Yarn Along: Madeleine L'Engle, Scarves & Baby Blanket

I am happy with this week's progress!

The unbelievably orange scarf (Ravelry here)
for one of my three munchkins in Ottawa!
They have the cutest soccer outfits from
Holland that are orange
and Mr. Husband thought of me making these
scarves for them!

The saga of the baby blanket continues!
I am making progress!
I am on a blue strand again now...
You can see from this picture that
the beginning of it was a lot smaller
than what it ended up as.
I added a lot of stitches I think in part
because I was trying at the beginning to do stockinette
and not have it curl up
and I just did not have enough experience in doing
it quite yet to get it right.
None the less,
I am happy with it!

As I said before,
it is made with love and creativity
and that in the end is what
matters to me,
especially as I've been knitting for
just over 2 months now...

I have ordered more yarn for it as
I am almost out.
So this one will not get done until
after Pascha...
(Ravelry here)

 \
I started this blue scarf
this past weekend.
It is for a gift for an older niece...

I am finding it hard to capture via camera
the light and brightness of this blue.
It is really lovely and becoming a
quick favourite of mine.
(Ravelry here.)

And the on-going green scarf!
It has a ways to go yet
but it is a wonderfully soft but thick yarn
and I think will be exactly as I wish it to be!
(Ravelry here)

 

I needed a comforting
thoughtful read and this
book by Madeleine L'Engle has been perfect.
She deals with tough issues but with so much
description of her family life
and discussions of how to care for one's self
when caring for others
that is not only enjoyable but
helpful.
I find myself wanting to quote from it to some of my
dearests friends...
*
Yarn Along with us!

So many things all in one day

 

As many in the Orthodox community know,
Fr. Peter Gillquist departed this life
yesterday evening.
I especially appreciated this blog post
and listened to this podcast
on Ancient Faith Radio
last night
as I knew that Fr. Peter
was quickly declining...
Already there is a podcast about
Fr. Peter's departure.
I heard Fr. Peter speak in Southwest Ontario
some years back;
I remember being struck by how gracious he was
to all the questions asked afterwards.
He is going to be greatly missed.
May God remember him in His Kingdom!
*
I spent time with my dear sister-friend
and my godson and his two older brothers today.
Wave pool, potato chips, sandwhiches and
sorbet.
It was really nice.
*
Today is also St. John's Day.
This post by Mat. Anna
really blessed me today.
*
I have been thinking of Fr. Peter's passing
often today.
*
So much going on.
Grief
sunshine
loss
processing
praying
lighting candles.
*
The wedding invites are
 printed and arrived.
My Grandma is slowly gaining strength
and just today told me she hopes
to make the trip with my Aunt and Uncle to
my and Orthoman's wedding.
I really hope this can happen.
*
A lot of my good friends
are in a lot of transition and some
of them are in great grief.
*
I know that I already had one of my final confessions
with my own spiritual father.
My last month's rent is paid and notice has been given.
I have booked movers.
I found my clip board and am preparing to move.
I changed my phone plan so that I can
use voice over IP and keep an Ottawa phone number.
Orthoman has booked his ticket for when he will come
before the wedding.
*
Tomorrow I go back to work.
I have Friday off.
Cleo is to going to the vet
tomorrow night
with me.
*
I am very tired.
But God is merciful and good.
May He help us all in our times of need.

Three Things ... Sunday Evening

We've had some sunshine on and off

the last few weeks.

I was so taken by the fact that the sun is not already set

when I walk to church for vespers

that I stopped and took a picture.

I love the golden-ness of the setting sun.

I made the beef stew for last week;

super easy recipe:

can of tomato soup, can of water

beef chunks (sorry to all those vegetarians)

carrots potatoes

caramelized onion

salt and pepper.

It was great and lovely

for the fast free week.

(I am sure I am not the only one that has a hard time

preparing two type of meals with a Wednesday

as a fast day;

I always find meal planning in this regard

difficult!)

My Oma is 101 years of age this year.

She is slowing down

though still doing really well considering her age;

she is mentally fully present

and can still walk short distances.

I am working on a photograph project

of all the things she has made for her grand kids

and that I was the lucky recipient of.

The socks and slippers are

one example of her knitting.

My idea is to make a mini little book of pictures

and mail it to her

with a picture of her and myself as well

as a surprise Thank You and I Love You card.

So often I have been well meaning but not following through on

showing her my love

so I hope to actually do this.

Meanwhile I did get a card in the mail this week to her,

which I am grateful that I was able to do.

I am blessed to have her in my life;

My Mom told me how she can remember when she was a kid

that my Oma (her Mom) would be washing floors while

singing the Psalms in Dutch

which she knew by heart.

She would always counsel me to always pray to God,

read my Bible and go to church

and love my family.

She is such a strong example of a Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and

given her age

even

Great Great Grandmother.

I wish I could see her more

but am glad I can at least send cards her way.

I am so blessed!

***

On a different note,

I have a quiz in my French class tomorrow,

prayers requested!

Many Years Later

My Georgia O'Keeffe poster is finally framed.

Today was my semi-annual IKEA run.

The sun is warm and brilliant.

Peaceful easy feeling, already on the ground

I woke up this morning - late! The sun was shining, my Cleo Cat was fussing and sure enough, I forgot to set my alarm!

I wish I could dscribe how I felt - had slept better than I had in a long while and felt quietly cheered. Like waking up when I was a child, peaceful and secure.

Worry is a big struggle of mine, which I am learning to battle in new ways. One of the prayers I prayed while walking to work when anxiety hit was

Lord, You are the Ground of My Being.

This prayer comes from my memory of the verses in Acts where St. Paul speaks of God in similar terms.

The Eagle's song came to mind as I woke up slowly in a sunlit light blue room, with my cat and Icon Wall near by. And I knew the only reason I felt a Peaceful Easy Feeling is because I am already standing on solid ground.

The Lord is the ground of my being.