Goals

It feels a bit refreshing and yet sad to not engage upon a new year-long commitment tomorrow. I'm not tired of temperature quilts. I'm still quite thrilled by them. I still look forward to the day I can do a real fiber temperature quilt, either yarn or fabric. At this point, either would suffice. But I have to be realistic.

2024 ranks right up there with 2020 to me. There are so many blessings, and we've come so far. But this was a really hard year, and quite frankly, I'm grateful it's almost gone. Don't let the door slap ya on the behind on your way out.

So, what are my goals for 2025?

I haven't even thought about it yet. I guess I want to read scriptures to Lizard daily. I want to keep up on his speech therapy. I want to keep up on his physical therapy. I'd like him to start coloring again. I'd like him to start blogging again. We've started walking daily again, and I want with all my heart to stick to the calendar on that. I'd like both of us to get back on our bikes, even if only around the block. But more frequently than once every two months or three months.

I was never anti-resolutions, and I don't think I am now. But I'm afraid to set any personal goals right now other than these because Lizard is my priority. When it comes right down to it, none of the yarn, fabric, photos or computer keystrokes mean diddly squat if it means redirecting my attention away from him. So I guess that's my resolution for 2025. I'm going to be there for him when he needs me. And for now, that's enough.

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Better than Resolutions

Now that I've freed myself of completing another daily year-long temperature crochet project (or actual fabric temperature quilt), I'm free to set new goals for 2024. I'm not one who shies away from resolutions, and generally, I can keep resolutions I make. Nevertheless, I have a few (self-imposed) obligations in the coming year, and one is coming up a bit too quickly.

I have set resolutions for Lizard, all with his approval. Nothing new; I've been trying to encourage him in these goals for the last six to eight or so months. I hope to get him walking at least once a day again, and we can work up to that at his pace. I am trying to get him to do his LOUD therapy every day. That one is a bit harder for both of us (for me because it's very difficult to enforce while I'm working, and that's his best time for doing it), but I won't give up. I want him to color or do some other finger therapy at least three times per week. He's been doing once or twice a week for going on two weeks now, and that's SO encouraging for me. I'm hoping he will be able to get back on his bike. Whatever he can do will be amazing. He wants to get back into his Parkinson's stretching routine on a daily basis. He was unable for nearly six weeks, so the one time per week he is achieving right now is an AWESOME accomplishment.

My one resolution this year (other than trying to get back into an exercise routine and lose a bit of weight) is to get back to sewing. I've missed it SO much. I was tempted to say SEW much! I have a ton of mending that needs to be done, I have fabric for dresses I can't wait to wear, one of my bosses is getting married in just eight weeks, and I'm going to be an aunt again twice this year. I have established contact with three more of my adopted kids' adopted kids (just three more to go!!!), and they need grandma quilts. And, one of the adoptive families to whom I have become "grandma" has adopted three more kids. They need quilts from their new grandma.

As a result, my goal this year is to finish nine baby/kid quilts. I really hope to finish a quilt for my soon-to-be-wed boss. I have yet to even pick a pattern for what was supposed to be my mother-i-law's quilt for Christmas in 2022. I also would like to finish one or two of the UFO quilts I've been trying to finish for more than a decade.

I would really love to work on my Moda Blockheads quilt from 2018-2019. That involves crochet as well as piecing, quilting and binding. Part two of the current Blockhead project just started up, and I'd really like to finish off one of my existing blocks each week of the current Blockheads. I don't know if that's a doable goal (didn't get one done last week), but hopefully I can at least make a bit of progress on what I think will be a stunning quilt when done.

I designed my 800th snowflake late last year. I guess I have a goal now of 1,000. I don't know if I can make it that far. However, especially during times of crisis, I've discovered snowflake crochet is my solace. My goal for this year is a new snowflake each week (or finishing up the pattern for one of my unpublished patterns in my shrinking stash).

Because my ability to complete an actual Block a Day quilt is impacted by Lizard's health struggles, I instead would like to design a new crochet snowflake design each day I am able. I would LOVE to do a Flake a Day, but I know I cannot reach that goal in our current circumstances. If I give myself wiggle room and don't put as much pressure on myself, my Flake A Day When I Can project can stay fun, and hopefully I won't get discouraged if I get too far behind. I have all these wonderful snowflake photography books (plus my own snowflake photos), and I'd love to be able to pick one photograph each day I'm able and create a crocheted version. We're already on Day 9, and I've started only one. So, as I said, I've got to keep this fun and not put too much pressure on myself. Just do what I can when I can.

Goal setting for me is fun and motivating, as long as I keep my expectations realistic. I can't set goals like Ride the Rockies anymore, and I doubt I will get any more 14ers. But that doesn't mean life can't be rich and rewarding. I made myself so proud last year with my digital snowflake temperature quilt. My goals this year are to keep caregiving, and to keep creating, even if I can't create every single day. The end goal is a smile at work well done, and I think I can do that!

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Snowflake Monday

How meaningful that my 2023 crochet temperature project concludes on the first day of the new year and that the first day of the new year happens to be a Snowflake Monday!!! Of course, the project cannot be "officially" complete until I finish the current two rows. So I will be making a few bonus motifs. (I had to set the project aside on December 11 because I wasn't sure I wanted to continue because work was so busy, and then health issues exploded in our abode. I hope to catch up soon and share the final project with you here.)

I thought today's pattern was my 13th snowflake inspired by the 2023 crochet temperature project motif. However, I miscounted. I mistakenly thought for months Juneteenth Snowflake was inspired by the crochet temperature project motif. I hadn't designed a new flake inspired by the motif in January, so there were only 11. Until now.

My 12th (which I hadn't planned to design because I thought I was done!) happened quite by accident. Back on December 7, I must have been really, really tired because I reversed the high and low tempertures in the crochet project and didn't notice until I'd already bound off, using the purple for 73 degrees to make the first round center. I'd done that once before way back in the spring, and I was able to save the errant center until we had warmer nights in summer. It didn't even take that long for our overnight low to warm up to the errant 54-degree center!

My December mistake can't be saved until next summer; we won't be experiencing an overnight low of 73 again for perhaps another six months. I love my hand-dyed purples, and I didn't want to discard the motif or throw it into my stash of unfinished projects.

I decided to use more of my 2023 crochet temperature project purples to make a gradient flake. It had been quite a while since I'd created a gradient flake!

I love the resulting snowflake, but, in white, in my opinion, it would need a serious upgrade.

So, happy new year! You get TWO snowflake patterns today! Does that still count as lucky 13 for me?!?

Both snowflake names come from snowplow naming contests. I LOVE Snowrunner because I drove a 4Runner for more than two decades, and it was my favorite vehicle. Now I've made a snowflake to make me miss it even more!

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 6.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread in up to 5 colors for purple flake, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

NOTE: I used five shades of purple, dark to light, for my snowflake. Feel free to use any color combination you choose.

Snowrunner Snowflake Instructions

With Color A, make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in ring, [ch 10, 1 dc in 7th ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, ch 1, 2 dc in ring] 6 times, omitting last 2 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Pull magic ring tight.

Round 2: With Color B, 5 dc in any ch 6 tip [in next ch 6 tip work (5 dc, ch 3, 5 dc)] 5 times; 5 dc in next ch 6 loop, ch 3, sl st in starting sc; bind off.

Round 3: With Color C, 3 dc in any ch 3 tip, [1 dc in each of next 3 dc, sk next 4 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in starting dc; bind off.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: With Color D, 3 dc in any ch 3 tip, [1 dc in each of next 3 dc, in gap between next 2 3/dc groups work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc (ch 3 tip made)), sk next 3 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc (ch 3 sp made))] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in starting dc.

Round 5: With Color E, 3 dc in any ch 3 tip, [1 dc in each of next 6 dc, in next ch 3 sp work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc), sk next 3 dc, 1 dc in each of next 6 dc, in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in starting dc; bind off. Weave in all ends.

Snowbuster Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in ring, [ch 10, 1 dc in 7th ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, ch 1, 2 dc in ring] 5 times; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round; 1 fsc (foundation sc), 1 fhdc (foundation hdc), 1 fdc (foundation dc), ch 3, 1 tr in bottom of fdc to form 6th ch 6 loop of Round. (NOTE: If foundation crochet is too difficult, complete 6th spoke same as previous 5 spokes, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Begin 2nd Round by working dc into top of any ch 6 loop instead of beginning with ch 2.) Don't pull magic circle too tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of tr directly below, [in next ch 6 loop work (5 dc, ch 3, 5 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 5 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 3: Ch 2, 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [1 dc in each of next 3 dc, sk next 4 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as ond dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [1 dc in each of next 2 dc, in next gap between 3/dc groups work (1 tr, ch 3, 1 tr), sk next 3 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc), in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 5: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [1 dc in each of next 3 dc, in next gap between dc and tr work (1 tr, ch 3, 1 dc), in next ch 3 sp work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc), in next gap between tr and dc work (1 dc, ch 3, 1 tr), sk next 3 dc, 1 dc in each of next 3 dc, in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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The Best Year Ever

Um... NOT!!!

Yes, the calendar changed 79 days ago, but today marks the one-year anniversary of the biggest change in my life. One year ago today, I began working from home. At the time, I thought the arrangement would last two weeks. As the two weeks dragged on and on and on, I wondered, sometimes daily, if I would still have a job. So many of my family members and friends lost their jobs.

Thirteen weeks earlier, I had, in effect, become a full-time caregiver. Lizard got a new knee for Christmas in 2019, and prior to surgery, we thought we might be able to do the 35th anniversary Ride the Rockies in June. Little did we know we were not anywhere near done with hospital visits, all organized rides would be cancelled, and Lizard might not be able to ride a bike again...

Now, a year into this new life, what has changed?

Sometimes I wonder what changed my life more: Lizard's Parkinson's diagnosis or the pandemic. I'm not sure I have an answer. I do know the pandemic, in a sense, was a blessing for us because without it, I would not have been able to stay home full time to take care of Lizard while still keeping up with all the bills.

My weekend warrior days seem to be done. I will never give up hope we might be able to do weekend stuff again one day, but for now, it appears there will be no more mountain treks, journeys, adventures. No more 14ers. No more camping. No more backpacking. No more wildflower excursions. No more extended wildlife stalking.

That, of course, was not caused by the pandemic. That was caused by the vicious and unforgiving Parkinson's. This is a change we have to live with. There is no vaccination. There is no cure. It will continue to get worse. The best we can do is try to slow it by staying active.

Staying active is a bit more of a challenge now because of the pandemic and Parkinson's. But we're beginning to settle into a new schedule, and some things are becoming habit now. We are walking every day. I had to adjust my work schedule to accomplish this in the darkest days of winter, and for now, it seems to be working. Our walking streak now stands at 80 consecutive days. In just 20 more days, I get to design a digital 100-day badge for the two of us!

Back before the pandemic began, I tried to walk every day I could, and I managed some pretty incredible streaks. I longed for the day Lizard could walk with me and enjoy all the wildlife I was able to photograph. Until April 29 last year, I tried to bike every day I could. There was a time when I tried to pedal 60 miles in a day at least once each month, but that seems like a fairy tale now.

Now, we're walking together every day, and for that, I am so grateful! I have not been on my bike since April 29, 2020, except once to pedal home from dropping the car off for regularly scheduled maintenance. There's another big change. I've had the car serviced only once in the last 16 months. We are not driving anywhere except to medical appointments. Huge change there, too. I kind of like not driving much anymore. I don't really care for the frequency of medical appointments, but I am so grateful to have access to superb medical care for both me and for Lizard.

I probably could ride a tiny bit each day, especially now that we have a bit more daylight, but I made the choice last year when Lizard could no longer ride that I would not ride without him. For a long time, I couldn't leave him alone. Now he can do some things independently again, but I choose not to increase his misery by doing what he longs to be able to do again until he can join me. I don't know if his balance will ever improve enough for him to ride again, but I will never give up hope we might be able to ride side by side again one day.

One of my biggest lessons from 2020 is to never give up. I'm doing my best.

I think Lizard's least-favorite activity is shopping. He now has not been in a store (or anywhere other than medical appointments) in at least 16 months. I've rarely gone into stores for about 10 months now. I could have Lizard's prescriptions delivered, along with the rest of our groceries, but I enjoy picking out my own fresh fruits and veggies. Personal shoppers sometimes do a fairly good job, and I'm so thankful for the service. I'm looking forward to the day I can do my own grocery shopping again, although the delivery method saves time, gas and money.

Oh, and how could I possibly forget?!? The last year has taught me to expect empty grocery store shelves on any given day for no apparent reason.

We've been participating in online church since August, when it first began for us. At first, only a fraction of our congregation could actually attend each week, so everyone who was able to attend in person had an assigned Sunday once a month. Music was instrumental only. No singing allowed. But we were home. So I was able to sing along to the piano.

Now our entire congregation is able to attend in person each week, if they feel safe doing so. We and a few other couples are high risk, so we continue to worship from home. Last month the in-person congregation was once again allowed to sing! Masks required, of course.

I do not read music very well at all, and I'm not very good at keeping beat, at which I continuously strive to improve my skills. Never has gospel music meant so much to me. I guess it's true you sometimes don't appreciate true treasures until they are gone. I'm glad I was able to keep singing at home, no matter what. But never has music been so appreciated in my soul until the Sunday it was announced the congretation could again sing together.

We will continue online worship until probably six weeks after we've both been vaccinated. We are included on the current priority level. I do not know how long it will take for us to actually be scheduled.

We watched more television this winter than either of us have in our entire lives. I hope we didn't overdo it too much. We don't binge-watch. We've enjoyed many episodes of Star Trek Next Generation, but it took us more than two years to get through the entire seven seasons.

Perhaps watching all two years' of Little Men could be considered binge-watching. We discovered it during the Thanksgiving holiday and watched one episode each weekday lunch hour (when I got one) for the next several weeks. We were sad when it ended and wished more such quality programming existed. Finishing the series brought up Pioneer Quest in our suggested view list, so we tried it. It was but nine episodes, and we watched one each weekday during my lunch hour after the new year began. This reignited our off-grid dreams and made us wish we had been able to participate in that project back in 2001.

We've enjoyed a few new-to-us movies, including Passengers, The Lost World and Return to The Lost World (the Arthur Conan Doyle versions, not the Michael Crichton versions, although we do own the entire set of Jurassic movies and usually watch them again every winter), Europa Report, White Knights, the entire Left Behind series, The Hiding Place, We Bought a Zoo, Instant Family, Get Smart, MIB International, Proximity and Space Between Us. Still on the watchlist are the new A Star is Born, Shadowlands, The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler, and Ben Hur.

Most of our TV time, however, has been devoted to documentaries. We have watched some of the most breathtaking videos of volcanos, wildlife and space. Oh, and a livestream hummingbird nest!!! We still do relaxation videos every once in a while at bedtime to help us chase Zs, and Earth from Space as Seen from the ISS is one of our newest favorites.

Lizard will sometimes watch cycling or motocycling videos while I am working. My biggest treasure is being able to watch and sometimes even photograph wildlife outside my window while I work. I also thoroughly enjoy being able to pop outside on the porch for a few minutes of snowflake photography during the workday... when the snow decides to fall. It doesn't happen enough at all.

Now, a year into this new life, what has not changed?

Spam phone calls.

I still don't have enough time to quilt!!!

Limiting screen time is still a priority. Some weeks I do better than others.

I'm still totally devoted to my sweet husband.

What do I not miss?

Public transporation.

My phone ringing off the hook.

What do I miss most?

Hugs.

Sharing cookies, brownies, muffins and other healthy homemade treats with my co-workers.

My employer footing the office internet bill.

Vacation time. Oh, it still accrues. I still take it now and then. But every single minute of my vacation time in 2020 was allocated to medical. Every single minute.

Yellowstone. The Wave. Bicycle tours like Tour de Lavender and Ride the Rockies. Visiting my family. Moab. Onion Creek. Barr Lake...

Let's hope vaccinations will return wildflowers, autumn leaves, elk bugling, cross-country skiing and early spring training rides back into the mix! Let's hope Lizard and I can achieve our temple goal this year!

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Wordless Wednesday

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Snowflake Monday

White Christmas by Celtic Woman
We didn't get a white Christmas, but we got a tiny bit of snow on Boxing Day, and my white picotee amaryllis fully opened on Christmas Eve!

Because today's pattern is my 600th, I wanted it to be something spectacular and memorable. I've been saving snowflake inspiration from photographers Don Komarechka and Alexey Kljatov, but I just haven't had time to sit down and really study the photographic detail of my favorite flakes.

Don's second snowflake in this year's December Snowflake-a-Day really caught my attention, and I've been visually imagining stitches to recreate it in thread ever since December 2. Today's pattern is a result of visualizing the flake but not looking at the actual photograph.


I hope to one day create another snowflake patterned more precisely after this snowflake, but today's pattern didn't turn out too bad, in my opinion. The smaller versions of it (fewer rounds) also will make terrific tiny appliques for my Moda Blockheads quilt top when I am able to get back to that (hopefully soon, now that the new year is almost here and work demands may go back to normal within a few days).

View this post on Instagram

#modablockheads

A post shared by Snowcatcher (@thesnowcatcher) on Sep 16, 2018 at 7:33pm PDT

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 2.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

New Year's Eve Snowflake Instructions

Foundation Round: [Ch 6, sl st in 5th ch from hook] 5 times; ch 1, loosely sl st in starting ch to complete Round; ch 2, 1 tr in gap between last 2 sl st, catching at least 2 threads, to form 6th ch 5 loop of Round.

Round 1: 3 sc over post of tr directly below, [5 sc in next ch 5 loop] 5 times; 2 sc in next ch 5 loop; sl st in starting sc.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 2: 2 sc in same sc as sl st, [ch 3, sk next 4 sc, 3 sc in next sc] 5 times; ch 3, sk next 4 sc, 1 sc in next sc; sl st in starting sc.

Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc and ch 1), 3 dc in next sc, [sk next ch 3 sp, 3 dc in next sc, ch 1, 1 dc in next sc, ch 1, 3 dc in next sc] 5 times; sk next ch 3 sp, 3 dc in next sc, ch 1, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 1.

Round 4: [3 sc in next ch 1 sp, 1 sc in each of next 2 dc, sl st in gap between 3/dc shells, 1 sc in each of next 3 dc, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp] 6 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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Wordless Wednesday

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