home again.

home again, hello!

my travels took me ten thousand and eighty four miles, five thousand forty two each way to the shetland isles. flying back i read an article in a british airways on board magazine. it said that if a journey has so many places where so many things have happened, it must be much longer than it seems to be; our perception of reality is so much based on our memories.

that would explain why i don't know where to begin. oh my goodness, what a trip. back soon, with hopefully more to share. have a lot of sleep to catch up on first. was afraid to close my eyes in shetland, really didn't want to miss a thing. i've missed being here too, so looking forward to catching up, hope you are all well!
xxx lori

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

early bird gets... the early bird

we coordinated a day off together (LOVE when that happens!) and planned for some early morning birding up the coast...

it was also an opportunity to try out my new super lightweight tripod (hoping this one pinches fingers a bit less too!)

here is the little guy we came to see

and photograph

but these birds had other ideas (like flying away)

the california least tern

the behaviour we were really hoping to see was...

mating couples feeding on the railing

'where is my lunch!?'

here it is, i am here

with your lunch

i brought you a delicious yummy fish to eat

here you go...

wait! you haven't eaten your yummy lunch yet!

oh drat! wait for me! (this pair, disturbed by passing fisherman) flew away.



we came to see the california least tern. we hoped to see them feed on the rails here at oso flaco lake. it wasn't so simple. the pretty birds flew off at the smallest motion by us (of course) and so we would wait, and then tiptoe as close as we could to watch and take photos. and hope passersby wouldn't frighten them at inopportune times...

terns are seabirds in the family sternidae that have a worldwide distribution and are normally found near the sea, rivers or wetlands.

    

we will have to try this again...

these two were not shy at all

hee hee

a tiny wren

 -->  feathers

mallard grooming station

little duckling trains of all ages put-putted around the lake

ten am, time to go. we've already been out a few hours, and we're a long way from a hot cup of coffee.

next time we will remember the thermos, we hope  ;)

xxx lori

p.s. my last post, thank you.