Chattin'

Wah!  Whose idea was this?

I'm glad I'm going to visit Patrice and everybody who's sittin' on the porch today.  Sure wouldn't be doing that visiting on our deck.  This was my view when I woke up.  So, I'm just grabbing my knitting and running.  Oh, I forgot...back to get some carrots for Wendell.

 
Whew! Made it...what have I missed?

What did you have for breakfast this morning? I had fruit juice, a bowl of yogurt with a chopped pear then topped with flax seed, sliced almonds and cinnamon.  And a cup of nice hot tea.  

What's your favorite kind of juice?  My favorite is mango-pineapple juice with  some veggie juices mixed in.  

 Have you tried Pinterest yet?  Nope.  Haven't even looked.  My addictive brain can only handle so much. 

I can't wait for __________ from my garden (or farmers' market/CSA/neighbor with green thumb). Fresh tomatoes...warm from the sunny garden.  That's the very best way to eat a tomato.  Unfortunately, it's not one of the early producers so I'll have to be patient.

The worst job I ever had was __________________.  I've never had a job that I would describe as the worst.  The fact that I had to show up for work even when I didn't want to was about as bad as it ever got.  I always enjoyed my work whatever it was.  I've had quite a few jobs but no worst.  

Thank you, Patrice,  for hosting this morning.  If you'd like to visit just hop on over to Everyday Rurality.

Me?  I'm still looking at this view.  And it is still coming down.

Emerging

I am slowly coming back to the world.

For the last two weeks, I have been immersed in the world of King Arthur.  Reading this book, I have indeed gone beyond the mists into Avalon.  I have dwelt in Camelot and met the most amazing cast of characters.
The Mists of Avalon is on my list of challenge books for the Birth Year Reading Challenge 2012.   It's been on my one-day-I'll-read-that-book list for a lot longer. This was the perfect opportunity.

I didn't enjoy the slowness of the reading experience.  The prose is turgid to the point where I skipped some paragraphs and wished I'd taken an Evelyn Woods speed-reading course. I haven't read a fantasy novel for a very long time and then it was more science fiction  - as in parallel or alternate worlds.  I steered quite clear of the 'sword and sorcery' stuff.  This story  marries the two genres.  

But there were some things that I did enjoy and I'm glad I read it.  It was really interesting to review the Arthurian legend from the perspective of the female experience of that time.  And, maybe that's why it was so-o slow.  There was so much more emotion and feeling from the characters than was ever present in other accounts.  And, of course, it was more relevant to my own experiences as a woman.

Even more interesting to me, though, was the life-and-death struggle between the Christian and the Druidic religions for control over Britain.  This was a compelling narrative throughout the whole book.  And although we all know how the struggle ends, the theological discussions which take place between the characters are high level stuff.  It made me think which is always the mark of good writing.  If you pick this book up, be prepared to invest time and mental energy.  And be prepared to wade through the first third before you start to feel anything at all for the characters or the plot.  If you stick with it, you will be rewarded.

This is candle number two...hurrah!

Sunday wonders - N

N is for Nemisia.

I love these brightly-colored  flowers that we plant every year.

I like their little faces...

that remind me of smug cats.

Or maybe a surprised cat?

The color variety seems endless in some...

And just perfect in others.
These little flowers are summer to me - I can't wait for them to bloom again. 

Saturday stash

This week I really have been reducing stash.  For the past while, it's been more about using recycled yarn.  So far this year,  I've made three sweaters using wool frogged from two older sweaters which are now too big for me. 

The Big Easy is another winner!  Oh, I love this cardi.  So easy to knit it was ridiculous.  And just as easy to wear.  Warm and toasty without having long sleeves to get in my way.  And just enough garter stitch for a hit of texture.   I can see this being worn a lot.  A much better use for the yarn than sitting in a box under the bed.  I'm glad I did it. 

And I made up two little bitty sweaters for donation.  I had some extra pink acrylic, so I knit up the same baby pullover, Telemark, as last week.  However, I thought it needed an extra touch of girliness, so I added a picot edging on sleeves and collar.  Looks pretty comfy to me. 

And this one is Just Ducky.    I found this pretty spring green yarn in the cedar chest just waiting to be used.  I don't know why I've passed it by before.  The pattern is Baby Sophisticate...I replaced the shawl collar with a continuous band.  Somehow the shawl collar didn't look right in such a feminine color.  I love the little duckie buttons that I found -  I was so happy there were four. 

Speaking of buttons: they are the reason the red Dragon cardi is still not finished.  I can't decide on the buttons.  The way the pattern works is to have them just button through openings in the border pattern.  But that means quite small buttons.  I'm thinking of just making it a zip front.  Stay tuned for some kind of decision being made by next Saturday.  I want to wear it!

Today, the sump pump is being replaced.  Of course, they don't make the kind that's currently in place.  Don't you hate when that happens?

We found them!

Yesterday we went seeking the snowy owls.  It could have been an easy drive from here to there but why make it so?

I had read about these visitors from the north and the reports indicated that they were in a couple of places.  So, I set out to the place I knew best how to get to.  It was  lovely day for a drive in the pre-spring sunshine and I set out confidently.  The first place was a beautiful nature park with lots of walking trails and oodles of hawks hovering over the fields of cat-tails.  But where were the crowds of people we had heard were jostling each other for camera space ?  Sadly, no owls. 

Climbing a lookout to see farther, I overheard a couple's conversation below ,me. We weren't the only ones in the wrong place.  So, armed with the new knowledge, we hurried off.  Walking out along a dyke road, we thought we were going to be lucky.  There were a few more people but aside from huge beds of eelgrass and screaming gulls we saw nothing but beach and sky. 

Off to lunch, feeling let down.  Of course, food is strengthening and we soon were back on track.  We had one more place to look.  As is always the case with lost objects:  it's the last place you look that brings success!  There so many cars parked here - it was like a fairground - we knew before we got to the end of the road that this was THE place!  I think that the camera folk outnumbered the owls.  There were point-and-clicks,  phone cameras and middle of the road numbers like ours.  But mostly, there were serious photographers and birders with humongous lenses weighing heavily on their shoulders.  Scopes and tripods were everywhere. 

 We tried to get photos of more than one bird at a time but they spread themselves out too much.  And they also don't want to look at you unless your camera is in its case.   Most of the photos are of their backs.  These are huge birds - about two feet tall - and when they spread their wings in flight it's a marvellous sight.  They shine so white in the sun.  I love their feathery feet, don't you? 

Our rare play day was well worth it.  Fresh air, sunshine, beautiful birds, friends and a long drive for me.  Doesn't get much better. 

Chattin'

The sun is shining here now.  Sometimes when the sun shines after a particularly rainy night I think it's smiling rather too hard.  Our adventure last night was the ever-popular,  middle-of-the-night, unstick the sump pump romp.  It involves listening for at least an hour to the pump going off more often than usual.  Then like labor pains, you start to time the intervals.  And, like, labor pains, you try and ignore the obvious...something has to happen here!  Indeed, it did.  Out into the rain, to lift the lid and poke around to unstick the workings.  It wasn't worse...sometimes, you have a stone or cone blocking the intake and have to brave the cold, cold water.  I'm the lucky one.  I get to hold the umbrella and direct the light.  Of course, it only happens when it rains!

But I've grabbed a sock on the needles and carrots for Wendell - I'm off to Patrice's place to chat with everyone on the porch.  It's nice there, too, and we can sit outside.  The seasons are slowly changing.  What's the talk today?  Let's listen...

What's you favorite kind of salad?  My favorite salad would involve romaine lettuce because I love the crispiness.  After that I don't really mind what fruit or veg are in it...anything goes.  And usually anything does...we eat a lot of salads.  One of my favorite ways to dress a salad is with olive oil, lime juice, Dijon mustard and maple syrup. 

How old were you when you learned to cook?  I have no memory of cooking anything before I was about 9.  I can clearly remember my mother teaching me to make baking powder biscuits for dinner one night.  After that, they became my 'dish' and I made them often.  They are still one of my favorite things to make.  Not a lot of opportunity to make them these days, though.  

What's your favorite kind of store? (grocery, garden, department, cooking, bookstore, etc) It depends on where I am in my life, I think.  I love to shop - not necessarily to buy things - but I love to cruise around the stores looking at everything on offer.  When I was a younger mother, I sewed almost everything that we wore or used.  I spent a lot of time in our local fabric store.  Now, I hardly visit at all.  For years, I was especially fond of office supply stores.  I can really get into all the different kinds of pens and papers.  Oh, just talking about it makes me want to go.  Of course, I love yarn stores but they're a bit dangerous.  I find it hard to just admire without taking some home.  I like bookstores but I find them overwhelming nowadays as they are so big and have so much other stuff.  And I'm even quite fond of the grocery store.  Do you sense a trend?

 If you could have lived during another time in history, what time would that have been? I know this will sound odd, but I think I would like to have been living between 1920 and 1939.  The highs and lows of this time are so dramatic.  There were more and more opportunities for women to be educated and work in the world.  I love the fashions which reflected new thinking and new fabrics. There's also some great music from that time period.  
Most of all, I think it's an important part of our parents' and grandparents' heritage that they lived through the Great Depression.  It made them so strong and resourceful.  I know  it wasn't a happy time for so many but I think it created character such as we may never see again.  I have had such an easy life  thanks to those same people wanting me to not have their same deprivations.  But easy living doesn't always make people rise to greatness.   


I'm looking forward to_______________.  I'm looking forward to taking a day off tomorrow to play.  We're going out to see the snowy owls which have migrated to Boundary Bay this winter. 

Many thanks to Patrice for inviting us once again.  If you'd like to visit just hop over to Everyday Rurality.

Sunday wonders - M

M is for Meals.  This is a reprise of a favorite theme.  All kinds of creatures munching or waiting for something to lunch on. 

Herons are so patient...

Turtles don't seem to have that patience; they chase their meal down.

This green guy thinks a BBQ might have some food.  Good idea!

Gulls find treats along the seashore...

Deer forage in the blackberry brambles...

Even people like to eat outside.

Roses harbor aphids which is good hunting ground for a ladybug.

And how could the soul not be satisfied with a feast of beauty? 

Saturday Stash

Knitting doesn't stop because I have meetings.  No, I don't knit in the meetings even though I really would like to be doing that sometimes.   It would at least make the time more productive than it often turns out to be.  However, I do use knitting as my wind-down time.   While a meeting may not be exciting, the results can inspire me or sometimes make me angry.  I have to have some yarn therapy while I work things out in my mind.

This week I alternated between my Big Easy cardi which is turning out to be one of the easiest adult items I've ever knit.  Here it is minus the the left sleeve.  Since it's knit side to side I can get a pretty good idea of how it's going to look very early in the process.  I think I love it.  The yarn is soft and the color is so soothing.  I'm imagining the big funky buttons I'm going to have to find for this.  I should start hunting now - it's almost done.

My other project was a tiny (6mos) tee in plain pink acrylic worsted - made to donate.  But isn't it the sweetest little tee?  Can't you see it layered over, well, almost anything?  Spring is coming! The pattern is also incredibly easy:  the Telemark Pullover.  Top down, four ends to weave in when you've completed the sleeves, and you're done.  I modified the original pattern by making the sleeves short.  And I can see a whole lot of other possibilities.  This is the best kind of pattern - a jumping-off place for all sorts of playing with design. 

Not too many finished pieces to report but I think it was a successful knitting week.  Wonder what's in store for the next seven days?

Made it!

Almost through this week and I have survived.

Only photo I could find

There were some questions in the last comments that I figured I could answer in a post.  I always think if one person asks, then others may want to to know too.  You wanted to know what meetings I had.  For the past three years, I've been president of our local seniors' association.  There is the monthly meeting that I chair  and regular meetings of sub-committees.  There are those incidental meetings which are often really vital to the future.  This past week was full of every kind of meeting.  Must have been some kind of meteor crossing the moon's path maybe.

I am also happy to report that my piano teacher was not cross with me.  She never is.  We had a good practice together and then she gave me some new work.  Pictured are my three pieces to play at our workshop at the end of the month.  She thinks I'll be ready - I'm hoping so.  They look so easy some days and so daunting on others.  It's almost two years ago that I began learning how to play anything at all so I'm trying to be positive when my fingers just don't want to do what is required.  Or is it my brain?

And, yesterday, I was driving home through the rain and this song popped up on the radio playlist.  It reminded me of living in Victoria in the 70's.  Funny how a song can bring back such vivid memories.  I remember planting marigolds along the sidewalk in front of our rented house.  It's a sunny day and my two-year-old daughter is helping me.  Not sure why "Chelsea Morning" led my mind to that memory but it was a good one.  Where does it take you?

Chattin'

As the Shirelles sing it:  " Mamma said there'll be days like this..."

Somehow listening to them sing it makes the last two days just fade away.  It's been meetings or preparing for another meeting for two days and I'm glad it's over and I can listen to the music.  I can also get around to Patrice's place before everybody goes home. 

Quick, what's everybody talkin' about?

Did you do anything special for Valentine's Day?    Since I was in meetings yesterday the day wasn't really special.. I did get everyone a chocolate heart treat at the meeting I chaired yesterday. 

What was the last craft item that you made?  I don't seem to make a lot of crafts the way I used  to.  Too busy knitting - and going to meetings LOL

Are you planning a garden? Are you swamped with seed catalogs?  Oh, yes, we'll be having a garden this summer.  It will have even more of the good stuff that we had last year, I hope.  We don't do the seed catalog part, though.  My daughter-in-law usually raises up the baby plants for us when she's growing her own.  I So I guess she's poring over the seed catalogs.    

What cosmetics do you have in your purse? Off the top of my head, I would have said none.  But then I decided to look...does a tube of beeswax lip balm count as a cosmetic?  That's it...not very exciting, is it?

When there is a room to be painted in your home, who does the painting?  Anybody but me!  I am an extremely messy painter.  It spatters everywhere and I can't be trusted to stay in the lines. 

I'm off now to catch up on my own music.  Lesson today and I've not practiced as well as I could have.  Sometimes I feel like the naughty kid in the class who hasn't even got a dog to eat her homework.  Thanks Patrice for hosting another chat,  If you'd like to visit, just visit Everyday Rurality and sign in. 

Sunday wonders - L

L is for Library. 

I can't remember when I didn't get books from a library.  This is the library I can walk to in ten minutes.  I went looking for photos of all the other libraries I had known but could find none.  There were lots of interesting photos, though.  And as usual, I spent a lot of time wandering down memory lane.  But, sadly no old library photos.

The first library where I had my own card was right across the street from me when I was nine.  This was probably the best feature of our new house.  I loved going over to what was really just a big room in the community hall.  I remember that there used to be summer reading competitions.  Naturally, I competed very hard.  I can't remember what the prizes were but I know that I only won once.  There were some ferocious readers - and competitors - when I was a young reader. 

I was heart-broken when they moved the library  but it turned out to be even better.  For me, if not for our elderly librarian.  Being a kid, I never knew the why of the move but looking back it seems curious.  The library moved to a free-standing building a couple of blocks closer to the shopping area.  But this building was much smaller.   Rent?  Politics?  Both?   Didn't matter to my girlfriend and I.  We would visit the library at least every other school afternoon from grade seven on.  Poor Miss Graham...we developed a thirst for Rosamond du Jardin novels.  We'd write up long lists to be ordered from the main library.  I often wonder if they had all the books in stock or if they actually went out a bought them.  In any case, we motored through every one.  And, one summer, the two of us were left in charge of the library for two whole weeks.  That was heaven!

In this age of e-ness, I have added a Kindle app to my netbook so that I can have lighter travel reading.  But I still prefer to have books that I can hold in my hand.  We only have two bookcases now - there used to be at least two more stuffed full.  Now, there are classics that we want to keep snuggled up with  those to-be-read novels which we find at book sales and thrift stores.

The other bookshelf is where all the reference type books are: knitting, birding, gardens and so much more.  They come out less and less, though, as we turn to the internet for more current - and faster - sources of information.  Oh, I forgot the cupboard with three shelves of cookbooks.  Now that is almost a dinosaur. 

But no matter how good the e-books or how many books I have at home, I know that I will never stop visiting the library.  It has changed a lot over the decades since I began reading but I still find - usually - just the book I'm looking for.  

Saturday Stash

Is it spring yet?

 The snowdrops are up and looking around.  I think the groundhog must have whispered encouraging words from his burrow. 

This week, I got tired of red.  So the Year of the Dragon cardi is not quite finished.  Hey!  No fair remembering that I hate sewing up the darn things.  I'm just tired of red...OK?

 
Now I'm seeing blue.  Cool, soothing blue.  I have had this pretty blue yarn for a couple of years.  I was helping another knitting friend with her stash reduction.  Actually, I have  two colors in the bag but one of them is, er, red.  There's a bit of a sparkle to this yarn, too.  Blue Skies is my version of this simple top-down cardi for a baby girl.

Then my eyes kept straying to the other half of frogged BWSweater.  I had mixed the hand-painted yarn with a denim blue hand-dyed yarn.  I had a lovely hour or two with a pile of knitting mags and found the perfect pattern for it.  There's only 800 yards so I think this Transverse Cardigan will do the trick.  Remember I said I wanted a  grown-up version of those sweet little one-piece baby sweaters?  This one is knit all in one piece with a similar style.  See?  Perfect.  And this is just the first sleeve.

The fabric reminds me of those favorite faded blue jeans.  This was one of the first yarns I ever dyed and for some reason I have a lot of undyed places in the yarn.  I kind of like the effect - sort of like spots where the fabric has frayed away in jeans
.
And I'm sure you're noticing a little dalliance that I am enjoying.  Yes, I'm having some fun with garter stitch.  Not because it's easy - although it totally is - but because I like how it feels.  So soft and cushiony.  Those baby sweaters got me playing and now I don't want to stop.

Yesterday, I took photos of some kids' artwork on display at our seniors' center.  I fell in love with this one.  Something about the big cat and the tiny bird just makes me smile.

I hope I have a lot of finished stuff for my next report.  Now I'm floating off on a sea of blue...or maybe I'm floating through the air on a sunny day?

Two books

I'm checking in with my first book for the 2012 Birth year Reading Challenge.

The books on my list are all from 1983.  I just happened upon two almost side by side in the library.  The first one, The Piano Teacher by Elfriede Jelinek, I will be throwing back into the book pond.  While I enjoy some of the darker literature, I could not get past the twisted bitterness in this novel.  Not even the idea that this author is a Nobel-Prize winner could do anything to mitigate the ugly taste it left.  If there was a happy ending, I didn't get there.  Somehow I think there wasn't.

But the second, I did read and enjoy.  Although I'm not a huge fan of suspense plots, this one kept me interested.   I was also motivated by the liner notes which indicated that Brian Moore was 'one of the greatest living novelists'.  A big claim and even bigger to me since I'd never heard of him.  And I'm not sure I would give him the title based on this work.  But he did help light my first candle. 

Then this book stumbled into our house.  The Bobbsey Twins were my constant reading companions from the time I could read 'til I was ten or eleven.  Quite a while since I can't remember a time when I couldn't read.  I thought I would just have a peek between the covers and see if it still had its old magic.  Sad to say, it didn't.  Of course, the times and I are quite different and I now see the writing for what it was: a formulaic telling of unrealistic scrapes which always turn out for the best.  

My seven-year-old granddaughter enjoys reading, too.  I was disappointed to learn that she had tried a Bobbsey Twin novel and didn't care for it.  Because I had enjoyed them so much at her age, I was disappointed for the fun I thought she was missing.  I'm not any more.  And I completely understand why Becky rejected them.  The setting is so far back in a different society that the stories - and the characters too - just aren't relevant.  When I was her age, I could relate to the times better.  I wanted to live there and have those adventures, too.  But my life and the adventures that I did have were much more like what went on in the books.  The roles of parents, kids, and even servants was better understood by me.  Stereotypical immigrant characters' speech and actions made perfect sense because we had little experience with people who didn't look and act like ourselves.  Of course, they were different.  But reading it now was shaming.  In fact, everything in the book was a stereotype including the Bobbsey family itself.  Nothing is real and my long-ago self thought it was.  

Times change...

Chattin'

I can smell spring!  I really can.  I took some photos of snowdrops yesterday but I didn't download them until this morning.  They weren't totally out but I thought they would help with the spring feeling.  Apparently my hand shook each time I snapped so they were a bit too soft focus.  Kind of hurt the eyes to look at them, actually.  And this morning it's a little damp for the camera.  Later.

So, instead of a bouquet of snowdrops, I'll grab a few carrots and speed off to Patrice's place to catch up with everybody on the porch already.  I see that there will be a nice cup of hot tea waiting for me.  Whew!  I made it and there seems to be a break in the conversation.  I'll just throw my question in, OK?

Stephanie asks, "What kind of competitions do you prefer to watch? Dancing, singing, or cooking? Hands down, for me it's cooking.  I used to watch American Idol but after Simon left I had nothing to keep my attention.  So, you can tell it wasn't the singing I was there for.  I don't like to watch any kind of dancing - I'd rather do it.  But cooking competitions?  They get me every time.   I especially like the mystery ingredients or a basket of weird ingredients.  These competitions inspire me as well as entertain.  I'm not bored yet.

My Kid's Mom asks, "Do you work? Are you retired? Are you a stay at home mom?  Retired.  I volunteer in the community but mostly I knit and play with fiber.  I am slowly getting back to my rug hooking and I hope to use more of my quilt fabric stash that has been waiting, waiting, waiting.  Then there's the spinning wheel...and the pile of books that want to be read.

Empty Nester asks, "What's your favorite thing about winter?  When it doesn't snow.  Hmmm, no, there must be something better than that.  It's nice to be able to wear all the wooly knits that I produce.  But, probably,  the best thing about winter is that my favorite season, spring, follows and sometimes quite closely.  


Homeschool on the Croft asks, "What do you love most about where you live?"  I love my home because it is a haven from the world and because it's packed full of everything I enjoy doing.  Plus I share it with the person I enjoy being with the most.  This part of the world - Canada's west coast - is one of the most beautiful places to live.  So, big picture or small I'm happy right where I am. 

Did you or your children(grandchildren too) ever have a dollhouse?  I did have a dollhouse.  It was painted metal with two floors.  I don't remember the furniture or the people but I'm sure they were there.  For some reason, I associate with Dick and Jane and Pleasant Street so I guess I had it when I started school.  Oddly, I don't remember my daughter having a dollhouse - she may correct me - but my grandkids have them.

Wendell asks, "If horses have blankets, why don't they get a pillow too?"  Good question, Wendell.  Wouldn't you rather have a carrot than a pillow? 

It's been fun but now I have to run.  I've got a busy day today...off for my piano lesson this afternoon and I still have some theory to catch up on.  If you'd like to visit on the porch, just come over to Everyday Rurality and sign in.  Thanks for the tea, Patrice.

Sunday wonders - K

K is for Kinks.

There are kinks in the garden to help the baby squash ...

on parade...

by the seaside - whorls of wood...

or man-made. These rings are filled with cranberries.

 Some have a musical name like these fiddle-heads...

 While some bring a blast of music from the past.  Enjoy!

Saturday Stash

It's Saturday again!  You wouldn't think that a retired person would get excited about weekends, would you?  But this is when I scramble to get projects finished...not always a successful scramble as you saw last week.

Today I can report that I have finished last week's projects.  Well, OK...just two of the three since the Year of the Dragon cardi isn't comfortable having her picture taken.  She's still blocking, you see, and doesn't want you to see her deshabille.  But the first Little & Easy pullover is all done.  I think it's  so cute.  Just imagine the cushiness of that garter stitch...it's so cozy. 

And the Pink Nantes Beanie is finished too.  Naturally, we are having a stretch of warmer weather and I'm not feeling the need for a hat at all these days.  Just typical.  But I really like it.  It's an easy knit that just looks complicated. If you can follow a chart and make a simple cable and  yarn over then you can make this one.   Oh, and I do still have enough of the never-ending pink yarn to make a pair of mittens.  I'm debating full or fingerless at the moment.  I have a wristband knit on the first one and then  stalled with indecision.  Once these are knit up I can totally cross this yarn from my inventory. Or will Rumpelstiltskin spin some more while I'm not looking?

I loved that baby pullover pattern so much that I made another one in a bigger size.  I was scrambling this morning to get the knitting done.  Couldn't quite get to the finishing.  But that didn't bother this claret version one bit.  When she saw the camera, she popped on a vintage button to distract from the un-seamly bits and posed prettily.  I love those nifty short-row sleeves.  I'm making it again...did I mention how easy this is to knit?  And, best of all, I crossed off another line on the list. 

Next week, I promise to have the red cardi finished.  I have no knitting projects on deck so I'll have to go looking for yarn and patterns again.  That's all part of the fun of stash-busting.  Must remember to stroll through my Ravelry queue, though.  I find that if I don't do that now and then I forget what's there.  I'm sure there'll be something interesting.