Noro on the Road

Work meetings have me on the road all this week and you know what that means - lots of motel knitting. I brought along some Noro Kuryeon to start a 2nd garter yoke cardi and picked up some coordinating soft brown wool yarn at Wildflower Knits in Manhattan, KS. This cardi is going to have cropped sleeves and dark brown coconut shell buttons.

Osage Hills Weekend

Husband and I spent a relaxing weekend at my annual family reunion in Osage Hills State Park in Oklahoma where we all played cards, sat around the campfire, hiked and a few of us rode our motorcycles to the casino in Bartlesville. We saw several deers roaming in the park and on one of my hikes with a cousin, I found a trophy piece of root stump driftwood that's going to be a cool addition in my flowerbed.

Weaving at City Arts

I'm into my third weaving session at City Arts and it's been productive so far. I completed a rug designed as a shoe mat by the front door. I wasn't






expecting pefection (it's not pefectly square) but it serves a purpose I'm pleased with. Now on to a bigger more complicated project, a shawl. Weaving is a repetitive motion just like knitting that's very relaxing and calming.

Noro Garter Yoke Cardigan

My marathon wool cardi is now complete. I selected Noro Kureyon for the yoke and Cascade Heather for the body of the sweater but the detail is in the finishing -- I made button holes in grosgrain ribbon and then sewed to the button band as reinforcement for a designer touch.

Chemo Caps

A relative of mine is undergoing chemo treatments. Since losing her hair, she says her head gets really cold and asked if I could make her a hat -- well, that's the least I could do. I found one, two, three chemo cap patterns on Ravelry (completing several this weekend from Nashua Cilantro) and delivered them with a bouquet of flowers to brighten her day.

Trick or Treat

The neighbor girls came a knock'n.

Learning to Weave

Laurie, Pattie and I are taking weaving classes at City Arts instructed by my previous spinning class teacher, Nancy Squire. We each decided to work on different projects. I am making a small rug from strips of woven cotton. The frayed fabric edges makes for a scrappy looking weave that I kinda like and I eventually want to work with denim.

Red River Classic

Many years ago, I used to compete in bodybuilding and even qualified for Nationals. This was the fun part: performing on stage. I'd still be doing it if the training and diet wasn't so time-consuming and difficult. I guess if it was easy everyone would look like this. Husband and I are in Oklahoma with a good friend who won the Master's division (over age 50!) Red River Classic bodybuilding championship. He's looked like this for the 20+ years we've known him and is still going strong.

Alpaca Shawlette #4

Just wrapped up my fourth alpaca shawlette. This one I made for myself out of the hand carded/spun alpaca from Ashwani at Heartland Farm. I noticed this fiber was much softer than William - interesting how each animal has a different fleece.

100 Miles or Bust

I'm starting up my own 100 Miles in 100 Days jog/run challenge. (I've done it successfully once before). It's a goal-oriented numbers game that works for me so I'm dusting off my running shoes to give it another GO. And the timing couldn't be better - just in time to keep things in check during the holidays. The clock starts today with a completion date of January 26, 2010.

Marathon Knitting

I didn't set a record, but I did get quite a bit of knitting completed for what I'm calling was my Noro Cardi Knitting Marathon. I set a comfortable pace for myself with the garter stitch yoke, slowed slightly for the button holes and kicked it into high gear for the stockinette body. As for contemplating running a marathon someday (April?) Jackie recommends getting the book Half-Marathon by Jeff Galloway.

KC Marathon

Today was the big day. At 6:00 a.m. we walked down to Crown Center in a dark, cold drizzle and the girls took off on their runs at 7:00. I headed for a warmer climate inside and got to sit and knit for almost five hours until it was time to cheer them on at the end of the finish line. It was so inspiring to watch my friends conquer the elements, hills and for some pain to finish their race, relay, half marathon and full marathon. Now I'm motivated to add running a half marathon to my bucket list someday.

KC Bound

Angelique is back in town from NM and we drove together to Kansas City today for the 2009 Waddell & Reed Marathon run on Saturday where we met up with Team Tabor (Jackie) and relay Team Twist (Judy, Becca, & Laura) and Lori who's running a half-marathon. I'm going along as a team supporter and will be in charge of taking pictures and holding the signs. We enjoyed a high carb dinner at the Cheesecake Factory on the Plaza and did a little p.j. knitting in our room. GO T-E-A-M!!

I'm excited to be staring a new knitting project on the road with my knitting friends. I'll be working on the Garter Yoke Cardi from the fall/winter 2008 knit.1 issue using Cascade for the body and Noro wool on the yoke. While my friends are running a marathon I'll be doing my own little marathon knitting.

Socks 4 Mom

Finished a pair of ankle socks for mom from the Panda Cotton she picked out in Texas. She isn't a fan of wool socks so this bamboo/cotton/elastic nylon yarn will make for the comfy bed socks she has in mind.

Made in Texas

Although the weekend was busy with travel and family time in Texas, I did manage to crank out a pair of ankle socks for myself from leftover Panda Cotton in chocolate mint. Conveniently, while at a yarn shop, mom decided she wanted me to make her a pair so she picked out the yarn and I started hers on the way back home.

Shabby Sheep

Believe it or not - but there's a yarn shop around Dallas that I haven't been to before. It was challenging for me to find Shabby Sheep in the Uptown area but when it comes to yarn - I'm determined and found a way. Knitting shops that occupy a house are just so inviting and this one features a front porch swing and patio in the back. Then inside the shop I found inspiration in a shop sample sweater vest from Berroco's new vintage wool yarn. I'll be making mine in Chana Dal.

Sassy Spinster

A quick trip to Texas provided me with the chance to venture out to Lancaster to visit the Sassy Spinster. It's a great shop filled with spinning wheels and weaving looms of all sizes. I don't know much about weaving...yet...but that's about to change in the very near future.

Woofstock 2009

Today was a day for the dogs and benefit for the Kansas Humane Society. This year's Woofstock event at the Sedgwick County Park was improved with more organized parking and a more spacious vendor layout. It's always entertaining to see all the different kind of dogs and it seems the most popular breeds in town are great danes and boxers. Our pack played well with others during the Woof, Walk and Wag event and then laid down to do a little dog-watching of their own.

Habitat for Humanity

My boss (pictured on the left) is a member of the Wichita Rotary and organized an opportunity for our office to help with a home build for Habitat for Humanity. The two bedroom house is 10 days into the build and we showed up with our work gloves and went to work cleaning the job site, sawing and laying the flooring. We were able to help a woman and her child in the community and learn a few things about construction. Not a bad way to spend a workday afternoon.

Noro = Love = Dreads

I had some Noro Iro leftover from my Lady Detective hat and was inspired by the Fall colorway to make some felted ponytail dreads. Just perfect for dread wanna-be's like myself. I've got one for myself, one to gift and as you can see, I've got a few extra so let me know if you'd like one.

Whistler Wrist Warmers

Went with husband to a work picnic in Kansas City and got in about six hours of road time knitting finishing this pair of ribbed wrist warmers. They are stretchy and warm just perfect for cool walks and errands. I usually have just enough yarn left over after knitting a pair of socks to make a coordinating pair. These made from Regia Bamboo on #2 dpns.

Open Farm Day

Drove to Great Bend, KS to help out with the Open Farm Day at Heartland Farm. (Great Bend was also hosting the Big Bend Bike Rally where I passed my friends, M&M Choppers on the way there). I set up my spinning wheel in the artist studio and joined Sister Mary Ellen in giving demonstrations to visitors on how to card and spin alpaca fiber. Sister Jane was around the corner with a weaving loom while Shana and Michelle (dread envy strikes again) sold homemade items from the farm including some of my knitted items. The weather couldn't have been better and I was able to card and spin a whole skein of brown alpaca. I left with a small bounty of fresh eggs, noodles, zucchini muffins, tomatoes, salsa, pottery and a pumpkin.

Favorite Things

I had the opportunity to stop and take some pictures of a couple of some of my favorite things that I pass by on the way to Winfield, KS. Highway 160 is surrounded by happy fields of sunflowers and the house of my dreams sits outside Oxford.

Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival

My knitting friend, Angelique, made it to town a couple days ago from Shiprock, NM and has been staying at my place. She comes to town for the bluegrass festival in Winfield, KS and I hate to admit I've lived here all my life and have never attended it. I guess I always thought it was a hillbilly thing I wouldn't enjoy but was I ever wrong.

There's a ton of variety of music in this genre which surprising includes Texas swing. We bought matching hats, spread out a blanket on a hill with our knitting at Stage 2 and spent the afternoon into the late night listening to the different bands that rotated every hour. There are actually 6 stages to choose from.

Stage 5 is in one of the camping areas (the hippee themed camp) where local talent perform. We decided next year we would like to take our tents and stay overnight.

Siva Yoga

The knitting gals have been talking about the new yoga place, Siva, down the block from Twist Yarn Shop in Delano and I finally had the chance to check it out. Siva offers three levels and I took a challenging Flow 3 (Power) class where we held some difficult poses such as back bends and shoulder stands. I really like the warm atmosphere and heated floor. Each class is $5 and they offer a candlelight class weekday nights at 8:30.

Missing Oregon

When I got to Orgeon last week I had six days ahead of me and felt like I had all the time in the world. Then it passed so quickly and was time to go home. While I love my sweet home and life, I always get so sad when it's time to leave places and I hate goodbyes. There's a special closeness in spending time with family and no matter how long the absence or how much we age, I find childhood affection flooding back when I spend time with my aunts. And I am still learning from them. From sharing our love of adventure in nature, cooking, canning, and crafts to exploring family heritage in pictures and stories. They are the best aunts I could ever wish for.

Airline Knitting

Usually I get a lot of knitting done on my vacations but not on this one. There was just too much to do in a short amount of time. So, most of my knitting was done on the plane rides. I finished the second




Pebble Rib sock on the way out and got to wear them to the beach and then finished one very colorful Grandaughter sock on the plane ride home.

Oregon Coast

Aunt R. and I wrapped up the last day of my trip with a 12 hour drive along the Pacific Coast (Hwy 101) from Tillamook to Depoe Bay up to Cannon Beach then back to Portland. Our first destination was Depoe Bay for a whale watching boat trip. The choppy water made it an exciting boat ride and we were thrilled to see several gray whales. First you'd see the air coming out of the water from their blow holes, then you'd see their back raise up along the top of the water and occasionally catch a fast glimpse of their raised tail -- but too fast to take a picture of. (Look closely in the first picture above). Simply beautiful. Then there were the very adorable harbor seals that were so cute. We made many stops along several beach waysides to take pictures but the ultimate beach was in Oceanside where we collected rocks and shells. Plus the stop at Roseanna's cafe for an oyster burger and sponge lemon pudding with marionberry sauce was to die for. What a way to end a trip!

Girls (Aunts) Day

Aunt J. and I drove over the river into Vancouver, Washington for an early morning walk and to take in yet another (smaller) farmer's market then we were off with Aunt R. for what we called a "girl's day". Specifically, a fun-filled day with my aunts, hot wings at Fire on the Mountain, pedicures and a movie, Julie & Julia. It was a delightful chick flick that will make you want to go home and cook. Really, I think I smiled through the entire movie. Oh, and I can't forget to add a little quick shopping at Powell's Books. It's the world's largest independent (new & used) book store spanning a whole city block and I've never seen such a large selection of knitting, spinning and dyeing books -- it was incredible. I only had an hour to make a quick grab of a few books on knitting, spinning and textiles.

Sauvie Island

To get to my Aunt Rita's house we cross two bridges, the spectacular arches of the St. John bridge then over the newly constructed Sauvie Island bridge. The island is surrounded by the Columbia River, Willamette River and Willamette Slough filled with many farms, nurseries and orchards. Her home a truly magical place with many fond memories of purple martens, fruit trees and grapevines. We went straight to work on picking spearmint to dry for loose leaf tea, picking apples, peaches, plums and grapes. We dehydrated the plums to make prunes and my aunts spent the night teaching me how to can making two batches of jalepeno jelly.

Portland Saturday Market

Aunts Janine and Rita took me downtown for the Farm market where we picked up jellies, cheeses and roasted poblano peppers and then took the trolley to the Art market along the river. There were so many handmade things that I wanted to have but settled on a macrame bracelet, hair stick and silver pair of swirl earrings. I found inspiration everywhere I turned. From the reconstructed skirts a woman had sewn out of recycled sweaters, t-shirts and cotton (I can so do that) to the girl
with the most beautiful head full of dreads we saw in front of us as we were enjoying a Gyro. Yes, I have dread envy. I also saw the exact black bicycle I've been longing for. So many cool things to see in dowtown Portland.

Stopped at yet another knit shop, Knit Purl, in the downtown area. A lovely shop with a designer flair. Found the woman working at the shop has connections to the knitting book, AlterKnits, and bought the book for a special project. She also lives on Sauvie Island where my Aunt Rita lives.

A Day in Hood River

My excitement to start the day woke me at 2:00 a.m. and even then I had no idea how much fun and adventure the day would bring. We left early and drove along the Washingon side of the Columbia River to Wet Planet for our rafting trip. (We were with a group of 18 Rangers ready to be sent abroad and several guides). We slipped into our wetsuits/gear and took a bus up the White Salmon River. They paired us with a couple from Alabama and I fearlessly agreed to be at the front of the raft with the husband. We learned all the navigating commands from our guide and hit the rapids. As expected, the water was shockingly cold and we got wet but the wetsuits they provided were very warm. Halfway through the trip we had to get out and hike along the the river to a bluff where we jumped off into some slower rapids and swam to our rafts. That part was optional but no way was I going to pass on that! Aunt Janine jumped off too and it was exhilirating. We all cheered each other on and as you bobbed up to the surface and swam to the raft, all hands were extended to keep you from being carried down the river. That was cool. (I guess the part I enjoyed most was the teamwork it took to move down river). We got to go under a volcanic cave section and prepare for the waterfall drop at the end where we hunkered down and went completely under water. Simply amazing.



We dried off and drove across the bridge into Hood River, Oregon and had lunch on the river. Found a knit shop in town and made our way around the Fruit Loop making stops along the way to some of the 34 local farm stands with a snow covered Mount Hood as a back drop to the orchards. Made a stop at Cascade Alpacas and Foothills Yarn where I purchased some alpaca roving/yarn and Aunt Janine got to feed the alpacas and several crias. We finished the day going over to my Aunt Rita's where she prepared some fresh sole. It was very good day.