Random Meanderings at Middle Age

Cape Cod Bay.

Walking through the tidal flats a couple of hours past high tide.  Many, many hermit crabs scramble about our feet.  Our favorite had a little seaweed tree growing straight up on his shell.  It was worth the brief hike over the over the dunes (sanctioned path) in 94 degree heat!

Walking in Nauset Marsh.

Images of Cape Cod

The kids and I are having a lot of fun this summer, but by the time I get settled in the evening I'm too tired to post.  John sent me the cable for my camera so there are pictures and in the box was my new Socks That Rock kit.   It's my favorite yet!  I love the color and the pattern is one I'll want to do soon (of course I am still puttering along with my STR tube socks, but it couldn't hurt to start a more complex (though not too complex) pattern.  Could it?).

Today started with an earlyish (for us) bike ride from Brewster into Orleans and then a trip to The Dog House in West Dennis for lunch with my niece and nephews, followed by a stroll through marsh, woods and down to the sea (although we turned back when we heard a slight rumble-one of the younger kids was scared and in any event best to not be caught if a really bad storm blew up).  We finally saw this osprey on it's nest ( Webcam in lower left corner)!  Tonight we hang out reading, watching dvds, knitting, playing games etc-pretty much what we do every night.

Oops.  I planned on including a bunch o pictures but forgot about the whole dial-up problem!!  click on wither of these to enbiggen, but no more pics until I sit in the library or Borders parking lot!!

Gosh.

Dial-up really is slow.  We don't have high speed Internet here on the Cape (meaning we don't, not that the Cape doesn't.)  I tried to update ITunes and discovered it would take over 8 hours!  I've decided to take the kids to Borders one rainy day or evening for dessert and some highspeed excitement for the lap top!  I also forgot the cable that transfers the pictures from my camera to the laptop.

However, we're having a great time and rode our bicycles (well,  Em rollerbladed) 10 miles on the Cape Cod Rail Trail.  The ride was so lovely.  We saw cranberry bogs, lakes and ponds, red-winged blackbirds and the smell of pine forest, marsh, roses and more was delightful.  I am especially tickled by the bike rotary we came to, it was right after the tunnel (a big favorite with the kids) and had some benches to rest on, but it was a real rotary with signs and a few options for which way to travel.  We love our rotaries here in New England!  It was also fun crossing over Rt 6 on the bike bridge and then sailing down the other side.  We had a picnic at the 5 mile marker and headed back. I think our next bike excursion will be a 3 mile loop on the National Seashore in Eastham.

I brought socks, yarn to make  Gryffindor and Ravenclaw House Hats, my Summertime Tank and I started a Scribble Lace shawl using my own handspun (a very fine single in lavender and the rainbow sherbet 2ply I made a month or so ago-it's somewhat bulky and thick and thin so is looking wonderful with this).

Oh and I read two books this week end so may actually get through the 25 or so I brought with me!  I am currently reading Flesh and Spirit by Carol Berg.  I've been enjoying it from the first sentence but the back copy is amusing: "The rebellious son of a long line of pure blood cartographers...".  I don't know why but it amuses me to think of a rogue cartographer (given I am only on page 8 I have no idea if such a thing exists in this world but it sounds funny out of context.)

Oh and family gaming has occurred: Jenga, Scrabble, Spoons, Carcasonne and Em taught John a card game called James Bond.

Happy Summer!

Headlong rush to summer.

The kids are winding up there final few days of school.  I am madly packing, planning and purchasing (not as madly there however) for our summer transition to the Cape and so things are a bit on the chaotic side.  Our house won't be empty when we're away so the birds will not be lonely.  Hopefully this means the garden (especially the tomatoes!) will be kept watered.

In some ways the planning and preparation are as much fun as the actual time away.  This makes sense because as I have mentioned many times on this blog, for me the process is often more enjoyable than the product.  When I knit,quilt or spin the creating or the doing is what matters most and where I derive my greatest pleasure and solace.  I think this is part of my trying to be mindful and also striving to be in the present.  Of course, in the case of my planning for the Cape I need to remember to be in the moment when I am there and not get hung up on what I expected would be happening.  I am traveling with children so I need to remember to be prepared for the unexpected!

I am often inspired by the other crafting blogs on the net and one blogger in particular is a huge inspiration,Amber at Life in Color .  Amber, I should point out is also the owner of the great online ribbon store, The Ribbon Jar.  I love journaling but these days do most of it online.   I recently started a sort of guest journal for when we have get together but my friends and family are a little to awkward about using them.  I had the idea (inspired by some of Amber's wedding plans this past year) of creating a family journal for this summer that all of us can collage/paint/draw/write etc. in. I really like the "shopping bag" paper used inside for the pages.  I also took a page from a recent surprise she had for her new husband (a tent set up with table set for dinner,couch, bed etc. -scroll down a  week or so if your looking at her site) and purchased a portable screened gazebo (something I've been wanting to do for both here and the Cape).  I have plans to set up an airbed in one corner with some pillows and quilts as a kind of "couch" and table and chairs for dining outdoors and playing boardgames. 

I also purchased some chinese lanterns for the ceiling (battery operated so no fire hazard).  I am bringing up my unplanted containers and my planted ones.  And a grill.  A portable outdoor shower. 3 bicycles. 1 set of roller blades. 4 helmets. My spinning wheel and silk spindle.  Spinning fiber. 2-3 Knitting projects. 23 books (or more). 2 boogie boards. 2 skim boards. The inflatable boat. Clothes for all.  And shoes. And crocs. And many bathing suits.  Goggles. Sunscreen.  Bug Spray.  Laptop. Camera. Ipods. Cell Phones. DVD Player.  All the accessories for the last few items.  More toiletries.  Medicines. Stuffies.  As my daughter likes to say: OMG!!!!  And yet..despite the fact that it appears we are taking the entire countries gross national product with us, once we unpack and put everything away we will be set for a wonderful summer.  Or that's the plan.

We hope to swim, beach comb, nature walk, bird watch and just enjoy the sea air.  We will be biking on the rail trail and other lovely Cape Cod trails.  We won't forget to mini-golf and head for the drive-in.  We go to plays and live music and baseball games. We plan to play our boardgames into the evenings and to this end I recently taught my youngest (8) to play Scrabble.  He beat me.  Heh.  Mostly we want to relax and be a family together without too much in the way of work,volunteer,life interruptions (well, not for John sadly-he'll be with us on and off as his schedule permits).  Sleep.  Read. Making smoothies with the new blender.  Farmers Markets.  Berry picking.  My sib and his family also summer on the Cape so there will be plenty of time with cousins (and Grandma will visit too). 

I will have internet access but it will be dial-up so I am not sure how much blogging I will have the patience to do.  If I don't do much please have a wonderful Summer (except all you folks way over on the otherside of the planet-your Summer is winding down I guess!)!

P.S.  Yesterday was my birthday and it was lovely.  I had cards and balloons from the kids and John.  A charming afternoon tea with mom and a friend and dinner out with my family.  In the morning I knit, read and blogged without guilt. Oh and for you Anita Blake fans I am on page 61 and still al plot and no sex.  If you read this series you understand what I mean.  If you don't and like vampires, werecritters, zombies,vampire hunters, little plot, gratutious sex this is the series for you. If you like a lot of plot than the first few will work and in theory this latest oe (although the jury is still out).  I still enjoy reading them and she posted the following on her site which I am totally filling out and giving to my boss, husband, children etc.

It's peony time!!!

My favorite, favorite flower is the Peony.  I now have 4 peony in my garden.  I mentioned the two newest the other day: Flame and the pink one a friend gave me from her own garden.  I also have a pale pink, almost cream peony that I moved a few weeks ago and it won't be flowering this year.  Lasy year I purchased a lovely peony, whose name escapes me and it is blooming now and absolutely stunning with it's deep pink outer petals and pale yellow (almost peach) innner petals.  Flame has bloomed as well and is so gorgeous, a bright and vibrant pink with an orange center!!

In general the garden is continuing to look great this year.  As I find and place the various chatchkies that go in the garden it also takes on the slightly quirkly (if not downright tacky) air I so love.

After a few days of rain it's nice to sit with the windows open inhaling the scent of roses and lavender (also blooming!).  I have to remember to make a trip to Cape Cod Lavender Farm, it's so amazing and restful to walk through fields of blooming Lavender.  The kids and I had a great walk over to the horse farm and back (we managed to pick up a few other kids on the way!) .  I've done a little sock knitting this week end and started a House Hat(the beret actually) from Alison Hansel's , Charmed Knits:Projects for Fans of Harry Potter.  I'm hoping to make a Gryffyndor and Ravenclaw one before the movie starts (although a Hufflpuff and Slytherin would be nice too!).

I've been doing a lot of reading of late.Cece of Fiberfish   recently reccomended a few books on her blog including the The Dalreida Trilogy by Julie Watson.  Gee, thanks Cece: Once the books came from my library I was unable to put them down.  I need a nap, but they were great (and terribly romantic) fun!  I'm now really induldging my tacky reading needs with the latest Laurell Hamilton book in the Anita Blake series, The Harelequin.

I leave you with my Sunday sky!

Just checking in...

As those of you with kids in school know, the end of the school year is always a little crazy.  The days are spent attending events, getting kids the outfits and props needed for Field Days, Crazy Hat/Hair Day, Pajama Day etc. Then there's dance related dress rehearsals and recital (tomorrow for Em, who does Hip-Hop).  I did find time for a haircut and color (this was taken the day it was done and my hairdresser insisted on straightening my curly hair.  It looked really cute, but I personally will never take the time to do that and it's now back to it's curly self).   Socks, Summertime Tank and headbands continue to be knit.  Have a great week end!

Once again it's an interview meme!!

This one is via Mozeman and she sent me some questions to answer on my blog.  If you want me to the directions follow:

DIRECTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW MEME
1. Leave a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. Please make sure I have your email address.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

And on with my interview:

1. Are you going to URJ 2007 in December? What was the most important thing
you brought home from Houston in 2005? If you're planning to go to SD in
December, what are you hoping to get from the convention? (And will you come
knit at my booth?) I am really hoping to go to San Diego.  I probably won't know for until August or September if I am definitely going but I am working on it!  I will definitely look forward to some sock knitting at your booth if I am there!  The most important thing I brought home from the 2005 convention in Houston was a renewed commitment to the movement and to imparting that enthusiasm to my own community here in Ma.  I went on the board of directors at my synagogue soon after that Biennial and also took a wonderful URJ program for Membership chairs that was very helpful.  My favorite part of the convention however were the services, music and meeting Madeline Albright!

2. Why Reform Judaism? Did you grow up Reform, or was it a choice you made
later in life? I did grow up Reform, mostly, kind of, except that in addition to our family's membership in our local Reform synagogue (which was classical Reform) I also spent a great deal of time at the Lubavitch shul in the neighborhood and still have friends and contacts there.   Later in life I made a conscious decision to practice Reform Judaism (not Classical though) and have found this to be the right choice for myself and my family.  Many Jews and non-Jews believe that the Reform movement is the equivalent of "Judaism Lite" and this is not the Judaism I practice!   It's funny though, I don't as a rule differentiate myself from other Jews, I acknowledge that we may have different levels of ritual observance and I respect the boundaries of my more frum friends but I am happy with where I am.

3. Did you make a conscious choice to adopt internationally instead of
domestically, or did it just stumble its way to you?  Very much so.  I think I've mentioned this before, but I was brought into my family by adoption and so for me the issue of adoption was not complicated.  I had made the decision to adopt internationally right from the get go.  The kids do like to tease me that China and Cambodia are much more interesting places to be from than Florida.  Adoption often seems very much like a huge daily issue to those not touched by it and as a rsult it's easy to for the individual person to be lost under all the assumptions.  I like to say that I (and my children) are not "adopted" but that we came into our families "through adoption".  It might seem a little nitpicky, but the the difference is that one is adopted once, at a specific point  in time not every single day.

4. Honestly. You said you weren't going to whine about your new
food/lifestyle and you haven't. But do you want to?  I have a secret that I guess I have to share now.  I keep a separate LJ journal where I must admit, under "friend locked" posts I have been known to whine a bit about the diet/exercise and other related changes.  Also those of my friends who attend my weekly knitting group have heard me grouse a few times. 

5. If you had to pick one: Bette Midler or Rosemary Clooney? I like the Divine Miss M fine, but I have to say it's Rosemary Clooney all the way!!

That was fun!  Once again, leave a comment if you feel like being interviewed yourself!

More Garden Stuff.

I can't help it!  In one day the roses and morning glory have opened their buds and the iris are fully blooming as well.  With the alternating rain/mist we've been having today everything looks so fresh and green and lovely.  We all slept in late this morning and then took a family ride out to the Nashoba Valley Winery.  We enjoyed the tour (and tasting) and picked up a bottle of their Strawberry-Rhubarb Wine to serve with dessert sometime when we have company.  John also picked up a couple of bottles of their beer to try.  Amusingly, as we turned onto the dirt road leading onto the property Em informed us she'd been there apple picking in the fall with her youth group. 

We enjoyed the visit and the beautiful scenery  and then stopped by a friends in the same town to deliver some plants I recently divided in my garden (iris and astilbe for the most part).  I took a pleasant walk by myself when we came home and then after a late lunch did something I haven't been able to do for more than 5 years!  I rode my bike with the kids.  The hills killed my legs but I had completely forgotten how much fun it is to careen down a hill on one's bike!

I can't wait for the summer and the Cape Cod Rail Trail, which we plan to do in stages with the kids.  Luckily we bought a bike rack a couple of summers ago.  My bike is a somewhat retro style one, complete with wicker basket and no handbrake (you have to pedal backward).  It does have a gear shift (only 5 speeds) which helps on the hills!  As my daughter will tell you the seat is very comfy!!  This kind of stuff is all part of the benefits of the weight loss and health changes (like the better control of my diabetes) and it feels good.  I think the kids get a kick out of my doing more of this stuff with them as well.

There has been sock knitting this week end but no progress picture.  It's a tube sock and the colors are great and all but it needs to be a bit longer before it's worth showing.  It's knitting up fast, the cotton is very soft and I'm sure it will be the perfect sock for summer bike riding near the ocean!

Let there be gardening...

I spent pretty much the whole day involved in gardencentric pursuits.  I had gone to bed with the intention of skipping Tower Hill Botanical Garden's annual plant sale.  However, I woke up a little before 8am feeling a lot better and simply loaded the wagon into the car and headed out there.  I didn't get a lot but what I got was great: Daylily (Artist Etching:online it appears to be peach w/a greenish center.  I thought and the picture I have shows a pale blue with greenish center.  Well, we'll find out next year!), Peony ( Flame, which will be a change from the pinks I have), an heirloom tomato (Black Krim),a variegated leaf buddleia (Harlequin) and a sensational smelling and beautiful looking variegated leaf basil.  I also picked up a really cool purple tomato cage.  In addition, I divided my deep purple iris and gave some to friends and I received some amazing plants from a friend working in her own garden.  My haul from her garden included, dwarf iris, anemone, poppy, a huge peony (pink) and more.  It was truly a joy working and weeding and watering the garden (and myself when I got hot).  I love receiving plants from friends gardens and also giving from mine.  In the pictures that follow the lovely white iris with purple flecks came from a neighbors garden and it is stunning (Thanks Judy!  Let me know if you want some dark purple.).  As always click on the pictures to enbiggen (I think Mamacate created that word-I like it).  All in all the day was truly a joy and we even had some bubble blowing time, a walk with the kids (well I walked, they biked and roller bladed), a quick Target run with Grandma (and for the record I have dropped 5 pants sizes!!) and dinner was grilled wings and steak tips.  I've already brought my wheel downstairs in the hopes of spending part of tomorrow on the deck spinning and we plan to grill veggies and chicken breasts for dinner.  Yay warm spring week ends!

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Friday.

This amazing item from IKEA is probably my favorite recent purchase.  I use it to hang my hand washables and it's functional and cute and exactly perfect for it's intended use.  I can hang it outdoors (my preference) or from the shower curtain rod.  It's the best $7 I've spent recently!  And the hand-knit socks look wonderful drying on it.

Yes, my life is reduced to waxing less than eloquently on my drying methods.  I'm not sure when I became so enthralled by household items but I do remember that as a kid a trip to a furniture store was torture and now I enjoy them.  As a kid I thought the supermarket was the most exciting place ever and now I delay trips to buy groceries until the family is threatening leftover mutiny.  Knitting was a craft my paternal grandmother taught me and one that at the time seemed almost like a chore.  Who knew that one day I'd be surrounded by yarn, fiber and all the related paraphernalia and ephemera.  I do believe that my grandmother would be shocked at the cost of most yarn today and baffled by the willingness of most of us to spend the money on it.  For her, knitting was a cost cutting measure, for us it's a luxury.

Craft. The term has never been a derogative for me.  I have always valued good craftsmanship of any sort and have never felt that craft and art are mutually exclusive.  Anyone who has seen a stunning example of craftsmanship in the form of a wooden boat knows that art is truly without boundaries.

I'm trying to loosen up my artistic side and just create with out overthinking.  I really like how the fabric journal panel I did a few months ago turned out.  I wanted to capture Alaska, or at least how Alaska felt for me and I feel I did that.  I had placed aside another fabric journal page I had started that was related to my feelings about being diabetic and insulin dependent. I had a lot of anger at the time I started it and since then, mostly due to the program I recently finished at the Joslin, I have felt a lot more in control of the disease.  It's altered how I've been looking at the piece and I am thinking of incorporating some of my used supplies into the piece but am still thinking all that through.  I like how making these panels with bits of fabric and emotion and impulse creates an object that may not be polished or perfect but which reflects my thoughts and feelings.  I'm not sure what (if anything) to do when I have a large number of these pieces.  Making them into some sort of "book" would probably be unwieldy.  I'll figure it out later.

Have a wonderful weekend!