, will be arriving on July 23rd, and I am eager to see her again.  What a lovely woman!

There's the upright table view, one of the "sterling silver" roses, and then an aerial view of the roses blossoming into full blooms literally before my eyes!  I enjoyed these so very much and the colors and fragrance were incredible.  Thank you, Baby Girl!

Shortly after Mother's Day, my doorbell rang one day and there stood a man on my doorstep with a bouquet of flowers that I surmised were likely for one of my neighbors who were not home.  I am home most of the time, so I am happily the "go-to" person for deliveries belonging to neighbors.  I was mistaken.  This time, the bouquet was from the Yildiz family, a wonderful family of people from Turkey who own OPS Pizza Kitchen and Cafe.  We frequent their place often because we enjoy the food, but more importantly we love and enjoy the owners!  By the way, we were told by the owners that "OPS" is the Greek symbol for prosperity.  It is truly so for them, for they are loved and their restaurants are frequented often by the people of our small community.  I was in tears at their kindness and generosity.  I often sit and marvel at God's beautiful mercy over my life in the area of friends and their loving kindness.  I just cannot believe it at times!

              

Fast forward to May 29th and we have our "cell group" meeting, which is  group of people in our church who meet independently to worship the Lord and learn of His messages to us through His word and through each other.  This was nearly like a family reunion, in that my daughter, Dessi, was in town that weekend from Athens, Georgia, and my friend, Kai, who is now attending our church, along with a young man who has recently moved to our town.  They all gathered at our house before going to the home of the cell group hosts.  Kail brought us a gorgeous bouquet from her garden, consisting of hydrangeas and gardenias.  Mmmmmm...is there any other fragrance on earth sweeter than a gardenia or magnolia?  Not in my humble opinion.  The funny thing is that Kai brought to me the very flowers from her garden that I had used to make my wedding bouquet just five years previously.  She was gracious in allowing me to take a few cuttings for a bridal bouquet.  It was truly a sweet gesture on her behalf, and I have appreciated the flowers greatly!

I have a dear friend, Faye, who also is an avid gardener, and this is the time of year when I never know what I'll get, but I can bet on getting something!  Last week, the bouquets began and you will see the lovely surprises I received.

                 

Faye and Kai both know that I am unable to spend as much time in my garden anymore, so they adorn me with the gifts of beauty grown in their gardens.  Only a true friend would do this for me, and I realize that, although I love the flowers, their friendships are far more valuable!  Thanks, girls...and you know I love you!!

To top it off, Sunday night in church, Faye brought me the most gorgeous hydrangea I'd ever seen!  The color is luscious, and I know that only our Lord could produce such perfection!  Faye did not identify the flower in the middle, so I apologize for this.

 

I am blessed to have friends who adorn me with the gifts from their garden.  The peace these blossoms bring to me is immeasurable.  I say this because I was brought up "playing in the dirt" with my grandfather--a master gardener.  His vegetables, flowers, shrubs, trees, and the gift God gave him to grow them were amazing!  They nourished our bodies and our souls.  I remember once, after planting a vegetable garden in my deep back yard, him praying and asking the Lord to bless and increase what he had planted.  He possessed a beautiful baritone voice that resonated like none other I'd ever heard, and he could be heard all over my neighborhood!  We had an unbelievable garden that year and it fed us and many other neighbors who were less fortunate.

I look forward to updating this blog soon when projects are completed and new opportunities arrive into my always surprising life.  God bless all of you!