Fall Colored Block Scarf

Well I finished my scarf. Now I'm working on the hat. The colors don't look exactly right, but you get the idea. I'm doing the hat with circular needles. I've never done circular knitting before. It was a little hard to get started, but once I got about 2" in it got a lot easier. If it fits and turns out well I think I'll make another one in creamy white yarn.

I've been thinking a lot about Laura, Manly and Rose's life on their Rocky Ridge Farm. We talk a lot about simplicity and frugality. They were an example of both. In this book I just finished they are forced to move to town because their crops failed. Their life changes and becomes more complex, busier and more social. They didn't like town living at first and missed the peace and quiet of the country, but they began to see the advantages and took advantage of them. They had a much larger home that was pretty empty when they moved in. The idea was to take in a couple of boarders so they had to get some furniture eventually. Manly found there were a lot of bargains, to be had, in town when you were there Johnnie on the spot. With his skills he could repair things that others didn't want to bother with and they gradually furnished the rest of the house.

 I'm curious to see what happens when they go back to the farm. I know they end up with a bigger home at some point on the farm. It just showed me that they learned to be frugal and didn't get things until they really needed them. They made most of what they needed on the farm and I know they thought their homemade items were just as good if not better than what they could buy. When they moved to town they were able to get some things through trading and taking what others didn't want in town, but they still stuck to their frugal lives. They did find that they needed more clothes and nicer clothes. Rose was growing up and becoming a young lady and their social life had picked up. They didn't feel they could go to town in their old chore clothes. So sometimes our lifestyle dictates how we spend our money. They could get by on  the farm because no one saw them.

 Manly was more of a spend thrift than Laura. She had to keep him in check. He bought her a new fangle butter churn that made butter in 3 mins. She kept cutting herself on it and asking for her old churn back. She finally threw it out the window and broke it. She got her old churn back.  The main thing I learned about simple frugal living is to only get what you need today and to make do until you can meet the need without debt. Also I learned that a very simple life can be a narrow life. It's all about choices, but also knowing what really makes you happy. Not everyone is cut out for a very simple life. They got much busier in town, but they had to work to pay off debt and provide for their needs, so they did what they had to do by moving to town. They made the best of it by embracing the parts they liked, but I have a feeling they will be happy to go back, but will they be changed. I don't know, we will see.

I'm adding new lists to my side bar, this weeks it's some organizing sites. Some of them also have cleaning and decorating posts on them too. One I liked is Bowl Full of Lemons. She has some challenges, a 21 day challenge and some weekly challenges. I also like I Heart Organizing. A girl after my own heart. I haven't been doing much organizing lately, but need to get back to decluttering. I haven't been doing much except reading.

I took the ferry over to visit my dd and see her new townhouse. I always enjoy the ferry ride, but going to the city always tires me out. We went to church and out to lunch and I helped her hang up some pictures and met her new housemate. So it was a pleasant day. A break from my narrow, simple life. lol

Linda