daffodils

I love daffodils. Every year I anticipate the time they come up in my yard (they do better than tulips, because the squirrels don't like daffodil bulbs).

I like this variety very much, and thought to myself, what if I went and dyed yarn that color??

I gave it a shot yesterday.

I aimed for this:

In case you thought I took this picture, I didn't.

...and got this:

Now the question is: does this yarn remind you of Welsh Daffodils, or

a rubber duckie?

blessed

I feel so blessed to have in my hands this most generous gift from Bonnie.

The scarf arrived on Saturday, and I have been kind of speechless ever since.

Bonnie took the best pictures, better than I ever could, so I will let you look over there. She also has the scarf pictured here, and because I know you will want to make that scarf, too, there is a link to buying the pattern. I bought it the other night, when I was up and sleepless, just knowing that I would want to knit it. I had NO idea that a few days later, I would be the proud (undeserving, but proud, and grateful) recipient of this wonderful, beautiful gift.

Thank you, Bonnie, not only for making this scarf, but also for designing something exquisite.

greening

Yesterday, the weather was glorious. This is what I found in my yard.

And:

Crafty Girl's photograph of her friend's head - greened up for St. Patrick's Day.

dusting off

Thank you everyone so much for all your good thoughts and your prayers and your well wishes. They all help tremendously in getting me going again and off the couch. I got rid of the heart monitor on Monday, am on a low dose beta blocker, and I'm still waiting for a bunch of bloodwork to come back.

The cardiologist says my heart is just fine, but we still have to figure out what makes it Go! in the middle of the night. He said it's like something spooks me real bad (except I have no nightmares or anything) and I have an adrenalin response.

I must say I have seen nothing but caring and wonderful doctors this past week, including a new general practitioner who told me I should have thrown something at the cardiologist in the hospital who told me it was all in my head.

Another upshot of doctor's visits is that I am going to have my thyroid taken out within the next 2 months. Though the thyroid bloodwork looks fine, there is that nodule I have that is just not getting any smaller.

So: waiting for bloodwork (adrenalin gland, various hormones); trying to take it easy.

In other news, the dining room is finally finished (though the kitchen sink trap decided to fall off today, but that's another story)!!! You can tell the colors in the photo above. We are rather happy with the result!

That's my little Louet spinning wheel, by the way, which I rescued from its little corner, where it had collected a layer of drywall dust. I dusted it off and began a mini spin-a-thon, which will run through the end of the month.

The point is to just spin as much as possible, whether that means 10 minutes a day, or an hour, or more. I really could use the practice, and also I need to simply use up some of my delicious rovings that are languishing in bins.

And that's all I have to report today.

hold, please

After another crappy night I've decided to put my etsy shop in "vacation mode" (ohh, vacation! That sounds nice.), and this blog, on hold.

I am determined to have my doctors find out what is wrong with me. I know I am NOT crazy. There IS something unusual going on, and it only starts with the heart palpitations. Right now I am thinking thyroid, as I have a nodule and we were discussing taking the whole thing out soon anyway.

So if you wouldn't mind, bear with me. I'll be back!

In the meantime, promise me you'll knit something beautiful for yourself, ok? And be sure to let me know what it is.

My love to all--

blip

I am going to begin by making a long story short. I was in the hospital twice this week for heart palpitations; a racing heart that would not stop all night, twice. I tried every relaxation technique I could remember, nothing helped. After a whole lot of testing, the professional opinions vary from seeing blips in the EKG to me imagining everything and being anxious. Hell yeah, I'm anxious alright....who wouldn't be? Which comes first? Anxiety or palpitations? That is the question. I am now on a halter monitor and will see a cardiologist in 10 days.

Meanwhile, the dining room pretty much still looks like this. We are talking about week 5 now. Trying to keep my calm over this is increasingly difficult.

BUT!!!!! Then I got this

in the mail this week. A loving care package from my swap partner Gina, who participated in a gift swap set up by our lovely friend Leah.

Can you believe all these wonderful things?

A project bag with a bird screen print on it

a tin of tea - right after I post this I will run and have some!!

a beautiful, beautiful handknitted washcloth. I love the colors!

a handwritten card with a knitting pattern on it.

A bar of handmilled soap. I LOVE hand made soap.

And: fabulous Italian family recipies which I cannot wait to try out!! My guys will be so happy.

THANK YOU GINA!!! I also know there was a hug in that package. :) And thank you Leah for matching us up.

Now all I need to do is catch up with myself and get your package in the mail today!