Where has the time gone?

It's hard to believe that the month has passed and that I haven't been posting. It's been a busy month, knitting gifts so I can't share now. It's hard to believe 34 years have passed--I started teaching in 1975-ages ago, yet I remember those first years so clearly--as if it where yesterday. Tonight I'm off to my retirement party. So much to be thankful for a wonderful daughter, great friends and rewarding career

Finishing

Actually finished projects--afghans for donation, sweater for my daughter, you know the one I started in December. I should get a photo posted soon. Went to the Westchester Knitting guild meeting on Monday night, thanks to Donna (no car now). It was fun, informative and there was a goodie bag, thanks to Lion Brand Yarns. At some point I have to make a trip to their Studio in the city. Well it seems that we are going to have a nice size group of women going to the NY State Sheep and Wool Festival, this fall. Looking forward to that!!!

Project Update

Loved making this shrug. Plymouth Yarns Pattern - Plymouth Fantasy yarn- Quick and Easy

Rib stitch all the way!!!

The spell is broken

The last 48 hours have been a comedy of errors--a dark cloud followed me but now the spell is broken!!! I'm not going to go into all the details but let's just say I have had car problems, lock outs, lost mail, missed appointments, a robbery and an accidental black eye. Mind you that these are all separate incidents--and I'm prefectly safe, healthy and happy.

You know when I was talking about a positive attitude, well this was certainly a test of my ability to maintain that "half full" theory. I'm proud to say "that a good attitude got me through it" . Now you may ask, how do I know the cloud is gone?--I know!!!-the mail was located and the stolen item was replaced (not with the original, but a replacement none the less). My friends tell me with all that bad luck--I should play the lotto!!

The purple shrug, (purple my favorite color, it matches my eye)

It's not blue this time!!!

Realizing that almost everything I knit in the last year is blue, was quite a revelation!!! I love color, but obviously blue must be the favorite. Although all of my knitting is for others, somehow I must believe in my heart that blue is their favorite color also. Perhaps it's the soothing feeling of blue, light blues, sky blues, ocean blues, cloudy, dusty blues, that draw me to this hue. Whether it is bright, jewel or muted my hands and mind are relaxed and calmed by blue.

Today was a wonderful day. Took a pilates class and then dropped quilts off for the local Project Linus group. The group was meeting at a quilt and knit shop nearby.

My students have been working on these quilts over the years, a little bit at a time. Each quilt passed on to the next student who stitched a row of blocks together, added a border, layered the fabrics or hand stitched ties. I could not tell you the number of students who touched these quilts, it could be in the hundreds-many hands make light work.

Project Linus is a great organization. Today's meeting was my first, but definitely not my last. Women and young girls sat and sewed squares or labels and crocheted and knit blankets. Many hands make light work! I ended up spending the afternoon-enjoying the company and feeling of giving. Today is a wonderful day.

Oh by the way, the blanket I worked on was multicolored, jewel tones with a bit of blue and I purchased yarn for my next project!!! Purple, it's not blue but pretty close.

Finding Beauty

Stress can be deadly. I'm talking about the bad stress, negative thinking - over scheduling, everyday life that happens-illness, loss of loved ones, loss of job, money problems, confrontations, loss of faith and list can go on and on. I think it's crucial that we learn how to deal with stress, I believe that having the skills and knowing and practicing stress management techniques adds to the quality of life. I spend much of my time teaching these skills - in my classroom and though knitting and hypnosis.

The way you see things (cup half full or half empty) will make a difference.

Finding beauty in the world fills the cup.

Sharing images from my last trip to the west coast.

Enjoy isn't that rainbow, unbelievable!!!

Discovering New Things

They say that keeping your mind sharp, reading, following your interests, learning new things and activity (mental and physical) will increase your chances of having a healthy mental future. This week I read an article refering to a study that suggests knitting "may" delay memory loss!!!!

The study comes from the Mayo Clinic

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7896441.stm

It's so nice to know that my hobby will help me in the future as well as giving me joy now.

Special Olympics

What a great Idea!!!! Knit or crochet for the Special Olympics. Donna, Mary and I made these scarves

And to my delight a group from the organization walked in the inaugural parade-proudly displaying the beautiful scarfs.

Progress Report

Just an update

but I had to stop to work on a baby sweater - more to follow.

Blue cables

This is my new project, I know I said that I wouldn't buy more yarn or start anything new, but this is a gift for my daughter. The yarn is Berroco Palace and the pattern is by Norah Gaughan. Great feel of the yarn, but this is definitely a pattern that needs to have rows marked and counted. I knitted at least 6 inches and decided to start again. Back on track now and devoting at least an hour to knitting each day.