On a sock kick ....

I have been wanting to create a wardrobe of mainly hand made clothing. The intention came to me while I was watching a vlog by Sandra Karls. 

Right now, I seem to be on a sock kick. It must be the subscription to the SockSquad2026 ;).

While waiting for the monthly yarn to come in, I worked on the following pair of socks.

I used my tried and true Vanilla sock pattern. For a patterned yarn, I find it works best to keep it plain.

I love how this is turning out.

I went for a purple heel, a yarn I received from my amazing and generous Aussie friend Cheryl. Worked beautifully with the patterned yarn.

Voila! A finished pair!

And managed to complete this pair of vanilla socks. Yarn Trekking (XXL), a German yarn sent to me by my Aussie friend Cheryl. It is 75% New Wool and 25% Nylon.

Slowing working through that sock stash yarn ....Thanks it for now. Cheers!

decluttering ... life .....

Today, I seem to be in a decluttering .... cleaning mood. I think it is part of all the changes that are/will be taking place in my life. I'm in the mood to get rid of stuff I no longer need or want .... I'll take the mood and run with it!

I tackled the paper drawer ... a drawer that consumes all the papers and cards I do not want to make decisions about. Nothing important .... just lots of memories in that drawer. I usually clean it out once a year, getting rid of stuff I don't want and putting the stuff I do, back in that drawer for later organizing .... you know how that goes. I found a memory in there that made me tear up. Yes, I'm feeling nostalgic LOL

A while back, I was asked to present at a wedding of two people that are extremely special to me. I decided to read a passage from a book I read many many many moons ago (1984) .... The Bridge Across Forever by Richard Bach. The passage stills resonates with me and I would like to share it with you. 

A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys,

and keys to fit our locks.

When we feel safe enough to open the locks,

our truest selves step out

and we can be completely and honestly who we are;

we can be loved for who we are 

and not for who we're pretending to be.

Each unveils the best part of the other.

No matter what else goes wrong around us,

with that one person we're safe in our own paradise.

Our soulmate is someone who shares our deepest longing,

our sense of direction.

When we're two balloons, and together our direction is up,

chances are we've found the right person.

Our soulmate is the one who makes life come to life. (p.388)

I would add the following ... who we're pretending to be .... or who the other wants us to be.

It is my hope that you have that special someone in your life, that someone that allows you the space to be your authentic self. It is truly a blessing. 

Thanks for stopping by my little space in the cyberworld. Namaste

Happy 2026!

 May the New Year bring peace, health, joy and prosperity.

I've graduated ....

 I have completed my new graduate degree, I am now a clinical mental health counselor. It's bittersweet ... a challenging three years .... working full-time, family responsibilities, stress of the world, the death of my mom .... I made it through. Patting myself on the back here .... it's important to remind oneself how resilient we are. Life is not always a piece of cake. Thank you for being on this life journey with me.

On another note, now that I have some free bandwidth, I started a new knitting project. The pattern is called Aristea by Evelyn Siatra. 

I purchased the yarn at Les Laines Biscotte in St Eustache. Love the hand dyed look. The yarn consist of 90% Merino SW and 10% Silk. It's so soft!

It took me forever, like three (3) days to figure out how to properly do a 2 x 2 Tubular cast-on. OMG, what a nightmare ... but persevered and finally got it to look right. I wouldn't get that continuous look from front to back.

It's been pushing my comfort zone ... slowly moving into more complex patterns. I'm enjoying creating new pieced for my wardrobe. 

Thanks for stopping by .... Peace to all! Namaste

Self-care .... immersed in nature

 I left the Eastern region and headed towards the Central region.

As you can imagine ... I did a lot of driving. Newfoundland is huge .... but oh so beautiful.

I camped a few days at Terra Nova National Park. It was wonderful to sit and enjoy nature while knitting. I bought some Briggs & Little yarn that had been hand dyed and starting working on a hat ... a Newfoundland souvenir.

A girl could get used to this life. I wrote a bit on another post about my camping set up. I kind of like the simplicity of it. A good coffee in the morning is all I ask for! ;)

From Terra Nova National Park I visited the Long Point light house.

Quite a unique place. Unfortunately, the museum was closed.

The view from Crow Head was beautiful.

Exploring is such a treat for me. I'm not one to plan much ... I sort of like the surprise of finding unique places.  

I left Terra Nova National Park and headed for Dildo Run Provincial park. Yes, there is a town called Dildo.

 They have this amazing brewery ... Dildo Brewing Co. Had a wonderful meal there. Yes, I paid close attention to where I would eat. 

A fun activity I took on was to explore various local breweries, enjoying their cuisine and products. My favourite son in law enjoys a local beer, so it was a great way for me to collect samples from various breweries that he could enjoy with family and friends. On my first trip I only visited one .... on this trip my goal was to visit as many local breweries as possible as well as enjoy as many wonderful meals. 

To be continued ...

Thanks for stopping by ... Cheers!

Self-care ... immersed in nature ... continued

I love Newfoundland! Because my goal was to be in nature, I did not stop in St John Newfoundland. I continued exploring nature, taking roads that led me to the shores. I find the ocean so therapeutic ... it has a healing property. On my way I did make stops at various yarn shops.

I had to stop in Stevenson Village in Harbor Grace to check out a monument decimated to Amelia Earhart. I couldn't believe it when I saw that she had made a stop here 

I remember doing a book report on her back in 7th grade. Brought back so many memories. Here is the log.

I do enjoy taking my time exploring. It's amazing how much you can learn.

To be continued ...

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

Self-care ... immerse in nature ...

 Last August I once again took a trip to Newfoundland. It was a time I scheduled for me to heal. I was grieving the death of my mom and with my busy schedule (full time work/school) had not had the time I needed to take it all in. So off to Newfoundland I went.

There is something about Newfoundland that speaks to me. This time I took the 16 hour long ferry to Argentia to begin exploring the Avalon section - Bottom yellow section.

I was so excited to finally arrive.

 I spent my first night in La Manche Provincial Park. What a gorgeous place. 

I have not been disappointed with any provincial or federal parks that I've stayed in. I cannot say the same for private camping sites, which I tend to stay away from as much as possible.

Had my first meal at the Riverside Restaurant & Lounge in Cape Boyle. OMG, the fresh mussels were to die for.

And I enjoyed my very first Iceberg beer from Quidi Vidi Brewery.

OMG, soooo good and refreshing. It's actually made with Iceberg water. I did buy a case of 12 to bring home. In hindsight ... I should have bought more to share. For the record, I still have two bottle left ... keeping them for a special occasion ;)

To be continued ....

Thanks for stopping by. Cheers!

Annual CPKC Holiday Train 2024

 Such a yearly treat! Enjoy!

Trip down memory lane ...

As I mentioned, I wondered around Newfoundland with no plans. It was wonderful not to be tied down to anything. It is such a beautiful province. I found this spot, overlooking the north Atlantic.  

I could see myself spending time there ... reflecting. If you hang out long enough, you will see whales at a distance ... doing their whale thing. 

Such beauty all around.

I explored various fishing villages. I could not resist taking this picture. It so reminded me of the 1940's.

I just love it!

So much to explore ....

Miles and miles of beauty ... being on the coastal line, you're bound to run into some lighthouses.

Another one ...

And ... some gorgeous sun sets

I loved my trip ... however the only negative thing I have to say about this section of Newfoundland ... the food stinks. Everything is fried. 

There wasn't any fresh seafood to be had any where. I was hoping for a seafood feast vacation but that was not the case. 

I even went to a fancy hotel restaurant and ordered seafood fettuccine .... OMG ... was it out of a can? The shrimps were so small .... oh, can you spot the scallops? 

I've had better seafood fettuccine in Vermont! Towards the end of my trip, I did come across a restaurant that had an amazing lobster roll and I could get a salad, as an extra.

I was never so happy to see greens! 

Thanks for stopping by. Catch you all later!

Trip down memory lane .... Part 1

 Last year, my summer vacation took place in Newfoundland, Canada. I have always wanted to visit this province, it is far but so worth it. It did not disappoint, well one thing did but that's for later.

My focus last summer was on the western side of Newfoundland. 

I took the overnight ferry from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Port aux Basque, NF. My ride!

The ferry ride was wonderful and I managed to capture this lovely sun rise as he headed towards inland.

Once on land, I was free to roam as I will. I had no plans, no reservations, no nothing ... it would be a vacation full of unknowns, just me and my camera. I would camp where ever was available. It all worked out fine. 

My lovely home while in NF ... it was cozy!

I worked my way up the eastern coast and, let me tell you, it is absolutely gorgeous ... miles and miles of ocean coast interspersed with small quaint villages along the way. 

I stayed a couple of nights at Gros Morne National Park. There, I witness some beautiful sunsets.

The beach was close to my camp site and so accessible. I would go there at night and gaze at the stars. There was no light pollution, it was a crystal clear sky, miles and miles of stars. I had never seen the edge of the Milky Way and there it was, in all its beauty. I was in awe! 

I worked my way up the northern coast to L'Anse aux Meadow National Historic Site and visited a viking settlement dated over 1,000 years. Ah, Columbus was not the first to North America! 

The Viking shore.

Viking village and homes.

I have to hand it to the Government of Canada for preserving historic sites and making them accessible to the public. I have never been disappointed with any Canadian National Parks. 

Stay tune ... more to come! Catch you all later!

A part of myself is gone ....

I love you so much mom!

Rest in peace!

Such a wondrous event ....

It's one of those once in a life time event ... right in my own backyard!  

It was such an eerie feeling .... for a moment it was total silence! 

In with the new out with the old ...

 Wishing you the best that the New Year has to offer.

To world peace, love, harmony and health ... May we all strive to be the best version of ourselves in 2024 ... Cheers!

I love this time of the year ....

 Wishing you and your loved one a Happy Christmas!

Take time to breathe ....

This year, I've been taking the time to enjoy some of the celebrations that take place in my town during the winter holiday season. 

 It was a gorgeous night for a walk. The sky is clear, the air is crisp ... a perfect night for a holiday parade!

Tonight was our town's annual firetruck holiday parade. Firetrucks as well as other vehicles are decorated with lights and various holiday decorations and parade around the area ... What a lovely night for a parade!

What fun ... Enjoy! 

Catch you all later. Cheers!

It's the most wonderful time ....

 I love Christmas! I love everything it represents, Santa Claus, kindness, hope, miracles, beauty, generosity etc... It's a magical season. It's also a time when most of us think of those in need and share our wealth. I love that too about Christmas!

I have quite a few favourite Christmas movies that I like to watch. One of my new favourite Grinch movie is the one with Benedict Cumberbatch as the Grinch. 

Don't get me wrong, I do love the original version and it will always have a special place in my heart. But this version tells the story in a humorous way. There are so many lines I like in that movie. Give it a watch, you might enjoy it too. 

On a Whoville note, I do have my tree up with my favourite ornaments. I like this tree somewhat bare. It puts a smile on my face every time I see it.

I love that the Grinch hangs around! ;)

I've been enjoying my Advent Calendar. I love every stitch marker & progress keeper so far. It's fun to open a window every morning.

Ok, I'll admit, I don't always think of opening a window every morning ... but when I do, it just makes it a bigger treat! ;)

What do you like about this season? 

Thanks for stopping by. Catch you all later! Cheers

Peace

We could certainly use more peace and love in this world.  

"If you have a choice between being right and being kind, choose kind" Wayne W. Dyer

Namaste