The Orange House Stole My Green Thumb

Subtitle: Suck it Up, Buttercup!*

Obviously NOT my yard.

I no longer have the nicest yard on the block. There’s no grass left in the front yard, the weeds have filed land claims in the flower beds and everything else is overgrown. Even the morning glories staged a revolt and refused to come up. Another casualty of the floppy paw. Which saddens me just a little. I wish I could do everything I used to do in the garden.

Sadly, this IS my yard.

My back yard, which used to hold a lovely sparkley blue oasis from the heat and now mirrors a flooded wasteland. Luckily it only took out one new flowerbed. Yes, it did make me cry… no, I hadn’t had my coffee yet.

Promise

The Fabulous Cookie inspired me to take this package out of hiding. I bought it over a year ago at a tiny shop in Tehachipi, just before I went back to work the first time. (I’m assuming there is going to be a second time despite what I’m being told – let me have my delusions) It’s a lovely little shop full of fabrics, quilts, lovely customers sitting around the table and in comfy arm chairs and a helpful and knowledgeable owner. I wished Angie and I could have spent the day in Tehachipi proper when she was out here. That store was just one of the many places I know my twin (separated at birth and by 15 years *ahem*) would have loved.

I’ve learned I can no longer iron with the right arm. However, I did suck it up and after two hours of ironing freshly washed fabrics, I have become quite proficient with my left. Now if cutting were so easy.

The final result – hopefully

Look Cookie… the pattern. AND, it doesn’t have a binding. 😀

At first I was all “I can hand quilt it! Won’t that be lovely!”

Yeah. I know.

Please smack me if those words ever come out of my mouth again. Really.

I think I’m too old for hand quilting a king size quilt. Folly like that is best left for the young and the Amish.

*Sandy’s wonderful saying again. 😀

Saturday Sky – Dawn of the Dead edition

What? There’s sky in that picture.

I tried to take a picture this morning of the real Saturday sky, but it’s only 5:30.

I’m not used to being up this early… especially when not making it home until after midnight.

Whoooboy! I am not 18 anymore.

Shut up.

Today and tomorrow? Wash, rinse, repeat.

Ouch.

I may need some help come Monday.

Eye Candy Friday: Non-stop Edition

The wisteria is going non-stop! Since the weather has been beautiful and my window is open all day, I’ve been able to catch whiffs of it’s scent throughout the day. I still don’t have any blooms on the honeysuckle, but it is growing like a weed. I suppose that’s good?

Other things going non-stop?

The sewing machine. We’ll see how this all turns out. I think I may have to figure out how to fix the one sleeve as it seems like it curls up a bit. Maybe another row of stitches? I have to attach the bottom and put in the elastic (under the bust line) and I’m done! I also may have purchased more fabric yesterday since this is going swimmingly.

BBC America. HELLO!?!?! How can you not love this channel? You are What You Eat, MI-5, Cash in the Attic, How Clean is Your House, Ramsey’s kitchen, Wire in the Blood. Really. I’ve always loved this channel and just realized how much I missed it. Some of the old shows I miss are Monarch of the Glen, Bally Kissangel, Changing Rooms.

Me this weekend. There is a conference I’m attending tonight and tomorrow. Bands are coming in from all over the world and they’re having some great workshops. Even snarky and heartless me is interested.

• Ethical Consumerism
• Cutting and Tweeking: At risk youth
• Hearing the Voice of the Victim
• Finding Healing through Creative Arts.
• Water-purification system building thing(no, not the official name)

Someday I’ll chase away readers with more details. One of the best parts of the weekend? I’m meeting Angie! I’m meeting Angie!

::::: BOUNCE, BOUNCE ::::

I may kidnap her and go on a Cookie safari. 😀 I’m thinking if we send yarn on Tuesday, we can head up and stake out the local post office until she picks up the package. We then throw yarn at her until she submits and then make her take us to Babetta.

Think it will work?

I’d be friends with sparrows*

Where’d that flower come from?

This is my second Forest Canopy, so it’s going a little faster than the last one. I’m not using lifelines this time and it’s working. I’m finding the pattern easy to read and to memorize after some of the hellish lace I’ve worked on. It is nice to go back and do this again.

With my first FC which happened to be hanging on the back of my knitting chair.

Part of what is making it so nice is the people. I’ve done other knit-alongs, but this one is special. Something as simple as string and sticks connecting me to some of the most wonderful people I know. Working on the Forest Canopy and thinking of Angie, Nora and Isela. Wondering how they’re doing, where they are knitting – are they enjoying their foray into this type of pattern?

Spread out in all of her glory.

Thinking of Cookie and Joan who are being the rebels we all know and love – first by instigating this thing and then by going their own shawl way. I’m anxiously awaiting the chance to cast on Icarus with them but still staying in the shawl of the moment.

Texture close up

Also making it special is the yarn. A wonderful hand dyed gift from a wonderful woman. It may have taken a year, but finally, the perfect project for the yarn. As it slips through my fingers, I feel the love and have been thinking thoughts of relaxation, recuperation and good health for a dear friend I’ve never “met”.

Happy Monday – before I get anymore sappy.

*do you know where this is from?  😀

Sat…erm, I mean Sunday Sky

A week or so a go, I was whining about lamenting the fact that my wisteria had not yet shown any real signs of life. Thursday, I looked out my window as I was getting ready to leave and I saw these weird things hanging on my honeysuckle. I thought maybe they were a wasp nest or something funky (because we did have a wet winter). It took until Friday before I went outside and inspected.

They weren’t from the honeysuckle.

Oh yeah! It’s my wisteria.

Ooops. With sky.

The best part, they’re right outside my bedroom window. By right outside I mean “about 14 feet from the window and next to the fence”. Since I have a covered porch right outside my window.

I would love to say that I’m just cruising along on my Forest Canopy however I may or may not have cast on for another shawl and a top yesterday. *ahem*

I wanted love on my needles. (Gosh, that sounds dirty) So, Forest Canopy is being done with yarn that was a birthday present last year. The other shawl? The pattern and the yarn were from two different people, but they are SO appropriate for each other. Ms. “O.k. maybe I am a knitter” has no idea what she’s in for.

Have a beautiful Sunday y’all! I’m heading to Tehachipi today and I hear there’s snow falling in that thar mountain range today. 😀 Brrrrr. It’s going to be WAY colder than my town’s 75. Get ready for the weather changes Angie. It’s a little crazy!