Gathering wool

 

A diamond pattern in a lovely teal coloured wool.

I've been making roughly shaped patches of various patterns.

At some point I will have enough to stitch together into an afghan...

a sort of crazy, patchwork, kind of a blanket.

The evenings are getting cooler, the sunsets are earlier, 

and I am enjoying my time knitting and being cozy.

Are you working on any craft projects?

Please feel free to link up below.

Gathering Wool

 She maketh fine linen

~ ~ ~ 

The yarn I am using is pure Sheltland island wool by Croft

and it is delightful to work with. 

I am using wooden needles in a size 8.

chrysanthemums

 

A trip to the nursery for chrysanthemums to put in my window box. I am never quite sure what colour to get so this year I just bought my four favourite colours and I will mix it all up. I just love looking out of my living room window and seeing all the pretty autumn flowers! 

I did quite a bit of cooking on Saturday as well: vegetarian chili, two loaves of pumpkin bread (with raisins), blue corn bread, roasted squash with apples and carrots, and a batch of farro. I love being able to just grab and go. I still have a butternut squash that I will roast and make a soup with later in the week. 

We have our first parent/teacher conferences this week at the Montessori school where I work. I really enjoy these first conferences as it gives me the chance to get to know the families a little bit. I find it helpful to teach the child when I have some understanding of their families. 

We have had some absolutely beautiful weather this weekend! Oh my goodness! Bright blue sunny skies, warm temps, and cool nights. Perfect for autumn!

Normally I blog at a spirit of simplicity but I switched that blog over to wordpress and I'm not convinced it was my best idea. So, I'm going to try this old blogger blog that I never really use and see if I like it better. Sometimes I feel like no one ever blogs anymore. I think more people use instagram or some other site like that but I like blogging so I'm going to keep doing it. I hope you do too. 

The good, the random, the fun 

family Friday

I have been creating a diversity tapestry with my class.

I have a big bag full of fabric that represents different colours of people.

The toddlers each take turns choosing a fabric strip

and I help them weave it into our tapestry. 

When it's done we will hang it in our class room

or perhaps in a more public area in our center.

~

I am feeling much better this week and I am very thankful for all

of my friends who sent me prayers and well wishes.

~

My husband went to his post-op appointment yesterday.

The doctor said he still has C type hyperplasia and will have to be in contact

with an endocrinologist but that it doesn't seem to be a problem right now.

All in all it was a good report and Joe had his stitches removed

and was cleared to go back to work.

~

Sunflower season!

I am stopping by the sunflower farm near my daughter's house this weekend.

Normally, both of my daughters and I meet there at this time of year

but this year we can't make it.

So, I am just going to drop into the farm stand .

I'm hoping for a big flower head with seeds that I can bring into my class.

~

An InLinkz Link-up

diversity tapestry

Diversity Tapestry

Woven together are strands of colour

perhaps the blue of a river you once kayaked

or  the grey of a craggy mountain near where you grew up

maybe the silvery twinkle of a thousand city lights

maybe a black of the darkest night

the brown of an acorn dropped from an oak tree you once walked past

with your family

or the green of a forest canopy

maybe light pink like the inside of a moon-snail shell

you found on the beach

the white of a snowy day

the blue of your daughter's first bathing suit

the red of your son's old shoes

the rich chocolate of your grandmother's eyes

or maybe the colour of your skin

all beautiful and colourful and dancing in the light

like a hundred, hundred million colours

of who we are...

celebrate the diversity of us
~
I am thankful that I work in a place where diversity is celebrated

Please feel free to add your link and let us know what you are thankful for.

An InLinkz Link-up

in the gloaming

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Joe and I cleaned off the porch over the weekend. 

This winter was quite a burly one on this rather tiny sort-of-an-island.

Spring has been much of the same

so that every time I try to get out there the wind picks up over the Atlantic

and I'm forced back indoor where it's warm.

We got all the sweeping done and the moving of the rockers and wicker.

Mine is old wicker that was once on the porch at my mum's house. 

It's comfortable enough to curl up in with a fleece blanket of a cool evening

watch the sun go down and the island settle in

gulls call out to one another on the shore line

neighbors roll by with their beach carts

I've still to put the plants out...the wind kicked up and the clouds rolled in

We came in for tuna sandwiches with pretzels and a pickle.

There are geraniums all over the house...

even the bathroom hosts a tiny white one in flower.

It will be chilly tomorrow -high of 61- so I will wait a bit longer still

Tuesday morning I will move them all out 

and find the perfect spot for each of them. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

the visit

The weekend found us full of family.

Saturday night we pulled the leaves out on the table.

We all sat 'round it and had a delicious spaghetti supper!

We even had birthday cake and ice-cream for dessert.

Cousins curled up on the couch and laughing with each other.

Aunts and Uncles sat at the table long after

the meal was finished and the sun had set down.

In the morning, I put out a bowl full of yogurt, some granola,

fresh berries, and home baked blueberry muffins.

Oh...and lots of hot coffee.

We ate as we woke and dressed and ran to brush our teeth.

And then it was time for them all to go...

I took the leaves out of the table and put the kitchen back to rights.

I put away the stacks of folded blankets.


In my head and in my heart I plan the next visit...not so far away next time.

BE THEE INSPIRED

Garden chores

Yesterday afternoon we went over to my mum's house.

She made us a delicious lobster dinner

and I made potato salad to bring with us.

My brother came by while we were eating dessert

and we had a chance to visit with him.

After dinner my brother and Joe helped my mum

with a few garden chores.

fine linen and purple are her clothing

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

St. Hunna

Patron saint of Laundresses 

Wednesdays and Saturdays are laundry days.


Laundry is one of my favorite chores.

I love that it has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

I love that the results are so tangible.

And, I love to notice the extraordinary in the ordinary

while I'm folding my husband's work shirt

or rolling up an errant sock.

Wednesdays I wash blue jeans and my husbands work clothes,

and my own bright or dark clothing.

Saturdays I wash the whites, sheets and towels,

and another load of dish cloths and miscellaneous

items that didn't make it into the washer on Wednesday.


I fold them as I pull them out of the dryer.

Right away, the clothing gets put into drawers,

the sheets get put into a trunk at the bottom of the bed,

and the towels get hung on hooks in the bathroom.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~