uncommonness

'what is this honey?  i asked, peering down at the tiny, lump of dirt, moss and spines on our porch...

chuck had been working around the yard, and when he got to cleaning out the eaves, he found a tiny garden growing. two teensy cactus nestled in a bed of moss. he gently scooped (rescued) the wayward plants out and brought them inside, for me. thank you little birds for dropping your seeds, thank you cactus for persevering (we don't have cactus here!) and thank you husband for knowing i would LOVE this.

X   X   X

i've done very little shopping to get ready for my trip (i'm going to the shetland islands if you are new here ((welcome!)). next week!!) but today, i bought a top, this summery lace inset lovely from 'odd molly'. and, at home, i couldn't resist any longer and had to cut this rose growing in my garden...

to enjoy inside, all these blossoms on one stem! 

this is the business end of the rose. the thorns had to be removed before i could hold the stem for photos. i think they look like little shark fins ;)

and it seems my knitting looks like a baby sting ray! maybe spending too much time at the beach and pool, hee hee. but grateful for and enjoying these summer days. i hope you are too! (unless you are having winter, then i hope you are enjoying that!)

 xxx lori

GOLDEN

 life at the moment. i have to remind myself to breath. sometimes so much is going on it's a challenge to know where to start, how to share. keep up my journal here. i may sound calm, but i am filled with exclamation points. oh dear here they come, those marks that illustrate everything these days, and a few photos too...

a baby swallow! i feel like this too little bird, sing your heart out!

my best friend went to greece and turkey, she and her husband had a brilliant time (we still need to get together, drink wine, see the photos!). they brought me many gifts, including this from istanbul. this hand stitched, cashmere shawl. exclamation point!!

it was my lucky day! here is a new perfect size cross body bag for my trip that i managed to get....

and some pouches from bookhou too, perfect for carrying watercolor pencils in my suitcase. the wool is going to be my travel knit (i think). reading 'how to catch a frog' by heather ross. lovely lovely book.

i grew a strawberry (s) and finally got to eat one before the raccoons did!!

stitching in progress for my travel journal (to shetland!!) ( nineteen more days!!!)

to celebrate summer solstice, i made a flower wreath...

for my head :)  i tried to have owen model it, but that was as likely to happen as if he were to make it. ;)

here come the exclamations. to celebrate the first little movements OF OUR NEW BABY!!! i've cast on a kicking bag. this is my girl on the left in her middle trimester and in the photo on the right, she's four years old. will it ever stop being a complete and total miracle, when your baby has a baby??!!!!!

and then, friends...remember this child of mine? my baby? hannah rose?

last week in kentucky. here, because they are so darling, is a reenactment. he proposed. she said yes. 

my baby is getting married. !!!!!!

~ before i end this post i wanted to say thank you so much for the kindness (as always) on my bressay dress. i am really thrilled with it, it's really so amazing to wear a dress you've knitted. if you've ever had a mind to make one i would encourage you to give this pattern a try. and the very last thing, i am completely honored and thrilled to have been featured on fringe association. thank you karen. whew. (!!!) :)

happy 4th.

xxx lori

a delicate balance

hello hello! feeling a little like i've lost my (blogging) voice. this must be normal ( i hope!)  i searched my phone for inspiration, and okay! there are a few things that have been happening around here...

my portable vase has been coming to work with me. it's the neatest thing! i found it in an interior design shop

in amsterdam. it packs flat for transporting, and when filled with water the bottom unfolds and it stands independently. fresh flowers everywhere!

the oranges on our trees are ripening faster than we can eat them. must juice more! 

 owen, our personal one pup welcome home committee!

 one day my girl hannah (in brooklyn) and i (in california) discovered we were both wearing the same shoes (birkenstock), which resulted in photos sent to each other. and a silly giddy feeling that made me feel closer to her somehow.

i made a sample knit with pretty yarn.

 taking care of my friends garden while she is away. on this day the temperatures neared 90 degrees! i watered the garden and myself too. thanking the stars above we've resumed normal 70's now.

my hap shawl is finished and blocking! whee! i ended up with two extra skeins, oh oops. it was a challenge to knit with black and i fear another challenge is going to be photographing it. crossing fingers...

do you remember this book cover? and the shawl on the cover that must be knit?! i am on a strict pre trip budget, but this knit picks palette was so affordable and the colors match so well! i have to try. :)

on my way to work one morning, i stopped for coffee and found these guys parked outside! hello mules! i wish i had a mule to ride to work!

and last, a good friend stopped in at my work to show me her newest knit, an adorable baby cardigan. she brought me this wooden bird knitting needle gauge, as a thank you for helping her (she did not need my help, she is a beautiful knitter). so i bought one too, to give away to one of you. to say thank you for coming by and always always showing such kindness. please leave a comment if you'd like a chance to win. this little bird will fly anywhere in the world. i'm looking forward to the weekend and catching up with all of you. xxx lori

p.s. i'll draw a name for the bird gauge on sunday!

white lace black hap

 meadow lace

shetland triangle lace

it seems as if it's been one extreme to the other here, we've had dense fog (when i had time for photos, haha, oh well) and then cloudless sunshiny days. when i look at my recent knitting it looks about the same. from black to white, or, the other way around. i made two smallish shawls, out of two hanks of jade sapphire cashmere, in a very pretty natural cream colour, ivory. the shetland triangle lace shawl in the fir cone pattern i shared before, and now here is it's sister shawl, meadow lace, both patterns by evelyn clark. the fir cone lace took approximately five hundred yards, and meadow about three. the jade sapphire had 400 yards per skein, so it worked perfect! the meadow lace is such an interesting knit, it's made to have extra long ties, for staying on. in order for that to work, it is made using six or seven different charts (i just counted, it's six charts, seven pages) and binding off in places, knitting on in others. it is a simple knit, but when it came with several pages of directions for such a tiny shawl, i said eeps! the picot edge is my favorite part. and the garter stitch. and the tiny little flowers. oh it's all my favorite, i love it! raverly notes:

shetland lace triangle

meadow lace scarf

the very opposite from white, my all black hap shawl is growing. stitch by every single stitch, this is so far, on a scale of one to ten, ten being most enjoyable, a ten plus! i was fearful of the black. having knit with it before and saying, never again! two things have contributed to making this a positive experience. first this wool is extraordinary. oh my goodness. if you would like to try the softest, springiest, woolliest organic shetland wool, visit lorraine at cottage craft angora. you will find along with the shetland, luxury fibers such as angora, cashmere, qiviut (musk ox) and blends of all these. and the second reason to not fear black anymore... 

knit with a headlamp! yay! i've knit for years using one, camping, night driving, chuck, not me ;) when traveling and light is poor (or non existent like in africa when the generator lights are turned off after a designated hour). but at home, knitting with black, why didn't i think of it before? it's fantastic. haha, chuck cannot resist making comments. i guess it is pretty funny. but i can see. yes.

outside, everything is in bloom! our wedding roses (a very favorite post), and hollyhocks, seeds i planted last year, remind of my grandma rose. i rescued a flat of plants at the nursery, they were so sad looking, marked down to a dollar apiece. hopefully they'll like it here. i bought a strawberry plant and it's already producing berries. which the raccoons already ate off. these all need to be in the ground soon. and the sweetest pink roses from my love, i said eeps again. :)

thank you for always leaving such kind comments, they are so appreciated. 
happy almost weekend! xxx lori

a woolly catch up

to say thank you doesn't ever feel enough. for all the kindness shown on my last post, my daughter's wedding.

 but thank you, as always, from the bottom of my heart xxx

 this is a very disorganized post about organization and attempting to catch up

(i guess it must be said everything i've shared in this post was because i wanted to, no compensation was 

made or monies given. feeling uncomfortable to write this but i had an email that said i wrote 

for other motives, made me sad) so i'm making sure to say if that were to happen

i would let you know...

i've been working on reorganizing my crafting room

most of my wool, is happily nestled in it's new cupboard!

my room has so many things i love

tiny doll furniture

and house

 new wool that hasn't been added to the cupboard yet 

(there is new noro too, our lys had a sale, over seventy percent off!)

which was made into noro mitts 

 75 yard pattern here

new cuff bracelets

 pioneer cuff by laura nelkin

the cuff on the left was made for sadie to wear in the wedding, but in the excitement

it was left behind in the cabin. this is the pioneer cuff pattern, purchased as a kit

 (from the yarn over truck, see below)

 a knitted square made for a comfort blanket, requested by sweet andi

pattern here  tulip square 

oh my goodness, do you see this yarn? it's from kettle yarn co.

a new shop in london. this is exquisite, the color, the baby camel silk blend...

this is why i work extra hours at my job.

 truly like a little yarn baby, i just want to sit with and cuddle, it's divine

visit the lovely linda at her shop here or her blog here.

i'm sorry dear friends for putting temptation in your way.

:)

a new yarn bowl! made and gifted to me by an incredibly talented friend, i think she needs to 

make these, and share them with the world, it's so very useful and makes

 knitting even more pleasurable.

LOVE! thank you karen!

 the yarnover truck came to town! 

the yarnover truck is a new business began in southern california, it is brilliant!

the truck is filled to the brim with all things knit... wool, needles, bags and patterns...

 "Yarnover Truck is your local yarn store on wheels, implementing the food truck business model and applying it to a mobile yarn store. The truck will make appearances at a variety of local events, including street fairs, craft fairs, art and music festivals, food truck events, and Farmer’s Markets throughout Southern California. Additionally, the Yarnover Truck will be hosting its own events and available for private parties. Our goal is not only to sell yarn, but to increase awareness and provide needlearts education, with a focus on knitting and crocheting."

barbra and maridee of the yarn over truck

there is a ravelry group here and the yarn over truck website here

thank you lovely ones for such a fantastic idea, best of luck to you!

(i forgot to share what i brought home from the truck)

this post didn't make it in time for the weekly yarn along, but i wanted to share what i'm reading.

'fried green tomatoes at the whistle stop cafe', because i met fannie flagg last week at my work. she was utterly delightful, i see why this book + movie was so popular, she is a gem, a southern charm.

i think that does it, i'm almost all caught up. 

oh one last thing! 

happy birthday son!

he celebrated in hawaii this week (he lives in japan)

this photo was taken of him and i a few years ago (over ten now!) while he was living in

hawaii and attending university of hawaii. wish i were there honey, to bake your cake,

but i'll make you one next time i see you. i love you! have fun!

that is really it, but before i go i just have to share what we'll be doing this weekend.

 the first annual san luis obispo county yarn crawl is happening

and a friend and i are going! i'll be back with more to share soon.

have a wonderful weekend, xxxxxx lori