Oh my but what a whirlwind week of last.  My middle, Erica, had landed an amazing career opportunity in Northern Cali and I made the trip down with her to set up house.  She chose a beautiful bedroom community in the San Joaquin valley.  The house is lovely and just perfect for her and the kids.  Added bonus was my brother Jim (who has my kidney) drove the Uhaul so I got to spend time with him as well!  Oh my the work we all did to set up house, but the end results were absolutely lovely!  I stayed on the week and helped get it all sorted and together.  I was able to walk around her new neighborhood and it all is just lovely.  The weather was unbelievable and perfect!  She has the loveliest backyard with citrus trees and the kids were busy eating oranges.  We put up a clothesline and oh how I love clothes air dried! It was a perfect week!

Erica is very much into her gym time and brought her home gym with her.  The front entry was the perfect area to become a gym room.  Plenty of room to set everything up and still look nice.

This TV stand was blue and Erica wanted some orange so we ran out and got some paint and I redid it while there.  I am really loving the orange.  She got some Dr. Suess prints to decorate the upstairs alcove where this is placed.

When the time came to head back, I took the train home.  I absolutely love train travel.  My kids think I am crazy, but I have no issues being on a train for hours or even days.  It beats air travel all to heck as so spacious, roomy, and one can walk all around. This was a bit longer trip, an over nighter.  Now it is a challenge so sleep well without a sleeper, but it is possible.  I did a fair bit of stitching and knitting while the lovely landscapes flew by.  This was Jacksons first ever train ride and he did amazing!  Considering he had quite the cold…poor thing!

The yellow socks now have the heel turned and are made from some of my botanical dyed yarn.  I used marigolds and coreopsis.  I’ll get a better photo as the color variations are absolutely lovely!  The Burgundy is a fingerless mitt and also my own hand dyed but a chemical dye.

Back home and off the train to hail and a bitter cold wind….aarrgghh.  But the next morning it was sunny and the week turned out to be gorgeous.  My sweet Misha had missed me so very much and was happy to once again be out on our daily walks.  We saw many signs of spring!  Oh how we both love those walks.

I have all these great plans for the yard, but I was a bit spent this week catching up from last week.  So I filled my time with lots of knitting and stitching.  I finished up the silly pot dish towels and started this adorable elephant set.  I will color them in when they are all stitched.  I think they are just the cutest ever!

After being buried under other projects, I finally got out little Mimi’s sweater and stated the last bit, the front ribbing.  I have to admit that I had chucked it to the side as I just was not confident in picking up stitches, but one youtube and I felt like such a silly dolt.  So easy and it looks so nice.  This was such an easy pattern and knit up so very fast.  It is the Anker’s Jacket by Petite Knit and the yarn is by Knitted Wit from my stash.

Does anyone else just bury or chuck to the side projects when they come to a technique you either don’t know or feel confident with? I have an adult sweater sitting to the side because I have never done cables.  Silly huh?

I did find a few new acquisitions.  Jackson enjoys visiting the thrift shops with me so we make occasional forays.  Also there is an amazing FB group where all items are free and then of course FB market place.  Yes always treasures to be found.  Here are mine.

This yarn bowl was basically free as there is a blemish where the glaze ran.  It is clearly a beauty!

Oh books!  Can one ever have too many?!  I found these lovelies at a thrift shop.

Oh be still my heart!  I found the Mary Poppins from my childhood on marketplace.  Just look at her.  And her complete wardrobe even with the extra shoes.  Oh that carpet bag!  I have her, but mine is in the roughest shape as she was well played with and her clothes are all missing for decades.  When the movie was first released my mom and a neighbor took myself and her daughter to Portland to Lloyd Center Cinema to watch the movie.  Then she bought me the doll and a book!  I still have both.  But this mint condition beauty is just too much to pass by.  How I wish mom was alive so I could show her this and talk about that trip….sigh….

Isn’t this just the cutest?  Erica brought this to me. It is just perfect as my doggies have most certainly always been my doorbell!!  And a loud one at that!!

Still stuck on podcasts and discovering new ones as I scroll through the huge selection that is offered.  Imagine my delight when I was checking out IG and discovered that one of my favorite IG gals had started a podcast!  Stitchedbymrsd.  Paula is so real and makes me chuckle watching her podcast.  She is such a breath of fresh air.  Her lovely brit accent certainly adds to the charm as well.  Her house is just the loveliest ever!  You must check out her IG and podcast!  I am also still busy watching all back podcasts of Fairyland Cottage.  You know I don’t know what her name is.  But it is lovely podcast from Ireland about simple and sustainable living.  It is a treat to watch.  I also catch every new podcast from Shay at The Elliot Homestead and of course never miss Kristin of Voolenvine yarns.  I just love the use of technology to bring us these lovely podcasts.  If you have a favorite be sure and leave it in the comments as I am always game for more!

After some time off, I begin classes for my PhD again on Monday.  I am taking Positive Psychology in Coaching.  It looks to be a very informative and interesting course and it will be nice to be back applying myself to studying once again.

And now I must out with Misha for our daily walkabout.  The sun is shinning and it is looks to be lovely out.

Happy (almost) Spring,

Patricia