Merry Christmas!

                         "For unto you is born this day in the city of David
                                        a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
                                                          Luke 2:11

Joy Hat Project

For years I have knit for the Knit a Cap project. With the retirement of our coordinator in Washington, DC no one picked up the project. JE and I tried to carry on last year but it proved to be a difficult process. This year we decided to deliver hats closer to home. I have made the decision on how to distribute hats for next year and already have a stash going. This year I delivered to one class of kindergarteners, Scout's class. We read stories about animal "kids" receiving hats, we had a snack and then each child got to pick out the hat they liked. I made sure there were enough for choices and left hats for the absent children. I also included a hat for the teacher because recess can get chilly for her too. So we have a "serious" picture and a "silly" picture. It was all so much fun. Thanks to Allison for her help in coordinating the day. I felt I needed a name for the project just because we had always had one. So I decided to call it the Joy Hat Project. I am sure the kids enjoy the hats and our story time together, but I received enormous joy in being with them. Can't wait till next year when there will be more classes to receive hats.

Rainbow Bright Hat

Miss Ninja Turtle

Hats Again

We All Need Books

And More Hats

The story on this one later.

School colors.

Homespun and ILTC

More Hats

 

Crocheted Skulls Hat

Peaceful

Self Control

Read

Laugh of the Day

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook and I laughed so hard I almost had Diet Coke coming out of my nose. This is so funny. In these times of craziness we all need a little laugh. And yes, those are sheep.

Happy Independence Day!

"Unbroken"

Louis Zamperini has died. If you recognize his name it could be because of the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. This book is the story of Zamperini's life. An Olympic runner in 1936, his fame has recently come from the story of his life during WWII. During that time he survived his plane crashing into the Pacific Ocean. Zamperini floated on a raft in the ocean for 47 days before being picked up by the Japanese Navy. He was mistakenly declared killed in action by the United States but was in reality held as a prisoner of war by the Japanese for two and a half years. His story is one of faith and courage. Zamperini became a Christian in October 1949 after hearing a sermon by Billy Graham and remembering the  promise he made to God while he had been floating in his life raft in the ocean.  A movie on his life is slated for release in December of this year. I highly recommend reading Hillenbrand's book before you see the movie. If you go to http://billygraham.org and click on "Remembering Louis Zamperini", there is a very nice video of Louis at a book signing.

Trust The Engineer

Toothless

I see a hat needing to be knit.

Happiness

Another Great Movie

 

Today was opening day for the movie Train Your Dragon 2 and the girls invited me along to see it. I had not seen the first movie but that was ok. This was a very cute movie and we all loved it. Scout is holding Toothless, her favorite and is ready for the DVD to come out.

Been There

A Speech to Take To Heart

Recently Admiral William H McRaven gave the commencement speech for the University of Texas in Austin. This is possibly one of the best speeches ever given, not just to a group of graduating students but to any group of people. Click on the link here and you can read the speech. It should leave you feeling a little better, a little taller, perhaps a little more patriotic and might possibly just make your day.   www.utexas.edu/news/2014/05/16/admiral-mcraven-commencement-speech/

Words of Wisdom

Happy Birthday Harper Lee!

Today I was on Facebook and was greeted with the fantastic post that Harper Lee has agreed to allow her wonderful book To Kill A Mockingbird to go digital.

This is one of my most favorite books. The story teaches morals and kindness in the middle of a time and in a place of high racial prejudice. I first read this book in the 8th grade. I have read it many times over. The book is wonderful, the movie with Gregory Peck and Robert Duval is a classic. So today on Harper Lee's 88th birthday she gave book lovers a gift of the availability of her only book on digital. I will add it to my digital collection but I also agree with Lee when she said she loves and prefers the classic books bound in paper.

Thank you Miss Lee. Some of us wish there had been a second book so we could see Jem, Scout and Dill as they grew up. A second book so we could learn more about Atticus and Boo. But perhaps you knew best and we can read their one story over and over and never get tired of those lessons on friendship, compassion, understanding and love and why you don't kill a mockingbird.

Happy Easter!

 

He is Risen!

 

I Love Shakespeare

                      A friend of mine posted this on Facebook today. Love it.

Pineapples

I have been sidetracked. I guess that happens when you have numerous knit and crochet projects going at the same time. My I Promise You Pineapples Shawl, pattern by Justyna Kacprzak and available free on Ravelry has been laid to the side. It only needs to be blocked but I have just been too busy to do it. This is why.

I Promise You Pineapples #2. My sister Jane Ellen's birthday was the week before last and I needed to Block this shawl for her first. This pattern is so easy and fun. I am sentimental about the pineapple pattern because my grandparents made a lot of them. The only thing I wished was this shawl was a little larger. It is more like a shawlette. But I am very pleased with it and Jane Ellen was too.

The yarn is I Love This Yarn Sportweight in Ivory #20. Size J crochet hook. I am sure I will be using this pattern again. I am thinking of using worsted weight next time to experiment with size difference. I highly recommend this pattern.

Little Things

 

 

A ride in the park.

Zig Zigler Quote

Happy Birthday Scout!

Today is Scout's birthday. Unbelievably she turned 5. Where has the time gone?

I have not posted much knit or crochet lately because most of what I have been working on has been for gifts. Back last year Scout thought she would have another Halloween birthday party. Yeah, in March. The kid loves Halloween. But she decided first Spider Girl and then changed to a three tiered rainbow sprinkle cake. Allison is great with cakes so that is what Scout got. At gift time she opened this:

It is a Halloween afghan pattern from Red Heart. I finished it way before the change in party themes. But she still loves Halloween and I am sure will love covering up with it on the couch.

Ha!

Laugh

Thanks to Norma Meatheringham for this great picture and quote. Love it.

 

Books, I Love Them

Sigh

Just A Cold

Please click on the link here for www.theseatedview.blogspot.com . Lene has written a great post today about why a person with an autoimmune disease, such as RA, can never look at getting a cold as "just a cold". That's because it never is. Thanks Lene, great post for something that it seems no matter how many times you tell people they just don't understand.

Fun Time

 

Matthew and Corteney were in town before heading out on a cruise. We had time to have a fun dinner at Babe's in Carrollton with them and some friends.

Read, Read, Read

 

Shirley Temple

As a young child watching TV in the late 50's I loved watching Shirley Temple movies. The Little Princess, Little Rebel, Bright Eyes, Heidi, Captain January she made as a child and that my grand-daughters like to watch today. She made Ft Apache and The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer and several other movies when she was a little older. These are just a few of her movies. Shirley Temple died last night at the age of 85. After retiring at the age of 21 from movies she went on to marry, raise a family and become an ambassador for the United States to  Ghana for President Ford, a state department trainer for President Reagan and as Ambassador to Czechoslovakia for President Bush 41. Someone posted this photo on Facebook today. Shirley knit.

 

Look at her knitting bag. I had one similar to that, a million years ago. I also looked at how she held her needles. Are those little dishcloths on the chair arm? The whole picture reminds me of being at my grandma's house. In 1961 my grandparents gave me this book.

 

How many times have I read the stories in that book. It was always one of my favorites. So much so that the dust cover has had to be taped and re-taped.  I have been reading some of these stories to my grand-daughters. You can see by the pictures on the cover they are the old classics that even Disney has used for movies. Thank you Shirley Temple for all the fond memories and for making movies that everyone at every age could love.