The Season of Getting

In terms of artwork, we have both been gifted and gifted ourselves with art that is just beautiful.

A Thank You and Wedding Gift and an Early Self Christmas Gift

A friend from the Men's Knitting Retreats was grateful and also took our recent wedding as an opportunity to send Thaddeus and I this VERY generous gift.

It's actually two tiles framed together beautifully.  The tiles are made by Motawi Tileworks in Ann Arbor, Michigan, so they're U.S. artisans.  My friend picked to spectacular tiles, reminiscent of the mountains and woods of Easton Mountain.

A local artist friend of ours, in Lambertville, NJ also asked us over to her place to see a few pieces she had completed recently.  While she originally thought we'd be interested in a beautiful winter-scape she had just finished (we were), we totally fell in love with a different piece she had started in May, so we decided it would be our Christmas gift to ourselves.

The piece is "Underbrush" by Jane Gilday (I defy you to find underbrush quite this beautiful), and it's framed in one of Jane's frames, which she hand finishes with Dutch gold leaf.

I couldn't be more pleased with it.

Current Knitting

I've been doing some additional knitting on the kid alpaca blanket which is impossible to photograph in any way that would show progress.  I'm also working on a secret project as part of an exchange done at the Men's Knitting Retreat each year.  I've started the knitting part of this project four times, and I'm hoping the fifth time might be the design I go with.  I really hope so.

By the way, speaking of the Men's Spring Knitting Retreat, registration for the 2014 retreat will open on Friday, January 10th.  If you know of anyone that wants to go, but would need a scholarship to attend, please go here to nominate him.

Off To a Good Start

My first day and night at Easton was a beautiful start to my week of glorying in the men's knitting community.

Anticipation Builds

Easton Mountain Retreat Center is less than an hour away from the office where most of my coworkers go each day.  Since I work at home, I thought it would be a good opportunity to work a half day and get some face-time with my coworkers, and then head off on a week of vacation.

At noon, I headed off to Troy, NY to meet up with Jeff and John for lunch at a great little Middle Eastern food at this great little hole-in the wall.

And then off to Easton Mountain where we'd meet up with the other early-bird, Phil.  I never get tired of my first unobstructed view of the hill top at Easton on my drive there.

Sorry, these photos were taken with my iPhone through my car's windshield.  Enhancing them didn't help a lot, but they still always get me excited.

Finally, here is the room with most of the magic happens.

This is the big room in the main lodge building where all our full-group gatherings happen.  In a few short days it will be filled with project bags, spinning wheels, tables of yarn and books and most importantly, men.