Eleven Years Going on Forty

This is the year you started outgrowing adults. Your face still sometimes looks like my sweet little boy, but more days than not, I'm seeing glimpses of the adult you will become. Your kind heart and gentle spirit have not changed one bit though. I see the way you look after others, mindful of how they might feel. You check in with those you love sometimes more often than they want, asking them how they are, and how did they sleep, and how has their day been? You ask a lot more clarifying questions than you ever did as a little one; you were always content to take things as they came, but not so much anymore. You want to know the whys and what fors and hows before making a judgement. You're growing up much too quickly for this old Mama's heart to take. I want to keep you little and cuddly for ever and ever. So it did my soul so much good when, just on the eve of 11, you told me, "Mama, you know, some people crave candy or coffee, but I crave hugs". More than happy to comply, my Darling Boy.

Your birthday was a little bit piece-meal and I failed miserably in the camera department, but you still thought that it was one of the best ever and told me "Thank you for such a great day!" several times.

You opted once again, for a big laser tag party instead of receiving a physical gift. All but one of your friends were unable to come because of weather conditions or basketball tournaments, but every single one of your local (old enough to play) cousins were there, and that made for a big enough gang of kids to keep the adults on their toes.

Afterward, there was lunch at Olive Garden with family.

And a much anticipated viewing of Rogue One (lucky kid, they keep releasing Star Wars movies right at your birthday time!). We gave it eight solid thumbs up.

And you, my dearest boy, there aren't enough thumbs in the world to demonstrate just how much you are loved and adored. Happiest of birthdays to you.

*NEW* The Bird Collection, Part III

This booklet is the third installment in a collection highlighting my favorite Pacific Northwest birds. I hope you enjoy continuing on this feathered journey along with me.

All models stitched on Picture This Plus 32ct. Wren with one thread over two.

Western Scrub Jay: Stitch Count: 69 x 69
Threads: The Gentle Art: *Green with Envy, Brethren Blue, *Woodrose, *Shaker White, *Raven, *Old Hickory, *Pecan Pie, *Country Redwood
Weeks Dye Works: *Flatfish, *Seagull

Black Capped Chickadee: Stitch Count: 71 x 69
Threads: The Gentle Art: *Woodrose, *Raven, Caramel Corn, *Shaker White, *Old Hickory
Weeks Dye Works: *Flatfish, *Seagull

American Rosefinch: Stitch Count: 113 x 62
Threads: The Gentle Art: *Green with Envy, *Woodrose, *Shaker White, *Old Hickory, *Pecan Pie, *Country Redwood, Harvest Basket
Weeks Dye Works: *Flatfish


*Flosses with an asterisk are used in more than one of the designs, but you will only need one skein total for entire booklet.

DMC conversion provided inside chart cover.

The frames were thrifted and then refinished by me. Tutorial available on request.

This design is now available in my etsy shop, and will soon be in the hands of my distributors and the shops on my auto ship list. If you prefer to bypass etsy and order directly through me, you can send me an email: beth@heartstringsamplery.com

Snow on Snow on Snow

Starting on the 5th of the month, we had a dreamy few weeks of more white than green. I was really hoping it would last the entire month, but as I type this, it's a typically green Oregon Christmas Eve Eve (or Christmas Adam as we like to call it... you know... because Adam came first, before Eve).

Snow on snow, then a little ice, then a partial thaw, then more snow, then frost, then a final dusting of snow before the rains washed it all away.

By the time it all melted, the kids were relieved. They went from uber excited to "meh" after the first few days of snow play. Which is great; the last few winters have included zero playable snow. Cross that one off of the Winter wish list.

 

Back to Basics/Trimming the Tree

It's hard to pinpoint the moment a subliminal decision such as this is made, but the moment it is put into effect can be hard to forget.

We adopted this huge braided rug several years ago. Was it before Baby Boy was born? Could be. I can't remember for sure, but I do remember trains and toy cars driving round and round on the braid "roads". I remember when Baby Girl started scooting around on her belly on the wood floors that this rug would stop her in her tracks and she would gaze longingly at her big brother as he played with alphabet toys that she couldn't quite get to. I remember countless band sessions in that living room, with my musical friends circled round in perfect alignment with the circles on the rug (well, more oblong, but you get the point).

This rug lived in my In-Law's house for years before it came to us, and had weathered any number of feets. We don't know who had it before them, but it was rumored to have been hand-made by the Mother of it's former owner.

As the time drew near to rearrange and decorate for Christmas, the Farmboy and I had a few conversations about that rug and I confessed a growing desire for it to be evicted. I never loved the color scheme or picking out bits of glitter and splinters of wood that stubbornly refused to be vacuumed; I had been feeling a strong desire for something more simple and easy on the eye. I was surprised at how quickly he agreed. So when the day for trimming the tree arrived, we moved the furniture out, vacuumed the rug front and back, and I put it up on Facebook, offering it to my friends (and not expecting any takers). I'm happy to say that it has gone to another friendly home where it will hopefully host many more happy memories.

And now that it is gone... no regrets. How those lovely Douglas Fir floorboards glow! In their former life they were beams in a fishnet factory on the Oregon Coast. I like to think that this is their favorite season of life. Now that they are once again exposed, my house seems somehow warmer, bigger.

As for the tree trimming, not many pictures were taken, but it was accomplished with bare toes on smooth boards warmed by the fire.

The kids got their own live tree for the first time this year, set up on the upstairs landing. A place for colored lights (not allowed on the downstairs tree) and as many cartoon characters as they desire (also strictly NOT allowed in my living room).

And all was merry and bright.