Thursday, October 28, 2010
October in Sacramento California
October in Sacramento California is heavenly for those of us who like to get out and walk! The temperatures range from the low 80's to 70's, skies are blue, breezes are soft and the roses are in full bloom still.
This is a Peace Rose in one of the many rose gardens on the grounds of the California State Capital.Downtown and Midtown Sacramento have the streets all laid out on a grid with lettered streets (J, K, etc) running east/west and number streets north/south. Plus it's all FLAT with sidewalks and crosswalks everywhere. I've done miles and miles of walking this month to fun and exciting places like the state capital, AmTrak station, grocery stores, gluten-free shop, yarn shops (!!!) and the large central library.
Yes, to me, American grocery stores are fascinating because of all the overwhelming options which are available. I was worried if my constant coughing (from this nasty flu bug which has lingered for weeks) was disturbing the sleep of the homeless people at the library but nobody complained. My favorite read was the stack of "FiberArts" magazines - wow! are so inspirational.
The orange trees on the grounds leading up to the back of the State Capital were full of fruit. Isn't this what you would expect to see in California? Orange trees, palm trees, yep, they have those all right. 
See those black posts on the road? Guess there won't be any more big rig trucks crashing up the rear steps of the capital building again like happened about 9 years ago.
See those black posts on the road? Guess there won't be any more big rig trucks crashing up the rear steps of the capital building again like happened about 9 years ago.So, I haven't just been wandering around the city streets. I've also been knitting up many squares for the Land's End Feel Good Knitting Campaign. The good folks at Land's End sent me 2 cones of a very nice worsted weight cotton, acrylic and a touch of wool blend yarn to make into squares to be sewn together and donated to the needy. This is great mindless knitting for me - especially since I was fighting the flu bug and just didn't feel up to anything more difficult.
But, I did manage to get a photo of this new sock design of mine called Textured Traditions Socks which is being test knit on Ravelry.com right now. Looks like the Christmas stocking from July doesn't it? Well, that was the starting point for these. The pattern is written in 2 sizes; women's medium and women's large/men's medium and will be available on Ravelry soon.
Gotta go knit...I've got to finish the last giant sized sock for the Akkol orphanage in Kazakhstan before I send off the boxes. A whole year's worth of socks, hats, mittens, and gloves will soon be on it's way to warm the kids. What? Of course I've already started work on socks for next year!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Gaggle of Knitters
I'm sure you've seen the usual nicely-posed photos of groups of knitters, but I think this one (taken as the "big cheezes" were trying to get us organized) better shows how much fun we were having. Yes, that's me in the front row with the perpetual mug of coffee, and YES I'm wearing handknit socks for the first time in 5 years!
The Knitting Retreat up in Lake Tahoe, California was such a treat! I made many new friends and got to spend time with my long-term knitting buds. The weather was fabulous - low 80's in the daytime and high 50's at night and I got to walk many miles through the pine forest, eat toasted marshmallows by the bonfire, and win fabulous wooly prizes.
The Knitting Retreat up in Lake Tahoe, California was such a treat! I made many new friends and got to spend time with my long-term knitting buds. The weather was fabulous - low 80's in the daytime and high 50's at night and I got to walk many miles through the pine forest, eat toasted marshmallows by the bonfire, and win fabulous wooly prizes.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Ah Heck...
So, where are we? Well, Jonesy is still in Guatemala enjoying the 4pm Happy Hours every day at Mario's Marina (oh, and working on his long list of boat chores). I'm up in the good ole USA!
There are technical issues: #1) my computer has an electrical short and is dead. Actually, it has exceeded it's expected lifespan for a computer in the salt air environment so I have to just accept that and replace it. #2) I left my camera battery charger and upload linky cable thingy back in Guatemala. So, I'll have to rely upon friends here to share their photos of the upcoming KNITTING RETREAT in Lake Tahoe! Whooooo hooooooo!
So, I've been chipping away on my shopping list for the states - exciting stuff like a turkey baster, candy thermometer for making yeast bread for Jonesy. Nope, haven't found those items in Latin America and I've been searching for years. Jonesy is ordering online and I'm receiving boat parts here and repacking them as luggage to go back to Guatemala. There is other stuff on my list - but guess where the list is? Yep. On my dead computer.
But the weather here in Sacramento has been beautiful and I'm hanging out with my son and getting my "cat time" in with his two adorable cats. Life is good.
There are technical issues: #1) my computer has an electrical short and is dead. Actually, it has exceeded it's expected lifespan for a computer in the salt air environment so I have to just accept that and replace it. #2) I left my camera battery charger and upload linky cable thingy back in Guatemala. So, I'll have to rely upon friends here to share their photos of the upcoming KNITTING RETREAT in Lake Tahoe! Whooooo hooooooo!
So, I've been chipping away on my shopping list for the states - exciting stuff like a turkey baster, candy thermometer for making yeast bread for Jonesy. Nope, haven't found those items in Latin America and I've been searching for years. Jonesy is ordering online and I'm receiving boat parts here and repacking them as luggage to go back to Guatemala. There is other stuff on my list - but guess where the list is? Yep. On my dead computer.
But the weather here in Sacramento has been beautiful and I'm hanging out with my son and getting my "cat time" in with his two adorable cats. Life is good.
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