Down the News-hole...

 ...much like Alice's "Rabbithole." I've been in a "news-hole." Hubby has had almost 24/7 coverage of both hurricanes and the forest fires out west. Not to mention the daily doings of the crazy mango in the White House... I'm "newsed-out" and I've crawled into a knitting/reading/old movies hole. 

It's kind of nice to unplug. I've read a few articles on some new yoga techniques, gotten further in a few other books I've been working on, looked at some knitting patterns... It's all been nice to just unplug for a while. 

On the knitting front, I've closed the gusset on the blue/grey sock. It's coming along. I think I'll be done with it in a few weeks. I'm liking the way it's striping, and it's a "fraternal" sock by about a quarter-inch. I really don't mind that they don't match. Apparently, it's a "thing" and besides, if I wanted to match, I'd have to pull yarn and see if I could find the starting point. 

I can barely figure out how much of a tail to leave for a longtail cast-on, so wasting yarn isn't in my future. 

Then, after this sock, on to the next project. I've printed off several shawls, and since I have some beautiful sock yarn (at least 2 skeins that I don't want to put on my feet), I plucked a few 400-yard shawl patterns off Ravelry. One of them may even be able to be used with the rest of that laceweight blue/cream stuff I have. The more I can use up the alpaca, the better I like it. 

I also found that I haven't made as much progress as I though I had on the Sole to Sole. So it's now "car knitting" - which may not work, since I drive myself a lot! But perhaps lunch knitting. I can use the mental break. 

Sign of the Coming Apocalypse...

So not only are people too lazy to put frosting into a decorating tube, but there's the abomination of peanut butter frosting. 

I can't. 

It's as bad as "blue red velvet cake."

Or Pumpkin Spice Cheerios. (Yes, that IS a thing.)

Yeah, call me a baking snob, and I get it - not everyone makes their own frosting. I'm ok with that, though frosting is extremely easy to make. Doesn't have to be fancy buttercream. Find a basic recipe and just keep at it. 

But seriously, even the frosting in the decorating tube. It's not like there's no You Tube or Pinterest tutorial. They're just whacking it on cupcakes. You don't need anything special for that - not even, to be truthful, a decorating tip. You can cut the corner off a zipper-bag and squeeze out a passable decoration. 

How Does My Garden...

Grow? Well, we're in the waning times now. The flowers are all going to seed, so I think that even putting in plants at the vicarage for church won't do for now. I'll save seeds and hopefully, we can plant in spring. 

My little friend at the garden center offered me 20% off on this beauty, but at this point, our front garden area under the picture window is so unformed - unplanned - unimagined, even - that it's best to just wait. 

I didn't realize that this was lighted. I saw it the other day when I taught my garden yoga class. I was even more tickled by it. I wanted the light on it, and I was planning on "uplighting" the front area anyway. So this would be icing on the cake. (ha)

So we'll likely wait. This is the perfect size and I'm hopeful that next year, they can get it for me. I can't decide what I want in the front, and Hubby is still "mulling it over." That could take a while...

There are enough cobwebs on our deck that we won't be needing Halloween decorations! I have a white pumpkin and some gourds, but I think they'll go in the studio instead of at the house. 

I'm hoping to get the ghosts hung out in the trees. I did find them. We badly, BADLY need a basement clean-out. 

New Fave Tea...

So I've had a crud. I don't know where I picked it up, but I'm still working with a lingering hack, almost a hairball. You know the cough I mean, but finally it's stopped keeping me awake. 

I have a recipe that someone posted, and I adjusted. It uses Young Living Essential Oils Thieves blend in the Vitality line. Those oils in the Vitality line are able to be ingested. 

Here's "Thieves Tea" my way...

1 tea bag (your choice - I used black tea, but herbal works well)
6 - 8 oz of water
2 T. full-fat cream (you need it; I'll explain it)
1 - 2 drops of Thieves Vitality
Honey to taste

Bring the water to a boil. While doing that, add the Thieves to the full-fat cream. You need full-fat so that the oil emulsifies in there and doesn't just "float on top." Thieves is a fantastic oil - and it has a spicy kick, so you want it blended in. 

Steep the teabag for 5 minutes or so. Add honey, then add the cream/oil mix. Stir it up. 

Enjoy. Kind of like a chai but better. I bet this would be good with the Celestial Seasonings Lemon Ginger herbal tea. May have to try that soon!

I tried this the other day. I think that I could've used 2 drops of Thieves, but as always, it's easier to start slow. You can always add more. Taking away? Not so much. 

Random Picture...

One of the ladies at church painted this for the Children's Classroom. It's beautiful. No matter what you believe in, this is a lovely work of art. 

Our church is in a unique position because we're poised to grow. And with growth, you sometimes get anxiety. Some folks like things "the way they are." Some folks are all "let's grow!! Now!" And some are "well, let's see how it goes." 

Stir that all up and sometimes you have "conflict stew." Not that conflict is bad. Conflict, actually, can be very productive. It starts people talking, especially when you have a community of people who essentially like each other and enjoy spending time together. 

I think that's the difference. Conflict today can be harsh. It can be hateful. And I'm not saying that it's all sunshine and unicorn farts in church. 

Church politics can be positively awful. Church politics often makes "regular" politics look like a meeting of saints and angels. 

But in our little church, we seem to, for the most part, get past some of the nasty and get to the fact that we basically want what's good for everyone. 

So. We need a reminder. A reminder to breathe. Pray. Meditate. And most of all, trust. 

Trust a higher power. 

And trust yourself and those with whom you surround yourself.