Happy for the Valentines!

I am at a stage in my life where I don't look for Valentines, I make them.

I surround myself mostly with things that bring me joy, sometimes holiday-themed and sometimes not. This year, I am finding Valentine's day joy in getting things back to normal after our big paint job! That means hanging things back on the walls and the curtain rods, now that it's been a couple of weeks,

and even reconfiguring some spaces, like adding a tiny, corner desk to the dining room. 

These are small things, for sure...but along with the colorful knitting,

they make even mundane days feel light and airy in my heart, and help to ac-cen-tuate the positive in my life, which cannot be a bad thing! After all, there are so many places in this world to find offense and negativity. Heck! Sometimes it even seems to seek me out, but ain't nobody got time for that! So I'll keep holding onto the love in my heart for those around me, and I will do my best to live with abiding joy, while I start looking for clover and leprechauns to help me celebrate the next holiday! None in here...yet!

As for Valentines, I have a few that I celebrate with all year long, whether we see each other daily or not. No need for special cards or events over here, because I know that I am loved. There is deep contentment in love that doesn't need to shout, even though it sometimes makes mistakes. 

I hope your life is surrounded by folks who see you, who get you and who love you. If it is not, it might be time to seek some new relationships...or refresh some old ones. Either way, I'm glad you are a part of my world. Happy Valentine's Day to you, my blog family!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Have a Hap- Hap- Happy New Year!

Because of my surgery, we did not get to see our son and his family this year for Christmas. I'm happy to say that our daughter and her family did make the trip out to visit her brother, and this picture was one of the fun memories that she sent to me from "Kansas, she says, is the name of her star!" I added some details, and we all wish you the happiest of new years for 2026!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

The Ginger-what?

I know you've been waiting, and here is the post you will wait for no more:

Welcome to the Ginger Hood!

Despite the fact that I have a job that gives me a decent break for the winter holidays, I am feeling the pressure to do all the things before Monday, my first official day off. (More about that later.) For now, let's just say that this has been a productive week, from the baking (last Saturday) to the construction phase (on Thursday) 

to the decorating that we did today, 

it's been another, banner, Gingerbread House Year, and the 2025 Ginger Hood is officially in the books! Which is your favorite?

Whichever house is your favorite, I think my favorite moment of the day was when my daughter tried to draw a tree on her own tongue, for fun...does it look like a tree???

Except, when you ask that question with a tongue-ful of icing, it sounds more like, "Huz ick houk yike a heay???," which I did not understand at all, lol!!! I made her eat the icing, ask the question and re-draw the tree for that photo, and I am not sorry!

After the candy was all on the houses, we sent that sugared-up crew home, with their houses, plus a house and candy for their cousins that they will see over winter break. All I have left now are a few, tiny, starter homes displayed on the table. 

Very pretty, and if you visit me in the next week or two, you may even go home with one!

I'm preparing to have more visitors than usual in the next few weeks, because I'll be sidelined following a medical procedure on Monday (I said I'd get back to it, didn't I?). A little back surgery...as little as back surgery can be, I think, because I should be home the same day...and it boggles my mind a bit! But they say that there's no place like home for the holidays, so it should be all good!

I know that God is in control of this, and of all things, so I am as calm as can be expected in the face of a procedure that requires general anesthesia. Still, if you are the praying kind, or the "sending good thoughts" kind, I'd welcome all you've got. I'll also welcome visits in January, as long as I am up to it. I anticipate being off of work for the month, and on limited activity...so if you're coming to see my clean house, please make an appointment for some time in March. (Sweetie will be my housecleaning hero, but he will also be busy caring for Pretty!) But if you're coming to visit and maybe watch a Hallmark movie, I will welcome that warmly from my recliner. 😘

That's about all I've got, except to wish you a Merry Christmas! The next time we talk will likely be December 27, just 5 days post-surgery! I hope you are surrounded by love and finding joy in this winter holiday season, friends. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

PS - I've finished another pig...we have pigs in abundance at Pretty's house!

Happy Thanksgiving, 2025 Edition

My wish for you today, as we "officially" welcome the Christmas season (after dinner, of course) is that you would feel loved (because you are,  even if you don't know it)...that you would have much to be thankful for (even if you don't see all of it right now)...and that you would help someone else find those small joys as well (even though you may not have a lot of practice doing that).

You are here for a reason (even if it's only to be my friend), and I am so very thankful for that. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! 

Another Big Finish (or 3)

Least week, we took a break from the big project for a tiny forest of crochet pines. This week, I added a beaded version to the mix. 

Then, I finished the afghan...and it's a big one!

I'm really pleased with how this came out, and I think my Minecraft-loving little buddy will love it as well! But, as you can see from the title, I've finished THREE things this week...may I present the Birthday Pig?!?

Ohhhhh, my gosh! I think I could not love this pig in a green sweater more! The birthday boy felt the same, but declined an official photo...lol. The party was a blast, tho!

What's bringing you joy this week? It may not be knitted pigs 🐖, or crochet afghans and trees, but I hope there's something. Feel free to drop a comment and let me know what your joy-maker is. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! 

Forest? Trees? Christmas???

We interrupt the massive, amd occasionally manic, Minecraft project to bring you the beginning of a tiny, crochet, Christmas tree farm...

A little early? Perhaps. Don't care, lol, and that is all for today. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (and crochet) in Good Health! 

Seasonal September

Ahhhh, Fall! There's just something about it. Cooler temps seem to make the sun shine brighter, and shorter days urge me to squeeze all the daytime fun in that I can. They also make me stop to appreciate the perfect, golden glow on even the weeds just before the sunset.

Later starts and earlier finishes make it easy to find a moment to show off recent knits for upcoming seasons and holidays, like this fall garland I'm working on for my office. 

I think there will be a Frankenstein monster, and a little green apple. I really enjoyed carefully choosing yarn for this project...then noticing those same colors in nature on last night's walk! 

I'm also enjoying a shifting perspective on all the things in my life, which seems to happen bit-by-bit with each birthday. How is it September so soon, the season of football, apples and pumpkins? 

57 certainly seems to solidly settle into the autumnal zone of this lifetime... So, I'm settling in to enjoy it, and express it, in knitting...

...and maybe some baking later today, since a co-worker shared the bounty of his apple trees this week! (Thanks Adam!)

I hope you are having a good Saturday and finding things to treasure in your heart, whatever season of life you're in! 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health! 

PS - There's still some summer fun to be had...

Happy 5th of July!

I hope all of my US friends are recovering well from yesterday's fun! What's your favorite part of celebrating summer holidays? Mine is the people and the decorations, which are sometimes combined...

Red, white and blue glitter on Pop Pop (and most everyone, lol!), banners out by the s'mores station and accidentally matching grandmas were a highlight of yesterday's 4th of July fun! Also a highlight: the food! 

Our Jess throws a pretty fun party, and this is her biggest "to do" of the year,  including cousin time, 

Photo cred: Tom Apathy

water balloons, 

splash pad fun,  

corn hole,

and even a piñata, full of fun! 

Even the new puppy had a visiting puppy pal cousin! She was so excited to play, she was "crazy eyes" excited...all. day. long! 

 

It was a warm and wonderful day to enjoy family and friends, and to try and find shelter from those water balloons!, 

There were cool, (relatively) quiet areas for adults to "set a spell," 

and plenty of spaces to try and step away from the crazy for at least a moment...well, unless you're Pop Pop!

Uncle Allen amd Uncle Drew even provided us with some fireworks before the day was over! 

Happy birthday, America! , and I hope everyone had as much fun celebrating yesterday as we did.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Photo cred: Tom Apathy