Not Just Sleep

Day 65 (Feb. 1)

I am thankful for rest.   Not just sleep but the chance to put down what you're working on, stop and rest, relax, and hopefully refresh.

I'm also thankful for falling asleep on the couch but I think if I plan more time for rest I won't conk out quite so much when I sit down to rest.

This view greeted me as I headed out to work:

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!