It's that time already?

Gift-giving season is upon us and I've found a few great ideas for the novice and experienced crafter/cook. All wonderfully thoughtful, unique, and relatively inexpensive.
Here
Here
Here
Here and
Here
Go ahead, give one a try. You might actually enjoy it!
I've been trying (unsuccessfully) to pick up the knitting needles, ball of yarn and two pages of instructions my mom gave me two years ago. I'm hopeless when it comes to written instructions and diagrams. I need someone to show me. My mom's a wonderful crafter (she knits, crochets, cross-stitch) and she passed down some of those crafty genes. But I lack patience (and a full-time private tutor). So I asked some ladies at work to show me how to knit and/or crochet. That's next week's project!

Obviously, I'm already missing gardening season. I've been working on next year's garden plan, studying the ISU Extension website for hints and ideas, and trying to remember all that I've learned (*mistakes I've made*) from my previous years' gardens. Because my garden will be substantially smaller next year - - due to DH's new building being located on top of 70% of my previous garden and because I just don't have time to maintain a huge garden - - I need to grow more efficiently and effectively next year. I'm planning more successive crops (after the peas are done, I plant tomatoes in their place, and then peas after the tomatoes are done), much more mulch (put all the grass clippings to good use), and installing a water collection and drip irrigation system (less water waste). I also need to be more open minded about actually eating the food I grow (still haven't convinced myself to cook the butternut squash that is sitting out in the garage). The challenge of eating locally and in season has actually been more fun than chore. Even though the potatoes we froze were awful, the potatoes that I put in the garage are wonderful, so I use those when I can. It absolutely kills me to buy frozen corn, beans & peas!