I'm such a happy snowman
I love the winter time.
I love those Christmas Carols
and the jolly way they rhyme.
~Welshdragon
Some people collect Santa's at Christmas time, but here, I collect Snowman in all different shapes and sizes. I love their happy faces and their chubby little bodies! They never cease to make me smile....all winter long and winter IS lonnggggg up here, so I keep those chubby smiling faces around until spring.
I took some time this morning to just sit and spin. It's been a long time since I have had the freedom to do just that......life has been busy~
The roving is the beautiful BFL that Keri gifted to me last month in the special swap. Can you believe that I have never spun with BFL? It is pretty amazing stuff....very soft and easy to spin.
I am trying to spin it at a thicker weight, so that I end up with a worcestered weight yarn. I thought that I would make myself a winter hat, as my old one is looking worn and tired. After seeing Gretel on Cassie's blog, I immediately downloaded the pattern. It is the perfect hat for handspun.
One of the things that I thought about as I sat and spun this morning, was how busy I have allowed my life to become. It used to be the rare occasion that I did not spin in the morning with my coffee, but now it is the rare occasion when I do.
The internet is a wonderful thing and I have made many many lifetime friends, but I think the downside to the internet is what a time suck it can be. Emails that need to be answered, blog pages to be read, shopping to be done, chatting with friends on AIM and more emails that need to be answered.
Do you know I managed to be so busy that I never even got my Christmas Cards in the mail this year? Sheesh! I feel awful about that.....how did I let myself get that busy?
As the year comes to a close and on this day of Winter's Solstice, my resolution for the next year is to slow life down a bit and be more present in the here and now, and to limit how much I am running towards the future.
I love Anne's idea of weekly goals even more now that I have had some time to think about it. Small obtainable goals each week is a good thing. Along with weekly fiber goals, I am going to incorporate some weekly life goals, such as walking each day with a dog, doing something with one of the girls or grandchildren each week and so on....you get the idea. If I put it in writing each Sunday and look at the list each day, perhaps it will help me slow down and enjoy each day for that day.
This will be my last post until after Christmas as I am going to spend the weekend with the girls making Christmas cookies and getting ready for the company that will descend upon me Monday. It is always nice to have older children come home for a few days!
So as I close, I want to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday!
Snowmen are the best decorations since you can leave them up all winter. And slowing down is always nice. You need to stop and let Mother Nature tell you what to do. There are people out there who have no idea what slowing down really means. But knitters and spinners do know how to slow down. Enjoy your holidays!
Posted by: Mia | Wednesday, December 26, 2007 at 02:45 PM
Have a great Winter Season for Ypur family and loved ones
Posted by: Andrea Fuzzi | Tuesday, December 25, 2007 at 07:19 AM
Merry Merry Christmas. GIve those adorable pups a kiss from kathy b in chicago. I must go check out your hat pattern suggestion. thanks
Posted by: kathy b | Monday, December 24, 2007 at 05:55 PM
I'm always glad when January arrives, because it means I've survived the busiest month of the year. Love the yarn! Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Wool Winder | Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 03:58 PM
Kim, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Sam and all of us here the Kopper residence!
Sammy, bless his heart, just grows sweeter and more dear as time goes by! *thank you Kim* for trusting us with this beautiful, best dog ever, boy!
Maureen
Posted by: Maureen | Saturday, December 22, 2007 at 06:09 PM
Merry Christmas Kim. Best wishes to you and yours for the new year.
Posted by: PumpkinMama | Saturday, December 22, 2007 at 05:42 PM
Season's Greetings !
Giving ourselves a little breathing space is always good. Maybe lowering expectations as well ? Trying to make everything, and make everything perfect puts too much pressure on us all. The most important things are the people we care about, after that it's all a bonus !
Have a lovely holiday. My gorgeous sock kit arrived today. I may allow myself that indulgence over the holidays.
:0)
Posted by: Emma. | Saturday, December 22, 2007 at 09:55 AM
Merry Christmas,I got most of my cards out but haven't finished my knitting, oh well next year I might be more organised!
Posted by: yvette | Saturday, December 22, 2007 at 03:56 AM
Internet sure has become a big time suck for me too lately. The last few weeks I have stricktly limited my time with that and I find that I can get more things done this way :-)
Weekly goals sounds good to me !
Have a very Merry Christmas with your loved ones !
Posted by: Marianne | Saturday, December 22, 2007 at 03:09 AM
And a very Merry Christmas to you and yours Kim!
Posted by: Manise | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 11:06 PM
I never got my cards out either. I'll do that between now and New Years. I too need to find balance between life and the internet- it is a way of keeping in touch, but I also find myself sometimes too sucked in. I'll get more knitting and spinning in and that' a good thing. Love your singles on the Norm Hall!
Posted by: Manise | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 11:05 PM
I think a lot of us have found ourselves in that place. No cards for me this year either. I bought some with good intention. There they sit. My wish, this solstice was similar, to make more open space and time in my life.
Have fun with Gretel, I loved it.
Merry Christmas.
Posted by: Judy | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 10:47 PM
HI KIM - MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU TOO - I think you have the right idea about slowing down- sometimes with all the running , its hard to unwind - I have done little spinning lately and think I am more tense for it - it really does calm you and set a more quiet life pace
enjoy your holidays pat j
Posted by: pat jarvis | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 07:25 PM
I love the idea of incorporating other life aspects into the whole "work in progress" theme. Starting January 2008, I have also made a committment to do at least 30 minutes of some exercise, which will be particularly important if it isn't riding/training with one of my horse boys, so I'm as in-shape as they are for next season.
Posted by: Anne | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 05:39 PM
Merry Christmas! I agree with slowing down, and think I will follow your lead. The internet time suck needs to be regulated, yes.
Posted by: Laurie | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 04:57 PM
Merry Christmas Kim!
That BFL is beautiful! Happy spinning.
Posted by: Kirsten | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 04:55 PM
here, here; i have been giving VERY serious though to that very issue myself this week . . life has not been just busy, but MANIC, and i really need to get on top of that!
thanks for sharing; it's nice to know it affects others as well.
Posted by: anne | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 04:48 PM
Merry Christmas Kim! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.
Posted by: Charleen | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 04:41 PM
Happy holiday, Kim! I love the snowman and the Mason jar with the lights! Lovely, peaceful, homey. Enjoy your break. You're so right about the hat. The yarn is perfect for it.
Posted by: Debbie | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 04:23 PM
Have a wonderful holiday with your family. I think the idea of weekly goals sounds good...let's see how long we can stick with it. Also love the snowman, he is too cute!! Stay warm!!
Have a very Merry Christmas!!
Posted by: gina | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 03:16 PM
Dear Kim,
My hope for you is that your holidays are filled with contentment--whatever form that takes for you. The Forest Glen you dyed was just lovely. It took all my will to mail it to the charming woman who ordered it. I wish you peace, hope, and love. Merry Christmas and Blue skies!
Posted by: Lark | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 02:38 PM
Merry Christmas to you! You put into words what I've been feeling lately. While I can't imagine life without the internet and all that it offers, it does have it's downsides - the time suck being the biggest one for me too. It's hard to find a balance, but I'll be trying to do that this year too.
Posted by: Cheryl | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 02:37 PM
Merry Christmas! Have fun with all the preparations.
Posted by: Beth | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 02:21 PM
I have so enjoyed your blog this year that my goal is to continue to read it. I love the weekly goals. They really do work. I am like you, I used to spin a lot now not so much. So next year I will work spinning into my life again. I have a lot of roving that needs to be yarn. Have a wonderful Christmas with your family. We are hitting the road to Texas and will be thinking about snow the whole time!!
Posted by: Vickie | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 01:28 PM
I hear you on the busy but I know you can cut back if you really make an effort. I haven't spun in weeks but I've been making up for it with extra knitting time.
Merry Christmas, my dear dear friend.
Posted by: Carole | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 01:16 PM
Oh yes, my Christmas cards are still boxes, awaiting time (and energy). The internet is the epitome of good and bad. Without it we wouldn't have become friends and it's the way we keep in touch...it's just that there aren't enough hours in a day for all we love to do. At least life is full!
Posted by: margene | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Have a lovely holiday! I am totally in agreement with you on the good/bad of the Internet. And with the Christmas cards. They're still sitting in their box. I sent out e-cards instead, when I realized there was no way the cards were going to get in the mail. (Hey - one more great thing about the Internet!)
Posted by: Cheryl S. | Friday, December 21, 2007 at 12:08 PM