It is indescribably pleasing to nurture an orange tree, watching it flower and fruit, then seeing those fruits grow and develop from green to yellow, finally to delicious, deep orange. Most thrilling of all is the experience of picking an orange from that tree, breaking it open, and enjoying its sweetness right there under the tree as the juice runs down your arm making your hands and face sticky and delicious-smelling. It is an exerience that everyone should get the opportunity to have - picking home-grown fruits and vegetables - green beans, cherries, apples, radishes, and especially TOMATOES - and eating them right there in the garden before they can even make it to the kitchen.
No - you shouldn't do this if you spray your garden to rid it of pests (and unfortunately good bugs too), but try it some time. Don't spray your garden one year - be brave enough to grow some food for yourself that is not perfect and pretty. Share a little bit with the critters (and neighbors) that come around; anyone who has ever grown a garden knows that there is more than enough to give away when any given crop is ripening madly.
Wipe the dirt off a few of the things you have picked and taste them - NOW - before you leave the garden. Especially do it when you are sweaty and tired and fulfilled with your garden work for the day. If your hair is hanging into your face and dirt and sweat streak your arms, the garden doesn't care. And the satisfaction of your little snack will taste better for it. The sweet flavor of your work and love is packed into these tidbits of sustenance. That, to me, is the real meaning of the word fruition, and you will never be the same once you have experienced it.
Peace.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Waiting for Intervention - Divine or Otherwise
This has been a wacky month at the house. Aside from charming husband bingeing on work, many of the household appliances/mechanical things have turned on us. The joys of home ownership are currently limited to looking outside - indoors looks like a chore list to me.
Our beloved furnace which normally keeps me toasty while I knit has declined to do so. I fought it back by going down and having a little talk with it - and wiggling the connections. Whew - another 40-degree night last night. The parts will eventually have to be replaced, but not today.
The broiler in the oven quit wanting to broil. Oh, well - we don't broil that much anyway.
Oddly, the problem that bothers me most is the disloyalty of the dishwasher. One of the springs that makes the door open and close with some dignity went SPROING the other day. Now the door to the dishwasher leaps open at the speed of light, making a huge sound and scaring the hell out of me (and the cat - who runs for cover as if he is being chased by wild dingos). This must be fixed soon because I am clearly not going to remember to open the door gently - it will crash down every time, rattling both dishes and my nerves.
Oh yeah - back to this intervention thing. I have been knitting this lovely hat called "Claudia" by MJ Kim. It has 122 stitches around with many rows of trellis cabling - much more than I have ever done before. Yikes! I have knit and ripped more rows than this thing will ever have and am still working the first 5 rows of cabling. I'll get it. Sooner or later. Much, much later seems likely.
So we're headed next door to dinner now. The hat is on the couch. I'll check it when I return (as I always do) to see if the knitting fairy has come and finished the trellis cables. Hell, if Santa Claus or Al Gore wants to finish the damn thing I'd be beholden. Aaah, who am I kidding? The dishwasher fairy, broiler fairy, and furnace fairy are all laying down on the job - I'm sure the knitting fairy is out in the alley smoking a cigarette and having a drink with them.
Our beloved furnace which normally keeps me toasty while I knit has declined to do so. I fought it back by going down and having a little talk with it - and wiggling the connections. Whew - another 40-degree night last night. The parts will eventually have to be replaced, but not today.
The broiler in the oven quit wanting to broil. Oh, well - we don't broil that much anyway.
Oddly, the problem that bothers me most is the disloyalty of the dishwasher. One of the springs that makes the door open and close with some dignity went SPROING the other day. Now the door to the dishwasher leaps open at the speed of light, making a huge sound and scaring the hell out of me (and the cat - who runs for cover as if he is being chased by wild dingos). This must be fixed soon because I am clearly not going to remember to open the door gently - it will crash down every time, rattling both dishes and my nerves.
Oh yeah - back to this intervention thing. I have been knitting this lovely hat called "Claudia" by MJ Kim. It has 122 stitches around with many rows of trellis cabling - much more than I have ever done before. Yikes! I have knit and ripped more rows than this thing will ever have and am still working the first 5 rows of cabling. I'll get it. Sooner or later. Much, much later seems likely.
So we're headed next door to dinner now. The hat is on the couch. I'll check it when I return (as I always do) to see if the knitting fairy has come and finished the trellis cables. Hell, if Santa Claus or Al Gore wants to finish the damn thing I'd be beholden. Aaah, who am I kidding? The dishwasher fairy, broiler fairy, and furnace fairy are all laying down on the job - I'm sure the knitting fairy is out in the alley smoking a cigarette and having a drink with them.
Friday, February 15, 2008
A Crafty Trick To Go With Knitting
I've been crafting creatively for years. The guys in the local hardware stores are puzzled by the things I buy and my plans for the stuff. They do seem to enjoy the pursuit of just the right piece of hardware or tool, the use of which will be perverted by a woman (ugh) - just don't understand it. Usually I get the "that's just WRONG" look.
When Alex's purse was almost done, a magnetic catch seemed to be the right way to complete the functionality, but I couldn't find a way to put it into an unlined felted purse. (probably my own searching incompetence) So - a new method was created, and it seems pretty good. A trip to the craft store was all it took this time (hardware guys breathe a sigh of relief). I promised my local yarn store friends that I would put the instructions, with photos, on the web - so here they are.
Magnetic Snap Installation Instructions in PDF form: Click here
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Our Valentine's Day Anniversary - the good, the bad, and the ugly
OK, so we got married on Valentine's Day. There was a good reason - maybe great. I like a little attention on Valentine's Day. He HATES Valentine's Day and (had I not made my wishes known - in no uncertain terms - he would not ever have celebrated it at all). On New Year's Eve 18 years ago, the waiter gave me a fortune cookie after a delicious Chinese dinner. The fortune inside said "K, I love you, will you marry me?" and without spending any time keeping M hanging, I said yes. I also set the date - Valentine's Day. I told him that he never had to even think about Valentine's Day again, just celebrate our anniversary. So here we are - with a knitted & embroidered fortune cookie for him, celebrating our anniversary.
The bad news about having a romantic holiday for an anniversary is that we NEVER EVER EVER go out on that date. There is not a darn thing romantic and fun about fine restaurants with extra tables crammed in, bad service, and slipshod food due to the zillions of other people celebrating. We stay home and enjoy each other's company and go out some other time. The event too big to be contained within just one day.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Purple Felted Clogs
It is impossible to really enjoy the deliciousness of my newly felted clogs through this photo. The colors are rich; the fabric is soft and snuggly; they are an unalloyed good. Well, almost. They are still damp enough from the felting process that they make my feetses cold, so I can't wear them yet.
Today is Sunday - our farmers' market day and (drum roll) the Super Bowl. Being football watchers and foodies of a large caliber, this is one of the big annual holidays for my husband and me. It is our day to make an enormous sandwich (a muffaletta this year), buy a large quantity of deliciously unhealthy junk food, and sit on the couch watching TV drinking wine. I wish my decadent clogs were ready to join us!
Today is Sunday - our farmers' market day and (drum roll) the Super Bowl. Being football watchers and foodies of a large caliber, this is one of the big annual holidays for my husband and me. It is our day to make an enormous sandwich (a muffaletta this year), buy a large quantity of deliciously unhealthy junk food, and sit on the couch watching TV drinking wine. I wish my decadent clogs were ready to join us!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Obscenity and degradation - felting without a top-loading washer *
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The unknown knitter *
In my 'jammies doin' the freakin' I-cord thing. It was great to finish the purse body for Alex (niece) but then there were the 9 feet of I-cord to make. Yeah boy - I am the world's slowest I-cord maker. The niece may get the purse by the time she is 20 (she's 14 now).
"This is the cord that never ends, it just goes on and on, my friends. I once started knitting it, not knowing what it was, now I'll be knitting it forever - that's because it is the cord that never ends, it just goes on and on, my friends. I once started knitting it, not knowing what it was, now I'll be knitting it forever - that's because it is the cord that never ends....." Ad infinitum.
* This is a reference to the Unknown Comic from the gong show - if you are too young to remember that, just let it go. You'll never "get" a lot of my comments in this blog.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery - I am developing a backlog of gifts requested. Besides that, I need time to learn how to do them.
Thanks,
Your Loving Aunt
Does anyone else remember when everything you ordered took either 4-6 weeks or 6-8 weeks to arrive?
Friday, January 11, 2008
Charming Husband In Watchcap Again
Extra-yummy Blue Sky Royal Alpaca with husband filling. Marsan Watchcap pattern at Redlipstick.com
Rita in a pup bowl
This is my furry friend Rita - she is a rescutie (rescued cutie) who belongs to my neighbor. I borrow her for fur love sometimes, plus she helps me knit.
Validation means more work?
My 'twenty-something' niece called this morning. She is a peach - I love her dearly (despite her dreadful and sarcastic ways - perhaps because of them). Apparently she has absconded with the beanie I made for her dad (out of delicious yak yarn). Truth be told, he didn't like it that much anyway - claims to be an old guy who wants a turned up rim sort of hat. Beanies are just too mod and cool for him. His new hat has been made and is one of the items on the table being blocked, so don't feel too sorry for him - his head will be re-clad soon enough.
At any rate, Valerie wanted to tell me how much she "LOVED, not LIKED" the hat and wanted to "order up" some more. YIPPEE! Somebody is truly enjoying the string gifts I'm churning out madly.
Off to the LYS for blue, black and white-ish yarn. Yep, she wants three of the little guys to wear with (apparently) everything she owns. No problem - I'll do it as soon as I finish the obnoxiously hot pink felted purse for my 14-year-old niece. She loves anything pink and girly, so this should be a perfect gift.
To be completely honest, my mother got a steely blue shawl/blanket made of Debbie Bliss chunky cashmerino that she would use all the time if she could retrieve it from her cat. So validation is not that scarce a commodity. Good thing, because neither are my knitted gifts.
Now go out there and annoy someone by being friendly today - you know you want to.
Peace
At any rate, Valerie wanted to tell me how much she "LOVED, not LIKED" the hat and wanted to "order up" some more. YIPPEE! Somebody is truly enjoying the string gifts I'm churning out madly.
Off to the LYS for blue, black and white-ish yarn. Yep, she wants three of the little guys to wear with (apparently) everything she owns. No problem - I'll do it as soon as I finish the obnoxiously hot pink felted purse for my 14-year-old niece. She loves anything pink and girly, so this should be a perfect gift.
To be completely honest, my mother got a steely blue shawl/blanket made of Debbie Bliss chunky cashmerino that she would use all the time if she could retrieve it from her cat. So validation is not that scarce a commodity. Good thing, because neither are my knitted gifts.
Now go out there and annoy someone by being friendly today - you know you want to.
Peace
Block(ing) Party
Finally got my mind around the small pile of items that needed to be blocked. Bought some citrus scented SOAK and pulled out an old stockpot. Did the job and now everything is on blocking "pads" on the dining room table.
What comes next? Of course - invite some friends for dinner. D'oh, the table has been completely overrun with wet things trying to become dry things. Damn! Idiot! Planning is clearly not my strong suit this week.
What comes next? Of course - invite some friends for dinner. D'oh, the table has been completely overrun with wet things trying to become dry things. Damn! Idiot! Planning is clearly not my strong suit this week.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Abrupt turnabout - yarn and needles
I finished the lovely Hella Cable scarf and have enjoyed a couple of days of wearing it before I block it. It does look great (will post a photo soon) in Brown Sheep Burly Spun Sable.
From large to small, however, is a bizarre transition. I am making a small wrist bag for holding yarn while I knit. I won't use it too much, but when I am at our "knit-one-one" knit-out night (website: http://www.knitoneone.com/ ), it is hard to put my yarn anywhere. The floor is out. The table is clean when we start, but as you can imagine does not stay that way (sweet potato fries are flavor filled, but grease-laden and we have the occasional knitting needle drinking glass disturbance).
Knituition's blog has the pattern - really cute - it can be found at: http://knituition.blogspot.com/2007/04/wrist-yarn-holder.html
Cute, yes, but switching from #17 pointy baseball bats with yarn that could be used to tie up a boat to #3 double points with 8 tiny stitches on them is enough to make me head for the red wine. In fact, I think I'll do that right now.
Peace
From large to small, however, is a bizarre transition. I am making a small wrist bag for holding yarn while I knit. I won't use it too much, but when I am at our "knit-one-one" knit-out night (website: http://www.knitoneone.com/ ), it is hard to put my yarn anywhere. The floor is out. The table is clean when we start, but as you can imagine does not stay that way (sweet potato fries are flavor filled, but grease-laden and we have the occasional knitting needle drinking glass disturbance).
Knituition's blog has the pattern - really cute - it can be found at: http://knituition.blogspot.com/2007/04/wrist-yarn-holder.html
Cute, yes, but switching from #17 pointy baseball bats with yarn that could be used to tie up a boat to #3 double points with 8 tiny stitches on them is enough to make me head for the red wine. In fact, I think I'll do that right now.
Peace
Friday, January 4, 2008
Another day, another tangle
OK - I had no intention of writing every day, but have had such adventures/misadventures that I had to make a note.
To begin with, it has been raining buckets and blowing near-hurricane force winds here in Oakland. And my charming husband stayed home to snuffle with his new friend the cold.
I got a little cabin fever (imagine that!), so I started knitting. And un-knitting. Got tired of the feel of Cascade 220 on 16" circular needles, so went after a new pattern from a great knitter in our group. It is called the Hella Cable Scarf written by Speedyneedles (Kate F). This crazy scarf uses Brown Sheep Burly Spun yarn or a combo of other yarns put together.
I didn't have anything to use, so swam out to the yarn store (Article Pract) in the middle of the deluge. Took forever to pick a yarn so I got several. (Another surprise - I'm really a big ol' yarn slut for stuff that feels good) Got the yarn - holy crap is it big! Tried to wind it in the store and didn't hold tension, so the ball outgrew the ball winder about halfway through. (Idiot) Had to pull it and run the large, unfinished center pull ball through again. It fits on one spindle if done properly. Thanks to the nice yarnmaiden at the store. Oh - and I left my umbrella at the store because the rain slowed to a light pour while I was shopping. Grrr.
Brought home my groovy new burly and looked for a yarn to carry along with it for an accent. What a disaster - I tried and frogged several options and may yet just use the burly without an accent color. I really am discovering that I need to consult with Punk Rawk Purl (Tammy G) or the yarnwomen du jour when choosing colors or yarns in general - I suck at this! Things always turn out much better when I get help. And yes, I did tangle up the yarn as I frogged.
The final observation of today - knitting with number 19 needles is a bit like knitting with a pair of sharpened baseball bats.
To begin with, it has been raining buckets and blowing near-hurricane force winds here in Oakland. And my charming husband stayed home to snuffle with his new friend the cold.
I got a little cabin fever (imagine that!), so I started knitting. And un-knitting. Got tired of the feel of Cascade 220 on 16" circular needles, so went after a new pattern from a great knitter in our group. It is called the Hella Cable Scarf written by Speedyneedles (Kate F). This crazy scarf uses Brown Sheep Burly Spun yarn or a combo of other yarns put together.
I didn't have anything to use, so swam out to the yarn store (Article Pract) in the middle of the deluge. Took forever to pick a yarn so I got several. (Another surprise - I'm really a big ol' yarn slut for stuff that feels good) Got the yarn - holy crap is it big! Tried to wind it in the store and didn't hold tension, so the ball outgrew the ball winder about halfway through. (Idiot) Had to pull it and run the large, unfinished center pull ball through again. It fits on one spindle if done properly. Thanks to the nice yarnmaiden at the store. Oh - and I left my umbrella at the store because the rain slowed to a light pour while I was shopping. Grrr.
Brought home my groovy new burly and looked for a yarn to carry along with it for an accent. What a disaster - I tried and frogged several options and may yet just use the burly without an accent color. I really am discovering that I need to consult with Punk Rawk Purl (Tammy G) or the yarnwomen du jour when choosing colors or yarns in general - I suck at this! Things always turn out much better when I get help. And yes, I did tangle up the yarn as I frogged.
The final observation of today - knitting with number 19 needles is a bit like knitting with a pair of sharpened baseball bats.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Untangling this blog thing
I was never much interested in blogs, but now that I've been reading about a few things that really interest me (knitting, cooking, gardening) it seems like fun to share. I have gotten a world of good advice from bloggers recently, so thought I would join in.
This may start out really poorly done (sorry in advance), but once I get the hang of it better blogging may happen.
I hope.
This may start out really poorly done (sorry in advance), but once I get the hang of it better blogging may happen.
I hope.
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