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just simple longies for wintery weather

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IMG_1487 IMG_1490Busy, busy, busy is our norm.  None of us really is any good at just sitting by.  If there is time we will find a project to fill it.  It is just the way we are really.  Even the little ones but this winter is doing strange things to my children.   I think having to be inside is making them stir crazy.  Yesterday I found them cleaning out the refrigerator for fun or mopping with “I don’t know why” for an answer as to why they chose that activity.  We are used to be outside everyday you see and  they don’t know where to put their energies.

Late afternoon I figured that we would just go out for a break from the room decorating and quilt making yesterday but then I started getting emails and messages on Facebook from friends and people who know we are here.  Winter weather advisorys and before I knew it, we were heading into our first severe winter storm with snow, rain and ice heading our way.  We got out flashlights and brought in enough wood to heat should we lose power.  All that was left to do was something to do for all of us.

For the kids we pulled out all the paper, markers, board games, you have it and for me, well I remembered those poor longies which have been waiting for far too long and so we sat, looking out of windows as winter flew by in flurries and sheets of snow, pellets of ice and rain.

They played and I knit, needing to give my hands a break from the pressing action of the rotary cutter.  I think in short order, Matthew may be wearing these longies.  They are perfect for these cold days and the hand dyed yarn makes me think of that warm spring day when the girls and I hand dyed the wool.  These longies have no pattern, I just casted on enough stitches to make a ribbed waist and then worked the body until the it as long as one of his diaper covers.  I divided the stitches evenly for the legs and once the legs are done, I will add a cuff in the same yarn as the waist.  All that there will be to do for the crotch will be to sew 4 little stitches.  No kitchener or anything fancy like that just a simple pair of longies for my little one.

Besides quilting and knitting, all this winter has me dreaming and planning for spring.  There will be so much to do but for now I plan.  I am reading Paradise Lot which as I have mentioned here before I think, is wonderful.  He and his farming partner are raising their two families, in a duplex the purchased when they were both single and being permaculturists have made an edible eden in the city on 1/10th of an acre.  I have my perennial books to look up plants they mention as well as my seed catalogs to add new plants to my wishlist for spring.  So exciting but also a bit sad knowing that my plants at our farm in Florida will be without me or anyone this year.

Please don’t forget to enter for the Valentines Embroidery hoop art!   Enter here. It is the perfect Valentine and made by me.  I will see you here on Friday for Real Food on a Real Budget with the line-up of all the blogging mommas who will be guest blogging here in the next few weeks and some money saving ideas.

Yarning along with Ginny, whom I hope is staying as warm as we are in the winter of winters.

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the view from my window

I’ll tell ya, I have never been more surprised upon awakening than I was this morning.   I opened my eyes to Mateo’s sleepy little face nuzzled up next to my cheek.  I laid there watching him for a few minutes and then as he woke, I enjoyed his sleepy, almost drunken like smile.  At some point my eyes caught a wush of white flying by outside, looked out towards the windows and I tell ya, I almost fell out of bed from the shock.

Yesterday, the boys and I were out and about in long sleeved tshirts, no sweater, no feeling of being too cold, just a really nice sunny day with temps of about 47.  This morning it’s a winter wonderland out there.  How or when this happened, I can only imagine it snowed all night and snow it must have for there are about 5 inches of it already.  Five inches where yesterday there was grass.

I ran around waking the rest of my brood just to watch their amazement at it all.  Truly, this is breathtaking.  I hope we always feel this wonderment at seeing it though I am sure at some point it will become very much commonplace.

I felt the need to start a new project, though I have 3 others in my knitting basket.  I remembered that extra bulky yarn in my studio from my trip to the Purl SOHO.  A new cowl was cast on.  A cowl for me.  The yarn is Cascade Magnum and I originally bought this gynormous yarn thinking I would crochet a doily rug for my bedroom but then thought of how dirty it would get from admiring little feet visiting it.  I think I will make one eventually but perhaps a darker color, yes?

So, as I sit by the woodstove with peppermint tea in hand, I thank God for the seasons and for the view from my window.

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