Brrrr it's cold here and getting colder
This is California . . . it's supposed to be warm! Winter is not my favorite time of year, I'm cold by September, so tomorrow night's predicted 28 degree temperature is not making me a happy camper. Fortunately
I finally finished the fingerless gloves and I can not only type with them on but even knit. I'm now working on a different pattern in black Encore for our 14 yr old grandson who is a skateboarder and wants a pair. Waiting in line is a pair in purple for my sister-in-law. I'll use this patternfor hers. Scroll down a bit for the pattern in English.
Is your shopping finished? Mine is, save for one gift I'll buy at the last minute because it will be bought in Disneyland when we get there. Everything is wrapped and ready to go.
Tonight I made the decision, based on the predicted freezing weather, that my epies, all 90 pots of them, must be brought into the spare bedroom for wintering. Had we only expected a couple of hours of freezing temps they would have survived fine in our patio with the precautions I'd taken. Precautions have included a double layer of 4 mil plastic on the windows and frost cloth at the ready to protect them. With the low temps expected to last for several hours I decided I have too much time, caring and money tied up in them to lose them to the weather. I 
managed to bring in a bunch of them tonight and my friend Penni who also raises epies is going to help me bring the rest in tomorrow. Most of my plants are in 4 and 6 inch pots, so it's not a huge deal this year. Next year will be quite another story as these plants will all be in 6 inch or larger pots as they outgrow their starter pots. Not only that, but the plants can get huge as the plant in the photo shows. This photo was taken several months ago when we bought it, and it has since grown at least another foot in length on just this longest stem alone, not to mention the rest of it. This pot is at least a 16 inch pot. It's been sitting on a stool that makes it easily 18 inches off the ground and the 'leaf' (not accurate terminology) nearly touches the ground even though the texture is quite thick and almost leathery. Height is an issue as there is only a limited amount of space between the shelves of each unit. Some may have to sit on the floor, which I've decided to protect with the 4 mil plastic. It won't be pretty, but it will be worth it when the blooms come.
managed to bring in a bunch of them tonight and my friend Penni who also raises epies is going to help me bring the rest in tomorrow. Most of my plants are in 4 and 6 inch pots, so it's not a huge deal this year. Next year will be quite another story as these plants will all be in 6 inch or larger pots as they outgrow their starter pots. Not only that, but the plants can get huge as the plant in the photo shows. This photo was taken several months ago when we bought it, and it has since grown at least another foot in length on just this longest stem alone, not to mention the rest of it. This pot is at least a 16 inch pot. It's been sitting on a stool that makes it easily 18 inches off the ground and the 'leaf' (not accurate terminology) nearly touches the ground even though the texture is quite thick and almost leathery. Height is an issue as there is only a limited amount of space between the shelves of each unit. Some may have to sit on the floor, which I've decided to protect with the 4 mil plastic. It won't be pretty, but it will be worth it when the blooms come.Scarves From The Heart made their first donation to a homeless shelter last week when we took 60 scarves and 15 hats to a local shelter. We also delivered 50 scarves to St. Teresa Cancer Center last week, and this week we'll deliver 50 scarves to both St. Joseph's Regional Cancer Center and Stockton Hematology - Oncology Center. That will leave our reserves very low, so I hope everyone out there who knits and crochets will start a new scarf for SFTH as soon as they've completed their Christmas knitting and crocheting. We'd like to give scarves to a second shelter soon, so we're especially in need of basic scarves in bright cheery colors which are machine washable as many of these people don't have easy access to laundry facilities. If everyone out there is blessed and who knows how blessed they are, as I do, will help us by knitting or crocheting just one or two scarves we will be able to continue to give to these very deserving people who are going through tough times, whether it is because of cancer, or because of financial or other personal problems. If you don't knit or crochet, how about making a fleece scarf? You could maybe do something special to make it your own, so it's not just a simple rectangle, maybe cut some fringe, or make it pieced like a quilt.
Tomorrow will be a busy day with moving all the plants and then making dinner so we can treat Penni to dinner for her help, so it's 1:00 am and it's time I headed for bed. G'nite all! Grab those needles and hooks and start a scarf.
posted by Shelly @ 10:39 PM
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