Back Yard Pictures

In Sock Wars news, my days now are officially numbered. I received notice from my assassin last night that she would be mailing my completed socks of doom to me today. I am already listed as "dying" on the sock wars spreadsheet, even though the socks will be travelling from Toledo, Ohio, and I most likely won't receive them for a few days. I'm not officially dead until I have them in my hands, but the editors of the spreadsheet are getting antsy to wrap this thing up. Out of 772 warriors, there are technically 123 still standing, and 68 dying (waiting for their socks to arrive). I feel really great that I made it to the top 16% of the sock wars and that I was able to take out three opponents. The percentage of living vs dead will probably change before I receive my socks of doom, but my demise is imminent, and I've had a good run. I would do it again in a heartbeat! Of course I will post pictures of the socks when I receive them, probably along with a wrap-up "memorial" of my experiences.

There's talk of a hat wars, with the unofficial name of "head games" to begin sometime after the new year. I would participate for the competition aspect, and because I've had such fun in the sock wars, but I'm not really a hat-wearing girl. They always look funny on me. But maybe I could get a nice hat for the Count or Girlie out of it, depending on the color.

Here is the view from my deck last weekend:The babies didn't even know that I was taking their picture. I love coming upon them during their sweet moments together. Sissy was swinging her brothers while Daddy was raking leaves. And melting my heart.

I was out on the deck with the camera to get a shot of this:It may not come across very clearly, but we USED TO have a bridge that the Count built to go across our creek. But during a windstorm, the top of one of our trees decided it was afraid of heights, and wondered if it could take out our bridge during its free fall. Looks like it succeeded. The Count says he will build (in his words, not mine) a "prettier" bridge next spring. The creek floods every winter, so we won't miss the bridge until the weather warms up again.

In knitting news, the fabulous Koigu project in pinks for my niece Stephanie is looking really beautiful. It's kind of been slow going, but knitting with the Koigu is hypnotizing, and I'm loving how it's been turning out, though I've only got about 2 inches done. I can't show you until after I mail them off for her birthday, which is on the 14th of this month. These truly are a labor of love, and I find myself thinking of this lovely girl (well, woman now, as she'll be turning 20!) (how did that happen??) and giggling over sweet memories as I knit every stitch. My sister's kids are the children of my heart, and I couldn't love them more if I had given birth to them myself. This knitting project will have to hug her while I cannot, since she lives in Chicago. Ooh, I'm getting all choked up now. But I love you, my brown-eyed girl, and I love who you are to my children. You've made some great choices in your life, and I am so very proud of you.

Now where is that tissue box?