Welcome Fall

Today is the first day of fall. It's about time our weather cools down so that I can ride my bicycle to work after a summer of 52 days of at least 100 degree temperatures. Talk about being robbed of summer, bike rides, tops off of the Jeep and golf...it was just too hot to enjoy much of anything outdoors.

Campmates & Bluegrass

I now have campmates! Angelique drove in from New Mexico and picked up our LYS goddess, Shelly, and they set up camp beside me. To my delight, they brought a stove and "real" food to prepare along with cheese, crackers and wine. We have been living it up.

There are several stages set up on the fairgrounds. We laid out blankets on the hill by Stage 2 and knit the day away while huddled under umbrellas during periods of light rain. Later tonight we set under cover at the grandstand and saw The Wilders perform while down below a group of women danced around in can-can/tutu skirts, cowboy hats and boots while waving around bright glow sticks. It was somewhat magical and they looked liked dancing fairies. Tommy Emmanuel played a mean guitar and my favorite turned out to be Michael Martin Murphey and his cowboy songs. After he performed I got to go up and meet him and get some CD's signed. That was pretty awesome.

Fiber and Inspiration

I met up with Karen and her daughter, Jamie to shop at the arts fair. There were a couple yarn and fiber vendors. Jamie picked out a handspun yarn and Karen went straight to work knitting Jamie a hat. I was low on cash and only purchased some handmade soaps and an event mug. I did see this interesting 14" crocheted doily that a woman used to make a hat. She added feathers and other trinkets to the design and in this kind of hippie festival it looked right a home.

Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival

The Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival in Winfield starts tomorrow so I got my tent set up all by myself (GIRL POWER!) at the far west end of Pecan Grove, right beside the Walnut River and across from the 24 hour west entrance. This campground is where all the "action" takes place outside of the main grandstand where all the big name acts perform. In this area, smaller stages are built for the amateurs to perform as well as gather around and play in their own camp sites. Basically, music is going on all night throughout the area.

My friend Karen was set up in the same area and I got to hang out with her family and see her son, Dylan, perform on Stage 5 with his band, Sizzle Biscuit from McPherson, KS. It's such a good, hippie vibe here in Winfield, KS and I'm enjoying a night to myself in my own tent listening to the sounds of fiddles playing from the campsite next to me.

Small Town Finds

Work meetings had me in the small town of Burlingame today. I got there early so I drove through town (about two blocks) and stopped into the Chicken Coop Antiques shop where I found this precious ceramic spinning wheel night light and colorful southwestern wool blanket. Two great finds in a little small town.

Riverside Park

As we all remember 9/11 on this 10th anniversary, I was feeling a little melancholy. I had a lot of work to do around the house but instead decided to make time to take Molly on her first trip to the park. What better place than Riverside Park to socialize her with other people, children and dogs. She was hesitant around little kids but eventually warmed up to the cutest little boy. Both of them were adorable and made for a joyful way to spend the afternoon and give thanks for the freedoms we have.

Molly at 12 Weeks

So far Molly has a clean bill of health at 11 pounds and her cropped ears have just had the bandages removed this morning. The vet told us that next week we will need to bring her back to get her ears re-wrapped so this weekend she's loose and free.

I've started calling her my Little Gremlin especially when I turned my back for just a minute and found her tearing apart my latest knitting project. At that point I was calling her naughty and a few other choice words but it was salvageable.

12-Hour Jaunt

I had several errands to run in Kansas City so Mom and I headed out at 7 am and got home at 7 pm for a quick 12-hour jaunt for shopping and antiques. We enjoyed the 200 mile drive talking and singing along to the radio. We made a stop at Stuff in Brookside and I got a handmade pair of earrings for a friend and some yarn at The Studio by the Plaza. Then over to the west side of town for the monthly Bottoms Up Antique Market. There was no air conditioning and several of the floors of the old warehouses were almost too hot to think straight let along shop for long but I did find a crochet table runner and adorable gold and crystal night light chandelier just perfect for my sewing room. Dinner and margarita's at Manny's and then over to Cabelas. Going to Cabela's is always an "event" and the place just makes me happy. A very good day of shopping and spending time with my momma.

Embroidery

I found some great dog themed fabric to combine with 9" squares of denim from husband's old jeans to make a baby (puppy) blanket for Miss Molly. Strip-pieced the squares together and now hand embroidering her name, dob and dog motifs to the denim squares.

Sick Puppy

Our little pup has been sick with a form of parvo, coronavirus, as well as a recent bout with intestinal parasites for the past couple of weeks. She's on the mend now after a couple visits to the vet and some TLC.

Patches

I've always liked patches. I think it goes back to my Girl Scouts days of earning them. So, that's what I've collected over the years from the places that I travel to. I sew them to bags jackets and t-shirts and I found several on my last trip to Sturgis and the year before. I've accumulated so many that it took all afternoon to get them all sewn onto things.

Aunt Melanie

Molly got a visit from her Aunt Melanie today bearing baby gifts. A purple stuffed snake, some chew bones and biscuits. Thanks, Aunt Mel!

My mom (Gramma) watched Molly last week while we were away on vacation and we've been able to get back into our 8 week old puppy routine. It's true, it takes a village...

Live to Ride

Riding my motorcycle across Kansas I watch an amazing orange sun set in my rearview mirror. I've never noticed how the red blinking lights on the tall, white power windmills look like fireflies hovering above the prairie. A bright, white moon moves in and out of the clouds following a storm while gold colored lightning strikes across the sky in the distance. We all move in and out of traffic in unison following the two red tail lights ahead and I look beside me at a good friend living in the moment just as I am. The wind is cool on my face and although I've been in the saddle for over 15 hours, I feel like I can ride forever. This is what Live to Ride means to me.

Sturgis 2011

There's a reason this was my 13th time to attend the rally. Great times with friends (& neighbors!) and the most enjoyable riding starting with 800 miles just to get there. The Rapid City HD dealership came to our rescue again this time repairing my husband's bike a couple days into our trip. We shopped on Main Street, spent a couple nights in Deadwood and rode the scenic Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road. Some things just never get old. In all, 1,955 miles of fun and adventure.

Beads from Santa Fe

On my last trip to Santa Fe I purchased these green glass beads and Hill Tribe silver beads to make a necklace. The green matches a belt buckle I got in Hill City, South Dakota last year on my trip to Sturgis. It's good to be able to tie items from my trips together.

Molly at 7 Weeks

Adjusting

It's been a week of adjusting to having a puppy in the house. Sheba has been amazingly patient and kind to the pup. I must confess that Molly sleeps in our bed with us and like clockwork wakes every two hours to be let outside. Besides the interrupted sleep, during the waking hours I don't get much done but to play with and adore the little new addition to our family.

Homecoming

We were so relieved to find that our 9 year old pit bull, Sheba, took to Molly instantly and treats her like she's her own baby.

The Journey Home

It was a long almost seven hour trip home with frequent stops for bathroom breaks for the little one, Molly. She's simply adorable and I found it hard to concentrate on my driving.

She's The One

I wasn't really intending to get a puppy but when I saw Molly, I knew she was the one for me. Her breeders told me she was the runt of the litter and showed me pictures of her father (black) and mother (fawn) and I was sold. She's a registered boxer brindle blackmash born on 6/15/2011.