Saphires and Diamonds

Ha ha, did that title capture your attention?  Well, I hope so.  It sure has mine.  These days have been as precious as jewels.  The colors!  So beautiful.  We've been getting treated to some beautiful sunrises and sunsets:

So much inspiration. 

I've been wanting to get some new yarn to take the Wavy Feathers Cap out for a spin again, success!



Left Cascade Kid Seta Shade 31, Right Karabella Gossamer Color 6302

 AND I've been wanting to stitch a new dish towel using Emily's festive little houses:

So I'm a happy camper.  After bopping around the house at night without a gripping book or something tempting to watch, I now have pleny of projects to hold me through the New Year.

What's got your attention these days?

The Greatest Gift

Bump Feeling Festive

Nan and Her Prayer Shawl

Need I say more?  This year we were blessed by the arrival of my parents for our holiday.  We enjoyed a lot of laughs, shopping, meals in and out, and even family games (Rachel trumped us all!).  I'm grateful for all the wonderful gifts we shared (and I do like presents!), but perhaps the greatest gift of all was the ability to enjoy each moment, and not get sucked away by some old pattern, habit, reaction that would take away from the present moment, for that is the greatest gift.  Time with grandparents is a commodity, and I thank all my sisters for sharing them with us this year. 

We really did embrace this past week of Advent, and here is the blessing for any of you who were wondering:

The fourth light of Advent, it is the light of Man

the light of joy, the light of thought

to grow and understand

I hope you all enjoy the little things this season and the year to come.  You never know.  One day you may discover that those little things are the big things.

Blessings, Melissa

Making Waves

Just in time for the holidays!  Here's a quick peek at the wavy feathers cap I completed for a friend:

The yarn was oh so lovely to work with.  Yes, it was a bit fiddly given it was finger weight yarn, and BLACK, which made for close work.  I hadn't ever worked with Yak yarn before, and given the price, may never again.  It was so light but strong.  I love the dissonance of that.  It worked up well into a lightweight, yet warm cap (as promised by the pattern).  Click here if you want to make one as well!

Giving thanks for those animals and the yarn they provide, and thinking it's time to do some yarn shopping.  I feel a need.

The Third Light of Advent

Just in case you were curious how our Advent season is progressing, yesterday we lit our third candle.  This week is the week of Animals.

The third light of Advent it is the light of Beasts.

The light of Hope that we may see

in the greatest and the least.

A Bouquet of Chickens

No thing is too small or obscure to be revered.  I hope you take time this week to feel gratitude for our animal brothers and sisters and all they share with us: food, shoes, bedding, clothing, COMPANIONSHIP, insight, humor, and much wonder.

The miracle is not to walk on water but on the earth. -Thich Nhat Hanh

Another outstanding opportunity to embrace the incredible beauty that surrounds me.  Was it scheduled?  Was it on my to-do list?  Or was it a matter of seizing the moment?  I bet you can guess which one.

Rachel and I share many early morning drives to get her to the school bus.  I think by now she is used to me "ooh-ing" and "ah-ing" at the sunrise and its relfection on the hills that surround us.  At this point she is a willing accomplice in my wanting to capture the moment.  She oh so cleverly grabbed the camera and got these shots:

And I wonder, did anyone else see what I saw?  Amidst the early morning commute where they able to shut off the hurry and relish the present moment?

I thought about cropping out the cars and highway, but somehow I like this image.  Amidst the speed is a quiet beauty that beckons.

And I listened, and was granted an incredible 15 minutes of eternity. 

And of course, I had company:

Being the second week of Advent, the week of the light of plants, it was more than appropriate to enjoy nature decked out in her crystal finery:

So many blessings to be found in the quiet whispering of the season.  Can you hear it?

There's No Business

Like snow business!  This week the Arctic Blast moved in and we've been getting intermittent snow for several days.  Although the temptation was great to stay tucked inside, sometimes a body just has to get out!

Surprisingly, the pups and I arrived at our usual trail to find we had it all to ourselves, First Tracks!  They were more than delighted to rip about in the fresh snow:

And snuffle, and burry their heads for hidden treasure:

I just love watching Lucy's ears flop about when she runs:

Our only company was the water fowl:

I guess ducks don't read:



 

Our favorite bramble patch:



A great place to play hide and seek:

 

And that's all the news from around here.  Living simply, and simply living. 

Hope you all are cozy!