A Day of Celebration and Joy

Emily's soccer team won the Championship today and Emily received her first award. 

She is so proud of herself and her team.

This was Emily's first season of soccer and she had a great time playing defense.

With great pride Emily describes to me what her job is as a defense girl.  "I play the field between the two white lines in front of our net.  My job is to defend our net, to keep the soccer ball away from our goal and to prevent the other team of scoring".

A job that she received an award for... 

"But Grandma I didn't do it alone! Everyone on the team worked really hard and we won because we are a good team"

A job that her and her team received awards for.

Today also saw a new life brought into this world

My dear friend Barb Burkard has a new Grandson 

Volker William Burkard Gehiere

 and Mina has a baby brother.

I am reading the book

One Thousand Gifts 

by Ann Voskamp 

in this book Ann "Dare['s us] To Live Fully Right Where You Are

In her book she seeks out joy in every moment and to keep a journal a list of these moments as they are happening, her goal is 1,000 moments of joy.  I have started to keep my own list, a task that is much harder than it first seems.  The business of living life creates a type of noise that prevents me from being mindful of these moments as they are happening.  At the end of the day I can look back and recall where the opportunity of Joy presented itself and for these I give thanks.  This however is not what I believe Ann wants for herself or us her readers.  

In recalling these moments after the fact I am "...see[ing] through a glass, darkly but then face to face: now I know in part..." and what I understand Ann to be describing is "... but then shall I know as also I am known" 1 Corinthians 13:12.  She is describing noticing the Joy that comes from knowing yourself through your Creator.

This is what we are witnessing in the photos in today's blog we are standing witness to human beings knowing themselves through the Joy of their Creator in them as the Created.

 

 Grandma Snyder

 

Safe Hiking In Shared Spaces with the Eastern Massasauga Rattesnake

I am attending the North American Council on Adoptable Children in Toronto Ontario Canada.  Twice during breaks I have been part of a discussion around hiking the Bruce Peninsula and the dangers of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake.  

In one discussion a Grandfather described how he was hiking with his daughter and granddaughter.  5 kilometers into the hike and 2 kilometers from the car they came across a large Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake. The snake was less than a 10 centimeters off the path coiled and rattling.  The path was described as wide enough for a single person pass and with an immediate drop down the escarpment on the opposite side from the snake.  Their problem was which way to go: hike 5 kilometers back to the car or find a way around the snake. The second conversation was a couple discussing the reason they would never take their children camping or hiking on the Bruce Peninsula and yes it was because of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake.

Paul and I vacationed with our children and up until this year our grandchildren on the Bruce Peninsula where we have a seasonal campsite at Miller’s Family Campground.  We never worried about Rattlesnakes.  In the 15 years we camped on the Bruce we saw maybe 6 Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake and never when we were at any risk a a bite.  Were we naïve and lucky or can the issue of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake be safely managed for families with children.

To answer this question I turned to the Internet and I found out that there has been an increase of snake bits this year. 'Unusual number of snake bites in Ontario this summer' Toronto Star.  In the article I learned that there has six snake bites so far this year, an unusually high number.  The weather this year combined with a loss of natural habitat has meant that there are more snakes in the same area as the hikers.  Link to the article :  http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/07/17/unusual_number_of_snake_bites_in_ontario_this_summer_official_says.html  

 Safe Hiking

The following websites provide important information on keeping yourself and your family safe with hiking the Bruce Peninsula:

• http://www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca/Hazard/Fact_Sheets/Eastern_Massasauga_Rattlesnake.htm

• http://www.thebrucepeninsula.com/wildlife.html

 I took these two pictures on one of our hikes years ago

Paul and I will keep on hiking by:

1. Always hike in hiking boots and loose long pants.
2. Always being alert to where you put your feet and hands
3. When we hear the distinctive rattle we will not run.  We will stop and determine where the snake is and move away in the opposite direction.
4. We will never touch or harass the snake.
5. We will teach our children and grandchildren what the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake looks like and how to act if they encounter one.
6.  We will always keep our dogs on a leash when hiking with them.

 

Following the safety precautions identified on the two websites and teaching children to always respect nature hiking is both a safe and fun family activity.

The Bruce Peninsula remains a wonderful place to spend time with Grandchildren.  

 

 

Grandma Snyder

Free Crochet Pattern

My First Crochet Pattern

Last February Emily and Ruth asked me to make more outfits for their 5 inch baby dolls.   Ruth added one caveat to this request she wanted the underpants to fit better.  I had to agree with her so I set about creating my first crochet pattern.

I have long admired my girlfriend Barb, she has been creating original crochet patterns for years so with Barb as a mentor I spent the next 6 months working it out.  Ok really I put off working on the problem until this past weekend.

Five inch Doll Fancy Pants

Using size 10 cotton and a 1.75 crochet hook chain 40 stitches and join the chain into a circle with a slip stitch. 

Round #1 single crochet in each stitch join round with a slip stitch

Round #2 single crochet in each stitch join round with a slip stitch

Round #3 single crochet in the first three stitches and then for the next 14 stitches single crochet into the back loop only and return to crocheting through both loops and join round with a slip stitch

Round #4 repeat round #1

Round #5 repeat round #3

Round #6 repeat round #1

Round #7 repeat round #1

Row #8 single crochet for 20 stitches turn

Row #9 chain 1 decrease one stitch and single crochet to last two stitches and decrease across these two stitches turn

Row #10 through #11 repeat round #9

Row #12 chain 1 decrease two stitches, single crochet to last three stitches and decrease two stitches turn (10 stitches)

Row #13 through #15 repeat round 12 (2 stitches)

Row #16 single crochet in each stitch turn

Row #17 single crochet in each stitch and cut the thread lock stitch.

Pick up stitch 21 of round and repeat rows 8 through 17

Join the two row 17s together for form the underpants.

Back Lace:

Return to the first row of 14 stitches crocheted into the back loop.  Pick up the front loop and chain three then double crochet twice in the same loop, single crochet in the next loop, three double crochet in the loop and repeat this across, cut the thread and repeat this for the second line of available front loops.

Pick up 20 single crochet around each the pant leg and repeat the three double crochet followed by a single stitch. 

I hope that you enjoy this free crochet pattern for 5 inch baby dolls.

Our collection of 5 inch dolls and the clothing we have made for them.

 “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.” Bil Keane

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls