White and an afghan

I love white. It brightens, creates space and it unifies other colours and textures. White carries a certain starkness and serenity and it is this blend that gives me a sense of well being. I recently finished knitting this bedspread for my daughter's bed. It is a feather and fan pattern which gives it the scalloped edge. I reworked the original pattern to include some additional rows of eyelets and I used a circular needle and cast on all the stitches I wanted. This simplifies the pattern and makes it more efficient as it requires no time to finish once I cast off. I don't write out patterns anymore - I do but they are written in lingo only I can understand. But I wanted to share this basic pattern and I found I still have the original pattern. It came from a book called 7 day Afghans. I have never knit an afghan in that short of a time frame but I have never knit all day either.
Size: 47" by 60" Materials: worsted weight yarn 28 oz; 14" long size 11 straight knitting needles or size required for gauge. Gauge is 7 sts=2" INSTRUCTIONS Panel (make 3) Cast on 54 sts. Row 1 (right side) knit. Row 2 purl. Row 3 *(k2tog) 3 times; (YO, k1) 6 times; (k2tog) 3 times; rep from * across row. Row 4 knit. Repeat rows 1 through 4 until piece measures about 59" long, ending by working row 2 of pattern stitch. Bind off loosely. To finish join and sew panels together.
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In the garden

I am working in the garden with my daughter. Last night it rained and the earth is dark and fragrant. The growth rate among the plants and leaves is phenomenal. It is a cool day dappled with sunlight behind clouds. Clouds that look like they could leak at a moment's notice. There is a hummingbird nest high up in a western hemlock bough beside the garden. Her nest receives morning sun and afternoon shade. Once I saw her voraciously attack a chickadee who perched too close. I watch her come and go. From her nest she can see everything going on at the feeder in the yard. I wish I could spend all day out here in my yard like her. I built a raised garden bed for my daughter and she is really excited about it. This is her garden and like her mother's heart she loves flowers. In the newness of spring through the emerging plant life I am contemplating the character of God. The beauty speaks of his love and in the task of caring for it I find fulfillment, peace and joy. However short or long I make that acquaintance in the time spent amongst plants their presence transforms my life blessing me. Such is the care of God. In the countless diversity of plants I see He celebrates variety in a way that I cannot comprehend.

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Wild Green's and Onion Pie

In blender put: 2 eggs, 1/2 cup water, 2 Tablespoons milk powder, 1/4 tsp. sea salt, 1/4 tsp. onion powder, 1/2 of a small onion chopped into large chunks, 1/2 cup cauliflower cut into large chunks, 1/2 cup wild harvested greens ( I use chickweed or cleavers as they are readily available. Other green's would be nettles, dandelions etc. I also use kale.) You should have approximately 1 3/4 cups after blending. Blend until smooth. Pour into an unbaked 9" pie crust. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350- 375. I serve it cold with potato's and a salad.

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Birthday's

My daughter and I had our birthday's. One of us turned four and the other forty something. This is the ladybug cake we made together. "Thank you God for taking care of us. I rejoice for this time you have given me and for the joy you have gifted me with."

O God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry; When I have work, help me to remember the jobless; When I have a home, help me to remember those who have no home at all; When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer, And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency bestir my compassion

and be concerned enough to help; By word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted.

This thanksgiving poem was written by Samuel Pugh an american published poet who wrote, taught and read poetry to children in a daycare centre until he was well over 100. Birthdays are beginnings and I look forwards to continued growth - for my daughter and myself. We spent the day making a special card for a unknown canadian soldier abroad. I hope that whoever receives this card will be deeply encouraged. Kind words can elevate your mentality, your self perspective and give you strength to persevere. I have appreciated all the kind words all of you have spoken to me. Thank you.

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Campfire blessings

We had a campfire the other day. It wasn't raining and I wanted to do some yard clean-up and keep the burn pile down to a manageable size. I got the fire going and I toasted some vege weiner dogs and we had some fruit salad. We heard a pileated woodpecker off in the forest and seals barking in the low tide. Unknown to me a very large ember landed on my long skirt. I had been looking at my daughter who was talking to me but something made me turn away. When I looked down at my rubber boots I saw smoke swirling around my legs. I ruffled my skirt and that's when I saw the large burning ember. I jumped up and shook it off but the skirt continued to burn. I was on fire! Most clothing I have learned is extremely flammable. The exceptions to this are nylon, polyester and wool but this skirt was not any of those. I grabbed my daughter's cup of cold water and carefully extinguished it. Just before this happened we had been to the cabin and brought the full cup back with us. There was just enough water in it to put the fire out. After we had lunch the fire got hot and I got motivated to do some yard work. I moved a pile of split cedar rails. They were wet and heavy from the winter rains. Than I stacked firewood that I had split last fall where the rails had been. The little angel helped along as much as she could. There were robins in the yard, shadows from sunlight, and high up in the maple trees above us catkins. The firewood almost got stacked but it was time to go inside. I've got a 2" hole to mend reminding me of this campfire and my blessings.

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Wet!

It's been raining a lot but since it is spring I have gone back to work. The little angel is dressed in a pink raincoat and pink rubber boots. This makes it easy to spot her amidst the green of the forest. We walk to work in a drippy rain which soon turns to a pouring rain and than alternates to a rain. I gather limbs and rake sticks amongst the trees listening. I find pleasure amongst them and they enrich me like a conversation with a good friend. Soon I am wet. My wool sweater and long wool skirt are soaked. But I am warm. It is my hands that will get cold first as I am wearing cotton fingerless gloves. I watch my daughter gathering cones off a fallen hemlock branch. She fills the pockets on her raincoat with them. I think about what we can do with them later. I find fish bones under trees, seagull feathers and the skull of an unknown songbird which I carefully set aside to bring home. We look at the bark on a Western Red Cedar. "It's a raincoat I tell her for the tree." I marvel at the ability of the local aboriginal's who long ago wove water proof poncho's and hats from this bark. Eventually we walk home. I hold the little wool mittened hand in my mine and feel joy. We linger. We wade through puddles and stop to nibble on primrose blossoms. The rain stops. When we get home I chop wood and than kindling. The little angel helps me put it in the wheelbarrow and than I haul it to the woodbox on the covered deck and than we play catch with a ball. We go inside and I look out the window - it's raining again.

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Why?

The other day my daughter and I went to the beach on a specific mission. She wanted to collect green pebbles. The fog swirled around us like thick shower steam. There wasn't much we could see beyond the pebbles at our feet. The fog reminded me of questions in life where I don't have the answers. As we walked along gathering an assortment of green pebbles, sea glass and shells the sun began to shine. The fog drifted apart like a curtain in a breeze and suddenly there were tree's, blue sky, a swimming seal, merganser's feeding, and the beach far ahead of us. When we got home the little chubby hands washed and placed them in tidy lines on the cabinet shelf. They remind me of the seascape I saw after the fog lifted. "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." 1 Cor.13:12

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