handstories

finding

    Trying to bring things together.  To understand how they do, or might, combine.

    Knowing that a perfect fit isn't the goal, but rather a wholeness.

    Some truths. 

    Some things.  Something.

next!

    It was a year ago that I made the bracelet, and after this week I am able to give it a well deserved rest.  Whether or not it is filled with Amazonian power, it has served such a good purpose in reminding myself of who I am, and that there is strength in that. 

    And so, I have taken a step, not a leap, but a move that will hopefully help me to look out a different window or two, or atleast enjoy the view I have a bit more.  

    Noticing, that on the day things were decided, that without realizing it, the daily square held thoughts of the bracelet.  

    And, speaking of moves . . . my wheel and I had a few more arguments, but I promised her that we would have more colors and textures soon, and she has decided to cooperate, and we are on to the next color with only one more to go.

i've got nothing people

    I think I have been spinning the same bump of roving for weeks now.  It seems endless, it is a big bump, but still.  With the stress of things lately, I was hoping spinning might settle me down.  So, I began to work on this bump, it is a beautiful bump (see here), and I think I will love it when it is done, if it is ever done.  The roving goes from one color to the next very slowly.  And just when I thought I couldn't look at this sea-foam green for another minute, my spinning wheel has decided it's tired, too.  It is refusing to cooperate.  The above pile is twelve attempts to continue, but it just won't go.  

    And it's too hot to knit (in the 70's, yes, I am truly a pacific northwest girl, I melt after 69).

    So, finally last night I picked up two scraps and put them together . . .

    I have no idea.

    Never mind, I think I'll just go stare at the blue blue sky . . .

 

happy mama

    It was a great Mother's Day- full of our little traditions and lots of nothing to do.  

    Just the thing.

    Some of these traditions were born out of a Mother's Day that happened nine years ago.  Moon was one and Blue five.  K thought it would be good idea to go out for breakfast, and in order to beat the crowds, he woke me up early (not good).  We still waited an hour for a table with two small kids (not good).  Then he'd heard about a big event- Mother's Day At The Zoo, so there we went with hundreds of other mothers and their families.  It was circus like, it was so crowded, it was during lunch and then nap time, it was not good.  

    There is now a note above K's work bench that reads:  

    "NOT To Do For Mom's Day:  No zoo.  No restaurants.  No wake up.  Don't starve kids." etc.       Since then, there have been swell Mother's days.  They always plant the window box and pots on the front porch with flowers.  This year there are herbs, too!  They make breakfast (bacon waffles today).  We have a book that the boys write in for Mother's and Father's Days and our birthdays.  It holds drawings, wishes, and funny memories.  This year Blue said that I was ". . . #1 at helping with artsy projects, driving people to places, everything fiber related, writing plays and songs for school, figuring out tv show plots, and piling books, magazines and other assorted materials".  Moon named me "President of the United States of Yarnica, which includes the "Fabrical Building".

    The rest of the day involved moving back and forth from sitting in the sunshine in the yard to napping on the couch, a little spinning, stitching and knitting, and lots of staring at the blue sky and green trees.  It was lovely.

    Now I'm ready to get back to tweaking the Typhoid Fever character in the pioneer play and learning about Sasquatch.  Happy day to all of you!

let the countdown begin

    In the last couple of weeks . . . two plays are in production with fourth and fifth grades ("The Lost Flower of Maya" and "Oh, Dear, Pioneers"), four and a half socks have been knit, baseball practice or games every other day (or more), 31 mini apple pies were made with second and third grades in honor of the Washington State study (I can make a pie crust easier than a sandwich, but after ten batches- whew!), 16 felt apples were sewn with second graders for Mother's day, various meetings attended, singing group practices, end of the year parties, 8th grade graduation coming up, etc . . .

    There hasn't been a night at home with all four of us all week, and last night I dreamt that I forgot Moon somewhere, days before, and had no idea of how to find him.

    Four weeks till summer.

    Until then, apologies for sporadic posting and very little visiting to your places.  I'll hope to catch up (and sit still) soon.

the change game

   

    When Blue was small we heard a group of street performers singing that old Sam Cooke song,  "Chain Gang".  He thought they were singing the "Change Game".  He loved it and sang it all the time, ". . . that's the sound of the men working on the change game . . ."

    I am not one who changes easily, for good or bad.  I am rut girl.  Things are generally good enough, and why mess with things that aren't really broken?  Maybe nothing will come of it at all, but surely nothing will change if I don't take a single step out of my well worn groove. 

    And today, as I was thinking through some of the next moves, wondering if change was necessary or foolish . . . a friend brought me a gift that the tide had washed in.  A beautiful rusty crusty chain.  Isn't it beautiful?  I wonder what things it will change?  I'm taking it as a sign that it's time to work on the change game.

    "That's the sound of a girl working on her change game . . ."

14 and blue

    Blue turned fourteen yesterday at 3:13 pm.  He was in the second grade with me when 3:13 happened, and the class and I burst into song.  He was born on a school day.  I had called my co-teacher that morning when it was clear things were happening and knew the kids would be waiting to hear the news.  So, as soon as he was pronounced perfect, I asked the time.  School dismissed at 3:30, so I called out, "Someone call the school! The phone number is.....!"  

    He's so grown up and such a little kid at the same time, it's exciting and heart breaking all at once.  

    We're heading out of town for a quick celebration that will involve a swimming pool, hotel room, and I'm sure another sock.  Happy weekend everyone.

    The moment after wish making.

and then there were three

    Does three make this a series?

    A series of socks.  A slew of socks.  A slew of swell socks.  

    See a super swell series and slew of some swiftyly stitched striped socks!

    Yes, I'm having fun with this.

    As soon as things settle down, I will do something besides socks, 

    probably.

knitting on

            "Knit on, with confidence & hope, through all crises"                                                                      -Elizabeth Zimmermann (1910-1999).  

    She was a brilliant revolutionary knitter, designer and author full of solid no-nonsense advice and humor.  Her knitting books are inspiring and conversational.  My favorite is Knitting Without Tears, my go to for great basic and how to advice.  She made anything possible, in knitting land.  

    During the last week or so knitting socks has been my go to activity.  For stress release, for the happiness that comes from bright colors, for mindless activity, for continuing.  I don't know why, but that moment when the heel is turned is magical, every time.

sharing interests . . . sort of

    Last night, K picked up the sock pattern I was using.

    "What are you doing with that?"

    "I'm taking an interest in what you're doing."

    Hmmm.  I was suspicious, this is not typical behavior. 

    "What do these socks have to do with skyping?"  

    Oh, that was the draw, he thought it had something to do with a computer.

    "You're supposed to wear them while skyping."

    "Really?!"

    And today I was able to share what little I know about photographing close-ups with Moon, for his latest project.

Moon's view of a "Blue Shark" car.