Baby It’s Warm Outside

Hello everyone. It is such a gorgeous, amazingly beautiful "spring in January" day here in Omaha, It's bright blue sky and 59F outside right now at 3:55 as I begin typing this post. Last week it was -19F. What a change! It would be nice if it was like this the rest of the winter, but I know that isn't going to happen. However, I will enjoy every beautiful moment that God has provided today and deal with tomorrow when it comes.

Mandy and Piper have been really sick since Thursday with Influenza A. Piper got it first and Mandy was sick by Sunday morning. They were both vaccinated but it must be a different strain than the vaccine covers. I'm taking homemade chicken and noodles over to them for dinner tonight. It will be a porch drop-off because I don't want to get sick and neither does Dennis! So far Brad's okay and I hope it stays that way.

I finished another baby blanket for the Open Door Mission. I used Hobby Lobby's Baby Bee in "banana." It took exactly two skeins, I was playing yarn chicken and starting to get worried. :-) I don't have the name of the pattern, but it is free on Ravelry.

A friend at church is a school nurse for a low income elementary school here. Many of the children are refugees through Catholic Charities. She said mittens are very needed there, so I'll start making them again. I enjoy making them and have missed it. They use up lots of worsted scraps too.

I think I have some new readers so I thought I would show you how I store my yarn. This is the majority of it on these shelves. I have used a LOT of what I had two years ago. Do you remember that big score of yarn I found on Facebook marketplace right after we moved? I had kept much of what I bought then in bins and bags. The top right cubbies are baby yarn #3.  Most of the rest is worsted #4 except the third bin from the left in the top row where you see the big peach skein. That is sock yarn. The bottom bins on the left hold cotton that I use for dishcloths. 

The pretty crocheted medallion is from Amanda who used to blog who lives in the mediterranean. The three stitichery projects are ones that I made years and years ago when I was still in junior high and high school. The embroidered deer picture is the very first crewel embroidery that I ever did. The little sheep felted bookmark was made for me by Lorraine. She was a blogger who lived on the Isle of Lewis who died a couple of years ago. Dennis and I spent a day with her and her husband in London the summer before she passed. We had such a great time together and she was a wonderful person who was a very talented crafter in many things.

After I wash them, I keep finished projects in bins in the closet until they are donated or given away as a gift. The bottom two bins have leftover balls of sock yarn that I try to use up, but it just seems to multiply. The purple bag has my yarn swift from Paradise Fibers in Spokane. The bags underneath have projeccts in them that I may or may not get to. They've been in those bags since before we moved from Spokane. I should just frog them and put the yarn to better use.

Now for the recipient of the sweater that I made earlier this month. She told me that I could share her photo. This is Pamela from the "Closed Doors, Open Windows" blog. She is an amazing Christian woman, encourager. wildlife lover and friend. I am blessed every time I read one of her posts. God put it into my head to maker her a sweater. I've never done that for anyone besides family, but when God tells you to do something, you do it! And do you know, Pamela lives in Florida where it was so cold last week? She got the sweater just before it got so cold. God's timing is perfect. He knew Pamela needed a sweater and told me to make it, and it got to her just when she needed it. Look at her beautiful smile. I LOVE it! And who knew? I had no idea of her size, but it fit her perfectly. God is amazing!

And she likes the pockets as much as I do on mine. Now she matches Piper. I want one is this color too. I'm just so happy that she likes it.

I better finish that chicken and noodles to take to my sick kids. Please pray for a swift recovery and that Brad doesn"t get it. As I said, Piper is much better, but Mandy is still pretty sick. Hopefully the chicken and noodles work their magic and they're completely well tomorrow.

I'll be around to your blogs soon and I hope you're avoiding all of the "stuff" out there as much as possible. May God bless your homes with peace and joy.

Blessings and love,

Betsy

In The Garden

Text & Music by C. AustinMiles

I come to the garden alone.
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me,
And He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing.
And the melody that He gave to me,
Within my heart is ringing.

And He walks with me,
And He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

I'd stay in the garden with Him,
'Tho the night around me be falling.
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe,
His voice to me is calling.

And He walks with me,
And He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.