Now Deirdre has chatted — I must chat also. Chatting must occur.
This was going to be a more focused post but let me tell you how it is.
It snowed another 18 inches over and above the previous 30 from last week. I feel that we are entering the Buffalo zone of snowiness. I will remind you that last year Worcester Massachusetts, a city in my general region, received the highest total snowfall last year. Not Buffalo.
Not that I want to live somewhere with more snow than Buffalo.
So as I was saying, Bridget and her friend Maria came to watch the Game on Sunday night, because they are both big Pats fans and they go to a college that hails from medieval times where there are no TVs. And of course, they got snowed in here (oopsies, sorry not sorry!). It was so snowy that I almost got out that other jigsaw puzzle but then remembered that they would go back and I'd be left with it.
It was cozy and nice! (I was so tired, though, that I didn't take any pictures of them or the cozy niceness.)
When I did take them back early this morning, I realized that I should visit Deirdre at the Chesternest, that being just a wee bit up the road, and see if I could be of help (what with them feeling a bit sick and the snow and the preggers and all). So I spent the rest of the morning there.
Hence, this post is more chitchat than otherwise, but you don't mind!
I'm not standing in a drift — I'm in the yard, above my knees in snow!
And I busted out a little baby cap, working on the mitts, during the Game. Must have knitting for a game!
And here is the quilt top, finished. I tried and failed to find plaid to back it with on two trips to the fabric store.*
I've also just finished a very interesting book called The Hobbit Party: The Vision of Freedom That Tolkien Got, and the West Forgot, which I discovered via dear reader Briana of Sandbox to Socrates. This book instantly reminded me of Reclaiming Catholic Social Teaching by Anthony Esolen (which we talked about before Christmas) — indeed they are companion books, I'd say! So since I have it in mind to gear up for Lent by encouraging some reading, especially in the St. Greg's Pockets and hopefully with couples, these are books I'd like to be sure you know about.
So stand by — on Saturday I will chat about The Hobbit Party and have a giveaway of both!
* I have even more chitchat associated with going to the fabric store, my crazy textile stash, and my leather chair, but I will save it for later!
What are you up to?
theycallmemommy says
Snowing here more in the northern midwest also! 🙂 We just got a FOOT on Sunday. 🙂 We are feasting on popcorn again here today…children were delighted to read the final chapters in Ozma of Oz and last night we watched together The Scarlet and the Black (with a little fast forwarding) about a priest who saves people during the Nazi occupation of Rome. We loved it! So inspiring! Thanks for the newsy post. 🙂 Your quilt and knitting are lovely.
Rebecca says
Hi Leila,
That’s quite an interesting set-up for the knitting: a “super bowl” and it’s holy, too. Where did the holes come from?
May I ask where you found the lovely hat pattern?
Our school in Toronto was closed yesterday due to the storm. The extra day at home was a real grace. Finally put up the pretty new light fixtures that have been waiting in the box. So now it’s brighter inside and out…
Ciao Bella!
Leila says
Rebecca, that’s a yarn bowl — it has an opening for the yarn to feed out. Search “Yarn bowl” on Pinterest or Etsy…
This one was made for me by some nice boys I teach in CCD (religion class) — their dad makes them on the side among other things, and I think they glazed it for me. I think he should have a business, don’t you?
The cap is this one : http://www.gsheller.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Simple-Newborn-Hat-With-a-Touch-of-Lace.pdf
I’ve made it a bunch of times — easy and super cute!
Rebecca says
Thank you so much, Leila! That Ginny is a clever knitter. I have been knitting for years but have never ventured into homemade patterns.
I looked up the bowls, too. I have never seen one before. How cool! What a nice CCD gift.
Have a happy day! Our snow is melting…
Rebecca
Claudia says
Snow on Sunday here near Madison, WI. Great opportunity for reading Eric Mataxas’
book: “Miracles” Not sure yet what I think of it. Any opinions out there?
Shoveled our nearly one foot of snow yesterday, and now, more is here! This is the way I enjoy taking the last bit of fruitcake out of my freezer.
Love the color of your yarn!
JoAnna says
Love the pink hat and the quilt! Chinese coins pattern? For a new baby perhaps? I’m in Florida feel guilty complaining about the 50 degree weather!
Kate says
I live in the mountains of CA, where we should be getting snow (to replenish our water supply), but it is dry and in the 60’s, which is very unusual for this time of year. I think the weather gods have abandoned us. Call me nuts, but I look at your snow photos and I am so jealous.
Tori says
I had a failed fabric store experience this weekend, too. I was trying to take advantage of a coupon to get some more cream colored cotton that I need for sashing. It has to be a particular shade to match what I already have for that project. None at the first store. And, after checking to see if the next closest location had any and being told that they did, I showed up to find that no, they didn’t. All gone. So much driving. Dismissive employees. Not fun.
Stephanie says
No snow in Juneau AK and what a bummer Super Bowl being in Seahawk territory. Kids have been iceskating and we went to Xanadu the musical Saturday. So fun! Reading Middlemarch and waiting for the CG detailor to call for orders….ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Cammie says
That yarn is so pretty and it looks so soft!
And after saying that I wished we had snow like you did in an earlier post we got around a foot this weekend (and it was coming down during the super bowl!)! It wasn’t quite knee deep for me, but it definitely was for the kids!
NY Mom says
Here in upstate NY we have about a foot of new light powdery snow on top of the old layer- so pretty! I love the muted quiet after these big snows. Perfect introvert weather. No one really expects you anywhere.
I have two good books going simultaneously – Ruth Burrows’ “Essence of Prayer” (highly recommended!) and at long last, “Kristin Lavransdatter” ( no words to describe…). Am working on a wedding quilt using Civil War prints from a great little quilt shop across the river. Some of them are beautiful enough to be wallpaper.
What a sweet baby hat you’ve got going there. The color is wonderful.
Anitra says
I am in Worcester and originally hail from Rochester NY.
SO. MUCH. SNOW. My daughter’s school has had 4 snow days in the last 2 weeks. I can’t even send the kids outside to play in the snow, since my 4-year-old simply complains that he’s too cold (and it’s much too deep for sledding), and something must be done for the baby… it’s too hard. We just stay inside, with brief forays out to shovel during baby’s (and 4-year-old’s) naps.
Combine this with baby growing so fast that he now must use a fixed car seat (ie. not one with a handle to quickly clip into the car), and it makes me loath to leave the house at all!
Mrs. Cote says
Anita, I’m in Ashland, MA! We should start a pocket 😉
On snow, I have a 95 lb. German Shepherd I could lose in the back yard. It’s that deep!
Leila says
Yes, start one! Who knows, I might drop in 🙂
Tacy says
Ooh! Can you or have you already done a quilting how-to post? I would love it. Do you use a machine or hand sew them?
Leila says
Tacy, if you go to my Pinterest board “quilting inspiration” (link at the end of the post), you will find pinned there my recommendation for a good tutorial to get started in quilting.
I usually piece by machine and quilt by hand, although I have done both for both!
Mrs. Cote says
For quilt backing I highly recommend Sewfisticated in Framingham. They are a discount fabric store but they carry that quilt backing fabric that is double width. I used to work there part time pre-baby but hardly ever brought home a paycheck. On the up side I now have quite a stash!
briana says
I’m reading Reclaiming Catholic Social Teaching now! And what a fantastic book The Hobbit Party was, I can’t wait to hear what you thought of it.
Mrs. B. says
I have made your Meyer Lemon Cake twice since you posted the recipe… Unfortunately for my waistline, it’s highly addictive! There is something unique about it, something that makes every bite so pleasantly surprising – must be the delicate lemon touch combined with the soft texture given by the sour cream… I don’t know, but we love it, even sans coconut or glaze – I cannot stand the taste of confectioner sugar!
So, here we sip tea, eat cake, and wait for this disastrous winter to be over, with its unlovely baggage of never-ending fevers and coughs – and not even the consolation of snow. I can’t even say I have the February homeschool blues, since our school is very light with everyone always sick…
In other news, my daughter and I would love to learn to knit – any good advice for a novice, and good recommendations for books/videos? She’s left-handed: what does that change?
Leila says
Mrs. B — I recommend this site: Knit Freedom http://knitfreedom.com/
Lots of good tutorials and videos and commonsense rescues.
I also recommend starting with a simple hat, knit in the round. You learn to knit, purl, and decrease. And then you are off!
Something like this (just use all one color): http://craftbits.com/project/charity-pattern-basic-adults-knitted-beanie/
Every time you come to anything you don’t know (like “cast on”) — look it up on Knit Freedom or just search on google and it will come up with videos for you on You Tube.
It’s really helpful if you can have a knitting friend close by while you start off, I must say.
lisa says
I love chatty blog posts 🙂 Husband left early this morning for an overseas week-long business trip…..all the kids and I are going to stay home and enjoy the almost-70-degrees this weekend. Hoping to get some sewing done too, but we’ll see.
The snow is so beautiful! I have always loved how quiet everything gets outside when there’s snow: muffled and dreamy.
Happy weekend!