Summer's End!

In my remote corner of the planet, Mother Nature begins her transition to autumn early.

In Alaska, her signal that fall has arrived is when only the Fireweed tops (I call them bonnets) are in bloom.

Yep ... autumn has arrived!

My Alaskan summer was especially short this year because I was in the Lower 48 for six weeks.  I returned in August with a sense of urgency ... summer was coming to a close and there were preparations for winter that needed to get done!  Once September arrives ...  the pace towards winter increases and the landscape changes quickly.  On our walks, I observe changes every day.

Berry picking is one of my favorite ways to dillydally!  I refer to our wild berries as Mother Nature's jewels ... her bling!  These are High-Bush Cranberries.  The leaves on this bush are usually the first to change color, long before the berries are ready to be picked.  I usually pick them sometime in September after the first frost.

A friend offered to let Barb and I pick her domestic red currants this year!  They were plentiful and oh so very beautiful!

I had never used currants before, so Barb shared her favorite recipes!

Red Currant Jelly and Chipotle Catsup!  They both turned out delicious and I have plenty to share with family and friends!  My berry picking buddy is a true treasure ... thanks Barb!

Barb and I also picked wild blue and nagoon berries! I freeze them and they are used in baked goods!  So nice to enjoy the taste of summer during dark and cold winter days!

Winter is coming ... but fall arrives first!  Time to finish up some mittens and wristers!

Flicka, my ever-present Snoopervisor always involves herself in my knitting!

I am ready for fall!  I love calling these "Half-Mitts knit by a Half-Whit" ... yep, my dillydally humor remains as corny as always!

August has been a very wet month for us!  The ponds, lakes, and streams are swollen with fresh rainfall ... a welcome site for the northern birds that are busy migrating south for the winter!

Of course, Nissa, my ever-present sidekick, loves the water and the rain!

School has started ... it has been three years since I retired from teaching in our local public school.  Recently I began teaching another session of Knitting 101 at our local yarn shop, The Net Loft!  I love to teach ... and especially love assisting others on their knitting journey!

Every season Mother Nature inspires me with her change of wardrobe!  Sometimes her color choices cause me to have a dillydally brainstorm!

A quick visit to The Net Loft ... colored pencils ... and graph paper ... let those dillydally winds blow!  This is the easy part of the process!

Next comes the hard work ... hours of knitting and ripping ... three swatches later I'm finally satisfied that I have created something that will work!  Casting on ... ribbing ... and then the fun begins!

Tis the season ... time to pull out the autumn themed table linens and acquire fall colored yarn!  One of my KBees (knitting buddies), Anna introduced me to The Woolen Homestead.  Her hand dyed yarn is lovely, and I need a new pair of socks from this colorway called "October"!

Our days are getting shorter ... another signal that fall has arrived in Alaska.

As the sun sets on August ...

... and the tides recede ... summer has transitioned into autumn. My dillydally heart is full!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally 

A Belated Birthday Bash!

The truth is ... my birthday was back in July ... I considered it a done deal ... it was over as far as I was concerned!

2017 - The Year of the Bundt Cake
My Birthday Cake by Barb

But ...  a couple of my dillydally playmates are stubborn, hard headed, tenacious, independent thinking ...

... and absolutely wonderful in every possible way! I describe them this way with all forms of affection ... I love that about them!

The three of us try to schedule a dillydally playdate every week!  This is Sue's current project!  Beautiful!

Barb began creating this stunning piece just this past week!

Barb & Sue

Yep ... this dangerously dynamic dillydally duo insisted on hosting a b-day party for me.  I did everything I could think of to talk them out of it ... but like me, they also have a bit of a deviant disorder!  Apparently that is a common affliction for us retired teachers!  Who knew?

I know you can't see the sweet banner, but enjoy the view! 

A beautiful birthday banner was made ...

... and then the table ... OMGOSH GOOD GOLLY!!!!! Sue had made multiple coasters (candle mats) for everyone as a party favor!  I was blown over!  I had to take of picture of them individually ... enjoy!

Each one a treasure ... they made my heart jump with joy!

Sue's birthday was in June, and Barb and I had gifted her a copy of Roseann's book, A Little Something.

Sue was inspired by the coasters and used this pattern!  Just sew wonderful ... on sew many levels!

I was overwhelmed!  Then ... just when you think the day can't get any better ... the table is filled with fabulous women that I get to call friends!  We shared a luncheon lovingly prepared by Sue and Barb, enjoyed great conversation, and built new memories that we can treasure.  I am so very blessed to have these amazing women on my journey in life!  I am so very grateful!

Like many of you, I have been horrified by the domestic terrorism and hateful actions currently prevailing in our country.  But this belated birthday bash on Friday was about so much more than my birthday ... in fact this post isn't really about me at all!  I hope this post will serve as a reminder that most people in our country are like Sue and Barb ... thoughtfully working at making the world a better place on the behalf of others.  Gestures of kindness IS normal behavior for most citizens in our (already) great country!  As we are surrounded by all that needs to be improved in our culture, let's find hope in all those who quietly show the kindness that our world so desperately needs.  Let's make sure that our actions create hope and reflects the values we have built our lives on.

Do what you love!  Be kind! Be the light!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Nana

Where do I begin ... my heart is heavy ... words to describe our loss are elusive ... there is a void in our lives.  My mother-in-law passed away on July 15th and we struggle as we try to adjust to our loss.

Nana was born in 1934 to her Swedish parents ... I love this photo taken when she was 9 months old!  Even at this young age, her personality and intellect shines through that adorable face!

She never talked much about her early life.  While looking through photos, we found her high school graduation (class of 1951) photo ... seen for the first time by Mr. and I!  We also came across her yearbook!  What a thrill to find out that she had been a cheerleader, Homecoming Queen, and involved in Student Council!  It was fun for Sister DD to find out that she had unknowingly followed in her grandmothers footsteps!

This was the only photo we found of her college years.  She graduated for South Dakota State University in 1955 with a degree in Home Economics Education.  I always treasured that we had that in common!  We loved sharing recipes, hand sewing projects and quilting!

She married in 1956 ... what a lovely bride!

Nana as a new mother.  Mr. DD was her first child, in this picture he is 8 months old.

Family was everything to her.  She had 5 children in 7 years ... she once told me that her life was so hectic ... "I felt like I was herding cats!"

On vacation at Lake Superior ... which makes me giggle ... because as mothers we all know that traveling with children (especially 5) is not a vacation for the mom!

I love this photo of her in a Scandinavian sweater ... and that handbag!  Love it! She had a great sense of style!

She worked to make every milestone important in the lives of her children.  This is a her firstborn's (Mr. DD) college graduation in 1979.

Our wedding day ... the day I joined the family ... June 27, 1981.  When Mr. and I chose to have a Scandinavian themed wedding, she embraced the concept.  She made her costume ... it is a treasure ... meant so much to me then and now.

Sister DD was her first grandchild ... as a toddler, she referred to my mother-in-law as Na-Na which evolved into Nana.

Nana loved grandparenting!  She had a total of 10 grandchildren ... all of which she treasured and adored!  She truly found joy in each and everyone of them!

Nana with her first of four grandsons ... Brother DD.

She spent several weeks with us after Brother's birth, it was such a help and many special memories were made!

I love this photo ... Nana with her first born, her first grandchild, and her first grandson!

Four of her five children ...

... and nine of her ten grandchildren.  Her influence in their lives will live on ... she left them a wonderful legacy.

I am so grateful for the 36 years I was a member of her family.  She taught me much over the years ... she was the glue that held her family together.  She was such a blessing in our lives ... we are better people because of her.

Love one another!

Mrs. DillyDally

Spin Cycle

We had plans ... a month filled with travel, family and fun!  The fun began with me traveling to  Albuquerque on June 27th.

We filled the days with coffee, reminiscing, talking politics and sharing recipes.  When together, my mother-in-law and I always fell into a comfortable routine of enjoying each others company.  After a few days, we began preparing for our travel to the midwest.

Everything was going as planned.

And then ... in an instant ... without warning ... we found ourselves here.  Our world was spinning ... plans changed ... we couldn't control anything.

During her 13 days in ICU, we rode an emotional roller coaster.  There were moments of hope ... moments of despair ... signs of improvement ... signs of decline.  Everything was happening at warp speed, and prayer was the only place where I could find calm.  My mother-in-law and I share a strong faith, I felt her with me while I prayed.  Eventually ... we had to say good-bye ... she traveled to her heavenly home ... her loved ones left in this earthly life are still in spin cycle.

Today we begin our journey to the midwest ... not for the reasons originally intended ... but to say our formal good-bye.

"A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."   John 13:34