Summer Summations ..

it's been a fun summer ... a quiet summer ... a much different summer than i had 'planned' or even anticipated ... and yet, looking back i have to say it has been one of the best summers i've had in quite some time.  The journey was not as i had anticipated, but the lessons i have learned have been so very sweet!

my goal was to sit and knit for an entire month while rachael was gone ... but i fell and cracked my elbow ( but didn't tell anyone for several - 5 - weeks!) ... so .. my knitting was not as productive as i had planned.  however, i also found myself in a summer bible study and another group that has sparked some journaling ... and as i have journeyed through the daily lessons that the Lord has shared with me i have come to realize that i HAVE been knitting all summer ... it's just been PERSONAL!   The Lord has been knitting me together - one row, one day at a time.. There have been many days filled with Frogging on His part as He has reworked things that were not to His liking .... and there have been days were the rows fit so very nicely into place!

I realized that I am Knit So Simple by His Almighty hand ... and this is what He laid on my heart this morning while He was Knitting on me!........Can you believe that August is over ... where HAS the summer gone? Time just seems to fly by .. i know for me the summer almost seems a blur .. and yet last NITE seemed to take forever! not sleeping good again ... long, slow, restless nites certainly can and DO impact one's perspective - - on life, on time, on all sorts of things that Satan can creep into the corners of your mind when you are kinda-sorta asleep but not really GOOD DEEP asleep!

BUT ... i got up this morning and found a sweet devotion on fragility. Not really something i want to boast about .. i'd much prefer to think of myself as a strong and independent woman ... a non-hormonal, non-emotional female (do they even make such a thing!) that handles life on 2.64 hours of sleep each nite, maintains a spotless house (please!), works 60 hours a week, has time for friends and family and can still knit a king size afghan in a week! ......
yea well, back to the real world ..... as i'm sitting here praying for the caffeine to kick in i am also realizing that my weakness MUST be the catalyst for my Strength today ... that apart from Him as my Source i can do nothing! Today i'm praying for Saran Wrap abilities - - to CLING to Him rather than crumble under my weariness..... to be INFUSED by HIS power and not of my own ... to be renewed minute by minute as He guides each and every step ... to be strong enough to look UP for leadership .... to be weak enough to lean wholely on Him ....... and before day's end i plan on viewing my day on Eagle's Wings .... He also says i can run (but at this age and stage in the game i'm not sure that would be such a pretty site for ANYone to see!) ... i'll be quite content to Walk and NOT FAINT!!! ;)

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth! He will not grow tired or weary,

and His understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall:

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint."

My English Garden

It's August ... it's Hot.... but i can Dream, can't i, of having a private little garden, complete with sculpted hedges, climbing ivy, charming picket fences and perhaps a fountain or two trickling through out ... fragrant roses, lush grass beneath my feet .... cobblestone walkways with the aroma of fresh herbs growing up between the cracks .....  and of course, i'm sitting out in my veranda, on my porch swing overlooking this amazing creation .... a Large glass of refreshing ice tea sitting to my right, my yarn basket filled with new yarn and books are scattered over the floor because i am so stirred to creativity in the midst of this paradise.

but WAIT .... it's August in Alabama .. i'm in my knitting room with the fan blowing on High .. the air conditioner has not stopped running in 3 weeks i think .... i DO have yarn scattered out in the middle of all the overdue library books ... iced tea IS close by and the only floral i see now is the vine on my rug ....  but i am STILL dreaming of my own Garden Oasis as i worked on this August trellis lace ....  and maybe one day i too will have a garden as graceful and lush as lush as this wonderful lace as this wonderful lace pattern ...... Open the gate and get started on yet another month of yarn overs and knit 2 togethers ... have you noticed how you've learned to slant your stitches to the right OR to the left just by inverting your needle position?   SSK will create a Left lean, and K2tog will produce a right lean.  Who knew we'd be learning things in the everyday joy of simply sitting and knitting! (and it's much better than pulling weeds right now!)

see  how teeny tiny the little
 needles are?  they just
knit and knit and knit!

I'm also avoiding those weeds by working on my socks!!!  I AM LOVING these little portable projects .... i guess i feel like most days my life is just one big circle ... and so these socks seem more than appropropriate at this time!  i ordered some more new needles this week and am loving this new size ... 9" circulars from Hiya Hiya .. in bamboo AND stainless ...  using some Debra Norville Serenity yarn that was in my stash ... which seems to be growing by 2 skeins at a time ..  and this time i tried a toe up approach ... simple knitting so that the yarn does all the 'work and patterning' and i'm just knitting in small but happy and fulfilling circles!  ;)

 Sometimes Knit So Simple is the best approach and it's hard to convince others that knitting these little socks is actually a very RELAXING endeavor.  Because there is no pattern to follow, no counting, just straight knitting - they really DO go rather quickly.  It's never a problem to put them down and then panic to wonder 'where was i' when i pick it back up.  i'm doing a simple rib pattern on the cuff ... Row 1:  K3, P1, K1   Row 2:  K2, P3 ... just a little deviation from the standard k2, p2 rib.. and i think (I KNOW) i like it!  and do you have ANY idea how much yarn is available on ebay!  ...  i'm loving this self striping yarn ... all the Look of Impressive without all the work!   ... it's our little secret!  Too bad i don't have size 6 feet .... i'd REALLY be flying!  you HAVE to give socks another try .. in case you've had a bad taste in a prior knitting life!