Trip to the ER

We had lots of rain on Thursday and I slipped and fell forward on some slippery tile outside. I felt fine until the next morning when I woke up and my wrist was very sore! I went to my doctor Friday afternoon and he suggested I wait until Saturday and see how it is then. Well, yesterday morning my wrist and fingers were swollen and still sore so Dad took me into the ER.

In the ER, they took several x-rays but it didn't show any problems. The doctor told us that wrist fractures may not show up on x-ray for weeks so it's difficult to diagnose. Because they aren't sure if it's fractured or even broken, they put my wrist in a splint and told me to keep it immobile until Thursday when I will see the orthopedic surgeon. He'll probably take more x-rays and decide what the next step will be. In the meantime, I can't knit, crochet, go cycling, or even type on the computer with both hands! I'm praying that it's just a sprain although several websites say that a scaphoid fracture is easily confused with a sprain. The recovery time for a fracture can be weeks and if they have to put a cast on it, it'll be much longer!

Obviously, I won't be able to make any progress on either the Hanover hat or the baby throw. :(  Hopefully, I'll be back into the swing of things sooner than expected. Please continue posting about your progress; I'd love to see pictures of how everyone else is doing! Here's a video Sara took of me working on a square for the baby throw several days before I fell:

In reply to several comments, I use an Olympus Camedia camera. It has a really great macro feature that allows me to take high quality photos of small objects. You can also take 15sec video clips but it doesn't record sound. The camera actually belongs to my Dad and he uses it for his architecture business but he kindly lets me use it to take pictures for my blog. Thanks Dad! :-)

Hope you all have a blessed week!

Blossoms Are A Promise

Everyone is longing for spring and blossoms are always a promise of the sweet fruits and warmer weather to come :-) Yesterday, I took some pictures of the blossoms that are growing abundantly on the peach tree in our backyard .

 

Notice the tiny leaves that are starting to emerge!

And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.  Genesis 1:12

The Pale Blue Dot

Yes, an interesting name for a blog post indeed! While browsing through pictures of space this evening, I came across this amazing picture.

I know, the photo quality is very poor but you have to bear in mind that this photo was taken about 3.7 BILLION miles away from Earth by the Voyager I as it left our solar system on its travels into the depths of space. The cameras on the spacecraft turned back towards Earth and captured this photo just as Earth appeared suspended in a sunbeam. So, why am I sharing this picture? Well, it wonderfully illustrates God's love for us. This picture shows how SMALL we are. How vulnerable. How miniature when compared to the vastness of God's amazing creation. NASA says that the pale blue dot hardly occupies one quarter of a single pixel in the picture above! Yet, yet God sent His only begotten Son to die for us that we may live forever with Him! What a loving God we serve!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Love of God

The love of God is greater far 

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

And reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled, 

And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure! 

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints' and angels' song!

When years of time shall pass away 

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God's love so sure shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam's race

The saints' and angels' song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were ever stalk on earth a quill

And every man a scribe trade,

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Tho' stretched from sky to sky

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blessings,

Eden-May

KCA: The Fun Begins!

Yesterday, Sara and I went into town and visited our local yarn shop. The store didn't have much Vanna's Choice yarn to choose from so I decided to purchase several balls of Lion Brand's Cupcake yarn instead. Cupcake yarn is worsted weight like Vanna's Choice but the gauge works out slightly smaller so I might have to add a border to make up the difference in size. It's really soft and the colors are pretty too, so it's perfect for a baby blanket.

I've already started on making a square! 

I'm continuing to make progress on the Hanover hat. It probably measures about 2 inches right now, so I'm not quite at the halfway mark. I love working with Homespun yarn and this project is lots of fun!

If you haven't joined our knit or crochet along yet, it's not too late to do so. Participants will be knitting a hat or crocheting a baby throw, whichever you project you choose. There is no time limit and the patterns are rated easy so it would be great for beginners too! 

If you've already started working away at your project, please comment and let me know how you all are doing with your projects. 

Blessings, Eden-May

*Sorry if you tried to view this post earlier but weren't able to. I posted this  earlier but had to delete the post because it wasn't displaying properly.*

KCA: Getting Started

So I went through my closet a little bit yesterday and found a new ball of Homespun yarn! I think it'll be perfect for the Hanover hat. The pattern calls for Vanna's Choice which is worsted weight (or 4-ply) and size 9 needles, but since Homespun is bulky weight I'm going to use size 8 needles. I done a gauge and it works out just fine.

So far, we don't have any one interested in the crochet-along, but I'm still planning to purchase the yarn needed for the crochet blanket. If you would like to join us for either the knit or crochet-along, please comment below.

Have a blessed day!

~Eden-May

*KCA: Knit/Crochet Along

Bible Reading Progress

Thank you all for praying for me and my family! The cold wasn't too bad, I was sick the rest of the afternoon and a good part of Friday but felt much better this morning. Leah caught it too, and Mom and Dad feel "under the weather" today but they should feel better soon!

This weekend, I've been spending time catching up on the Bible reading I wasn't able to do while I was sick. Because we need to read about seven chapters a day to keep up with the challenge, it's quite easy to fall behind.  I only skipped a few evenings but had to spend a considerable amount of time getting caught up this morning. Now I'm a quarter (or 25%) finished reading the Scriptures! It's truly been a blessing to be a part of Kaylene's Bible reading challenge.

Hope you all are having a blessed day and have an enjoyable weekend!

Blessings,

Eden-May

I've Got the Cold!

Sara had the cold a few days ago, and now it looks like I've got it too. I really don't like colds, and hope this one isn't too bad. You probably won't see me writing/commenting for the next day or so as I'm going to try and focus on getting plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids.

I thought I had enough yarn to do both projects for the knit/crochet-along but it looks like I need to take a trip to the yarn store before I can begin. So, I'll let you know as soon as I get the yarn.

Hope you all have a blessed day!

~Eden-May

Knit and Crochet-Along

I haven't posted for several days because I couldn't think of something interesting to write about.  Sometimes, reading through my blog archives helps, and this time it worked. I noticed that I haven't written anything more on the knit/crochet along so here's an update. :-)

Because there seems to be split on which craft should be chosen, I'll feature two patterns, one crochet and the other knit. That way, we can all participate.

If you decide to join me in this knit and crochet-along, please write about your progress on your blog and link back to my blog. If you don't have a blog, you can still participate, just add a comment below letting us know you're joining in.

For the knitters, we'll be working on the Hanover Hat. The pattern calls for Vanna's Choice yarn and size 9(5.5mm) needles. Vanna's Choice is worsted weight yarn so you can substitute it with another yarn of the weight. The pattern is rated beginner and has several good reviews so it should turn out good. :-) To access the pattern, you'll need to register at Lion Brand's website. Registration is free and you gain access to over 2,000 free patterns! :-D 

I'll also be crocheting the 9-patch baby throw. This pattern is rated easy and also uses Vanna's Choice which is easy to substitute. It's made in 9 squares which are sewn together when you're done. I'm sure we could also add a good border around it too. :-)

Feel free to experiment with different yarns and colors to make something uniquely yours. I'll be posting on each project and the yarns I choose tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you all participate!

Blessings,

Eden-May

God's Smuggler

It would be really hard to choose just one hobby to call my favorite. I enjoy doing so many things. :-) But one of my favorite hobbies is reading. Of all the books to choose from, I particularly enjoy reading missionary biographies the most because they tell of zeal for the Gospel, stories of courage, and reports of God's work in foreign lands.

One of my all-time favorite books (other than the Bible) is God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew. We found excerpts of it online then decided to purchase it so we can get the full story. I've read it from cover to cover several times and we have the read the book together as family at least once. We've enjoyed reading his book so much because it's filled with so much excitement and adventure. For example, here's one of my favorite quotes from the book, taken from chapter ten "Lanterns in the Dark": 

"Just ahead was the Yugoslav border. For the first time in my life I was about to enter a Communist country on my own...I stopped the little Volkswagen on the outskirts of the tiny Austrian village and took stock.

The Yugoslav government in 1957 permitted visitors to bring in only articles for their personal use. Anything new or anything in quantity was suspect because of the black market thriving all over the country. Printed material especially was liable to be confiscated at the border, no matter how small the quantity, because coming from out of the country, it was regarded as foreign propaganda. Now here I was with car and luggage literally bulging with tracts, Bibles, and portions of Bibles. How was I to get them past the border card? And so, for the first of many times, I said the Prayer of God's Smuggler:

Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture that I want to take to Your children across the border. When You were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see.

And so, armed with this prayer, I started the motor and drove up to the barrier."

If you've read this book before, I hope you enjoyed this book as much as I did.  It's full of stories of modern-day miracles, the work of God in then-Communist countries, and the spreading of the Gospel. If you haven't read this book before, please look into purchasing it. You won't regret doing so!

Blessings,

Sunshine Award

I would like to thank Jenna at Feminine Farmgirl for awarding us the "Sunshine Award". It's ironic that today was so stormy and we received some sunshine, over Blogger. :-)

We're thankful to have been able to put a little sunshine in your day, Jenna.

Blessings,

Eden-May

Bermuda's Winter Weather

Thank you all for praying for us! When I posted earlier, we were eating breakfast as the lights dipped in and out. We were able to do our morning chores and some school work before we finally lost electricity around 11:45am. Out of habit, I tried to toast bread, heat up milk on our electric stove, and flip on the lights... only to remember that we were without power! I spent the afternoon, playing the piano, taking photos of the storm, and catching up on some reading. I also done a little crocheting. :-) These photos were the best we could get, while yet being safe. Storm force winds are not to played with as sudden gusts are uncommon and flying debris is dangerous too. Jude even spotted a waterspout but it disappeared before we could photograph it. The temperature dipped to a chilly 54 degrees, and the winds were clocked in excess of 70 knots, well above hurricane force. The weather was the most fierce right by the water so we tried to keep our distance. :-)

~took this shot shortly after breakfast~

~the sun broke through the clouds while yet more rain was on the horizon~

~more waves and wind~

~our cottage was sheltered from the wind~

~Jude watching the weather after the power went out~

~palm trees blowing in the wind~ 

~took this video from Willowbank's oceanfront patio, it was quite difficult to keep the camera steady as I filmed~

*sorry, no audio*

Joy Report: I'm happy we were kept safe during the wind and weather today. Praise God!

 Blessings,

Stormy Weather

Right now, we're getting really stormy weather. Strong winds with gusts to hurricane force, driving rain, and chilly temperatures (in the low 50s). We might even lose the power because the lights have been dipping! I'll try to take photos so you all can see what winter weather is like in Bermuda! :-)

Hope you all have a good day.

Blessings,

Blueberry Pecan Cookies

My sister Leah and enjoy baking and on Sunday, we decided to bake some cookies. We rarely use recipes and love to bake using our imagination and, most times, the results are delicious. ;-)

We decided to use up some of the fruits we had around and measured everything as we mixed it in so we can give the recipe to you all if it turned out right. :-)

Blueberry Pecan Cookies

5 fresh bananas

15 pitted dates

1 cup of blueberries

1 cup of chopped pecans, raw
1/4 cup of carob powder (optional, similar in taste to chocolate)

2 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups of rolled oats
1/2 tsp of salt

3/4 cup of warm water

First, put the oven on preheat at 350 degrees. Then blend the bananas and dates until smooth. You may need to add a little water to help it blend.

Next mix the flour, oats, carob powder, and salt together.

Add the blended fruit to the mixing bowl and add the warm water. Stir completely.

Then add the chopped pecans and blueberries. 

 

Use two spoons to scoop the dough into the pan. Use the back of a spoon to help "form" the cookie.

They should look something like this:

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the tops are crispy. Enjoy!

All of us agree that the cookies were the best we've tasted in a LONG time! If you try our recipe, please add a comment and let us know how they turned out. 

Blessings,

Knit or Crochet-Along?

Recently, I've been thinking about the many practical things we can make by knitting and crocheting. I thought that maybe we can do a knit-along or crochet-along, whichever you all prefer. Together, we can choose a good pattern, then we can all post our progress on our blogs! Preferably, I'd like to use a pattern that is simple, not too difficult or complicated. :-) Lion Brand has a handy pattern finder that allows me to search their patterns based on skill level, yarn, size etc. You can click on the links to look at each pattern and view a large picture.

Knit Hanover Hat

Knit Simply Perfect Baby Set

Crochet 9-Patch Baby Throw

Crochet Make It Yours Bordered Blankie

All of these patterns use worsted weight yarn and are rated beginner or easy. Hopefully, that will make it easier for you to join, regardless of your skill level. If you're a beginner and not sure if you can work through the pattern we decide on, let me know and I may be able to help you.

If you're interested in joining me in this knit or crochet-along, please comment letting me know which craft you'd prefer and which pattern you like best.

Blessings,

*Update: You need to register on Lion Brand's website to view the pattern. Registration is easy and free; and they don't send spam to your email address.*

Winds, Showers, and Cool Temperatures

The real winter weather has set in with winter gales, cold fronts, and chilly temperatures. The weather also gets really humid and rainy. For us in Bermuda, "chilly" is when the mercury sinks below 60 degrees. :-) Yes I know, we're really blessed when it comes to winter weather. The worse we'll get is temperatures in the low 50s, small hail, and storm force winds.

Today, the temperature was around 58 and quite breezy. We stayed warm by bundling up in knitted hats and scarfs, and turned on the oil-filled radiators. It's always fun when we get comfortable in our cozy living room, and read the Bible on chilly nights.  Our family goal for this year is to finish reading through the Bible and right now we're finishing up the book of Deuteronomy. Because we began last year, we are a little ahead and should be able to meet our goal. :-)

~~~

Joy Report for Feb. 4: I was able to finish my blue dish cloth and purchase more yarn to make the next one in the set. I'm glad that my favorite yarn was still available at the yarn shop for an affordable price. Praise God for blessing me with simple things (like yarn) that put a smile on my face. :-)


Blessings,

Eden