Gratitude for Many Blessings in 2011

As the year comes to an end, I have many things to be thankful for, including (besides the obvious family and friends, food and shelter):

The life of Nancy Freeland, my dearest and closest friend. I will miss her greatly, but am grateful for the way she enriched my life.

A very happy Christmas that included a visit from my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter Mary, who came from Florida for a week. The four of us took a trip to the Big Apple, and the whole family ate a lot of Sally's Pizza (Wooster Street, New Haven, the best  in the world):

Lots of good food, including cookie-baking, laughter--especially during games of Apples to Apples--with them and my daughter Karen, her husband, and granddaughter Julia. I had found traditional Swedish and Norwegian foods online and almost locally and finished a number of knitted presents that were very well received.
Mary modeling the hat I made for her. Below, Julia wearing hers, both girls in the typical 21st century pose.

Here are two more
knitted gifts. A scarf for my son-in-law Chris and a hat for my dentist, Bridget.

The harvest, though small, from our first vegetable garden in many years.

Crossword puzzles, which distract me during times of stress.

New babies: Great-great nephew Liam ,

and next-door neighbor Elizabeth. See my previous posts for pictures of the quilts I made for them here and here.

Freshly painted walls in my living room and dining room--isn't it a great feeling?

A renewed domesticity; i.e. taking pleasure once again in knitting, cooking healthy food from scratch, clearing out some of the stuff I have accumulated over the years. (I have a long way to go, but I did start.)

Getting through Hurricane Irene and the October surprise snowstorm without a loss of electricity, trees, or water--although I did have "survivor's guilt," as many of my friends were not so fortunate.

My job at the local community college, where I teach math. I love the topic and my students.

Although the list can go on and on, I will end with all my quilting and blogging friends, many of whom I have never met, who inspire me to grow as an artist and who encourage me to stop being so self-critical. Thank you to all of you--you know who you are.

Happy New Year!