Warmth

I recently discovered that my favorite time of year is fall! Fall in West Virginia to be specific. It has started to cool down a bit here and although I am not totally confident that we are out of the woods as far as hot as Hades days go, I am very much enjoying the cooling weather when we have it.
 As the temperatures start to turn cooler I also remember that the holiday season is upon us. ( I also very much love the holidays - Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorites) I love the cooking and baking for Thanksgiving and the making of gifts for Christmas. My family decided a few years ago that handmade gifts would be the new norm around here. Handmade gifts are my favorite to give and receive. There is something so rewarding to see someone excited about something that you spent your time making. I still smile when I walk in my sister and brother-in-laws house and see the quilt I gave them last year draped over the back of their couch. My favorite knife in my kitchen is one my dad made me years ago for Christmas.

While this may have seemed a bit random I did have a point. With Christmas looming I started looking for ideas of gifts to give and started to really wish I knew how to knit. Well, lucky me, Michelle and Kerri came to Wednesday morning breakfast this week and taught me how to cast on and knit. I got comfortable with knitting and had my sister show me how to pearl while she was here last night. While I am far from knitting with any real efficiency, I am hoping to have it down enough to make a few gifts before December comes around.

This is my first try at knitting. I took this picture and them pulled it out!

In other warm news...

I canned peppers. I had picked up some banana peppers at the local farmers market, not because I had a clue what to do with them, but because they were pretty and only a dollar! After staring at them for a few days I decided to can them for future use. I used this super simple recipe and am pretty happy with it.
I say to you again.... do as I say not as I do.... WEAR GLOVES!!!

What are you looking most forward to with the coming season change?