God – Cosmicknitter

September 13, 2025September 13, 2025

The Garden

I had an encounter with God today that changed me and I want to shout it from the rooftop! Consider this post the rooftop!

It is Saturday morning. A beautiful and sunny September day in Rhinebeck, NY. The Dutchess County Fairgrounds is having a hazardous waste collection event, and I am in a long queue of cars waiting for the gates to open. As I waited, I prayed the Rosary; first the Joyful Mysteries, then the Luminous (it was a long line). My windows were down and as I fingered the beads, I could hear the birds sing. There were loud crows off to the left by the power lines. A breeze was blowing through the window and my mind turned to nature and the beauty of God’s creation. But I found myself asking God how nature can be so beautiful but mankind (made in His image and likeness) can be so ugly.

And that’s when it happened. The line of cars, all the people driving them and all the staff working this event were transformed in to flowers.

Flowers of every color and every size. Tall flowers and short flowers. Fragrant flowers and stinky flowers (I’m looking at you, daisy). Flowers with thorns, and flowers with ants.

There I sat, in the midst of a garden, and it was BEAUTIFUL!

What if I greeted everyone I met the same way I greet my garden in the morning. Yes…I talk to my plants. So as I moved through the queue, I said “hello, my dear friend” and it felt so good! Then I met Miguel. I told him that I thanked God for the beautiful day since they had to work outside. He said he noticed the beads in my hand and shared that he prayed the Rosary, too. I told him I would pray for him and his colleagues. That’s when he asked my name. “Regina”, I told him. “Ah…the Queen” was his response. With that he shouted to his colleagues “YO! Head’s Up! The Queen is here and she is praying for us!” And like bees to a flower, my car was surrounded by wonderful, joyful people thanking me for my prayers. God is so good!

Do I expect people to believe me? No. It was a deeply personal encounter intended for my eyes only. But don’t be idle. Make the effort to spend time in conversation with God. Have your own encounter!! You have free time. Put the phone away and use that time to grow in love…Love of God and love of your fellow man. Our Creator is a Master Gardener and you are one of his prized flowers. If you give your life to Him, he can transform you.

God has done great things for me, and holy is His name.

I love you all!

ReginaMary

January 10, 2022November 30, 2023

On God and Fruitcake

Do you think God has an opinion on fruitcake? I started thinking about this on my walk today. To be accurate I started thinking about Genesis 4.

Genesis

Cain and Abel

Pleasing God

First fruits

Old fruit

Fruitcake

Does God like fruitcake? It’s a perfectly normal question.

For decades I have heard the story of Cain and Abel but never understood why God was so unhappy with Cain. I am listening to the Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike for the second year (yes, it’s that good) and it was his explanation of Genesis 4 that finally made things click. Abel gave God his first fruits while Cain sort of gave God his sloppy seconds. The re-gifted fruitcake. No parent would stop loving their child over a fruitcake, but it would be a sad encounter for sure! And that led me to think about my daily offerings. What part of my day do I give to God? Most days it is the very first thing I do each day. I say most days. And this is ultimately the icing on the fruitcake. This is what I took away from that chapter in Genesis and the revelation on that walk. God deserves my best, but at the very least, my first.

Now, on to the knitting!

I had the joy of doing another test knit for Melinda of Yankee Knitter Designs. The Color Block Mitten is a flexible and modifiable pattern in a variety of sizes. The first set I knit according to the pattern. Size Large, I used Malabrigo Chunky – Dusty for the main color with Tutto Santa Fe Fine Merino DK – Black Gorge as the contrast. I loved the pattern and the outcome. The mittens were true to size but since I wear size Medium, I tossed them in the wash for a spell and they felted beautifully! The fabric is dense and soft. These mittens keep my paws warm on the coldest days.

This is a great pattern because it is written for circular knitting using magic loop, or dpns and a version knit flat on straight needles. For my next pair, I used the same yarn, but rather than a color block design, I knit with both yarns held together. I also knit them flat using two 6″ dpns. Aren’t they cute? You can have a lot of fun with this pattern and the potential for modifications is endless. Oh, I forgot to mention, these knit up in a day!

**Two yarns held together make for warm and cozy mittens**

Our Holidays were quiet and peaceful; just the way I like them. The break from school always comes at a good time. Razz was hoping one of these gifts was for him.

I am making progress on Shawlography with only one set of clues to go. I know, better late than never.

Take a gander at this beautiful necklace. It was a gift from a very thoughtful server at our favorite restaurant. We bonded one evening over insects. These are the wings from a Brood X Cicada. Have you ever???

We had our first snow day last Friday. There is something really fun about having a snow day on a Friday and this school secretary secretly did a happy fanny dance. OK, so maybe not so secretly.

That’s all I have for the first post of the year. No resolutions, no ‘word of the year’, just a whole lot ‘o nuthin!

Saint of the Day: Saint Gregory of Nyssa. St. Gregory the Bishop of Nyssa. He was a very smart fella who fought the Arian Heresy (a really big deal). He is the patron saint of musicians, singers, students, and teachers.

“Peace is defined as harmony among those who are divided. When, therefore, we end the civil war within our nature and cultivate peace within ourselves, we become at peace.”
––St. Gregory of Nyssa

February 8, 2019February 8, 2019

Hiding a Multitude of Sin

Let me explain the title of this post. My daddy would often use this phrase to describe the benefit of things like heavy sauces and long overcoats! This was not an original saying, obviously; it originated from the Bible. If you knew my daddy, you would have guessed this, I’m sure. Five years ago on this date, daddy left this world to the sweet sounds of supplication to the Blessed Mother by his ‘favorite middle child’. (that would be me, y’all!) May his soul and those of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace and may divine assistance remain with him.

I should have finished this post two days ago, but I was too cranky to write. You all deserve better.

Back to the blog, and the title of the post. I have been craving a pair of socks on the needles since I frogged my Cheese-head Socks (you can see why in my previous post.) My intention is to do something a little different with each pair of socks I knit, and this latest WIP is no different. After participating in Knit Stars 3.0, I was inspired by Arne and Carlos to try Norwegian knitting. Norwegian knitting is done in the Continental style but with less movement between the yarn and your left index finger. I can’t explain better than the fellas, so please check out their You Tube channel for a video tutorial (sooo worth it!). How to Knit – Basics of Knitting – Arne & Carlos.

20190208_180418 — Hermione’s Everyday Sock

I chose a lovely yarn by the equally lovely Connie of ChileKnitz. The color is Blue Jean. The pattern I chose is the “Hermione’s Everyday Sock”. Both offer the opportunity to practice skills and, in the case of the yarn, hide a multitude of sin! I’ll admit, I have made a number of mistakes, and I have ripped out the heel at least 3 times. To be honest, I don’t mind; I am continuing until I have a successful pair of sock. This is a great learning experience.

Wanna know what else is a great learning experience? Knowing my daddy! I talked to him a lot this week. I asked him about how to be a good spouse, a good parent, a good colleague and a good Christian, because I felt like I was struggling at all of them. As in true daddy form, he was a man of few words! What he did tell me was to turn to God and put my troubles at the foot of the cross.

Today’s Saint is: St. Jerome Emiliani – he is the patron saint of abandoned children and orphans. I wish all children could have a daddy like mine. The world would be such a beautiful and gentle place for the young and young at heart.

Today’s beverage: Makers Mark Bourbon on the rocks with a slip of lemon zest

Today’s sounds: The Yarniacs Podcast. Listen to it on Podbean!

Thank you for stopping by.

Hug a child today, if you have the good fortune (I did!!)

Until next time, may you have peace in your day.

Love,

Regina

April 13, 2017

Money is the Root of Something

Often times we hear that money is the root of all evil. The bible states that it is the LOVE of money that is at that root. I don’t think anyone can argue with that. However…as I was folding clothes this morning (some of my greatest revelations come to me while doing housework), I thought of how much I love money. Let me explain. Last year, my husband and I started a St. Vincent de Paul conference in our parish. The purpose of this society is to help the poor; the material poor, emotional poor and the spiritual poor. Today, thanks to donations to our parish poor box, I was able to write a check to the landlord of a man who was on the verge of eviction. It was at that moment I realized that this would not have been possible without money, and how much I loved having that money in our conference account! My faith tells me to seek the face of Christ in everyone I meet. Everyday, I ask God for the ability to do that, ’cause some days it ain’t easy! Well, today I saw the face of Christ in money…the money that possessed the generosity and good will of the donor. How wonderful! Imagine if we could live our lives this way? Finding God in the good, the not so good and the unexpected.

I am off to find God in my dust bunnies.

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter, and a spring brimming with hope and blessings!

Peace to all.

ReginaMary

Check us out:

This is too good not to share!

This is too good not to share!

This is too good not to share!

This is too good not to share!