Winter Weary

Dear Mom,
Okay. We've all had enough. I've lost track of how many school days need to be made up. I think we can probably count the number of FULL school days in January on one hand. And I am not sure that any of those have happened consecutively. I hope the Young Lady's Sophomore year ends before her Junior year starts.
The thought of double digits sounds warm. Strike that. The sound of temps above zero sounds warm. Double digits might feel tropical at this point. We will not be discussing wind chill.

At least the sun is shining. And snow is sparkly.

In the meantime…..

THIS is THAT Sweater is on the needles. I have my iPod loaded with good books.

I wound a warp and started dressing Donna Reed with a new ( and hopefully more successful) napkin project yesterday.

Fresh flowers were delivered over the weekend, from a thoughtful friend….

and My Hero brought more home last night to celebrate my birthday.

For variety's sake, I have a shawl in the works with some handspun yarn. This is pure comfort knitting.

My first needle punch project is back from the framer. I was unsuccessful in finding a new project at any local shops. Very discouraging. Especially, after calling my NOT FAVORITE quilt shop (name withheld to protect the guilty) and was told "Yes, we have needle punch" only to drive the 30 minutes ONE WAY and discover that they literally had the punch needles and NOTHING ELSE. As if THAT makes any sense. I should have asked if they had needle punch projects. I drove back home all disgusted and fuming mad. Needless to say, I am Not Going Back There Again. I ordered three small kits online, and they've arrived, but don't have the nice Valdani floss that this first project had. Still, I like the change of pace this needlework offers. I'll work on these and keep my eyes out for more kits.

I received a new tea cup and a new tea pot for my birthday, too. Isn't that cup pretty? The colors are perfect in my kitchen. They are "me" colors.

Sometime before Christmas, my dear Brown Betty suffered an accident when something- I can't remember what- threw itself out of the cabinet and landed on her. I thought we'd escaped tragedy when I saw no obvious damage. Unfortunately, over the next few days, I noted a slight incontinence issue with Brown Betty. In denial, I convinced myself that the puddle was just a little overflow from brewing and steeping the pot, and that it was all my fault. I told myself this story more than once and kept Betty on duty. She is was? my favorite teapot, after all. Sadly, I could not continue this fairy tale and on closer inspection saw a hairline fracture under Betty's handle. She would have to be retired- but not thrown away. Betty deserves a quiet, dignified retirement after all her faithful service. I can always line her with a cup and use her to display flowers. I am sure we will come up with fun things for Betty to do. Hearing of Betty's disability, you, My Mother Dearest, so thoughtfully gifted me with a new, bigger, 8 cup Brown Betty for my birthday.
Big Brown Betty and I have become fast friends. Don't tell the other Brown Betty, but Big Brown Betty's spout is actually better. It stands straight up so I can fill her to the brim and she doesn't spill over! I need to knit a new tea cosy for Big Brown Betty because the cosy I have is too small. There are LOTS of tea cosy patterns out there to peruse. ( More distraction from the weather and from the housework I should be doing…..)

Fresh flowers work miracles.
Especially on winter weary days.
Keep warm. Daydream about digging in the dirt and planting vegetables, and about Branson and Mrs. Hughes, and smocked dresses on little girls, and windows open to warm breezes, Olive laying in a sunny patch on the patio, reading in a comfy chair on the screened porch……
Those days are coming. Hang in there, everybody!
Love,
Kim