Rise Above

(*Edit* It's no longer a few days past the birth of my niece.  It's no longer May for that matter, but sometimes you have to wait for the right time ... a baby chick doesn't just hatch any ol' time, and I guess this just needed a little more time in the nest.)

I'm baking this morning in the pre-sunrise hours because I can't sleep, and that's what I do when I'm unsettled inside, which believe me is a better option than some of the other ideas I've considered! The women in my family are strange creatures, we each have a respective "thing" we do when we're sad, angry, frustrated, and unsure of what to do next, perhaps it clears our heads and gives us a moment to sort what's important. For one it's yard work, another is cleaning (aka scrubbin'), for another it may be bills or paperwork of some sort. The funny thing is that they are each productive, and a type of sorting in a very obvious and physical sense clearly reflecting the work that needs to be done on the inside or on a more spiritual / emotional level. Believe me, I've had a couple record breaking arguments with my sister ... her house has never been so spotless! It's fairly safe to ask when you see counter tops full of goodies to munch on, or a spotless house, or a lawn you can eat off of or a desk as neat as a pin, "So who have you been upset with?"

Day 873432

Into my procrastination, well it feels that long anyway. So what did I do to be productive?

Took a walk on the beach.

And took a rock, which you're not exactly supposed to do along this stretch of beach, but I did anyway (shhhh!). I don't think the beach minds though.

Today was Beautiful!

It really was ... or maybe I've just become accustomed to the many shades of grey Western Washington has to offer in the late Winter / early Spring, and that's what made today "extra" beautiful. The sun was shining, thirsty hummingbirds were dipping, and diving around my eaves, a faint smell of briquettes ready to grill up something wonderful, I'm certain, weather that was oddly warmer than it appeared, with just the tiniest breeze ... with all of that information swirling around my dusty, cob-webbed, winter brain ... well there was only one thing to do. Would it be too cold? Too windy ... somehow miserable? I had to chance it, I just couldn't wait ANY longer!

Today was the first day of the season my toes got to splash around in Puget Sound (and yes, it was just as glorious as I knew it would be ... even better actually!). You don't understand, even though I LOVE Fall and Winter, and practically beg the gods for snow beginning the day after my birthday, and ending sometime (ok, yesterday), I wait, no, yearn for this day to come after endless days of soggy all-run-into-the-same-day last of the Winter days. The day that's finally warm enough for me to splash around in some salty water - rolled up pants, and seashell hunting hunch required! Puppies were digging, birds were, well, doing whatever it is birds do (they always remind me of the ladies who lunch set - watch them!), babies were discovering splashes that stones create in the waves when daddies throw them, and mommies take pictures, clams were sending up their little geysers letting me know I was stepping too close, gentle waves lapping at my ankles, and looking out to forever there were endless sparkles on the water, like a perfect sea of blue/grey/green (glasz) glitter stretching to islands covered in fluffy green trees, and the snow capped mountains of the peninsula beyond that.

Hibernation completed.

Today was a good day.

Immortal Beloved

Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all - Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits - Yes, unhappily it must be so - You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart - never - never - Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V is now a wretched life - Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men - At my age I need a steady, quiet life - can that be so in our connection? My angel, I have just been told that the mailcoach goes every day - therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the letter at once - Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together - Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell. Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved. 

ever thine 

ever mine
 
ever ours

(Ludwig van Beethoven July 1812)

If you've never been loved like this, I suggest you stop what you're doing, and go find it ... NOW! Go ... shoo! It's the perfect day, you never know what may happen!

Happy Valentine's Day

XOXO

Ratatouille

For me and, er, you-ille? This was my first try, and let me tell you it was a lot easier than my first lasagna from scratch (notice there are no pictures of it).  I must say, French peasants were on to something with this dish, I don't think anything easier to make has ever tasted more delicious! Two of my favorite things: Little effort required, big payoff. The only thing that disappointed me was that I had to use microscopic, store-bought zucchini (as opposed to the King Kong sized zucchini I've become accustomed to), so I had to triple up the zucchini each time it was its turn to be layered into the dish. As it turned out, it was kind of convenient to have them bite-sized, so you won't find me complaining. Another thing that pleases me about this dish is that it basically looks the same cooked as it does before it goes into the oven, which excites me and makes me feel like I'm doing something good for my body, instead of pumping it full of chemicals ... now if I could just be assured that my veggies haven't been genetically altered, I'd be set!

Round Two

The sizing, and gauge are both coming along a bit easier now (far fewer brain explosions). I thought I'd post the progress ... and why not? Three posts in three days -- February's so short anyway why not make it 28?! We'll see how that goes, blogging promises always seem to turn into subtle suggestions in my mind.

Next up on deck: Mannequin. I just cut out the pattern tonight, I'm crossing my fingers that I can actually turn this thing out. Tomorrow will be chicken wire day, thanks to a little bundle my dad let me pinch from his barn. Hopefully the shaping won't take too long, and I can get started on the paper mache, and finally get rid of the excess newspaper around here before I'm featured on the next episode of Hoarders! Ok, slight exaggeration, but still, I'll be thrilled to get some of these things that have found their way to my "Project Holding Pattern" finally buttoned up. Completion is a good thing!

Come Snuggle Mama!

Ok, so I've been getting teased for at least a week ... THEN my dad calls, and tells me that he's seen my commercial ...

Apparently this is "me" except I wouldn't be inviting the raccoon in by accident.

Seems Like Just Yesterday...

... Do you really want me to finish such a silly little joke ('cause I will)? Or would you rather I just said, February is such a lovely month! All the shiny, muted, frosty, glittery pinks and reds in every store and shop window, how could anyone have a bad mood in February?! I think if February had a texture, it would feel like a giant (pink, of course) marshmallow. Anyway, I was so smitten with February in January that every time I devoted some time to making something it turned out at least slightly reflecting how I was aching for this fabulous little month.
It started off sneakily enough ... just a hot-pink button on "something I was trying out" -- you know, those projects you're just not so sure about, but you'll go ahead with it anyway. I think I've heard just about every negative comment ever posted about eyelash yarn, and how "serious" knitters wouldn't dream of knitting anything with it ... fair enough, I guess I'm not a serious knitter then! I can see how it wouldn't be every one's taste, but I like fashion, writing, music, art--pretty much everything with a little tongue in cheek attitude. Besides, I think we'd all be a little bit better off with a dash of whimsy in our lives now and then, and if that comes in the form of a "fun fur" knitted collar peeking up from the inside of your coat in late winter/early spring, then so be it (for me personally, this wouldn't even be the most ridiculous thing I've worn this week)!

My yearning for February started becoming slightly more obvious with my next creation. This is the one I've been working over and over again in my mind, trying to figure out just how i wanted it to look, and how I'd make it look that way ... instead of a rumpled mess thrown on the floor in frustration! To my delight, I think it totally worked out! I tried a
little search for fabric fortune cookie instructions, but nothing was really giving me the look I knew I wanted, so I just shook it off like a puppy after a bath, and made up my own as I went. Which, I think, is more fun anyway (after my brain stops exploding, at least).

I am absolutely in love with my little fortune cookie pin cushions ... I think they are so sweet, and I can't wait until I have an excuse to use them. I think they would be so perfect for for projects that have you draping on a dress form. Need a pin? Oh, here's some stuck right into the little cookie dangling from your finger by its hot-pink, satin "fortune". I have a thing for fortune cookies anyway, I mean, a dessert that tells you the future too?! What's better than that? Nothing, except maybe one you can keep your sewing pins in, of course. These little guys just completely charm me in every way, I can't help it, I LOVE them!

And then somewhere while all of this was going on, I decided the dictionary needed a new picture next to "tedious" and this is what I came up with: Why yes, those are toothpicks I'm using as knitting needles. I must be a crafting masochist!  I won't be happy until my fingers are officially tied in knots around themselves. In my defense, it's not like I was knitting a scarf or something. I just wanted to see, first of all, if it could be done, and all I really wanted to do was a couple of little patches that I can easily use along the way in another project somehow. So it's not like it was a complete waste of time ... just a partial one!

They are cute though, just look at the tiny leetle knits! Cute enough to do it again? The jury's still out on that one, I've already done it twice, and I'm not sure I've fully recovered. So what kept me from ripping off my clothes and screaming toward the heavens, you ask? My huge, clown-size-17 needles ... even though I was using them to learn how to knit a hat (brain explosion #2) I think they saved my sanity even if ever so slightly. Every couple of rows with the toothpicks I'd have to take a break, and use the big needles so as not to whip myself into a full fledged panic attack sitting right there. Here's a peek at what went down ... there's a big fuzzy pom pom nesting right on top of the blue and green guy.

It was my first time making one of those as well ... yeah it was a success, I mean as far as fuzzy pom poms go. I'm still trying to get this sizing and gauge business down, but until I learn I guess it's a pretty good thing that I also happen to love ridiculous, technicolor hats too! So that's what I've been up to lately, whilst dreaming of February, I hope the streak continues all through the month, and I can polish a few new found skills, and maybe discover a couple more while I'm at it.

Happy February!