Year of Projects: not much knitting...

Hello from my daughter's house in sunny, warm Yakima.  I came over this weekend to help her out around the house and to give her husband a break since she is still on post delivery bed-rest.   My husband could not come due to his work schedule and when I talked to him today,  (our home is 3 hours away over the mountains), he said it was so cool that he needed to turn the heat back on!  Here in Yakima it is close to 80 degrees and we have the AC on!  The really fun part of this trip is that I was able to bring 2 of my sons with me, one of which not met baby Rosie. It has been a joy to see how much these Uncles love their 3 nieces and how much those girls adore their Uncles!

As far as knitting goes, I have been working fast and furious on my first of 3 Milo's for those little girls to wear when Fall arrives in September.  Working with wool when it is so warm out feels strange, but it gets very cold here in the winter and they will be all snugly warm in them so it is worth it.  The only picture I have to show is an Instagram shoot, and the color is a bit off--it looks much to lavenderish, when in reality it is closer to a burgundy color.  I need to figure out my yarn yardage to see if I have enough to risk doing a picot bind off..

Since that is all the knitting news  I have  today, I will show a few of my favorite family shots of the weekend....

Off to do some visiting  you all  tonight, and a book post will be up tomorrow!
*~*~*~*~ smiles~*~*~*~

Little Beauty

Because I am a proud Mimi

Baby Rosie, 2 weeks old

On my needles and between the pages

Happy Wednesday! Happy Yarn Along!  

On my Kindle I am reading Small Kindnesses by Fiona Robyn--I kind of spotlighted this book yesterday so if you want to know more just read back a post.  I am really liking this smallish, ordinary people kind of story.

Also pictured is a book I received in the mail today, Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman.  I love this author and can't wait to start this book. Its release date is May 28th.

On my needles is a very small Milo Vest for baby Rosie (for Fall wearing)--and after finishing it I need to work on 2 more for the big sisters. This is a delightful little pattern and it knits up so fast. The yarn is Knit Picks Brooklyn Tweed and it is ever so soft.

  I am linking up with Ginny at Small Things today. Hop over there to join in or just do a little blog hopping from the other link-ups. I am also linking up with Tami for WIP Wednesday--another fun even to hop over and follow links from!

What I am reading

It's Monday! What are you reading??
I am linking up to Sheila from Book Journey-as she hosts the weekly event called It's Monday! What are you reading?

I am reading a quiet  little book called Small Kindnesses by Fiona Robyn (also known as Satya Robyn).

Here is a a tidbit from Amazon:

" Leonard Mutch has just discovered his wife was lying to him for years – but can he bear to uncover the truth?

Leonard and Rose Mutch were happily married for forty years. But after her sudden death, Leonard is shocked to find a train ticket in her handbag to a town Rose had never visited. Then a letter arrives from a childhood friend of Rose’s, hinting at a past she never told him about.

Reluctantly embarking on an investigation into the life of the woman he thought he knew as well as himself, Leonard is faced with questions that threaten to destroy his happy memories. Why did Rose secretly leave work every Tuesday? Why did she tell lies about her family? And why is their daughter so desperate for him to stop digging into the past?

As his whole life threatens to unravel, Leonard must make an impossible choice – between his memories and a truth he could never have imagined…

From the bestselling author of The Most Beautiful Thing, Small Kindnesses is a gripping and ultimately life-affirming novel that explores the power of secrets and the healing qualities of love."

My thoughts:
So far, after getting about 50% of the way through, I must say that I love the gentle pacing of this story, and the ordinary character of Leonard.  I only know the tip of the iceberg about his dead wife's secrets and lies as the author does a great job of just dishing out a little at a time--and even though he is facing something sad, difficult and potentially tragic, he faces it with grace and with the help  an unlikely friendship brings. This book is reminiscent of the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, only not as odd as I found that book!

In other fun book news, I was given a gift card to Amazon from my daughter yesterday for Mother's Day and I splurged and spent it on a hard back book!  The new Maisie  Dobbs mystery was released in March and I have been dying to order it.  I chose to get it in hardback as I own all of the series,  this is the 10th, and all but one are in hardback.  This one is called Leaving Everything Most Loved, and chronologically moves us even closer to the beginning of WWII.

It should be delivered to my doorstep in 2 days!

So now, what are you reading?

I think I am back!

Hello!
I am back!  May has been a whirlwind of a month and even though today is Mother's Day here in the U.S. and I have big plans of sitting and knitting without interruption, I thought I would do a quick update.
First off, my daughter had her baby--a week and a half early-- So, I introduce to you,

Rosemary Joy (Rosie)

6 lbs 11 oz and 19 inches long

I was away from home taking care of big sisters, Lyddie and Millie for 11 days-a time which was extended a few days due to the fact of mama being re-admitted to hospital 5 days after giving birth with very scary, high blood pressures.  She spent another 3 days in the hospital.  She is home now, on bed-rest for 6-8 weeks, when hopefully all that will be back to normal.  I love my 3 girls so much and want to share a few photos of them before I get to the knitting news.

Now--it was a bit necessary to change up the knitting plans as I needed some easy projects to work on as my Ashby Shawl was just too complicated to work on while taking care of a 2 and 3 year old-and when I wasn't actually taking care of them, (aka: after bedtime) my brain and body were too tired to deal with cable charts!
So, I began work on a beanie - the Bend Hat - I had promised to do for Sam after Christmas--I am using a  lovely soft alpaca blend...

I was making nice progress on it when I discovered that Georgie Hallam (known as Tikki on Ravelry) was having a May Milo KAL event-and if you knit for small people and have never heard of, nor knit a Milo, you must!  It is the easiest and most versatile garment I have knit for the Grandies. So, I decided to order some Knit Picks yarn and plan to knit 3 of these beauties--one for Lyddie, Millie, and baby Rosie-to wear next Fall. My yarn arrived yesterday and I love it!  I have started Rosie's and this yarn (Brooklyn Tweed) is just so soft and squishy

Before I actually made it over to do baby care (daughter lives 3 hours away) we had a little weekend away to a small town named Ellensburg where Sam competed in State on his Sax. He played wonderfully, and I was thrilled to find out a brand new little yarn store had just opened that week--so of course I needed to visit and of course I needed to support here. I bought two skeins of Ella Rae Cozy Soft --and while I tend to not buy yarns with acrylic in them, I couldn't resist this colorway nor the soft drapey results I saw in a model garment hanging in the store. I am thinking I will make a  Vertebrae   for Rosie out of it.

For good measure I think I  will share the progress I had made on Ashby before putting it aside

And here is a couple of photos of my son, who I love so much and am so proud!

I need to run--but I will be back to visiting you all this week!
xoxoxxo

Introducing...

Rosemary Joy

Born April 29 

8:59 AM

6 pounds 11 ounces & 19 inches long

  I am a busy Mimi, at big sisters' house taking care of them.  We are all in love with baby Rosie! I am over the moon with joy over my three little Granddaughters....