Well, I started this post last night and lost it all - second time that's happened recently. GRRR! So, let's
try again.
Knittin' At The Lake was held this past weekend in Clarksville, Virginia. I
slipped down on Saturday to see everyone. I started the annual event in 2007 and am thrilled that it continues to be a weekend that everyone looks forward to attending. Issy and Linda continued it after I moved to Ohio in 2009. This year, there were 40+ knitters happily ensconced in the Best Western on the Lake.
Knitting Sisters, from Williamsburg, VA, were vending again this year with their wonderful yarns, patterns, knitting accessories, and terrific personalities. It was great seeing Cathy and Rosemarie.
The group had a mascot this year - Oliver, a seven month old Labradoodle. Oliver got to attend when his pet sitter had to cancel. He was so sweet and such a super patient pup modeling all the handknits. Here he is sporting a hat. It was like having your own personal sheep in attendance.
Other things of note this year - Senior Knitizen T-shirts, Dansko knitting themed clogs, assorted knitting themed jewelry, etc. Christina and Nancy were selling their beautiful glassware, Mary had her wonderfully funky earrings and pins, and Nelda's husband brought his fine woodworked
pieces (swifts, yarn holders, etc.) for sale. There were some gorgeous finished pieces on display and lots of projects in the works.
Lots of good belly laughs and inspiration. Just a super duper fiber weekend to jumpstart the new year.
It was also great to see Buggs Island Lake. I miss toodling around the lake on our boat. Compared to Caesar's Creek Lake here, Buggs Island Lake is huge!
I passed our old (built in 1790) Virginia home. It looks great! The family who bought it from us has really down it proud. We owned it for twenty-five years and did a lot of structural work on it but Andy worked too much to ever finish it. We were still looking at insulation on the walls. I hated living in it all those years and never being able to enjoy it finished. I have to admit, though, it was a huge relief to move out and finally
get to live in a house that is all finished and doesn't require such extraordinary energy. The thing I miss the most - those gorgeous old huge trees and bushes! There were so many wonderful varieties - Cedars, Magnolias, Black Walnuts, Pecans, Maples, Oaks, English and American Boxwoods, etc. I loved them and it feels a little odd where we live now - feels so exposed with no trees.
On the way back to Danville, I stopped in South Boston for a short visit with Anita, Avis, Nancy H., and Nancy P. They were having a stitching day at Anita's house.
Avis and Nancy P. were both working on hooked rugs. Avis - a primitive pictorial with a barn red saltbox - and Nancy P. - a primitive Oriental.
Anita was working on a counted cross-stitch sampler and Nancy was knitting a scarf in a pretty shade of blue.
In a previous post, I mentioned that it rained just about daily since I arrived in Danville on January 10th. The Dan River
and every creek and stream in the vicinity were way up.
Driving west back towards Danville from South Boston, there's a stretch of Highway 58 called Leggett's Bottom.
It's a low place in the road with fields on both sides. Well, this trip, the fields were lakes. There was water as far as I could see in both directions. Occasionally, the water will get up over the
highway. That's a real mess for this major highway - detours,
etc. Not this time, thank goodness.
After my trip east, I returned to Mom and Daddy's house in Danville. Andy's parents sent these gorgeous flowers earlier in the week -Dutch Irises and Lilies. They opened slowly and the anticipation to see what color the lilies would be was fun. With the purple irises, I was betting on yellow or orange. My mother LOVES flowers and these were really a bright spot for her.
Sunday, I packed up and headed back to Ohio. It was SO hard to leave Mom and Daddy.
It was hard before but now the game has changed.
Mom has always told me that they won't live forever but life without them has never been something I wanted to even consider. Not for a moment. Not for a second.
After Daddy's heart attack on January 10th, their mortality is "in my face", so to speak. Leaving them on Sunday was so incredibly difficult. They are my fan club and to lose them will be very very painful.
I realize that I have been very fortunate to have both of my parents with me this long. Many are not so lucky. They are active and full of life. So,
for now, they continue to be my peeps - motivating me, inspiring me, loving me.
It is now Thursday. Daddy has started cardiac rehabilitation and is doing well. Lily is glad to have two humans in the bed with her at night and an extra lap to snuggle into during the day. I am sleeping better at night, too.
Yesterday, I had an early appointment in Circleville, OH - almost an hour and a half from home. I left the house at 6:30 AM and was treated all along the way to a spectacular sunrise. It started off with just an orange break on the black
horizon. As I drove, it blossomed. The orange turned to pink with touches of violet and blue.
Later in the day, we had snow showers. Snow so fine it was like cornmeal. More is predicted for tomorrow - we're supposed to get about an inch. An inch??? This leaves me wondering when and if we're going to get a serious snow.
I can not believe you were in Clarksville and did not even call me! Thanks for sharing all of this however..Love, Bren
Posted by: Bren | January 24, 2013 at 07:38 PM
Glorious sun, early morning view!Enjoyed reviewing your visit--thanks for sharing!
Jean
Posted by: Jean Edmonds | January 24, 2013 at 04:27 PM
what a gloroious sun image
bless you and your parents
love your knitting at the lake success! sounds like a great time
Posted by: kathy b | January 24, 2013 at 12:52 PM