Snow plus Vacation plus Knitting = HEAVEN

 It snowed all day yesterday, making a curtain of white flutter in every window. Since it was Sunday we had our weekly pile of pancakes, for the guys, smothered in sorghum molasses, for me in regular syrup. Then it was bundle up and go out to investigate the wintery forests. I love it here in eastern Virginia, where there is an understorey of holly trees. Our West Woods has such old ones that they actually tower themselves, though they're topped by majestic pines and ancient hardwoods. I never cease to marvel at how snow transforms a forest and I always get the feeling I'm walking in a Christmas card, even if the month is February or March!

 Every branch seems like snow lace - every surface is transformed into something out of Narnia. Bundled up humans move with wide swinging arms, stuffed tight with sweater sleeves and vested tummies.

We couldn't capture this in the photo, though we certainly look snowy and happy, but we were standing beneath a vaulted holly cathedral of white topped glossy green leaves. Brrrr.

I can see out the French doors that the sky is clearing and cold north winds are shaking the snow frosting off the bare limbs in our yard trees. It's Monday. I'm on vacation. I'm just not sure how I will spend this day but I'm sure it will include some knitting. I realized last week that I'll be teaching a sock class in January in a store across the river and I don't have a sample sock for the store to display. I picked up a ball of (be prepared - hold your breath) acrylic sock yarn to knit a sample sock. I don't usually 'do' acrylic anything but this is what the shop sells. It was not too bad. It is certainly a color that I think people will be tempted by. It went fast because it was knit on #3 needles.

But today - ahh today. Today I get to bring out my Soho Smocked Dress and work on her a while. Maybe 2 inches more of smocking and I will begin the skirt. Photos coming soon.

So -  what is the Day After Boxing Day called?

Will it snow?

That's what the weather dot com guys are saying and yesterday, an entire wall of bread was missing from the shelves at the grocery store. I shop at Walmart (yeah, I know, but it's closer than FoodLion and those are my only choices) which is a store that often has unstocked shelves - such a far cry from the Walmart of the 1990's - but no bread? Absolutely none? at least, along the wall that sells the white bread - which, no, I don't buy, so for me it was not an issue - but ... all of it gone? Just what sort of weird idea do people around here have of the depredations 3 inches of snow are going to cause?

Ahh well. If you're going to devote an entire television channel to weather you had better make all weather sound life threatening. Severe thunderstorms? yeah - that means wind and rain. sheesh.

I would really rather get this snow say, next Thurday night after LD gets here - but I will take snow whenever I can. I heart snow and Christmas snow is the best. It's been about 10 degrees colder this month that it often is, but this cold isn't unheard of ...just more rare than common. We're burning a lot of firewood but there's more where that came from. (says the gal who doesn't cut it, stack it or bring it in.)

Still and all - if I'm going to be home early today (which I probably will) there is some shopping I'd like to do too - actually there's shopping I was going to do - so I'll just leave early and get it done before work.

Happy Snowy Thursday - may you get extra knitting time today.

The S Word

Yes. Today the weather dot com guys used the S word. In spite of the fact that it was followed by Flurries and I think the words Chance Of were tucked in there somewhere, SNOW is in the air. Somewhere. And is there anything more magical than snow at Christmastime?

Ah well. I have just pulled back the curtains and I see the sky is mostly clear and a wicked bad wind is blowing outside - but even a snow tease is exciting for me. I've actually been in the Christmas mood for weeks now and I see I had better get busy and do those Christmas things that you have to start early or I'm gonna be caught off guard. Last year I waited way too long to get wreathes for my front door and almost didn't get any. I have double front doors so I need small ones and I like fresh greens and no. I don't make them.  I take plain green ones and embellish them but I don't make them. I don't enjoy it. But the fruit stand on 360 in Central Garage makes the worlds best small ones. We drive by there tomorrow and I'll stop in and get two.

And in this frosty air I believe it's time to pull out the Christmas CDs. We have about 50 of them, counting things that don't get put away every January - like the Christmas Concerto by Corelli, or Tchaikovsky's nutcracker (that happens to be on the same disc as the 1812 overture - how about some canons!) And the ubiquitous Messiah. That's an Easter piece as well, you know. But the Gene Autry and the Mills Brothers and Michala Petri on the recorder and the Vienna Choir boys of, oh, hmm. probably 1980. they come out today!


Well, well, there are a lot of things I better get doing if I want my Christmas to be everything I like. I attended the first Christmas Party of the season last night and had a delicious time. It reminded me that it's time to make my white fruitcakes and get them in their rum bath. Best get hopping.

Sweet Sweet Sunday to you all.