Now it's REALLY SNOW!

Two hours ago. Snow but not too much.

Then about ten minutes ago.

To give a bit of perspective. In that last picture you can barely see the Rhubarb peeking out of the raised bed. It's about 6-7 inches tall! These are the snow flurries that the weather person predicted. I just had the news on and they said the snow is over for Spokane. Really? Come look at my house. I'm in Spokane! It's still coming down like gangbusters and makes me really thankful for this:

Yep. My hero came home last night and rid the stove of the dead bird. I soon had a roaring fire going and I happily sat and knitted the evening away in front of it while Hubby went to yet another meeting. Poor guy.

The fire is crackling away merrily again and there is a bonus. Even though it got down to 21F last night, our furnace only came on once all night since 4:30 yesterday afternoon. Maybe we'll see a decrease in our heating costs this winter.

Here's the progress on my scarf which I want to join into a circle for a cowl. It's about four feet long and I think I need another foot on it. Then blocking. I so want to take this with me on our trip. Maybe there is a chance! I do have to add shoveling the sidewalks to my to-do list now. :-(

Blessings,

Betsy

Snow?!

Good Monday Morning to you all! It's so good to be able to get up and come to the computer and say hello to all of you out there in blogland. I really do feel like many of you have become friends. With your sweet comments and things that you've shared with me through this blog and yours. I'm SO glad to know you all! Seriously. I am.

It was a busy, busy weekend. Hubby and I spent much of Saturday running errands in preparation for being gone almost two weeks. We also wanted to pick up some gifts for anyone we might meet while there. The custom in Japan is to give a small gift when you meet with someone. It may be a bookmark, a pencil, candy, etc. Alex also wanted to see if we could find Huckleberry tea for the ladies in his office. They drink lots of tea and since the Inland Northwest is known for it's huckleberry's, that's the logical choice to take. We had to try a few places, but success was had at last! We also bought a few packages of Huckleberry candies as small gifts to give.

Our Japanese "daughter", Harumi lives in the Tokyo area, so we'll be able to visit with her too. When I was there two years ago, she had just had her baby, Harutaro, the day before I arrived in Tokyo. I was very excited to see him so soon after his birth. I told her it was very nice of her to time the delivery so well! I was only in Tokyo for two days that trip so it really was amazing that she delivered him right at that time. I send Harutaro little gifts once in awhile. This is the outfit that we bought for him on Saturday. It looks like it will be really big for him, but better too big than too small. He will always grow, right?

The shirt is actually purple checks but the color isn't showing up well.

Our bags are full and I don't even have my clothes in there yet! Uh-oh. I know I'll figure it out, I always do. But that doesn't mean I don't panic in the meantime.

You remember the title of this post? Snow. Yes we got our first snow yesterday. It melted as it hit the ground at our house, but about 2 miles from here had 3 inches on the ground. Thankfully it's gone now, but it was a BAD reminder of what is in store for us this season. Ick. The time change was bad enough yesterday, but snow too? I'll say it again. Ick!

Our small group had the hospitality lunch after church yesterday. That means we were responsible for fixing lunch for any visitors and/or members that wanted to stay for lunch and chatting. It's always fun, but it is a lot of work. Hubby and I arrived home five minutes before our cord of wood was delivered. Yep. A little over a cord of wood dumped in our driveway. So guess what we did all afternoon? We hauled a cord of wood, one wheelbarrow load at a time to our backyard and stacked it. Hours later it was done. I should have taken a picture then, it looked so nice all stacked and ready for a nice fire. But...I forgot so I ran out this morning and lifted the tarps a bit to show you. I'm so looking forward to a nice fire.

About 1/4 of it is stacked close to the family room door for ease of retrieval this winter. The rest is stacked on the side of the house further away.

I have a confession. I went to light a fire this morning and when I opened the stove door-there was a dead bird. I just couldn't do it. I closed the door and called Hubby at work. He was in a meeting but I left him a voicemail saying I had a little job for him when he gets home! I know. I know. I'm a wimp. I just can't deal with dead animals. Especially birds. I didn't even take a picture to show you. I just slammed the door shut and ran! I guess I'll be sitting by the gas fire today!

So on a much more pleasant subject, I finished the socks I was working on even with the busy weekend. I have started another pair for me, but they will remain barely started until the plane trips. I wanted to do just enough so they could see that they were really socks and knitting needles, but not too much that I would run out of a project before I get home. It's always a dilemma for me. How much yarn should I pack?

This is my current project. I've ripped it out yet again and started it for the third time.

Do you remember it? It's my birthday yarn from last year. The silk and silver and cashmere yarn. I'm making the pattern up as I go and I so wanted to have it done by the time we leave so I could wear it over there. But I'm afraid that won't happen. It's barely 11 inches and it needs to be at least 60. Oh well. Who knows it MIGHT happen. Stranger things have.

Okay. I really need to get busy. I can't wrap any of the gifts because of TSA, so I'll take paper cut to the proper size and tape. Lots of other little stuff I need to get done today too.

Have a lovely day my friends.

BLessings,
Betsy

"Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

One Week To Go!

Oh my Goodness! We leave for Japan a week from today and I have just realized that I have nothing ready! The suitcases came up to the bedroom from the garage this morning. It's always an interesting challenge as Hubby allows only carry-on, no checked luggage. This comes from his years and years of traveling the world for work. His luggage was lost one too many time and he learned to pack light. If need be, he would wash underwear in the bathroom sink and hang it overnight to dry. When he, Mandy and I visited Alex 4 years ago for 16 days I didn't think I could do it. But we all took only our wheeled carry on and a personal bag. I was SO GLAD. We were on so many trains, planes and boats during that trip. Dragging our bags along everywhere with us. I can't imagine dragging a big suitcase all over and up and down the escalators in the subway system. All over the streets of Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima to name a few.

Anyway, he has taught me the value of packing light. The main thing is enough underwear to get by!!!! Then a few mix and match pieces and you're done. The challenge right now is the changing seasons. It should be around 60F during the day there so I think we can get by with no winter wear. I am taking Alex's Christmas gifts along with a few of his childhood possessions that I think he would like to have with him. I always think it's an impossible task to pack everything into one bag, but it always manages to fit!

The weather here is decidedly cooler this week and it's been sprinkling off and on all morning. So the pictures of the knitting that I wanted to take are kind of shadowy and dark but I guess you'll get the idea.

Here is the last batch of mittens!!!! Hurray! Yippee Skippy! There are officially 101 pair! I still have some yarn left so later when I can stand the thought of another mitten, I'll make more for the children's shelter here in town or wherever there is a need.

Thank you to all who prayed for this project and who generously donated for the yarn. It is much appreciated and I know will go a long way towards keeping some children warm this winter.

I've been working on socks the past couple of weeks as my "purse project". The mittens have just too many parts to carry along without losing something. (Needles, scissors, stitch markers, stitch holders, etc.) I lost too many things at first so I switched to dishcloths in my purse and then socks. Now that the mittens are on done, I've been able to knit last night on socks exclusively. I'm also taking yarn with me to make a pair for myself while traveling. Socks are a nice small, portable project and I like to make them when I'm flying. My favorite pattern for adults is in Stephanie Pearl-McFee aka the Yarn Harlots book, "Knitting Rules". It's such an easy, easy pattern. I didn't use it on any of these until the pair that I'm actually working on right now, (the green ones). I don't know why. They fit better. The pattern is much easier to follow. Now I know why I always go back to it.

These first two pair look like baby socks but they will actually fit a 4-7 year old, or so the patterns say. The brown pair knitted up in about 2 hours with size 6 needles using worsted weight yarn. The multi-colored ones use the usual size 1 double points that I use for socks and sock yarn. Can you believe how well the stripes match on these? nice!

Don't mind the white, white legs of the model on these. The strips didn't match up for some reason but I still like the color.

These are my current pair. I finished one sock last night and started the second a few minutes ago.

I don't remember if I told you last time who all of these socks are for. I recently found out about a family who live in the mountains about 2 hours from here in a log cabin they built themselves. The Dad is a preacher and Mom is a homemaker who also homeschools all 9 of their children, (well 7 now, two recently married and moved out!) I am so inspired by this family and their work and life ethics. I found out that they love wool hand knit socks to keep warm in the log house, but she doesn't knit, (yet!) I offered to make them some socks so here I am. Knitting lots of socks. I'm not sure of the sizes since I've never met them but I'm making a variety of sizes so something should fit don't you think?

I went to the grocery store this morning to stock up on things for Ellen who stays at our house with Chloe when we travel. She is a dear friend and we can always count on her willing spirit to take care of things for us and love on Chloe too. :-)

I have a roast in the crockpot for dinner so I should be able to sneak a few hours of knitting in today along with a start on packing.

Lots and lots of onions. Just the way we like it. Mmmmm. Sourdough bread to go along with it. Just the thing for a chilly autumn dinner.

Have a lovely day my friends and smile.

Blessings,

Betsy