Shameless.....Bring on the Snow.....Pleeeeassseee!

When it comes to snow days, I can be a shameless woman.  I almost wrote "huzzie" instead of "woman" but that would be a bit of overkill...maybe.  It's past the middle of February and we have yet to have the first bit of real snowfall.  Some time back, there was a "skiff"--a tantalizing little blow through that barely topped the grass--green grass that is--that was pushing up all around the yard.   Even today, as I leaped at the weather report, beautiful Lenten Roses are blooming. 

They are gorgeous, but here's the problem:  It's February--not Lent yet--and the temperatures here have been far too warm.  As sweet as the blossoms are, I am really hoping they see flakes tonight and tomorrow.....nice big, white snowflakes that will cover the ground and give me even just one snowday from school.  See....I said I was shameless.  There isn't any student who prays for snow more than I do.

I know as well that this stand of Lenten Roses will bounce back and be just fine with the quick snow we're supposed to have starting in the wee hours tomorrow and continuing through the wee time on Monday.  Bring it on......Bring. It. On!

You see, snowdays give open time to catch up, enjoy an extra cup of coffee or some hot cocoa, stay in one's jammies longer....and longer still, and just have a day to examine and spend outside of the usual schedule.  It's not necessarily free time--but it seems that way, even if I'm working on things at home for school and students.  And all the while I can put something good in the oven, like a pound cake or some good bread, smell up the house with those great aromas, and "putz" around a bit doing first one odd job and then another. 

Maybe it's the unrushedness of the day that makes me so desirous of one or (and most likely) it's the time to think about previous snowdays, when my girls were home and we would glory in all having the day to "veg-out," watch our "Designing Women" tapes--remember that TV sitcom??--and laugh at those crazy Southern, spit-fire women.   What's not to admire?

So bring it on, weather forecaster, and let the heavens open with the glorious white stuff we've missed so much this winter.  I envy Norway and like places in the winter--what a life!

Alas.....it's in the 60's outside and that just isn't supposed to be the case here in the western mountains of Virginia in January.  I have long passed being ready for a BIG SNOW...there should be incheesssss on the ground but there is none, and my little rows of growing Swiss Chard in the garden are mild comfort for not having a blanket of white covering the ground.  News sources say it's La Nina's fault--am I surprised?  No, and the first thing that pops into my head is, "Aren't they always blaming a woman? Why would the weather be any different?" Geeezzzz.....whine, whine, whine. 

So what's a crafty woman to do?  Certainly, as the proverbial English teacher, I have papers to grade and students waiting anxiously (well, mostly!) for them.  And three weeks into the semester I can proudly say that I am not behind in the grading.......yet.  I do have to be honest.  There comes a time when it catches up to critical mass level, but right now I can sigh and say, "I'm on track!"  You probably won't see that statement in, say.......March.

Right now, though, it's a Friday and after a week of helping students discover they can indeed develop good ideas, devoid of text-message style comments, I'm ready to not look at papers or anything related to my classes.  So I decided to do a little surfing and find some temptation....in the yarn area.  Back several months ago, I found some wonderful thread on Etsy and gave in, buying two amazing skeins that now sit patiently waiting for me to get to them. 

The first, "Clouds in my Coffee," is a creamy blend of superwash merino and a tiny bit of nylon that I saw on a quick Ravelry blurp that directed me to its maker....and I was hooked.  The second hank I ordered almost gave me heart failure and then tested every ounce of my patience, through no fault of its own, mind you.  The story starts Christmas 2010 when my husband scrambled to buy a yarn swift and ball-maker for me.....and with some friend consulting succeeded.  I was so excited as I had a few--well MANY--hanks of yarn I needed to ball, and with delighted determination, I set out one evening to do just that with all those lovely twisted lengths.  Someone should have warned me about winding too fast...but they didn't. 

About halfway through turning "Artichoke" into a lovely readiness for knitting, the hank flew off the swift--which I'm sure had nothing to do with how fast I was winding it--and I had a massive mess of thread to detangle.  The gasp that escaped me still echoes in my head.  Lesson learned--and many hours later, after some very tedious and careful untangling, I managed to finish a beautiful, albeit slightly less perfectly wound, ball of exquisitely colored yarn.  The thread's creator, Inspired mama Makes, has plenty of other gorgeous tempations....just in case anyone is interested....it's so lovely soft!  And just one other little observation:  See the tag next to the yarn?  Well, I just love 'em--they're "recycled" coffee slips--you know the little cardboard ones that slip onto a hot cup at Starbucks or Peets?  The shop owner has attached her label with all the info on the yarn neatly enscribed and pasted it to a section of the coffee slip.  Very creative...and useful!

One of these days there will be a scarf....socks...something wonderful out of these threads.  Right now two other projects are hollering (literally!!) at me--the camisole for my daughter and a very cozy blanket for my grandson--both more than worthy temptations and I'm heading to them right now!  My students will be glad I took a break because knitting calms me down and puts me in a much happier mood :)

New Year....Long Lists.....

Such good intentions, aren't they....those ones we have just a few days before the New Year and after.  And then it happens.  The List takes leaps and bounds overnight, and suddenly the months ahead are filled with so many I-will-dos that serious doubt creeps in.....when will I ever get it all done?? 

That List of (Hope) To Do includes a baby gift, just a simple little snuggy, several pairs of socks (I joined Ravelry's 12 Socks in 12 Months--how crazy is that??), some more small home things, more than a few knitties for daughters and family, and even a couple of things for me (at the end of the list).  Those aren't the details--the list goes on and on, so I have to prioritize and then stick to the priority list.  Yep--I know the process, but in the midst of so many things happening in my work, family, and community that I keep my fingers into, I'm feeling that "Oh mercy!" pull.  Send encouragement!!!

I did, however, have to laugh at how I wasn't doing myself or my list any favors as I rustled around Ravelry and other sites one evening.  In my rummagings, I came across this site:  DROPS Designs.  If you've never visited, don't go unless you have some time.  I'm not kidding.  When Lion Brand yarn opened up all of their patterns for free, I was amazed and hooked and my printer ran like riverwater printing off patterns until it dawned on me that the patterns weren't going anywhere and I needed to be more choosy.  DROPS almost made me forget that epiphany.  Take a look, but again, have time to spend.

Staring me in the face in my family room are 3 baskets of yarn....full baskets....and I have to get organized, start the first pair of socks, find the yarn for the baby snuggly, get my daughter's cami on the needles so she'll have it by warm weather, and put all the rest of those "ideas" into place, so I can grab and go.  With a grandson (and mom and dad, of course!) moving to South Carolina and my other daughters also miles away, I have a feeling I'll need some travel knitting close at hand. 

Here's to 2012 and an already busy, busy start!!

Heading toward.....ahhh, winter!

When it comes to "de-decorating" after Christmas, I'm one of those "hang-on to January 6th" folks. I love the scent and sight of Christmas in the house, but I always get things decorated so late in the season that to take them down right after Christmas is just not one of my priorities.  I want to enjoy those reminders of Christmases past or moments enjoyed in Christmas present-albeit-passed.  So my tree is still up and the mantel still hung with now-emptied stockings.  The Christmas mugs remain on the hook, and Christmas napkins still fill the napkin basket. 

This year was actually a very late "deck-the-halls," with the tree going up on the 23rd and decorations on it going on Christmas Eve.  I do believe, though, that's an old tradition, with many folks not setting the tree in place until the evening of the Eve.....at least that sounds like a good connection!  I would like to claim "just following an old tradition," but I can't.  Life is hectic in this mountain home, tucked into Western Virginia, and we continute to fill the days with projects, not the least of which this year was replacing an old parquet floor with ceramic tile.  My husband is a handyman par excellence, and once again he proved his talent with a beautiful addition to our family/living area. 

We're still "grout-less," but I'm not complaining.  The old floor had begun to crumble right out from under our feet, so this beauty is a welcomed change and a lovely Christmas gift to ourselves.   

Norman, our Rhodesian-ridgeback mix hound, will be glad when it's all over, and he can relax on the sun-warmed tiles without interruption.  He's been grumbling now for weeks, bless his heart.  His companion, a little German pincher whose primary name is Ori, would like to see things settle down as well--when Norman's on the tile, she can steal his bed.  We all have reasons.

I did manage to get most everything done before Christmas morning--except for some little cotton scrubbies that were those little johnny-come-latelies.  They are so great, though, and simple to make!  The cotton yarn, combined with crochet thread, makes a great dishcloth that fits perfectly in hand.  I've whipped up four of them now, one for each daughter and one for home.  Yay!!

The pattern is a free one located on Ravelry and great for a next-step project for a beginner crocheter.  The creator, Laurie Laliberte, offers several free and useful patterns as well as some low-cost ones as well.  What makes these little jewels so great, along with their perfect size, is the double-sided scrubby that results--I know it will be durable and so easy to pitch in the wash and use over and over again.  Green-friendly for sure!

It's almost the new year, and while I know there will be many changes afoot in 2012, I am looking forward to what's ahead.  I hope your year is filled with good choices, simple pleasures, and a clear view of each day and its blessings.

What in the world......

I look back at the date and wonder how a year and almost a half have passed since my last post.  Can that be possible??  Well, obviously!  Life has definitely happened, and I sit here thinking about all the things I need to get done today and in the next week because.......CHRISTMAS IS COMING!  It is the age old story for this house and me....rushing to get ready.  Oh mercy.

In my knitting basket are several projects, not the least of which are some simple washcloths that will tuck in and amongst other small items in Christmas packages.  These little cloths, with their owl sentinels standing ready, came about when I spied this pattern on Ravelry and realized how perfectly delighted my sister would be with this fellow.  Owl-lover that she is, she has discreet tastes when it comes to what she collects.  It must have reason or show some distinct detail to be her "pick."  This fellow definitely has an air of distinction AND he certainly has purpose.  One of my daughter's saw the results and......yep, I'm making more.  She came up with a great idea--extend the pattern on to a full second section of just the seed stitch and the result would be a very nice little handtowel....again with distinction.  She's right--the yellow one seen in this pic on the needles is not that very thing and scheduled to land in her Christmas stocking.

Another daughter put in her order for some of these simple knitted cloths that she would like to use as the old time favorite dishcloth.  No frills, she said, though--just a simple cloth.  And then I found another pattern--geezz I love free patterns--for a scrubbie that will go perfectly with these little cloths.  My needles are flying because there is only a week to go.  There is a great pleasure in working up these little pieces, watching them stack up in the basket and knowing that someone I love will be using them daily.  Maybe that's why these washcloths seem to be seeing quite a revival in popularity.

Today screams for cooking as well, and I'll be making several pans of a delicious little chocolate treat called "Cocoa Blocks."  The recipe, a wonderful find on King Arthur Flour's website, is noted for making an amazing cup of hot cocoa, but I'll have to tell you that it takes two blocks to accomplish--one to swirl in the hot milk to melt and one to eat while you're waiting for the melting.  I spied a "Cappacino Blocks" as well while on the site, and we may just have to try that one as well......

So here's to simple things at Christmas--some handmade gifts, a relatively clean house, a warm cup of cocoa and a bit of fudge.  Yes, that will be good indeed.  A wonderful holiday to anyone reading.  May your days be blessed.

And so the Summer goes.....

The community college where I teach celebrated graduation on May 14th--and it is a celebration.  I'm so proud of my students and what they've achieved because the majority of them are handling high-hour work loads, busy families, and full-time classes.  I know that feeling, having returned to college after my youngest entered elementary school, and the blessed awareness that one part of the educational journey has been successfully completed. 

Our college president, a Scotsman by heritage, instituted an inspiring "tradition" for faculty and students as we enter the graduation hall--he has the playing of the pipes (bagpipes) and drums lead us in for this time. Just imagine--a fine May evening, back-dropped with beautiful mountains highlighting the twilight, a river just over the field, and the lovely sense of coming summer in the air.  Mix in excited family members, beaming students, and smiling faculty--and down the path comes the Virginia Highlands Pipes and Drums, filling the air with music that feeds the soul, especially if one's ancestors came to these blue hills from Scottish shores.  It is a marvelous evening. 

So, I should have left the evening exhilarated....and for the most part I did.  But it has taken a week of rest to recoup from the semester and the demands thereof.  Like so many community colleges around our state and nation, we had a hefty enrollment increase coupled with a lack of funds to meet the demand.  Translation:  I faced overloaded classes that revolved into, at least for this English/Literature professor, many late hours of grading essays.  Yeah....yeah....I know the solution could be to assign less writing, but that doesn't help the student develop a clear analysis process.....and when my students move on to that 4-year campus, I want them to be ready.  That's my job.  

But rest and renewal did come after graduation and with it the vision of all the things I need to do here at home.  It's the positive after-effect of knowing that the light I hoped was at the end of the tunnel actually was at the end of the tunnel.  My garden shows good evidence, but don't look anywhere else.  The house is still waiting.  I've learned after many years, those needs won't go anywhere--they will wait.

Even so, I do appreciate the energy I've regained, and it turned up in a great place the other night--Supper!  Having also been raised with a healthy dose of "make-do" perspective, I was viewing the remains in our frig and came upon the leftover cheese, some wonderfully tasty sausages (made from chicken, mind you), and on the counter, some bright red plum tomatoes.  I've always had a special fascination with bread as well, and the possibility of a hot, juicy dish swirled in my mind--a cross between bruschetta and focaccia with all the trimmings.  It worked, too---delicious!  Leftovers are looking good as well.....

I also turned an eye to some much needed organization---one attempt that was noted here some months ago--and I rallied my spirits to tackle that stack of printed knitting patterns that grows persistently as I explore more temptations.  Some dent was made in the stack's size as I sorted these gems into brightly marked binders--they look so nice with their printed covers.  In the effort I was reminded of the sweaters and an enticing shawl I want to make for myself, but the bear I'm knitting still needs a head--and my return to it will be the third time I've tried to "get it right."  How can one bear be such a challenge???  Has anyone else had such problems with a knitted toy??

Alongside this little fellow is another gift, in Carolina Blue, that I can't show until after a shower that's coming later this summer.....and then September will be here, along with the bear's new holder--a baby boy we cannot hardly wait to see.

Yep--it's amazing what a few days of consistent sleep and good food will do for mind, body, and soul.  I'm going to go find some bagpipe music to relish, look out at my backyard filling out toward summer, and count a few blessings.....what a gift is this time.

Seeing the forest ....and the possibility.....

I don't remember when I first met Peter Rabbit--yes, THE Peter Rabbit--but I wasn't a young one.  I also don't remember where I met him.....but like so many others, when I saw him, I was smilingly and irresistibly drawn to this curious fellow.  Later it was his creator that I admired, but I kept returning to his stories and his friends, especially as my girls grew and came to be curious about Peter and his antics.

Not quite a year ago, I came upon Linda Lear's biography of Beatrix Potter--and found a friend.  The life of this woman writer and illustrator is fascinating, in a quiet way, and I'm sure that's what drew Lear into the lengthy study she has created of Potter.  But for me, the pleasure has been finding a kindred spirit--a woman who looked at the world with both an eye to keen observation and a bent to the joy that comes from that looking.  While she loved the real creatures that inspired her child-literature, her pleasure in a good wink is just as obvious.

And she loved the land--the beautiful Lake District of northern England and the hills of Scotland--so much so that her estate went to the National Trust of England, ensuring that her lands would be protected and accessible for the generations to come.  Mercy, I love this woman.

But the kinship is the gift.  Potter loved fungi.  She studied them and drew them and pondered their existence with a keen eye to scientific detail and questioning.  She marveled at them..and I'll bet she smiled at them.  I do.  There's that element of possibility that resides in a good fungus, and I get the feeling, when I see one, that something has to have just taken place right where it stands.  I just didn't see it.

But I can imagine it. 

As I read about Potter's draw to the study of fungi--a growing fad in her era in England--I could see how much her clear handling of specifics and her objectivity in her study informed her writings for children.  Her images bring real nature to rest in a perfectly believable fantasy world of rabbits with blue coats and ducks with kerchiefs. In this time of so much contradiction and falsehood reeling out on printed pages, the sweet paradox of a purposeful fantasy informing a real world is an immediate source of pleasure.

So Potter was with me on my too fast trip to Big Sur....she smiled, I'm sure of it, when the little ground squirrel caught us off guard and waited to see if we might have a bit of something for him as he scoured the ground and bushes.  I could see a little tam o'shanter sitting a bit cocked on his head and a crisp little comment setting us straight.  If you walk on his path, you better have some crumbs with you.

We didn't...and good thing, too, because we were in a natural reserve and definitely wouldn't want the wrath of rangers sending us home.

I'm not trying to "cutesify" the natural world or bring unwarranted personification to this amazing little creature.  But in reading about Potter's life, her choices, her disappointments and perseverance, and her great sense of being, I think we need a bit more of that understanding in this world where so many false dealings make us wonder if anything's real.  The joy of a good story, and the knowing that goes behind it, just does a body good.

In just a few months, we will welcome a sweet baby boy into our lives.  I can't wait to introduce him to Peter and all the others, and to share the natural world with its wonders--a few fungi here and there, a bevy of bugs to explore, a bright leaf and the look of the sun shining through it.  I know I'll be smiling and laughing and Potter would understand completely.  She's a good friend.