It's spring in NH and that means muddy dirt roads. This road runs behind us, I have shown lots of pictures over the years as I walk it a lot! We had a thaw and this road got so muddy in places that they just dumped rocks to keep it passable. When we first moved here 30 plus years ago they would shut this road down during this time.
Then we had some winds and it helped to dry everything out a bit.
It is warm again here 60s which is wonderful for us and for the next 4 days we can expect that kind of weather.
The sap is flowing!
And the brook is thawing out and running pretty fast. It sounds so lovely while I am walking.
After my walk this morning I started cleaning again and changed the winter curtains in the living room to the summer ones. My husband walked in and said you know it is only March right? Yes we will still get cold weather and maybe a snow storm. But I am ready for warmer weather with the windows open!
I also decided the rug I was hooking needed a darker background and since I didn't have any(all to light or to dark) I decided to dye.
When I first learned to hook we went to a 1800's center chimney cape tucked at the foot of a beautiful mountain on a tiny dirt road all by it's self. Sorry the memories came flooding back sigh. She insisted we learn to dye. I used to roll my eyes and say I will never dye. She said "You will and be glad of it" If you can hear me in heaven Phyllis "You were right!" I am glad I have the basics at least.
The before is the whitish strip on the left and after is the right. Just right I think.
I made bread again last week and we had a few slices left. Not wanting to throw it I cut it up added some olive oil and some garlic powder and baked it. When I took it out of the oven, I grated some Parmesan cheese over it. They came out perfect crispy on the outside and soft inside. We had it in our tomato soup tonight, very good!
And because gardening is around the corner for us, I had been keeping my egg shells all winter and crushing them up. I use them around my tomato plants. The egg shells are sharp and the slugs etc will not crawl over it to get to my plants.
Last week I told you about visiting my 97 year old aunt. She has crochet as long as I ever remember. But she has had some health issues this past winter and her memory is not as good as it was. (she was so sharp until this health issue)
She has forgotten how to crochet, it makes me cry just writing this.
And the worst part is she knows she forgot. She is fuzzy on some names in the family, but the minute I walked in she came over and hugged me and said she was so glad to see me. I have not seen her in a year, but stay in regular touch with her. I just know how much happiness it brought her and kept her hands and mind busy. I told my husband I wish she had forgotten me and remembered how to crochet because I can remember for the both of us and she would have something to keep her happy until her time comes.
So she loaded me up with some of her past treasures and sent me home. I have many of her treasures in my home and now they are all the more dear to me.
On one of the facebook pages I follow this woman showed a birthday crown she made for her little girl's birthday.
oh my word how darling is this??
she used wool and needle felted the animals and flowers on.
I am in complete love with this! I think we all deserve a crown like this on our birthday!
My daughter got a letter from school this week about Sweet B.
It was from a teacher's aid that holds the door in the morning at school so the kids to not have to touch it and she greets them.
She said that Sweet B was the sweetest kid in the school as she skips in every morning saying "Good morning, and Have a great day!!"
She said what a great job my daughter and son in law have done. While yes they have but I think it is mostly Sweet B's personality showing through. Love that kid to the moon!
***
Have a healthy and happy week!
14 comments:
Yes, mud season has arrived which makes walking a bit harder, as I really do not like muddied shoes, but it will be drying out within the next week or so. We are already looking forward to getting out in the local park, but for now are doing some evening walks around the river walk near our apt, which thankfully is paved.What a nice compliment the teached gave your granddaughter!
Aah so sweet to hear about sweet B. We grilled out after closing the stores tonight. So nice to have the grill out again. Spring sure has sprung! No dyeing of wool doe me yet....Janice
This blog post have very much touched my heart. I for one am always happy when others share their precious memories. All of it, especially your story of how you wish your dear aunt could have remembered how to crochet...what a kind wish for her. I love that crown. The artistry is gorgeous, what a clever idea! When I taught, I always had the kids made crowns to help them remember various facts, and their crowns always amazed me (cardstock cut-out crowns they would write facts on and decorate). But it never occured to me to make a beautiful felted birthday crown!
I was stumbling around, and I found your blog. Hello! I am a crocheter, and when I read your post I felt so sad for your Aunt, that she can't remember how to crochet. We've been friends my hook and I for years, it is comfort, quiet, joy and beauty. I would feel lost without it. Well, now I've forgotten what else I was going to say, so I'll go back and read somemore to jog my memory.
I sprinkle egg shells too, I must get started for we will be out in the garden in another 8 weeks or so with out tomatoes. They are still small, and will need the extra weeks to get a wee bit taller. It is sunny now more than last month..it will help them for sure.
Gosh it saddens me to hear about your Aunt...I agree with you having forgotten you would have been better than forgetting how to crochet! Sad! I have no doubt your Miss B is the sweetest little one ever after all she has great genes.
~Donna
Ps. Will be seeing you soon!
DH's parents dealt with frost boils and soft gravel every spring, sometimes needing quite the long route when they needed to get to town. IIRC, there were times they couldn't get out of the maze. SO glad I don't need to deal with those roads. Before we were married and DH still lived with his parents, my little car would bottom out on some of those soft spots. I was fortunate to not get stuck.
Sorry about your aunt's health issues, and forgetting how to crochet. It's especially troubling to forget how to do something you've done for years.
Oh, that road looks treacherous especially when wet but it will pass. Yummm, maple syrup on my pancakes...
What a sweet artsy crown. So sad about your poor aunt. Memory is so precious but once it's gone, life becomes numbed. It is so sad to me that she has forgotten how to crochet to pass the time. I'm glad that you could visit with her.
Miss B is quite the girl.
Enjoy spring.
Hugs, Julia
Was saddened too when reading about your aunt forgetting how to crochet. Yet, while I'm not her age think I've forgotten how to knit and maybe even crochet too. Once I was an avid dollmaker but have no desire to make one at all. Do you think she no longer has the desire and figures maybe she forgot?
Have tried numerous times to grow tomatoes as I'd done at other homes where I lived. But unfortunately am surrounded by woods all over so no place gets constant sun. Even tried growing them in a big container but that wasn't successful either. Lucky you to have a season of fresh tomatoes.
Children definitely do learn best by example. Fresh maple syrup! How exciting and what a wonderful way to celebrate spring! I love the needle felted crown! Yes, we all need one of our own!
What a heartbreaking story about your dear, sweet aunt. May she find other ways to occupy her hands. Hopefully you can get back again soon to visit with her and make more special memories.
Miss B...what a sweet child...but you knew that!!!
Such a wonderful note about your granddaughter from her school! She sounds like a delightful young lady. I love that crown. So cute. So sorry to hear about your aunt. Always hard when our loved ones decline. Harder still when we see ourselves decline. ;-) I love that you made homemake croutons. I think I will give that a try! Thanks for the idea. Have a great week.
So many wonderful things tucked in this single post, Cathy. The frost hasn't come out of the ground here yet so we are not in "mud season" yet, but the creek below us has been running. What a beautiful wish for your aunt, although I am certain that, given the choice, she would choose forgetting to crochet rather than you. Funny how that works, no? I love the quote about people's paths crossing. I believe that is so very true and find myself often puzzling why someone has crossed my path at a given time. Praise of the highest kind for Miss B. May her little light shine bright through all her years. As for dyeing, many have told me that it is very enjoyable and once you do it, you will be hooked (no pun intended). I, however, have resisted since everything I do seems like one giant rabbit hole for me, and I have enough of them already LOL. Hope your week is off to a great start. ~Robin~
Such a wonderful post, your aunt reminded me of my grandmother
just love the quote and your photos
I love to dye fabric, but I'm not able to rug hook, arthritis
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