More ice...

...is coming

Since I last blogged:

I finished a felted bag 

I finished a piece of needlepoint 

I haven't decide if I'll frame it or how I'll have it finished.

I started two pairs of socks, a cowl, and a headband. 

We've had more cold weather followed by warm and again cold. The last time with terrible ice. And since it looked deceivingly wet (not icy), I went out and slipped and fell. Luckily nothing was broken just a sprain of my left wrist. It sure puts a crimp in my knitting time! So no knitting has been done for 6 days!! and none expected to be done for a while.  :( 

Now to the weather.  We are expecting freezing rain late this afternoon into the evening.  It's looking like I won't be going out tomorrow, lol.
The good news is it will start warming up and be in the 60s by Sunday.

Rainy Monday

After two days of temperatures in the high 70s, low 80s (yes, already!), today is cloudy, rainy and the high will be 60.


I guess it is that time of year, the time when we have March winds, high temps for a couple of days and then low temps! If we get all the rain this month, does that mean we won't have many April showers for May flowers?!




The pear tree is confused... and so is the rose bushes... they think it's warm enough to start budding...
Did March "come in like a lion" enough to "go out like a lamb?"

Jeans weather

... and I'm lovin' it!!! and yes, I have my jeans on!


Today is the first day of fall marking the transition from summer (HOT) into winter (COLD) (I can only wish for cold here, lol).

"Listen! the wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves,
We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!"
--Humbert Wolfe

I love the fall. I love the cooler temperatures, the leaves changing colors (oh wait! they don't have changing leaf colors here), the holidays, and the crisp clean air. {cough! cough! still waiting on the clean air, sniffle! allergies, sniffle! ragweed, cough!}

It is a windy 60 degrees outside, perfect knitting weather.

"When the bold branches
Bid farewell to rainbow leaves -
Welcome wool sweaters."
--B. Cybrill



Time to start working on sweaters! ... but first... onto clue #4 on the SKA KAL Mystery Sock!

Blue skies...

Smiling at me Nothing but blue skies, Do I see...
*lyrics by Irving Berlin

Yep, the rain has stopped and the sun is out. Temperatures are rising. Tomorrow is predicted to be a high of 79 and by Tues. we'll be back in the high 80's!

There are trees budding, flowers pushing their way through the dirt, and birds singing. I guess we won't have spring temperatures.

Guess I'll dig out some tank tops and shorts.

Rainy Days

It's raining, it's pouring...
The weatherman got it right!! We had rain all day Wed. and today (so far) it is misting. There is a 20% chance of rain today and 50% chance tonight! AND a 70% chance on Fri. So bring on the rain!! We need it.

But, along with the rain comes cooler temperatures. So we are not done with winter yet. Which of course I am ok with because I don't want to go immediately to 90 degrees. I like to have the three month build up of the weather getting warmer and warmer.

But when the temperatures are cooler it is so nice to cosy up to a fire in the fireplace (which we'll have in the house we're moving into next week) and knit (or read).

So yesterday, I was snuggled under blankets, catching up on CSI, and working on a demo sock for a sock class that I am going to teach for the Wool n' Cotton shop. And I did get a little knitting on the Sockdown! Feb sock done. I didn't get much reading done.

Today I have errands to do so not much knitting will get done during the day but more reading will be done!

"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance."
----Confucius

Rainless Monday

We are having a warm front which has brought unseasonably warm temperatures. I didn't think I'd be seeing 90 degree weather in Feb. But it is Texas. And we do live on the edge of the desert. So I shouldn't be so surprised.

It has been dry here and they (the weathermen) are predicting an 80% chance we will not have rain. ha! do you like the way that sounds?! (My husband said it that way) It makes you stop and say, "hmmm" Then your brain sends the signal, 'o, you mean there's a 20% chance of rain'

But we never see any rain when there is a 20% chance so why say it? I guess they have to cover their butt just in case there are a few drops of the wet stuff. They are predicting a 50% chance of rain on Wed. I sure hope we get some because we need it!

On another note...

I thought I'd mention a few books I've been reading as part of
My girlfriend sent me a Beaufort & Company mystery by Mary Stanton (aka Claudia Bishop), "Defending Angels." A new series with ghosts and angels. Excellent first book! Brianna Winston-Beaufort moves to Savannah (the most haunted city in the world!) to take over her Uncle's law practice after his death. And her first client is a ghost!! It is not your usual ghost story mystery.

Next up, "Ghost of a Chance" by Yasmine Galenorn. I have read her Otherworld Series (excellent paranormal series) and was happy to find the first book in her Mystery Series which is a repackaging of the Chintz n' China Series. A very good mystery, also involves a ghost, but also some witchcraft. Emerald O'Brien owns a tea room and is known as the local witch. So she is not surprised to be awakened by a ghost asking for help. But she is surprised by what else shows up! It definitely kept me awake! I can't wait for the next book to come out.

Seven years ago I finally picked up a book by J. D. Robb (pseudonym used by Nora Roberts), "Reunion in Death." I was hooked! I had to go back to the beginning and read the first 13 books. My youngest daughter had been bugging me to read this series because it is set in the future and she knows I like sci-fi and mysteries. I don't know why it took me so long to start this series! The latest book, "Promises in Death," is just as good as all the previous books. You would think after 29 books, the stories would repeat. But not this series!! Even though you know someone is murdered and Eve Dallas has to find the killer, each story is it's own on the who, the why, and the how it is solved. I also like how some previous characters are involved in the story. And of course Dallas' husband Rouke is hot!! A definite must read.

Back to reading and hopefully to get a little knitting done.