Advent and a Finish

 I decided to do a bit of holiday decorating this year and started with a new advent wreath. I must have donated the rectangular bowl I used in previous years, I could not find it anywhere. So I bought a new wreath alltogether. 

And I finished a hat and finger less gloves set. It is part of Knitvent 2022 on Ravelry. I am also working on a shawl, a throw, a cowl and socks as part of the event. 

Shawls, Shawls, Shawls

A few shawls I made over the last year.

New Socks

 Still too warm to wear wool socks but I am sure the next Winter will come eventually. 😂

My latest blanket

 The pattern is called 'New Beginnings', the yarn is LB Mandala Bonus Bundle in colorway Sasquatch. It is a bit of a yarn eater (a bit over 4000 yards) but it is big and heavy and will keep me warm this Winter (probably the kitties too). I love it.

Blankets on Parade

 I finished 3 crochet blankets in the past few months. The green-brown one is called 'Phoenix' and I actually started it in 2019 but then life got in the way and it went into hibernation. The other two I started this year, the rainbow colored one is called 'Doo-Dad' and the purple-yellow one is 'Whatcha-ma-call-it'. All three are patterns by Vanessa from 'Hooked on Sunshine'. 

Around the Garden

 

Baking and Knitting

My baking mojo is coming back! Yesterday I baked bread for the first time since Day X and for the first time ever I used sourdough starter (my new - rather demanding - pet). It is a little pale but it tastes very good and has a nice texture. 

I bought myself some lovely yarn and cast on a spring cardigan. The yarn is very nice to work with and the pattern is uncomplicated and perfect for knitting while binge watching 'Call the Midwife'. 

I have a busy week ahead and find that keeping myself busy makes life a little easier and more enjoyable. Every night when I go to bed, the memories are playing in my head like a movie and I get very little quality sleep. I stay up very long, get up late but still feel not really rested.

New Socks

In between taking care of house, garden, cats and myself, I knit socks. These are my latest finishes, now all my singles have a partner. 

Gardening Part 2

When I stepped outside today a racoon walked nonchalantly through my garden and then disappeared under the fence into the neighbors yard. Last night there was a lot of screaming going on and I wonder what was fighting what. I did not see any traces this morning but it smells like something died in my shed.

I planted the herbs today and there is room for more in the bed, maybe I'll get some lemon balm, I already bought a separate planter for the lavender.

Then I put the decorative border around the newly cleared and mulched area (don't tell anybody, the bricks are not real).

And lastly I put a little fence around the bearded lily. It has spread out quite a bit and I don't want whoever will be doing the mowing this year to run it over. The fence should be visible enough.

 

I also started on my home improvement project by putting the big planters with the boxwood outside the front door. Next up is cleaning and painting the screen door and the posts. I am waiting for drier weather to do that. 

Gardening

After going back and forth a couple of times on whether or not to garden, I decided to take the plunge and revive my garden. I bought new beds and soil and ordered plants and seeds. I cleaned up the area where my rose bush used to be - it died last year while I was away - and found 'Son of Rosebush'. I hope it is strong enough to survive. I spread 10 bags of bark nuggets, luckily the bags are not too heavy. The decorative border I ordered will be delivered next week.

 

I assembled the first bed and I also got a special little planter for strawberries which I still have to put together. I am buying all my garden supplies from Home Depot and I am very happy with their service and the quality of the products.

This is my new herb garden, or it will be, once the plants arrive.

And I placed two of the doggie pools for planting flowers. I will grow dwarf sunflowers in the bigger one before the shed and nasturtium and cosmos in the other one.

I have given up on trying to find a house painter and will paint the posts outside my front door and the wooden screen door myself. I have all the materials, I am just waiting for dry weather. I bought two huge planters that will go to spruce up the front of my house, with boxwood plants in them. 

It is all a lot of work and exhausting but also very satisfying.

More Socks

 I knitted 3 more pairs of socks last month, I am on a roll.

 

Socks

 My first pair of socks in a long, long time. I had almost forgotten how much I enjoy knitting socks.

Burns Night

Today is the birthday of Robert Burns, the great Scottish poet. Here is one of his lovely poems.

 A Red, Red Rose

By Robert Burns

O my Luve is like a red, red rose

   That’s newly sprung in June;

O my Luve is like the melody

   That’s sweetly played in tune.

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,

   So deep in luve am I;

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

   Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,

   And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;

I will love thee still, my dear,

   While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only luve!

   And fare thee weel awhile!

And I will come again, my luve,

   Though it were ten thousand mile.

 

A new blanket

This is the second project I finished in 2021. I started it in August and finished it last week. The pattern is called 'Hope' which I found very fitting for my situation. Yarn is Lion Brand Mandala in Pixie.

 

2022

 A very Happy New Year to everyone who is still reading this. 

May the new year be peaceful and gentle and a lot kinder than the old one was. 

I am not doing resolutions, but I have set some intentions for the new year:

- be kind to myself and take care of my body, mind and spirit

- make self care a priority

- be kind to the cats and to my house

- focus on the things that give me joy, my cats, my many craft projects

- and maybe do a spot of gardening again

Although the wounds and scars of my body are now healed I still need a lot of healing for all other aspects of my being. 2021 was brutal and violent for me and I need peace and quiet to heal my soul, mind and spirit. 

My word for 2022: GENTLE