Hope and Paying it Foward to Make a Difference

I haven't had time yet to really review this book but so far, it looks good. When I do, I will post about it.

A couple of things I picked up this week.

I went to the city this past Monday. Yep, it's a big day to go to the city when you are a country girl at heart!  I went to Joanne's crafts and rumbled around for probably 2 hours. I like to look at all the things in there.

They had quite a bit of knitting books. Very limited cross stitching though.

At last I found a really good book and grabbed a copy of Country Sampler magazine (quarterly favorite of mine) to check out.

While at the counter a young boy said, "oh you knit!"  I told him I was a novice but enjoyed both cross stitching and knitting. He said he was about to take a class on beginning knitting. 

I asked him if he had heard of Ravelry and he said no.

So I gave him the information because he had such excitement about going to his classes soon that I tried to give him hope for needlework. I told him that needlework of both kinds really helps stress and health in general. He was excited to go home and look through Ravelry.

The boy looked college age and although knitting or cross stitching is sometimes looked at by men or women as "feminine" things, there are some awesome and talented male knitters and cross stitchers who I appreciate so much.

I think the stigma is even worse in the South which is too bad because of all the benefits of creativity. I find the stitching and knitting community online to be a kind one in general.

The world needs alot more kindness today.

Families need more kindness.

Sometimes reading or listening to the world news (which I do not do alot of) is so daunting.

This is one reason why I listen to podcasts of cross stitchers and knitters alot and read blogs.

I rarely watch TV anymore. 

I'm reposting a freebie for you today. It's simple. I designed it in 2012.

You can use colors of choice.

If you stitch it up send me a pic and I will show your unique work how you interpreted the colors and why if you would like. 

Maybe you know of someone that really needs some hope right now. Someone who has given up.

Hopefully, you can share it with them. It may not solve all the problems but surprisingly so you never know how much our kindness influences someones' difficult situation.

Hope

copyright 2012

designer Feathers in the Nest

“Hope is the thing with feathers 

That perches in the soul 

And sings the tune without the words 

And never stops at all.”  

by Emily Dickinson

Till later,

Jennifer

A Peek at Finishing up a Shawl-Bands of Angels--Madelintosh Lite

A sneak peek at finishing up Bands of Angels lace colorwork shawl. I'm working slowly on the picot bind off. This is a top down, crescent shape shawl with colorwork and lace.

Bands of Angels

designed by Feathers in the Nest

copyright 2017

Can't wait to aggressively block to open up the lace but today I have to go out of town. Hoping to finish this bind off soon and block after a nice soak in gentle soapy water by Wednesday.

Colorway is Hosta Blue and Antler by Madeline Tosh Lite

100% Merino wool---fingering weight

This bag and yarn purchased at Charlotte NC 2 months ago.

I hope your week has started off with needles in hand for a few.

Till later,

Jennifer

The First Father's Day Without My Father

I could write alot about my daddy. I've known him and loved him for half a century. But there is no amount of room here to explain the closeness we had in our hearts. Our first Fathers day without him. Doesn't seem real. I still have 2 phone messages on my phone that I will not delete. It's him calling me the last time in October 2016 before he got sick. As usual, he says "hey Jennifer, just calling to check on you and see how you are doing this week". I'd call him back. 

I have notes he left on my door when I was at work while he was nearby. They were usually on the back of Autozone or Lowes receipts. He would write to say he missed me and loved me.

In 2013, he put a note on my door that said "Pray for me". He had his younger days before my kids were born where he was pretty doggone intense. (I'm sure I did too) but about age 50-60, he mellowed out and in his last 3 years, we spent much time talking. He was my  rock. The first man I loved. The man that taught me to be strong when I would lose hope. 

My daddy was always pulling a prank or joke. He loved to laugh and ask me to remember when........all kinds of things. We fished together, we went out in the woods to get a Christmas tree, he always went with me to get a new car just for advice and I could definitely trust him with anything auto related. 

He was the one I called for all things mechanical and wisdom for rebellious children, small and adult.

He let me learn some lessons the hard way.

I needed to learn them too.

He called me Doodlebug and actually melted a nickel with a welding tool when I was 8 and wrote my name on it, put a hole for a chain and I wore it alot in elementary school.

My daddy loved animals and I soooooo got that from him. He loved the outdoors and even though he was vigilent about mosquito spray he lost his life to West nile virus just 7 weeks ago.

My daddy is in a much better place now and I tell myself he is not in pain or suffering anymore. Some days that helps and somedays not. I take one day at a time. I miss him very badly.

I miss Sunday night phone calls at 9:30pm.

I miss being able to call him and ask his advice on all things life related.

I miss being able to confide in him and him to me without involving other people.

His spirit though is still with me. That much I do know.

And I just looked at the clock and it's that time of the night on Sunday when he usually calls.

So for all the fathers out there, Happy Fathers Day!

And for those whose father has gone to heaven, I know exactly how you feel today.

Till later,

Jennifer