Friday Funny

Saw this hilarious post over at Shoebox and took it upon myself to translate it into cycling vernacular.

* Seatbag equipped with knitting needles, crochet hook and 3 skeins of yarn

* Helium balloon bouquet tied to seat post in hopes rider's dreams of Italy in June or France in July come true

* Two words—white tights

* Replace wheels with iridescent hot pink Hula Hoops

* Replace spokes with spinner hubcaps

* Neighborhood dog attached to heel.

* Full-sized boom box on little red American Flyer attached to rear fender and blasting Queen's "Bicycle Race"

* Blackberry plugged into headlight

* Red lace bra in lieu of jersey

* Gingham panniers

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DeCaLiBro

6 September 2004

I'm having an incredibly good year. I got my first winter 14er in January, in spite of being grounded by my doctor for persistent knee problems. I summited "The Mountain of My Fear" in June. I got my first double bagger, two 14ers in one day, last month. And now I've done four 14ers in a day, the very same peaks that eluded me last year in a white out. In accomplishing this magnificent (for me) fete, I also surpassed my goal of ten peaks this year. I just bagged number 11 for the year, and there are still three more months to go!

We left Denver at 4 a.m. Monday, hoping to beat the Labor Day crowd. But Monday was the best climbing day of the three-day weekend, and lots of folks had the same idea we did. Of course, it probably didn't help that I picked one of the most popular 14er day hikes in the state.

Labor Day this year would mark my fifth annual consecutive 14er climb on this very weekend. I wanted to climb five peaks in a day, but the day was so wonderful, four will do.

Kite Lake Road seemed to be in better shape this year than last Labor Day. I didn't have to put my 4Runner into four-wheel drive to reach the lake. Some of the peaks seemed to have a bluish glow as we began our ascent of Democrat via the standard route, and we traversed sections of fresh snow, but the amount of snowfall on the peaks was not truly evident until the rising sun painted orange slivers atop Buckskin and Democrat. By the time the sunlight spilled down the west face to meet us, sparkles abounded in the powder and rime.

The route up Democrat was a regular highway, with splinter bands of a youth group racing each other up the mountain in a battle to be first on the summit. By the end of the day, of course, no one was rushing to the top of Bross. Hikers were slowly making their way both over Cameron and around Cameron with no apparent shot clock spurring their progress.

Climbing Democrat was special for me because it was the first time I'd really seen the mountain, even though I've already climbed it twice. It was the first time I was able to soak up the view of surrounding peaks, with crystal blue skies strikingly setting off the white tipped peaks to the south and west.

Descending Democrat was a bit of a chore. Those heavenly white sparkles that had magically transformed the morning's work into a crystalline fantasy were now slippery rocks and patches of ice just waiting to send off-guard hikers tumbling.

Climbing Cameron was much more work than I had anticipated, knowing it is not an official peak. It may not have a big enough drop in the Lincoln saddle, but it more than makes up for the shortfall on the Democrat side. Cameron seemed to go on and on and on forever. Feathers of windblown ice along the west-facing rocks were about the only saving grace.

Cameron's summit felt like the moon, flat and bare. Lincoln loomed on the skyline and looked daunting after the just-completed ascent. We crossed a small snowfield to traverse the saddle, and Lincoln was actually fun. I took the higher trail atop the dull knife-edge ridge on both the ascent and the descent and thoroughly enjoyed the mild altitude bumps as well as the breathtaking views down both sides. There were several more patches of snow to cross on the west side of the ridge, but I avoided them by staying on top of the sun-baked ridge.

Prayer flags on the western slopes of Lincoln caught my camera's eye while The Lizard searched for a space on the filled register to sign our names. We then enjoyed a quick lunch and basked in the glow of my first three peaks in a day. These are easy peaks, but snow and ice bump up the level of difficulty just a tad.

The huge summit of Bross also was like being on the moon. Snow and ice had melted everywhere the sun shined, and the temperature was actually warm and comfortable. Now began the worst part of the day, the ankle-twisting, rocks galore in your shoes, scree descent. I HATED going down Bross. If I ever do those peaks again, I'd rather reclimb Cameron or come down on the four-wheel drive road and hike all the way around the mountain back to my car than slide down the dirt and rocks again. Yuck!

We'd planned to tackle Buckskin next, but the hour was growing late, so we slurped a chilled Berry Blue SoBe, munched on mint Oreos and admired the orange, yellow and gold aspens tucked neatly in almost every stand along the two-hour US 285 trip north.

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Wordless Wednesday

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Color My World

Sometimes I get a little bored with white. So I need some spice.

I made nearly 70 snowflakes from about mid-September to the end of December. That includes about 50 I designed, and 20 of those 50 I've written patterns for now.

I still love snowflakes, but by Christmas Day, I was yearning for color. A few skeins of Furrari took care of that very nicely. I finished a sweater back on Christmas Day, and the front was about halfway done by New Year's Eve.

Then I received a package in the mail yesterday. Oooooh la la!!! My first Noro EVER! I'm going to have SO much fun with this stuff!

I'm not done with white, though. Another gem I picked up in December was when my very dear friend Shonna asked if I'd like to help her destash. She had a bunch of thread her grandmother left her, and she doesn't do thread crochet. She knows I do. I'm going to have some fun with this stuff, too!

While counting up snowflakes, I thought I'd compile a list of all the stuff I did in 2009. Now don't go getting bored or intimidated. I get to work on crafts during my workday commute on public transportation. And I'm really trigger happy with the camera.

Here are the rest of my 2009 stats:

• 22 scarves.
• 3 hats.
• 18 micro bears (an inch and a half or smaller).
• 10 4-inch bears.
• One 8-inch bear.
• One 10-inch bear.
• One 6-inch hedgehog.
• One and a half 12-inch dragons.
• One 6-inch lamb.
• One 6-inch squirrel.
• One 8-inch lizard.
• One 3-inch dragonfly.
• 30 baby harp seals, 2 inches to 4 inches.
• 6 bunnies, 2 inches to 2 feet.
• 6 mice, 2 to six inches.
• One handkerchief hemline skirt and one quilted shoulder bag.
• Zero quilts. (Yikes!)
• Nearly 500 greeting cards designed!!!
• 18,466 photographs.

What did you make in 2009? What are you going to make in 2010? Please post links to pictures, if you have them. We'd love to see your creations!

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Snowflake Monday

Here's hoping you had a wonderful Christmas break. I spent part of mine trying to get ahead on snowflake patterns so I won't fall behind when I am able to start riding my bike to work again (which will be at least a couple of months yet, but still, better to be prepared than skip a week or eight!).

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: 3.75 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 4 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or foil, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Plan Ahead Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc into ring; sl st in starting sc. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.

Round 2: Ch 7 (counts as 1st dc and ch 4), skip next sc, 1 dc into next sc, * ch 4, skip next sc, 1 dc into next sc; repeat from * around 3 more times for a total of 6 spokes; ch 2, dc into 3rd ch of ch 7 to form 6th ch 4 sp 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 3: Sc over post of dc directly below, ch 8, *sc into next ch 4 sp, ch 8; repeat from * around 4 more times for a total of 6 petals; sl st into 1st sc.

Round 4: *Into next ch 8 space work (1 sc, ch 2, 1 hdc, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 3, 1 tr, ch 4, 1 tr, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 3, 1 hdc, ch 2, 1 sc); repeat from * around 5 times for 6 points; sl st into starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

While working up this snowflake for my special project, I not only fixed a couple of booboos in the above pattern, but I came up with a variation I really like. So here we go again with yet another fun Easter egg...


Round 1: 12 sc into ring; sl st in starting sc. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [yo and draw up loop through same sc, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 2 times, yo and draw through all three loops on hook (starting cluster made), ch 4, * sk next sc, yo and draw up loop through next sc, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, [yo and draw up loop through same sc, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook 2 times; yo and draw through all 4 loops on hook (cluster made), ch 4; repeat from * around 4 times; sl st in top of starting cluster.

Round 3: Sc over post of dc directly below, ch 8, *sc into next ch 4 sp, ch 8; repeat from * around 4 more times for a total of 6 petals; sl st into 1st sc.

Round 4: *Into next ch 8 space work (1 sc, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 3, 1 tr, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook (picot made), ch 1, 1 tr, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 3, 1 sc); repeat from * around 5 times for 6 points; sl st into starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

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

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 the 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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Wishes for a New Decade

And here is the link, in case you are unable to view the incredible above.

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Friday Funny

My favorite video from 2009...

And here is the link in case you can't see it above.

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Happy 2010!

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Wordless Wednesday

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Goals

The Lizard attained his goal over the long Christmas weekend, reaching the 3,000-mile mark in 2009. Actually, he went a bit over. He logged 3,000.6 cycling miles this year. And there are still two more days to go! With favorable weather and a possibly short work day between now and 2010, he'd love to push that total even higher.

His improvised goal has been reached. He is one happy Lizard.

Typically, he pedals 4,000 miles (or more) per year. Home-searching, packing, moving, unpacking and a training-related injury kept him off his bike for two months during prime cycling season. As November drew near, he was faced with inevitable goal modification. The Lizard was not happy at first. He gradually adjusted his goal and accepted the new, lower mark as equally as honorable. He did the best he could with the circumstances he faced.

Now it's time for new goals in a new year. A new decade. Wow. How many times do you get to say that in a lifetime!

The Lizard's goals for 2010 will be much the same as his goals each year since we began dating in 2004. Undoubtedly, the only new goal will be no injuries. He likely will shoot for 4,000 (or more) miles as he trains for the Julian Death March, the Buena Vista Century, Elephant Rock, Ride the Rockies (fingers and toes crossed), MS-150, Triple Bypass, Leadville 100 (fingers, toes and eyes crossed) and any other interesting rides falling on weekends not already claimed by "the biggies." He's also talked about doing a century a month. That means pedaling 100 miles in one ride each month, and for him, he'll want to accomplish this in six hours or less. Preferably less.

Which means I likely won't be tagging along right behind...

I can do a metric century. That's about 66 miles. I've done only one century in my entire life, and I did it the day I had to, during my first Ride the Rockies. Regardless of how hard I try, I have not been able to get in 100 miles in a day since. And I can hardly hold The Lizard's pace. He routinely rides ahead to claim his miles and his mph, then rides back and repeats a good portion of his ride finishing up my miles with me at my pace. He's an absolute doll!

I've decided I'm going to try to work up to a full 100-mile century during 2010. I may not be able to ride 100 miles in one sitting, but I can certainly have fun trying.

And you know what this means, right? The Lizard's centuries will all be about 140 miles!!! Lucky guy!

I have a few other goals, as well. I hope to continue designing snowflakes and writing the patterns for at least one year, for a total of 52 free patterns right here on this very site. I hope to compete in the Ravelympics (that's a trademarked term, I believe), which means starting a needlework project during the Olympic opening ceremonies and finishing it before the closing ceremonies. I'd also like to finish a quilt by March to be entered in the Denver National Quilt Festival. I hope to be able to do another weekly planner calendar for 2011, and fingers, toes, eyes and hairs are crossed hoping the economy will allow it. And then somewhere in there, in between all that madness, I hope to climb at least three fourteeners.

Oh, and I'm hoping to raise $2,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society this year so I don't have to stand in line for the porta potties at the rest stops during the 2011 MS-150. I'm a "premium pedaler" this year because I raised $1,000 last year. That means my number on my bike this year will be a different color than most of the rest of the other 2,500 riders. I got to register early, and I got a discount on my registration. Pretty cool!

Some people think resolutions are silly because they often don't get kept. But I'm determined, head strong and stubborn. Check back with me in 356 days to see how I'm progressing. Or follow along throughout the year. I promise to have tons of good pictures and hopefully enjoyable trip reports. Happy 2010!

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Snowflake Monday

Marikamum, I finally did it! Here's your flake! Thanks for all you've done in coordinating the SnowMon crochet-along all year. I've had the time of my life with Snowflake Mondays since I found you in September!

I designed this flake incorporating some of my favorite snowflake elements (so far), so it has a little bit of everything. I think it's my second favorite flake to date. (I'm still tweaking and writing the pattern for my favorite flake.) This pattern has been the most-requested pattern by snowflake lovers anxious for me to write a new pattern. So, merry belated Christmas, and may 2010 bring many blessings and enriching experiences your way.

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 1/4 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 4 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or foil, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

A Snowflake for Marikamum Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in ring, * ch 10, 2 dc into ring; repeat from * 4 more times around, ch 4, 1 trtr in 2nd ch of ch 2 to form 6th ch 10 petal of Round. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow 6 petals to lay flat.

Round 2: 6 sc over post of trtr, * 11 sc in next ch 10 sp; repeat from * around 4 more times; 5 sc in next ch 10 sp, 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 3: 1 sc in same st, * ch 12, 1 sc in middle (6th) sc of next petal; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 10, 1 dc in starting sc to form 6th ch 12 sp of Round.

Round 4: * Ch 10, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch, ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, ch 5, sl sl in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, ch 6, sc in 5th ch from hook, ch 5, sl st in sc, ch 5, sl st in sc, working back down branch, sl st in next ch, ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, sl st in next ch of branch, ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, sl st in next ch of branch, ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch, sl st in next ch of branch, ch 3, 2 sc in next ch 12 sp, ch 3, 2 sc in same ch 12 sp, ch 3, 2 sc in same ch 12 sp, ch 11, sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 2, sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 2, sc in 2nd ch from hook, dc in next ch of ch 11 and in each of next 2 ch, hdc in each of next 3 ch, sc in each of next 3 ch, 2 sc in same ch 12 sp, ch 3, 2 sc in same ch 12 sp, ch 3, sc in same ch 12 sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in 1st ch of ch 10 at start of round; bind off. Weave in ends.

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

Mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture. 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 foil. 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 the 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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Fingerprint Friday

My thoughts today are with those who can't be with their families.

One of my co-workers helped found a non-profit organization that sends shoebox-sized care packages to the troops each Christmas. Almost everyone in my office contributes every year. This year was harder, and donations were down. But we just received word the total sent this year was more than 2,000 pounds. I find that simply amazing!

An even brighter Christmas miracle is that all 527 packages arrived before Christmas, even though they were sent late this year to accommodate one unit's relocation. We have been receiving emails this week from some of the recipients, people we may never meet but who feel like part of our family now.

One commanding officer wrote: "Your generosity is touching. Like many of the Soldiers under my command, we are here for our 2nd and 3rd tours in Iraq, and so we see how out of touch back home in America many people are. It is people and families like you guys that help remind us there are people in the States who still live by a set of values and morals that we should be passing along to our children, not those of materialism and possession. Thank you for your kindness and goodwill; the snacks and toiletries would be taken for granted by many but not those of us here. Thank you and enjoy your holidays with your families. In the end, family is all that is truly important."

The Lizard and I didn't have much to send this year, just like many others. The wishlist included, among a host of basic necessities, MP3s and magazines. So I sent about 400 songs from my 80s and 90s CD collection, and The Lizard parted with some of his favorite cycling magazines. The best Christmas gift is not the one you receive. It's the one you give.

Merry Christmas!

***

Steven Curtis Chapman sings:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with
The fingerprints of God

PamperingBeki challenges bloggers each Friday to discover, recognize and see God's fingerprints and share them with the rest of the world. See instructions to join in here. Also check the other blogs linked there to see more great Fingerprints!

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Friday Funny

Merry, merry Christmas!

And here is the link, in case, like me, you are unable to view linked videos.

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A Blue Christmas

This week is the anniversary of adopting both my kids. I will never forget the year I brought home a 10-year-old for Christmas. After eight years of unsuccessfully trying to have a child and five years of waiting for this first adoption to go through, being in a judge's chambers on Christmas Eve's Eve to finalize my son's name change is still one of the most glorious memories of my life. My name went in the space on the birth certificate that said "Mother." My son would finally be allowed to call me Mom.

The courts were closed on Christmas Eve's Eve three years later, so my daughter's adoption fell on December 22. (We were given a choice of Dec. 21, Dec. 22 or Dec. 27.) My car was graffitied during the night before the adoption, and I didn't want our special day to be spoiled by driving 40 miles to and from the courthouse in a marked car that surely would have garnered unwanted attention. So I spent the chilly morning of my second adoption applying Pepsi to the panels of the car, and it worked! You couldn't tell my white car had been zebraed during the night! A Christmas miracle! A Christmas miracle in addition to being able to adopt an 8-year-old girl after just one year of legal red tape.

The three of us celebrated back-to-back Gotcha Days for the next five years. Gotcha Day, Gotcha Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day. What a week of fun every single year!

Both birds prematurely left the nest the following year, and I spent my first Christmas ever alone. Totally alone. Or so I thought at the time. When I look back at that grim year now, I remember going for a run on a snowy Christmas Eve morning, just to keep my mind too busy to mourn, when one of the women from my church came running out of her home to greet me as I passed. It was snowing and cold. I could see through her living room window she had family gathered from across the country. She was wearing a housecoat and slippers. Yet she came running outside in the bitter cold to catch me and invite me in. She knew I was alone. And sweaty! Yet she wanted me to share in her family's warmth.

A couple of friends at work insisted I have Christmas dinner with them. One at noon, one at 6.

I helped serve meals in a homeless shelter. I left handmade gifts on the doorstep of a shut-in.

One of my favorite songs comes to mind. "You're not alone..." Even though I thought I was, I was never alone, even in my darkest hours.

Some of my best Christmases and my worst Christmas. Memories come flooding back. Some good, some sad, most precious. It's the fabric from which my life is woven.

I miss the life I built with my kids. And yet, I wouldn't trade my Christmases now, with my best friend and soul mate, for the world.

We hang blue lights, we collect things with blue snowflakes. The presents beneath our tree are wrapped in blue and white snowflake paper. We wrap up together in a blue fleece blanket covered with silver snowflakes, and we sip sugar-free hot chocolate from blue and white snowflake mugs. Some years we even get to go cross-country skiing on Christmas!

I was very lonely once. But not any more. This is one Christmas I absolutely will not be blue!

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Wordless Wednesday

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A Tour of My Own

I rode up Passo del Giovà in the rain right behind Miguel Indurain last night!

The Lizard's had his retired '94 Cannondale set up on my trainer in the basement for a couple of months now, but I've been so busy with photo retouching and work, I didn't get a chance to be fitted to it until last night. And then I rode. For 45 minutes straight! While listening to such classics as the Training Montage from Rocky, the 2002 Olympic theme and that great instrumental piece from Armageddon. All with no helmet!

I've never been able to ride a trainer while watching a cycling video until now. The Lizard has everything all set up, even a fan to simulate the mountain breeze on a rapid descent!

I competed in my first ever time trial. I navigated a few cobblestones. I steered clear of three wrecks. I drooled as I pedaled past castles, cathedrals, vineyards, waterways and picturesque flower basket-lined bridges. I rode alongside Pascal Richard on his cool mint green bike and alongside Andy Hampsten in his red and blue Motorola jersey. Can I get lime green arm warmers like Hernán Buenahora in the Kelme jersey???

All these experiences were exhilarating, not only because I could ride the trainer without literally waking the neighbors and wear shorts on my bike in the middle of December, but also because I spent some growing up years in El Paso del Norte and my dad spent a good deal of his career with Motorola. This was like old home week, but with a new twist such as I've never experienced before!

I felt as if I should lean when the peloton took a curve. I felt an adrenalin rush when the velocito reached 84 km/hr. And I could raise my hands in the air when I crossed the finish line. In real life, I don't dare take my hands off the handlebars.

Guess where I'll be again tonight after I get off work! No, not Italy. Tonight I'll be competing in the Tour de France! In the middle of December!

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Snowflake Monday

To me, this flake is somewhat reminiscent of Irish crochet. Notice how the largest chain spaces seem to form hearts.

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 Merry Christmas!

Finished Size: 6 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 4 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or foil, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Irish Hearts Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc into ring; sl st into 1st sc. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough for stitches to lay flat.

Round 2: * Ch 8, skip 1 sc, sl st into next sc; repeat from * around 5 times ending with sl st into first 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 3: * Into next ch 8 space work sc, 2 hdc, 3 dc, 2 hdc, sc; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st into sl st.

Round 4: Ch 13 (counts as 1st dtr [yo 3 times] and ch 8), * dtr (yo 3 times) between next 2 sc, ch 8; repeat from * around 4 times; sl st in 5th ch of ch 13.

Round 5: Ch 4 (counts as 1st tr), into same dtr work 1 dc and 1 hdc, * into next ch 8 space work 4 sc, ch 3, 4 sc, into next dtr work 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 tr, ch 3, 1 tr, 1 dc, 1 hdc; repeat from * around 4 times; into next ch 8 work 4 sc, ch 3, 4 sc, into 1st dtr work 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1tr; dc into 4th ch of ch 4.

Round 6: Ch 3, around dc formed below, work 2 dc, * ch 10, into next ch 3 sp work 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc; repeat from * around 4 times; ch 10, around final dc of previous row work 3 dc, ch 2, sl st into 3rd ch of ch 3.

Round 7: 1 sc in ch 2 space directly below (yes, you are working over the sl st you just made), * ch 6, into next ch 10 space work 6 sc, ch 3, 6 sc, ch 6, into next ch 2 sp work 1 sc, ch 3, 2 dc into 3rd ch from hook, ch 5, sc into 5th ch from hook, ch 5, sl st into sc, ch 5, sl st into sc, ch 3, 2 dc into 3rd ch from hook, sc; repeat from * around; sl st into 1st sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

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

Mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture. 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 foil. 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 the 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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Fingerprint Friday

"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." -Genesis 1:3

Christmas came early at our place!

We bought a fixer-upper earlier this year. Lots of fixin' up to be done. Some items on The List are more pressing than others. And work deadlines trump everything.

Cosmetic home improvements are not high on The List. Winter began to set in, longer work hours ensued, and less and less daylight was available to accomplish things that require light.

One recent evening I struggled in frustration trying to thread a needle in the spare-bedroom-turned-office, fondly referred to at the time as The Cavern because the light was so dim. I nearly broke into tears. I had deadlines to meet! This situation was completely unworkable! I ended up moving my project into the restroom because that was the only room in the entire home with adequate light for the precision operation of threading a needle.

Two of the bedrooms have tiny dome lights that emit a romantic candle-like luminescence. SO cozy for chilly winter nights. Unless you’re trying to finish up Christmas presents.

The third and master bedroom has NO light. Nada. Zilch. Zero. We plugged in a little lamp with even less intensity than the dome lights. It’s sort of like standing a flashlight up on a dresser, pointing the light at the ceiling, and hoping the falloff is sufficient for matching socks, minor mending with pre-threaded needle and nighttime reading. Very short bursts of nighttime reading!

The living room also has no light. Nothing. Nothing on the walls. Nothing on the ceiling. I presume smooth, uninterrupted and featureless ceilings were the chic thing when this house was built.

So when The Lizard asked what I want for Christmas, he was shocked to learn the number one item on my very short list was efficient yet bright office-like light in at least one room of the house. Not a new bicycle. Not a quilting machine. Not a fireplace or anything extravagant. Just a ceiling light??? Are you sure?!?

Yes. Absolutely. I couldn’t put eyeballs on my handmade critters. I couldn’t crochet with thread. I couldn’t match colors. I NEEDED light.

I got home from work very, very late one night this week, and I could almost see the light emanating from our new office ceiling fixture before I pulled into our driveway! What an amazing difference!
So, my Fingerprint for today is our home. Having a place to call our own. Having a job so we can make payments on the house. Having enough light to be able to work on intricate projects without straining my eyes. Having the time, patience, skill and resources to make things to my heart’s content. Being able to celebrate and honor the birth of our Savior. Being married to the most wonderful man on earth. And for Christmas presents that don’t get wrapped!

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Friday Funny

What an absolute hoot!!!

And here is the link in case you can't view linked videos, like me...

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It's Here!

The first installment of my free weekly planner has been released!

This planner is chockfull of photos from all over Colorado. I hope you enjoy my little corner of the world.

Also, because I'm doing this myself this year with no corporate backing, I get a little bit of freedom. (Can you hear me sing?!?) I decided to include a daily holiday, just for fun. Let me tell you, that took some digging and research!

This calendar is being released in sections on a monthly basis (to spread out bandwidth usage throughout the year as opposed to one big server crunch).

The next installment will be available in January.

Of course, strings are attached... you know, all that legal mumbo jumbo. This calendar is copyrighted and provided by Snowcatcher Photos. You may print the calendar and share the calendar via link back to this site. You may not under any circumstances sell the calendar or any of the images therein. Modification or republication of the calendar or any of the images therein without prior written consent of Snowcatcher is strictly prohibited.

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