Start-itis Strikes Again...

So this thing leaped onto my needles... You remember that I had that panic with the Expressions Fiber Arts yarn and had to search high and low for more Stone Tulips just for a bind off? 

Well, I've got oodles left. So after trolling Ravelry for a long time, I found a relatively simple wrist warmer pattern. I did struggle with the choices for a while. 

Pulse warmer?

Lace glove?

Wrist/arm length?

Fingers? 

Thumb hole or not?

So I looked at the yarn, and since it's relatively busy, I nixed the idea of lace. 

The person who's getting these barely wears coats, and I'm taking a gamble on even making the wristlets. So, no fingers; length just past the wrist - like a pulse warmer. And not too busy with the pattern so that you don't see it "move" when you look at it. 

Much like the avocado + lime green shag carpet in my bedroom as a kid...but I digress...

Simple K2, P2 rib, but of course I can't leave well enough alone. I really dislike starting a K2, P2 rib right off the bat. So I added 3 rows of knit to the beginning. A teeny-tiny curl adds a little interest. 

I may add that same curl to the end; I'll have to see how I feel. It might be uncomfortable, so I don't want to do that. This should use most of the yarn, which is cool. 

The rest goes into the "Oddments" bag for eventual Franken-socks. 

I should be able to whip these out for the birthday; I also didn't want to get into something so complex that I was "knitting under pressure." 

Knitting is fun, meditative and creative. So that's how I want to keep it if I can. 

A Little More Celery...

So I made some tuna salad for lunch the other day. For me, I like celery, hot mustard and dill relish. Used my homemade mayo and Penzey's spices. 

I pulled a couple ribs of celery, thinking they looked pretty slim. Till I started chopping. Wow - lots of celery. 

How bad could that be? Love the crunch it gives to salads and one of my favorite snacks is "ants on a log" - celery, peanut butter and raisins. 

Here's a little nutrition lesson for those who may have a throw-back idea that celery is "rabbit food" that women eat when they want to lose weight...

Celery has fiber, even though it's mostly water. Rich in Vitamin K, it also has folate, Vitamin A and Vitamin C, as well as potassium. It supports digestion, has possible anti-inflammatory properties, and it has a low glycemic index, meaning it has a nice, slow, steady effect on your blood sugar. 

All in all, not bad for rabbit food, right? I have to say, I love it raw. Not keen on it cooked, but if I dice it up enough, it's a nice peppery flavor to add to soups and stews. 

Flowers...but what kind...

These grow by my studio every year. They're lovely. And I don't know what they are. My landlord mentioned it once. Do you think I could remember?

Ha. 

I've reached out to "flower friends" to see if they could help me identify them. Heck, it took me 3 seasons to remember that "those tall pink flowers" in my garden are phlox...

I know that this thing makes seed pods and I'm told that I can take however many I want. I'm not sure how to plant them, but I'll let my students know so they can give them a shot. 

A few folks from my women's groups are also interested. They don't have a clue what it is, but they want the seeds. 

My landlord keeps our property beautifully, manicured to within an inch of its life, and he's always interested in new plants to make the place pretty. 

Contrast that with the landlord of my chiropractor... lots of -- nothing -- and a boring storefront. I know they kind of can't help it because of the configuration of the storefronts, but jeeze - tuck some flowers into the parking berms. It wouldn't kill them. 

Consume wisely...

"Consuming" is not only eating and drinking. It's what you look at on the internet, watch on TV, read, listen to... And clearly, you can see by this screen shot (ok, I took a picture of my computer screen - I'm very old-school), headlines of the different news -- or "news" in one case -- channels, telling the same story, are vastly different. 

Fox "News" (because, seriously - it's not...) claims "Failed Obama attacks successful Trump in bitter swan song" while the Washington Post says "An unexpected opportunity for Barack Obama." 

They're talking about the exact same speech. 

The. Exact. Same. Speech. 

And you wonder why we can't have a sensible conversation? Look at the headlines. Look at the words. Look at the snark. 

We need to be careful consumers. We need to discern what we're looking at and use our brains. We need to set aside our emotion and look at this stuff objectively, in spite of the partisanship of our news outlets. 

Take the time to actually think while you're consuming. I guarantee you'll be a lot happier in the long run. 

Random Picture...

Yesterday was, of course, the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I resisted posting for a long time. 

I'm not maudlin. I know it happened. It changed everything in this country, but sometimes looking back too much keeps you from looking forward. 

But then I remembered this... 

I think I did this piece in the year after the attacks.  It was exhibited in the National Counted Cross Stitch Show that year under the "Patriotic Designs" category. It didn't win, even though this was my original design. Some design (not original, thanks, but a popular chart) that showed an eagle with the flag won. I was kind of bummed because I thought about this design a lot. 

As I recall, I was reading about so many of the people involved and the story about Fr. Mychal Judge caught my eye. 

This was the prayer he prayed every day. He was a firehouse chaplain. He ran toward the blasts. He died helping people. 

He wanted to make sure that God got him where he needed to be. He was. He did. 

I was looking for artwork to hang at the church, and I thought this would be perfect. Hopefully, it provides inspiration where needed. I think that, even though Fr. Mychal was a Catholic and this is in an Episcopal church, he'd be ok with that. 

A Minute and a Half...

...till the brown rice is done. Lest you think I'm eating dinner at nearly 10 p.m. CST, ha -- I'm actually (dare I say it) GETTING AHEAD and making some brown rice for tomorrow's lunch. 

I've tried these bag thingies, and so far, everything has been ok. I mean, I can pronounce all the stuff in the bag and on the ingredient list, so there's that. And they take pretty much a minute. And I can fit them in my little dark blue Thermos for lunch. I usually try to follow the package directions to serve them with a starch, like a pasta, rice or quinoa. 

I'm not a huge fan of white rice. For one, arsenic -- and yeah, I do eat a LOT of rice. For another, I just prefer the "fullness" of the brown rice, and I do buy organic as much as I can. 

This packet is different from what I usually get. I really like the spinach dal, but I thought I'd try this. I've been trying to get more organized and get things prepared in the p.m. the night before. 

Since I'm part of the "part-time brigade" lately, I'm keeping lots of balls in the air. Which is cool. In a strange way, this has brought me more balance. I know I have to be somewhere at a certain time, and I can walk away. 

Anyway, I've got my bag ready, and will have my lunch mostly ready. All I have to do is heat the pouch up in the morning and put it on top of the microwaved rice and there you have it. 

Lunch.

Breakfast is a yogurt smoothie, or a protein shake. Meds and supplements are already in my purse. Newest copy of "The Sun" magazine is in the bag, knitting is next to my purse. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. 

Knitting...

Speaking of which... Not much to show you. One more point on the shawl, but nothing else happening. I'm still drooling over the various lace shawls, and still working on the Sole-to-Sole and the blue self-patterning one. I'm bringing the Sole-to-Sole to work, and trying to get a few rows on it here and there. I do have to buckle down and get that self-patterning one done. I mean, really - I'm close to finishing the gusset decrease - two rows or so. And then I can start on the foot. 

And I want to start some Christmas knitting. I know - not sure how all that's going to shake out, but I'm going to try for a couple of hats and perhaps another Close to You shawl, if I can move along on this one. I was buzzing like crazy, but then other stuff came up. 

I really should have been practicing tonight - I have O Sanctissima to learn to finger-pick, but again - tonight. Things took over. 

Anyway, I'm going to get back to the shawl in a few moments - at least to get half way through to the next point. 

I got the latest issue of Creative Knitting, and I'm intrigued by two pullovers and a pair of wristlets. But the remainder of the issue is consumed with "Cables on the Catwalk" and I've decided that you have to be the size of a toothpick to wear cables the size they've created in a few of those sweaters. 

Someone my size (and I'm not huge, but I'm not tiny)? I'd look like a lumpy package in a sweater that's entirely cabled. 

So. Will look again at one of the pullovers and see if I'm brave enough to do the asymmetrical front. It's a little scoop up at the front hem, and I'm not sure about it. I kind of like straight lines. Especially since I don't want to emphasize my stomach in the first place... 

Coloring...

I had to grab a couple of jump drives for some files I'm toting around. The one jump drive I was given was starting to read "corrupted" or "files need to be fixed" --both of which are a sure sign that the drive is about ready to crap out. So I transferred the files to my laptop (note to self: have Hubby back this thing up tomorrow!!), and got these cute little jump drives. 

Yes, they're meant to be colored on. So I did! One of them holds files related to some work I'm doing for my church, and the other holds stuff regarding my Young Living business. I thought they were cute. 

And I can certainly find them in the bottom of my bag! Speaking of which, I also bought two new backpacks. 

I got a bright pink one for Tippi's therapy stuff. I had a "diaper bag" kind of bag, but since she's rather taken with the idea that I should actually lift her robust self into my truck, the "diaper bag" slung over my shoulder is a bit awkward. Her color is pink, so this works. 

The other one replaces a large open tote I use for my music; and it's a dark periwinkle. Both are Jansport bags, both at 50% off (yes!!) and both should last for a good long while. 

Random Picture...

Well, thought a throw-back would be good. I've been too busy to get many pics taken lately, and it's been beastly hot. Fall has taken its time, and summer has decided on a last gasp. 

This is from Florida a few years ago, when my friend Alice and I attended a conference. I loved the bright pink and I couldn't resist. we see hibiscus here, but unless you've got a 3-season room or a closed-in porch, they don't last. 

I wonder how the resort is doing. Florida is struggling. 

But nothing like Puerto Rico. Hopefully the Dotard will get his act together, realize that PR is NOT in the ocean (Caribbean Sea, actually) and our government will stop trying to kill us all off or start World War 3 - and get those folks, you know - the American territory we have - some help. The help they desperately need. 

Stop tweeting and start presidenting.

OH SNAP!

Yeah, no - that's not the slang version of the word. 

I was eating, and one of the rubber bands on my braces snapped. That wasn't cool. It didn't hurt or anything, but I was worried I'd swallow the blasted thing! And my jaw felt strangely out-of-kilter. So I stuck a new one on, even though I'm changing them tonight when I brush my teeth. 

Speaking of which, I'm having more migraines. And I'm not sure what it is, but Doc says I'm experiencing some strain with the rubber bands as they're pulling my jaws. Since I have TMJ anyway - that makes sense. Now, if I can at least get adjusted enough so that it starts to subside...

How My Garden Grows...

So the wildflowers are, in their 3rd or 4th year, now coming into their own. The "shade" garden is going nuts - lots of brown-eyed Susan, and some pink stuff which I can't recall  
(UPDATE: it's phlox). I mean, I remember planting it, but I can't remember its name. There's also bee balm, columbine (which is done for now), and foxglove in there. 

I saw a Monarch butterfly hanging around, and he enjoyed the flowers. I was really excited, even though the camera was beyond my reach. And the hummingbirds are visiting. So, it's a win. 

And in the "sunny-side" part? I have 2 milkweed plants, something that Hubby swears is a flower and I swear equally vehemently is merely a weed (and yes, there's a big difference between a wildflower and a weed), coneflower, lavender, salvia, gallardia, dill and purple bee balm. The foxglove and poppy are done for now. Oh, and the Prairie Blazing Star is blooming - so it survived its surgery where I split it this year to send half of it to my friend in the UP. I hope hers is thriving... Just now, there was a big old bumblebee on the Blazing Star just kind of gorging himself. Good for him! 

I'm trying to figure out where to plant the milkweed seeds my UP friend gave me. Those will be stuck in there in the late fall, before the first frost. I have to mark the two that we have, so that we get them planted in a similar spot. The ones at the rectory are really tall, so I also have to think about that - this garden does get a northwest cross-wind sometimes; one of the phlox bits is pushed over. So I wonder if I have to stake the taller flowers. 

I'm not staking the weed... 

Looks like a wooly worm!

This is odd... At first, I thought I had a wooly-worm on the flower, but I realized it was the center of the flower that kind of warped. I've never seen that before. Kind of cool, though!

We really have done well with this space, and even need to thin out the Brown-Eyed Susan. I might take some of it out and plant it at the Rectory to cover some of the bare spots in the garden. It'll spread. They seem to be hardy enough to tolerate being dug up now and stuck somewhere else. And the rectory has a nice little garden area right at the front door. It'll look sweet. Especially since it's another maintenance-free(ish) plant. I'll get the hostas from Church Lady Across the Street and by the time we have a new vicar, he or she will have a low-maintenance garden. 

I haven't seen any caterpillars on the dill yet. I need to get some of the heads in the freezer, and some of the fronds, so that we have them for later this year. 

Not to shabby for a shabby garden... Or maybe I call it "shabby-chic" natural landscaping. Now, to get Hubby to get rid of the ENTIRE lawn on the one side. Hmmmm...

Mother Nature's Glory...

On the way home from yoga last Sunday night, I saw this coming out of the studio. I haven't seen a thunderhead like this in a while. 

It just kept building and the way the light was hitting it - it was beautiful! I knew it was a portend of storms later that night (and I was right - about 10:30 or so), but it was still stunning. 

I live in a suburb. We do have farms around us, so there's a lot more "open" than most people appreciate. But there's not as much open as when I was a kid. And there's no where near enough "open" for me right now! So to see this, it was pretty spectacular. 

I've been noticing the sky and we of course noticed the full moon on Sunday. It was a "buck moon" - the moon in the month where the male deer are supposed to have finally grown their full rack. I've also heard it referred to as a "blessing moon," so I guess you could go either way. It turned into a lovely creamy gold on the way home, and I was able to pull into the middle of the street (no, I don't live in Mayberry, but it's close!) and snap this through the windshield. I thought it would be really creepy if I just got out of the car. Though the folks on this block are kind of used to me slowing down to snap a full moon. This is a block with some amazing old trees and in the fall? A harvest moon through the bare branches? Yes, I'm stopping. 

At any rate, I was up late with the dogs, and I was knitting (as usual) and thinking about how, lately, I've got time to notice things. I mean, I've always been a bit of a sky-gazer. Love cloud formations. Love to see what the weather is doing. But lately, I do seem to have time to breathe. And it feels good. 

Knitting...

I've turned the heel and I've closed the gusset. Now I'm doing the gusset decrease. Unless you're the Yarn Harlot and prefer matching socks, it gets a little weird with the self-patterning yarns around this spot. The grey and light-grey stripes, as you can see, are much larger, and the white/black, and grey/blue patterned areas are going to be a bit wonky. 

But I don't care. They're usually going to be fraternal-ish when it patterns like this. And it's close enough. 

Actually, with a 7" leg and a foot length of about 9", there's enough yarn to make them match. Maybe one day I'll do that. But at this point, I just want to plow through them and get them done. I may do another star toe. I like that. Though that usually works better with a variegated yarn rather than with this kind of a bold pattern. 

After this, I get back to the Sole-to-Sole sock, to finish that one, and then get back to the sweater. 

Socks are awesome because they're portable. As long as it's a fairly simple pattern, it's great lunch-time knitting and great "wind down from your day" knitting. And you make quick progress, even though sometimes ribbing takes FOR. EVER. For 2" or so. Like the last 2" before you decrease for the toe! (Sock humor - just trust me on this...)


Reading...

And then there's this. I'm going to be snarky now. 

How in the name of Heaven do some people get published? She thanks her proof-readers. Who must've been family. Because I've found a half-dozen errors. And I'm not liking the formatting. 

It's a crime novel. Please. No footnotes. Ever. 

And by the way: Italicize the titles of TV shows -- since your main character is a TV addict, you might've wanted to check that little rule. Or your publishing house editor should have caught it. 

I might need to bring this one to church. I know several folks who'll get a kick out of it. 

I mean, so far, it's engaging, but the mistakes? They're driving me nuts. Maybe this is another reason for me to email these authors and say, "Hey, I'm a totally anal proof-reader and I'd love to make you look 100 times better than what this looks like."

Too much? 

I'll Never Do That Again...

...which translates into "Of course I will, next time."

It's this way. I was on my way into the office, and I was (in my mind) crafting the most FANTASTIC blog post. I was on a roll. And I swore that I would remember it. I swore that, at lunch, I would type that puppy up, and it would be awesome. 

That was ... ummmm ... around Wednesday, I think. 

Never happened. 

And I've forgotten what it was I was so stoked about. 

One of these days, I'll start taping myself. At least then I'll have a clue what I'm rambling about.

Knitting...

The "watermelon" sock presses on. I'm about 6.5" along on the leg, so I'm maybe 6 - 8 rows from the heel flap. 

I'm also on the waiting list to test-knit a sock. While I volunteered, I'm now kind of chickening out. I'm not the speediest knitter in the world, and while that might be attractive for the designer - to see how we slow-pokes handle it - I'm not sure. 

And I'm really rather bummed. 

I was supposed to write a review for a yarn shop. We just got news that she's closing. So that leaves one small-ish, not-so-well-stocked shop in the area. The next closest one is in Bloomington, IL - 50+ miles away. 

We're 50 miles southwest of Chicago. You'd think we'd have some options here. I'm very disheartened, but I understand why Leslie is ready to tackle her next chapter. 

I'm hoping to get out there to do a little "sale shopping" before they close for good. I'm still in the mood for "Time Traveler" - that scarf pattern is really tickling my fancy. For a "travel project," I think 12 feet of garter stitch is just about right. 

Fruit...

I had never tried red bananas. So I found some and bought them. 

I had no idea. I thought "banana = banana." Not so much. These take at least a week - or 10 days - to ripen. Otherwise, they look like plantains and are so hard you can only imagine the tummy ache. 

I set them next to the bananas for the dogs and let them sit there. 

They're delicious when they're ripe. Yellow-ish flesh, and a more "creamy" taste. The skins aren't as pliable as the yellow ones - you really have to cut off the nub on the top, and it doesn't peel easily. I don't know that I'd go out of my way to buy them again, but they're a great size if you don't want the "monster" bananas you see in the market. 

Coloring...

Yes, I set my needles down the other night. Worked over a few of these over the past week. My hands - particularly that screwed-together left thumb - hurt. So the small sock needles were troublesome for a while. 

Coloring is very relaxing. There are a bunch of pictures to download - you don't have to buy a whole book. But you do need decent colored pencils. 

It's nice to sit and plan - or sit and just grab the next colored pencil in the mug and then color and see how it births itself. 

I'm rather drawn to paisley patterns and mandalas. They remind me of my friend Alice, who does stained glass. 

So tonight, after my guitar lesson, I'll probably color some more. I have one I'm working on and I can't decide which is the negative space - which gets color and which stays where it's at. 

2016 Garden Update...

So the garden grows. We're bursting with lettuce. I wish we'd have done some more loose-leaf romaine. But this stuff is remarkably hardy. 

This weekend, I'll likely be making basil pesto. I have walnuts, the basil is going nuts, and I have plenty of Parmesan cheese in the freezer. 

For the front of the studio, I believe I'll stick a few dill plants into a pot. First, dill is remarkably resilient. Second, it's good for the butterfly population. And third, we need to do something for a spot that fronts a brick wall with a western exposure. Yikes, the heat! 

I purchased a Cardinal Flower plant for the front yard. Hubby and I are deciding where to put it. The one surviving Bee Balm is doing wonderfully. The kid at the nursery says we "won't be able to keep the hummingbirds away" with the Cardinal Flower. So it may end up in the main bed. 

I decided on Cone Flower for the studio. So tomorrow, I'll take apart the pot that's there and see what the landlords have given me. If it's do-able, the Cone Flower goes in. If not, I get a second pot, buy some basil or dill or something and stick herbs on one side, and Cone Flower on the other. Either way, it's a colorful pop at the front door. And if it helps bring more bees and butterflies around? I'm good with that. 

Random Picture...

From the garden. Hearts are everywhere. You just have to look for them. 

Perhaps looking for hearts should become an obsession. Everyone has a heart. If we look for the other person's heart, maybe we'll find that instead of being afraid of them. Maybe we'll see what's common among us instead of what divides us. 

Maybe looking for their heart will lead us to look deeper into our own heart. Maybe we'll find what's missing in our heart. And maybe our hearts will expand when we find the other person's heart. Nothing bad can come of a heart that's expanded in size to encompass more beings. 


Any way you look at it -- hearts are good. 

...And It's a Layette...

...well, MY style layette. No blankie. I gave 'em up after the last one. It took me FOR. EVER. And I decided that if I wanted to do a baby blanket, I'd do a fleece one, and tie it together like these in the link (click the word "these" to find the instructions, but come back and finish reading!).


So thankfully, I'm now done with baby knitting. I'm back with the watermelon socks (the Opal version, not Abi Grosso). And I bought sock yarn. 

Seamless rolled-brim baby hat

From Eat Knit Dye. A Van Gogh colorway, "The Starry Night." I couldn't help it. 

Don't lie to me. You'd have bought it, wouldn't you? Of course you would have. I have admittedly been on a "sock yarn diet" for a while. Since I started this job, actually, and haven't had as much time off. 

And my favorite yarn shop moved 50 miles away. And my other favorite yarn shop is about 45 miles in the other direction. 

Which does great for my budget, but not so awesome for my yarn addiction. Hubby's happy that no "mysterious" boxes have come in the mail. I've been so busy with the baby layette that I haven't done anything else. The only "socks" were these little bitty ones...Which still count, you know. But I was hankering after some "grown-up" knitting, so I'm happy to be back with the regular stuff. 

Not sure when we'll get these to Momma. Little Guy had a slight set-back, and had a hernia operation. He's doing well, though. Should be home this weekend - or at least during the week, if he continues to improve. 

I think I'll have to pick up the February Lady Sweater soon. It's staring at me. And Kid #2 - that afghan...though I dislike afghans in the summer, because they sit heavy in the lap. 

I need to make another list of WIPs. It will scare me. But it needs to be done. Just so I have a sense of what's what. 

As far as the socks go, I know I have 3 singles: the Opal Watermelon, the Bowties are Cool, and... The Dreaded Teal Sock. 

Opal Watermelon

Why is it that the leg of the sock takes forever? As does the last inch or so before the toe. 

As far as the Opal Watermelon, I'm still puzzled. I know what watermelon looks like. This yarn ain't it. It's cute. But it's not watermelon. It's watermelon-ish. And it patterns nicely. But it's no way shape or form a semblance of the actual "watermelon" that I love in the summer (with a little salt, please!). 

I mean seriously? Look at that. Tell me if you think it even vaguely looks like a watermelon? 

Garden 2016...

Well, the garden is loving the wet weather. As you can see, the veggies are doing well. We should have pick-able lettuce in about 2 weeks. I want to mark the rows. Hubby said, "You'll know what we have when it grows."

All I see is green stuff! Except for the kale and tomatoes, it all rather looks the same to me. So I'll see if I can mark the rows and get some sense to the garden. 

I can't say enough about the raised beds. We've been able to get a jump on the garden every year. They're at least 7 years old. The recycled black plastic keeps the dirt warm, and we're able to plant a few weeks early. 

Of course, global warming has helped. Our winters have been (far too) warm and we haven't had to worry about the deep freezes. I'm not happy about it, but it is what it is. I'm strongly in favor of measures to curb carbon emissions and I think we need to pay attention - far more than we have been. And I'm doing my part. 

But some days - I really feel like it's a drop in the ocean. That being said, I'm still going to do what I need to do. I'm working on Hubby's aversion to a compost heap. I think that would not only help the garden, but it would further reduce what we toss in the trash. 

Before Kid #1 moved to VA, he and the (now-X) fiancee had a compost heap. You'll forgive me if I say that I won't be donating to theirs. Or I should say, HERS. 

We haven't gotten all the flowers straightened out. This weekend, if Mother Nature cooperates, we'll get hanging plants and I'll get the main flower bed fixed up. The Seedles are sitting there and I can't wait to plant them. We need to cull out some stuff that needs trashing. We've lost 1 butterfly bush (maybe both - not sure yet...) and one batch of Bee Balm. 

Our neighbor's basswood tree is blooming. I love the scent. The branches are hanging low with the flower pods. I miss ours, but about 17 years ago, it was infested with some sort of ailment that caused it to rot from the inside out. It had to come down. 

Campanula

And - we noticed that our maples didn't have as many whirlybirds as we usually see. That's not cool. I mean, I'm not complaining (much), but it's weird. 

So you'll notice that our poppy is going nuts. The "dead" branches to the right are the branches of our only remaining(?) butterfly bush. 

The campanula is going crazy. I think a bunny must have tried to take a nap, because one side of the plant was sort of flattened. I had to tie it up. Hubby has a "turkey wire" contraption that he's going to put around it. They're so tall - it's difficult when it gets windy. 

But the hummingbirds love them. And the foxglove, which has made its biennial appearance - wasn't sure if it was coming back. 

Speaking of hummingbirds, we've got some bold ones! They were buzzing Hubby as he was putting up the feeder. Maybe I can actually get some pics, because as I was tying up these beauties, the most brazen of the bunch was flitting around. 

We also have a nice batch of garter snakes around the house. I don't mind - they eat the bugs. They camp out under the deck and the steps of the front porch. Hubby is ok with them - we just have to be vigilant because Quinn and Raisa are rather quick and they'll try to catch them. And they'll succeed...

We may end up just doing hanging baskets and skip the potted plants in the front this year. We'll put out at least 1 more hummingbird feeder, but we'll also plan to get hanging baskets the hummers can sip from. 



Random Picture...

From the Business of Yoga Bootcamp in Florida last year. A walk on the beach in the morning. Looking down. I see a heart. 

It's clearly a gift. Not sure from whom. Or maybe I should say "from Whom." 

But it's there. I take a picture. I pick it up. I take it home. 

It's in a glass in my office. Reminding me of where my heart is. 

What's in your heart? Where is your heart taking you? 

Are you listening? 

There's No Easy Way...

I got "one of those" e-mails from Boss Lady. I just picked up the phone and said, "Tell me now."

Our campus is closing. We are a regional site, which costs about $300,000 to run. Don't gasp. We BRING IN over ONE MILLION DOLLARS in credit hours. 

But someone saw that we "could save" $300,000 if we shut down this campus, given that some other decisions were made on the main campus which renders one speechless and doubting the wisdom of those at the top of the food chain. 

So. After 8 years. I'm essentially out of a job. But wait. It gets better.

We're closing as of the end of THIS calendar year. So we have 6 months to stew about this. 

And we're not guaranteed positions elsewhere in the organization. We get "preferential treatment" but we have to apply just like the average outside person. 

Yes, I'm used to this kind of shiv in the back. This isn't my first rodeo. My first Master's thesis was on what to do with the SURVIVORS of a RIF (Reduction in Force) -- no matter what you call it, and its names are legion, someone loses a job. 

So let me list the names I know of: RIF, down-sizing, corporate realignment, layoff, and (my personal favorite - NOT) right-sizing. 

Basically, the main campus made some decisions which, when coupled with a slow return to full growth, made someone Upstairs start to clutch their pearls. They saw an opportunity, and rather than let us work on finalizing some details on partnerships which would have been VERY profitable, they threw us under the bus. 

I'm not naming names or the school. I'm just very disappointed because we're all supposed to be mission-oriented, and above all, SMART. When the math doesn't work, it doesn't work - and in this case, it's very short-sighted (and I would have said that about any of our other regional sites, given this set of circumstances) to bail before you have a chance to really see the long-range plans come to fruition.

Even one of my colleagues said, "Hang on - I've only got an MBA, but $1,000,000 - 300,000 = $700,000. Seven. Hundred. Thousand. Dollars. In profit." 

Yep. But we're still being closed as of the end of the calendar year. 

Mind you, this is my fourth or fifth RIF (they all blend together after a while), so while my colleagues reeled, I was  -  well, actually, pretty cold-hearted about it. They were all "Whaaaaaaaa??? Do you have jobs ready?" and I told them not only did we NOT have jobs, but if we wanted to stay with the school, we had to reapply just like anyone else. Well. You could've heard crickets in the room. 

I finally said, "Look, folks. I've been on this ride before. The shiv I feel in my back is just like the other ones. You get used to it. This is exactly what happens outside the academic bubble." And my colleague who was still stunned by the lack of logic in the math said, "Yes, but aren't we all supposed to be family?" 

Well, yeah. But apparently, there's a new sheriff in town and the bottom line is the bottom line. Not unlike our corporate friends. 

I did tell my boss that "as of now" I was taking all the comp time I've been accruing - usually I give half of it (or more) up because it's only me and a part-timer and we have to have this place open 6 days a week. She said, "I'd have to holler at you if you do NOT take it...go for it."

So how's that for starting your week out? The "official" announcement goes out Friday, and I expect the "WTH???" e-mails to be backed up in my inbox by Monday morning. 

Not to fear; I have applied for another position. Boss Lady said that, as a matter of fact, she was going to "lean on" some people she knows and make sure that I am looked after, as well as my assistant. She's being so wonderful about all of this. 

So we have the dreary drudgery of making an inventory, finding a home for all the houseplants (with deferred "adoption" till later in the fall) and for me -- finding a home for 8 years of "stuff" that I've used at work that's actually my stuff. Like holiday decorations, art work, some office accessories... It's a lot, and you don't realize it till you have to box it all up. 

Could I retire? No. 

Do I want to? Well, I'd probably LIKE to, but likely would not really WANT to. 

We can't afford it anyway. 

I'll keep you updated as to how things go. But for now? This week rather sucks.

Garden...

Tilt your head...

How does my garden grow? Remarkably well, thanks. Here's what our veggies look like. Yes, (shhhhhhhh - don't jinx it) we have actually got TWO baby tomatoes. 

The flower garden is equally impressive. The hummingbirds appreciate the color and have been back to the feeders again, which is nice. 

Baby tomato

So this picture above, please tilt your head, is the complete veg garden. At the far left, red cages, tomato plants. In the middle of that same bed are 2 rows of cucumbers. One is for salads and the other is for my World Famous Hand-Cut Pickle Relish. 

The middle bed is carrots - the Heirloom seeds from Seed Savers. And next to that in the same bed are the Seed Savers radishes. Yes, we spaced them out. And yep - looks like every single radish came up!

Cucumbers

The far right bed is just every lettuce I planted. Well, Hubby planted. I picked out. They're just about done, at least the loose-leaf ones. I have one or two rows of butter lettuce in head-variety. Those take a tad bit longer to get fully formed. 

The nice thing about the lettuce is that we can plant that throughout the summer and into fall, like a rotating crop. I like to do that because we'll eat it all summer and can plant, if we have a decent season, through about October or so. We shall see what Mother Nature has in store for us. 

And you noticed all the twirly-birds, right? That's why I like those screens. Otherwise, we'd have a garden of maple trees. 

So the flowers are also doing well. The poppies have popped, and the marigolds just shine at dusk. Our fuschia plants have blossomed nicely, and the Wave petunias are coming along. 

Carrots and radishes

It seems like the flower bed has lots of reds and lots of yellows. Sadly, I haven't seen our foxgloves. Hubby planted 2 more, but they're pale and one looks rather sickly. 

The French Lavender has bloomed a bit. I'm hopeful. 

I have yet to see the Purple Coneflower do anything but grow greenery in mammoth proportions. 

Lotsa Lettuce

The dill is up. The chives? Hmmmmmmmm. Not sure where they went. Maybe a bad batch of seed? I have to also drill some holes into the containers; we had the drainage all figured out, I thought, but not as good as it should be. 

Knitting...

Well, sock #2 of the KAL is coming along, and I've got about 1" on the foot till I can start the toe decreases. This one does look slightly different than the first one, but that's because I did the longer gusset. It'll all work out. 

Icelandic Poppies

I'll actually be happy to get this done. Guess I'm not meant for "marathon" sock knitting. It's taking me longer than #1, which was a record 13 days, but I have had several days of just not being able or wanting to knit. Shocking, right?

It'll pass. I did knit during the Blackhawks games, and I can tell that the tension is different! And I don't even like hockey all that much...

Yes, in case you were wondering, I've been pondering a new project. I think it's in direct correlation to what's been happening at work. I need a distraction. 

Like I don't have what? A dozen of them right now?? Well, I need a NEW distraction. I won't though. I have to at least keep SOME semblance of order amidst all this chaos. 

NRA BS...

So the NRA said that those clowns who carried their "long guns" (compensation, much?) into the local fast food outlets were "kind of weird"... and I though, Wowza - the NRA is finally getting some common sense. Someone there has decided to call these morons on their ridiculous "protests" where they're carrying assault weapons (I'm not kidding - automatic rifles. I mean really...) into businesses "on the principle that we have the RIGHT to do this."

Well. That didn't last long. So apparently the REALLY crazy gun nuts are to be appeased because NOW the NRA is blaming the "anti-gun media" (Is that the same as the "liberal media"?? I get confused as to what it's all supposed to be, seeing as it's all owned by like what? Three people? All of whom are conservatives??) for "grasping" at "a staffers personal opinion that wasn't supposed to get into anything published for public consumption. 

What a REAL weasel looks like...

Yikes. Sorry, I am VERY uncomfortable around civilians with guns. I can't tell if you're the "good guy" or the "nutter." And I'm especially not fond of long guns (Assault rifles? Really??) in a commercial setting. Unless, perhaps, that setting is a bona fide target range.

Not a Target. 

Here's the blog entry that started it all. And here's their "Oh, no, we didn't mean THAT" response. I'd say they were weasels, but weasels are kinda cute and they have a purpose. Neither the NRA nor these over-compensating juveniles masquerading as "men" have much of a purpose. 

It's peachy if you have a RIGHT to do something. It's also, in my opinion (and I'm not alone on this one) MORE right that your rights don't scare the crap out of me and mine. I shouldn't have to carry a gun just because the NRA and various conservatives feel like the Wild West should be our milieu. 

I didn't think I'd be facing my elder years (no, I'm not THAT old; I'm projecting) having to be worried about gun violence, since where I live it's a relatively safe place, all things considered. 


Random Picture...

Goofy dog...

Time for some Raisa goofiness... This is the way she greets Kid #2 - she wants to snuggle. Strangely enough, that's how QUINN does it, too, so we're not sure if Raisa learned it from Quinn or if she's just some strange, mutant being.

Quinn did give her the royal stink-eye when she did this, seeing as this is QUINN'S gig... 

I still get the woooooooooo - woooooooooooo every morning and every night when I come home. One of these days, I'll have one of the guys tape it for you... 

Just so you get the full effect, imagine her jumping up there. She then plows her face into his ribs, slides her head along his thigh, puts her butt in his face, and then does a full belly-up move so that he can pet her. 

And her head hangs off the couch. To the point where I'm afraid she'll just slither off the couch. She hasn't yet. 

She'll probably bounce...There's some "Tigger" in there...