We're on our annual trip to the southwest ending up in Phoenix to help my friend Suzy celebrate her birthday. (We get to see her husband Randy too and this is very special. One of the truly nice guys on Planet Earth.) This year because of the snow we had to head south on 5 instead of our preferred 395 past Lee Vining and Mono Lake past many other beautiful spots. I can't complain though, 5 can be a bit flat and dreary but it was snow free AND the acres and acres of fruit trees are just coming into bloom. After years of seeing "For Sale" signs on orchards and trees uprooted for housing it was a very pleasant surprise to see that many, many acres have been planted with new trees.
We spend two days in Death Valley where the weather was perfect. The valley floor has huge swaths of wildflowers which one doesn't get every year so this was very special. We rode our motorcycles over to the trail head to Darwin Falls with Omar tucking into a carrier. Yes, we ignored the "No Dogs on Trail" and had a lovely walk up to a waterfall right in a major desert. Then after lunch we did a 77 mile round trip (reaching 5,000 feet at one point -it was chilly!) and along a road called "Wild Rose". All was going well until we passed a car whose driver threw out his arm and shouted "Please Stop!!!!", which I did not taking into account that I was on an angled downhill and yes, over I went. The guy was clueless as to where he was in the park (and the park is HUGE). After giving him directions (how can you go out without a map, water, food, some idea where you're going and how you're going to get back?) I roared off with scraped shins, muddy clothes (a water filled pothole -I fell neatly into it) and a seriously annoyed look. As the hubby likes to say, "No good deed goes unpunished".
My interaction with the hard, unyielding world has continued to be well, interesting. I came down with the first cold I've had in years; I managed to tangle with an agave plant outside of Las Vegas while walking Omar resulting in a cactus thorn driven deep into my little toe and not a sewing needle to be found. Then I managed to spray myself in the face with hot coffee grounds yesterday giving myself a rather intriguing white and red mottled appearance which thankfully, after icing, improved greatly. Today I've done little more than smash my kneecap and being unable to speak in more than a croak so things are looking up.
The birthday celebration (and some late Christmas present exchanging) has been delightful. The two pairs of Cow Girl slipper socks were much appreciated and Whoo Hoo! they fit! Hubby was the recipient of a gorgeous, handmade quilted lap throw. We've already done a little tug of war over it. (Mine! No! Mine! She made it for ME!) Harrumph. We were so full from the New Wave French dinner out that we couldn't eat any of the key lime pie/blood orange gelato birthday cake. Now that is full.
Not being able to show you any of our trip photos (stay tuned for later blog posts) I bring you various Fashion Week items that have caught my eye.
A great sweater pattern for those of you with less than two hours for knitting. I'd be a little cautious about high winds with that collar though.
Some really beautiful, highly impractical hats. But really, they are to Die For.
And some rather hostile hats and...???? The ultimate bad hair/bad life day outfits.
posted by Earin Marybird @ 10:27 AM
2 Comments:
ohnmigod, Those hats are too much! They would be perfect for your physical state at this point though. I like the one that looks like a giant shoe.
Mia
What a heck of a week, girl! I hope your various broken bits are healing fast -- is the cold over yet? No fun when you're trying to vacation, whatsoever...
That sweater can only have been designed by Twinkle, queen of size 99 needles and 'boat rope' gauge yarn.
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