The Fourth Day

of Christmas is bringing the barometer dropping like a rock (after a high of 66 yesterday with totally warm, glorious sunshine) and temperatures paralleling the process. It rained early as our temperature was rising with daybreak and frontal passage from 48. At the same time, just up the turnpike in Cleveland it was 32.

One of the squirrels and the doves don't mind the weather. Yes, one of the squirrels. We have two grey ones, one is darker and fatter (well-fed on daily birdseed rations). S/he has brought a friend a couple days. Before Christmas, two days a little very red, very mean squirrel half the size of the Greys came to visit. It chattered and chased everything in sight that it could scare away with the exception of the grey squirrel. Oh, it tried very hard to chase away Mr/s Grey but without success. It was well-fed for two days, but hasn't reappeared since. It is intriguing to watch the squirrels interacting with everything else. They aren't afraid of any of the birds, or even me. But just let Tawny appear and ---WHOOSH--- off to the hedge and up and over tree limbs at full speed!



Can you just imagine this calm, gentle, fuzzy fellow being the bane of the squirrels' existence? He's just off for a good chase! This morning Tawny is still chewing at part of his Christmas present. The first time I tried him on these chews he had one eaten and swallowed in 5 hours. This one is getting more and more unappetizing-looking as he savors each and every chew time.




Under the big Christmas tree the presents are breathing in unwrapped oxygen. Santa was very good to me, including more Fisherman's Aran yarn and other yarn and blocking pins and Tpins and noisy hard candy for rattling from Yarn Elf and Yarn Vixen. I thank you very much. The present was crafted to help in the classwork I will be attempting come January 1st. Yarn Elf will be taking the same coursework, so we have a course KAL over the miles. DH bought me the course, books (all can be found at the SHP website) like "It Itches" cartoons by Franklin Habit, a Mathematical knitting book, Gladys Amedro's "Shetland Lace" and Barbara Walker's "Knitting Lace" and some wonderful turtlenecks in my colors and a pair of matching jeans and a dressy sweatsuit and a funky large pendant and earrings that will match with all the above and then some! Good stocking stuffers, too! Love my "Golden Voice".



This year I actually found all three of the wooden Scandinavian Christmas trees! Sometimes I put things away in safe places for protection from the elements, but they end up being protected from being found, as well. The one in front is the one my Great Aunt Syster in Sweden had sent one year at Christmas. My Dad made the other two but without the candle holders. One of them traveled all over the West with me. The other two stayed here.

And, lastly, the newest knitting project!



I had thought about going back to the Round-The-Bend jacket but since I have an issue with it that I haven't solved, I've left it in its tote. I thought about the Bohus, but once I get back to that colorwork, I won't want to stop. The only solution is to start a new sock! Since the brown pair I didn't have a sock on the needle for traveling or for 'down time'.

Enter a skein of STR "Bella Coola" that was just waiting for me on the desk in the back bedroom, totally apart from all other skeins. Waiting no more, it is being knit on size 0 circular and dpns and inspired by the socks bowerbird (see pics on her Ravelry projects page) is creating.

Oh, and tomorrow is OKC's "Knit Addict"'s birthday... Happy Birthday, Grrlfriend!