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Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Temperature Blanket

Last year this time, I decided to start a crocheted Temperature Blanket running January to December 2016.  Afraid that it was going to turn out huge, I tried a variety of stitches to see what would work best.  The Linen Stitch or also know as the Moss Stitch was the best fit for what I needed.  I used Stylecraft Special DK yarn with a G hook.  I kept a rolling list of each days high temperature and crossed off each day as I finished it.


My temperature chart consisted of 12 sections in 5 degree Fahrenheit increments.  I used at least 2 skeins of each color.  Unfortunately, I didn't keep very good track over the year as to how many I went back to buy. Show above on a queen size bed





0-35     Grey
36-40   Clematis
41-45   Wisteria
46-50   Aster
51-55   Sherbet
56-60   Dark Green (Not sure which shade)
61-65   Meadow
66-70   Lemon
71-75   Apricot
76-80   Shrimp
81-85   Pomegranate
86-up   Claret

Here in the UK, we had very few Dark Red days and only one Grey.


Wanting to keep the border fairly simple, I used the interlocking border stitch found here.  My finished size ended up about 50 x 80 inches.



Monday, January 30, 2017

Barcelona, Spain

We recently got back from our weekend trip to Barcelona.  I found Barcelona to be an intriguing city, much larger than I expected.  It's full of so many different types of architecture.  You walk down old,  tight, narrow streets similar to parts of Paris but then can be walking in the city viewing modernism-style buildings.  Sometimes I felt like I was in different countries.  This post I'll concentrate on street views from Day 1 and 2.  Future posts I'll show some of the sites in more detail.

To see all the photos, please visit my website at  http://aimeecunninghamphotography.zenfolio.com/barcelona


































Monday, January 23, 2017

Empty Nest...Not So Bad After All


Empty nest...it is everything it's cracked up to be and more.

My two girls flew the coup permanently during their college years.  The youngest hasn't lived at home now for four years.  I can't believe it's been FOUR YEARS!  Do you ever stop missing them...I don't think so.  I'm pretty sure I'll still be missing them 10, 20 years from now.  I miss the day-to-day interactions, the singing, the laughter, the chatter, the mom/daughter dates, the late night movie nights.  I miss good-night kisses and hugs.  I miss the music we shared.

 

I've tried to give them space to grow, to stretch their wings.  But, I'll always be a mom and sometimes I still try to help and it's not always taken graciously.  Us moms are human, we step on toes, make mistakes, but we always do what we do because we care and because we love them so fiercely our hearts may burst.  We still want to protect them no matter how old they get.  I don't know that that will ever go away.  I still look at them and see the little girls they used to be.

I believe in my girls...

                       in their STRENGTH,

                       in their DETERMINATION,

                       in their FUTURE.

They have grown into strong women and I can take some pride in knowing I equipped them well.
Will they make mistakes, bad decisions...yes, I'm sure.  Will they always come to me for help and advice...probably not.  But, no matter what, I'll always be here when they do need me.  And I hope they know that.


Miles and oceans have separated us these past 18 months.  It's been harder than I imagined.  I've had to hear about their joys and their broken hearts from afar and that breaks mine.  Sometimes I feel somewhat estranged from them, as if they are out there somewhere, but I'm not really a part of it all.  As if our lives are running along parallel roads and occasionally they come to a junction and intersect, but then continue along on their own again.  I suppose this is the way it's meant to be.  I cut the cord long ago, but pray that there will always be a small amount of string holding us together.   


So here we find ourselves now...the hubs and I, living abroad, pursuing the dream.  We truly are having the time of our life.  We've settled into a nice routine and are enjoying this new life together. There are no longer lessons and practices to rush to...our time is again our own.  It is a weird mix of sorrow and joy this thing called empty-nesting.


We are growing closer together and loving the adventure more and more each day.  This new season in our life has been so good to us.

Empty nest...not such a bad thing after all.

 

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Our Colosseum Tour


Our 3 1/2 hour tour of the Colosseum, Palantine, and Forum
Rome, Italy

We were freezing but the tour was great.  Way more information than my brain could handle. 

Colosseum...what an impressive structure in it's day.  Imagine with beautiful sculptures in each of the openings.











Palantine





The Forum











The Gift

  Delivered this week, a gift I never expected arrived in the mail.  This story begins, it seems a lifetime ago, when I worked at Owens Comm...