Friday, January 1, 2016

A Fresh NEW Year

Hello friends!  Here we are on the first day of a brand new year, a clean slate, let's make it a good one, shall we?  It's a brilliant and cloudless sunny day here.  Yesterday, in the afternoon of New Year's Eve, I headed out alone to take a bank deposit in before the month ended.  I then picked up something at Craft Warehouse (and bought no yarn!) then decided to head up to Sandy, Oregon to Jonsrud Point to get a photo of the piles of fresh new snow on Mt. Hood.  The parking lot looked full so I pulled over on the side of the road in front of the viewpoint plaza, rolled down my window and started shooting photos.  What you don't see was a group of Asian teens to my left all taking photos and chattering and giggling.  LOL!  


Zooming in and back out.. while sitting in my nice warm car.. :-)



There is nothing prettier and colder looking than fresh snow.. our snow pack is at 76 inches as of today.



I then drove on Bluff Road through the countryside to Corbett and then decided to go on to Portland Women's Forum Scenic Viewpoint to snap some images of the gorge on a freezing sunny winter day.  This is Larch Mt. covered with snow.


I got out of my car to walk over and get some shots of Vista House at Crown Point and the Columbia River Gorge.. and took one step and realized I would be walking on several inches of solid ice and decided to get right back into my car before I fell and broke something.  I took this image before I slipped back into the car.



A bit of a zoom into Vista House.. the wind there whips through at high speeds.



A shot from the car.. kind of fun with the railing and the late afternoon sun.



After I got home and settled in by the fire.. I decided to light the candles in my new pyramid carousel.  I showed it to the boys and they thought it was neat.


I've decided that I'm going to stretch the fairy lights around the dining room window to light that room for the rest of the winter.  After the sun goes down it's so dark in there and I like light.



It's fun to watch the little Nativity scene turn around.


The dining room.. all set for our New Years Dinner today with our older son and his family.  There will be 10 of us.  :-)


I have a story to tell.  The red crocheted beret below, I made it to match my red shawl made of 50% baby alpaca and 50% silk.  I made it using my own "play-it-by-ear" pattern.  You just increase until you have a dinner plate sized circle, then begin to decrease.  When it's the size of your head then you begin to just straight crochet until you have a "hat band" of about 1.5 inches.. then bind off.  I was not 100% thrilled with the look of this hat but it matches my shawl in color if not in laciness.  

We shopped at Costco on Tuesday and Dayle and I had different carts as I was getting xmas presents for my older son's family.  I did that and then handed over the gifts to hubby to purchase while I headed to get a hotdog and to the car.  After my hotdog I went to get my coat, shawl and hat on.. and OH NO.. the hat was gone!  Eeek, I left it in my cart!  Then to go look for it.. it was gone.. talked to the Manager and left my name and number and headed out to the car bareheaded and cold.  Wah.  ::pout pout::  

The next day I got a call from Eli, he found it outside on top of the bike rack!  I guessed it had been left in the cart and used by someone and then left outside for the cart guys to get at which point one of them tossed it on the bike rack.  My son picked it up the next day and it's home with me again.  Have you done that?  Lost something you spent weeks on and then found it again?



Does anyone have a lacier but warm hat pattern that would go with my shawl?  I want it to be lacy but not a lot of holes as it needs to be WARM as this is my Winter shawl.  Suggestions gratefully received.  I can crochet it or knit it.  Crochet is easier for me, though.



And so.. on this brand new day of a brand new year I am wishing for you joy and happiness.. accomplishments and health.. love and peace.  

((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

32 comments:

  1. Happy new year Teresa, gosh it looks so cold there. Glad you found your hat again, how lucky! Gorgeous photos and I'm glad you got back intact! x

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  2. The mountain looks it's best in a coat of fresh snow. It glistens!

    I think your pyramid carousel is one the the nicest one's I've seen. Fairly lights are so sweet and they do add that extra loveliness needed this time of year.

    Lucky you getting your pretty hat back.

    Sending warm wishes for a great New Year to you, your family, little Buddy & Simba.

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  3. I'm so glad you found your hat. I once left my purse in my shopping cart at Walmart, returned the cart to the outdoor corral and drove off. I realized I was missing my purse after a minute or so, went back and someone had turned it in to the front desk! I couldn't believe it, but nothing was missing. It was a miracle. Your scenic photos are beautiful. Stay warm. It's very cold here. I wish you and your family a very happy new year.

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  4. Oh Mt Hood is so pretty with her snow! I saw only the outline yesterday when I went to work at 8 a.m. The day before we had fog and no mtn visible. Glad you got your hat back! Enjoy your family time and HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Hugs!

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  5. Wonderful photos of the snow on your mountains. Love your red shawl. If you go onto ravelry there are some beret patterns there. Perhaps you may like "Meret" mystery beret by Woolly Wormhead. Knitted. Also Cable Rouge by Marisa Hernandez. They have some lacy pattern on them and looked nice.

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  6. Thanks for the gorgeous photos of the snow and your good wishes for our fresh new year! [My Lumix camera will not turn on :( so I am depending on my iPhone 6.] How wonderful that your hat was returned. Twice I have had my wallet returned...I'm so grateful. I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating today and that you and yours have a blessed 2016. xx

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  7. What a story I am so surprised but delighted for you that it was there. Those photos of the snow on the mountain are amazing. No snow here!!!!! Wishing you a wonderful time with your family.

    Happy, Happy New Year.
    Love and hugs to you,
    Meredith

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  8. Happy New Year. So glad you found your hat!

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  9. Those are lovely sentiments Teresa and I wish the same to you and yours. Had to laugh about your hat story - lucky you got it back though. I was thinking about your request for a lacy hat pattern and wondered if it wouldn't be best to stick to the plain hat rather than have two lacy pieces in different patterns (if you know what I mean) ?? Those photos of the snow look pretty but oh so chilly. I don't know if I could cope if it snowed like that here. We're only about a 2 hour drive from the snow fields but although we get below freezing temps we very rarely have snow and even then it melts almost as soon as it hits the ground. Your dining room looks lovely. Xox

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  10. Beautiful photos of Mt. Hood Teresa. Two years ago when we went to Alaska, we spent three days in Seattle and I was in awe of Mt. Hood. It is so majestic.

    Judy

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  11. Happy New Year Teresa. Your photos of Mt. Hood are amazing with all that snow! I miss seeing Mt. Rainier from when I lived in Gig Harbor. The hat and shawl you made are so pretty. And, thank goodness you found your hat! We're suppose to get some rain later next week. It's been cold here at night which is a bit unusual for southern California. Wishing all the best for 2016. Hugs, Pat

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  12. So glad you got your hat back. I didn't lose anything, but I found a set of movies in a cart at Costco in Baltimore while visiting Mandy last month. The price was $199.00 on them! The people at the desk seem surprised when I turned them in. Apparently most people just keep, (steal), the things they find. So sad. We have 31 inches of snowpack in our YARD at last check! I'm ready for summer. You photos are gorgeous though. Happy New Year my sweet friend!
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  13. Lovely photos of Hood! She looks so good with a fresh white coat. And it was good skiing too. :)

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  14. Oh my, Teresa, those photo's are all fabulous!!! I have lost a jumper I crocheted and only noticed when I was making another and wanted to check lengths.....it took me almost 12mths to make boo hoo......oh well at least I made another lol Great your hat is back xoxoxo

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  15. The photos of your local landscapes are truly inspiring. Mt Hood is a favorite of mine. When we last visited the area I was in such awe of it.
    I'm so happy for you to find your hat. Red Heart has some Beret's that are easy to make and pretty too. Pattern #WR1030 is a Granny Stitch that I think would look lovely on you and talking from experience, is very easy to crochet. I made 4 of them before.
    Happy New Year to you and yours!
    Reni in AZ

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  16. Happy New Year Teresa!
    I'm glad you got your hat back.

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  17. What gorgeous photos Teresa, it's looking absolutely beautiful where you are, inside and out. I'm wishing you and yours a very happy New Year. CJ xx

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  18. what beautiful pictures! Am beginning to get into some knitting, but it's a learning curve!!
    Happy New Year to you & family

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  19. A lovely start to the new year! I am glad that you found your hat, that is great isn't it. Happy New Year! xx

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  20. Teresa, I have been following you for a year now and always feel uplifted by your blog and the beautiful photographs. Thank you - they help me endure our very grey and wet days here in the UK! A Happy New Year to you. Keep safe when out and about in icy conditions!

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  21. I want to go to there! mt hood is gorgeous!
    I have a thought on your hat needs. What if you knit the hat with the red and then put a warm brim on it. Or rather. Knit the warm brim for a few inches and then after it covers your ears warmly, knit a little lace top.....
    You have my thinking cap on now

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  22. Woolly Warmhead makes some pretty pretty beret type patterns. Check her out

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  23. So much to comment about on this wonderful blog post! First, I'm totally in love with Mt. Hood! I grew up in SE Portland and Mt. Hood was always there for me, a sentinel standing watch with all of its vivid colors depending on what time of day it showed itself! I also lived East of Sandy Oregon for a few years back in 1973 and 74 and had a view of this awesome mountain from our house windows. I miss it still. I always love when you take pictures of it so I can reminisce. Next.. your little nativity with the candles.. love it! I grew up with one of those little brass ones with angels going around in a circle when you lit the candles, and the little chimes would play when the brass dangle would hit them as the angels traveled around it. Such fond memories. I went many many times with my parents to see Crown Point when I was growing up and of course, always traveled the "old highway" as the freeway wasn't there! Again, such fond memories.. and also memories of hiking around Larch Mountain many times in my youth! I'd love to see you model your shawl and hat, if/when you decide on the just right red hat. I love a beret and one with a little lacy look would be fantastic. The one you made would be perfect with just a little edge of ruffle lace around the bottom band. Hope you find just the right one and be sure to show us! Hugs.. Marilyn from Madras, OR

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  24. You are truly blessed to live in such a beautiful place. Best wishes to you and yours for the New Year.

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  25. Oh, you had better luck than me. I dropped one of favorite gloves while rushing from the parking garage into Boston's airport. I thought maybe...just maybe it would somewhere on the floor of the parking garage when we returned. No such thing. At least it wasn't something handmade like your pretty hat.

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  26. Absolutely stunning photos of the mountains. Wow! Wishing you a wonderful new year of fabulous creativity and joy. :)

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  27. What stunning photo's of where you live, it trully looks a gorgeous place to be. I love your knitted makes and the carousel is so very pretty and makes an excellent centrepiece. Happy New Year! Xxxx

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  28. It's my first visit here. All the snow!!! We live on a farm, too. But there is green grass in the pastures right now. Thanks for showing us Southerners what your winter looks like.

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  29. Such a beautiful post and stunning wintry photos......I loved them all! So glad you got your hat back and how lovely your shawl looks too...that is a gorgeous shade of red. Happy New Year, dear Teresa.
    Helen xox

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  30. I'm so behind with everyone, I missed all the Happy Christmases, but now I'm properly back in the land of blog there's still time to wish you and yours a Happy New Year Teresa. May 2016 bring you all you wish for x

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  31. I'm so glad you got your special hat back. What a relief!
    I have a pretty lacy hat pattern in a Vanna White crochet book. It uses a scallop stitch, I think, and has a matching bag, too. Let me know if you would like a copy. I made both and they are quite pretty.

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