Operation Purple Heart

I assembled an Operation Purple Heart afghan to be sent to a grieving mother who lost her 19-year-old son serving in the Army in Mosul, Iraq. The young PFc. was awarded a Purple Heart posthumously. I do this to honor him and in memory of my father who was awarded a Purple Heart in WWII. The crocheted squares were sent to me from across the country to honor this young man and to comfort his family. Heartmade Blessings has reached to many in times of need. 

It has a picot edging.

The ghan is folded and ready to send to the family in South Dakota. May the Lord bless them in their mourning. Thank you, Father, for the life and patriotism of this young man.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. ---2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Crochet on the Rocks

Today is a sub-zero, stay in the house day!

Snow on the bird house

Snow on the hot tub.

A perfect day to nest and knit!

And enjoy crochet on the rocks! These squares plus one more are for the Warm the World project hosted at Knit the Classics. See the KTC blanket link in the sidebar.

Oddly enough, I reread parts of Rereadings edited by Anne Fadiman after picking it up at the library. Seventeen authors share books that they have reread as adults and contrast the experience to their youthful impressions of the books. I particularly enjoyed Allegra Goodman's review of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and her thoughts on rereading, " I return to it not because it is the best novel I have ever read, or the most important, but because of the memories and wishes I've folded in its pages--because on every reading I see old things in it."

It is one thing to show a man that he is in error, and another to put him in possession of the truth.--- John Locke

Speaking of Valentine's Day...

Since it's hearts and flowers day...and yes my dearest-dearest gave me hearts (a huge balloon), a heart shaped box of Russell Stover chocolate, and a rose....Have you seen the knitted wedding site? No, really!! Have you? Here's the link: http://www.castoff.info/wedding.asp

My five-hour sweater is now into the second week. I'm no mathematician, but I think that's way beyond the requisite five hours. Mini-Max models the little bit that is complete.

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.
---Hans Hofmann

Swift Action

Here is the swift swiftly swifting the Interlacements yarn.

One hank of the yarn yielded three balls.

A trip to the Friends of the Library book sale with A yielded this nice stack of books for me. I stopped looking before I saw everything because I was finding SO many books to purchase! At $.50 per inch, I purchased all these books for a mere $4.50. Amazon is going to miss me for a while!

To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting. --Edmund Burke

Not Too Swift! or Why do I keep starting new projects?

Five hangers holding Interlacements Rick Rack have been waiting for some attention since last June. Finally, finally I decided to use it to make throws. The first one will be feather and fan with a five inch garter border all around.
Here's a closer look at this 100% rayon hand dyed fiber with approximately 1100 yards per 16 ounce skein.

Then came the battle with the swift, untwisting, tangling the yarn, arms flying in all directions. At long last, we have the yarn subdued on the swift! Victory!

I'm now casting on 208 stitches with size 6 needles and placing markers every 18 stitches minus the 5 stitches for the border on each side. The website for this yarn maker is www.interlacementsyarns.com

In my reading life, I completed Extra Virgin by Annie Hawes who moved to a small village on the Italian Riviera. The author and her sister moved from England to be seasonal workers grafting rose plants. They purchase a battered rustico on terraced land covered with olive trees. Their adventures as they attempt to develop it into a livable home is the stuff of this memoir that encompasses village life as well. I was challenged by some of the British terms used in this book about Italy, which made me chuckle. An interesting knitting aside in the story involved their trip to a we-sell-everything store in the village. The store offered hand knitted socks with an extra set of heels and toes to be sewn on when the originals wear thin. Clever! Practical!

Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet. ---Roger Miller

Yes, The World IS Flat!

One fourth of the world is now pinned to a folded quilt to serve as a reference point for Strip Two. Incidentally, Strip Two is not going so well. It was started. The shaping was off. It was ripped. Now there's an itty-bitty bit of it on the needles---as in only a few rows. I just haven't felt like picking it up again in the last day or two.

With the approach of Valentine's Day, knitting and crocheting patterns are offered up. Here are a couple of links with quickie patterns for the Hearty Day. In the world of crochet, there is
http://www.crochetme.com/?emc=&m=47436&v=104273&l=3

And, with a mix of pattern offerings is http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8160.asp/zzz

In the same holiday vein, my gifts arrived from my generous partner for the Book Swap at Knit The Classics. I received the lovely items from Canada: my very own copy of Wuthering Heights complete with a double hearted book mark that I really-really like! Of course, the requisite chocolate candy came in the form of chocolate hearts made by Shakespeare Candy Company. How perfect is that, I ask! My swap package is winging its way to Hawaii. If I could have figured out how to jump in that package myself, I too would by on my way to Hawaii! I wonder if the postage for me would be less than the price of a plane trip...hmmmmm....Something to further ponder.

This is just lovely!! Thank you-thank you, Jamie!!

The Passion of Reverend Nash by Rachel Basek is a gripping story of a female pastor as she grapples with the passions of her private and professional life and finds her way to her true calling. The author supplies a surprising yet altogether satisfying end to this beautifully told story.

I believe that there is a plan and a purpose for each person's life and that there are forces working in the universe to bring about good and to create a community of love and brotherhood. Those who can attune themselves to these forces - to God's purpose - can become special instruments of his will.--- Coretta Scott King