28 November 2012

calling all knitters!

Because Stephanie needs some love and support. She's almost finished with her garter stitch version of Lyrica Euterpe, but she had a bad dye lot experience. A cringe-worthy experience, and she ripped out her shawl halfway through the lace section. Ugh. So if you can manage a little teensy extra moment, could you go on over and give her some love? I think she could use a little extra today. 

Once she has one of these:

I know she'll laugh about it all. :)

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26 November 2012

monday's musing

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." - Charles M. Schulz

Word.

22 November 2012

thankful

May all of you, everywhere, enjoy this day of thanks! 

I am having a lovely day of preparations. The kids are outside exploring in the sun. Mr. Romi is shooting his bow. And I have the best place of all: our new kitchen! Pictures of our feast will tempt you soon.

I am so thankful for all of you, for our family, our home and the beautiful sunny day. I plan to enjoy it as much as I possibly can. Be well everyone!  

ETA our beautiful turkey in his own cameo appearance.

And our table with salads and candles awaiting.

I hope yours was equally lovely!

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21 November 2012

shades of inspiration

Knitting has continued as a smaller part of life than usual, but as always is a source of comfort and relaxation. I realized the other day that I have petted textiles since a very early age. When I was wee, my grandmother gave me two of her old cashmere sweaters as blankies - named Blue and Gold - because I loved fingering the lovely soft fabric so much. 

Inspiration is around me every day in this lovely place - in shapes, textures and colors.

It translates itself into less ethereal applications.

Shades of my natural world

rendered in soft pillows of garter stitch.

19 November 2012

monday's musing

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." - Maria Robinson

This is for my elder son and for everyone else who thinks that - just because they screwed something up - there's no way to make it better.


Because everyone has the power to change their life for the better.


Happy Monday! I disappeared last week to take care of my little Bear. I was horribly worried about him after last weekend's swim meet. A younger team mate was diagnosed with viral pneumonia, and I said to Mr. Romi "I'm so glad we're past that scary age when every illness seems so very serious." That evening, Bear's cough got worse and worse (he had had a mild cold the week before) and all I could think was that I had tempted fate by saying what I had. Coughing and fever took on greater serious proportions, and Mr. Romi and I took turns staying up with our little one and making sure the fever didn't get out of hand those first two nights. After Bear had been on his antibiotics a couple of days, he started getting better and better. What a relief. But he won't be going to the next JOs (Junior Olympics) as we had planned. He's still not allowed back in the pool. At least it wasn't viral pneumonia; bronchitis was the diagnosis. We breathed a collective sigh of relief when he began acting himself again.


This week I'm looking forward to cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner in our new house - and so is Bear, my little foodie. The menu: turkey with cornbread and chestnut stuffing, cranberry sauce (my current favorite thing to make because I love watching their skins pop off!), yams, wild rice dressing with mushrooms, mesclun/pear/pecan salad with blue cheese crumbles and citrus vinaigrette, and some apple goo for dessert. We have so much to be thankful for this year, and I will start early; thank you all so much for reading my blog, commenting, writing to me, knitting my patterns, and wearing my pins. You are so very much appreciated.

Have a fantastic week!

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12 November 2012

monday's musing

"I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship." - Louisa May Alcott

This past weekend was a local swim meet, and a learning experience. The process can seem so slow sometimes! And then I remember that learning is a life-long process, and perfection is - as it must be - unattainable.

For parents too.

09 November 2012

autumn turns to winter

Our first snow storm was forecast this week for Thursday, and the leading front of wind on Wednesday would, I knew, blow the autumn landscape away for the season. So on Tuesday Mr. Romi and I left a little early on our way to pick up the boys from swim practice, so we could share with you one of the most beautiful drives into town ever. We stopped by the Carson River, and I wandered a little with the camera and a macro lens.

The afternoon light was slanting across the river

and across stands of trees and brush. An enchanted grove.

The last bloom was on the Rabbit Brush.

We left and continued up 395, pulling over on the side of the road where the pastures of the Carson Valley begin. I used the car to steady my telephoto lens.

The sunlight filtered over the mountains.

The light has a different quality here, and it was these colors that inspired my Carson wrap.

The cows were grazing calmly in the warm sun,

and I looked over towards the local golf course, watching golden leaves shimmer as they fell.

Today, after the windstorm rolled in and out with a dust of snow, the morning light dawned cooler, and the temperature had dropped 40 degrees (F).

The landscape was transformed.

It's somehow more personal. Softer.

Snow melted on the faces of rocks, and hid in shadows.

The sage brush remained, unaffectedly proud of its desert heritage.

Rabbit tracks showed

where they had played in the powdery snow.

And inside...

my yarn awaited.

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07 November 2012

visiting

This past weekend was a working vacation treat. I flew into San Francisco International Friday afternoon just in time for lunch with Cookie and Anne, who picked me up at the airport and whisked me off to Curry Up Now in San Mateo. Yum. Cookie and I had eaten there at the last (first?) Knitting Lab. This year, she wasn't teaching there (I was) but she was in town with Anne.

Then we all headed over to A Verb for Keeping Warm in Oakland where Cookie and Cleo contemplated one another.
Cookie had brought Cleo a little gift.

I lined up with Anne, Kristine and Cookie while drooling in front of the yarn wall at Verb. I was still wearing my travel vest stuffed with everything I could possibly get into its pockets. I love my travel vest. :)
This was while my hair was still straight, but a few hours later, it had gone native in the humidity! We were all having a great time.
We even had a visit from the pampered Verb Bunny!
We all sat around knitting and then headed over to Kristine and Aday's place. Anne (who taught at Verb this past weekend) and Cookie were staying, but I took BART to SFO and caught a cab back to San Mateo. I was super excited to take BART to the airport! I had waited and waited for that extension, but moved from San Francisco before it went through.

I got in late and slept late, and it was wonderfully decadent. Next morning, I went down to the Knitting Lab Market and wandered the hall with my friend Anne from Sonoma County. She came down to visit and have lunch! We saw Sincere Sheep:
and Morgaine.
One of Heatherly's lovely daughters was in the Intwined booth:
and Sheila Ernst was looking radiant in an Orenburg shawl.
I caught Anne Berk in a Bohus:
and Nancy Marchant in one of her lovely Brioche creations.
Then it was off to Nine Rubies in San Mateo for Local Designers Night (they had signed me up before I moved and became a not very local designer). Caroline, Terry and Nellie met up with me there.
Carrie and Hilary were there too and we got a little silly.
Hilary and I took cool pictures of one another.
And much fun was had.
We headed out to dinner at Kingfish, a Creole fusion place a few blocks away from the store. It's in an old Art Deco banking palace. Just look at that light. I took more pics, but it was dark and they came out rather murky.
I ordered the salmon over coconut infused rice and it was perfectly done with mango, sweet potato, clams and mussels. Delicious!
Next day was Lace Surgery in the morning and Shapely Shawls/Maia in the afternoon. We had some laughs
and then seriousness set in.
Eep!
After class, I got to see Krista's lovely Pulelehua.
And Nellie gave me some Madelaines. They were incredible!
I had to check out of my room at lunch; I brought back all of my luggage - and everything that didn't fit in my luggage. After classes, I packed before I went down to the meet and greet. I had to lie across my suitcase, but somehow I got everything into two bags except the jigsaw puzzle from my goody bag. On the way down, I passed a group of Emirates Airlines cabin crew members and pilots. I asked them if I could take a picture. They all had beautiful smiles. :)
Off to the meet and greet I went. It was very relaxed; people were super tired after so many classes! But I got to spend some time getting to know Eunny Jang of Interweave a little better. What a sweetie! I really enjoyed our chat.

After a lovely dinner with Nancy Marchant (who I had never met before this past weekend, and is fantastic) and JC Briar (we discussed the finer points of charting; too fun), it was off to the airport. Whew. What a fantastic whirlwind!

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05 November 2012

monday's musing

I had such an amazing time this past weekend at Interweave's Knitting Lab in San Mateo! I loved meeting new people and seeing old friends, all in such an amazing vital area. I confess that I enjoyed it all the more because I don't live around there any longer and could truly appreciate all the area has to offer with my fresh eyes. It was a treat. And it was a treat to return home to my little corner of high desert! :) So in honor of that....

Wherever I may roam -
On land or sea or foam,
You will always hear me singing this song:
Show me the way to go home!
- from "Show me the way to go home" by Irving King

More on my trip later! Off to play a little catch up.

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03 November 2012

zephyr cove haiku


A leaf

transitions.

Mountain forest deep in green.

Blue waves

lap softly.


Zephyr Cove is here!
I'm at Interweave Knitting Lab in San Mateo this weekend and Nine Rubies this evening, but I thought I'd pop in and post a few pics!


Zephyr Cove - shawl #2 in my 7 Small Shawls Y3: Home is Where the Heart is.

Note: thank you to those of you - one anonymous and one openly - who expressed concern over this shawl's resemblance to Cameo by Paulina Popiolek. I have spoken with Paulina and let her know it was unintentional.