From Our Home to Yours

Whatever you might be celebrating - Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Omisoka, Yule, Saturnalia, the Winter Solstice, or Monday - I wish you and all those you hold dear good health, warmth, peace, comfort, joy, contentment, and love.

Amaryllis Watch

I showed you old photos of past amaryllis yesterday; today it's the current crop. It's not going to be all amaryllis all the time here, but I will admit that they make for relatively quick posts.

There are some small changes, with the intriguing preview of several visible blossom shoots. Last week I said that growing amaryllis involved Patience, and this week the word that comes to my mind is Hope.

I  hope you have a good weekend, without crowds and frustration, but with plenty of hope and celebration for the return of the light.
Happy Winter Solstice!

Three on Thursday

Joining Carole and friends for Three on Thursday, today with amaryllis from past years. My current ones are growing slowly, which makes me happy since that way I'll have blossoms in January or February. While I wait patiently, here are three I found in my photo files.

And a bonus photo of some dramatic buds. 

Head on over to Carole's for more Three on Thursday.

Unraveled Wednesday

Joining Kat and friends for Unraveled Wednesday, with one pair down, and 25 more rows to go on the second pair.

When we visited The Loopy Ewe last August, Ryan spied the Hedgehog Fibers Egg Yolk colorway and said immediately that he wanted some Fried Egg & Waffle mitts - one mitt in Egg Yolk, one mitt in an Egg White colorway, and both in a waffle pattern. I was happy to oblige for Christmas! I have offered to knit him another pair just like it, in case he ever wants to match. Fingers crossed tightly that the post office doesn't lose these, but with a six-day delivery estimate for a priority package that I mailed on Monday, they might arrive after Christmas. As long as they get there!

Justin's mitts are almost done, and I'm going to follow Kat's example and finish them today, while knitting in lots of warmth and love.

I'm still reading A Place in the Woods, but am enjoying it so much that I plan on savoring it.

What are you making and reading this week?

Fortuitous Tuesday

Today was a day of errands. Justin's truck had a recall that had to be done by the end of the year, so he took today off, came home last night, and we headed to the Ford dealer to get the crankcase vent replaced and the PCM reprogrammed. (Does it sound like I know what I'm talking about? I don't.)

Justin works for wonderful people who really value him and his work, and he had been rewarded with some very nice Christmas presents. He received a very warm and wonderful piece of outdoor clothing, but unfortunately it was too small. I called around to Cabela's in PA, CT, and DE in hopes that he could exchange it for a larger size, but we weren't that lucky. He decided to return it and see what else he could find as a substitute, so we headed 75 miles down the road to Cabela's in Hamburg, PA. The return went smoothly, we had a fun time shopping with barely any crowds, he found what he was looking for, and I even got some accessories to improve my bow shooting.

 After lunch we headed home, and on the way, he got a call from the optician saying his new lenses were ready. Justin was welding and a spark burned a hole right through his lens. He swore he was wearing a welding helmet, but better his glasses than his eye. Jim the optician popped the old lenses out, popped the new ones in, and told us they were free. He congratulated us on our fortuitous Tuesday, and I wholeheartedly agreed. I wish every Tuesday could be just as fortuitous, but I certainly intend to appreciate this one where everything fell into place and better yet, I got to spend it with Justin.

Scenes From the Weekend

We had our family Cookie Day on Saturday, and I think it was a rousing success. We each bring  a couple kinds of dough or baked cookies, and after everything is done, we split them up and go home with a large variety of cookies. The first year we met at my SiL's house, we did all the baking there. That took us over twelve hours, and honestly wasn't much fun. Now, ten years later, some of us bake our cookies ahead of time, others bake them at whoever's house we are gathered at, we have soup, chili, and sandwiches for lunch, and lots more people come. We've added spouses, significant others, and kids. I invited Justin's girlfriend (he had to work), and she brought 160 cut-out cookies! This is kind of a big deal because nobody else likes to make them, so we are going to try and keep her around. Best of all, my niece moved into a new house and she has a double oven! Now we have plenty of time for baking, visiting, and even eating a few cookies.

I hope you had a sweet weekend, too!

Amaryllis Watch

I haven't shared my amaryllis in almost a month; they were off to a slow start but now that that they've gathered their resources they've all got leaves and the very beginnings of flower stalks showing. Not particularly exciting, but they are hopeful and a reminder that all good things happen in their own good time and usually involve patience.