In Memoriam

Mother Mine
author unknown

O Mother mine, when I was small,
You seemed to me my all in all;
The sunshine shimmered in your face;
The flowers blossomed in your grace.
You laughed with me when I was gay
And kissed my childish tears away –
Mother dearie, Mother cheery, Mother mine.

O Mother, as the years rolled o'er
Our heads, I loved you more and more.
When weakness laid its hand on you
You were so patient, brave and true;
You seemed the sum of all things good;
My dream of perfect womanhood –
Mother dearie, Mother cheery, Mother mine.

O Mother mine, if I can be
To little ones who look to me,
A mother half as sweet and wise
And tender; if they but surmise
That in your likeness I have tried
To grow, I shall be satisfied,
Mother dearie, Mother cheery, Mother mine.



In loving memory to LaRee Cuthrell, October 13, 1933 - December 28, 2008
Gone, but never forgotten – the world is a better place because you were in it.

For My Mother

With all that's gone on lately, I wanted to let the world know how precious my mother is. So mom, whether we have days, weeks, months, or years left, each hour is a gift; and I'm so glad to know you, and to call you mom.

For My Mother
by Brenda McCunn

With words I wish I could express
The joy you bring, the happiness
Your love imparts to all you meet.
With tenderness so sweet
Your gentle smile lights up each day.
Ever guiding by example, the way
In which the wise do tread.
Your life showing there is no dread
In giving all, selflessly, to those
You love. Forever changed are we whose
Lives have intertwined with yours.
Beyond this time your legacy soars
To generations who will rise and call you blessed.
©2008 Brenda McCunn All rights reserved.

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many daughters have done well,
but you excel them all."
Proverbs 31: 28-29

When It Rains...

October descended upon us with it's usual brand of crazy. 5 birthdays. All within one week. Two of them in. my. house. And the one we threw a party for, we all got unexpected presents. We had the unutterable joy of spending the next month ill. Thank God for antibiotics and OTCs that work, and that we are all now well. So, that was our October, and most of November, too.

Which brought us to Thanksgiving. Ilene came to spend the holiday with us, and she and I spent a quiet weekend at home while my guys spent the weekend racing. We had the traditional dinner of turkey with all the trimmings. I had fixed an 18 lb. turkey for 4 people thinking that we would have plenty of leftovers. It was all gone within a week. I couldn't believe it. But we enjoyed it. :)

Now that December has arrived, we do a little each day to decorate and get in the spirit. Jordan put up the tree, but has yet to add the decorations, I'm trying to do a bit of baking each day so that we can all get completely overloaded on sugar (because, seriously, what's Christmas without that???), and Jordan is LOVING the new tradition of the chocolate Advent calendar. I love this time of year.

Happy Birthday Scott

Love you!

October/November Projects

A bath puff, using Priscilla Hewitt's Cotton Bath Puff pattern, crocheted with Knit Picks CotLin in Kholrabi. The yarn was from the Georgian sampler, and is lovely. Knit Picks recommends this yarn for (among other things) making dish cloths. I think it is much nicer that the dish cloth cottons I have used, and would highly recommend it.

These were started in December of 2006. I got the pattern from a Christmas KAL on the Knitting Help forums. I knit them using (I think) Red Heart Super Saver yarn, and have had these knit up for over 1 1/2 years, but had never gotten around to stuffing them or adding any finishing details. So, I finally got around to finishing them. I sewed up the edges and stuffed them with polyfil, ordered some sterling silver beads from Artbeads and stitched them on, and made hangers by twisting together some of the leftover yarn and stitching them in. I am pleased with the way they came out though I don't have any plans for them yet. But having a present stash on hand is a good thing.

I also knitted the La Luz Eye Mask from handkint Holidays, worked on the MS4 stole and the Galveston shawl, started the (slightly modified) Viking Socks, and am crocheting a kippah that one of the members of our homeschool group commissioned. I'll post pics and details of these later.