Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Busy Days

Happy Wednesday my friends.  I have big news!  I'm going to see Mandy, Piper and Brad next week in DC!  I'm missing them terribly.  They seem to be missing me too.  I've been watching tickets for a couple of weeks now, and last night they were significantly cheaper that what they have been.  My wonderful husband said, "Buy One Now!"  And so I did.  I'll be with my girls for two weeks.  Oh goodness, I'm excited!  I get some real Piper hugs and kisses, not just computer ones.  And bedtime snuggles. And songs. And playtime.  Can you tell I'm excited?  Maybe we'll even get to do some sightseeing if the weather cooperates this trip.

I thought I would share a picture of the train that goes by our campsite twice a day at the lake.  Usually around 8:30 a.m. and again at 9:30 p.m.  I really enjoy hearing the train.  If we're sitting outside by the fire at night, the conductor will blow the whistle for us.  In the morning they always wave at Chloe and I while we're on our walk.  I love to see and hear it coming down the tracks.
A lady at our church asked me to add some crochet onto her store bought shrug.  She wants to hide those lovely "arm flaps" that we all seem to get as we age.  This particular lady weighs about 90 lbs soaking wet and I have never seen an "arm flap" on her but of course I agreed to try it.  This is the result. What do you think?
A closer view.  I tried to duplicate the eyelet pattern and made it up as I went.  The second arm is a duplicate of the first.  I sure hope she likes it.  It was a lot of work, but this is one sweet lady who does so much for other people.  I just hope it meets her standards.  She is an impeccable dresser and always looks and dresses beautifully.
Nita bought a fleece blanket kit at JoAnn's on Sunday and asked me to make the blanket for her.  I finished it in about an hour once I had washed and dried the fabric.
This week I've completed seven of these smaller flannel blankets.  Two were finished today.  I also made a big one today for Piper. These are swaddling blanket size.  The blanket for Piper is twice as big so she can use it on her "big girl" bed for the summer.  It's so hot and humid in DC that she needs a lighter blanket for summertime.
This is what I used to cut the holes to crochet in for the edging.  I bought the blade for less than $5 at JoAnn's and replaced the normal quilting blade.
Here's a closer look at the blade.  Oh My Goodness!  This makes crocheting around the flannel blankets SO much easier.  If you like to make these baby blankets, you absolutely have to have one of these blades.
I took a drive today.  These photos were taken about 15 miles north of where I live in Spokane.  The main north/south road through Spokane Y's into 2 highways at the north end of the city.  We take Highway 395 northwest to go to the lake.  Today I took the other highway, Highway 2 and headed northeast toward Newport.  I took these photoes while I was driving so please excuse a little blurriness.
Isn't it pretty?
I love the evergreen tree's here in the mountains.
This was my final destination.  I spent the day in this beautiful place.  Our good friends, our BEST friend's, Neal and Jenny's Mom, had her hip replaced last Thursday.  She is so amazing.  80 years old and living alone on acres and acres of forested land after her husband passed away this last winter.  She shouldn't be alone out there yet so the family has been taking turns staying with her since her surgery.  They were all tied up with work today so I stayed with her all day until about 7:00 tonight and I enjoyed every single minute of my time there.  She's up walking around and doing her exercises and even wanted to make lunch for me.  (I had packed my own but we did eat some of her home canned peaches.)  I love visiting her at any time.  She has helped me with so many recipes and crochet tips over the years that I've known her.  She also gave me my rhubarb plants.  I just really, really like my time with her.  Most likely she will move into town before winter arrives, but this lovely property will stay in the family.  While we were sitting in the living room visiting, a deer walked right past her window, about 5 feet from where we were sitting.  So beautiful.  She told me there were moose in the yard a couple of months ago.
The meadow behind the house.  
My good blogging friend Meredith confessed her yarn stash so I thought I would do the same.  Please excuse the mess.  I've also been crocheting and knitting from stash for almost a year now.  I think I have only bought two skeins of yarn to complete two charity blankets with the required color.  I've probably picked up another one or two skeins that I'm not remembering, but no major purchases.

Neal built these shelves for me in the double closet in our office/sewing room while we were on vacation a few years ago.  He also built an entire wall of custom shelves in our family room for our books.  Oh goodness, this closet looks even worse than it really is.  I think I need to do some cleaning. :-)  My secret sister at church bought the create sign for me a couple of years ago.  I thought this was an appropriate place to hang it.
My log cabin knit blanket and odds and ends of yarn that I'm trying to use up in the blanket.
More yarn for the log cabin blanket in the basket on the left.  I bought some pink, cream and gray a couple of years ago to make a blanket I've never had time to begin.
And a tub of cotton yarn.  I usually try to stock up when it's on sale but I haven't even bought any for a year or so.
And that's the end of my yarn confessions!  I know it's messy, but it's real.  And I go through a whole lot of yarn.  I have a very hard time passing up yarn sales but I've been doing better lately.

I hope all is well with all of you.  I'm trying to keep up with all of your posts, but summer is hard for me to get online as easily.  Tomorrow we're having a potluck for our Bible study group at the lake before the crowds descend there for the summer.  I'm looking forward to that.  We'll have the weekend there and then home on Monday to return the heart monitor to the cardiologist and pack for my Tuesday flight.  Hopefully there will be good news from the doctor when I return.

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."  Proverbs 15:1

Blessings,
Betsy

20 comments:

  1. I am so thrilled for you, have a wonderful time with your beautiful family, exciting times. I have to say a very impressive yarn stash.

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  2. Wow! Good for you heading to DC once again.
    How neat to wave to the conductor of "your" train.
    I think the basket with cream, PINK, and grey yarns is splendid!

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  3. You did a really great job with the sweater, Betsy. It looks like the crochet is meant to be there as part of the design and if it makes her happy, that's a good thing. I love seeing all of your different projects. That blade is really neat; I never knew they made those. My rotary cutter could use a fresh cutting blade now that I think about it. I hope you have a great trip to DC. Take care and enjoy!

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  4. I thought that was the "before" picture on the sweater! You did such a good job I couldn't tell. Your yarn is more organized than mine. Would that blade work on cotton too? I like to put crocheted edging on pillowcases I've made and that would be the nuts to have a tool like that! Love the photos of your area and what I wouldn't give for a place like your friend has...so beautiful and what a treat to have a friend like that and a place like that to visit. What's up with the heart monitor? Did I miss something? I hope all is okay? Have fun at Piper's...I know you will!

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  5. You did a great job with your friend's cardigan. It looks really well. As do all your fleece blankets. It seems, no matter what way you organise yarn, it just never looks organised. Especially once you start using it.

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  6. Oh - forgot to say - enjoy your time away.

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  7. I'm so happy that you get to go visit your girls! Give them a hug for me too. What a pretty place your friend has and how nice of you to spend the day with her.. she sounds like a gem. Your yarn is very well organized and you don't have it spilling out all over. It's just right. Have fun on your flight! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  8. Loved your photos and the spunk of your post op friend

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  9. I'm excited for you to see Miss Piper again!. I miss my granddaughters when I haven't seen them fo just a few days. I hope you get good news from the heart monitor. Your yarn stash looks pretty normal to me. I really need to try to use mine instead of buying more. Have a wonderful time in DC.

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  10. that's so exciting for you to go and see the family. Beautiful area your friend lives in. Would love to live back in the country.... one day!!

    Nice yarn stash.

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  11. So glad you get to see your girls next week. I have some yarn stash and not done alot with it. I need to quit telling people I like purple cuz that is the color I end up.with. For some reason I like variegated yarn. Your crocheted edges on your friend's garment looks nice. Have a good weekend, my friend. Hugs!!

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  12. ah great lots of eye candy there Betsy in Gods creation, in yarn stash, and in crafty creations ...

    ..we have train that goes past out place too .. more of ten than twice a day though about three passenger and maybe two or three good trains though must confess the number of both have diminished over the years, sadly...
    I like trains. So glad you are going to see little Piper .. what fun! God is very good.

    Thanks so much for popping over and for sharing.
    Shaz in Oz.x
    {Shaz in Oz – Calligraphy Cards}

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  13. YIPPEE! So excited for you:)
    I love the sound of trains too...
    Great job on the shrug addition-I am sure she'll like it.
    What beautiful scenery and what an amazing person your friend is!
    Have a safe trip:)
    Blessings, Aimee

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  14. What wonderful news that you will be going to see your girls - I expect that they will be so excited too! Hope your friend is well on the way to recovery. I loved hearing about the train, I would look forward to seeing it each day too.

    That notched cutting tool is really clever, will have to look out for something like that. We have quite a few cutting implements made by Fiskars, including some very enormous tree cutting shears, which make (excuse the pun!) a snip of cutting large branches. The firm is based in Finland, and is a couple of hundred years old, they have opened their old workshops as a museum - it look fascinating, would love to visit it.

    Helenxx

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  15. happy you can visit your girls, I haven't seen that blade from Fiskars, will look after it, take care Jaana K

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  16. I hope this comment comes through. I appreciate the time you spend with Pearl, I know she enjoyed your visit too. Going to miss you while your gone but I'm glad you get to go!

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  17. How exciting that you are going to see your girls! Airline ticket prices are like a rollercoaster and you were right to grab yours while it was low. :)

    One of my brothers lived in Spokane many years ago - such a beautiful area. The evergreens and the grassy meadows are so pretty.

    Wow, what an amazing job you did on the bolero - if you hadn't pointed it out I would never have guessed it was an addition. I am starting to wear longer sleeves all the time now, even in summer, due to those pesky arm flaps.

    Have a wonderful trip and I hope the news from the cardiologist is indeed good. :)

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  18. I love that jacket and the baby blankets are absolutely gorgeous ! xxx

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  19. What a lovely post filled with wonderful things. I do hope your friend's mom will be okay if she moves away from her home. Sometimes doing that isn't always the best thing as they feel displaced. But it sounds like she is a positive, high spirited lady who is still taking on the world. I think you did a great job on that little sweater. Obviously, she knew you would which is why she asked. That little roller blade sure is nifty. I would love to add crochet to some things, but don't know how to punch the holes properly. Enjoy time with your girls. Best wishes, Tammy

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  20. So much good news, Betsy :) I am so happy that you are having happy productive days with family and friends. I did not realize moose roam around near you. On a camping trip early one morning my husband came back to our camp site looking a bit pale and rattled. He said he walked close by a rock but was scared when he realized the rock was instead a moose that stood up next to him! I think it would be fun to see the train regularly, too. Thanks for showing the sewing tool...I want to make those blankets someday, too. I also think you did a fine job adding to the sleeves! xx

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