Thanksgiving Holiday

Does it seem to anyone else that the Thanksgiving Holiday starts earlier and earlier?  Back in the day, I never had the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off, and now schools are out everywhere.  I guess  they figured that half their students and teachers, would take the day off to get started on the traveling or the cooking.  When I worked, I would do the same thing or definitely cut out early as there was nothing much happening.

So, I decided to blog today instead of later in the week, when everyone is busy getting ready to go or do.

I am thankful for you all who keep coming back to the Blog, my podcast, my Ravelry group and Instagram!

Every year I bring this wall hanging out for Thanksgiving for my front door.  It was a gift from my dear friend Norma, who was as generous of a person that you would ever want to know.  In remembering her, I recall how similar our lives have been in retirement and also how she dealt with it.  I'm going to channel her going through the holidays.

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with friends or family whenever your holiday begins.  

Let's choose Joy!

Monday Mail Call

 Woohoo!  Mail from Schoolhouse Press came today.

I will podcast about it after the Thanksgiving holiday, but these are for a multi podcast KAL that kicks off January 1st.

A slew of podcasters did a double dog dare last Summer and the KAL is a result of that.  You know I am such a KAL addict, and PJKnits podcast is going to be a part of it.

Stay tuned for more info after this weekend!

My Knitting Is All Over The Place

 Anyone else?  I have went to absolutely no Christmas knitting to all of a sudden, several things I would love to knit for Christmas presents, going so far as to make a timeline in order to have a birthday knit done in two weeks to Christmas knitting.

Throw in two advent calendars that came in the mail - more about those in the coming weeks.

A test knit - that doesn't have to be done til January, but everyone else is motoring along, but mine is just going to have to wait.

Then, I think I need to knit more hats for me.  Whew.

Today, is nice and sunny here after have several days of cloudy and well, lets just say flurries every day and really cold temps, hence the thought of hats, which also make a nice travel project.

So, yesterday, was just a good day to kick back and evaluate my knitting and possible timelines for finishing.  And of course, a nice warm cuppa or two.  Despite the weather saying its Winter, my mug was saying it is still Fall!

This morning, I got up early and knit my Scrappy Sunday Square, despite telling myself it was ok to sleep in, it just didn't happen.

As long as I was up, I figured I might just as well start a little something in the kitchen.  The first in a really long time that I had to do it on my own, but I think it came out pretty good.

I guess today's topic really could be my daily life is all over the place today, maybe thats the result of too many cuppas, wink?

Hope you are having a great Sunday and a good start to a Thanksgiving week!

Episode 84 - Throw On and Go Sweaters

 Episode 84 is up on You Tube, you can find it here

I am starting a series of easy going, wear around the winter weather, throw on and go sweaters featured in my upcoming podcasts, I hope they inspire you to do so as well.

The weather here in Central Illinois is so right for this kind of sweater.

This Is What Happens

 When you don't blog for a bit.  There is so much to show and tell.

We had a Scrappy Sunday  last week.

We had a couple of really nice and warm days (70s), so there was a lot of knitting on the porch whenever I could and my roses were still blooming.

I made some progress on a new sweater for knitting at the yarn shop.

I got a new journal for my birthday, but I think I am going to save it until next porch knitting season.

I turned 65! Huh, what, how did that happen?  I had a good birthday, celebrating with lunch out after Hospice, and dinner with my local kids. 

 It was a pretty good day.  I'll post later this week all about the wonderful gifts and wishes I received.

The next day was Veterans Day, and of course I had to share a picture of my Dad in his uniform.  

Then, the return of the season's temp necessitated the closing of the porch for this knitting season.  It makes me a bit sad, as with it comes memories.

And finally, we are here, another Scrappy Sunday.

Hope you had a good week, I'll catch you on the purl side!

Knitting in the Dark

This may seem crazy, but some years ago, I practiced knitting with my eyes shut.  The ladies at hospice can't get over the fact that I knit without looking down.  I explained to them that I can feel the stitches with my hands as I move them along, and that I perfected it because two worries for a knitter are losing ones eyesight and their hands.

Something I love doing is sitting as the sun goes down, knitting, watching some t.v. without the light on, which helps to not have people looking in at me through the big window.

And then I turn on the light to see how I did.

Not bad. Practice is good.

This May Be It

 The end of leaves from my trees (hopefully).

It may be time for me to hire the guy to come take care of them.

But, I may need to wait until tomorrow's 45-50 mile per hour winds come through, maybe they will all blow away? LOL.

There are just a couple of more buds left on my two sets of bushes.

I decided one last bouquet of roses for the house was in order.

Everyday, I ask myself if this will be the last day of sitting on the porch?  This morning, early it was quite nice, just a slight breeze.

Until the wind kicked up a bit more, it wasn't as warm, or maybe it was just me.  

Hope you are enjoying some knitting and Fall weather this Friday!

November Knits

A few years back when I was still working, I chose November to pull out my knits and challenged myself to wear one every day.  This morning, I thought why not challenge myself again and get out and wear them somewhere.  

This week we are having some uncharacteristic warmer temps (70ish) for November.  It was the perfect day to pull out my Moduloncho by shanalines designs.  A poncho pattern that is all in garter with some welts that I had never knit before.

It's the perfect knit to throw on before heading out in the morning and pull off when the temps warm up.  Knit in finger weight yarn, the world is your palette as to what colors you want to do any or all of the sections.

Pull out your knits, wear them and take them somewhere and have a 

 

When Last We Blogged

 I finished a sleeve

And really thought I would have sleeve number two done by now

But, I did do a scrappy square for the final Sunday in October

And bought treats for absolutely no trick or treaters except for one cutie that I am super partial to.

So, now lets bring on November which is a big month for me with a BIG birthday too!

Cravings

 I finished sleeve #1 on my Ground Pepper!!

It didn't take me forever, for the sleeve that is.  Cast on was last Fall and I put it away for the Spring and other things.  It has been my go to knitting for my local yarn shop, The Fiber Universe.  Recently, I have been on this bit of monogamy when it comes to my knitting so I can finish some things. Right now, I am dying to get back to another fun sweater, but this one must be finished first.

I'm craving easy, carefree, throw on and putz around in the house type of sweaters right now or go for a walk in, wear to the park or just to the local yarn shop.  I see a podcast topic coming.

I'm also craving macarons (see my stitch marker above), I just don't have a local source for homemade ones, but am thinking that might be a nice Winter project to learn how to make them!

What are you craving?

Feeling Antsy

Ever had that feeling where you just needed to get out of the house?  After a super rainy day yesterday, today was a sunny day and I knew this afternoon, that I just needed to get out of the house and sit in the sun.  Right before I headed out, I turned around and picked up my knitting.

I headed out to our park, where we have a lagoon that attracts walkers, fishers and geese/ducks.  

The ducks have taken over certain spots for sure, and when walking, one really needs to look down to make sure you don't step in their poop on the sidewalk.

I found a nice bench on the North side this afternoon to enjoy the sun, the water and my knitting.

After awhile I walked back the other way, and took some pictures of things around the lagoon, including the Pavilion that hosted a lot of things over the years, including my niece's wedding a couple of years back.

Back in my parents day, it was my understanding that it was open and served refreshments in the Winter when they would ice skate on the frozen lagoon. It is not used for that anymore, only for special occasions, but it is cool to see in the Winter.  We will save that for Winter.  

My walk found these monuments that I never ever saw before, and I am glad that our city put them there as a tribute.

I finished up my walk, enjoying the sparkle of the sun on the waves.

The blueness of the water along with the realization of all the colors, 

That Fall is definitely here.

I am hoping to take some more walks in the park, before Winter sets in.

I Proclaim Today

 as Penny Day, or do/eat what you want.  Back when I was working, Sundays were my day.  I may have done some laundry, but for the most part, it was a relaxing day, before going back to work the next day, I would just take the day and plan my week, plan my knitting etc and generally just have a me day.

Even though I am not working any more, I found myself doing the same thing this morning, and felt like today was a good day to have a Me Day. 

Before the sun was even up, I was out on the porch, taking advantage of some nice weather, even though, just a tad chilly and windy,  enjoying my knitting and probably one of the very last days of early morning knitting on the porch.

Because it was Sunday, I treated myself to a coffee from Starbucks, and with it being Sunday morning, I figured they wouldn't be too busy and when I got there, I was pleased that they had it all ready and waiting for me.

Enjoyed my cuppa while doing some planning of the week along with a topic for the podcast later this week having to do with some easy, comfortable sweaters I want to talk about.  Then, knit my square for Scrappy Sunday.

Finished up the day with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, my go to meal when I don't want to cook and some old reruns of Sex and the City.

The End of the Me Day. 

Finally Finished Friday

Here at Chez PJKnits, its back to Fall again, with gorgeous sunshine and blue skies along with temps in the 70's and best of all the heat is off again.  I just was not ready to start running the furnace as soon as we had to. So count me as happy.

Last weekend, we celebrated by oldest grandson's birthday and I finished the Ravenclaw Scarf from the Harry Potter Knits book for my oldest granddaughter.  The smile says everything!

I'm super happy that project is done!

Now, I'm taking some time to work on "some" sweaters for me for Winter and planning to talk about them next week sometime on a podcast.  In the meantime, hope you are having a great Fall weekend!

Catch you on the purl side.