…extremely busy days at work as a big deadline nears…
…a 2 hour commute home this evening in the sleet & snow (it’s not even winter yet!)…
…the hustle & bustle of getting ready for the holidays…
…all seem to fade away in the stillness & glow of the Christmas lights!
It seems like life has been rushing by at a million miles an hour for the last several weeks. Blog silence hasn’t been because of having nothing to blog about – just the opposite. It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
As always seems to be the case, October was full of fun with family & friends – Picture Perfect was just the start. When Maya was in town for a quick weekend, we enjoyed a fun evening of dinner & conversation with our friend Elaine – the sunset city views from her deck were amazing.
Later in the month, Artisan Mom & Dad came for a long weekend – they stopped in Michigan City on a Thursday. Friday morning, I took the South Shore train over there & we spent the day in Harbor Country & visiting some of my favorite places over there. The train ride over there was a wonderful transition from the hectic work week – the tree colors were brilliant & I felt like I was indeed in the midst of a vintage postcard.
At the end of the month, it was time to head to Dallas for Halloween with Miss Butterfly & Miss Doodlebug. Of course, it was a delightful time! There was trick-or-treating…
…and plenty of playtime indoors & in the yard…
The girls are getting so big & it was so fun to see their imaginations at work. One afternoon we played “The 3 Little Pigs & the Big Bad Wolf” in the front yard for over an hour.
Through all of this, the knitting needles have been busy. While I didn’t finish my Cubby Bear socks in October, I have less than half of the 2nd sock until I’m finished – I figure it will be airplane knitting next week as I head home for Thanksgiving. It’s “that time of the year” where a lot of the knitting can’t be revealed yet. While in Dallas, Maya modeled one of my recent gift knits – a lace capelet for her birthday. Again, the “yarn name” got me – this beautiful green is called Maya. The yarn & the pattern came together perfectly – although I did have to reknit the capelet a second time because my cast on was too tight the first time.
With all of the “on the go” time recently, it seems only appropriate that this past work week ended with my trusty car turning from 99,999 miles to 100,000 miles.
I think there are enough pictures in today’s post, I won’t bother to insert the picture of the snow dusted back deck that greated me when I got home from work this evening. Needless to say, with the return of the cold weather the hats, scarves & other hand knits are in full rotation these days…
The first weekend of this month, it was once again time to leave the city & journey to the Indiana Dunes for a weekend of scrappin’ & more. Within a week or so of returning from the weekend last year, we coordinated calendars among the group and picked our fall 2008 weekend. When I started a new purse calendar in January, this was one of the first entries in it.
On Friday morning, after picking up coffee & loading up the car Jen & I headed out of town, across the Skyway bridge and into Michigan City to begin our weekend away. After a quick spin through Meijer’s we grabbed a quick lunch at Culvers (yum – pumpkin shakes!) & actually met up with most of the other gals there at the counter. At noon we were unlocking the doors to the cottage & immediately unloading our cars and setting up our individual work spaces. While I have lots of recent pictures to yet get into albums, my goal for the weekend was stepping back in time to do an album of my senior year of high school. Several years ago, while home in the Ville I found a “high school specific” album at a local scrapbook store so I picked it up & put it away for “one day.” It didn’t take me long to get my table set up & start walking through my senior year in pictures, letters, programs, dried flowers & more.
On Saturday afternoon, I took a break from scrappin’ and headed up the Red Arrow Highway to my favorite winery – since I was so close & didn’t know if I’d make it back over there before the holidays I wanted to pick up some wine from Round Barn. One of the gals came along with me & we had a lovely time enjoying the scenery & tasting several delicious options. Heading back down the highway, we stopped at a roadside fruit stand & I picked up a basket of apples for applesauce & more.
As sunset approached on Saturday, several of us walked down to the beach. We had picked up some bubbly at Round Barn & planned a sunset toast. It was a beautiful day to see the sunset from the beach. In fact, the weather was so clear that you could actually see the Chicago skyline across the lake from us.
By the time my car was repacked with our gear on Sunday afternoon, I had finished about 80% of my album and also had enjoyed some knitting & reading moments. We each had different “goals” for the weekend and as the weekend ended, we all agreed that they had been met. As is tradition, we have already reserved our weekend for next fall’s retreat!
Throughout knitting blogs, October is better known as Socktoberfest – Lolly has been rallying knitters to a month of all things socks for several years. In 2006, socks still hadn’t clicked with me. Last year, I was working on my MTM Socks during the month. This year, even with other socks on the needles, I will be working on for a new pair of socks this month.
Last fall, I bought 2 skeins of Lorna’s Laces in the Cubby Bear colorway and added them to my stash. What a fun way to combine being a knitter and a Cubs’ fan! As the Cubs season unfolded this year, I thought that if they made it to the playoffs, I would bring out the yarn as a playoff knitting project. So, since the Chicago Cubs are the 2008 NL Central Champs and will be playing in October, it seems only appropriate to have my Cubby Socks be my Socktoberfest project.
I was wondering how the colorway would knit up so on Friday evening I started with one pattern and it appears to be a winner. This is my second time knitting up the Forward and Back pattern (rav only) – I still need to blog about the first pair, will do so sometime during Socktoberfest. So, the pattern was indeed a winner & I just kept going with it over the weekend. I’m just about ready to start the heel on sock #1.
Go Cubs!
In recent years, when I travel I look for souvenir yarn. (Never mind the fact that I was in a bit of a knitting lull during the Italy/Greece trip in 2005 so I didn’t pick up yarn on that trip.) I have mentioned before that my sister always seems to end up with souvenir yarn from our “sisters weekend at the beach” annual trips.
At the end of July, Rebecca had an opportunity to go to Peru for 8 days. When she first told me she was going, my initial comment was “stuff your suitcase with as much yarn as you can find” – she rolled her eyes at me. As we talked about the fiberwork that Peru is known for, she commented that she wouldn’t bring me back a traditional hat – I argued that the handiwork in them was something to be admired & I would indeed like one. When I was home earlier this month, Rebecca presented me with my Peru souvenirs. I could say, “My sister went to Peru & all I got was this handknit alpaca.” But I would be wrong – oh, so wrong!
Indeed, I have an adorable handknit alpaca ornament. (And a cute little nativity to add to my growing collection.)
And…I have a traditional hat that is just beautiful! I’m just amazed at all of the colors in this hat & the detailed patterns. Rebecca came to appreciate the beauty of these & bought one for herself as well. Next time I’m home we’ll have to get a sisters pic in the hats! I’m sure there will be winter days in the future where this hat will keep me very warm.
And…I have 2 skeins of super soft alpaca in pale gray & lavender. I’m thinking some sort of stranded colorwork with these. But for now, they are wonderful to just hold – about the softest yarn I have in the stash!
Given the limited luggage space that Rebecca had, these would indeed be great souvenirs from her trip. But no, she went way above & beyond in the souvenir yarn category. In Cusco, she (& her travel buddies) ventured to the only yarn shop in town.
After appreciating all of the colors & all of the yarns from Michell & Co., she selected 2 cones of yarn to bring home for me. These are each 1 kg cones of pure baby alpaca – I think they might be DK weight (or maybe fingering, I haven’t done the math on yardage & haven’t found quite an exact match on Ravelry). One cone is a beautiful turquoise with just a hint of green; the other is a natural, undyed chocolate brown.
I don’t yet know what these yarns will become – I am thinking sweaters may be in their future. It may be a while before I cast on with these yarns – I want to find ‘the perfect’ projects for them. In the meantime, they will have a prominent place in my crafting supply bookcase.
And whenever I look at them I will be reminded of what a great little sister I have been blessed with!
Thanks Rebecca!
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