Last Weekend and a WIP

Last weekend we headed across state to Grand Rapids. There was business to take care of – stocking up David’s apartment with supplies- but we also celebrated Father’s Day with a special lunch.

Heading out Larry suggested a little drive to Grand Haven – just under a half hour away. It was a beautiful evening spent walking the boardwalk and the pier with its two lights.

We stopped in at Kirby Grill downtown for a bite to eat before heading home. Our waitress Stephanie was delightful.  When I mentioned that we’d like to come back and spend a little more time in Grand Haven she pulled out a guest check and jotted down all her favorite must see spots.

I’m looking forward to getting back over to the sunset side of the state sometime in August.

I also have a work in progress to share- well I’m sharing it a little reluctantly...

I know I’ve mentioned that I’m a huge fan of Kate Davies.  I just recently received a copy of her Book “Colours of Shetland”.

 

There are ten patterns included and every single one is a keeper. The photographs and Kate’s descriptions of the island landscapes- tying the patterns to the environment- make this a very special book.

I just couldn’t wait to jump in and start something. I am really intrigued with the look of the Northmavine Hap - a traditional  Scottish shawl. The stripes of color really highlight the feather and fan scallops.  I was so excited to get started I decided to use yarn I had on hand. Normally it doesn’t bother me at all to substitute colors- but in this case – I don’t know…. I so admire Kate’s aesthetic sensibility that substituting a yarn almost feels like blasphemy.

 My sample in rainbow colored Kauni   

I have an embarrassing stash of this yarn. I keep telling myself that something knit from it will be very cheering in the bleak mid-winter… right now though it’s evoking the circus.

Oh well – now that I have the hang of  how the pattern works I may be splurging on some special yarn  in  a more subtle seaside color way  and make a second hap. Then again there are nine other patterns here I just can’t wait to try…..

Be Healthy Be Happy

Last November I made a commitment to myself. Step by step and day by day I would make healthier choices about what I eat. I would move more- and in more challenging ways.

I’ve been a walker for years. I‘ve walked a 10 mile race-walk. I would say I ate pretty healthy. Still I was about 30 pounds over what the doctor called my healthy weight range.  

6 months latter I have lost the 30 pounds! I feel great! I actually crave healthier food and movement. I know though that these are life long changes that will involve healthier choices everyday….

A few months ago my niece Alex posted that she would be signing up for a Color Run …

She was wondering if any one else wanted to join in as part of a celebration weekend for her sister who was graduating from High School. It sounded like just the goal I needed. I decided to join the “team” and train for my first 5K.

The race was last Saturday. We had an absolute blast! That's me with the green foil wig!

Thank You Suzanne and Adam for all the great photos and the wonderful memories! Thank you Alex and Lily and Jenny and Madeleine for including me, inspiring me, and encouraging me!

Staycation Report

This week has flown by. Monday I was in Cleveland – visiting with family and celebrating my Mom’s birthday.  So good to see everyone and the cupcakes were delish!

While I was away Julie at Knitted Bliss featured my Inspira cowl on her Modification Monday post. This Inspira is probably my all time favorite project and came together in such a fun and effortless way.(as opposed to a certain skirt that has been the bane of my existence)

Julie is a very talented designer and I was truly flattered when she contacted me. David always jokes with me when I mention how many hearts one of my projects might receive on Ravelry. Well it’s true those hearts can be quite affirming- it’s just nice to know people like what you’ve made. After Julie's feature my Inspira topped 80 hearts – an all time record for me!

Wednesday the boys headed off on their cross-country road trip and made it to Colorado yesterday. 

Today they explored Mt. Evans.

We had some much-needed rain here at home and I spent a couple of quiet days contentedly spinning some Shetland I plan to dye next week.

Today I had an adventure of my own. I headed out to a nearby State Park to explore their biking/hiking trails. Well first I had to find the entrance to the trail. After three tries I headed back to the ranger station and was instructed to disregard the yellow gate and sign that read “No Unauthorized Vehicles”. I had asked the ranger what the trail conditions were  like and she said she had never taken it – but had seen people come off it. Well I guess I really was in the mood for an adventure because I went ahead and started off.

I had a map and the trail was fairly well marked, but it was pretty rough going with lots of tree roots, fallen trees and many dips and steep inclines.  I ended up pushing the bike and walking for much of the seven miles or so.

There were a few rewards along the way though.

I found some blackberries that birds hadn’t found yet.

And around one bend in the trail I spotted these swans.

At the end of the trail I was able to catch a paved road back to where the car was – then just sat for a while and enjoyed the view.

Looking and Really Seeing

Walking out back this time of year is a kind of treasure hunt and with the weather being as strange as it has been I’m on a careful watch for some of the wildflowers that can come and go so quickly that we wouldn’t even know they had visited.

Many of the things that pop up I haven’t really identified.

Some I’m pretty sure of like this Jack In A Pulpit.

This year I am particularly excited about four apple tree volunteers that are large enough to be in flower. 

They seem to have popped up in places we have left apples from the orchard for the deer.  

One has appeared next to the barn. I’m going to be watching to see if any of them get fruit this year.

One thing I’ve been hoping to find is Morels.

I know people find them in this area. I know they like old orchards and ash trees – things we have. I’ve heard people say your eyes just have to get used to looking for them...

so far no luck, but I'm going to keep looking.

The photo above is from The Great Morel, a fun site with all the information you’d ever want to know about Morels. Looks like there’s even a Morel Festival in May just a little North of us. I may try to talk Larry into heading up for a day.

This and That Weekend

I had a work related meeting that kept me in most of the day Saturday. It was a good meeting as meetings go, but excruciating because it was just glorious outside and I felt like a little kid who just wanted to get out for recess.

The screens went in the windows this weekend- the willows are greening up, the “Spring Peepers” are making quite a racket - all this at least a month earlier than usual.

I’ve been giving the fiber stash an airing and taking an inventory. Things do have a tendency to get tucked away and… 

I almost said forgotten.

I made a move to take care of two fleeces I’ve been holding onto. They had both been washed and I thought I would be able to handle the carding . Instead I decided to make a run to a mill about an hours drive away and have them turn it into roving.  I have some more time to think about what to do with them. The turn over time is 10-12 weeks.

The dyed Shetland I’ve been working through was from a spinning demonstration I did for a elementary school a few years back. It does feel good to recard it and get it organized. I had the blue I used for my hat, quite a bit of orange, some goldenrod, and some barn red.  Saturday night I spun up the red and started a simple seed stich scarf. It has some bits of the recycled denim carded into it too.

Despite the meeting Saturday there was still plenty of time to enjoy the warm breeze, the bird song, the new blooms popping up, and believe it or not I even managed to pull the vacuum out – wasn’t going to get away with letting it go another week- what with all the fiber flying around here.