K4P4K4P4K4

Day 64

I am thankful for the community of knitters and crocheters at  Ravelry  As with any hobby it's fun to get to know people from all over the world who like to do what I like to do.  There is such a wealth of knowledge and information that comes with these 600,000+ enthusiastic people.

I decided to take another day for scarf knitting today.  I even knit during some down time at church this morning instead of coming home between early service and 11 a.m. Bible class.  The scarf is now 58 inches long.  Whoohoo!  I'm going to try to get an inch or two done every evening.   I'm shooting for about 75 inches which my Rav acquaintances are telling me is about right for a scarf that loops around the neck once or twice and still has enough length to "look right".   If all goes well I could be done as early as a week from now.  Of course, now that I've said that I'll have hindrances left and right!

Mid afternoon.  This view appears frequently as it's easy to walk outside and take a picture.  We're not due for rain for a few days but I'll take interesting cloudy skies even without rain.

 Since it's been such a knitterly day I decided on my next project in consultation with Sis.  I was gifted with several skeins of this yarn: 

I'll have to take a daylight photo.  The yarn is more berry, plum, rhubarbish than this picture shows. 

We've decided on a scarf and pattern.  Once I get Steven's scarf done I'll have another project ready to go.  Yay.

Homebody Day

 Day 63

I am thankful for another quiet day filled with knitting and household chores.  I am thankful for anticipation of Sunday service of worship.  

I've started looking up thankfulness related Bible verses or passages. 

Hebrews 12:28-29:

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Wesley's notes:  12:29 For our God is a consuming fire - in the strictness of his justice, and purity of his holiness.)

Knitting progress-today was work on Steven's scarf day.  I'm up to 50 inches!   It still not long enough so I'll keep on working.  I found a nice knitting rhythm today.  Scarf, doubled for measuring:

I continue to be enamored of the feel of alpaca. If it got colder here I would surely knit with it more often. 

Even though we're predicted to have a very low overnight temperature (for us) it feels like spring will soon be here.  I could stand more rain and stormy weather before then!

Lilac leaf buds:

I don't think it was cold enough this winter for abundant lilac blossoms.  They don't much like our temperate winters.  I could be surprised but my best lilac blossoms have been after winters with hard freezes. 

A Day

Day 62

I am thankful for avocados and baked potatoes.  They go so well together!

Not too much different today from most days.  We had a good day at work, walked a bit at lunch, parent meeting after school.  Oh! And a chat with Sis this evening.  Yay!  There's something to be thankful for.

More from the drive home.  It was very bright this afternoon.  I should play with this and put it in sepia tones. 

Here it is in blue because I like the reflection in blue.

No Standing Still

Day 61

I am thankful for exercise, sunshine, and stability.

We have a new "Mileage Club" at school.  The principal had a 1/4 mile track painted into the grassy area of the playground and plans to keep it up.  We have Mileage Club MWFs.  Each grade level has 15 minutes of track time that belongs to them during their lunch recess.  If there are not many kids running or walking students from other grade levels can put in extra laps.  Kids earn a necklace, charms, and then prizes for each milestone they reach.  We have a 4th and a 5th grade class in competition, maybe 6 or 7 teachers running or walking, and a bunch of kids that have in 4 sessions run between 5 and 10 miles.  The principal has a map in the cafeteria and challenged the school to run "across" the United States by time the school year is over. 

I'm walking 1/2 mile/session and will add another lap tomorrow or Monday.  I have my little group of students that wait for me to come out and either keep up with me or delight in running circles around me.  ;*p   I am noticing that on Mileage Club days the students and I are much cheerier that last hour of the day.

We had another sunny day.  Sunshine sure helps with our moods, too! 

As for stability yet another student has moved this year.  I've lost track of how many have moved in or moved out but in just the last week we've had 4 in our class move.  I find it frustrating and I can't imagine how the kids feel.  Some of them have moved so many times.  So, I am thankful to be blessed with stability in so many areas of my life.

Wordle

Small Pleasures

Day 60

I am thankful for coffee.  Ok, and teas, and cocoa, too.   While it isn't exactly c-c-cold out it is chilly and the wet somehow lets the coldness seep in.  It's lovely to have hot coffee in the morning, tea at a break, and-every once in a while-to fix cocoa for the kids. 

Some Things Shouldn't be Photographed

Day 59

I am thankful for pink tulips.  They were so cute in their makeshift mug-vase.  Once again, though, I'm kicking myself for not remembering to take a picture.  Maybe, though, that's part of the whole giving something spontaneously.  You want it for the recipient right now because it suits a thought or memory right now.  Pausing to take a photo of a spontaneous gesture can't be right!

More soup today in readiness for the soup luncheon tomorrow.  I think the soup will benefit from sitting overnight.  It's very fresh tasting this evening.   Sunday's batch has mellowed into such a marvelous stew.   I'm glad I have a little more for me to eat and a little more to share.  I've been adding 3/4 of a cup of bell peppers to my soups lately and liking the result.  They play well with sausage.  And, assembler that I am I buy the frozen, 3 color, already cut in strips kind.  Nice flavors and pretty colors, too.

And some things should (be photographed):

Am I a goof, or what, taking pictures of soup, lol!

To Want Fervently

Day 58

I am thankful for children who want to learn.  They may have their quirks and pesky ways but they want so much to know.  They want information and knowledge.  They want to know how to read.  They want to know how to solve math problems.   In spite of all their difficulties they have not given up.   For these children I am thankful.  And humbled.

I forgot that I took new pictures of the building going on at church:

To the left is the "chapel" which will house the manual track Bosch organ.  To the right is the main Sanctuary which will be twice the size of the chapel and set up for "amplified" rather than "live" sound.   I keep hearing April as the finish date but I'm not seeing a roof yet!

May I also point out in the above photo there is not a cloud in the sky.  Normal blue sky.

I have been wanting a photo of these palms for weeks:

These are just before a very busy intersection on my route home.   I've been waiting, camera on the seat next to me, for the day when I stop in just the right place for a good photo.  Happily there wasn't a large truck or SUV next to me.  

Caught up to Catch up

Day 57

I am thankful for thinking time, more good teaching, a sunny morning, and soup.  I made another sausage based soup tonight but spicier.  It's soup lunch on Wednesday at work and I'm practicing because I signed up to bring soup this year.  

Bible class today was the beginning of Romans 12.   While today's discussion dovetailed well with last night's sermon I'm still working on that thought that I'm am so thoroughly loved by God that every corner of my life and my thoughts can be open with no fear.  The practice of this is the practice of time in the Word and in prayer.  It was good to hear other people caught by this, too.  I'm hearing another challenge to be disciplined in my study.   I've already been thinking that I spend too much time checking in on various websites and could replace some of that time with study.   My start will be to review and catch up with Romans Chapters 1-11.   My attendance at Bible Study has been less than regular so this will serve me well.

Wordle Experiment

Wordle

Yay!  A new ravelry acquaintance fixed me right up.  Now I need to learn how to do screen shots!

Saturday

Day 56

I am thankful for meaningful preaching and teaching.  We sang for Saturday services this weekend.  Our sermon series has been on 1st John.   Tonight's message could have been titled "Who are You?"  The speaker talked about we are known by and know our own faith by the fruit of that faith in our lives.  The emphasis that caught me was being known so thoroughly by God's love so there is no need to hide or pretend.  I am also thankful for music that helps me internalize and carry the message with me. 

Just for fun I stitched together some photos from yesterday.  I think the top one came out better than the bottom one.  Both fun!

Work Weather

Day 55 (Fri.)

I am thankful that in our busy classroom schedule I still have time for 1-1 at the end of the week.  

I have a student who might not be quite so low if she had enough support at home.   I think she's quite capable of giving us much, much more than she does.  I've decided the last hour on Friday belongs to her.  I am thankful to have that little bit of time.

The economy is really banging on the door in our district.   I can't see how district is going to solve the monetary shortfall without laying off employees.  I think that classified (non-teachers) will go first but I just can't see how we're not going to lose at least a handful of teachers.   

The families in the neighborhood are faring much worse.   Many can't afford their rent or mortgage and are so far past catching up that they're moving.  Often from inadequate housing to dumps.  We are helping where we can but most don't talk about what is happening.

It sure feels past the time for economic recovery to me. 

I'm also thankful for the hour of sunshine around lunch time.  I was able to take a short walk.   The street in front of my school ends a block further to the east.  The fence blocking the nearby irrigation canal is open and I walked up to the canal where the view was unblocked and spectacular.   Looking southeast:

To the east, toward Tehachapi.  I'm guessing snow level was 2500-3000 feet:

 North, northeast, looking toward the area where I buy my manderines:

I noticed this "manhole" cover just across the street from the school.  I don't often see hexagon shapes while out and about.  The pattern reminds me of a labyrinth walk even though there isn't a through path among the hexagons.

I am thankful for signs of spring, not because we've had too much cold or too much rain, but because I love how watching how the trees and flowers change and bloom.  The cold is never with us for long and this winter has been mild.  The rainy season isn't over.  January to April in this part of the world is when we have a rainy season.  It was gray and the sky was dreary, the leaves or blossoms are barely green, more gray like the sky. Here are my first "spring is coming" photos:

Going home.  For once traffic had slowed for the weather.  Other drivers were being cautious.  At a stoplight I stopped the wipers and played with getting a photo of rain on the windshield.  I like them!:

Silly Goose

Day 54

I am thankful for whimsy.  Seen near work:

 

 

Yes, yes I did turn around and stalk the goose with my car so that I could take it's picture.  Wouldn't you? 

I'm off to knit and watch t.v. so that I can get the goose cacaphony out of my head.  I've got the words and tune from "Go Tell Aunt Rhodie", assorted nursery rhymes, various images from Mother Goose and Grimm, and a number of goosey proverbs vying for attention in my head.

So, Joan, if you're reading, is this a Canadian White Front?  I haven't found a picture of one with the orange face.  Doesn't seem to match domestic goose photos.   It's head was about as high as my driver's side mirror.

Greater_White-fronted_Goose

Here's a domestic goose:  pilgrim geese.  The bill isn't quite the same but the rest of the goose is very similar.

This one is close, also:  steinbacher-geese.

 Trimmed up a bit to see face.  Oh, I forgot-you can just click on the photo so see it really, really big.  The face shows up quite nicely in the third photo.

You know, from Pooh.

Day 53

So much today, today.  It was such a blustery day.  "What's that mean?"  Blustery is this week's vocabulary word, I think!   The kids were wild, our hair was wild, I felt wild inside.  We can see this palm that stands in front of the cafeteria from our classroom.  It was swaying much more but I couldn't catch it in full lean with my camera.

Here it is during a lull in the next's days stormy weather:

I am thankful for the wildness of today's weather, for the change and excitement it brought to our day. 

This is across the street and behind our school a bit.  It either looked like this outside all day or the cloud cover deepened and darkened.  Most of the storm action was in the mountains.  When the sky cleared we could see fresh snow on the mountains to the south.  And the temperature dropped!  It went from a chilly day to a c-c-c-cold day in about 30 minutes.

Napping Drains Your Brain

Day 52

I'm thankful for work and rest.  Hopefully I can remember tomorrow what I was thinking tonight.  I fell asleep on the couch and am going off to sleep.

Tomorrow:  Wow, I haven't done that in a while.  That was a NAP.   What I had been pondering was how rest was different on different days.  Beyond that I don't know what part I was going to be thankful for.  So, I'm changing the "work and rest" to the thankful for part of the post!

Now I'm off to work.  I've taken more cloud photos lately.  Maybe there will be a good one in there to post.

ooo, there is!  7:10 a.m. or so-on the way to work.

A Blustery Day

Day 51

So far today I am thankful for a day off and a winter storm.  I'm thankful for winter storms that create the Sierra Nevada snow pack that feeds the rivers, lakes and reservoirs that give us our water.  

From Saturday, photo by sis, out the driver's side window (at a stoplight!):  

About 9:30 a.m. today:

About noon, through the patio room window:

---

Soup Weather

Day 50!!!!!

I am thankful for soup.  Sis and I finished putting together the Italian sausage soup for lunch today.  Yummy!  After lunch we finished watching Julie and Julia.  Then she made apple crisp and I used the chicken from yesterday to make my favorite chicken salad with red pepper jelly.

I have pea soup to use up from earlier in the week and today's soup with some in jars to share and a couple bowls full for me.  I also have potatoes and ham in the fridge for soup making in a couple days.  Good thing we're having a week's worth of storms and rain.  It's soup weather!

Thanks to sis my new DVD player is hooked up as is my new phone/answering machine.  Yay!

Cooking up a Day

Day 49

I am thankful for ordinary.   Sis and I had a great visit.  We didn't find shoes at my favorite store's rack sale.  That's unusual but I'm guessing they didn't have such a good year.  Our favorite spot for buying oranges was closed!  I was surprised and Sis was disappointed.  The wonderful ordinary thing is that we had all that time riding around together to chat, catch up, share how things are going.   We had a great dinner out sharing a steak and sides. 

We also took Mom's somewhat beat up dresser and head board over to Goodwill.  I'm sure someone will give them a good home.  With a bit of refurbishment they could look nice.   We started a nice pot of soup with sweet Italian sausage, veggies, kidney beans, and pasta.   I had chicken in the crock pot by time she got here.  We did our errands and after dinner started the soup with home made stock from the crock pot.

We ended our day watching Julie and Julia.  It was as good as I had hoped it would be.  I kept falling asleep so we'll watch more tomorrow.  

Shiny Pennies

Day 48

I am thankful for sisters.  I've got the Sis, who is coming tomorrow. Woot!  I've got the sis-wife of my brother-who by now is another "Sis", not "sil".  I've got my dear friends J and M who know me well enough to be a sister, and a host of friends worthy of the appellation.  I am thankful for all the women who love me as a sister not simply a friend.

As a subset of the larger community I have to say I'm blessed beyond measure by these sisters.  Nothing compares to your sister, your extended family, but the having friends who take friendship into the sister circle is a very good thing.

Not much of a photo day, though, I did pick up some school kids' photos at lunch today.  We're finishing up science fair projects and I have one day student lacking enough support at home to even start.  So, we soaked pennies in Dr. Pepper and 7-Up and water, took photos before and after, and wrote a day student sized report.  She'll present next week to her mainstream peers but first we need to make her board and practice talking about her project.

Clean Pennies:

Check out the 55 year old counter top!

This is the project board from my day student with marginal home support.  Her brother told her she need to add some "bling" to her board-the confetti like background.  I'm proud of her for doing this at home.  I'm going to need write a "Thanks, brother!" letter for his help!

In spite of all this:

There was no fog delay.  Apparently the fog was "patchy" rather than dense and widespread.  It spread from home to work from what I could tell!

Look Under the Covers

Day 47

Some days you have to hunt a bit to find your thankfulness.   I'm thankful for the t.v. show Bones, potato chips, and water that fizzes. 

There you have it.  I'm not completely sure why I get the grouchies sometimes.  Today, though, it's likely up too late last night and then up early this morning.  Since I have another early morning tomorrow I'll leave it at that.

Edited:  I removed the first comment to edit a bit of information out.

Here it is, from my dear sis, Joan:

Joan said...I was riding low on ambition and energy yesterday, went to bells (felt much better), and decided to stay for choir (which I was going to skip earlier in the day). I was so glad that I went! I came home singing and spirits high! Took a lovely hot bath, and continued to read my Bible. I was on Judges, chapter 5. It was Deborah's song! I smiled when I read Judges 5:12, "...Wake up, wake up, break out in song!" Then I read more about Deborah and thought of you, Deborah Lori. My study Bible's comments about the judge and prophetess Deborah were, "[Deborah] wanted to serve God. Whenever praise came her way, she gave God the credit. She didn't deny or resist her position in the culture as a woman and wife, but she never allowed herself to be hindered by it either. Her story shows that God can accomplish great things through people who are willing to be led by him. She encourages us to spend our efforts on what we can do rather than worry about what we can't do. Deborah challenges us to be wise leaders. She demonstrates what a person can accomplish when God is in control." I think of you, Lori, as being a good Deborah -- wise and faithful, leaning on God, praising God, leading others to praise God. You do your mama proud. I am honored to have you in my life.

Rush of Busy

Day 46

I am thankful for the little spaces between the bursts of busyness that make up days like today.   There was nothing new, exciting, or even pressing that had to get done but a lot of little things strung one after the other.  In between each is a little space, a breath, a pause.  It's the moment to catch up with myself, to take a new look at what is before me, to turn to a new direction, a moment to reread or remember.

When I think of all the in between spaces I had my day doesn't seem like it was quite so busy.   If I remember to breathe a prayer in the spaces the day becomes even less busy as each pause is a new opportunity to reconnect with my Maker.

Oh, how I wish I could post pictures of the kids at work.  I take a few every week.  My 2nd math group today was enjoying the instant feedback of the digital camera and taking advantage of a moment to be a clown, to be in the spotlight.  I enjoy the look some children get that says, "Me?  Really?  You want to take a picture of me?"  Then the best smiles happen.  The eyes light up.   Others are drawn in.   It's worth a few moments of class time.

So, no photo but picture in your mind 3 girls, about 10 or 11, leaning in to each other with relaxed smiles and bright eyes, looking right at the camera.   Ahhhhhh, aren't they pretty?

Anniversaries

Day 45

Anniversaries are not something I generally celebrate, being single.  But, today (Jan. 12) is the 1 year anniversary of Mom's death and, in our time, the first anniversary of her life with Jesus in Heaven.

That was for yesterday.  I am thankful for Mom's life of faith, her death that was the opening of her eternal life.

I am not thankful for the foibles of the electrical age that borrowed my service for the evening yesterday so that I couldn't post, read, check e-mail.  So internet dependent!  I am thankful that service is restored from wherever it had gone.

I had a long, long thankfulness post from yesterday ready in my head but it's gone.  Gone, gone.  Not just about Mom, it's gone.

So, I will celebrate the Resurrection of the Christ as I remember the life of my mother with a tradition from my old blog.

Flower photo of the day:

Verbiage

Day 44

I am thankful for vocabulary.  There must be something in the foggy winter weather that has woken up the vocabulary center of my brain.  Big words have been popping out left and right.  So much fun!  I wish I could remember them all but apparently the fog does nothing for the memory areas of my brain.

Today's words:  Foible and palindrome.  Today's date is a palindrome! 01/11/10  Three students and a fourth grade teacher now know what a palindrome is.   One bell ringer know what foible means and how to spell it as I was enjoying a friend's foibles and said so!

We went from a foggy morning to a lovely sunset.  Why yes, yes I did have my camera out:

It didn't rain but we did have 100% humidity this morning.  

This corner between my house and church must be near the entrance to the garlic processing plant.  I've never been able to figure out exactly where it is and I think there was a truck driver with a double trailer experiencing that same idea.  I had pulled over to take a couple pictures of the sunset.  He kept circling the area and making ill thought out turns.  After his second illegal turn I decided it was time to get out of Dodge.  I should have taken a picture of him!

Corner update:  Fields and packing sheds.  The processing plant is north a few miles.  Gotta love Google.

Hymns

Day 43

I am thankful for Hymns.  I couldn't figure out why I was singing/humming "Songs of Thankfulness and Praise" all week.  It turns out that there is an Epiphany version to a familiar Thanksgiving melody and we, at our church, tend to use it in services every year during Epiphany.  This year was fortuitous as the theology in the hymn dovetails with the sermon series on 1 John.

Familiar hymns and anthems can bring me instantly into joy, give me "aha" moments, let me relax, wake up my sleepy Sunday morning brain, and stay with me for the rest of the week teaching and reminding me.  In this case, though I didn't look it up, it stayed with me in anticipation of this week.  I am thankful for the gift of music.  I am thankful for those with the knowledge and foresight to preserve it.  

So, here it is:

Songs of Thankfulness and Praise, text and music public domain, published in Lutheran Service Book (LCMS) 2006 #394 Text: C. Wordsworth, Tune: G.J. Elvey

The other Hymn to this melody from the same Hymnal is Come, Ye Thankful People Come

Songs of Thankfulness and Praise,
Jesus, Lord to Thee we raise.
Manifested by the star
To the sages from afar.
Branch of Royal David's stem
In Thy birth at Bethlehem:
Anthems be to thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

Manifest at Jordan's stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
And at Cana wedding guest
In Thy God-head manifest;
Manifest in power divine
Changing water into wine;
Anthems be to thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

Manifest in making whole
Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant fight,
Quelling all the devil's might;
Manifest in gracious will,
Ever bringing good from ill,
Anthems be to thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

Sun and moon shall darkened be,
Stars shall fall, the heavens flee;
Christ will then like lightening shine,
All will see his glorious sign;
All will then the trumpet hear,
All will see the judge appear;
Thou by all wilt be confessed,
God in man made manifest.

Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord,
Present in Thy holy Word-
Grace to imitate Thee now
And be pure as pure art Thou;
That we may become like Thee
At Thy great epiphany
And may praise thee, ever blest,
God in man made manifest.

Choir sang "Uncreated One", one of my favorites.  Another time for those words.  They may be somewhere in my previous blog but I'm not going hunting tonight.

Project Update

Day 42

I am thankful for rain, wind, and chimes. I'm not sure how much rain we've gotten but the chimes on my front walk were ringing for a good part of the afternoon. I've had a quiet day, a little knitting and a few chores.

A project update, The Scarf:


Fabric is doubled to measure. It's way too short for a scarf so I'm going continue knitting. Basket Stitch pattern:

Enthusiasm

Day 41

I am thankful for the enthusiasm of children and the joy of making something.

I've been introducing a few of my students to fiber crafts since about November. We've been having a lot of fun and they're finally starting to have products to show off!

Headband type of hair tie:


Fingerless Mitts:


No pattern potholder:


Potholder with a pattern (undergoing corrections):

Modern Conveniences

Day 40

I am thankful for frozen dinners, freezers, washers, clean clothes, paper cups, dryers, and naps.

Mostly I'm feeling a bit out of sorts tonight and began to think of all the household objects that made my evening simpler.

I am thankful. Out of sorts, but thankful.

Which is reminding me of 1 Thessalonians verse 18 (yes, I had to look it up). This is verses 16-18 and perhaps I should memorize, too:

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I don't believe this was written in the Pollyanna sense but as a reminder of tools for living. Being joyful for me happens when I am mindful both of my life in Christ and in the day to day little joys. Praying continually isn't round after round of begging but a conversation with the very creator of the universe. Giving thanks in all circumstances isn't giving in or giving up with a sigh of, "it was God's will." No, this giving thanks is the quickest way to turn my attitude into openness to the rest. When I am thankful I am more open to the gifts, large and small, that are before me and need celebrating. I am more able to have a prayerful conversation with God or with a child. Joy lives quietly present in every remembrance of what was given for me.

Later: I reread the verse emphasizing this. For me it makes the verses sound more like how I think about them.

Looks like I misquoted in yesterday's title, from the Sing, Sing a Song by Joe Raposo, sung by the Carpenters. I apologize if that got stuck in your head. It's not such a bad song to have stuck in your head. The actual lyrics:

Sing, sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of good things not bad
Sing of happy not sad.

Sing, sing a song
Make it simple to last
Your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not
Good enough for anyone
Else to hear
Just sing, sing a song.

Sing, sing a song
Let the world sing along
Sing of love there could be
Sing for you and for me.

Sing, sing a song
Make it simple to last
Your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not
Good enough for anyone
Else to hear
Just sing, sing a song.

Sing Out Loud, Sing Out Long

Day 39

I can sing! I am thankful that I have most of my voice back. I wore out pretty quickly at choir this evening but I learned that I have more range back than I thought. Yay! I caught a bug a couple weeks before Christmas that left me very hoarse. I couldn't really sing until a few days after Christmas. When I can't sing I remember how much singing I really do everyday even if it's humming around the house or in the car.

Yahoo-ooooo-oooo-ooo-oooooooo!

Sunset over IHOP:


No, I didn't eat there I was at Target across the parking lot!

Crafty

Day 38

I am thankful for exc*drin. Actually, I'm thankful that it was a very, very mild migraine that responded to exc*drin rather than an expensive prescription medication. AND, I'm thankful that compared to some folks I've met that my migraines are rather ordinary.

All in all a pretty good day. No knitting, oddly no Bones watching, I've been hunting kids crafts on sale online, hehehe. I've got several kids spool knitting, 3 making potholders, and one making wrist-warmers on a little circle loom. It's fun to see them loving crafts.

Rituals Continue

Day 37

Did I say something about routine and ritual? I am thankful for both! We had our annual "Epiphany" party with the bell choir this evening. More holiday feasty foods, a gift exchange, lots of chatting, and joyful togetherness.

No knitting today. Working and party took up my time. Back to the scarf tomorrow. I think the days I get 7 inches done set me up for frustration on the days I get 1 inch done. I think I'm going to set my expectation at 1-2 inches/knitting session. That's about 1 hour of tv time.

Work was ok for the first day back. The new Smart Board was installed but my computer is too old to interface with it. Now we have to scrounge up a newer computer. Who knows how long that will take. Before Christmas break we packed half the classroom and moved furniture to the walls in anticipation of the installation. The room was in such disarray when we return. We could not have functioned. Fortunately the principal showed kindness and mercy and let us cancel groups for the day to reorganize the room. I'd say we got to 70%. It's functional. There is much to finish but we can do it bit by bit now and still keep our schedule.

Ritual

Day 36

I am thankful for church. I am thankful for the local church, for friends, for music, for preaching, and for teaching. I am thankful that I have enough voice back to sing. I don't have all my range back but I can sing! And, being Lutheran as we are it's still Christmas on the church calendar. We sang carols!

The red mitts would not be knit. I think the yarn is too thin to carry stockinette on the loom. I almost tried it doubled but decided to use it for something different-even a different fingerless mitt-maybe mainly in garter or reverse stockinette. I'm thinking a red in a yarn similar to the orange recently used would make some nice mitts.

The scarf didn't want much knitting today either. Maybe I've had enough for the weekend!

Work starts tomorrow. I'm having trouble finding thankfulness in that thought so we'll see what tomorrow brings.

I end the day thankful for faith. I am thankful for the One who engenders and sustains my faith. I am thankful for the mercy. I am thankful for the routines and rituals that draw me into worship, strengthen my soul, and carry me through to look forward to a new day.

Coffee

Day 35

I am thankful for coffee, tea, and small pleasures. I am thankful for rest and for work.

It's been a quiet day. I worked a lot on the scarf for my nephew. It's well over 40 inches now and with plenty of yarn left I'll keep going until I think it's long enough. I changed projects for the evening.

I am making another set of fingerless mitts. These are in red. I'm playing with the lace pattern I used on the last two sets in orange. I'm experimenting to see if I can get the pattern to stand out a bit and using it as an overall pattern the length of the mitt. Photo tomorrow on the first mitt.

Photos:


I'm pretty much convinced I'm going to start these over. I've decided that the garter stitch pattern (at base of thumb) obscures the "lace" pattern (hole to hole) when on my hand. I've got it stretched out here for the photo.

I'm also pretty sure there's a sock loom in my future. I'm not entirely happy about how the "lace" works with such large holes. It's interesting but not pretty.