Knitting makes the news
I can't remember just which blog I was reading that referenced Kim Hargreaves but I followed the link to check out some of her latest designs . I'm too old for most of her stuff and suspect that I never had the wistful, doe eyed, misty-lost look needed to pull most of it off. But I really liked this top which she (or some art editor) calls "Storm". I admire her creativity but just can't wear most of her designs. But this, this is interesting and has
potential.
I've mentioned in the past that one of my guilty pleasures, as much as I ever feel guilty about anything these days, is watching the fashion channel. I came across this scarf the other day in the New York Times on-line. It's one of those inadvertently funny photos that the people working, probably very hard, to set up just didn't see. The model looks for all the world like she broke her neck with this ridiculously over sized scarf as she went down the staircase. Or was it a homicide? We'll never know. Morse is dead.
AND...
What did I do while southern California was burning to the ground? Well, I worried a lot about my cyber pals, Elinor and Valerie. They didn't have a very nice time of it but last I heard they both had homes still intact along with their loved ones. I also sewed a silk birthday vest for my friend Sabrina. Note the handmade silk bias tape. Those were the fun things. There was a lot of hauling of items to my mother's, visiting, even more paperwork though that seems to be tapering off, and the usual household maintenance along with some bathmat knitting. More cotton yarn was acquired today so it should be finished soon.
EYE CANDY FRIDAY
One of the things I haven't been doing is Fall cleanup in the garden. Soon, very soon. A volunteer Cosmos.
Mexican Sage which gives the garden some much needed color at this time of year.
A few lonely blanketflowers peek their pretty faces through the dead foliage.
A creeper, name forgotten, getting ready to shed its leaves.
On the other hand this is the time of year that the chrysanthemums strut their stuff.
MOVINGThe moving of Mom has taken place and all is well. In fact it went so much more smoothly than I had anticipated that I'm a little stunned. There is still a lot to do such as the cleaning, sorting and moving of her household items but the hard part was finding the right place for her with the right level of care and good staff.
On the way down to Pacific Grove I started up a cotton bathmat. The floor in the RV is an odd shape and I've never been happy with anything I'd tried in the past. Once again Mason-Dixon was a godsend. Our local crafts store had some Sugar 'n' Cream which I used doubled up on size 7 bamboo needles. I am getting 3 stitches an inch. I tried three stitch types on my swatch. Stockinette, garter and moss. The moss stitch won hands down. The arrow in the photo is to show the color fastness test that I'm doing for my dyed with peach leaves yarn. So far no fading and it has been over two weeks. I am pleased.
Pacific Grove is an incredibly beautiful place but I must confess it doesn't do anything for me anymore. I spent years and years living on the Monterey Peninsula and it just doesn't have the charm that it had in the past. Too many cars, too many people, too many businesses, all the open spaces now filled with houses. It used to be a wonderful area to wander around. Now every street is busy and it looks a bit worn and bursting at the seams to me. I felt the same way about Big Sur when I was there last. Still beautiful but worn around the edges. I think that I also just have too many memories of people long gone, dreams that never came to pass.
Lover's Point.
Dick enjoyed the ocean and the harbor seals at Hopkins Marine Sanctuary. I used to go SCUBA diving all along the coast years ago. Hopkins is probably the only place that still has clams and abalone clinging to the rocks.
My mother has been an absolute trooper. She had some trouble getting into the RV but once in she was cheerful and thrilled to be there.
The reservoir off of Pacheco Pass/Highway 152 was very low. Low. Very Low.
We have all sorts of plans for decorating. We found a golden color on the bedspread that I will attempt to dye some curtains with to perk up the window. The staff is friendly and take the time to listen to my mother and make sure she hears what they say. She's been almost completely deaf for most of her life. The food is good and there is a lot of it too. Overall, we're both pretty happy. There was another round of massive amounts of paperwork yesterday but I think that it is tapering off. I should be famous. I've been signing my name so much lately.
I HAVE SURVIVED
Just a quick post. No photos (yet) nothing amazing to say except that I survived many, many hours in the RV with a husband (stoic, wonderful), a small dog, (the usual) and my mother. I once went to a small house concert featuring the Irish singer, Colum Sands. He told many an amusing story as Irish singers are wont to do. One always stayed in my mind: he told the tale of a person who talked non stop. They had mastered the art of talking on both the inhale and the exhale. That about sums it up. I'm going to bed now and savor the sound of silence.
ANNUAL FALL TOUR/EYE CANDY FRIDAY
Still not a lot craft wise to report. I do a mitered square here and there. I bought some "Sugar 'n' Creme" cotton yarn to make a bathmat for the RV. Tuesday was my sewing guild meeting. I always pop out of there full of enthusiasm. This time I headed to Fabrics on Mill St. where their Fall inventory was waiting for me. This photo does not do the fabric justice. Suffice to say that the two blacks are in the process of becoming pants. I managed to get one cut out before the cats decided to be Really Heavy Fabric Weights. The brown and white - well.... I just had to have it. The blue, the blue is so fantastic in weight, texture, and color that I went back today in a rainstorm and bought the last 5 yards. I heard that the other colors were sold almost as fast as they were put out. I can believe it. I think this piece will become a kimono type of jacket.
I continue to do lots more in the way of emails and paperwork concerning my mother. The (cunning) plan is that she will be released from her post hospital facility next week and whisked up to a residential care facility near me. Rent has been paid, papers filled out. Wish me luck.
Every year hubby and I do our annual Fall tour. We head up through Nevada City either up 49 or 20 making a huge loop through Downieville, Sierra City, Sierraville and other small towns. This year we hit the Fall color right on the money. In no way can the colors compare to say a Vermont showing but they are still pretty darn nice.
At the start of our trip we noted the foliage locally at around 1500 ft up to 2500 ft. Our highest point was approximately 7250 ft.
Omar isn't big on scenery but he likes to come along. He's a Velcro kind of guy. He travels well in the car, he just isn't fond of the RV.
ON THE HIGHWAY OF LIFE
Another trip was taken down to Monterey. This time the hubby did the driving. The fact that he had broken his regular glasses was not helpful. He got by with his
prescription sunglasses during the day and his reading glasses at night along with a little help from his loving wife (what does that freeway sign say!!?!!). The RV is a much nicer way to go complete with three cats and one small dog who does not care for car travel. We are racing by the garlic fields of Gilroy at sunset in the photo. It smelled good too.
My mother was visited and fussed over. She is doing much better after a rearrangement of roommates. Overall her health is quite good but she needs care. I am making progress in finding her a nice place nearby.
All this care, both the looking for and acquiring, requires lots and lots of paperwork. I had to get up and pace around for awhile when I came across the paper that asked me what level of effort I authorized in case of an medical emergency. The good old ER hospital drama "Do Not Resuscitate" order or the "Do Everything Damn Possible" box? I went for the second choice. Being the Designated Adult is not so easy at times.
The potato? In all the years of buying potatoes I have never come across one shaped like a heart. Until now. I take it as a sign that I must take care to keep my heart open. Or maybe I should just eat more potatoes. Or both.
All this running back and forth and the practicing of my signature has left very little time to be creative BUT I did buy more yarn for my mitered squares and complete a couple more squares. And that annoying whining sound I keep hearing seems to be coming from Claude telling me that now that it is colder I should just buckle down and sew him up.
EYE CANDY SUNDAY
One of the other things hubby has been busy with is getting us back up on the web. We've been down since Thursday and I have been suffering withdrawals. After hubby came to bed (and I woke up) he explained just what the two problems were. Ask me if I remember. I am just grateful that I can now blog. Good hubby, wonderful hubby.
A variegated rose. I do think that all the effort of moving the rosebushes was worth it. They are doing so much better.
My pineapple sage has burst into bloom.
A zinnia and a rose.
The redbud is pretty all year around. The seedpods make a nice sound when the wind blows.
We continue to have cooler than normal weather and wetter too. As I watched the rain moving in I took some photos of the sky at sunset.
I can't remember just which blog I was reading that referenced Kim Hargreaves but I followed the link to check out some of her latest designs . I'm too old for most of her stuff and suspect that I never had the wistful, doe eyed, misty-lost look needed to pull most of it off. But I really liked this top which she (or some art editor) calls "Storm". I admire her creativity but just can't wear most of her designs. But this, this is interesting and has potential.
I've mentioned in the past that one of my guilty pleasures, as much as I ever feel guilty about anything these days, is watching the fashion channel. I came across this scarf the other day in the New York Times on-line. It's one of those inadvertently funny photos that the people working, probably very hard, to set up just didn't see. The model looks for all the world like she broke her neck with this ridiculously over sized scarf as she went down the staircase. Or was it a homicide? We'll never know. Morse is dead.
I was fairly lazy and did a lot of drive by shooting.
It had rained the night before which was snow at the higher elevations. All a little early for the season but a lot of fun to look at.
