Wordless Wednesday

Ten On Tuesday

10 Things To Do Inside When It's Too Cold To Go Outside

Now we are talking! My favorite things to do are inside. I love camping and kayaking and long walks in the woods, but as I get older I find that I do not like to be cold. I blame all those years I spent standing by the pizza ovens at Pontillo's, my internal temperature gauge is off. Once the cold winds and snow start I am happiest inside by the fire.

1. Knitting - Obviously this is something I enjoy year round, but my favorite knitting is done in my chair by the fire with a glass of wine and a movie.

2. Baking - I love to bake when it's hot (that weird temperature thing again) I always seem to be making 3 pies and a batch of jam when it's 90 degrees. We heat our house with wood stoves and my kitchen is in a chilly in-between zone. The best way to combat this is to have something baking in my 1945 NORGE beast of an oven.

3. Slow Cooking - The crock-pot and my cast iron dutch oven are my favorite kitchen tools. A cold day requires that one of theses be in service at all times. We love soup.

4. Purge - Hoarders is an awesome show, but I have felt uncomfortable watching it more than once because of similarities. Then a snowy day comes along and I start throwing things out.  It feels so good I know I am not a hoarder.

5. Organize - I spent yesterday taking all my yarn off the shelves, petting and smelling them and then putting it all back in an organized fashion.  What?  You smell your yarn too, admit it.....

6. Reading - I don't do as much of this as I used too, but I am getting back into it. I got a kindle for Christmas and I have read four books since. I just started a new one that seems like it will be good!

7. Movies - My love of movies has been documented in the past, especially old movies I have seen hundreds of times. There is something very comforting about watching a movie I know and can follow in my head with out even looking at it.

8. Crafts - Pintrest is killing me. My supplies are seriously depleted.

9. Laughing - My husband and daughter are two of the funniest people I know and they crack-me-the-hell-up!

10. Snuggles - We are big on snuggling here and someone might announce at any minute that they need a family snuggle. I hope that never changes....

Let's Get Cheesy!

Last year (February to be exact) I was driven to make this beautiful blanket after seeing Vicki's at Knitorious. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and I had to have one.

I whipped out my squares right away and they were lots of fun to make. Then I started on my striped stripes and I petered out. The stripes weren't very portable because I was changing colors every 6 rows and so the basket containing all those luscious skeins of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool got pushed farther and farther away from my knitting chair.

But 2012 is the year!!!  I figure if the world is going to end I am taking this blanket with me!

First thing I did is decide it's too small. We are all pushing 6' in this house and no one wants their toes sticking out.  I added space on my striped strip for two more log cabin squares. I have one strip done and have started on one of the squares.

Luckily Shasta is on duty to make sure I don't muck it up....

Togetherness

I love my family.

There are very few activities that don't become just a little better when we do them together.

Today I was reminded of one.....

Comfort and Joy

These two words from my favorite Christmas carol describe this week between holidays perfectly.  I  love Christmas, but the week between Christmas and New Year is my very favorite.

I love the joy of a day spent with family, the look on faces when they open new things they have been dreaming and wishing for. I love the comfort of no more rushing, no more wrapping and no more wondering.....

What did I get?
Will he like his present?
What if it doesn't fit her?

Now is the time to watch epic movies (LOTR is a favorite anround here), read new books (I've already finished one), eat up those cookies so you never have to see them again (until next year) and play with new toys. 

I am even looking forward to this weekend, when to start my new year I will be taking down all our Christmas decorations with Gone With the Wind playing in the background all day.  I have done this for years, even the girl is looking forward to seeing Scarlet and Rhett.

So party all night and nurse your first hangover of the year on 1/1/12 if that's what you love to do, but frankly I don't give a damn...

And then it was done....

Christmas was wonderful....

The joy on our daughters face when she looked at us was worth every minute spent in a mall. 

We shared our day with family and had laughs and tears. We held a brand new sleeping puppy and marveled at his cuteness. We ate delicious things we only eat once a year ( my sister-in-laws Christmas pudding) and we came home tired and happy to put on new Christmas pajamas and watch the best movie ever made, It's a Wonderful Life.  I cry every time Mr, Gower hits poor George's bad ear and each time I see his friends and family come together to help him at the end.

May we all be as blessed as George Bailey...

Freedom…

…is that moment when you admit to yourself you will not get those knitted slippers done in time for Christmas.


Ahhhhhhhh…..



They will keep his feet just as toasty warm for New Years.