Joy and Beauty and Knitting

When we moved from our old house to this condo, one of the things I lamented leaving behind was our front porch. 

With red brick risers and concrete steps, outdoor photos in daylight were full of texture and background color that was neutral enough to show off hand knits pretty spectacularly...

...especially tiny things and toys.

Since moving here, I have learned to appreciate the airy, openness and natural light of our many windows for bright and beautiful photos...

...and our white countertops have been the background for many photos of smaller items.

But I think the item I enjoy the most in the backdrops of my knitting photos is my chunky coffee table...you know, where the pig lives! 

As a matter of fact, that pig and his sweater show up a LOT in the pictures, lol! But this isn't about the pig. 

This is about blooming where one is planted. There are plenty of things I did not like about the old house: dark corners, small rooms, weird layout. And there are plenty of things I'm still not really used to in this condo: nowhere to "hide," overly bright light fixtures, and a little too much "road noise" from the highway.

Yet there is beauty and joy to be found wherever I am. Not because everywhere I go is beautiful, but because I want to find the beauty wherever I am. Finding beauty in the mundane brings me joy, so I will keep looking. 

What small things bring you joy? Whatever they are, I hope that you are finding that joy, savoring it and storing up a bit for the days and nights that are a little more "dark and stormy." Maybe you've even found some joy in this post, and if you have, I'm so glad. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! 

A Hand-y Post

As I was looking down at my knitting this morning, I noticed my hands. 

Oh, they're nothing special...no fancy manicure, and I'm a chronic nail-biter, so I'm easily embarrassed by my hands. So, when asked to take photos of a project I'm test knitting "on actual hands," I felt personally challenged. I started with this: 

These are, of course, not "actual" hands,  but Flat-Stanley-style hands I keep so my actual hands don't show up in photos. But then I got to thinking 🤔,  "Hey! I have friends with hands!"

And so I do! Though my friends were slightly dismayed when I asked them to don the mitts and display a silly mug, they did eventually agree...so yay! 

As I looked over the resulting photos from the 2023 hand sessions, I couldn't help but notice how beautiful these hands are. 

Their beauty is not the result of fancy polish or finger exercises...it comes from living and loving and learning, and their beauty grows as they keep going. 

Thank you, ladies, for letting me get silly and take pictures of you and your hands. And thanks for all the ways your hands have helped me through the years. 

Thanks also to Shana, who has helped me to see the beauty in my own hands. Maybe I won't balk so much next time! (By the way, if you like these gloves, Shana has a pattern coming out soon...seems like she always has another great pattern coming out! Check out Shanalines Designs to see all her designs and patterns!)

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! 

Still Falling for Autumn!

Note: There are no actual falls in this blog. Today we are looking at the season, not the unfortunate event, and Pretty is pleased to present with no injuries...lol!

As autumn has fallen upon us in northeast Ohio, I have often been struck by the overwhelming beauty of the season.

This has been one of the prettiest fall seasons that we have experienced in a long time.

The last few years have brought abrupt transitions from summer to winter, often feeling like we moved from swimsuit season to "Hon, where did we put the ice scrapers?" in less than a week! 2022, however (perhaps as an apology for the last two years of crazy?), has graced us with perfect temperatures, bright sunshine, and the familiar aroma of wet leaves, bonfires and all the allergens in the air...

::Pretty inhales deeply and releases her breath in a contented sigh...then she sneezes and takes a Covid test. It is negative, FYI.::

But a lot can change in just a few weeks.

A different view brings the realization that winter is just around the corner.

But it's not here quite yet...

So we will keep walking, playing and breathing, enjoying the outdoors in just our shirt sleeves for as long as we can!

And then I'll put up the Christmas tree!

2021 tree, for reference.

Bwaaahahahahaha! (Not yet! Let's not get crazy...but probably before Thanksgiving!)

I hope you are finding time to enjoy the little things, too. Every season has an expiration date, so be sure to catch some of this season's joy before the next one takes over!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Don't forget to change the clocks!