flickr faves

1. Untitled, 2. Halloween 1975, 3. The Wigwam Motel, 4. Untitled, 5. Joshua Trees in the Mojave Desert, 6. mimetismo, 7. Untitled, 8. Untitled, 9. pola a04, 10. ...un quarto di secolo rischia di apparire piu’ lungo di una vita, se le persone non comunicano quello che rimane sospeso nel cuore. (S.P), 11. Portrait Booth Portrait, 12. accidental dip, 13. friday. 5pm., 14. *, 15. Regret, 16. Gundagai, 17. pantufas, 18. Untitled, 19. Sunshine on a cloudy day, 20. .

The drive, continued.

We left Jackson at about 8:00am, still heading east on I-40. We were jonesing for another audio book but had a hard time finding any. At one place they had a bunch of cheap ones and we ended up with Stephen King's The Colorado Kid. The characters spoke in heavy New England accents and we had a hard time understanding them sometimes. The story took some serious paying attention to really follow and while it passed the time, it wasn't all that enjoyable.

We drove through Tennessee, passing through Nashville and Knoxville, heading for a little place north of Winston-Salem. At the last minute, Will realized that instead of taking I-40 to Winston and then going north, we should take I-81 north to I-77 south to I-74 east and US-52 south. We had to backtrack a few miles the junction with I-81, but ultimately his smart thinking saved us at least an hour of driving. Nice! We rolled into our destination at about 6:30pm. It was so nice to have a welcoming, cozy house to sleep at instead of a motel. Our dear friend made us the best lasagna ever with salad and bread on the side. And a delicious apple tart for dessert. Good food, good conversation and a good night all around.

(Day 3 - 9/12 hours)

The next morning, after a little breakfast with our friend, we headed to Winston-Salem and Krankies. That place - the Wherehouse - never ceases to amaze me. We hadn't been there in about three years and it's incredible to see how much they have done since then. Krankies has expanded. There's a bakery in the basement. A garden in progress outside. And they have their very own chickens. It is such a wonderful place and it always feels so comfortable to be there. We got to see a lot of the folks that we know, just sitting outside drinking tea and coffee, catching up. A lovely, lovely time. I just wish we had more time to spend there.

We headed out just after 2:00pm. The drive was uneventful and went by quickly, just how I like it to be. We arrived at the beach house in Isle of Palms, the same one as last year, a bit after 6:00. Just in time to join Will's folks and some family friends for dinner. We ate at The Mustard Seed in Mt. Pleasant. A very friendly place with good but not fabulous food. I tried the crab cake special and was a bit disappointed as they were the mushy kind and I prefer the crisper kind. The key lime pie was delicious though.

And that was that. We were finally at the beach.

(Day 4 - 5 hours)

flickr faves

1. Owl Triptych, 2. Untitled, 3. Untitled, 4. sophie looks out, 5. Untitled, 6. Festive, 7. Untitled, 8. Pickup Line, 9. Untitled, 10. boat, on the bay, 11. Bite Hard, 12. .1059., 13. drumming?, 14. our friend the horse, 15. i do have weapons, 16. Untitled, 17. The Baby Doctor, 18. Weightless, 19. birkenhead sunset, 20. Free Your Mind

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The drive.

We decided to leave a day earlier than originally planned so that we wouldn't have to have crazy long days of driving. We also decided that since we had some extra time, we wouldn't stress out about leaving at the crack of dawn. A good idea. We ended up hitting the road at about 11:00am and had a pleasant drive through eastern New Mexico and Texas on I-40. We wanted to stop at around dinnertime so based on that and the fact that the Tom Tom (borrowed from my dad) assured us that the Elk City exit had motels, we stopped there.

Plenty of chain motels to choose from but they all looked so run down. We wanted to eat first so we picked a diner listed on the Tom Tom, followed the directions and no diner! Picked a second place and found a burned out building. Thanks Tom Tom! We decided to drive down to the next exit of Elk City to see what we could see. Not much. No restaurants besides fast food. And more seedy looking motels. We drove around some more to no avail. Finally found sort of a main drag with more motels and fast food. We couldn't believe there were not any non-fast food restaurants. There had to be something. Finally we stumbled upon Ed's Katy Diner. It was open and not a burned out building. A good start. And by this time we were starved.

The building was an old train depot but other than it's history, the place didn't have all that much character. We sat in a booth where we could watch the Monday Night Football game. Ordered some Coronas because that was the only "good" beer they served. Will spotted chicken fried steak on the menu, one of my favorites. So I ordered that and he got the fried catfish platter. Neither dish was remarkable, but it was a helluvalot better than eating at Sonic.

After dinner, we had to make a motel decision. We were near a Best Western so decided to stay there just so we wouldn't have to drive around anymore. We didn't ask the room price beforehand so were a bit shocked to find that it was going to be over a hundred dollars. We never pay that much for road motels and felt kind of ripped off. Because let me tell you, it was not a luxury motel. A nice big room, yes, and relatively clean, but the sheets were the scratchiest sheets we have ever slept on. It was like sleeping on sandpaper. Awful. We made it out of there by 8:00 the next morning with not a lot of love for Elk City, Oklahoma.

(Day 1 - 7 hours)

One of the truck stops that we stopped at had a bunch of audio books so we ended up buying one. Stuart Woods Hothouse Orchid. I don't read his books, but I figured that a mainstream type thriller would be perfectly fine to listen to in the car. Much like all the crime shows I watch on television. And I was correct. Between the listening and the knitting, the drive went by quickly that day. Oklahoma, Arkansas and into Tennessee. That's when it got ugly. Well actually I guess we were still in Arkansas. West Memphis, Arkansas. It was five o'clock and there was construction going. Traffic came to a dead stop. We must have already finished the audio book otherwise that would have distracted me. I tried to focus on crocheting, but the whole not moving thing and being surrounded by big trucks started to freak me out. (Note: Traffic jams make me have panic attacks.) It was not fun. My mind started racing, trying to figure out how I could escape, get out, move, something. Anything. But no. We would reach a point of movement only to hit another dead stop. Again and again. It took us an hour to get to the other side. And by then, both of us were in bad moods. My panic is silent but Will knows that I am stressed out which in turns stressed him out and, well, you get the picture. Not fun.

But we made it. We arrived in Jackson, our destination for the evening, at around 7:00. Based on the unreliable Tom Tom, we had picked out a BBQ place for dinner. It was there. And it wasn't a burned out building. But they closed at 7:00. Foiled again! Will was super bummed because this place (which I can't remember the name of) looked like the real deal. We backtracked toward the interstate and ended up having BBQ pulled pork sandwiches at some sports bar and restaurant. It wasn't bad. And they served beer which was much needed at that point. But it wasn't the real deal. We stayed at a Ramada Inn that night and not only was it super cheap, the sheets were soft. Heavenly after a long day on the road.

(Day 2 - 10 hours)

To be continued.

And P.S. I know this isn't all that interesting, but I am so bad at actually writing in a real journal these days, I like to at least recap here so I can remember things. I am sorry if it is way too long-winded.

This really stinks.

Aaron Smith out for the season. Not only is he Will's favorite player, he is a crucial part of our defense.

The last time the Steelers played without Smith, 33, for an extended period, their rush defense all but collapsed.

Not good, especially since our defense hasn't exactly been in top form this season. The loss of Smith is huge.

On the bright side, Troy will be back soon. This Sunday, I think.

Home sweet home.

And oh so busy. So busy. I've had a post floating around my head for a few days now, but it just isn't going to happen. I don't have time for the internet. I have time for flowers, felted and the real ones outside. (Meaning that I need to crochet and garden.)

But a quick check in here nonetheless. I should do this in the mornings when my brain is more awake. Evenings have been kicking my ass lately.

Our trip was a lot of fun. Getting home was nice too. No matter how fun it is to visit other places, it's always a relief to get home. To our kitties. Our own bed. Our own bathrooms. And perhaps not the cleanest house, but at least I know where the dirt came from unlike the not so clean motel we stayed at in Amarillo.

One day soon maybe I will tell you about the drive. We discovered that we love listening to audio books. Crime thrillers, natch. We also discovered that it's slim pickings between Amarillo and Oklahoma City. Stay in Elk City if you're in a pinch. The other options were frightening. Horror movie material.

And the beach was wonderful. How could it not be? It's the beach! Ocean! Seagulls! Pelicans! Egrets! Sandpipers! And lots of other birds that I can't name. Also, dolphins! And starfish! Seashells! Sand! And good lord, the food. We had some good food while we were away.

It was also much fun to hang out with Will's family. I got to meet our new nephew, Jake, for the first time. He's six months old. And boy, what a cutie. He is endlessly entertaining. We bought him his first Steelers t-shirt while we were there. He's been instructed that he needs to wear it every Sunday (or whatever day our game is) for the rest of football season. We also got to change a very poopy diaper the one night we babysat while everyone else when out. He managed to get it all the way up his back. Nice!

There's oh so much more to tell, but time is limited. I have to get back to work. I also have pictures of birds and seashells and babies, but they might not show up for awhile. We have company arriving on Friday night and that throws another twist into the whole being busy thing.

Anyway.

It's all good.

flickr faves

1. Peace, Love and Polas, 2. Untitled, 3. Marcin Pool, 4. Untitled, 5. Untitled, 6. In My Dreams, 7. sparks in hand, 8. Untitled, 9. partman parthorse, 10. Pj Harvey & John Parish, 11. Pj Harvey & John Parish, 12. Pj Harvey & John Parish, 13. Untitled, 14. Mr. T lounging, 15. astoria-megler bridge, 16. Untitled, 17. Untitled, 18. Untitled, 19. b&wtree, 20. 3 Trees, 21. Untitled, 22. sunset drip, 23. waiting, 24. Untitled, 25. I walked to work with headphones on.

Created with fds flickr toys.

Good morning.

And a good morning it is! When I woke up and looked at the clock, it was 5:00am. Amazing. I actually slept through the night. Simon did too. Sweetness.

It's been a super busy week, but I've just about got everything on my list crossed out. I have to do laundry and finish packing, but mostly I am good to go. We're really looking forward to getting away for a little awhile. It's a much needed vacation.

I do have to work while we are gone, but I don't consider knitting to be all that intrusive. My things have been selling like mad at the shop on Canyon Road. The flowers just about sold out so I took a new batch in on Thursday and on Friday afternoon, I got an email from Leslie saying that she had already sold nine. Nine! I guess the fall weather brings the need for handmade felted flowers. The baby hats are starting to sell too. It's all pretty exciting. So I want to knit as much as I can on the road so I can have stock ready to go when we get back.

Our cat and house sitter is coming over this morning so we can show him the ropes and give him detailed instructions about the care and feeding of the cats. Hopefully they don't drive him nuts. My theory is that they will actually behave better with him than they do with us. They know they can take advantage of us. A new person, well, that might be risky. I'm sure that they'll ultimately be thrilled to have someone around all the time to cater to their every need. Because Luis is pretty much going to be here 24/7. He's remodeling my bathroom while he is here. Not a bad deal, right?

I'm still on the fence about what cameras are going with me. The for sure ones are the Holga (of course), Polaroid Spectra (I only have five packs of Spectra film left and then that's it), Polaroid One Step Plus and the point and shoot digital. The Pentax K1000 is most likely going as well. And I have the digital SLR packed, but I can't decide if I should take it or not. Between my suitcase of clothing, my knitting bag, my non-digital camera bag and my bag of beach stuff, I have a lot of crap to lug across the country. Do I really need to add one more camera bag? We shall see.

Anyway, I best stop dilly dallying on the computer and get showered and ready for the day. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

flickr faves

1. the hot, thick desert air is almost too heavy to breathe | may 19. 2009, 2. Polaroid SX-70 Photo #13: Happy Father's Day to Me, 3. Untitled, 4. Seal Rock, 5. Pola summer, 6. Untitled, 7. Polaroid SX-70 Photo #8: Light Behind a Curtain, 8. Polaroid 61, 9. Cherokee Winds, 10. control room, 11. El balcón (por la tarde), 12. Untitled, 13. Untitled, 14. feel that way, 15. hotel, 16. ava's new bike

Created with fds flickr toys.

Hello Autumn.

I am not ready for you yet! 32 degrees this morning. Are you serious? Now in addition to the four million other things I have to do today, I have to pick all the tomatoes and peppers because it might freeze tonight. And I have to dig out my warmer running clothes. I wore shorts and a t-shirt yesterday. But did I mention, it's 32 degrees this morning? Time to find the winter gear.

Not. Ready.

I wish I didn't get stressed so easily. I mean, it's just Stuff That Needs To Get Done. No reason to totally freak about it. And having a maxed out stressed level certainly doesn't make the day go any smoother. Everything that needs to get done is going to get done. It might not all happen today, but it'll happen this week. And that's okay.

Breathe.

I still can't believe it's going to freeze tonight. Good grief.

I ended up with a lot of mirror in the earthship bathroom(s) photos.

I can't believe how much rain we have gotten this week.

It's awesome. But also chilly and gray. It's so unusual to have two gray days in a row here. I'm not complaining, I'm just saying. It's like Pittsburgh. But not. Really.

My brain is at full speed lately and it is making it hard for me to get complete sentences out of my mouth. I'm not unfocused exactly, well, okay, maybe a little blurry. But not unfocused. If that makes sense.

I make lists to keep myself organized, but right now I have so many lists going on that my lists are disorganized and it is making me a little crazy. So I started some new clean lists today and it made me feel better.

Debating over cameras to take to the beach is making me go in circles. I just picked up my film pictures from the Earthship Adventure and boy howdy, let me tell you, they are way better than the digital shots. Maybe not all of them, but as a whole, they seem to be so much richer. But more costly. So what to do, what to do? Film or digital? A little of both perhaps.

That said, I also need to learn how to use the digital SLR to its fullest capacity. I think I am lazy about using it and so my pictures aren't as good. Or maybe I need to learn how to post-process more, but it's just not my thing. I'm mostly a straight out of the camera kind of gal.

I'm also realizing that I am going to have to get a good bit of work done while we are gone. And by work I mean knitting so it can't be all that bad, but let me tell you, last year at the beach, we did a whole lot of nothing. Nothing. And reading. Lots of reading. I figure I can at least get a lot done on the drive out there and then maybe just relax at the beach. We'll see.

A quick sleep update. I guess it's gotten a bit better? If you call waking up at 12:30am and then not until 4:30am better, well then, yeah, better. I would love to skip the 12:30am awakening and get a solid six hours of sleep. But you'll have to check with Simon on that one.

Okay, enough of my scattered brain.

flickr faves

1. chiswick house walk 8, 2. peony, 3. ., 4. correzione, 5. french doors, 6. That tree, 7. san francisco, 8. blue, 9. Chowlion_xpro, 10. Salon der Dame, 11. Untitled, 12. Untitled, 13. Untitled, 14. Brightening the mood..., 15. Untitled, 16. Untitled

Created with fds flickr toys.

Door.

I like it!

It's actually cold this morning.

Cold enough that I actually had to put on my fleece jacket when I got out of bed. And think about where I put my slippers when I packed away my winter stuff. I am not ready for fleece and slippers.

That said, I do love the crisp air in the mornings, drawing autumn closer and closer. And the golden yellow leaves that are starting to appear in the trees. I even got excited about the first appearance of snow on Santa Fe Baldy.

I just don't want to be COLD!

What have you been doing?

I've been knitting bowls and crocheting flowers to felt. Watching too many crime shows. Posting lots and lots of earthship photos. Just the digital for now.



Scanning earthship polas. And yesterday I dropped off four rolls of film to be processed. I also paid five bucks for a little strap for my Holga. I thought five bucks was a bit of a rip off, but oh well, I wanted the strap. We popped in the local yarn store too, but they didn't have either of the colors I need in stock. So I ordered them from a place online instead.

I've been eating a lot of tomatoes because they are turning ripe daily now. We give a lot of them away too. I've been running in the morning although I didn't go this morning because I overslept. My mileage has gone down lately as I find it difficult to run 5 miles when I haven't slept very much. It bothers me, but I keep telling myself that 3 miles (or 4 miles) a day is certainly better than no miles a day.

I've been fighting off mild depression and many negative thoughts. I chalk up most of both things to the lack of sleep. Some times it is hard to feel good when overly tired.

I've been thinking about what I am going to take to the beach this year. Too much probably.

I've been thinking about how I really need to change my routine. I knit most of the time which is awesome because I love to knit. But I am not doing some of the other things that I also love to do and I find that a bit frustrating. And there are some things that I want to learn, but I find that I have no time for that either. So I am doing one thing that I love but not the others and it all comes down to time management. I think. I spend too much time on the computer in the morning too. I am doing it right now.

I've been thinking about why it is that I am unable to connect with people. Again. It always makes me sad. It is better when I let go and accept that this is just how it is. How it's always been.

And of course I've been thinking about why I can't sleep well. Why, why, why? What it is going to take to break the cycle?

I've been trying to brush the mats out of Rocky's tail end, but he really doesn't want me to do it. I got one mat out the other night. I've also been noticing all the scabs he has on his head. That one just gets involved in too many fights.

It rained all during the night. The thunder growing distant and then loud loud loud again. And rain. All night. That rarely happens in Santa Fe. It was nice. (Simon many not have thought so though as he was outside.)

Time to get off the computer now. Hope you are doing lots of things you love to do.

I really love this picture of Will.

That smile still melts my heart.

Mirror in the earthship bathroom.

A few new things.

(The zinnias in the mason jar are there to give an idea of the bowl size.)







I made four others but decided I didn't need to post pictures of every single one, although I should have posted one of the smaller ones as they are my favorites.

And last of all, a bag with a shoulder strap! I thought some folks probably prefer this style to a tiny handbag. We shall see.



The Earthship adventure was a blast and I have loads of pictures. It's going to take some time to get them all posted. I also have about a million and one things to get done before we head to the beach. Time is short these days.

Hope you all are enjoying the weekend!

I'm tired.

Um, yeah, so what else is new? I haven't slept well in about two and an half weeks and it is really starting to wear me down, mentally and spiritually even more so than physically. I'm feeling pretty stressed and hopeless about the situation. Just one night of decent rest, is that so much to ask? (Apparently so.)

On the upside, there are some fun things coming up. Friends from the east arrive this week and we are very excited! It's been well over two years since we've seen Sheryl and Rebby. And one of the nights that they are in New Mexico, we're all going to stay at an Earthship in Taos.

That's right, an Earthship! The Phoenix Earthship to be precise. (It's for sale if you're interested.) I've been looking at all the photos online and it looks pretty amazing. I really have no idea what to expect, but I am taking an armload of cameras and film with me. It's out near the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge so I know the views are going to be fabulous.



And the sunset! I can't wait! And who knows, maybe I'll actually get some sleep.

Lastly, we are also looking forward to the first Steelers game of regular season. We're not going to be able to watch in real time, but nonetheless we are excited. Steelers football!

But before all the fun stuff, I have a million and one chores to get done and work to finish up. I also need to squeeze in a quick trip to the Farmers Market this morning to stock up on green chile for the winter. It's been on my list for ages and I just haven't made it over there. (No matter that it's about two blocks away.) Today is the day though. I am going to do it. And then we'll see what else I get done.

Hope your week is going well so far!

flickr faves

1. Clean, 2. Untitled, 3. apple orchard, 4. lo, 5. Untitled, 6. Untitled, 7. Hickman Bridge, 8. Untitled, 9. The Columbia River Gorge, 10. Untitled, 11. l'attente, 12. trompe-l'œil, 13. The High Line #4, 14. Untitled, 15. Untitled, 16. chiswick house walk 7

Created with fds flickr toys.

Dinner is always the best part.

We ended up going to Mauka for dinner last night. We were tired and had a couple of very refreshing mojitos at Coyote Cantina in the late afternoon so driving out to Terra didn't seem like a good idea anymore.

We ate at Mauka last year for our anniversary and it was awesome. Last night it was awesome again. We started off with the Hawaiian poke spring roll served with pineapple chutney and black tobiko. For the main course, Will had the River Canyon Ranch tenderloin served with potato-chorizo hash, local mustard greens and romesco sauce. So delicious. I went for the Atlantic Diver scallops served with bacon - apple risotto cake, fennel confit and kimchi vinaigrette. It did not disappoint. The scallops were perfect and the bacon - apple risotto was amazing. Not to mention the lovely presentation.

The dessert options were interesting, but none of them really grabbed me. We went for the Blackberry Clafouti with Pineapple Caramel. It was good, but not really my dream dessert. Or perhaps I just had one too many glasses of chardonnay by then. Overall, I think Mauka is one of the best restaurants in Santa Fe. They always have excellent menu choices and seem to use a lot of locally grown food. A little pricey for us to frequent, but definitely worth it when we can swing the bill.

And today I am 39.

P.S. Today is not my birthday.

(So this is a pre-birthday birthday post.)



1. 30, 2. 31, 3. 32, 4. 33, 5. 34, 6. 35, 7. 36, 8. 37, 9. 38

[Created with fds flickr toys.]

When I turned 30, I wanted to have my dream rock show, and basically, I did. I wanted Oneida and a Dead at 24 reunion and that's what I got. And CC spinning tunes. And one of the best things ever, Sheryl, Kate and Fat Bobby getting up on stage and singing Little Red Corvette for me. Later, Fat Bobby and I played jacks on my kitchen floor.

[Another dream rock show, the JBB at my wedding reception. It happened. I was thrilled. Sadly I've already been told that the dream rock show for my 40th birthday is never going to happen because the JBB is done. Forever. Fortunately they live on forever in my iTunes.]

A small party for age 31 and Sheryl made Tres Leches cake for me! I keep asking Will to make one for me to no avail.

Another small party for age 32, this time in New York City at Lakeside Lounge. I was head over heels in love. (And I got a nice pola of Jami's boobs.)

Age 33, Will gave me a Lomo LC-A camera and we went to the Bronx Zoo. Good times.

I couldn't find a single photo for my 34th birthday. Checked out my old archives though and found that Will gave me a Polaroid ProPack and we went to see Oneida that night.

I neglected to look up what we did when I turned 35. We were in Pittsburgh.

We went to Dana's PhD party for my 36th birthday. Working Poor at the park and then karaoke in Swissvale later that evening. I remember getting Ben Brain to sing something for me and now I can't even remember what it was. Iron Maiden? Billy Squier?

By my 37th birthday, we were here in Santa Fe and I wanted to go hiking for my birthday. So a-hiking we went with my dad and Katrina.

And last year, I worked on my birthday, but we had a superb sushi dinner at Shoko Cafe. Oh, and I got a new stove.

As for this year, well, that remains to be seen.

I know this post is rather indulgent. I like birthdays. I like other people's birthdays, I like my birthday. I have no idea why. Will could give a shit about his birthday. Another day, another year older, yadda yadda. But it always makes me think a bit, reflect on birthdays gone by and I don't know, some years I probably don't like what I see, others I do. This year I have no complaints. The drama quotient in my life has gone down significantly so it's not like I look back on the year and get blown away. What I see is very slow progress toward achieving the kind of life that I want to live. Working outside the 40-hour work week. Doing something I love. Actually acknowledging that maybe, just maybe, I am a creative person. For someone who has, unfortunately, had self-esteem and confidence problems for the greater part of her life, these very small steps feel very huge to me. And sure, I wish I was younger and making these steps. That I had more time. But I'm not and it's okay and there is always time. It is never too late. (Or so I hope!) I suppose the main thing that remains a monkey on my back is the insomnia and the anxiety. Both things oftentimes keep me from living life to the fullest and it is incredibly frustrating. But I have hope. Slowly progress is made in those departments as well. I am who I am and I deal with it the best that I can. I wish I didn't have anxiety problems, but I do and I miss out on things, but at some point I also have to stop beating myself up about it. I also wish I was a better photographerknitterwifedaughtersisterfriendcookgardner. I wish making friends came easy to me, online and off. I wish I wish and I wish and then I stop and it's okay. I haven't given up on changing, no way, never, but picking on myself isn't going to help. So mostly, at almost forty, I am pretty okay with who I am. And for me, that's saying a lot.

I am currently obsessed with bowls.

Felted bowls, to be precise.



Here's a shot of my very first attempt. I think it turned out quite nicely. (I just need to learn how to take decent shots of my felted goods. I have to admit, it is not my favorite type of photography.)



I was picturing something much smaller than the result, but it's all good. Big bowls, little bowls, why not? I have two more made that are experiments with size and shape, but I haven't felted them yet. Once I get them felted, I am going to go bowl crazy.

flickr faves

1. Untitled, 2. morning shower, 3. day before the ride, 4. Untitled, 5. dining out | may 16. 2009, 6. . . ., 7. Weekend is finished, 8. senang, 9. eucalyptus bark, 10. ., 11. Silverchair, 12. tiny yellow, 13. Untitled, 14. Tabby's nose, 15. fields of gold, 16. Untitled

Created with fds flickr toys.

Pickled peppers.

We have a plethora of jalapeño and cubanelle peppers, more than we could possibly eat all at once. So I pickled them. I used this recipe because it sounded tasty and simple enough for my first attempt at pickling. They are supposed to sit in the refrigerator for a week so I'll keep you posted on how they taste.

I never used to like pickled anything, not even pickles. But when I met Will's granny for the first time and she sent us off with some jars of her pickles, that was it. Granny's pickles were the best thing ever and turned me into a pickle person. So I am all for trying my own pickling. I hope the peppers turn out well as I am going to have lots more ready to pick in another week or so.

And of course anytime I think about pickling peppers, that childhood rhyme come to mind:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Things that go bump in the night.

Last night I woke up at 1:10 in the morning. I kept hearing weird noises. Or I kept thinking I heard weird noises.

So I woke up my husband.

"I keep hearing weird noises."

He got up and checked the house. No one in the house. No one lurking outside the house. All was well.

Except that we were both wide awake. And we woke the cats up.

It's not so bad being wide awake when the person laying next to you is also wide awake. I felt like a jerk for waking up Will, but he was very nice about it.

The cats were restless and kept me from sleep until 3:49 when I finally gave in and let Rocky go outside. (I let Simon out at 3:16. Rocky usually isn't allowed out until after 4:00, but I've been giving in lately. And yes, I remember exact times of the night. I think that's what happens when you have problems sleeping.)

I think that I have an overactive imagination because the past few weeks, all I've been doing is knitting and watching crime shows. Crime shows plant all sorts of scary and gruesome scenarios in my head. I need to start watching sitcoms or something.

I just sat in the car in the driveway

so I could finish listening to Balls to the Walls. It made me inordinately happy for some reason.

The video link is worth checking out. Classic 1980's hard rock cheesy video.

My love for the hard rock/heavy metal of my youth will never die.

Granted, I don't think I could name any other song by Accept.

Rain, rain and rain!

It's coming down steadily and I am not complaining. We've been needing a some rainfall, big time. It also means that I don't have to water the garden. Double yay!

We went to see District 9 this afternoon. I'd heard good and bad reviews of it and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I liked it. It was a good story, touching and suspenseful. But good lord, way too much blood and guts for my taste. It didn't make me not like the movie, but I am just not a blood and guts person. I thought I was going to throw up at one point. Yuck. And yeah, I know that I suck at movie reviews, so I'll just say that this was definitely worth going to see at the theater. No regrets.

I've still in the midst of a knitting frenzy. Today I felted my first bowl. It turned out much bigger than I expected, but it is quite nice. I'll post a photo when it's dry. I think I'm going to knit up a few more bowls, maybe in some different sizes and then get back to handbags as I still have so many new ideas. So much fun!

Hope your week is off to a good start!

flickr faves

1. the world is a much smaller place..., 2. Untitled, 3. Gently, 4. Untitled, 5. ., 6. Evening Swim, 7. Untitled, 8. Untitled, 9. We are gathered here today, 10. I Know It's Over, No.1, 11. Untitled, 12. And It Was All Yellow, 13. Iris 2, 14. money well spent, 15. goodbye, 16. Untitled

Why is it that people in Santa Fe

are completely unable to use their turn signals? Is it so hard to make it blink, blink, blink so I know that you are going to turn, and when needed, which way you are going to turn, or that you are going to squeeze into my lane? I don't know about you, but when I learned to drive, I was taught how to use turn signals. The habit is so ingrained in me that occasionally I find myself hitting the turn signal when it's not even necessary, like when I am turning out of my driveway and there is no one behind me or anywhere around.

I mean, come on people, turn signals! How hard can it be? It's not like I am asking you to actually yield at yellow lights or come to a complete stop at stop signs. I know that would just be way too much to handle.

It drives me effing insane.

And today we are wishing

p.nut (aka donut) a very happy birthday!! Hope you have some fun celebrations plan and have an excellent day. We miss you and send you much love. (Kisses for the kitties too.)

Another new one.

I thought this one turned out looking very "Santa Fe".

Excuse my language,

but you've got to be fucking kidding me.

Favre likely to return (again): QB meeting with Vikings

Three weeks ago he said he was done. Retired for good.

Dude, give it a rest already. I think he just likes being in the news. How long is this going to go on??

Stripes and checks.

I ran out of wool yarn last week so I switched to cotton and made a couple of baby hats over the weekend.

Note to Alyssa: I really need all of your kids to be hat models for me!!

Wishing a very happy birthday

to CC today. We love you and miss you tons!

flickr faves

1. orange & brown schwinn, 2. Untitled, 3. This rich life., 4. Untitled, 5. Work Storm, 6. El Dorado, 7. alexandria, 8. Untitled, 9. Take Me To The River, No.17, 10. Untitled, 11. Untitled, 12. silk cocoon , 13. Rabbit Patch, 14. poppies 09, 15. Deep thought. , 16. sc0007943d

Created with fds flickr toys.

So tired it hurts.

One word.

Simon.

New cables and stripes.

Made with all the leftovers.



The cable patterns I chose for the red and the yellow really came out well. The cables show up quite nicely. I think I am also finally starting to figure out which yarns work best for certain designs.



I got a special order for this one today. Someone wants the color and the zigzag but in a larger bag. Yay!

'Tis the preseason.

Of football, that is. This summer is flying by...I can hardly believe we're already a week into August! And today we are officially one month away from the first game of the season. That first game being a Steelers game! Woohoo! (And okay, we're going to have out-of-town guests that evening and miss at least half the game, if not all of it, but still, it's exciting.) Preseason is not so exciting to me, but I do plan to check out the game on Thursday and I'm sure I'll peek at some of the other games that are aired throughout this month. Preseason is a nice little taste of football, but it never gets me revved up. The real football fever never begins until September. I'm looking forward to it.

As per usual, I have mostly taken the summer off. Yes, I read the headlines and follow the big stories, but I don't turn the NFL Network on every single morning and/or evening. So I don't have too many thoughts about the upcoming season. I am dreading the media coverage of Tom Brady, dissecting his every move in a season back from injury. I am curious to see how badly Josh McDaniels chokes on some of the decisions he has made in the past few months. And while I have few expectations about the Steelers season, I have to say that I don't think we are going to have the post-SuperBowl slump that we had after our last SuperBowl win. I really don't see Tomlin letting that happen. I don't know what to make of our schedule. Based on last season's standings, it appears that we have a pretty "easy" schedule, but who knows what those same teams are going to be like this season. Besides, so-called easy schedules aren't necessarily a good thing. I think a challenging schedule brings out more motivation.

August also brings the aroma of green chile roasting. It's one of the best smells in the world. I love it. And I can't wait to stock up on loads of it. Yum.

Lots of August birthdays too. My mom's 70th birthday is later in the month, but we had her party this past Saturday at Rio Chama. (We had to have it before the granddaughters head off to college.) It was a great success. Mom (and Dad) had a wonderful time as did everyone else. I know I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with relatives and old family friends that we don't see that often. And the food was superb. I was positive I was going to end up with a well-done filet mignon that someone else ordered, but nope, my steak was a perfect medium rare. Delicious. It really was a splendid day.

The two days before the party, we had our two nephews staying with us. Our two nephews who barely talk to us most of the time. We weren't sure what to expect, but they were awesome. Super quiet Dylan talked up a storm the entire time. We played some endless rounds of UNO which was fun. We had pizza at Rooftop Pizzeria. Will took them to see the GI Joe movie. And the cats liked them which was pretty shocking since the cats generally don't like anyone under the age of 25. (The nephews are basically complete opposites of my nieces, the biggest difference being how quiet they are.) Of course the main activity was video games. Lots and lots of video games. Including one that Will assured me was suitable for everyone, but after a lot of cursing and prostitutes getting their throats slit, I looked at the box and saw that it was rated "M" for Mature. Oooops. Anyway, it was loads of fun having them here and I am glad we got the time with them.

I've still been knitting up a storm since my handbags are selling fairly well these days. I'll post some shots of a few more new ones tomorrow. That's about all I'll probably do this week. Knit, knit, knit and felt. And maybe pull some weeds. Yeah, I know, I have a rough life.

Cheers!

flickr faves

1. Bodega Spring, 2. Victoria Peak, 3. rain lullaby III, 4. gato mai lindo, 5. me with balloons, 6. Zinnias in early morning light, 7. Untitled, 8. Bluebell Woods, 9. je t'embrasse, 10. Today., 11. cows and highways, 12. lots of mauve, 13. Lights, and the light, 14. Peony love, 15. Untitled, 16. hello, 27.

Created with fds flickr toys.

New design.

I'm super happy with the way this new design turned out. When I knit things up, I am never quite sure what's going to happen during the felting process. I really like the shape of this one and of course the pattern around the middle.

Fun!

Dream.

D is for

Dana. And damn awesome.







Dana is damn awesome and these are three of my favorite pictures from her recent visit.

Tumbling.

I can't guarantee it is going to last, but I have been posting some links and faves on my Tumblr. (Mostly because I can't help but repost all the great things Cat posts!) So take a peek when you have a few minutes!

flickr faves

1. Red Tulips, 2. ., 3. Oh, what would I do,, 4. Blossom, 5. Untitled, 6. Grace April 2009, 7. Once again my heart is torn, 8. magnolia 2, 9. Untitled, 10. Untitled, 11. guadalupe, 12. Untitled, 13. pretty in pink, 14. looking at the skyline, 15. Cactus at age of 20 years., 16. cherry blossom

Created with fds flickr toys.

Yellow.

Mislabeled plants at the nursery led to having mostly yellow echinacea in the garden.



I spent most of last week knitting. I'm trying out different cable patterns for my handbags. Hopefully the felting goes well!

Happy Monday!

flickr faves

1. A dream of white horses..., 2. Untitled, 3. pour les oiseaux, 4. The Lawnmower Polaroid, 5. more ocean, 6. happy donut day!, 7. into the silver., 8. Untitled, 9. a quarter past ten angels, 10. selfismi, 11. Untitled, 12. Untitled, 13. côte à côte, 14. oh, that blue, 15. Tiny clothes, 16. Halftone #1

Created with fds flickr toys.

Hi.

In case you missed my adventures with ladder climbing and animal rescuing, here's the story.

I'm feeling okay today. The shock has finally worn off. Last night while laying in bed, I kept thinking about all the much, much worse things that could have happened when I fell and it gave me the willies. Big time. I'm really lucky I didn't hurt Rocky while I was trying to rescue him. That would have probably made me feel worse than my own injuries.

The scrape, or rather, the tree rash on my face is not pretty. But there doesn't seem to be anymore bruising. I was a little worried I might wake up with a black and blue face. But no, just red and purple like yesterday. My jaw area is nice and swollen though. Hence, the ice every few hours. I have chipmunk cheek on one side.

This morning I did find a lot more bruises. I don't know how I hit some many different parts of my body. It's weird how our minds block out the details of an accident. One minute I was up, the next minute I was hanging over the fence and I have no idea how it happened. We were looking at the scene of the accident this afternoon and decided that had I not hit my face on the tree, I might have flipped over the fence which probably would have been worse. Of course if the tree hadn't been there, I never would have been climbing in the first place. These things just don't matter, do they?

I didn't really think I needed a doctor, but I ended up going this morning anyway. I decided that an infection on my face would not be a good thing. Nor some sort of retroactive jaw issue. The doctor did actually check my jaw and neck and found everything to be reasonably okay. My jaw is really sore, like I've been chewing gum for way too long, but it doesn't *hurt*, if that makes sense. And he gave me a topical antibiotic ointment for my face wound. He also told me that Neosporin is worthless, meanwhile my nurse friend told me it would work just fine. (Nurse friend should really move to Santa Fe so I can just go see her about these things!) Nonetheless I doled out the forty bucks for the prescription. Here's hoping it kicks in soon.

We also got our new refrigerator today. It's a vast improvement over our ancient one. I can't wait to pack it with all my Polaroid film!

This and that.

Hope everyone had a fun holiday weekend. We had a nice time with friends over on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. Lots of rain which was nice. It cooled things off some and cheered up the garden. It's been threatening to rain today, but so far nothing more than a few drops.

I wore myself out today working in the yard. I pulled weeds for a few hours and then started working on the flagstone in the side yard. We added a bunch of pieces and so none of the path is even. The new pieces need to be dug in. I keep tripping over the high stones and it drives me crazy so today I finally dove into fixing it up. Good lord, it is hard work. I got halfway through before the thunder started and I called it a day. Hopefully I can finish it up tomorrow. I also need to tackle the weeds in the back yard.

This whole week is pretty much about cleaning things up, inside and out. Our friends from Pittsburgh arrive on Friday night and well, I am sure they don't care if there is a little dirt in the house, but it's in my blood to make sure the house is clean before visitors. So slowly but surely I am going to get the cleaning done throughout the week. Of course by Friday we'll have tracked in more dirt and the cats will have shed more fur everywhere, but oh well. Things should be relatively clean. Okay, yes, anal.

We're super excited about having visitors. From Pittsburgh! Our very first Pittsburgh visitors. We've planned a few things but mostly I guess we'll just play it by ear and feel out what everyone wants to do. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

So that's what is happening around here. Now back to my knitting and watching of crap television.

Happy Monday!

Hard to resist.

flickr faves

1. Pineapple, 2. sciàdòu, 3. Dock, 4. Salvation, 5. Untitled, 6. Untitled, 7. Untitled, 8. milky soldier #4, 9. 15.03.09, 10. Untitled, 11. Steph | Elizabeth, 12. spring 4, 13. More tinyness, 14. lake_side, 15. mini, 16. Untitled

Created with fds flickr toys.

So tempted

to go see Judas Priest in August when they play here. I mean, good god, look at that place. But concerts are so expensive these days, ticket prices range from $45 to $65. That just seems like so much. I'm still stuck in the 1980's when big concerts were $15 to $25. Now that seems more reasonable.

But that amphitheater..!