Really? Four months?

I know I've been busy... there was Easter (as a church organist), and concerts (Lenten and Messiah) with piano and harpsichord, there was a trip to Norway, sewing, planning for a knit camp in the Rockies, weaving, knitting, purchase of a new church organ, repairs for another, and celebrations, and reunions... involving a few thousand miles each way.

What I may or may not report, but will address now, was the anticipation (errrr...trepidation) of a 50th anniversary high school reunion.  Turns out, NOTHING to dread, but sheer fun, laughter, and hugs!  I'm SO glad I went.  I've attended reunions at 25 and 40, so it wasn't a total shock, but I was thankful I could ask around and get some people pointed out before I was put on the spot.

Thanks to everyone who attended!  And the Cornell style Barbecue chicken was delicious.  Gary and committee, you know how to throw a party!

Without further ado...Check back every day for awhile--I'll fill you in.

Blogging

What's with this blogging after not a peep for so long?
I've been swamped.
Besides life and living, I

1. tried to pack for months of travel in various climates, and various situations, 
2. got distracted a lot
3. helped a friend through knee surgery
4. visited family
5. and currently I'm spending my first day off from babysitting.  The last three days were spent at home with a sick child... Keeping up appearances (dinner, laundry and gardening) for my daughter who has a challenging managerial position...

My day off, I headed into the city for an organ concert.  I deserved it!

And a few hours of blogging.  

Ichabod

Ichabod hanging quietly, Friday morning, 8/30

Sorry that the container is such a mess... no one to blame but Ichabod!  And he has thumbed his nose at the photographer and chose a most inconsiderate place to hang.
An anxious Ichabod was on the move yesterday. He traveled every inch of surface area in and out of the container. He circled the rim many times, he slid down the side and onto the table, and we found him on the floor making tracks for the perfect perch. (I spent many hours listening to an audio book, knitting, and looking over to see he was missing!)
Today, he's as still as if dead, but there's a little twitch, once in awhile.  And I can't seem to capture it on video...

I'll be checking in to watch and see if I can catch him shedding his body for the new capsule today.  AMAZING STUFF!!

Well, life IS amazing, isn't it.  Thirty-one years ago tomorrow, my beautiful daughter made her first appearance and breath.  And she's on her way home to see us!  Happy Birthday, C!!

Life and Living

Weather in NW NM:

Hot, and not terribly dry. Not terribly hot either. I consider occasional rain showers and temps below 35 C all of those things. Lucky because our irrigation ditch was under repair for two weeks because of a rock slide. No lawn mowing!

Really? ...

I hung up all of my necklaces! I might wear them now!

Something from the kitchen ...

Nothing from the kitchen. Too busy to make food. Sandwiches with tomatoes from the garden.

I am creating...

A sweater with yummy yarn and lovely stitch pattern.

I am procrastinating ...

Weeding. Won't they just go away if I ignore them?

I am reading...

Blogs. I don't read books...Those to the right and many more.

I am hearing...

The fan and ringing in my ears. Two days ago it stopped, but it started again with a vengeance.

Outdoors ...

There's a skunk tonight. I can tell...

A few plans for the next few days

Sewing projects. Great plans, little time... lots of ideas.  Funny how that goes in cycles... the longer I sit at the museum, the more ideas I have for home-time.

Giving thanks for ...

Good health and beautiful people around me.

And ...

Putting it all together, a lovely setting sun, and friends. 

 Happy birthday, my little one!

What a Wonderful World

Sorry, if you don't like these sorts of things... but if you like Planet Earth, you'll like this (2 minutes):  Click here
A Wonderful World

OR view below:

Jewelry

Crazy... I like jewelry.  I like to look at it.  I like to... look at it.
For the past month, I've been sorting, evaluating, photographing, and selling someone else's jewelry.  It's amazing what others collect, and why.  I wish I knew the story of each piece, but I didn't.  An acquaintance died recently and left no indication what to do with her possessions.  I had no idea that she owned so much, and that I would find it in a box and a drawer, in a jumble.
At the last minute, poised ready to sell much of it in an estate sale, I thought how I would like to have some of those pieces, and how much I would offer for them.  But then, what about the jewelry I have?
All of this sorting made me realize that I have plenty and don't wear it.  So why do I want more... to not wear?
I justified the whole thing by assembling my jewelry, sorting through it, putting some in the estate sale, and displaying it so it has a chance of finding its way out of the house.  I have several boxes, but so much that I can't see it properly.  After much deliberation I concluded I don't wear it because I don't see it.  I don't know what I have!! It may as well be in a jumble in a drawer.  My solution:  Display it.
At first I thought I would buy a simple jewelry tree, then I counted up my necklaces...  It was scary... as I counted and realized that no one sells something that would display 40+ necklaces.  I took it into my own creative hands, and decided to go buy a board to fasten to the wall, and add nails.  Then I thought that I might find something ready made... and here it is.

A ready-made shelf.  I sanded and painted it, and nailed tons of little nails into it.  Now I can see lots of necklaces that I spent hours pondering, and untangling.  (Mostly untangling.)

Summertime

An the livin is easy!
Let me count the ways:

1. Hot temps, love that bit of wind. 
2. Backyard chaise under the trees, knitting, watching a show at the same time on iPad.
3. Hummingbirds squeaking, geese trying to be quiet, but rushing through the air without a flap of wings. The in-between birds are missing.
4. Tomatoes!!!!!!!
5. Light clothing.
6. Night time: opening the windows, hearing insect noise.. 
7. I really have to listen to hear distant traffic, barking dogs, rumble of gas pump jack.
8. Silky sheets, light cover, good night.
9. Summertime at its best in the Southwest. Back to school, but it's still summer.

BAD: WASPS!
TROUBLE:  The irrigation ditch is blocked by a rock slide...might get REALLY dry.

A typical day...The Knitting Did It!

Oh, please, no...  today should be just one of those flukes...
My Sunday:
6:30 AM:  Alarm goes off (nice soft music to lull me awake).  I glance at the dog.  I glanced at the dog every few hours all night.  She's old, and unreliable... she paces with anxiety for half an hour and then falls asleep for hours.  I still have to watch...
I shower and dress, wake doggy and steer her wobbly arthritic legs to the door.  She limbers up quickly... trots out and does what's expected of her.  "Good 'ole dog," I hear my father saying.  He's been gone for 10 years but I still remember his recreation of Charlie Brown.
7:30 AM:  I'm ready to go, with just a little cereal in front of me.  I've already attempted 2 different combinations of dog and cat food to entice doggy to eat.  She's not interested.  Oh, well.
7:50 AM: If I leave now, I'll just make it to church to rehearse with choir and allay everyone's fears that I might not show up.  But why haven't I located my glasses?  I make another sweep of all of the usual places I might have left them the night before.  I'm in total panic mode ...
8:00 AM: I should be at church.  I locate my old glasses, and notice I haven't put on stockings or shoes... GAAAHH!  I grab 'knee-hi's' and the second one has THEE most enormous run... there's almost nothing left of it!  What happened the last time I wore those????
8:03 AM:  As I pull out of the garage I call my boss at church.  She must be late, too, because she's usually calling me by this time.  I have a short dialogue with her ending with, "I'll be there in 10 to 15 minutes." and hang up as she gasps.  I'm there in 8 minutes, we have time for only one of the two pieces.  My eyes are sticky and blurry from... allergies?  I don't know, but it's very unnerving to read music with 6 or 7 lines on a staff.
8:25 AM:  What elves crept in and took my glasses last night?  The only place I didn't look is in my purse.  But why would I put my glasses in my purse when I put them on my face when I get up in the morning?  I look anyway, and when I see my knitting in there, I have this sinking feeling... and sure enough, wrapped in the knitting are... my glasses.  In my haste the evening before, to prepare for a swift departure in the morning, I grabbed up my knitting and threw it in the purse... my glasses and all. Relieved that I found them, embarrassed that I found them...
What else could go wrong?
Unexpected rain in the desert Southwest.  Good 'ole dog!