Aware

This weekend was a special time for our family.

The Suwannee River... beautiful!

Two months ago, I made reservations for our family to stay this past weekend at a cabin in the Suwannnee River State Park. Situated along the Suwannee River in north Florida, it was the perfect spot for our family to enjoy spending time together hiking, canoeing, and reflecting. It's my oldest child's senior year in high school, and I recognize all of our lives are going to change as we all adjust to him going to college. This was an opportunity to slow time down a bit and linger over a cup of tea, play a game of Uno, and spend time with my sweet family. It was an opportunity to be fully aware.

He's a talented guitarist!

To a God Unknown - Steinbeck's Nobel Prizewinner

The Internet banished, we spent time together and separately. Knitting, reading, sketching, writing, cooking, and guitar playing  were some of the activities we enjoyed.

Meat!

Knitting, my happy place!

Restorative and restful as these activities were, the outdoors were still the main stage. The views of the limestone rock formations, the placid river, and the verdant woods called our names. 

A view along the Lime Sink Run hike.

S'mores!

Happy hikers!

The trip was a short one, just two brief nights and then it was time to head back home and to responsibility:  classes, work, teaching. We returned home rested and refreshed, (almost) ready for the week! I hope it won't be long before we are able to return to the wilderness.

A sweet reminder in our cabin.

Paddling off into his future!

Sweet hiker girl!

Mama in her happy place!

And the sun starts to set on the water...

Meringue

At Thanksgiving I discovered a sweet little pattern that I just knew would be perfect for some yarn that I'd purchased the year before. This was before I learned I will be undergoing surgery in December. It also turned out to be the perfect project for my convalescence. Called Meringue, it's a cowl that settles nicely around your shoulders in layers.

Meringue, finished but unblocked.

The yarn is Trendsetter's Mimi. When I found it I was so excited, as it was listed as 100% mink. I happily plunked down $26.00 per skein (bought four!) thinking I would do something special with it. It was when I was about 80% finished with the knitting that I learned that the yarn was recalled, as it contains NO mink at all. Instead, it's a blend of wool, angora, and rayon. It's too late for me to do anything about it, now, but talk about disappointed! It didn't change that the yarn is super soft and warm, but it did kill some of the joy in the working up of it.

I used my Sirka counter to make the pattern flow quickly. Once I set up the counter, I didn't have to refer to the pattern again until the very end. That made my work, although boring with its super long stretches of plain or reverse stockinette, efficient and smooth.

Work in progress with my custom Sirka.

I had hoped to finished the project in 2015, but I was shy by about six rows. No worries, it turned into my first completed object of 2016! I finished just in time; the weather has (FINALLY!) turned cooler in Florida, and I know I'll get a lot of enjoyment and wear out of it.

Next up is the mystery knit along that begins tomorrow for the final season of Downton Abbey. It will be a shawl of some kind, and I'm excited to get back to some lace knitting! I'll enjoy working on the new project while wearing my Meringue!

Pause

I've been facing the possibility of surgery for quite awhile. Recently I was forced to admit that I could put it off no longer, so despite all the hustle and bustle and demands of the season, last Wednesday I underwent surgery instead and hit an instant "pause" on all of the season's activities. What this means for me this year is no Christmas baking, no Christmas cleaning, and no flurry of activities. What this means for me is rest, rest, and more rest.

At first I was frustrated and upset about it, truth be told. I love all the rush of the season. Decorating the house, listening to Christmas music, baking special treats, giving gifts, and spending time with friends are true delights of mine. In the end, though, I learned that my agenda didn't matter as much as my health. In the clearing of all the activities, I've rediscovered time for personal bible studying, napping, knitting, and reading.

Advent has always been a favorite liturgical season of mine. The season of waiting, which is so out of fashion these days, is filled with silence, worship, and anticipation. Reflective not only of the baby Christ's expected arrival in Bethlehem, but also of His second coming in power and might, Advent reminds me to stay vigilant. It reminds me that God is always in control, and it reminds me that the best is yet to come. Typically our family celebrates Advent by lighting candles in our Advent wreath and reading passages from the bible, but this year I've streamlined it to simply reading sections of scripture for personal reflection. I did pick up some German Advent calendars for the kids that have pieces of chocolate behind the windows. From their earliest days I used the chocolate as a tangible reminder that God's words are sweet on the tongue. It's a wonderful tradition I look forward to continuing.

In addition to Advent study, I have rediscovered a love for napping. I haven't enjoyed a nap in years, but lately (I blame all the pain medicines) I can't seem to make it more than three hours without having one. Normally this would make me feel guilty, but not this year! As I rest, I know my body is working on healing itself. It's a gift I'm giving to myself that in turn is a gift to my family in that it will help me return to full health much more quickly.

Last year during this time I participated in a mystery knit-along put on by Laura Aylor. This year she's repeating the fun, and I've had such a delightful time taking part. It's a Christmas gift to myself as I set apart approximately one hour a day to work on her clue.

These are a few of my favorite things:  Kringler (as made by my son), Miss Babs K2 yarn, the third clue in the mystery knit, and a savory cup of cinnamon tea.

The knit-along will culminate in the final clue distributed on Christmas Eve. Normally I would wear whatever I create to the Christmas Eve church services, but I don't know if I'll be able to attend them yet. I'm not going to stress over it now. If all else fails, I'll be able to live stream the services, although I love celebrating Christ's arrival with the body of believers. It is such an intimate, special time. As it stands, I'm choosing to enjoy each day, each clue, and each challenge as it presents itself, with no worries for tomorrow.

Day two of the clues!

When I'm not studying, napping, or knitting, I'm reading. It's been forever since I've indulged in a book just for fun. I think it's just how things are when you teach literature to others. There's just no time. This year I'm making time and enjoying every bit of it! Uncle Tom's Cabin and The Scarlet Pimpernel will still be there when I'm done with my fun book, and I'll pick the threads up and continue on. In the meantime, I shall enjoy a divergence.

This season is certainly different. It is still a blessing and a gift. I give thanks to God, the creator and definer of Sabbath rest for this gift to me. I pray I learn to hit the pause button a little more frequently in the future. Merry Christmas. May peace and grace be your gifts this year!

P.S. If, while reading this entry, you encounter any spelling or grammar errors, I blame the Percoset. ;-D

Thorny

I've been putting it off. I've been busy, it's true, but in the end I had to face it. My front rose garden was a mess! Since today was a lighter school day, I pulled out my rose gauntlets and bravely began to beat back the thorns.

Weeds and thorns! Yuck!

With trick-or-treat night right around the corner, I hacked away at thorns that threatened to catch on young costumed children. I pulled weeds. I pulled branches. I pulled muscles. After two sweaty hours of work, I had managed to collect two heavy duty trash bags of trimmed branches and weeds. I even managed to plant some freshly sprouted cone flower that I had grown from seeds collected from my mother's plants. I capped it all off with a hefty dose of fertilizer.

Here's the after picture:

The roses were not in the best shape. I should have taken better care of them. It made me wonder what they would look like now if I had given them the care they really needed. As much as I hope the trimming and the fertilizer work their magic, they can't replace regular nurturing care.

Thus it is with our relationships. If we want to have healthy ones, we must take the time to nurture and care for those relationships. A brief "prune" job and "fertilizing" won't do the trick. The more time and effort we put into caring for those we love, the healthier our relationships will be. The happier we all will be. Additionally, there will be no need for a "rescue" session like I had to spend today.

Hopefully my rosebushes will survive me. I'm in a season in life right now where planted material is way down the list of my priorities. Instead I'm focusing on growing up children and caring for my husband. The time will come, though, and is coming where the children will be grown up and on their own. Maybe by then I'll have that enviable garden.

Sweetness

Fourteen years have flown. Fourteen wonderful, hurly-burly heavenly years! Today, sigh, is your fourteenth birthday. It went by blindingly fast, and I'm still catching my breath.

My precious girl, you fill me with delight, pride, and gratitude. I'm so happy to be one of the blessed to shepherd you through your life. May God bless you as you grow in Him. While this is your birthday, it is also mine. It is a day that I will always cherish. Be blessed, my darling.

Slumber party fun with friends! 

Carmen Giménez Smith wrote a poem that I love. You can hear it read at the Poetryfoundation.org. The text is below:

"The Daughter"

We said she was a negative image of me because of her lightness.

She's light and also passage, the glory in my cortex.

Daughter, where did you get all that goddess?

Her eyes are Neruda's two dark pools at twilight.

Sometimes she's a stranger in my home because I hadn't imagined her.

Who will her daughter be?

She and I are the gradual ebb of my mother's darkness.

I unfurl the ribbon of her life, and it's a smooth long hallway, doors flung open.

Her surface is a deflection is why.

Harm on her, harm on us all.

Inside her, my grit and timbre, my reckless.

Recovery

It's been a busy fall. Evidence for that fact is that I haven't had much time for blogging. I miss it, too. Blogging, for me, is a way of organizing my thoughts and sorting through them. I find that I observe life better and am more grateful. I had a special opportunity today, though, to get away from it all in the middle of the week, and I seized it.

Our family welcomed back my daughter's sweet friend into our home this week. She moved away to Indiana with her family this past spring, and we have missed them all terribly. It's been with great anticipation that we've been looking forward to her visit. One of the things she wanted to do while back in Florida is visit the beach, so we loaded up this morning with a beach blanket and baggies for treasures and headed out to Mickler's Beach, our family's favorite spot!

The beach was quiet. There had been a few onshore showers which had kept most of the residents at home, but when we arrived the sun was mostly shining and the waves were crashing. The girls immediately took off for a long walk, and I sat down on my blanket and enjoyed the quiet.

I pulled out my knitting. I'm starting a hat for the folks at Tom Bihn. I cast on 79 stitches and started.

As I knit, I felt the tension dissolve from my shoulders. The soothing sound of the waves was much-needed balm. I could have stayed there all day. 

A special treat was a visit from a tiny crab, no bigger than the tip of my pinkie finger. 

He seemed a little unsure of himself on the wide expanse of the blanket and scuttled off as stealthily as he could. I managed to capture a photo of him just off the edges of the blanket. I think he felt he was camouflaged enough that he could rest in security.

I didn't get much knitting done. Only an hour later it was time to head back home to tackle more "to-dos," but it was okay. I had rested, regrouped, and recommitted myself to some knitting. All was well.

I hope it won't be long before I can head back!

Flagler-ing

College visits continue apace. So far, the oldest has applied to five schools and been accepted to two (both with nice scholarships- yay!). This past week, we visited one of the schools he has applied to and the one closest to home- Flagler College. Flagler is situated in the gorgeous ancient city of St. Augustine, Florida and is only five minutes from where he is currently dual enrolled. A top-ranked regional college, it sits along the edge of Matanzas Bay in the city of Old St. Augustine.It was established in 1968 and is situated on a small campus made up of Henry Flagler's Hotel Ponce de Leon, a luxury hotel from the late 1800s.

The college has gorgeous Spanish architecture and features Louis Comfort Tiffany for the interior designs and the mosaics and stained glass. Even the dining hall chairs are Tiffany!

A small college, Flagler only offers twenty-nine majors and thirty-four minors. It is strictly for undergraduate studies, but by being highly focused it is able to leverage its finances and be an affordable option for private school.

We had previously attended an architectural tour of the school, but it was especially nice to be able to delve a little deeper into the campus and see how it actually operates as a school.

Outside the lobby of the hotel (now college).

 The interior of the old lobby is beautiful. If you walk up the steps you enter the dining room.

The golden dome of the old lobby.

Entering the dining room

The ceiling of the dining room

Another view

Leaving the dining room

I had to capture a photo of the chairs. Like I said, some of them are the original Tiffany chairs, although some have been copied. I'm not certain I remember this correctly, but I seem to recall each original was valued at approximately $16,000.

My Cafe Bag resting on a chair

The college was very kind and gave us all a pass to dine in the hall. They had several options, but I settled on a freshly grilled "burrito bowl," while the boys opted for pizza. And soda. And cookies. They're kids, so it was the perfect sort of lunch!

We spent the morning learning more about the college and touring the small campus. While much of it was housed in gorgeous old buildings, there was a brand new building we toured that had classes and a quick cafeteria, complete with Chicfil-a and Starbucks, plus a game room area. All of the buildings were within a few minutes' walk of each other.

Before we knew it, the morning was gone. Jacob had an afternoon class that he needed to attend, so we headed back home. It was a really neat experience, and I'm glad we took the time to investigate a school closer to home. I don't know if it will be where he ultimately ends up; at this point he has a stronger interest in another school, but he is not ruling it out.

Here are a few more photos taken from our tour... Enjoy!

The student green space

This Tiffany stained glass is almost as tall as I am. It was in a breezeway.

Going up the steps into the dining hall

The library. Love the gorgeous green floors!

A poor photo, but it is a mosaic of the city of St. Augustine. It's outside the Admissions building.

Even though the time was close, I managed to sneak into a new yarn shop just down Cordova Street from the college. Called Agape Yarn and Imports, it's been open only about a month. I love discovering new yarn shops! I picked up a single skein of sock yarn, and when I knit it, I'll remember this special day!