We are moving at lightening speed toward the spring equinox.
Here in Virginia, the daffodils are blooming as are all of the flowering spring trees.
I see a noticeable difference in the green of the grass... all the underbrush in the woods is green, the weeping willows are covered with a sheen of lime green new leaves and the robins are bopping around all over the yard.
We had one day of winter weather return last week.
It was cold. It rained. The sleet started up and then the snow. The cars in the parking lot at work were all snow covered with slushy messes covering the windshields.
I told everyone I still had a snow brush and ice scraper in my back seat so I would share at the end of the day.
By the end of the day, it was still cold. And windy. But the snow and sleet were gone.
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This weekend I decided on Saturday to fill my car up with gas and just hit the road with no particular destination.
My thought process with this was just driving around.
But that wasn't the reality of it at all. There were places I wanted to stop to take pictures. To see the beauty of spring. Lunch I decided to eat in my car while watching the traffic go by.
There's a walking park in the town closest to where I live. It's been in my thoughts to go there and walk. Any time of the year is beautiful but it had been a long, long time since I've been there.
After lunch, that was my first stop.
When my youngest daughter was in high school in this little town, she got a job at a local department store. I lived in this town then and on the weekends, I would pick her up at her lunchtime, we would go to a resterant and pick up our food to go. We would drive to this same little park. Usually just eat in the car. As a family, we have used the gazebos tho to have lunch and to just go for a nice, peaceful walk, right in town.
I am so grateful to be living near this town again for now. It's been a healing journey for me to do this completely on my own and it has been a wonderful opportunity to be back in the area where I spent the most time raising my kids.
It will be bittersweet when it's time to leave here, but at the same time, I look toward tomorrow with curiosity and hope.
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After the park I just started driving. Put a favorite playlist on in my car and opened the windows. Low and behold I found myself on the farthest side of Roanoke and pulling into a Thrift store that I absolutely loved the one time I had been there long ago.
Being on that side of the city, it was also nostalgic to me because when I was in my forties, I had worked on that side of the city for more than ten years. Some things had changed but it was very familiar.
Later, I drove around the city a little. Thinking about being a child here. Not all of my childhood, but some of it. Then how I would visit my grandmother every summer when I was in Jr and Sr high school in upstate New York. She lived in a beautiful little town called Elliston, but we would come into town to shop.
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I ended up on the opposite side of the city that I had most recently lived for six years before coming here last year to this place in the country that I currently live. The Rescue Mission has a very nice thrift store there so I spent some time in there also. Had some great conversations with people too.
I loved this tote. My oldest daughter loved Alice in Wonderland so much. I decided to head back over there and pick it up for her and it was gone. Made me sad. I won't hesitate again in the same situation
This was a very nice stationery set. I plan to use some of them in the letter project I am doing with my daughter in England.
When I found this basket of these books, I came so close to buying them. But they were several dollars each. My beautiful grandmother, who taught me how to crochet and who raised me for more than half my life, had so very many of these little Workbasket books. Just seeing these and touching them brought her so close to me.
I loved this! If I had room for it I think I would have brought it home.
My youngest daughter collects stoneware, pie plates etc.. that has recipes on them. These are hard to find and I am always on the lookout for them when thrifting. I found her one yesterday!!
OOOOhhh the white gloves.
Very nostalgic. I remember owls like these in family and friends kitchens when I was growing up.
I loved this old jewelry case. So very much.
Yellow is never a color that I buy for myself but I couldn't resist this T-shirt,
My record collection is like my Christmas Village collection - picked up at random times at thrift stores.
I did pick up a couple of albums today.
The book room was absolutely lovely. I spent a lot of time in there browsing the books. Didn't buy any today but sure was nice being surrounded by them.
I found some terrific slacks for work and a nice blouse. Also got some crochet cotton thread, I want to make a couple of doilies for my oldest granddaughter. Also, they have a craft room full of bins of just stuff. I spend more than a hour in there going through the bins. Got some paper crafting tools, some velcro closings for the doll clothes, some knitting needles and a few other odds and ends.
I also got a beautiful clear glass cake plate with a clear glass cover. I have wanted one for a long time.
As soon as I bake a cake and put in there, I will take a photo and share it here on Whispering Horn.
This photo above just spoke to me as a typical photo of a fun thrifting store.
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I came home to a beautiful sunset in my backyard.
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On Sunday, the day started very quiet with a cup of coffee and some journaling time in my room.
I decided on a very simple breakfast and then spent some time out on the back porch. The sunshine was beautiful.
Porches.
They are so very important I think.
I don't take nearly enough time to just sit on one.
Housework. Laundry. Some YouTube channels to catch up on. A nap. More outside time.
Was a perfect day actually.
I did get dressed but never left in my car. Didn't even go near it.
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I had found a recipe for Greek Yogurt bread that you can make in the air fryer.
I was determined to try it so I did.
I adjusted the recipe a bit, mainly the cooking times. Also, I flipped the little loaf over and cooked it an additional five minutes. Was just the perfect thing to do.
It's yogurt bread so a little denser, but it is definitely delicious.
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On the crochet front, I didn't finish any projects this past week.. but hey! At least I didn't start any new ones.
Thank you so much for stopping by.
This past year of aging gratefully in a solo life has had its challenges as well as its beautiful moments.
Acceptance is the key to everything.
Forgiveness is the release.
Cheers to ya!
My favorite cup with my favorite tea.
Frankie usually sends a hiya... but this time she's napping.
But here's a hiya anyway.
As always, I invite you to visit the YouTube Channel.
As the channel grows and I learn more about videos and vlogs, my daughter in England and I will be introducing a new segment with videos and vlogs spanning me here in the USA and her in the UK. I'm very excited to get started on that.
I have so much more to learn about videos tho... so that's been moved higher on my To Do list.
Here in Virginia, we are so much closer to spring now.
The temperatures have been in the sixties and seventies. The trees are starting to bud and the Daffodils are blooming
I usually watch for the robins to begin to arrive. Have not seen any scouts yet.
One of my little granddaughters came over this weekend.
We went to the local park yesterday for a couple of hours. She met a new friend there and they were inseparable. There were other families there, so this Nana got to read for awhile.
Candles, some cozy lights and a weekend spent at home, or close to home
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I learned how to crochet when I was a small child. My grandmother taught me. I would sit in my little wooden rocking chair and crochet a chain.... and more... and more. My grandmother told me as soon as my chain looked neat and even she would teach me other stitches. I still have the memory of impatience. lol. But now I understand that was her was of teaching me how important tension was.
I spent a lot of my teenage years making different things.
As a young mother, I just didn't have the time. I had five children and worked a lot.
So there would be times that I would start a project and never finish it. Not ever.
In my late thirties, I still worked full time but my children were older and I started picking up my crochet again. I have finished hundreds of projects. Small items, to large blankets. It makes me feel closer to my grandmother and I even still, miss her so very much.
There have been times tho, that I still start something and it never gets finished.
Sometimes, I will find it later in a box and I have no idea what hook I was using or where to find the pattern.
So I do try to watch out for procrastination with a project.
I do normally have two projects going at once. That is just a preference of mine.
Today, as I was tidying up the house, I took a hard look at my growing pile of ongoing projects. And until that moment, I truly hadn't realized this had become a problem.
I have so many items I have started, and are almost finished.
Over the next couple of weeks, I will complete each of these projects.
I really let it get out of hand, but it will be fun to see each of these items to completion.
This scarf I made for myself with some beautiful chunky, soft yarn I got as a Christmas gift. All I have to do is weave in the ends and it will be finished. Just in time for next winter!
This is a bow purse that my youngest daughter requested. I have the body of it done and the strap. I already purchased the closures. I just need to attach the strap and fashion the next part of the pattern that makes the body into a bow.
This 18 inch doll dress is finished except for the snaps to close the back. I need to complete the shawl to match the dress.
This was the first doll dress that I made and looks so cute on the doll. Only need to complete it with snaps or buttons.
I ordered the pearl buttons for this long doll dress. I need to sew them on.
I am making two of these chef sets for the dolls. I need to attach the hearts and pockets to the aprons. There are oven mitts to make along with two stuffed cherry pies, two cakes and two mixing bowls. This pattern is easy and fun and just needs to be finished.
This little dress and scarf are done. Just need snaps or buttons in the back.
This is a kitchen goose grocery bag holder that my youngest daughter requested. I need to make another foot. Then attach the wings and the feet. Make a crochet blue bow for its neck and it will be done. Then I have a daughter in law who would like to have one of these too.
With some yarn that I have, I saw a video on line for this stitch and I simply started this. I think its going to be a scarf. Or a child's blanket. There is enough yarn for that.
So as you can see, I need to do more finishing and less crocheting!
I will share the completed photos of some of these as I finish them.
So that's my personal goal for the next few weeks.
This time change has me a little out of sorts, which usually happens to a lot of people. It is my favorite time tho, so once I get used to it. Light longer in the evenings!!
