(photo taken by our friend, Mule, on this day)
Tom and I have been incredibly moved to read your comments on the last post. Thankyou so much for taking the time to write them.
Shortly, I should have some knitting to show you, but in the meantime, here are a few photos from my phone. . .
A walk at Craster.
Kippers!
Clouds.
First signs of Spring.
KDD & Co 
This picture is LOVE.
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Love the photos, and look at the way Bruce is looking in that picture, that is so lovely , his whole demeanor is one of love and admiration for you both.
Smoked fish (eels) was tasty when I was a child, not sure how healthy they were though being smoked, and I love those crocuses. They remind me of all things Shakespearian.
Take care.
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such a sweet photo of you three. :)
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Just discovered your amazing site. I will take the time to read past entries. Very inspiring. I’m just rediscovering knitting (which is kinda how I came across you). I absolutely love your dog. My lab has an ear that is always flopping inside out too! Will be back soon. x
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You are such an inspiration to me, and your love for each other shines through in the photos, love your blog, wishing you both all the best from ohio!
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I can’t even remember how I ended up at your blog this morning. I think someone, on one of my “regular” blogs, had knit a hat that you had designed, and they had referenced you. Of course, I, initially, thought the pictures on your post were beautiful, but when I actually read what you had written, I was hooked. What an incredible journey you have been through. I’ve never discovered a person who has struggled through a crisis who has appreciated being called inspirational, so I’ll refrain from saying that, but I will say congratulations on having come so far in one year, and thanks for writing such a wonderful blog. I’ll be back again and again.
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Nothing I can say that hasn’t been said already…………..Happy Valentine’s Day to you both – and every day!
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Thank you for sharing your heart and life with us.
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Ah, what a lovely photo! Bruce looks like he wants a cuddle too. Can’t imagine he goes long without being hugged!
Thank you too, Kate. Posting about your bad days and good days, and the sheer hard work that goes into every day living strikes a chord. Your exhilaration and determination are tangible. Thank you for sharing, especially when it takes energy to do so.
Have a good week!
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I love that charming, sweet, romantic family photo.
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that photo, your faces, and bruce attending, is beautiful.
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images like the first one and your descriptions of Tom give me some hope for the rest of us…one day.
Love to you both, and Bruce too
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On those horrible days, I hope you’ll have a look at the first picture here. It is a balm and I will look at it on my hard days too! Thank you.
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Awww…what a cute photo of you three! I think that one deserves a frame :-)
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Wow! Your photo of the spring flowers is heartening. Here in Texas, spring flowers don’t dare lift their heads, yet.
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If you google Asplund Knits, you will see a link to a newspaper article in which you are mentioned as an inspiring knitter. Inspiring in knitting and so many other areas. I really admire you.
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what a lovely picture of the pair of you! Can’t wait to see some more knitting – I’ve been inspired to give colourwork a try since reading your blog, and have been eyeing up my Jamiesons shade card for a few days now…
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What a wonderful picture to have – how good that Mule was there to take it. May you and Tom (and Bruce, too) have many happy returns to the mountain.
On another note: your mentions of kippers in this and other posts have provoked in me a kipper-hunger that cannot be satisfied in California. All we have here is a canned type which must be far from the real thing. What to do?
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I found your blog just a few days ago, and I have obviously only read a fraction of your posts. In that fraction, however, I have found your writing immensely interesting and inspiring, especially the way you reflect on and contextualise knitting and other crafts, be it from a feminist or historical or whatever perspective. Not to mention the honest and touching account of your stroke and your recovery from it. And your beautiful photography.
I was so happy to read about the progress you have made in health terms, especially when watching the running video. (Although you must have been referring to some other piece of video that I could not find, because in the one I saw there certainly weren’t any lopsided runners to be seen.)
Lots of warm thoughts from a cold and snowy Finland,
Kirsi
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Kate, I’ve read your blog for the past several months, and I don’t even remember how I “discovered” it. Thank you for sharing all the lovely parts of your life (that includes the parts that may not look “lovely”). You always bring a smile & encouragement! Beautiful Photo! Thank you for writing & sharing!
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I do believe that is the perfect family portrait! You should blow it up and mount it over the fireplace!
(with the caption…”THIS is true love!”)
BRAVO!
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The photo of the three of you is wonderful… and I love the yellows and greens in your phone pictures. The promise of spring…!
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You always have such beautiful and interesting photography and writing. Thanks for sharing your amazing lives. May you have continued progress with your health and keep posting for us voyeurs!
Blessings from East Central Illinois where the temps are in single digits and the sight of your crocuses remind us that spring is truly around the corner.
Sincerely,
Debbie Deatherage
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The first photograph says it all…
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Oh, that’s a beautiful photograph of you both.
And you’ve been in Craster! And you walked to Dunstanburgh? That’s one of my perfect walks in Spring, with swallows darting in and out the castle walls. I love Northumberland, full of good walks, good pubs, and by the SEA.
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Lovely photos. Thank you for sharing, especially the cheery crocus. It’s -3 deg. F here with a layer of ice and snow.
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I came across your blog thru my knitting group. I fell in love with the blog on my last visit, learning about your determination. God bless you, from Oklahoma.
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Beautiful photo of the two of you, so good for each other!
The photo of crocuses (croci?) is a tad mean, given that outside my door it’s -10F and we have several feet of snow, with no hope of anything sprouting until at least April. Again I ask myself, why do we live here?
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Signs of Spring??!! Oh, none here yet, but I can’t wait! So glad you shared yours!!
:o)
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What a beautiful photos!
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In the last comments someone suggested you write a book. I would love to read your book of thoughts or account of the year in excercises and yarn. I do think it’s something to consider as you’d certainly find a readership. Your writing is incredibly powerful because you are so honest and down to earth but so thoughtful and careful to get accross new and interesting meanings and you have a lovely humour.
I know you’ve gained support from your readers but it’s such a two way street – everyone here has gained something really special from your writing and also from your spirit that shines through it.
Anyway, I hope that you will when the time is right. Everything in its own time.
Thank you for your blog. Crappiness is crappy. But in a way we’re all in it together in the end.
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Beautiful photo of you and Tom with Bruce. One to treasure I think.
Your Craster pictures remind me of the day we spent there a couple of summers ago.
I have to agree with Katy that Mule is one good photographer….but then I would, wouldn’t I.
Will be looking out for your next knitting project.
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What a wonderful photo of the two of you! (And Bruce, of course!) You look very happy to have one another.
Crocuses! Wow! We still have to wait a month or two for that here in Sweden.
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What beautiful photos!
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Really great photo – says so much. Life is good eh? Tough, frustrating, exhilarating, fun, heartbreaking and ..wonderful :)
Really jealous of the crocuses. We will not see those for another eight weeks I’m sure :(
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Thank you for sharing your wonderful photography, writing, knitting, and personal story with all of us. What a joy to see blooming crocus! It has brightened my day here in Alaska. Your blog is very inspiring to me, thank you again.
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Beautiful photo of you and Tom … and sweet Bruce’s ear is flopped back! Love it.
Such a beautiful part of the world you live in.
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You and Tom are adorable, but you took my breath away with that last picture. Crocuses! Can it be?!
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I love the photo of you, Tom, and dear Bruce. What a wonderful family picture. The spring flowers are pretty. I think it will be a while before we see them here!
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the two of you are lovely in your obvious joy in each other. You are blessed with that and to also live in such an awesomely inspiring place-truly you live in God’s country. sending you hugs and love on your continued journey from the Finger Lakes region of New York State. You, my girl, are one strong woman.
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I’ve only just discovered your blog from reading about your scarf in another knitting blog – Mason -Dixon knitting. Since then I’ve been reading your backpages, downloaded your wonderful hat pattern and have been totally blown away by your lucid and revelatory account of the experience of a stroke. Having read a lot on the subject after my father had a very severe stroke over twenty years ago, I’ve not read an account which allowed me so much understanding of the effects of stroke illness. I wanted to thank you for writing it and also to hope that you have publishers banging on your door, vying to make it available to an even wider public.
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What a wonderful photo. I’ve been following your progress and cheering you on. Sometimes it’s hard to forget that I don’t actually know you! Thank you for letting us into your lives.
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and that should have read hard to REMEMBER not forget. Can you tell remembering is not what I do best?
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I’m smiling at this post.
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What a beautiful photo of you all on top of the hill….. I think the photo just says so much….. I also love the other photos you took – snapshots in time…. Here’s to you all from hot and windy Western Australia the very best of wishes.
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It does my heart good to see this lovely, love-filled photo of you two!
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Wow, that mule is one good photographer. I got more than a little emotional looking at the two of you. That’s how love is supposed to be. Even Bruce was looking pretty adoringly at you (though really, being a dog, he was probably wondering when he could stop sitting still).
I can only imagine that this past year, despite all the negative, has pulled you closer together than perhaps you thought possible. How hard for Tom to watch it all (from the first horrid call) and for you to be more vulnerable with him than many of us are ever willing to be.
Now I’m going to take some deep breathes and hope the lump clears from my throat and the tears stop threatening.
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That is such a beautiful photo of the two of you…full of love. Just as it should be xx
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Thank you! You and Tom (and even silly Bruce) move and inspire me to no end. I think I have said this to you before, but…
It truly is your entire generosity that is so amazing and awesome. You are generous with your intellect, with your time, with sharing your inspirations and their end-products. And then there is this ripple effect, where so many are given courage and hope by your strength and honesty, given joy by your photographs and your patterns… it just goes on and on.
As always I send you and Tom so much lovingkindness and all of the best wishes.
Love and xxx
Chesley
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Lovely photo! Love to you both.
Liz x
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