Thanks for all the well wishes. I’m back to normal. The stuffed nose is even gone. It was kind of nice to sleep for a couple of days. I’m not a sleeper so on the odd occasion that I do, it’s pure bliss.
Winter has finally arrived here in Bavaria, Germany. It seems it’s coming in full force. The forecast is up to 12 inches in the next couple of days. Yesterday I was wearing a thin jacket around. This morning, I was shoveling a ton of snow so the boys could walk out to the bus stop. I just let Aggie out a bit ago and she didn’t know what to do. It was hilarious to see her go running to the door only to come to a skidding stop to look at all the white stuff that was all over her yard. I’m really hoping they call a snow day tomorrow. The boys have a four-day weekend (not really sure why) so it’d make it a five-day one full of fun sledding and hot cocoa… oh, and shoveling… lots of shoveling. Good thing I don’t need to go anywhere today. I can’t unless I go dig the mound out at the end of my driveway that the plow truck left there. Swell. I *really* miss Dan. lol.
I’ve been working on the socks on 2 circs. Still haven’t decided if I like it or not. Here I am working on one of the heels (I did them one at a time – impossible to do both short-row heels at once):
Here it is finished:
I have to admit that I ended up ripping it back out several times after knitting the other one and something just didn’t seem right (the stripes weren’t even close which led me to believe that I’d knit something wrong). I ended up cheating and putting them both on dpns to do the heels. I’m working on the ribbing now and am about 1/3 done.
While I was knitting on them last night I was watching the PBS special (on DVD) of Colonial House. I LOVE these shows. I was hooked on Pioneer House so I had high hopes for this show. I watched three episodes last night and it’s really starting to get interesting now. And they have Texas Ranch House out now! Already ordered it so I can watch it when Dan gets home. Did I mention that’s TWO WEEKS FROM TOMORROW…. but on to my story…
I took note that a lot of the men were wearing knitted hats that looked felted. They seemed to be brighter colors than I would have imagined the Puritans wearing. I love it for the scenery as well. It’s shot in Maine. Even though I’ve never actually lived there, I’ve visited often and it’s where my ancestors came to America from Scotland (through Nova Scotia). My grandparents live about 20 min. from the Maine state line, so they didn’t go far. lol.
I especially like the inclusion of the Passamaquoddy Indians. My seventh great-grandfather was Col. John Allan. He was born in Edinburgh Castle when his father was there during the Scottish Rebellions. They moved to Nova Scotia after the war as his father was given land there by the government for his service. John Allan was a member of Parliment but ended up going against the crown and helping the Colonists. Basically, his job was to keep the Indians of the Northeast on the Colonist’s side. If you’re really interested (it is a really interesting story if you like history), you can read more here. I even have an excerpt out of a diary of a girl that visited the Allan family. It’s so cool to read about how they played the piano and sang songs to entertain her and how kind they all were. Nice to know your kin were kind.
Lubec, Maine from Campobello Island (following pics are scans from old film snapshots):
Dan and I met at an Army school outside of Boston (Ft. Devens – I’m so sad it’s closed down). About a month into the school we went on a trip to Maine. I was going to see some papers on the Indian Reservation near Lubec that Col. Allan had written. Dan claimed he wanted to go to see the Pow Wow they were having that weekend. I was a little slow in realizing he was interested in more than the Indians. The name of the cabin we stayed in was Blueberry Hill. 😉 We were married a little over a month later. Maybe Fats was on to something! We went back there a couple of years later with 10-month old Daniel:
If you’re still reading I’ll tell you a funny story. I knew that Col. Allan lived on an island off the coast of Lubec. There is a monument there where he and his wife were buried. We went down to the dock and found a man that was about to take his family on a little boat ride. He gave us a ride to the island and said he’d come back and get us in an hour. HOW STUPID were we?! The funny thing is we didn’t realize how stupid we were until we were sitting there waiting for him. There was a salmon farm a little ways off and we were wondering if the faint figure we could see would hear us if we started screaming. But the man did come back for us and returned us safely to Lubec…. obviously.
Dan, Daniel and Dallas (I still miss that dog and she died seven years ago) at our Blueberry Hill:
You’ve had to shovel already? We’ve only gotten a light dusting so far.
I’ve been watching Colonial House too and also noted the felted hats. I’m hooked on the show.
What sweet memories. I love looking back at our vacation photos when the girls were young. My favorite of my oldest was the shot of her crawling on the pool deck in Florida, with cut up socks on her knees. She didn’t mind crawling on concrete, but man it hurt my knees to watch it!
Sending good thoughts for Dan’s return!
I liked Colonial House, I bought the DVD and I never do that.
Love the family history. I know nothing of my family trees and based on stories I’ve heard, it’s probably a good thing. 🙂
Make some snow angels this weekend!
I don’t envy you guys and all that snow coming. We have snow here in Ohio, not much, but it’s cold. I must of been under a rock.. I missed Colonial and Texas. I’ll have to get those and watch them. It sounds pretty interesting. I love history and your stories too. How neat!! Sending you good thoughts for Dan’s safe return. Stay Warm!
Family history is so interesting. I know very little about my family’s roots. On my dad’s side, it seems no one can trace us back any farther than when the first of the family took a boat over from England.
I just love that yarn. I’m not sold on the two socks, two circs, thing although I did have a fleeting love affair with magic loop.
Great stories/history.
Hi Jean; love reading your blog, so glad you are writing again. sorry you have the bug..hopefully it will run its course in short order. scrolled down and saw your birch..wow is it ever lovely. so happy your dan is coming home soon. thanks for the tip about the “house” series, that sounds right up my alley. i’m not a fan of socks on 2 circs…tried two or three times..love the idea of doing 2 at the same time, but ….2 circs…not for me…anxious to hear how you feel about them after a second try.
Yet another example of how small the Army family really is- my Dad was stationed at Devens when my youngest brother (Danny!) was born. Coincidentally (or perhaps not?!) my husband’s family (he’s a New Englander)lived not far from there at the time ‘tho I didn’t meet him ’til I was assigned to shadow him years later when I was an ROTC cadet and he was a 2LT. It’s like that old saying “If the Army wanted you to have a wife, it’d assign one to you…”. I know how you feel with the shovelling. I’m in SE Colorado and we’ve had lots of snow this winter. In fact, our school district is adding 20 min to the school day for the rest of the year to make up the extra snow day we’ve already used and to hopefully bank a couple more that we will probably need before winter ends.
We in New Mexico have gotten the most snow that they have had in 20 years! We had almost 2 feet in one snow storm! I haven’t seen the Texas Ranch House! I put it in my Netflix queue! Have you seen the 1890’s house or the 1940’s house? They are good also! Anyway have a good time with your movies! My mom & I are praying that Dan will come home safetly! Blessings to you and your family!
I love Colonial House…but are you as surprised as I am about some aspects of the show? Being a Living Historian (18th & 19th Centuries) I understand you MUST act/behave in a certain way! Still love the show!
So glad you are feeling better. Now you have the snow you need to keep warm….You need to be well for when Dan comes home!
Also love the history bit as I’m a keen geneologist and frequently visit Edinburgh Castle with the kids as its only about 30 mins from the house and we have free passes!
enjoyed this. I have to admit though I’ve not seen C. House. Something I can look into- I think I’d enjoy it.
Great socks and a great love story. Thanks for sharing.
Just now getting caught back up…..what an interesting story! How fun! As you know, I live right next to Maine, so we travel around Maine often 🙂
I am an avid genealogist and so enjoyed reading about your ancestor! I have extensive New England ancestry (though I’ve never been east of ND in the US) and have read a bit on the Puritans and I think Colonial House did a bad job as far as the religio-social aspect of the show, which was more like a modern day soap opera! LOL But overall I enjoyed watching the show and you just have to thank God for a lot of modern inventions and luxuries…like not needing to eat food with maggots! I read in a genealogy magazine that one of the main female characters in the show that takes place in TX had a great Grandma who actually lived there and in that way, so I am interested to see how it is…I look forward to hearing your review! Most of all, I’m so excited that your hubby is almost HOME!!!!
When you’re back in the US we’ll have to get together and drive over to Devens. It does still exist.. and you even see soldiers often because that’s where they leave for and arrive from Iraq..
I wish I had time to knit more. I’ve been working on a blanket for one of my girls for the last few months. It MAY be done before she leaves for college (she’s 1 now)
LOL, DH and the kids and me had a guy drop us off on a deserted tiny island in Mexico (it was visible from our hotel). We told him to come back in three hours, but the snorkelling was bad, and we wished it had been an hour. We wandered about as the only residents of our tiny deserted island and began to feel paranoid about the guy coming back (on time or ever). It was a strange feeling not to be in control of that.
I got my yarn on Friday. It is sooo rustic, and also beautiful, in a very natural way. I have a few ideas about what to do with it, but at this point, I mostly wanted to have it. That yarn has travelled a lot, I bet. Thanks so much, and thanks too for the cute sheep charm.
It is scant days until Dan comes home. I can’t believe it! I am so excited for you!!!!
Colonial house aired on dec 16 was one of the most ridiculous shows. The killing of the lamb was horrifying and my kid could not sleep that night. What kind of message are they trying to give us. This should have not been aired on national TV.