baby knits and big girl cardigans and lovely anne

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 Hello friends, How happy I am to be joining Ginny and her Yarn Along once again!

Keeping me company in recent months has been dear beloved Anne. I have had this copy of Anne of Green Gables since I was younger, and over the years I have re-read it many times. I have been getting the other books in the series from the library, and am just now finishing up Anne's House of Dreams. I just love letting myself disappear into Anne's beautiful world!

My knitting at the moment is not looking like much, I just cast on this morning. The other day Sara gave me two huge skeins of Cascade Eco wool so now I am able to start this autumn/winter cardigan for Chloe. She was wanting her next sweater to be brown, and although this color is darker than we had in mind, we are so grateful for the gift. And so happy to be knitting!

After much deliberation as to which pattern I might use... tea leaves (too dark for that I think) shalom (I feel like it would require too much modifying, and thinking) same plain cardigan as last time... Well yes, same plain cardigan as last time. (Isn't that funny Melanie? I meant to tell you...) (ravelry)

And Chloe would like this one to have a hood, which I am very happy about about, because I think cardigans with hoods are so very nice. And I think we may have some just right buttons for it, I will be excited to try them and show you.


Oh yes, and the baby knits! Well, there are no baby knits yet! And at some point soon I may start to feel concerned with time. Cardigan and baby things will be my knitting priorities for the next months. The only reason I am starting the cardigan first is because I have no good yarns for baby knits.

Mostly for baby I am thinking of soakers and longies for cloth diapers and warm things like gowns, cardigan, bonnets of course! (Since we were vegan when the girls were born we never used wool, so this little winter baby really has no woolens at all, and that just cannot be...) So hopefully a few of these things for newborn can be made before the end of november comes.

I would love to know about any of your favorite patterns or wool yarns for baby? What is nice and soft? What works well for you for diaper covers? I have been collecting some free patterns from ravelry, I have the pattern for the vanilla soaker, and I have heard and it seems that the picky pants pattern from little turtle knits (I think? not looking it up..) is very nice so I am hoping to be able to get that pattern some time. These decisions, and thinking about things like gauge and yarn size and such are sometimes a little too much for me these days. But all the rest is fun. So so good to be knitting again.

 (Photos taken by Jason, a hike way up in the mountains a few weeks ago...)

Speaking of Anne, as she would say, don't these pictures provide so much scope for imagination?


With love, Renee


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these days... (these months!)

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Well hello! Hello hello hello!!!

Dear friends, how I have missed you! I sure did not think I would be away so long.
I sure did not think that at 4 months pregnant I would still so sick!!!

I am grateful to be having better days now. Although I'm still puking once in a while. But once a day is way better than 5 times a day.
Yes, see, I have to talk about yucky things like puke and stuff. Cause it has just been way too big of a part of my life these past few months. Sorry. Seriously, 5 times a day.


And what else have I been doing?
Very very close to nothing at all. I sat here, and I was sick.
I could not clean the house, cook meals, feed my family, tuck my children into bed at night... and these are all of course things which I have done every single day of  my life for the past nearly decade and a half...
Yes, it was very challenging!
I can't even really begin to get into it.
I am pretty impressed that we have survived!



I do feel that I have kept my spirits up pretty well. I mean sure, I do get a little emotional at times. And actually at this point, when I really thought I would be much better by now, I am getting a little frustrated.

But hopeful!
And of course happy!
Cause there is a baby you know!

Did I mention that I haven't been able to knit?
I could barely even read.
I listen to the birds, watch the trees out the window, daydream. Good thing I am good at daydreaming.

Did I mention that I like to keep my house very neat and tidy?
Do you think my house is very neat and tidy right now?
Ha!


Oh, here are a bunch a random photos from the last few months. As you can see we even had two birthdays pass. You can also see that Jason is quite talented when it comes to baking birthday cakes!

Would you believe that most of the pictures that I discovered on the camera (cause most of them were not taken by me) were of cats (real ones) and horses (wooden ones). The girls have made themselves an entire herd of wooden horses! They are especially fond of Appaloosas and Paints, and all draft horses. They even used some of their own birthday money to buy more wood and saw blades.


Oh, did I mention how wonderful my husband is? The girls have been pretty great too of course. But oh my dear Jason. My hero. My prince. And thank goodness he can cook!

Thank goodness though that I have been finally able to return to the kitchen.
So grateful to be able to bake our bread!


I am also feeling such gratitude towards my dear friends who have kept me company through this joyous yet difficult time. Emails and phone calls, and sweet comments here, with such supportive words of love and kindness, blessings and wishes for health. And sympathy from those of you who have suffered the same kind of awfulness that cannot even begin to be described as "morning" sickness.

Dear Mel, you said you would come over and read to me!
Jules, that day we talked while I was lying so sick in bed, and you told me how good it was that I was so sick cause it meant such a good thing. And I said I know.
And Sara's weekly phone calls, always checking to see how I am doing.
And the blog reader/friend in Kansas who wished we lived closer so that she could help us get our garden planted! Oh, that was so sweet.

(Yeah, our garden is coming along a bit slow this year. But we will have to talk about that another time.)


 ~

It has taken  me about 4 days now to write this post. (Not that it is eloquent or anything like that...)

Yesterday we went to see our midwife. Dear sweet wonderful midwife, oh how we love her!
I am apparently not much good though at counting months or pregnancy time.
I am halfway through my pregnancy!!!
Wow.


Well I guess I should be going now. But I promise to be back soon this time.

Hope you are all well, happy, and enjoying beautiful days with your loved ones.

With love,
Renee

(P.S.  Maybe we can talk about baby knitting next time...)


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the season, and a baby

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Hello friends! I hope you are all well?

The girls took all these pictures the other day.

I sit and rest.

We are having a baby!!

We are so so so so happy!!!

I am very very very very very very sick.  So I can only say hello real quick.
Hopefully I will be feeling better in these coming weeks and will be able to return soon.

Thanks for those who have written to say hello, and to all my friends who have shared such loving words and support these last weeks.

Baby. So wonderful.

Wishing you all beautiful days this season!


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April Daybook

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Once again from The Simple Woman's Daybook.


Outside my window...
the girls are enjoying the evening until dinner is ready. Riding bikes, playing in the dirt, nibbling chives from the garden.


I am thinking...
of these warm brighter seasons, and of all the garden chores that will soon be filling our days.


I am thankful...
for my friends. It goes without saying that I am grateful for my family, right? Or maybe that is the point, that I should say it. I am.


In the kitchen...
I made granola for the girls this morning. Made some batches of hummus for the freezer, from the big batch of garbanzo beans I cooked yesterday. Baked bread. Dinner almost done.


I am wearing...
A new skirt I just made for myself! And a green plaid top. It kind of matches, but not really.


I am creating...
Summer clothes. The skirt I just mentioned is a vintage fabric with a kind of wild floral/paisley print in yellow, orange, green, brown and white.
I am feeling indecisive about what I am making the girls next, so I made something for myself instead.


I am going...
We don't go to too many places. Town, library, river, farm, forest. We will probably go to at least a couple of those places next week.


I am wondering...
Lots of things. I am a daydreamer.


I am reading...
Bedtimes stories.


I am hoping...
that it doesn't get too cold again. It snowed a few days ago.


I am looking forward to...
a phone call this weekend with one of my best blog friends.


I am learning...
to rest when I need to.


Around the house...
The girls rearranged their room, all by themselves! And it is so much nicer, less crowded, I like it.


I am pondering...
Handmades. Birthday gifts, and those summer clothes the girls need.


A favorite quote for today...
Jason wrote a quote the other day right on the wall near his desk. It is Thoreau. I think I may have 100 favorite Thoreau quotes. This one is good...

"Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine."


One of my favorite things...
hearing the girls playing happily outside.


A few plans for the rest of the week:
We are making hot cross buns tomorrow. And looking forward to a weekend with daddy.




A peek into my day...
A cozy corner reclaimed in a slightly rearranged living room.


Wishing you all a beautiful weekend!


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A belated giveaway announcement...

Sarah from Our Island Home has won, and that makes me happy.

I have an idea of what to send but I will write to you this weekend...

Thanks to all who entered!


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moments from the week

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Picnic and playing by the river on the other (dry) side of town.

More farm days.

Lots of knitting. Mostly roosters, hens, and chicks.

Enjoying the back deck for snack time and stories.

Cheery spring nature table. Sometimes in early spring we keep it much more bare, but this year I just couldn't wait for some color!

Some time in the garden! And harvesting our first little snips of chives! And wanting so so much to get started on planting. Maybe this weekend...


There is still time to enter the small giveaway. Of course I was forgetting how tricky/difficult blogger is with comments so if you have been unable to leave a comment you can also email me and I will be sure to include your entry.


I hope your week was wonderful and I wish you happy days ahead!


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fairy sewing, and a giveaway

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First though I need to say Happy New Season to all! I hope your recent days have been full of Spring warmth and and cheer (or good autumn coziness...)

Our last days of winter were very snowy, but the sun shone bright on the equinox and we then returned to the unseasonably warm March weather we have been having. Spring here doesn't necessarily mean sun, warmth, and new growth. (Though we still feel it our hearts...) More often it means mud and brown, cold winds, and still plenty of possibilities for snowstorms. We are finally able to spend more time outside, but still embrace the inside time, because we know that soon the busyness of spring planting and garden work will be filling our days.

Most of my handwork time lately has been focused on sewing. These girls of mine seem to have grown nearly a foot in the past year (okay, maybe only half of that) and are definitely in need of some new spring/summer clothing. And I could use a new farm skirt myself...



Before beginning on the family sewing I wanted to add a couple things to my etsy shop, something I have been trying to get done for months.


I made this fairy apron dress and a fairy skirt. Chessa does not really like that she has to wear the pretty dress for pictures but then does not get to keep it. She tolerates it though. And she does have her own fairy apron, so...



I really love to sew. I love making clothing for my family. I love making clothing for children. I do not love the trying to take good enough photographs, writing descriptions, sizing, pricing, computer work, etc. that it takes to get things into the etsy shop. And so I do not really know where I am going to go with that.

But I have been thinking that I would like to have a small giveaway. Cause you are all really great, and I would like to share something with you.



You may choose any of the smaller items listed in my shop, and please choose a second option too just in case...
(you may choose anything except for clothing)

Please leave a comment with your choices and I will choose a winner next Sunday.

(Of course I was forgetting how tricky/difficult blogger is with comments so if you have been unable to leave a comment you can also email me and I will be sure to include your entry.)


Sewing is fun, but now I think it's time for some evening knitting...


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moments from the week(s)

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There were so many moments not captured in photographs (as always of course)... Windows and doors wide open, fresh air flowing through the house. Children outside, running, playing, farm friends, climbing on the mountain. Sun and warmth, so so good.

Today was cold, the wind blowing so hard. A family of deer settled themselves down to rest on the mountainside, we watched them in the fading evening light.
It feels just right for these very last days of winter...


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