PBF, progress and pictures

Just a wacky shot for today.... (I gotta get back in the booth, this was the end of the reserves)
for an absolutely wonderful set go visit JesC on Flickr and of course, our fearless leader, Andrea. And if she is up for it today LeSophie (even if she doesn't rock the booth today, she has a kickin' blog)

And just because this was a knitting blog at one time, I thought I should update you on the progress of a few things.
Here is the finished Tomato Hat that I made for my cousin's new baby that is due this month some time.

How F-ing cute is this? I am going to make a few more for all the babies that are due this summer/fall. Way too cute. (Ann Norling Fruit hat pattern, Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino and another DB yarn I can't remember right now)
Edited to add- I guess I made blog lines news! , thanks to Sarah for brining this to my attention, purdy cool, huh?

And here is the progress on the baby sweater. I am hoping to have it done and in the mail before I leave for Alaska (WHAT?! ALASKA? What is that all about??? More later)
I would be further along, but realized that my original start was WAY off gauge so I frogged it and started over, on the right size needles- I am loving it. Been sneaking in time each morning to do a few rows while I sip my chai tea...



again, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino - pattern from the Last Minute Knitted gifts

and some pictures of the new house-

The entry/stairs to the bedrooms/loft take from the living/dining room (that is COVERED in purple and grey sponge paint- holy crap)

My new fabu and overly HUGE kitchen, look there is an island in there! I need an umbrella in my drink quick.

The cratins, like little book ends are enjoying the windowsills and the new view out front (see that tree? It is a Japanese maple, it is huge- and I know it will be awesome come this fall.)

most importantly, the keys- the previous owner gave us the keys on this key chain- there is globe on their people- it is meant to be (hubby and I are both geographers, our *worlds* are all about the world)

Have a great weekend- I have a 60th birthday/retirement party to pull off as well as teach yoga and hopefully relax.
wish me good weather and good bbq skillz...

patience kindness goodness

t.i.l.t. JUNE 1, 2006
FIRST: I would like to thank EVERYONE out there who has sent us their well wishes on the move! I really appreciate all the good thoughts coming our way- we are definitely excited (and a little lost in this new big house- yelling, lots of yelling "where are you?!")

It has been a pretty good change up so far- only a little problem with the water- the neighbor was trying to help when he say that our sprinklers were out of control the day before we moved in- so he wandered over and turned off the water. Only problem, he *turned off the water* and didn't tell us. So we were all weekend without water. On Tuesday I called the Water Authority to make a fuss about the fact that they didn't turn the water on when we asked- they said it was on- it must be on our property side- so I got the key out and marche around the house turning this valve and that (mind you I felt pretty important at that point) I finally got the water going again after a few failed attempts- viola! We have lift off- and flushing toilets! yippee...

So needless to say, have been preoccupied, but in a good way and with good things.

I felt like I needed to post- nothing craft here, I am just trying to unpack boxes and figure out where I am going to put things. We are also busy picking out colors for the walls- I think we got some good ones. My craft room/yoga room will have an awesome purple wall. I am prepping for my mom's big retirement party this weekend as well- Costco, here I come. It should be a fun day- I am so excited for her!

This all leads to the photo and to today's T.I.L.T. (things I love Thursday)

I am totally fascinated by the mystic right now. The idea that if you put a thought or an idea out in the universe it will come to you- at exactly the right time. It might be in a little different way then how you imagined it, but it will be there.
I am constantly amazed by people's kindness. Things just keep coming to us- good things, wonderful things- kindness is all around.
it blows my mind away and it makes me believe that there is a master plan- we just have to trust that it is there, we have to have the patience for it, we have to have the patience to see it when it is there.

Along these lines... Just got in touch with a long lost friend today- it is amazing to see her via photos, so many laughs so many good memories- so much silliness... She is going to have a baby with her long time sweet heart, now hubby this month. She looks amazing as a mom to be!

- I am overjoyed for them- looks like I have some more knitting to do!

xoxo

Photobooth Friday 5-26-06 and other thoughts

hee hee- I really like this one-

It is part of the strip I took a few weeks back. I gave one of the strips to my mom for Mother's Day and the other to hubby for an anniversary giftee- he thinks I am crazy, and loves it.
I kinda wish this one was in color because the scarf I have on is really pretty and sprakely- but that's okay.

Almost forgot it was Friday today!
Happy long weekend everyone!

If you are in town come help us move! We got the keys last night and I can hardly wait to get stuff into the new place.
I even have a little garage door opener thingy- trust me this is big, I don't care how *normal* it is, this is my first- I love that I am 28 years old and can still have *firsts*.
My mom keeps shaking her head and saying, "we've come a long way" and we have. I lived in a mobile home for a good portion of my childhood (don't even make jokes, if you grew up out in Gerlach, Nevada this would not be so funny), so a house that is 2800 square feet is SO over the top and amazing to me~
As I was pulling boxes into my new closet (a walkin, again, a *first*) I took a deep breath and thought, wow for some reason I knew I would be here-It is like I put the idea out into the universe, and everything happened the way it should- and here we are. The house is in a part of town that I love- we are in a subdivision, but we are inside "the McCarran Ring" (I working and play with City Planners all day, this is a good thing, trust me- it just means we aren't living in the sprawl, we aren't encouraging the growth, we are within walking distance to UNR, downtown, the park, my mom's, the Truckee River- As Martha would say, "its a good thing")
The house has plenty of room to grow. There are friendly neighbors, and multiple bathrooms- (no more potty dance and pushing and shoving to get to the pot first after a long drive). There is space for us to have a real dining room table and more than 4 people over for dinner without having to manuver or rely on fabulous weather to take us outside. However, the back yard is BBQ ready and the best part? there is a cat door in the garage- it was meant to be.

I know I am blessed- that most peole don't have what I have and I am SO FULL OF JOY AND THANKS! right now it isn't even funny.
Now all we need is to have a party!!! who's coming????

Have a wonderful and safe weekend everyone.

Apron Swap MeMe & T.I.L.T.

I am participating in the What's Cookin' Swap here is a meme for the fun of it:

1. first apron (that you can remember)
Frist apron would have to be the one I wore as a waitress working at Bruno's Country Club. I was probably about 15 or 16, it was just a simple black half apron with pockets- typical waitress attire.

2. last (most recent) apron
My mom has recently been finding super cool vintage aprons, some of them are sassy others are simple and utilitarian. Also, I made hubby an apron for Christmas and he wears it when he cooks- it is so stinkin' cute.

3. dream/favorite apron
A dream apron would be made out of funky print material. It would have pockets to keep stuff in, a spot for a towel to hang and probably only be the type you tie around your waist, not the full smock-

4. dream sewing machine
hmm, one that doesn't jam. Other than that it doesn't really matter :)

5. what do you put in your pockets? or what strange thing have you ever found in them?
If we are talking apron pockets then I would have to say that a spoon or spatual, a hand towel- usually some of what ever I am making at the moment winds up in them and my hands

6. condiment(s) you can't live without
Sriracha hot sauce (I usually call it "cock sauce", what? there is a cock on the bottle), Sierra Nevada Dijon mustard, and of course SnP.

7. do you wear more showy aprons or dutiful ones?
I would say showy, yet functionable.

8. favorite cooking gadget
Hands down my avocado slicer thingy- It is awesome, it scoops it slices and it works perfectly every time.

9. cooking gagdet that promised the world but didn't deliver
Shrimp deviener- it is just so much easier to use your hands and a knife.

10. a recipe that you know by heart and any stories behind it
I would have to say that either my chocoalte chip cookies reciepe or else my risoto receipe.
I have been making the chocolate chip cookies since before I can remember, I even have a scar from where I burned my arm on the cookie sheet when I was about 3- always in the kitchen with my mom...
The risotto receipe is just something that is simple and easy and can be altered to add in what ever is in season - asparagus, squash... mmmm, comfort food.

Just to keep with the food/kitchen theme and because I just love this photo here is todays Things I Love Thursday:


PS we are signing papers today!! And I think getting the keys! this is nuts-o

Knitting Monday and weekend update

Hey Look!!!

Hey Look!! more knitting~ isn't it grand? I am using the Last Minute Knitted Gifts book and some yarn that I recieved in a swap from Becky. It is lovely soft Debbie Bliss- feels really good in my hands... I finished the tomato hat this weekend, but forgot to take pictures of the finished product this morning. It came out really really cute!

Had a wonderful weekend but I am exhausted from all the driving- the rain was crazy on the way home, but would do it all over again.

My favorite part of the weekend was going to a place in Oceano called Melodrama This gang of actors/singers/musicians were amazing. I really enjoyed it. If you have the chance, go check them out- well worth the trip.

This is a friend I made while walking on the beach Saturday morning...

We hung out with the inlaws- it was great. Wandered around an AWESOME fabric and yarn store (I got some really cool oil cloth I am going to make a summer bag out of), enjoyed the fog (what? we don't get fog here), took tea

laughed and drove home~ ahh it was nice.

This week might be low on posts- we are MOVING!!!and the computer at home is dead as a door nail.

A few more pictures...

Photo Booth Friday- Anniversary Addition

On Wed. it was our 3rd wedding anniversary. I have said it before, I am gonna say it again- I love this man.
We had one of the most *bestest* nights out. Lovely dinner out side on a patio (until it started to rain, which felt good, but not so tasty in our food) a photobooth session, and a very long and wonderful walk to the park (and by the new house) that just set me happy. I even got him to run through the sprinklers with me.
It was a wonderful day and I feel like the luckiest couple alive. we have so much happening that is GOOD right now it isn't even funny...

I think the last two are my favorites, because this is how we really are~ :)
Happy PBF everyone
Need more? Check out Andrea's blog-the one who started it all. as well as here and over here too~

PS I am off to the coast~ woo hoo, see ya later desert~
PPS Look what I started last night since I had time to just sit and not worry about a thing:


see, I told you all I could knit!
It's a hat- (pattern by Ann Norling, that will look like a tomato) for my cousin's baby that is on the way. I started a sweater, but dropped a few stitches got frustrated with the yarn and frogged it... I think this is cuter anyway- hope she likes it!

T.I.L.T. 5-18-06

Thanks everyone for your comments yesterday! We had an awesome anniversary night~ I got a wonderful bunch of flowers from hubby. I got him this really cool book, and we had an excellent dinner at a place called Stonehouse. I also drug hubby to the photobooth- we got the cutest set of pictures (I will post tomorrow). We also took a really nice walk - up by the new house and the park, ran through the sprinklers and laughed. I woke up this morning feeling on top of the world- like the luckiest woman alive- I really think I am right now!

TILT~

My husband's aunt and unlce live at the beach -

They find all sorts of good stuff, this is a mobile made of beach goodies...
Since I am headed down to see them this weekend, I am dedicating this post to family , the beach,

to random beautiful things that you find only if you are looking for them, and for those little parts of the wold that glow and sparkly to make you smile....

Need more love in your life?

Go

here

&

here

What's Cookin?

So I was over visiting here, and saw a link to this blog (mostly because the name cracked me up). While I was reading through the blog I saw a link to this.


















And so I was tempted- and then I found myself emailing the girls about adding me to the swap, because really, what else do I have going on?


















I mean I am done with my yoga training (did I mention that? Can I getta whoot whoot? Sunday's closing ceremony was one of the most amazing and cleansing things I have ever done- I feel new and amazing right now- like the girl who is in the soda commercial and is skating and there are bubbles following her around, and there is music and smiles and joy- yeah, that is how I feel- it is AWESOME people. Forget everything that has ever made you high, and just breath- the breath is quickly becoming my drug of choice, no really- try it. but I digress....)


















and our house is in escrow (no more cleaning and pretending we live in a model house which is ready at any second for the photographers of Real Simple or Better Homes to show up and snap pictures for the next issue. So that means more time, right?
Well, wait a minute- doesn't having a house in escrow mean that I am moving- YEP. and in less then a week if all goes well, so really? What else do I have to do besides get out my sewing matching and make an apron?
But it doesn't matter, because I want to make an apron and I have a good feeling about this swap- It will be a good distraction.


In other news-
Today is my and hubby's wedding anniversary~










I love him even more today then I did 3 years ago. He continues to surprise me and make me laugh. Happy Anniversary honey~

PBF!!!

YEAH! I finally made it to the booth.
My friend Uma tipped me off to the booth that is at the mall. Conviently located in one of the entry hallways, so I didn't actually have to wonder through the central mall rat area- do you ever feel like a hamster when you are at the mall- all those halls are like giant hamster tubes, with goodies at the end if you can find your way through the maze, not bump into all the other hamsters and well... I digress.

I actually had to wait in line for my turn- there was the cutest old couple taking their pictures ahead of me. I got to see the strip that came out of the magical machine for them- it was so stinkin' cute!
Now I have a new addiction- I must drag hubby down there (he was actually sad that he wasn't included in this set) as well as my mom. Can you believe she has never been in a photobooth?? Game on lady!

I love that it looks like I am making a ton of noise in this picture, or maybe a HUGE yawn. Actually I just feel like this inside because guess what????

We just signed the papers to put our house into escrow- we have locked into a loan for the NEW HOUSE!! HOLLY MOLLLLLY! here weeeee gooo~ less then 30 days until the big move...

The best part the whole thing? The guy that is buying our house, he is a pirate. Or rather he works at Pirate Tattoo . And his realtor? He is a rock star. No really-I swear. He plays stand up bass for the band Saddle Tramps.

How friggin' cool and random is that? Just when we thought we weren't going to get the new house- bamsky. I told hubby the house sold because I have blue hair. I also told hubby that we should write on the counter offer that we should get discounted tattoo prices as well as tickets for the 'Tramps- For-ever. hee hee

Let's just hope that blogging about it all doesn't jinx the whole thing- keep your fingers crossed for us kids! I am so excited...

More Photobooth Friday

Here

Here

T.I.L.T. 5-10-06

I love that fresh strawberries are on their way, promising all there red, sweet, juicy goodness right outside my doorstep. Their sweet little whit flowers whose center look just like a little green berry. When we were little my bestfriend called these little red jewels bob-it-tees. We still call them that.
I love that the lilac bushes are blooming- their wonderful purple flowers and the scent. I love how the leaves on the bush are shaped like hearts- that the green seems to be a perfect complimentary to the purple. I cut them and put them in a mason jar on the counter in the house- i love these little beauties.
I love that I can walk around in the grass with my shoes off. Letting the space between my toes fill with the green goodness.
I love that the cats play outside with me in the post work hours as I pull weeds and clip flowers. They munch on the catnip that is growing (or rather taking over) in the yard and become silly with delight.
I love that spring is here, that I can streeeeeetch tall and long with my heart filling with sunshine and joy in the warmth of the day. I love that when I get home from work at 5:30 or 6 I have time to sit outside or go for a walk and it isn't pitch dark out side. I love that our yard is blooming and that the grass is growing so fast we can hardly keep up.
This is what I love today....
PS the last photo was inspired by joymadison's TILT from last week.
more TILT here, and here and here, oh and here too

Procrastination

How am I










Supposed to do










Homework?









I have approximately 45 more reading responses left to do before 5:30pm on Friday for yoga class.... And this cat won't move his butt.

Okay, he did move his dirty cat butt- now I am just making up excuses for not elaborating on the Nine Obstacles on the Yoga Way-
"Because we have not spent enough time analyzing and reflecting on what we are doing, we grind to a halt in our practice."
(from The Heart of Yoga, Developing a Personal Practice by TKV Desikachar)

















Yup, sounds about right ...

Swappin'

Here is the postcard that I sent out for the April Project Spectrum. I forgot to scan in a copy before I licked the envelop shut, so Jane ,my lovely swappee agreed to scan it in for me.
Thanks Jane!
She sent me a wonderful water colored card that was also sunshine themed with gold fish...
Looking forward to May's swap.

Evolution or Change is Good or The Blue Me

Guess what day it is?
yep.

And I have been doing a bit of thinking.
I realize it.
I admit it.
I am not sure if I am going to say sorry or not.
I like the way things have evolved around here.

This whole thing started out as a knitting blog.
A place to post pictures of the fiber, needles, felting and other knitting goodies. But slowly over the past few months I have slowed down on the knitting, and sped up on the photography and other such things.
The knitting hasn't taken the front seat (well unless you count the knitting while driving thing that happened a few months back. What? I had a baby shower gift to finish.)
I know that many of you have come here in search of knitting progress, and stash updates and maybe just maybe an original pattern... But alas all you find are crazy pictures of my adventures of things happening in my life and words that might not really interest you.
I will start posting pictures of my knitting once again (once I get something on the needles) I just got the new IK mag and it has some really cute summer-y things that I think I need to tackle (especially since I have a wedding or two to attend, which equates to showers which means cute summer clothes and I am totally over shopping right now), and I have about 3 babies to prep for (what is with my friends, there so something in the water, or it could just be that we are at that prime baby makin' age)
There will be knitting content, but just not at the rate there was back in October or November. Until that point though I will continue to take pictures of the world around me. Because, darn it- the world is fascinating, and there is so much good stuff to see- and I love to show it from my eyes, from my point of view, and hopefully inspire all of you to see it in a new way and share with us too.

So until further notice this blog has just evolved (so I hope you are down with Darwinism) with bits of my life and my craftiness and my adventures.

I hope you all stick around, because I really like all of you- I DO and I would be sad if I lost your readership just because I stop posting pictures of hats, or socks or yarn and needles. Really, I would.
So just remember that things don't always have to follow the same direction. Life is full of change and challenges that is what makes it so sweet, no?
Take this picture for instance,
Ms. Daisy (pink hair) has just received a nasty sliver in her thumb because she was trying to help Ms. Noodle (blue hair) up on the porch that has no stairs- pain, challenge- over come it... I got up there onto the porch and we got that sliver out lickity split.

Speaking of change, what do you all think of the change of color in my life? I am TOTALLY loving it. I love that I have a fairly serious job (what? How does that work?). I have to deal with the public, I have to deal with school principals and school district administrators, parents and city planners- and they have to take me seriously because, well, I usually know what I am talking about.
Ha! Imagine that, hair color really doesn't determine your intelligence. It is a really good social/psychological test. If you have it in you, you should try it some time. It is really interesting. (just notice the difference in reaction between men and women, or between kids and adults. It is hysterical!)

TILT

Things I love Thursday.

Today is dedicated to the Point Arena Light House.

Hubby snapped these photos and I am totally in love with them.

I usually hog the camera, but every now and then I pass, (er share) it over to him and he takes some really great shots.
This light house has some really great history. Link on over to the website and check it out, better yet go and visit Point Arena, California.
It is one of my favorite places in the world...

More T.I.L.T here

H is for...

Today's post is brought to you today by the letter H.
H is for hiking.










Hiking is one of the things that I enjoy doing the most. I love getting outside, feeling the heat or the cold- seeing parts of the landscape that you wouldn't see via car, train or plane.









There is something about the feeling you get when you have hiked to the top of a mountain or a hill. Looking down at all that is below.

















There is something amazing about having your own muscles and bones carry you to a point on the map.










I love the feeling of earning my dinner and my sleep. Ever notice how things taste better on the trail?
Hubby and I are avid hikers, we try to make at least on good trek every summer/early spring.

















We are lucky enough to have a crew of friends that are equally excited to get out and explore to test their endurance and their camp gear.

















We are hoping to hit a few spots this summer. TheLost Cost in California, the summit of Mt. Whitney, California and a few good day hikes up in Lassen County, California.

Get out there~

Pictures were taken at the following spots:
Lava Tubes in northern California
Elk, California
Black Butte, outside of Shasta City, California
Lake Aloha, Desolation Wilderness, California
Camel Back, Phoenix, Arizona
Looking towards Mt. Shasta, Black Butte hike