Spring Run in Roanoke

Hello, hello!  See this cute little pup?  I don't even know who it is really, but he (or she) was so cute peering out the door at us while we were downtown in Roanoke recently, that I had to share.  Hi, Puppy!

Do you remember that we started running with Young Man?  Well, he has done well.  We actually cut back on the 'training' as he was running in home school gym class and then with his soccer team.  It's all just for fun and to encourage health and fitness and maybe some goal setting.  Did I mention fun?    So the Kids Marathon took place one gorgeous morning downtown.  It was so nice, surprisingly quiet, well, not including the music and dancing cows and all the quite excited folks about to run, mind you....  But as Sweet P. and I walked the course ahead of the runners it was very peaceful and there are lots of very pretty little places tucked in and around Roanoke.

I truly loved the giant sized Monopoly pieces in this shop window.  I couldn't find a name for the shop but it looked very interesting.  Don't you think?  The above Puppy was residing just next door to this window.  I will have to go back and visit again when this space is open and see what it's all about.

I loved the bright spring green of the trees poking out in unexpected city-type spaces.

The sun was in total cooperation on this particular morning.  Just perfect!

Who knew there was this sweet, little, teeny, tiny park with child swings?  Sweet P. had a great time while waiting for the runners to begin. 

More spring view. 

This was our view near the finish line.  This is the Hotel Roanoke, which is absolutely beautiful.  I really need to put that on my list of things to do....  Places to go....  Soup to eat!  From what I hear, it has a lot to offer. 

The race was lots of fun for the kids and Roanoke is really great about closing off some streets so other fun things can take place downtown.  It's really a great feeling to be able to wander the streets and enjoy all that this area has to offer.  Even just to take in the sights of the farmers' market.  It's very family friendly and we always enjoy our visits here.

So here is The Runner after the race.  His shirt says it all, right?  And then to get to climb the rock wall?  Wow.  How much fun can a kid have?!

Well, that really was a silly question, wasn't it?

So since then, we've had lots of this.  Rain, rain, rain...

We totally enjoy the rain here at the Hearth Room.  My kitchen floor stays a mess and I long for a 'mud' room, lol.  But that's ok.  We get out and play in the rain when we can and know all the while that our seeds and weeds are growing strong.

We've had some nice berries come on, too, but we can't seem to fill a basket!

Busy, happy kids.  Big, red berries.  Loads of rain. 

It's all good.

xo

Sun and Shade

Wow, I have some catching up to do!  We've been out and about quite a bit lately.  Visits to see family and other outings have taken over the 'normal' schedule.  It's a welcomed distraction, actually.  It happened to be absolutely beautiful for a day at the beach while in Delaware, so it was fun to let the kids run free and explore the sand and water a bit. 

I grew up at the beach and salt air will always be part of who I am.  There just isn't anything like standing in front of the ocean, taking in the cool, salty air and being lulled by the constant roar of waves crashing.  I remember with absolute clarity going to bed as a child and listening to the sound of the waves.  Lying my head on my pillow in a dark room - you can't see, but you can hear the constant movement of the water.  So soothing and natural a sound. 

I truly longed for Young Man to have the same love for the ocean.  I know it's different because he didn't grow up there, it wasn't a way of life for him.  Yet still, we visit my family there and we did live close to the shore for a few years.  Long enough for him to really have an appreciation for the water now.  Don't get me wrong, he loves water as far as swimming or boating is concerned, and he loves ALL things ocean-life related.  But I still wanted to be able to share with him how magnificent the ocean is, the boats, the bays and waterways.  Oh, if only he could have grown up where I did.  That boy would have LOVED it.  Boating and crabbing every day, finding clams with his feet as he swam.  Going out in the front yard and coming home with dinner.  How fortunate was I?  It was the best. 

Now it's Sweet P.'s turn to experience the beauty and wonder of it all.  She' s off to a good start, I tell ya.  She fears nothing.  Period.  It's all about keeping her safe.  The water was still too cold for anyone to stand, but she gave it a good shot.  She enjoyed the warm sand and throwing it as much as she could.  She had fun with her shadow, too.  I love to watch little ones experience new things and learn.   

Back to the house in the woods where it's all about shade and woodsy type critters.  This is the essence of Young Man. 

We have called him the Bird Whisperer, but clearly he and the frogs have a good understanding of one another, too.  We were walking around Savannah one day a couple years back and he said, "Mom, I'm gonna catch that bird."  He did.  Twice.

I'm used to it now.  Well, it still amazes me sometimes, so maybe I'm not actually 'used to it', but I do expect it.  Last week he was handling a 'dead'  black widow spider and checking out the red hourglass up close.  When he was done, it uncurled it's legs and walked away.  I'm definitely NOT over that yet!  But spiders are a totally different topic here.  A topic I am certainly not happy about. 

So it's rained a TON lately.  The garden is only half  planted, but coming along.  It seems we can only plant when there is a break in showers.  We put our boots on and run out there and hoe a row or 2 or 5...  Throw in some corn and basil or whatever seeds I grabbed on the way out the door...  It's kind of a haphazard gardening situation just now, but I'm ok with that.  Succession planting - naturally this year.  Things are growing, that's the important part.  I'll be back with some pictures of that later. 

I have managed to work in a tiny bit of alone time, no kids, no hubby, not even the dog.  A L O N E. 

I'm going to sit and play with my yarn for a while, for as long as I can.  Uninterrupted.

I have so many projects swirling in my head, but I'm so focused on finishing current ones first.  I hate to have too many going on at once.  I like to contain my excitement to one thing at a time.  I'll be back to share!

xo



Easter Rewind and Priceless People

Oh, it's good to be back!  Back home where I belong!  After Easter I went on a little road trip with the kids to see my grandparents.  They are soooo dear to me and I like to pop in and visit them now and then, but especially at this time of year, as they are celebrating a wedding anniversary.

Dare I say which year they are celebrating??

68.  Yep.  68 years of marriage!

Oh, those grand folks...  Years do take a toll on one's body and mind, but my grandparents went along and seemed as though they would never show any age at all.  The differences are now creeping in, but  I can still see the special things in each of them that make them who they are.  I celebrate with them for where they are in life, I cry over their challenges, I try my best to help them sort things out as needed...  They pull at my heart strings with their struggles, I worry a great deal and pray always for them,  but I smile at how far they have come and who they are.  It's a priceless gift to have them and even more so to share them with my children.  If  only I could bottle up their knowledge, their experiences, their stories.

So coming back home to all of our Easter remnants made me want to slow down and look through some of the pictures we took.  Life seems to happen at warp speed.  One day is closed and gone and on to the next!  I'm so glad to have photo memories to remind me from year to year what we did, or for that matter, what I did yesterday!

Stripey egg meets stripey blanket.

Making hot-cross buns in an apron my grandmother gave to me.  I'm not sure if this was hers as a child or belonged to her mother.  I do know it's old.  And stained.  And I try not to wear it often.

Young man was invited to play with the bun-making process. 

I'm always amazed when cooking or baking at how ingredients transform before your eyes and become something beautiful to feed your family. 

Young Man really enjoys playing with flour!

The finished product.

These are the eggs I made after I read about them on Kate's blog, Greedy For Color. 

The finished Weekend in Stockholm throw I made for Hubby's chair.

 

I thought it seemed a nice match of colors for the chair.

I also decided to single crochet my blocks together with that chunky golden yarn so I could see it peek through.  I wanted a more rustic feel to this one.

What do you think?

See what was taking place while I was trying to get a nice, calm, shot of the throw on the chair?

Someone was visiting the top of the library table to rearrange my gardening books.

It's never dull.  But it is interesting here in the Hearth Room.  Now to work in the garden...  And to catch up on some very important crochet!

Hug a grandparent today.

xoxo



Happy Easter Wishes

Happy Thoughts.

Fun Easter Baking.

The joy of decorating for little, smiling faces.

The smells of spring.

Special gifts from family that have made it through the years.

Bringing the outdoors in.

Marveling at how our hollowed-out eggshells from last year are still celebrating with us this year.





Sneaking in those once-a-year favorite treats.

Starting a new batch of crocheted eggs, thanks to Kate at Greedy For Color.  

Enjoying sunny time spent playing with colors for my "dogwood blossom" version of the Weekend in Stockholm square. 

I've just made the center blossom by doing a double treble to make it a tiny bit puffier.

This is just some of what's happening here in the Hearth Room.  I hope you have a wonderful, sunny, Easter weekend...  I hope it involves some of your favorite things.

xo



Favorite Baby Crochet

I have a lovey and talented Crafty Friend, Toni, who asked me about my favorite crochet patterns for babies.  Well, there are many, I must say, but I did manage to narrow it down to these few patterns and books. 

This book is new to me.  I found it in the local library and Wow!  I'm glad I did!  It is full of really fun and colorful baby things.

It is Little Crochet by Linda Permann.  There are some cute cardigans, bibs, blankies, and toys.  Yummy!

Here's a little glimpse from the back cover of the book.

This one is Crochet for Tots by Nancy Queen.  This is one of my truly all-time favs.  This shows girly items, but there are boy things, too!  I've made many things from this book and they work up easily and quickly and are so unique that they are instant heirlooms.

This is one of my favorite little cardigans.  You can see one of mine here. 

Isn't this set adorable?!  I have made the chapeau, but Sweet P. has outgrown it now.  This set may need to be on my list for this fall!

Oohhh, Candy Blankies by Candi Jensen...  I want, need to make EVERY blankie in this book!

See?  How fun is this one?  And you can make it any color combo your heart desires!  But there are soooo many blankies in here to choose from you won't be able to stop at just one!

This little book, Natural Crochet by Tina Barrett, focuses on projects using natural/cotton yarns.  It is full of sweet little projects like sweaters, blankies, pacifier holders, cute little diaper covers, a mobile, and even a sleeping sac.  But one of my favorites is this little shrug.  You'll have to scroll down, but it really is there! 

We have Soooo much fun going through yarn and pattern books!

And just in case you like to knit...  This is a goody, too.  Adorable Knits for Tots by Zoe Mellor. 

If you don't knit, then you will seriously want to after you drool over this book's pages!

I have to include a couple sites for you, too, as there are sooooo many awesome patterns available online. 

Ravelry is full of wonderful patterns, both free and for purchase.

Crochet Me is a site also full of inspiration and loads of how-to's if you get stumped.

My absolutely most favorite-est newborn blanket EVER is the Tiramisu Blanket by Alicia Paulson.  She has a beautiful blog and the link to the pattern is here.  Did I mention her blog is BeauTiFul?  Just scroll down and watch for the link on the right hand side of her blog.  OOooo, check out her Sunshine Day baby afghan, too while you're there!  (Drooling...).   Even if you don't crochet, just go visit her blog!  I promise you will want to move next door to her in hopes that some of her creative goodness will rub off onto you.  Ok, well, at least I do, lol.  Oh, and she does cross stitch patterns, too.  Her last kit is really tempting me.

Here is one of the sweet Tiramisu blankets that I made. (Just keep scrolling down...)   This one was actually made for Toni.

I hope this gives you lots of baby crochet ideas and inspiration.  Maybe even TOO much!

My Dear Hubby is patiently waiting for me to get outdoors with him to plan gardeny/landscapey things, so gotta go before he gives up on me!

Happy Weekend to you!

xo