Time to Begin

For some reason, I feel like it's time to start my holiday gift knitting. Maybe because I've eaten my fill of pumpkin pancakes and candy corn, although not at the same time. Or maybe to justify my Rhinebeck yarn purchases. Or it could be due to the fact that November begins this Friday, but regardless of the reason, these are a few of the patterns I've been thinking about:

• Darkside Cowl
• Isla Cloche
• Cladach
• Barley
• Drop Stitch Cowl

I'm still working on my Tidal cardigan, but I can see the finish line. It'll be done soon enough, and since our weather is usually warmer than I'd like for the fall season, I'm sure I'll get plenty of wear out of it.

What are you knitting these days?

 

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After Rhinebeck

I kept comparing waiting to see Meredith and going to Rhinebeck with her as my Christmas gift to myself, and now it feels like the day after Christmas. It all went by so fast. I loved my time with my daughters, the weather was fantastic, Rhinebeck was wonderful, and I even had time to see a friend who lives in Manhattan, but now that it's over, there is a bit of a let down feeling.

Oh well, luckily I have plenty of papers to grade. But first, let me share a few more photos from my trip.

 

 

 

 

Everything is grouped by three because I was shopping for two friends as well as myself. Have to say I love the Lisa Souza colors and the price was very reasonable! Hope I enjoy knitting with it, though I'm sure I will. I also bought some Cephalopod yarn which looked lovely, and some Melissa Jean buttons and stitch markers. I could have done some serious damage in her booth, as everything was so pretty!

I bought the goats milk soaps as I intended, and I also bought some Green Mountain Spinnery yarns, even though I haven't used the ones I already have in my stash; however, since Christmas knitting is beginning soon, I plan on rectifying that situation very soon. Oh, and I think I bought something from Hope Spinnery too. The one purchase I didn't make that I had planned on, was the Miss Babs yarn; I know it has great reviews, but I thought Lisa Souza's yarn was just as lovely and much cheaper. I passed on the Seacolors yarn again, but I am putting it first on my list for the next trip, because I have been tempted every year but for some reason have never bought any. They have the one of the prettiest booths, but I think I must hit their barn first and I'm afraid of buying too early. Or something.

That's it for my Rhinebeck report. Have a good week.

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Rhinebeck

My first Rhinebeck experience was in 2009 and this picture is the perfect visual to show just how excited I was to be there:

 

Meredith and I went again in 2010, only this time, Ryan came with us. These are the pictures I like best:

I was savvy enough to wear my first sweater, plus the scarf I made from the hand spun Rudee gifted me with, and a pair of hand mitts knitted by Meredith. I also had on hand knit socks.

 

This year, I got to attend with both my daughters! I didn't plan ahead enough to finish a Rhinebeck sweater, but I can live with it.

Yarn rock stars:

 

Ryan, Meredith, and Melissa:

Me:

My girls, looking at fiber:

Meredith and Melissa, sharing a laugh together. I love this.

And my favorite picture of the trip, me and the girls, surrounded by all that color.

More Rhinebeck photos soon!

 

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Love My Girls

I love my grown up girls; I sometimes wish for the days they were young, but I do love knowing them at this age.

 

 

Melissa, modeling a knit skirt that Meredith made for her. Oh, and Meredith knit the boots as well. Melissa loves them!

Meredith, grading a pattern for Melissa, who is starting to sew clothes.

After we ate breakfast yesterday, we saw this wonderful cheese shop. Love the autumnal colors in this picture.

And now, we are finally headed up to Rhinebeck! Can't wait!

 

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Traveling

I think one of the things I love best about traveling is deciding what to take and what to leave behind. I like the idea that I can carry all I need in one or two small bags and be content with so much less than I have on a day to day basis.

This trip is an especially sweet one because I'm traveling with my youngest daughter and we are headed to my oldest daughter's home. My girls are 24 and 29, and these days I rarely get to see them both at the same time. Truthfully, I don't get to see them nearly enough even one at a time. Meredith lives in Brooklyn, and is working and going to graduate school, and while Melissa may live in the same area I do, we both work a lot and have other obligations and I feel lucky if I see her once a week. So this trip is a gift.

The fact that we are all going to Rhinebeck together this weekend is the icing on the cake. Meredith and I are both knitters; she began knitting about a year after I started, and while Melissa doesn't knit, she is a crafter, and very creative. She is looking forward to the prospect of being around such a large community of crafters and she is particularly interested in seeing all the animals.

I plan on taking lots of photos, as usual, and rest assured, I will share them here. I just hope I can take enough pictures to make time slow down this weekend. Because I want to enjoy this gift of a trip as long as I can.

 

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Rainy Days

We are on our seventh straight day of rain around here. A couple of days the rain was so heavy for so long that it was a bit unnerving, but it's mostly just drizzling now. I think it's supposed to end Monday or Tuesday, which will be nice. I'm missing those gloriously blue October skies.

My school is still recovering from the terrible loss of a young teacher, but the upside is that we've all been just a bit kinder to each other. I'm hoping that spirit continues throughout the year.

I'm looking forward to my trip to Brooklyn this Friday, and then our trip up to Rhinebeck. This will be my third time and I'm super excited, as both my daughters are going with me; even though Melissa isn't a knitter, she is a lover of craft and I'm sure she'll enjoy herself just as much as Meredith and I do.

Meanwhile, I'm still working on the Tidal sweater, hoping to finish by Saturday, but enjoying the process regardless.

In teaching news, I am enjoying teaching tenth graders even more than ninth graders and I really love having many of the same students I taught last year. It created a comfortable and relaxed environment much more quickly, which I have absolutely loved. A new routine I started this year was using quotes as journal prompts in the beginning of every class. We briefly discuss what the quote may or may not mean, and then the students must write a response. I've used quotes by authors, historians, scientists, and philosophers, as well as quotes I've found on Pinterest, and it has been incredibly enlightening for me. I'm amazed at how honestly and earnestly my students respond, and I've loved having this window into their minds and lives. It's an activity I plan to keep using.

 

I'll leave you with some photos of Gracie, doing what she does best; looking adorable:

 

And Melissa, modeling a sash she made for a friend's going away party:

 

 

I love watching her create. She's always so happy doing it. And of course, Gracie was keeping a close watch on us both!

Hope your week is a joyful one!

 

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Tough Times

This week has been incredibly difficult. A coworker committed suicide on Tuesday, leaving behind many heartbroken friends, two young sons, and students who adored her. We are reeling from this unimaginable tragedy, wondering how this beautiful and seemingly happy, young woman hid her apparent hopelessness from everyone. This will take time.

Don't wait to tell the people in your life how much you need them. We never know how much time we will have with them.

 

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