NaBloPoMo #20: Friday links

*Friday links are a selection of some of my favorite posts, recipes, articles, and photos from this past week.

My mom sent me this photo of her backyard and I love the late fall/early winter feel of it.

It's been a long week so I am ready for a relaxing weekend.  My husband was in NYC for one night for work, but that turned into two nights thanks to weather delays at LaGuardia. Thankfully he made it out on an albeit painfully early flight today.

This incredibly moving article about overcoming adversity definitively puts things in perspective.

Before he made it home, my husband spent 7 hours at the airport, so here is an article about things to do when stranded at an airport.

Sadly, a much loved pet in our family passed away this week. Here is an article about dealing with the loss of a pet.

NaBloPoMo #19: Dream Big

From today's writing prompt: where would you want to retire if money wasn't an issue?

Living in the central part of NC, we're about equidistant to the mountains and the beach. Since I love visiting both, I'd have a house at each so I could enjoy the best of both words. I'd live in the mountains during the summer and fall and at the beach during the winter and spring.

(Oak Island, NC)

(Blue Ridge Parkway, near Asheville, NC)

NaBloPoMo #18: Yarn Along

Joining Ginny in posting about two of my favorite things -  reading and knitting.

I just started the first book in a trilogy (the other two aren't out yet) and it's really good! The character and setting remind me quite a bit of Louse Penny. It's set in the countryside near Montreal and the main character, a retired police detective, is called out of retirement to investigate the murders of two Surete du Quebec officers at a remote farmhouse the day after a massive blizzard. But there are no tracks in the snow leading either to the house or away. So what happened?

In addition to some Christmas knitting (which I can't show), I am working on my latest shawl. I really like how the stripes are coming out.

NaBloPoMo #17: Ten on Tuesday

Joining Carole for Ten on Tuesday: 10 Places You Hang Out

1. My recliner - my husband calls it my command center. It's where I sit and read, knit, watch tv etc.

2. My bed - it's hard to see but off to the left is a TV in our closet. I like to curl up on my side and watch it before I go to sleep. My husband calls it "sideways TV".

3. My desk at work

4. My church

5. The pool - most Monday, Wednesday and Fridays at noon until ~1:15 this is where you'll find me, in the second lane from the right. I am a part of a masters team (USMS.org)

6. The gym - Tuesday and Thursday and sometimes Friday mornings I do strength training

7. The library - I used to use the bookmobile (which I loved!) but sadly the bookmobile died so until they replaced it, the wonderful librarian kept it going first using a library van then her own car. She retired in late August just as the new bookmobile finally came in, but the current administration didn't see our stop as a priority (well duh, with no bookmobile for nearly 3 years the number of patrons using it declined) so it's been eliminated. I love to read so I use the branch closest to our house, but I still miss my wonderful bookmobile librarian.

8. Choir loft - I joined our church choir this year (my husband was already in it) and we our getting ready for our Christmas musical on Dec 13th. We are singing the entire musical from memory (the words will be on the screen) but even so I am starting to get a bit nervous.

9. Walking trails near our house

10. the internet, specifically Ravelry

NaBloPoMo #16: Hope in the Darkness

The last few days have been full of hard, upsetting news that make me feel helpless and sad and lonely. Just to name a few - the attacks in Paris, a friend's husband dying from cancer a few days before he would have turned 33, news that a favorite author's husband died from cancer, the day my sister's dog was in such pain it was time to make THAT call to the vet. All so very different but all cause pain and sadness and hopelessness. Days like these make me want to just stay in bed with the covers over my head but I choose to get up and keep going. Hug all of my loved ones tight, cling to my faith, and focus on the so many good things that I have in my life. And remember that there is hope and it will outshine the darkness.

NaBloPoMo #15: Sunday Sky

NaBloPoMo #14: Some days there are just no words