To all who have served our country in the past and all who are currently serving, thank you.

Did you know that Veterans Day, which used to be known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I?  In 1938 legislation was passed declaring November 11th  as “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.’”   In 1954 legislation, the word “Armistice” was replaced with the word “Veterans” and Nov. 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Thanksgiving 2005, in clay

I was looking through my photo archives and found this photo from 2005.  It is a clay Thanksgiving feast that my youngest son created four years ago!  I love it!  Can you see the carrots, peas, mashed rutabagas and potatoes?  How about the filled fruit bowl, the brown rolls, the stuffed green olives and the gravy in the gravy boat?  There’s also the turkey, mashed potatoes (I think?), green beans (another one I’m not sure of!?)  There are plates and napkins and forks and knives and cups and candles!  We saved all of these clay creations and I found them a few days ago.  They are looking a little worse for wear and need to be fixed up.  I asked my boy if he would fix them and he said, “Nah, you can do it.”  Sigh.  I guess even my youngest child is getting too old for things like this.  But, it’s a sweet memory.

If you would like to join me in walking down memory lane today, leave a link to your blog post or photo in Mr. Linky!  If you don’t have a blog, tell us about a memory in the comment section.  I want to hear from everybody!  (If Mr. Linky  isn’t working, you can put your link in the comments section.)  Please remember to:

• Leave a link to the specific blog post, not to your general blog address, to make it easier for people to find your memory post.
• Make sure your link works and that it goes to your specific memory post.
• Put a link back to here in your post so that your readers can come and read about everyone’s memories!
• Visit the other participants and please leave comments on their posts!  We all love comments!
• Enjoy the party and come back next week for Monday Memories: The Thirty-seventh!

Crochet Pilgrim Hat

Pattern created by Gayle www.planetmfiles.com

Size: Approximately 2 inches tall

Materials:

• Worsted weight yarn.  I used Red Heart Super Saver, Color:  Black
• Worsted weight yarn.  Small amount of Gold or Yellow.  I used gold.
• Stitch marker (I use a small piece of a contrasting color of yarn)
• Crochet Hook – Size G

Gauge: Not important

Abbreviations: sc = single crochet, ch = chain, sl st = slip stitch, st = stitch, sc inc = single crochet increase.

Notes: This hat is made in rounds.  Rounds are worked in continuous spirals, do not join.  Do not turn at the end of each round.

Hat

1. chain 2.
2. 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Mark first st for beginning of round and move marker up for each round.
3. 2 sc in each sc around – 16 sc.
4. In back loops only, 1 sc in each sc around – 16 sc.
5. Working in both loops again, 1 sc in each sc around for 4 rounds – 16 sc in each round.
6. In front loops only, 1 sc in each sc around – 16 sc.
7. Working in both loops again, *sc inc, 1 sc in next sc* around – 24 sc.
8. *sc inc, 1 sc in next 2 sc* around – 32 sc.
9. Sl St.
10. Finish off and weave in yarn ends.

Belt  – to go around Hat (The belt is not worked in rounds.)

1. Ch 21 (Depending on your gauge you may have to chain more or less.  Make the chain long enough to go around the hat as shown in the photos.)
2. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each chain.
3. Finish off leaving a yarn tail long enough to sew belt onto hat.
4. Using a small amount of gold or yellow yarn, sew a buckle onto the middle of the belt by making a rectangle with straight stitches.  I knotted the gold yarn and hid the yarn ends in the belt.

Assembly

1. Sew the belt onto the hat with the yarn ends.

You are finished!

Please remember, this pattern and the photos on this website are copyrighted.  All Rights Reserved.

© 2008 to the end of time – Planet M Files

Have you made my crochet monkey, or monkey two?  This hat looks really cute on them!

If you have any questions, you can leave them in the comments or email me: gayle at planetmfiles dot com

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Visit my free pattern archives for more crocheting fun!

Who could pass up a bunch of bananas with that cute, smiley, lovey face sticker?!

Someone in this house, whose name is Timmy, happens to love bananas with all his heart.  He can be in any room of the house and if he gets the scent of banana, he comes running!  Of course he always gets a piece of banana.  We can’t resist his cute little face!

Today I’m joining Karen at chookooloonks for Love Thursday and maya at springtree road for November in Black + White 2009!

Happy Love Thursday!

Today I’m joining maya’s november in black + white 2009!  I met maya last year during november in black & white, and I’m really excited that she is doing it again this year!

You can go and browse through the Springtree Road in Black and White Flickr pool and see all of the lovely contributions so far!

Carved by my twelve year old son this year

Memories of Halloween’s past…

Homemade costume of Blue from Blue’s Clues for one of my boys, homemade fireman’s costume for my tiny daughter, making paper jack-o-lanterns with springy paper arms and legs, picking out little pumpkins – one for each kid, pirate costumes, monster costumes, vampire killer costume, Cleopatra costume, little pumpkin buckets for collecting candy, excitement at going out walking IN THE DARK!, hearing scary noises in the woods as we walk from house to house – was that a bat?!, arriving back at our house at the end of the long walk up and down our street and emptying the candy out to see what’s good and what’s not!

If you would like to join me in walking down memory lane today, leave a link to your blog post or photo in Mr. Linky!  If you don’t have a blog, tell us about a memory in the comment section.  I want to hear from everybody!  (If Mr. Linky  isn’t working, you can put your link in the comments section.)  Please remember to:

• Leave a link to the specific blog post, not to your general blog address, to make it easier for people to find your memory post.
• Make sure your link works and that it goes to your specific memory post.
• Put a link back to here in your post so that your readers can come and read about everyone’s memories!
• Visit the other participants and please leave comments on their posts!  We all love comments!
• Enjoy the party and come back next week for Monday Memories: The Thirty-sixth!

Timmy had to sniff around and give his approval.  The entire time I was expecting him to lift his leg on a decoration, but he didn’t!

Happy Halloween and Happy Weekend!  I hope plenty of treats await you!

I’m joining Christina’s Pink Thoughts today.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, but please don’t put this out of your mind once November comes along.  Today I’m sending love out to all those touched by this disease.

“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”
– Peter Marshall

Do you remember my Pink Thoughts post from last week?  I told you about my husband hearing something about early detection practices being questioned.  I have been searching the internet and haven’t been able to find a story about this, but my blogging buddy Katie at Can’t Get There From Here did find two stories on the internet.  Please go over to Katie’s post and click on the links she has provided.  The more informed we all are, the better.

We went apple picking last Sunday.  We really lucked out because it wasn’t too crowded but as we were leaving there was a line of cars driving in.  It’s a pretty small place with not much parking, but apparently this year it was discovered.  Maybe they advertised.  We tried to go a couple of weeks ago and the line going into the parking lot was huge, so we just drove right by.  I know it’s great for the owners but I feel a little sad that it has become so overrun with people.  Sigh.  There weren’t even many apples left on the trees!  There were plenty of apples on the ground under the trees – in the poison ivy.  You know I stayed away from the poison ivy!

My oldest son didn’t come with us.  He was at a friend’s house practicing with their band with the goal of performing in our high school’s rock concert in January.  It is a very big fundraiser for the junior class.  He has had a tough time getting his band-mates together.  I’m hoping that they get enough practice in to perform and to feel proud of their performance.  In February of this year he and two of his friends performed at our high school in a fundraiser for the people of La Carpio, Costa Rica.  That performance came off with not much practice at all!

As soon as we got home I made Apple Crisp!  Next I want to try Christina’s Apple Crostata!

This Is Where My Heart Lives by Gayle

Their giggles, their sweet smiles, hugs, the smell of apple cake in the oven, lasagna, christmas trees, christmas lights, the smell of spring, a soft warm blanket, his guitar music, her drawings, his cooking, their stories, the smell of puppy breath, the way he snuggles with me in bed, his morning smile, his excitement when he hears the word frisbee, lilacs, avocados, hyacinths, the sun on my face, warm winds, the color of her hair in the sun, his curls, his love of family games, green tea iced tea, pine cones, levi jeans, warm slippers, tacos, swinging really high, freshly baked bread, their excitement on Christmas eve, hunting for Easter eggs, ham, broccoli rabe, his little black nose, playing Uno with my family, yarn, baking Christmas cookies with them, his silly jokes, sandboxes and swimming pools, wrapping them in a pool towel and hugging them tight, breathing them in.

Go over to Mrs. e’s and see everyone’s entries!

I know this isn’t my usual type of Monday Memories post but I would still love for you to share your memories! If you have something to share with us today, leave a link to your blog post or photo in Mr. Linky.  If you don’t have a blog, tell us about a memory in the comment section.  I want to hear from everybody!  (If Mr. Linky  isn’t working, you can put your link in the comments section.)  Please remember to:

• Leave a link to the specific blog post, not to your general blog address, to make it easier for people to find your memory post.
• Make sure your link works and that it goes to your specific memory post.
• Put a link back to here in your post so that your readers can come and read about everyone’s memories!
• Visit the other participants and please leave comments on their posts!  We all love comments!
• Enjoy the party and come back next week for Monday Memories: The Thirty-fifth!