Optimism

I'm not really sure what difference it will make, but when I noticed that today was the last day of the month it made me really happy. Whenever I have something going on that I'd like to get over with (grieving, cold weather, etc.) I erroneously equate the passing of time on the calendar with the end of whatever it is that's bugging me. Yes, it's true that the more days that go by the more the seasons transition from one to the next, but it's foolishness (where we live anyway) to believe that on April first we will have arrived at warm, sunny, guaranteed-snow-free weather. As much as I L.O.V.E our state, this time of the year makes me flirt with thoughts of going south and freeing ourselves of cabin fever and winter coats and all of their accompaniments two months sooner. Oh, Lord, take me away! (Or else give me the patience necessary for Spring in Wisconsin!)

A Great Giveaway

I just thought I'd let you know that Ginny at Small Things is hosting a giveaway this weekend. It's a great basket full of healthy, earth-friendly art supplies. Hurry, it ends on Monday!

Yarn Along

These are all of my knitting accomplishments from the last several weeks.

The baby hat is a version of a free drops pattern I found on ravelry. I'm just happy that it fits him, considering I did just about everything differently than how they said to do it. The pattern also calls for a crocheted border to be added on at the very end. But, since I don't know how to crochet and also because a friend who does informed me that it would be slightly scallopy, I decided to leave it off in hopes of having it seem more boyish.

In the background you'll see two pairs of I-corded mittens, one for each of the older boys. I love having the mittens on that cord! They were so smart in the olden days. The mittens do not get lost, but there also isn't any hunting for each child's mitts before we can go anywhere or having to help with getting the right one on the right hand, etc. I love it.

There are a couple of things I didn't expect to happen with the mitten project, though. One, is that the I-cords really stretch a lot. I thought they probably would a little bit and pulled on it as I was making and measuring them, but they still stretched even more than that. So in the future I will knock a few inches off the wrist-to-wrist measurement.

The other unexpected occurrence with these mittens is that because I didn't use a superwash and they're 100% wool, with the boys wearing them out in the snow and back in the house, they're felting themselves! I'm quite pleased with this, though, because in the beginning I was worried that they wouldn't be as warm or as airtight as some store-bought counterpart and now I think they are. (Although I think a little bit of the length on each of the mittens was sacrificed to the felting. Something to keep in mind for next time.)

I now have on the needles (for the second time--had to start over last night) a matching blue stocking hat for Honeybun, as his brother has his green mitten and hat set (you know how these things go).

Sadly, I don't have any books to rave about today. I'm waiting on a couple from the library that I have pretty high hopes for and I just returned a bunch of planting and recipe books last night. So hopefully by next time I'll have more interesting book news for you!

Visit Ginny to see all of the great reads and projects everyone else has going on!

The Simple Woman's Daybook, Vol. 4

FOR TODAY, Tuesday, March 1

Outside my window... It's dark and back down below freezing now. Although the ground is still white and buried with at least a foot of snow, we got to see the sun and enjoy 40 degree weather today!

I am thinking... I would really like to know the origin/reason why knitters say they "frogged" something to mean that they had to rip it all out and start over. I don't get it! I have two guesses. Either it's because "ripped it (out)" kindof sounds like "ribbit" or it's an acronym for all of the swear words circling the mind when all of the undoing is taking place. My vote is for the second.

I am thankful for... the basics that are easily overlooked: home, food, health, income, safety.

From the learning rooms... Technically, we're on break after finishing the Kindergarten curriculum a couple of weeks ago. So we've been enjoying the departure from the books lately, but today we enjoyed some naptime-cuddletime-read aloud from his old reading books-time. I think this should find its way into the majority of our days.

From the kitchen... nothing too special. I've lost my great-ideas-for-supper groove, so it's been pretty simple lately.

I am wearing... layers.

I am creating... a homemade (handknit) hat for Honeybun (which, yes, was frogged this evening and begun again).

I am going... to see the midwife next week.

I am reading... FitPregnancy.

I am hoping... to make it through the transition to (actual) Spring without losing all semblance of sanity.

I am hearing... Captain Janeway bossing people around (No, I am not the one watching it nor am I the one with a shred of interest in it.).

Around the house... the need for a purging of the toys has been lurking in my mind and is only becoming ever more annoying and evident.

One of my favorite things... eating food. Any and all food, really, but especially food that I'm feeling particularly drawn to at any given moment.

A few plans for the rest of the week: getting out when we can and taking advantage of the weather if/when it's nice. Also, I'm hoping to visit my grandparents at some point this week, but other than that, we'll just be enjoying daily life.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing..

Visit Peggy for more Simple Women!