Brooke's Column of Leaves Scarf, a set by brookeln on Flickr.
You can get her free patter here: Brooke's Column of Leaves Scarf
This is my version, done double wide, the Wisteria Wrap, soon to be added to her circle:
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Brooke's Column of Leaves | my current project~
You can get her free patter here: Brooke's Column of Leaves Scarf
This is my version, done double wide, the Wisteria Wrap, soon to be added to her circle:
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Crane Island, healing waters...
Stella and I went for a ride over to the Natureland Park off Hwy 89 and Lake Lorraine Rd. It was a mild day, the temps were up from yesterday, a few clouds were breaking, letting the sun come out to warm my jacket.
We got to the park around 12:00 and I parked Stella at the end. Listening to her tick as I shed first my helmet, then my jacket and gloves, I took my time reflecting my purpose for coming.
I set off down the trail to the water. What I saw before me literally brought tears to my eyes. An island out in the middle of the lake, was white with the bodies of perhaps 100 White Cranes, in nests in the trees, and flying about. I never knew we had a nesting area at that lake. We see Blue Herons often, over by the pond, and did see one White Crane last summer, a bachelor, perhaps.
I know you can't see, poor cell phone quality, but believe me, it was a sight for sore eyes 8-)
I had just found the spot, when a small hawk flew overhead, calling a greeting at my arrival. He circled overhead and finally came to perch in a nearby tree, curious at this intruder.
Out in the water, a dead tree provided a good vantage point for Kingfisher, but from the looks of some of the fish, he surely must be waiting for smaller prey.
There were paths that led around the inlet, but I didn't have my hiking boots, so I went just to the second bridge along a footpath, and saw some beautiful first blooms of Spring, Buttercups, growing along a small stream that feeds in from the nearby hills
This impressive Spruce overlooks the picnic area, a grand testament to Wisconsin's many diverse seasons. I could barely make out pine cones near the top.
I had visitors while I sat at the picnic table.
I didn't know spiders can dance. As I sat watching, the black spider in the upper left corner began doing this funny little dance: with slit-second timing, he reared his butt up, and spun around in a quarter turn. Then he bounced up and down, then repeated the move a couple more times. Thinking he was trying to look threatening to some unseen intruder, I dismissed his antics and went back to my musings. A couple minutes later, I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye, and watched in amazement as he virtually lifted up and sailed off on an invisible jet stream, like a tiny paraglider on the wind. I soon lost sight of the tiny Kamikaze, and smiled to myself at the comedy of Nature.
This has definitely become my new favorite spot, and will visit often, during the week. I imagine the weekends will be somewhat crowded as the Summer People start flocking to their summer homes around the lakes.
It was a good day, with the help of some good music by Robbie Robertson, Walela, and Rita Coolidge.
I think I caught a sigh in the trees, from my dearly missed lost friend, E~
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Thumbs up ~ or, no wait....
Now what... Dammit, Sandra. bitch! Ok, I can't add pics from Safari in iPad....goes for app, brb!
And before I forget, look what jumped in my shopping cart at Lowes! I shall name her Susan B. for a Cure. :)
And before I forget, look what jumped in my shopping cart at Lowes! I shall name her Susan B. for a Cure. :)
Healing through remembrance, one stitch at a time~
My kids all wished me a happy birthday yesterday, by way of texts and phone calls. As hard as it was, the only thing happy about my day was their remembering me.
My oldest daughter called. Everyone down there is still reeling from the sudden death of an Aunt and Uncle last Monday. The couple had been battling declining health for many years, both had heart problems. I don't know all the details but apparently one had just got home from the hospital the day before, and when their oldest daughter came over to check on them, found them both gone.
My older daughter has been dealing with her own battle with depression, for a number of years, too many. We cried about the loss and hopelessness, the feeling we could have done more and somehow that might have changed everything. I told her to never go down that path; what it does to those left behind, is too much to bear. She said she was scared, and I told her about my own fears. We promised to be there for each other, no matter how bad things seem. I know I can hold up my end of the bargain, but can she...? I can't go there......
I never got to send E one of my doilies. She made me a necklace with a poodle charm pendant she found on one of her many RV excursions, and I never got around to reciprocating. I took for granted the fact that she was always there in emails, ready for another political rant, or just a warm and fuzzy puppies and kittens email to share with me....I didn't answer her last email, figuring on her heading back home, I'd next hear they made it back, if they didn't stop over on their way....we'd talked about a surprise visit one day and I told her we'd love for them to stop by! How I wish we'd got that chance.....
I feel so terrible that we will never get that chance. I kept all her emails, the pictures of her fur-babies, old and new ones. The last picture of Buddy, before he passed while they were in Calif. She was bringing his ashes back to lay him to rest next to his other buds who had passed before him. E's last email to me was puppies and kittens. Was she sad at having to bring Buddy back this way...? She usually sent me political jokes, wasn't much for the warm and fuzzy, a down-to-earth matter of fact type. I remember thinking, "has E gone soft on me...?" it was not her usual email.
We may never know, for as her husband said in his last email, she went down a road she chose, no returning....
I will not do that to my people. E, if you're listening, I will catch up with you again, my Friend. I'll make you that doily, and maybe each stitch will bring me, no us, you and me closer to that spot on the horizon that we both seek to reach....
What was your favorite color, please tell me now....?
My oldest daughter called. Everyone down there is still reeling from the sudden death of an Aunt and Uncle last Monday. The couple had been battling declining health for many years, both had heart problems. I don't know all the details but apparently one had just got home from the hospital the day before, and when their oldest daughter came over to check on them, found them both gone.
My older daughter has been dealing with her own battle with depression, for a number of years, too many. We cried about the loss and hopelessness, the feeling we could have done more and somehow that might have changed everything. I told her to never go down that path; what it does to those left behind, is too much to bear. She said she was scared, and I told her about my own fears. We promised to be there for each other, no matter how bad things seem. I know I can hold up my end of the bargain, but can she...? I can't go there......
I never got to send E one of my doilies. She made me a necklace with a poodle charm pendant she found on one of her many RV excursions, and I never got around to reciprocating. I took for granted the fact that she was always there in emails, ready for another political rant, or just a warm and fuzzy puppies and kittens email to share with me....I didn't answer her last email, figuring on her heading back home, I'd next hear they made it back, if they didn't stop over on their way....we'd talked about a surprise visit one day and I told her we'd love for them to stop by! How I wish we'd got that chance.....
I feel so terrible that we will never get that chance. I kept all her emails, the pictures of her fur-babies, old and new ones. The last picture of Buddy, before he passed while they were in Calif. She was bringing his ashes back to lay him to rest next to his other buds who had passed before him. E's last email to me was puppies and kittens. Was she sad at having to bring Buddy back this way...? She usually sent me political jokes, wasn't much for the warm and fuzzy, a down-to-earth matter of fact type. I remember thinking, "has E gone soft on me...?" it was not her usual email.
We may never know, for as her husband said in his last email, she went down a road she chose, no returning....
I will not do that to my people. E, if you're listening, I will catch up with you again, my Friend. I'll make you that doily, and maybe each stitch will bring me, no us, you and me closer to that spot on the horizon that we both seek to reach....
What was your favorite color, please tell me now....?
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Today is my birthday. RIP EAB
I get an phone call on Monday afternoon from the Ex's wife. Ok, she's good people in my book, a real trooper, we get along fine. She tells me she has bad news....after battling various health issues, Nats Aunt and Uncle, both in their 70's, ended their lives on Monday morning, up in MI as well. -the oldest of 4 kids, Cindy was looking in on them and found them. Cause of deaths pending autopsy.
Today, I'm feeling somewhat ok, not my best-I reamed DH last night about (issues), felt really bad afterward.
Then Nats came home from a shopping trip with her girlfriend BT, and gifted me with an iPad 2 for my b-day!!! WHOOHOO, right? I stayed up until 2:30am configuring emails, reloading all my apps that are on my iPhoney and "the Cloud". I got 4 hours sleep before waking up to see her drive off to work, without my usual good-bye. My bad. I felt horrible for not getting up earlier.
Today, after a ride to town to get avocados for tacos, etc, I sat down at my desk to begin another work day. I glance at the Inbox and I see an email that reaches out and grabs my eyeballs and yanks them out of my sockets.
EAB RIP My Beautiful Wife
It's from E's husband, Fred. EAB, short for Elizabeth Ann Bradley. I call her E~
I'm reading, thinking to myself, it's a joke, right? keep reading, naaaahhhh, it's another one of those spam emails asking, no begging for me to send all my earthly wealth to some poor soul how left his entire inheritance somewhere in S. Africa.
I keep reading, my brain isn't registering the contents. I AM NOT READING THE WORDS. I scroll to the bottom, and in big bold beautiful living color, a picture of E~
E ended a long batter with depression last Sunday, on their way back from their winter trip to the West coast and back up to MI. They got to FL, and she ended her life there. I am devastated...I cried uncontrollably for nearly 30 minutes. Mike never heard me.
This pic was taken 3 days before her life ended.
As I look at this picture now before me, bigger than life, I see her eyes are not looking at the camera. They are looking to the horizon...what were you thinking about, E????
and WHT IS UP WITH MICHIGAN, is it the freaking Bermuda Triangle????
Hey, E? If you're if you're out there, if you're listening, Honey, let me know what you find out, please? And give Mr. Churchill a big HEY HO! for me~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm keeping busy, I never felt so drained. My heart hurts. People don't realize what this does to loved ones left behind. I'm going to become a Families Left Behind Advocate. This is insane.
E: I will miss our emails and the political rants, the photos of the "fur-babies", the cross-country trips in the RV, the threats of someday showing up at our doorstep. "No worries, we have running water, bring it!"....
I love you, and will miss you, Old Friend,
see ya around the bend....
S~
Today, I'm feeling somewhat ok, not my best-I reamed DH last night about (issues), felt really bad afterward.
Then Nats came home from a shopping trip with her girlfriend BT, and gifted me with an iPad 2 for my b-day!!! WHOOHOO, right? I stayed up until 2:30am configuring emails, reloading all my apps that are on my iPhoney and "the Cloud". I got 4 hours sleep before waking up to see her drive off to work, without my usual good-bye. My bad. I felt horrible for not getting up earlier.
Today, after a ride to town to get avocados for tacos, etc, I sat down at my desk to begin another work day. I glance at the Inbox and I see an email that reaches out and grabs my eyeballs and yanks them out of my sockets.
EAB RIP My Beautiful Wife
It's from E's husband, Fred. EAB, short for Elizabeth Ann Bradley. I call her E~
I'm reading, thinking to myself, it's a joke, right? keep reading, naaaahhhh, it's another one of those spam emails asking, no begging for me to send all my earthly wealth to some poor soul how left his entire inheritance somewhere in S. Africa.
I keep reading, my brain isn't registering the contents. I AM NOT READING THE WORDS. I scroll to the bottom, and in big bold beautiful living color, a picture of E~
E ended a long batter with depression last Sunday, on their way back from their winter trip to the West coast and back up to MI. They got to FL, and she ended her life there. I am devastated...I cried uncontrollably for nearly 30 minutes. Mike never heard me.
This pic was taken 3 days before her life ended.
As I look at this picture now before me, bigger than life, I see her eyes are not looking at the camera. They are looking to the horizon...what were you thinking about, E????
and WHT IS UP WITH MICHIGAN, is it the freaking Bermuda Triangle????
Hey, E? If you're if you're out there, if you're listening, Honey, let me know what you find out, please? And give Mr. Churchill a big HEY HO! for me~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm keeping busy, I never felt so drained. My heart hurts. People don't realize what this does to loved ones left behind. I'm going to become a Families Left Behind Advocate. This is insane.
E: I will miss our emails and the political rants, the photos of the "fur-babies", the cross-country trips in the RV, the threats of someday showing up at our doorstep. "No worries, we have running water, bring it!"....
I love you, and will miss you, Old Friend,
see ya around the bend....
S~
Sunday, April 15, 2012
A Letter to Mom : Happy Birthday, Mom!
Dear Mom,
Today is your birthday! You would be 98, but you are Forever Young and Beautiful, and you will be in my heart forever. I live you and miss you every day, then I look in the mirror and I see you looking back, a mixture of sadness and pride of being.
I spent the morning cleaning the upstairs; Spaz is making a huge mess as he goes through another one of his quarterly molts, and he's getting feathers everywhere, GAH!
I got out the lovely Geranium tablecloth I found in your bathroom closet; it's my favorite and I look forward to bringing it out every spring.
I have been pondering the chooce of centerpiece this year, and right away it hit me! I got down the black cat collection I found in a box in the attic, you must've always liked cats, I never knew... :) I put them together with my Black Cats doily I made last year, and vóila, Oil, Vinegar, Salt and Pepper, and an extra for good measure!
I threw open a few windows, and let in some fresh air, and smelled the rain that later blew in. Not a big storm like last night, but a gentler, uneventful April shower, cleansing and fresh.
Tomorrow I'll bring in some flowers, if there are a few to spare. Soon, the lilac will be in bloom, the Bleeding Hearts are nearly ready, and everything will be new and green again. Your bottlebrush plants are probably way ahead of my bushes, by weeks.
Storms are moving in, I can hear thunder off in the distance. I imagine it's you throwing another one of your killer bowling games, you were an awesome bowler! :)
I love you and miss you, and I hope you like what I've done with your things. And I hope you had a Happy Birthday! When mine rolls around next week, I'll make an extra wish for you!
Hugs and kisses,
Sandra
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfk8kLJMab0&ob=av2e]
Today is your birthday! You would be 98, but you are Forever Young and Beautiful, and you will be in my heart forever. I live you and miss you every day, then I look in the mirror and I see you looking back, a mixture of sadness and pride of being.
I spent the morning cleaning the upstairs; Spaz is making a huge mess as he goes through another one of his quarterly molts, and he's getting feathers everywhere, GAH!
I got out the lovely Geranium tablecloth I found in your bathroom closet; it's my favorite and I look forward to bringing it out every spring.
I have been pondering the chooce of centerpiece this year, and right away it hit me! I got down the black cat collection I found in a box in the attic, you must've always liked cats, I never knew... :) I put them together with my Black Cats doily I made last year, and vóila, Oil, Vinegar, Salt and Pepper, and an extra for good measure!
I threw open a few windows, and let in some fresh air, and smelled the rain that later blew in. Not a big storm like last night, but a gentler, uneventful April shower, cleansing and fresh.
Tomorrow I'll bring in some flowers, if there are a few to spare. Soon, the lilac will be in bloom, the Bleeding Hearts are nearly ready, and everything will be new and green again. Your bottlebrush plants are probably way ahead of my bushes, by weeks.
Storms are moving in, I can hear thunder off in the distance. I imagine it's you throwing another one of your killer bowling games, you were an awesome bowler! :)
I love you and miss you, and I hope you like what I've done with your things. And I hope you had a Happy Birthday! When mine rolls around next week, I'll make an extra wish for you!
Hugs and kisses,
Sandra
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfk8kLJMab0&ob=av2e]
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Angels among us
I am a believer in angels, though not the picture-book kind with winds and harps. Such angelic accoutrements seem as nonsensical to me as devils sporting horns and carrying pitchforks. To me, angel wings are merely symbolic of their role as divine messengers.
RICHARD PAUL EVANS, The Christmas Box
A friend recently posted this quote, and it sent me down a familiar yet less travelled path, one that I welcome.
I believe angels can take on different forms and meanings, from visions of loved ones who have passed before us, waiting to rejoin and continue along a different path together, to a total stranger who happens to simply "be there" at the right moment. Whether by way of a traumatic event, or merely a quiet moment in reflection, if that vision we perceive as angelic brings inner peace, joy or a smile, then it must be an angel.
We have a deep-seated desire to cling to hope when all else fails us. Is it coincidence when a spark of hope is ignited by a kind word at just that point in time when we find ourself in some dark place? I think not. I believe each of us has the ability to reach out, to fan the spark of hope for another.
My ex's wife has been what I would call an angel. She chose to contact me out of a need to update me on personal life-altering events one of my children was going through. As a mother herself, she knows how important it is for us to be kept informed, when our children are unable to share.
She's also a lot closer to my kids geographically speaking, so she is afforded more opportunities for taking pictures of one of my granddaughters, 3 year old Rhonda, a Preemie born 8 weeks early. Rhonda too, has angels watching over her.
I leave you with another version of an angel, in the form of Annie Lennox. 0:)
Be Young And Beautiful
Igor says, "...too early for me 'n Teddy Bear."
Monday, April 9, 2012
The Kindle Book Review: Reunion by Jeff Bennington| Knitting News
The Kindle Book Review: Reunion by Jeff Bennington, A Best-Selling Superna...: Hello, Kindle readers. Take a look at today's feature book, Reunion by Jeff Bennington. It has a 4.1 star rating with 95 reviews. An Amazon...
I want to take a moment to mention, this is a GREAT BOOK! I purchased it last Fall while engaging in conversation with the author, who I met on Twitter, through other bookworms. I downloaded the book onto my tablet Kindle app, and began reading it that evening. I couldn't put it down, and so every evening became my ritual of going upstairs and heading straight for my Kindle for a night of pure reading pleasure. When I finished reading, it was one of those "please bring on the Sequel" types, and I immediately told Jeff I was his newest fan. I have all his books to-date, and will anxiously await new arrivals as they are released!
Please go to this blog and read the reviews, then get the book-get any one of his books; you won't be disappointed!
I have also been incredibly busy with my knitting, and have some updates to share with you!
I finished Natalie's Bike-Riding Neck Warmer:
Post updates from my other WordPress blog
Hoppy Easter to All my Knitty peeps!
While many are out and about celebrating a holy day filled with chocolate bunnies and colored eggs, I am enjoying a quiet day learning a new (to me) technique, doing yarnovers (YO) from knit to purl and purl to knit.
I am working on Brooke's Column of Leaves Knitted Scarf Pattern
While trying to decipher why my pattern wasn't as lacy as the ones shown in the pattern blog post, I found a video quite by accident, and it helped answer a huge question I have been pondering, and it has solved my problem!
Yarnovers between knit and purl stitches
Knitter's comments: note the two columns of open work running the length of each side; the initial single hole row is corrected in the last two pattern repeats to more accurately resemble a honeycomb pattern.
Also, the vining in the leaf pattern becomes more visible after implementing the correct YO knit stitch.
Project notes:
Needles
US 7 - 4.5 mm
Yarn: Red Heart Soft Yarn Multi
2 skeins = 408.0 yards (373.1m)
Colorway: Plummy
Purchased at
Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts in Wisconsin
Igor is taking inventory of toy stash on Toy Hill.
I want to take a moment to mention, this is a GREAT BOOK! I purchased it last Fall while engaging in conversation with the author, who I met on Twitter, through other bookworms. I downloaded the book onto my tablet Kindle app, and began reading it that evening. I couldn't put it down, and so every evening became my ritual of going upstairs and heading straight for my Kindle for a night of pure reading pleasure. When I finished reading, it was one of those "please bring on the Sequel" types, and I immediately told Jeff I was his newest fan. I have all his books to-date, and will anxiously await new arrivals as they are released!
Please go to this blog and read the reviews, then get the book-get any one of his books; you won't be disappointed!
I have also been incredibly busy with my knitting, and have some updates to share with you!
I finished Natalie's Bike-Riding Neck Warmer:
Post updates from my other WordPress blog
Hoppy Easter to All my Knitty peeps!
While many are out and about celebrating a holy day filled with chocolate bunnies and colored eggs, I am enjoying a quiet day learning a new (to me) technique, doing yarnovers (YO) from knit to purl and purl to knit.
I am working on Brooke's Column of Leaves Knitted Scarf Pattern
While trying to decipher why my pattern wasn't as lacy as the ones shown in the pattern blog post, I found a video quite by accident, and it helped answer a huge question I have been pondering, and it has solved my problem!
Yarnovers between knit and purl stitches
Knitter's comments: note the two columns of open work running the length of each side; the initial single hole row is corrected in the last two pattern repeats to more accurately resemble a honeycomb pattern.
Also, the vining in the leaf pattern becomes more visible after implementing the correct YO knit stitch.
Project notes:
Needles
US 7 - 4.5 mm
Yarn: Red Heart Soft Yarn Multi
2 skeins = 408.0 yards (373.1m)
Colorway: Plummy
Purchased at
Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts in Wisconsin
Igor is taking inventory of toy stash on Toy Hill.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Holey Wisteria ....or how Knot to make a YO purlwise.
Hoppy Easter to All my Knitty peeps!
While many are out and about celebrating a holy day filled with chocolate bunnies and colored eggs, I am enjoying a quiet day learning a new (to me) technique, doing yarnovers (YO) from knit to purl and purl to knit.
CJ's Wisteria Wrap
I am working on Brooke's Column of Leaves Knitted Scarf Pattern
While trying to decipher why my pattern wasn't as lacy as the ones shown in the pattern blog post, I found a video quite by accident, and it helped answer a huge question I have been pondering, and it has solved my problem!
Yarnovers between knit and purl stitches
Knitter's comments: note the two columns of open work running the length of each side; the initial single hole row is corrected in the last two pattern repeats to more accurately resemble a honeycomb pattern.
Also, the vining in the leaf pattern becomes more visible after implementing the correct YO knit stitch.
Project notes:
Needles
US 7 - 4.5 mm
Yarn: Red Heart Soft Yarn Multi
2 skeins = 408.0 yards (373.1m)
Colorway: Plummy
Purchased at
Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts in Wisconsin
Oyeah, almost forgot- Stella and I've put on about 300+ miles since Jan 10.
While many are out and about celebrating a holy day filled with chocolate bunnies and colored eggs, I am enjoying a quiet day learning a new (to me) technique, doing yarnovers (YO) from knit to purl and purl to knit.
CJ's Wisteria Wrap
I am working on Brooke's Column of Leaves Knitted Scarf Pattern
While trying to decipher why my pattern wasn't as lacy as the ones shown in the pattern blog post, I found a video quite by accident, and it helped answer a huge question I have been pondering, and it has solved my problem!
Yarnovers between knit and purl stitches
Knitter's comments: note the two columns of open work running the length of each side; the initial single hole row is corrected in the last two pattern repeats to more accurately resemble a honeycomb pattern.
Also, the vining in the leaf pattern becomes more visible after implementing the correct YO knit stitch.
Project notes:
Needles
US 7 - 4.5 mm
Yarn: Red Heart Soft Yarn Multi
2 skeins = 408.0 yards (373.1m)
Colorway: Plummy
Purchased at
Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts in Wisconsin
Oyeah, almost forgot- Stella and I've put on about 300+ miles since Jan 10.
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