Musings on a lazy late spring day

There is nothing like a spring columbine bloom to make your heart happy. These are little plants that I had put out a the cabin. We have a lot of shade and are trying to naturalize the area. Got these from an organic co-op farm. One still had a bloom left in it for the spring - most have finished for this year.

I am seeing better after a kenalog shot on my eye. Pushed my blood sugar up a little, but only temporary. Worth it for the results this time. The redness and swelling has cleared up. And that has helped the vision a little, so am able to knit more. Am working on a fuschia kimono wrap for a new great niece due here in early June. Making it in what I hope is a 6-9 mo size so she can wear it this fall, winter. They and my brother go to their house in Red River NM a lot, so cool weather clothes can be worn most of the year for a little one.

Having something new to knit kinda sparks the spirit a little - same-o same-o gets a little boring and I have been boring lately. So here is to a new leaf in my daily life.

Have a nice day and smile at someone!

Can Spring be far away?

I love the first peek at springtime! The weather is fickle - from 22F at night earlier this week to 70's in the day in the next few days. Perfect time to get out the pruning shears, work on the shrubs, Knock-out roses, planting new Clematis bulbs and all of those other early spring chores. Nothing brings back life better than digging and working in Mother Earth and thanking God for the benefits she gives us. I always start out with great plans, but don't have the help to carry them all out. My husband doesn't feel the same "spirit" when working in the yard. It's just about the bottom of his most hated chores list - or guess that would be the top of that list. Our bushes around the back show that. They weren't trimmed back last year, and have almost over-taken it and the walkway around it. He has the impression that planting things as close as possible to both the deck and each other is the way to go instead of allowing growing room for things.

Anyone need any Nandia starts? I have about a dozen from my bush in the front if anyone wants to come and get them! They are cheap! LOL

Life sometimes is a tangle

I realize that I needed to dig down inside myself and pull out the things I am grateful for - instead of letting "life" swallow me up as I have for December, January and February - especially after the eye surgery. It was so so much more difficult than I had been prepared for or expected.

So I need to be thankful and appreciative that I am alive - there are people whose loved one didn't wake up this morning or will not tomorrow. So many take it for granted that there will always be a tomorrow - and it is not for certain. So for this, I am grateful.

I am also thankful for my family. My daughter brought me a beautiful orchid in bloom for my birthday - unfortunately the temperature was in the 20's and destroyed the blooms and buds on it. She was so disappointed - she said she put it in her jacket and thought it would be ok - but didn't cover it in her car or anything. But it was a really pretty color and I will baby it and hope it blooms again next year! She then brought me a bouquet of tulips and lunch one day - it was one of the first things I had eaten that didn't come out of a can or a freezer bag since my surgery. Made two meals out of it all. The boys both called and got me to meet them for lunch on my birthday - so that was thoughtful thing for them to do.

I am finally able to knit a little - getting some sight and improving on the eye hand coordination needed to knit - was a little funny when I first tried. Have one baby bootie finished out of the Koigu KPPM - now to finish the other. Had plans to deliver them tomorrow, but its not going to happen. Knitting has been so relaxing and I missed it terribly.

Someone who I had mentioned and prayed for during her tough time and subsequent surgery wrote in her blog things that made me ashamed that I had let the months swallow me up, instead of facing them head on with the same courage she showed - through a much much more difficult surgery and life altering recovery. Most of you probably read Alison H's blog but if you don't you should!

So I am going to keep the link for this entry, and when I feel that "feeling" coming again, I am going to read this and remember - it takes courage to keep on going sometimes.

Knittalk Secret Santa

It appears that I have success today in getting a photo to load. Photobucket has changed in how it loads pictures and was giving me trouble - both yesterday and today,but think I have it conquered! Thanks to Sharon for such a great package, and to my daughter for the carousel horse to hold it together! I am anxious for my eye sight to improve so that I can try to knit with the Zephyr - really excited!! I can see light and shadow today, so am making progress, and got a little sleep last night, so have improvement in that area to. Sleep makes the days a little more tolerable.

Groundhog, again

I am hoping for Groundhog day in reverse. Yesterday was groundhog day - and my 8th eye surgery in less than 20 mos now. So I am hoping that instead of repeating over and over, it will end with yesterday. I am just a little high on pain medication, have an eye that is swollen shut, that is weeping tears and weeping etc..so that could be my problem with loading the picture in the last post and now bloggers etc.

Will try again in a few days and see if I have better luck! It is cold, but the sun is out - always so deceiving, makes one think of warmth, but hearing the heater come on over and over reminds me that it is quite cold out. Tomorrow is only going to be a little above freezing all day - and this is fairly deep in the SE of the US - we have had a relatively cold winter this year - colder than the past couple. But at least it has been dry - very little to no snow, so life goes on as usual. About this time of the year, I do feel sorry for the people who live in the north and are slogged down in snow and ice - just to the north of us, Kentucky has really been hit hard with heavy ice. Many volunteers have gone from here to help in the restoration of power to people in KY. Chattanooga is always a sharing town - when natural disasters occur, people are always ready to go and help. Always makes one proud to hear that.

Back to bed I go - but one last little tidbit - a dear author, knitter and friend to many, has had her trials for the past six weeks. She is 3 days out of major surgery and was asking for yarn and needles to make a scarf for someone in Stanford hospital who has touched her life. Alison is doing better, and I am sure, amazing her drs with her progress. She is amazing me - but doing something which is such an "Alison" thing to do! Yeah! Go girl!

Life's funks

I have been in a general funk for December and January - didn't get into the "Christmas" spirit this year -even though I did have fun selecting boxes for my two Secret Pal gifts - hope they enjoyed them as much as I did. And I have a wonderful one to post about. Sharon of Calgary Canada sent me such a wonderful surprise. Due to my many allergies, she sent it direct from her yarn store and wowed me off of my feet! A beautiful mini-cone of Zephyr lace weight in Marine blue, with matching silk thread- perfect for knitting some bookmarks. I already had decided to get busy and knit start knitting some for those many little gifts always needed around the holiday season, to say thank you to so many people - and have heard that this silk knits up perfect, so am ready to give it a try. See what you think of the box - it has taken me several tries with my new little digital camera - ALL MINE, I don't have to share! - to get a half decent image. So the more I play with it, the better I hope to become.......there is always hope!

Well, blogger is being contrary - I can't get the picture to upload! Will keep trying - it is too great to miss.

Secret Pal 13 Question of the week

The next question is: Are you doing any Christmas knitting?

NO - have not been able to do much knitting at all for the past several months. My eyesight has not returned as I had hoped and has kept me from knitting very much. I have real difficulty in seeing sometimes. So no knitting for anyone this year - other than a hat for me that is almost finished. It was put aside for a few days for another little project that is finished.