Rainy Days and Mondays always .... add up to fun.

Last Monday I was on my third day in the "hood". I was raised in Pleasant Hill, California.  Before the 70's it was a lovely, small town and very accessible to the Bay Area which consisted of San Francisco, Oakland, and the infamous and wild town of Berkeley. I remember coming and going, through the Caldecott Tunnel all my life. It was a well traveled road for my family and the only fast way into Oakland.
My Dad worked full time at the Navel Supply Center in Oakland and part-time for over 30 years at Smith's clothing store. When we first moved out to Gregory Gardens in Pleasant Hill, in 1950, you almost always had to go back into the Bay Area to shop and for entertainment. There wasn't a whole lot to do in Pleasant Hill. It was a very small town. Things have changed now but old habits die hard. My sister and I still head through the tunnel when we really want to find a variety of stores and for a great day of shopping.
Sis went online and found some knitting stores for us to check out. First we went into Berkeley. We drove down to Shattuck Ave. to the Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics store.

This is an amazing fabric, yarn and button store that has the most beautiful fabric I've ever seen.... and BUTTONS. Lots and lots of buttons.  I have never seen buttons so organized. There was a whole wall of little boxes, each filled with a different and unique button. Anything you can think of they had a button for. I used great restraint and bought one button, kind of as a souvenir.

A dog button. What else? It's a big one. I will use it for something special. I also bought a yard of open weave ribbon that I want to try felting some wool fleece into.

It's a stiff ribbon and very interesting.
They did not have any weaving supplies, which is what I was looking for, so we moved on. Before leaving we talked to a lady named Hannah, who worked there and who weaves. She was interested in wool fiber sources. I told her a had been given some names of a couple of ladies up in the mountains that might  have some raw wool. I haven't called them yet.... so Hannah, if you are reading this. I will contact you as soon as I find out anything. I still have your email address. I have been busy since I got home but I promise I will contact you .

 There was another store on the same street. I can't remember the name of it, which is awful, but maybe the owner will see my blog and email me so I can mention her store. I need to rectify the fact that I lost her business card after I gave them mine. I think it's probably out on the street where. It was raining cat's and puppies when we left and I couldn't get the umbrella to work so we ran to the car. They were so nice when I asked if I could take some pictures but the name of the store remains a mystery.
We drove to another store in Albany, on Solano Ave. called K2TOG. This was the ultimate yarn store.  A rather small place packed with wonderful yarns. I didn't take any photos. I left my camera in the car. It was raining so hard that I concentrated on my umbrella instead. They didn't have any weaving supplies either but she directed us to another store that did. I bought this card before we left. Folks who knit will appreciate this....

So off we went to find ~A Verb for Keeping Warm~. Isn't that a wonderful name for a fiber and yarn shop. It was another amazing store....

We finally found this store in a warehouse on San Pablo Ave. in Oakland. Here is where I found raw fleece and the pair of hand carders that I was looking for. Now I can prepare the wool for my felting projects. Which means that I will probably have to learn how to dye wool and maybe start spinning. Oh, joy. Another project.
We had such a good time. It rained all day. We got back to my sister's and collapsed. We had take out for dinner and went to bed early but what a rainy, fun Monday it was.... not like the old song at all. This rainy Monday didn't "...get us down." and neither of us have come down with a cold either.
Tomorrow we go to Benicia, CA.

Free Hugs......

When I was working for a living and had to get up on Monday morning to face another week of decisions, long days and (sometimes) aggravation, I could have used this video to remind me that life is good, what I did made a difference and that people love to receive a hug once in a while.
Please go to Nancy's A Shepherd's Voice  and her Monday Moments video for a free hug. Look at how easy it is to make some one's day just by smiling.... or in Italy... giving out free hugs.  This will make you feel so good that you will be able to tackle anything this week.

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When I arrived at my son's house last week my grandchildren were out front learning to ride their new skateboards.

With more gear on than a soccer player they were ready to learn the fine art of Skateboarding. Little bean decided that a starting position of "hands on the ground for balance" was a good idea. At four years of age, this was probably a wise choice and already being on the ground left less distance to fall when the skateboard didn't cooperate.
The Bean tackled this new challenge (as he always does) with more determination than a bull moose crossing a crowded city street.

Even wearing his green Crocks instead of tennis shoes.... Noni worries about stuff like this. You grandmothers know what I mean. Tennis shoes would be safer and give him more support.... and give him better  stability.... and if , God forbid, he falls..... the tennis shoes will stay on his feet. You know..... Noni-phobic.  I remember giving my grandmother a few near heart attacks when I was learning how to be my own little person.
Anyway, he didn't fall. He hardly ever does. He's AWESOME...  even with green shoes.
They both had a great time. The day was beautiful.... sunny.... warm. Within an hour or so they were balancing on these boards with wheels like little pros and I just took pictures....

How wonderful it is to see your grandchildren grow up. The cute little babies turn into sweet little toddlers and then into small versions of their parents. I remember the Bean's daddy learning how to balance on a skateboard many years ago and the first time he road his bike without the training wheels. The time he tried to navigate a dirt jump and fell. Oh yes, it all comes back to me as I watch these two little boys learn something new.
It's an on going process... wanting to be good at something... wanting to be challenged. It's the wonderful feeling of accomplishment when you finally know that you have got the balance and you are flying instead of walking.
Hugs to both of my grandsons. You did it! I'm so proud of you. Here's to keeping your balance for a lifetime.... learning new ways to bring you both a sense of pride in what you do. Learning the boundaries of your life and always trying to expand them in a good way.
Hugs to my son and my daughter in law too. They are always there with encouragement and love. It just makes my heart happy.

That night I watched the  boys so Mom and Dad could go out to dinner. The Bean taught me how to water ski on the Wii game program. He still had so much energy and couldn't understand why Noni was not making "big jumps" on her water ski.
"This way Noni. You have to jump UP when you go over the boat wake." The Bean could make the ski board jump and flip. I tried. My score was 180. My grandson's was over 1000.  I couldn't water ski well when I was in real water and a lot younger. I was lucky to keep my balance and not drown. Even trying to learn the nuances of this sport in a virtual reality world.... I still sucked.....

So I soothed my wounded ego with a piece of Valentine candy and watched  Little Bean slept off his big day ....

...and Lizzie, the guard dog, waiting for the rest of the family to return.

It was an AWESOME day. I slept well that night.

Tomorrow we go to some really cool yarn and fabric stores in Berkeley and Oakland.

An Awesome Trip to Busytown

We woke up to SNOW this morning. All of the hills surrounding us were covered with a light coating of white.  It was so beautiful.

It was very cold. I could feel it through the window. The kind of cold that makes you want to snuggle down in the blankets and never get out of bed. There wasn't much snow... just a dusting... but some things, like the birdhouses and clay pots, were covered. By afternoon all of it was gone except in the distant Blue Mountains to the east. Still, it was a wonderful thing to wake up to.
I got back Thursday afternoon, tired from the drive home. I ate some dinner and went to bed early. Yesterday I had company and I will have to tell you about my friend and her "doll" sometime this week.
I had a wonderful trip. I stayed an extra day and have all kinds of photos to show you and stories to tell.
Saw my grandchildren learn to skateboard.....

Spent one day in Berkeley and Oakland with my sister....

 Spent another day with Sis and a good friend in Benicia...

Had lunch there and the sun came out for a few hours just for us.
It was a Buddah-ful day.....

I stayed with the BEANS so their Mom and Dad could go out to dinner. Drove out to Oakland to see my oldest son. Spent a morning with my youngest grandson. Drove all over the place during the week and finally drove home... in a heavy rainstorm.

Home to the Prospector, the dogs, the goats and the chickens....... and this morning.... A BIT OF SNOW.
It was a good week. Tomorrow I will tell you more.

"The world is so full of a number of things.
I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings."
~robert louis stevenson~
Sleep tight......

p.s. I just noticed that my commas all show up as periods in this new font. I will have to change the font in the morning. Darn! For all of you who notice these things. I did not make this mistake. The font is at fault. Please accept my apology
p.s.s. I changed the font. Now I have commas. Don't use the "KRANKY" font. The commas look like periods. Kranky must have decided to be .... cranky.

Over the Hills and Through the Woods.... in reverse.

I'm going to be away for a few days. I'm going down to the Bay Area (Oakland, San Fransisco, Berkeley) to see my family..... to spend  some quality time with friends and family.
Be back soon....

Felting... with cows.

"I see you......"

" Hey, where are you going? I just want to take your picture."

"Mommy, mommy, It's the lady that makes that clicking noise."

Run baby run.....

Safe at last, in the arms of the herd.


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And after sharing a moment of "new calf in the Spring"....

Remember this yarn? Paton's Classic Wool- in Harvest.

This is the finished scarflet  with added pink and burgundy wool yarn in the middle to "Spring" it up a bit. I actually like this yarn felted more than just knitted.

I decided to add the button to the crocheted flower but I added a pink crocheted round under the button to add some contrast. Thanks for those of you who gave me your opinions on "with or without" the button.

Then felted some yarn to use as ties....I felted them to attach to the scarf so it stays in place around a person's neck.

 Made some knitted I cords with tails so that I could try some necklaces. This needs more work. I want them thicker in the middle. I will take them to my sister and have her work her" magic jewelry thoughts" on them. Stay tuned....
Have a happy knitting, quilting, sewing, reading or just sitting by the fireplace with hot tea kind of weekend.

Wordless Wednesday: Young Pallid Bat

                                                                    

Coming and Going... in the Sacramento Valley

Yesterday was the third time in a week that I have driven to the Valley. Twice I have gone to the hospital to see the eye doctor. Thursday for an eye exam and to order the eye glasses... then yesterday to pick up my new glasses. That's a record for getting a new pair of glasses. That's five days with a weekend in between. I've never received new prescription glasses that fast... ever. When they called yesterday to tell me the glasses were ready, I was stunned. Do you suppose that they are getting stimulated by the government?
On Saturday I drove down to Elk Grove for our monthly goat meeting. This was fun. The day was beautiful. I got to see Dick and Jane's farm, again, their big ol' dogs and their flock of Alpine Goats. We had a good meeting. Talked about the Cal-Am Goat show in Plymouth on May 7th and what needed to be done before the event.  I will host the next meeting. Guess I had better let Brownie Goat know that we are going to have company. I don't want him to stress out.
At one point after the meeting, I asked the really important question.... "Where can I get some goat fleece?" This was the right group to ask. I now have three different sources for wool fleece and yarn in this area. Thank you Jane, Elenore, Rebecca and Gwen for all the information. Especially Gwen who emailed me all of the names and phone numbers of the sources. I REALLY appreciated it

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Yesterday I drove down the highway to South Sacramento and picked up my new eye glasses, had some lunch and then (as a treat for all the weary driving and .... and for having to drive in all of that traffic.... and for the strain on my country bumpkin mentality.) I went to....

I needed a very small sized pair of needles for the knitted flowers that I've been making. I walked out of this store with a bag filled to the brim with MORE YARN and some wool fabric.

This wool fabric is so beautiful. I can't find it anywhere in the mountains. So I grabbed it up when I saw it. I thought it was on sale. There was this sign above the bolts of fabric that said 30% off. Well, I just grabbed it and had it cut before I realized that it wasn't on sale. I also didn't look at the price. I thought I did.... but obviously, I didn't. I'm embarrassed to tell you what it was per yard. I just can't tell you. All I can say is that I will save and use  every little sliver of this fabric... if I have to saute the pieces and eat them  for dinner.

The Paton's Classic Wool Roving is wonderful to work with. I just had to get more of it. and then I saw this yarn...

This is Paton's Classic Wool yarn that is wonderful for felted projects. This one is called "Harvest" but I think it's way too bright to be called something so autumny. I think "Gypsy" would have been a better name. It does have some orange and green in it but it also has purple, dark red and a bit of dark gray in it. This yarn is very pretty when it's knitted but I felted a swatch of it last night and it's even more beautiful when felted.
I did buy the needles I needed. I almost forgot in all my excitement.
Then, as I walked up to the check out stand, I saw the magazine rack and stopped in my tracks.  Low and behold, there was this magazine waiting for me. Isn't it funny how this happens. As if it was set out there for someone special. A MAGAZINE ON FELTING.... from Australia.

I had never seen this magazine before and I believe it's the only FELTING magazine on the Pacific Rim.... so I grabbed it. Most knitting magazines will have an article on felting once in a while but this is a whole magazine filled with everything felt.

Lots of articles by felt artists....

 How to make "Wannabees"...

and little pink pigs....

and beautiful purses...

I haven't kept the promise I made to myself... to finish each project before starting another. It's a promise I should have never made . I just can't do it. Too many ideas. Too many wonderful yarns.....
In this magazine there was an ad for a business called FIBREWORKS- hand dyed felting supplies.

And look who gets most of the credit..... THE ANIMALS.  Where would we crazy, knitting/felting maniacs be without these wonderful animals.

AUSTRALIA, YOU ROCK.


So now it's back to making some little flowers and handles for the purses in my head. 
What do you think? With or without the button???

To My Friends...

Please have patience..... all of you who are braving the longest winter of your lives. I hear you out there. You are trying to be optimistic and brave but Ol' Mother Nature is chewing you up and spitting you out in so many areas of the country.
I just want to say....Hang in there.

I see the snow that covers everything and makes it so difficult for you to get in the car and drive anywhere. Everything you do is an effort and the threat of another storm looms. To my farming friends.... the water will thaw and the mud will dry. To my city friends.... the snow will melt and the sun will warm your faces.
One day you're on the dark side of Winter.....

And you find yourself only facing one side of the world. 
But the sun will come back and the warmth will return with it.

  It always does.

Life is two sided.

  Pull back the dead leaves and the lingering snow. Take a look at what is coming.

How the Pittosporum prepares for it's yearly fragrant show.

and the little frog who winks at you from the yard art in the lavender.

Come sit on my porch, in the sunshine. Warm your bones and feel the sun on your face. I'll fix you some tea and bring you a sweater. The air is still cold but the sun feels so good.

Read the wall hanging that I gave to my mom many years ago and now hangs next to my front door.
 
  Sit here as long as you want.... until you know, in your heart, that Spring is coming. Until the sun sets.... as it always does and life feels good again.