Eye Candy Friday

November 4, 2016 By Carole

We’ve been going back and forth between warm and cold weather but on Tuesday morning, November 1st, I came out to find the celosia looking very frosty. I had to take a photo and share it with you. I love the way this beautiful flower changed over the last few weeks, from bright pink and soft and fluffy to this washed out and crispy version. Sort of like how I feel as the cold weather comes, too. Really, though, this year I’m going to try and embrace it. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

This is the part where I’d normally tell you to have a great weekend. But. I’ll be back here tomorrow.

NaBloPoMo, baby.

Sundays Are For Selfies

November 1, 2015 By Carole

I’m not big on self portraits. I’m very critical of the way I look and I’m much more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it. But, this essay come to mind and I think – get in the picture, just get in the damn picture. So, in the spirit of that, and because I need something to fill up the blog for the month of November, on Sundays I will be posting selfies.

First up:

Of course, I’m barely in that one and it doesn’t take any guts to post it. But the leaves are falling and I’m enjoying the scenery and I love those cowboy booties. It’s a good slice of my life in October photo.

Next up:

More shoes? Yes. But these are my spinning shoes and I went to spin class on Saturday morning for the first time in, oh, forever. Definitely photo worthy because it took guts to go back. And today my ass is sore (I forgot to wear the padded bike shorts, duh) and my legs are tired but my spirit feels good. So good.

And finally, the one that actually takes a bit of courage to share:

Hardly any make up. Red cheeks and sad eyes. I had been crying and grieving about Bob when I took this one. It’s not flattering but it acknowledges and captures the way I was feeling, the way I still feel underneath even though it doesn’t show in such an obvious way – it’s always there. You know what I mean.

3 selfies, 3 moods, all me.

It’s December 1st! Or: Things I Learned During NaBloPoMo

December 1, 2014 By Carole

December 1st has arrived and I have now blogged for 30 days straight. Well, 31 counting today. And assuming I keep to my regular schedule and blog straight through Friday that will mean I blogged for 35 days in a row. Whew.

Truthfully, it was fun. And I learned that it doesn’t have to be work. Sometimes you can have no idea what a post is going to be about and you can just sit down and start typing and wind up with a blog post pretty quickly.

I learned that it’s still important for every blog post to have a picture. It doesn’t have to relate to the topic (like this basket of make up, for instance) but an illustration matters.

I learned that I don’t have to write my post the day before to publish at 6am. That’s still my preference because, you know, to-do lists and check offs and all, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

I learned that answering emails from all those comments it still fun. And I met knew commenters, too.

I learned that having all of my friends participate in this meant I had a lot more blog reading to do this month. It was fun and I got to know my friends even better but it was a lot of reading. And commenting.

I learned that the best blog posts are the ones that are authentically me. It doesn’t have to be rainbows and happiness all the time but it does have to be honest. Sharing the good stuff is great and definitely something I have always tried to do. But sharing the bad stuff is okay, too, because when I do that I not only get some great insight from all of you but I also learn that even the bad stuff isn’t really all that bad.

And so, in conclusion, I’m glad I did it and I’m glad you all were along for the ride. Thanks for reading. Thanks for commenting. Thanks for being here.

Show & Tell Saturday

November 1, 2014 By Carole

Hey! It’s a Saturday and there’s a new post on Carole Knits! Whaaaaa?

It can only mean one thing, friends, and it’s this: I have decided to participate in NaBloPoMo aka National Blog Posting Month. It means I will be posting every day for the month of November. Yes, even on Saturdays and Sundays. I haven’t done this since 2011 and, while I won’t say I was coerced into it, I will say there was some peer pressure. Right, (cough)Kym(cough)Margene(cough)Patty(cough)Vicki?.

Anyway. I have decided to devote Saturdays posts to Show & Tell. I will show you a picture of something from my house and tell you the story behind it.

This is my favorite candle holder. It’s a wrought iron frame that holds 7 clear glass votive cups. And I have two of them.

I originally saw this at Christmas Tree Shop in Avon back in the spring of 2013. It was $10 and I debated and hemmed and hawed and . . . didn’t buy it. Of course I immediately regretted it but I never went back and looked for it and I sort of forgot about it.

Fast forward to August of 2013 and we’re on Cape Cod for our summer vacation and we make our annual pilgrimage to The Christmas Tree Shop. And there, in the clearance aisle, are 2 of these candle holders. And they are 1/2 price. So I bought them both for $10 and I’ve been in love with them ever since. When we got back to our rental house I immediately put them on the mantel in the living room. And I lit them every night for the remainder of our vacation.

When I bought them home I placed them on the console that sits under our wall-hanging TV. And, while I don’t light them every night, I do light them frequently and I love the warm and cheery glow they give to the room. I even love them so much that this year, when we were packing for the Cape, I brought them with me and put them on the mantel again.

They make any room feel like home. And (because I can’t resist) don’t you just love a bargain?