The week began with a mighty fine trip to Santa Clara with younger niece and nephew to visit older niece. Hilarious drive home but mostly you had to be there.
The fun was quickly followed by news of a dear friend's passing. Mary was a bell ringer and we will be ringing as a mixed choir of current and former ringers at the memorial service on Sunday. The bell choir rallied for her daughter and family (long time bell ringer) and have been bringing food and in general being supportive.
Come Wednesday I could no longer avoid thoughts of Back to School as it was time to go back and get the classroom together and plans made. My assistants came in and offered a lot of help. The room is in order, ideas are tossed about, and plans are beginning to form. Good thing-it's Friday already and while everything isn't ready at least the basics are.
I somehow managed to have three knitting projects going all at once. Two are more involved, for me, patterns but the 3rd is yet another pair of fingerless mitts. This will be 8 for the year so three more to complete the 11 in 2011 challenge. I haven't taken pictures yet. Lately I've been taking photos of finished projects rather than documenting progress. Hm.
Tomorrow I plan to go to a farmer's market that I didn't know was ongoing and much closer to my home than the "big one" across town. A few other errands while I'm out but no big plans for the "last Saturday of summer break". heh
Friday, August 19, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Winding up a summer....
Summer break, that is, not the season.
I seem to be relishing my time off a little more than usual this year. It makes me wonder if a successful, enjoyable year of teaching makes for a better vacation than a long, sloggy, emotion laden year does. I didn't have to take so much time to be rested and have thoroughly enjoyed my time at home and my time visiting. I could stand a bit more but I guess I need to keep earning a living.
Here are monarch chrysalises that are attached to the siding of my brother/sih's house. Cooler still you can see the butterfly markings within the chrysalis. (click on them to see them bigger.)
She'll come to work to live in "Ms Bee's" room. I've got quite a theme going.
I seem to be relishing my time off a little more than usual this year. It makes me wonder if a successful, enjoyable year of teaching makes for a better vacation than a long, sloggy, emotion laden year does. I didn't have to take so much time to be rested and have thoroughly enjoyed my time at home and my time visiting. I could stand a bit more but I guess I need to keep earning a living.
Here are monarch chrysalises that are attached to the siding of my brother/sih's house. Cooler still you can see the butterfly markings within the chrysalis. (click on them to see them bigger.)
I found this doll at the Bennett's Honey Store in Fillmore:
She'll come to work to live in "Ms Bee's" room. I've got quite a theme going.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Days 3-8, yeah, right....
Well, getting on the computer every other day or so just did not happen. We had such long days that no one felt like staying up just a little longer. I've started catching up on all my e-mail and forums but it will take days. Good thing I've got them.
Before the memories jumble worse than they have I want to document an unexpected part of my journey across the country. From Monday it seemed that nothing had gone smoothly or happened in a timely manner until we changed our expectations of how the trip needed to be.
I had spent time praying for our trip during my flight to Boston and many arrow prayers while we all worked on finishing the packing and packing the truck. I prayed for safety, for way to be eased, for good conversations, for clear solutions to obstacles, for the three of us to be good travelers and good companions. I had to pray for that last for myself because I'm not always a good traveler and I have been known to melt down several days into a trip from fatigue and not enough recharge time.
God answered my prayers daily and sometimes minute by minute. I continued to pray these same prayers every morning and during every delay-of which there were many as it appears that the length of I80 is undergoing reconstruction this summer.
During our drive out of Boston I had some time in the car by myself following S and J who were driving the truck. I decided I needed some noise and started browsing radio stations. I found multiple classical, public radio, pop, rock, and Christian stations-both talk and music. I found it odd that I couldn't find a country station but we were in the North East and perhaps listening to country music isn't high on their lists of necessary stations as it is where I live.
At some point in the next day or so I sought out a station with "Jesus music" and enjoyed familiar and unfamiliar music-so much so that I found myself drawn into worship as I drove. I started noticing the beauty of our country and reveled in praising God along with the artists I was hearing.
It became my joy and my cure for crankiness to take the first shift of the drive by myself in the car, seek out a station with "Jesus music", and then pray, worship, and enjoy starting out. What was so unexpected was the sense of renewal in and about Worship. Also unexpected was how much I enjoyed much of what I was hearing on Christian radio. I have listened now and again and not been drawn in as so much of the music and sentiment offered is trite and shallow. That type of offering was present but it was easier to ignore during these morning drives.
I also found a wondrous range of music presented by different Christian radio stations from "Praise and Worship", hymns both old and new, pop and rock styled music, and with great enjoyment what sounded like "old timey" gospel music as we traveled through the heartland. I didn't hear many choir anthems but I imagine I get my fill of those during my time in choir at home.
I developed a couple favorites and need to hunt down titles and artists. One was along the lines of "What If" and asked what if our troubles are actually God's mercies and the answers to prayer. (Found: Blessings by Laura Story) Another was Courageous which I think is by Casting Crowns. Yet one more had to do with blessings raining on the singer.
God had more for me from this journey than I had thought to imagine or to ask. I am delighted.
Before the memories jumble worse than they have I want to document an unexpected part of my journey across the country. From Monday it seemed that nothing had gone smoothly or happened in a timely manner until we changed our expectations of how the trip needed to be.
I had spent time praying for our trip during my flight to Boston and many arrow prayers while we all worked on finishing the packing and packing the truck. I prayed for safety, for way to be eased, for good conversations, for clear solutions to obstacles, for the three of us to be good travelers and good companions. I had to pray for that last for myself because I'm not always a good traveler and I have been known to melt down several days into a trip from fatigue and not enough recharge time.
God answered my prayers daily and sometimes minute by minute. I continued to pray these same prayers every morning and during every delay-of which there were many as it appears that the length of I80 is undergoing reconstruction this summer.
During our drive out of Boston I had some time in the car by myself following S and J who were driving the truck. I decided I needed some noise and started browsing radio stations. I found multiple classical, public radio, pop, rock, and Christian stations-both talk and music. I found it odd that I couldn't find a country station but we were in the North East and perhaps listening to country music isn't high on their lists of necessary stations as it is where I live.
At some point in the next day or so I sought out a station with "Jesus music" and enjoyed familiar and unfamiliar music-so much so that I found myself drawn into worship as I drove. I started noticing the beauty of our country and reveled in praising God along with the artists I was hearing.
It became my joy and my cure for crankiness to take the first shift of the drive by myself in the car, seek out a station with "Jesus music", and then pray, worship, and enjoy starting out. What was so unexpected was the sense of renewal in and about Worship. Also unexpected was how much I enjoyed much of what I was hearing on Christian radio. I have listened now and again and not been drawn in as so much of the music and sentiment offered is trite and shallow. That type of offering was present but it was easier to ignore during these morning drives.
I also found a wondrous range of music presented by different Christian radio stations from "Praise and Worship", hymns both old and new, pop and rock styled music, and with great enjoyment what sounded like "old timey" gospel music as we traveled through the heartland. I didn't hear many choir anthems but I imagine I get my fill of those during my time in choir at home.
I developed a couple favorites and need to hunt down titles and artists. One was along the lines of "What If" and asked what if our troubles are actually God's mercies and the answers to prayer. (Found: Blessings by Laura Story) Another was Courageous which I think is by Casting Crowns. Yet one more had to do with blessings raining on the singer.
God had more for me from this journey than I had thought to imagine or to ask. I am delighted.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Speed Adventuring, days 1 and 2
Day 1
Flew out of home airport to Houston. So excited this morning I was just dancin' by time my ride came. The flight was long but good. The airplane was only about 1/3 full. I had enough layover time in Houston to have lunch/dinner and get to my gate which involved riding a sky tram. Way cool! I arrived in Boston at about 11:30 p.m. Nephew was nearby to pick me up and when we got home J was packing away!
Day 2
Long busy day. J and I went for morning coffee, errands, and a pre-trip grocery run while S started packing the office. Then we had lunch at Kelly's, roast beef sandwiches and salads all the way around. S drove us to the North End and we went to the New England Aquarium. It was busy but we still enjoyed the exhibits. We went to the top of the big aquarium for the afternoon feeding time. So cool to see a massive 540+lb sea turtle going after romaine lettuce! We decided we were hungry enough for an early dinner and went to one of J's favorite Italian restaurants.
After dinner we came home and packed and packed and packed and packed! I stayed out of the way finishing up the kitchen packing. S. got after the technology, and big things that could be disassembled. J. was a busy whirlwind of packing in the office and living room and looking after one last pre-trip load of laundry.
Just as J. predicted I was starving hungry at about 9:30 p.m. I had a snack, packed some more, and we're now finally getting ourselves to bed.
Flew out of home airport to Houston. So excited this morning I was just dancin' by time my ride came. The flight was long but good. The airplane was only about 1/3 full. I had enough layover time in Houston to have lunch/dinner and get to my gate which involved riding a sky tram. Way cool! I arrived in Boston at about 11:30 p.m. Nephew was nearby to pick me up and when we got home J was packing away!
Day 2
Long busy day. J and I went for morning coffee, errands, and a pre-trip grocery run while S started packing the office. Then we had lunch at Kelly's, roast beef sandwiches and salads all the way around. S drove us to the North End and we went to the New England Aquarium. It was busy but we still enjoyed the exhibits. We went to the top of the big aquarium for the afternoon feeding time. So cool to see a massive 540+lb sea turtle going after romaine lettuce! We decided we were hungry enough for an early dinner and went to one of J's favorite Italian restaurants.
After dinner we came home and packed and packed and packed and packed! I stayed out of the way finishing up the kitchen packing. S. got after the technology, and big things that could be disassembled. J. was a busy whirlwind of packing in the office and living room and looking after one last pre-trip load of laundry.
Just as J. predicted I was starving hungry at about 9:30 p.m. I had a snack, packed some more, and we're now finally getting ourselves to bed.
Monday, July 18, 2011
The Tawny Shawl....all done......
This was a really fast knit. I think I've gotten comfortable with this rib stitch.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Some knitting
I finished the purple scarf/shawl some time ago but never published a photo so here it is.
These two stitch patterns have become my favorite for the Lion Brand Homespun. I think it shows off the colors and textures of the yarn well.
Lion Brand Homespun, Barrington
Lion Brand Homespun, Tudor
Lion Brand Homespun, Tawny
Interrupted Rib Stitch
aka: Chicken Wire stitch, coined by my brother.
Heheh.
Interrupted Rib Stitch
aka: Chicken Wire stitch, coined by my brother.
Heheh.
These two stitch patterns have become my favorite for the Lion Brand Homespun. I think it shows off the colors and textures of the yarn well.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
I had the most marvelous weekend....
I went to visit my sister and her husband and my brother and my dear sis-in-heart. I enjoyed a lot of time with everyone and we went to a Butterflies Alive! exhibit twice. As Sih put it the experience is magical. We all had fun taking and later comparing photos. Here are a few of mine. I don't remember all the names:
A Luna Moth. Hand sized.
White Peacock Butterfly
Another moth, palm sized.
Water Lily, in the pond area.
Sideways. I'll come back and turn the picture, later.
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