Easter in India and -0.5

Hello, dears! Today just a post about main events of the last week. One of them was, as some of you might know, an Orthodox Easter. This year it happened very late, and here in India, I didn't feel at all like it was IT actually, with +40 C outside and sunshine from morning till evening. However, our small community of Russian wives here made it tradition to get together on this holiday, attracting our husbands to participate in celebration and enjoy Russian dishes :) At least my husband got used to heavy Russian meals, long talks at the table, and drinks. Okay, this is true :)

I too prepared Easter eggs. This year they were coloured pretty well. I decorated them with stickers I got from home last to last year - so good to see familiar pictures!

 

Some stickers I made myself from a glittery Indian tape :)

Another (remarkable for my life) thing happened - I was prescribed to wear spectacles! Yuppie! Well, not all the time, as I have got only -0.5. I shall use specs when I read, watch TV, crochet, etc. And as the doctor said: " Parties and all - you can go without specs." Thank you, this was some relief to know! So now I will have cozy times wearing my new beautiful accessory and reading one of my favorite novels (which I by the way, ordered on line).

I had had a busy week start. Our preschool mentor came from USA to give parenting and teachers' workshops. It was a thrilling experience! She, always smiling American lady, a great educator, professor and a wonderful personality, has been practising Buddhism for over 25 years now! Her passion for whatever she does in life made me see a clear path of my further career development as well and all prospects it may have. I wish I had more time for everything and for everyone. Though I am grateful to the powers of Universe for giving me such friends, who care for me so much, because it was them who insisted on me having eye check up done. I have got really nice people recently into my life, who encourage me to be a better person and a better friend. 

Have an inspiring week, my dears!

Turning Into Second Half - Wednesday Blanket Update on Thursday

I would not like to sound ungrateful or something but happened so that all my in-laws went to the wedding and we stayed home ALONE for few days!We had a pleasurable weekend with my D spent with friends and with each other. We had family like deals to do: shopping, food preparation, watching TV... I enjoyed all that so much! Day before yesterday my D made (with my help. hehe) a yummy kadai paneer - a kind of cheese common in South Asian cuisine. I'd like to repeat this tasty experience soon.

However the circumstances played with me again and I was not able to give a blanket progress update this week on time. It disappoints me, because I thought it would be a consistent weekly post.

 I achieved something with the blanket - started to making a second half of the squares. It seemed like after this the progress went far faster and I can  feel that it will not take me long to finish the project. It was noticed by my D as well when I put all the blocks and squares on the bed.  This is going to be a thrilling blanket, the room would definitely look brighter and more cheerful :) We went to buy more yarn for the blanket last weekend, because I was worried it wouldn't be sufficient when I start making the border. These are the squares waiting to be made into blocks of 4.

I purchased some yarn  for a dream clothing project I am planning  to engage with pretty soon. Yes, I want to continue my ventures in cloth crocheting, as I had already made that Bolero last year. Crocheting of the clothing items is not scary once you get the gauge right. When  I tried to crochet first rows with this yarn I got scared that I wouldn't be able to SEE the stitches as it has all those lashes which fill up the spaces, but I found the way out by simply feeling the next stitches with my finger tips and counting every stitch as I crochet the rows.

 Some closer look of the thread - all way fluffy and soft! Can't wait to wrap myself into a coat made from it!

Nothing more to tell about, just same routine of office, coming home and lazying around...I feel very hot here this Summer, like I can't avoid feeling hot as soon as I go out of the AC room. They promise even higher temperatures this year, like around +50 C!!! In this case I will go to my native place and stay there as long as possible :)
Stay safe and happy wherever you are! Hope you all had a n enjoyable weekend and have some good plans for the coming up :)

Do What Makes You Happy - Friday Garden

Hello, dears! Yes, I know, I didn't make my weekly blanket post. There were few reasons, one of them was (is) the absence of the internet connection at home which issue will be fixed soon hopefully. Today I invented to upload pictures from camera on USB and then copy to my office computer. I decided though to show blanket progress next week and today carry on with Friday Garden. There hasn't been happening much in here, but still I have found few interesting things.

Few months ago we noticed some plant growing in our garden - it was a self-sowed spinach. These days it has become a big bush with numerous seeds, which I'd like to collect and plant again - isn't this nature's miracle?

The same way this lonely marigold has grown under the citrus tree, you can see the dry leaves underneath. I remember planting orange marigolds, but definitely not in this place, so another independently sowed member of our garden. 

The lettuce of which I was so proud back in March has produced little yellow flowers, and it means I'll be able to seed more of my Russian leafy veggies later on. 

Oh well, here is again that same story as with a crochet heart - have no idea how the hanging pockets actually hang on the trees! Though I don't think this was the best place for them to be so I took them to my room. Okay, enough of flirting with my crochet projects - yes this is the one I was asking you to guess what it was. Aishwarya was right. The idea of hanging organizers was not mine, I got inspired by a glimpse of it on Pinterest and HAD to try it out! The pattern Crochet Wall Pockets  is sold on Ravelry ... but I was able to figure out how to make them myself (come on, I've been into this hobby for more than a year now! hehe). The only thing I'd like to change is a stick on which the pockets are buttoned. I have to search for a suitable tree branch today.

I took many pictures not because I so adored what I've made, but because light didn't allow me to reveal true colors. But I think that this picture is the closest to the original. I used one of my favorite yarn - Millenuim acrylic yarn by Vardhman. I'm planning to do yarn shopping next week, as I have no patience to be busy with the same project all the time and plan to make some winter clothing item for myself.

I've linked the Crochet Wall Pockets to Creative Everyday Challenge Color theme of the month . 

We might go for a wedding this weekend, but I don't really feel like and will be more than happy to stay home (if possible) and do my favorite things. Yea, I know it is selfish and all ... but when your heart doesn't want something, how can you force yourself?

Have a nice day and a great weekend ahead! "Do what makes you happy" (if possible).

Calendula and a Cheshire Heart - Friday Garden

Good evening, my dears! It is late evening here now, I am almost sleeping, as the day has been a little hectic and I'm going to office tomorrow. I was making my D ready for a trip to Rishikesh - a must destination for many tourists who come to India. This is a holy place as well as a place famous for adventurous sports like river rafting, biking and camping. So I wish he would enjoy all these and will have some interesting photos to share. And speaking of me, he promised to take me there too, but this time it was strictly only employees' entertainment. 

So I am being a nice wife, continued my gardening and crocheting, and D, being a caring and attentive husband, brought these flowers from his office yesterday. Calendula was always a necessary  flower at my parents' dacha, I hope to continue this tradition.

 

This type of Calendula has cute fluffy blossoms. They were looking fine today after being planted into a pot...

What I can't say about this one, perhaps it shouldn't have been taken out of the soil while still having flowers. Though I hope it will get accustomed to new environment.

I have no idea how a stripy heart got into a post about garden :) Today was my friend's birthday, so I gifted her a new version of my Cheshire heart - with little bit of beads and sequins. I've gifted already many of these hearts and I enjoy making them a lot, and now to embellish, why haven't I thought of doing it before? "Good thought comes afterwards" according to a Russian saying.

Aha! Now I know why the heart decided to pop up here - it pretended to be a fruit on our citrus tree. How clever of you! The pattern for this heart can be found here.

Now I have to think of what I am going to do this weekend, as my D will not be with me. This is not an issue as soon as you have hobbies and projects in progress. Or friends who might take you out. Let's see how it all goes.

Have a great relaxing weekend wherever you are!

Summer Blanket and Something New - Wednesday Update

There is not even a single day without us hearing that some tragedy has happened.Yes, I am talking about the attack in Boston, the earthquake in Iran... the waves of the latter we felt even here, in Chandigarh. All the news channels concentrate on these two "events", creating more anxiety and hopelessness. I am really grateful that me and my family are able to start this day and enjoy its beauty. But I wish we all could...I wish we could live without fear being attacked or killed or hurt...

But as we are here now, we keep on living and dreaming... and blogging. We have to bring more happiness in the world. And many of us do. With the idea of 52 weeks of Happy for example, or by posting nice pictures and saying kind words to each other. I really feel that the blogger community can make the world better, let's think how.

Day before yesterday I was sitting in my room in the evening and heard a strong deep meow at our backyard... I smiled. It meant that some cat came to us. I rushed there and saw a grey furry creature standing on the wall and looking right back at me. I hurried back to pick my camera and took few snaps. Here in India people usually don't keep cats as pets, so you would generally see pet dogs, but cats.. they just come and go. Last year there was another cat who used to come to us and we used to feed it, but then she disappeared... For me, a cat lover, meeting a half wild cat, and moreover, almost in our house, is such a treat!

Oh yea, you must have recognized this already. It has started having a more blanket-y look. I feel it is going to be a great result  thanks to all of you who made me believe in this. If I continue working in this tempo, I'll 

Here is how many more squares have come up and need to be stitched together soon. This way I'd have 23 blocks. I got a little bored with blanket crocheting and decided to make some little side project.

Here are three squares I crocheted yesterday evening. There will be only three of them. So could you guess what is it going to be?:) I will give a link to the square pattern later, when I find it in my laptop.

I am using DK acrylic yarn of Indian brand Vardhman. I like its colors and texture reminds wool a lot. I think of making a throw out of this yarn later on. There are lovely patterns on the Red Heart website which I pinned in my Crochet patterns. I like this one and this one the most, but others are also so pretty, aren't they?

Well, let's first rest our fingers and finish this small something. I am sure it'll be a useful thing in my room. Okay, enough hints for you now. I am off to do my job and look forward being back home and crocheting. Also I didn't forget about a promised giveaway on achieving 100 followers, so it'll happen soon.

Wish you to have a peaceful day, be safe and happy!