Knitting, Felting, Christmas

Those folks at Knitting Pattern and Crochet Pattern a Day Calendars are accepting designs for their 2009 calendars. The knitting deadline is 15 Dec and deadline for crochet is 31 December. My Trio of Tri Shawls has been accepted and even though my patterns are quite simple, it's still great fun to see them in print. Even beginner knitters need patterns, right? My shawls are great for fast knitting, for those times when a loved one needs immediate comfort. We live in a farmhouse that's chilly most times and downright frigid when clutched in winter's depths. A shawl is wrapped around me while I'm reading in bed and several shawls adorn chair backs throughout the house. Many times, people have wrapped themselves in cozy comfort whilst visiting.

"Love is the most difficult and dangerous form of courage." So says Delmore Schwarts and as we approach Christmas, I wonder.

Was it not so for Mary? At that day and in that age, the mind boggles at the courage of a young girl to bear the Christ child. Remember the story? At first, her intended considered "putting her away" which would have meant she would have been stoned to death. Adultry, for the woman at least, was a sin punishable by death though I've often wondered why the men, seemingly, got off free. There's never any record of the men being punished, always and only the women.

XM Radio plays non-stop Christmas music throughout the Holidays. The Holly and Ivy is on 103 but other seasonal music is found through station 108. Delilah is playing Christmas music as well; around here she's on FM 99. I'm enjoying the music and the stories and find it especially enjoyable to go to bed early and listen. A good book or magazine, music, flannel sheets, a shawl and the dogs and I are set for the evening. Dave's the night owl around here; I want to bed down shortly after dark.

My projects have taken a back seat for my illness. I'm still struggling to get well and the laryngitis hasn't broken yet. I've passed the three week mark, have taken one series of antibiotics and the second is in abeyance. The doc says not to take them yet but I'm beginning to question that wisdom. My body is exhausted from coughing and the struggle to speak; the antibiotics contribute to that exhaustion.

I did manage to finish a felted glasses holder. The lenses of my glasses stay scratched and that's due to being knocked off the bedside table. This little holder should stop the lenses from being scratched. Such small things in life contribute greatly to one's happiness, don't you think?

Little Christmas ornaments can be seen in the background; I'm only
hoping to heal quickly enough to put up a Christmas tree and use those ornaments!

This is my tea cozy but I don't think I'm finished with it. There's too much space that needs something but it's been fun and will be quite useful. I drink pots of tea and wool cozies keep the tea hotter/warmer than sitting out nekid.

Here's the back side and it has even more blank space than does the front:
I really like the dragonfly and the buttons spell "blessing". Yet, something is lacking, just not sure what.


Blessings ~ hot tea in the winter ~ work to keep hands and mind busy ~ healthy animals and husband ~ knitting ~ music ~ Christmas! ~