Fairy Tale Horses

Now you know what all of the glitter was about. We plan to have a whole herd of dream horses someday. Click here to see our inspiration and download horse patterns.

Fairy Tale

Our world is full of floating Cottonwood pollen. It is filling the air,  piling up in corners, catching in blossoms, and frosting the grass. It is horrible for allergy sufferers, and if I could wish it away, I would; but since I cannot, I will enjoy this feeling that I am in the middle of a woodland scene from  Legend. If there was ever a glittery, floaty, fantastical, fairytale movie, Legend is it.  It stars Tom Cruise back when his smile was irresistible

 (you know, before he got impossibly creepy, and bat-shit crazy,) and the beautiful Mia Sarah, and Tim Curry, as the best Devil ever. 

If you are in the mood for fairy tales and glitter, as I have been. This is the movie for you.

I tried to capture the floaty stuff on film. The pictures turned out pretty, but you can't really see the magic. Try to imagine it there.

Projecty Goodness

Just a teeny little peek. You know that you want to come and play.

A Little More Yarn

I was inspired to get organized. In reality, I was inspired to move my yarn from Bags to baskets, to make it more viewable, and thus more tempting. 'Cause yarn needs help with that. :)

Here's a little basket of acrylic for your viewing pleasure.

And some wool. Watch the drool, and notice the fantastic hank of Autumn in the middle there. Yes, that was a gift from my lovely friend, Erin.

And now, do you want a peek at the unfinished bamboo scarf? I thought so.

Mmm, yarn.

A Little Yarn

A lot of yarn actually. Whilst we were off galavanting, my lovely aunt dropped by a bag of yarn that a friend of hers was giving away! I thought that I would take this opportunity to show off some yarn and talk about projects.

I am working on two projects at the moment. A Bamboo scarf, and the unfinished pillows. I am really excited to finish both. Now this pile of scrumptious wool arrives, literally, at my doorstep, and I am wondering if there is enough for a sweater.

How do I tell, does anyone know? Each time I feel a Spring chill I think about the lace wrap that I want to knit for myself with that natural merino I got a while ago from knitpicks, and then I found this great pattern for a swingy skirt for Maddie.

Also, I still have the harem of cotton that is waiting to be crocheted into stripy pillows.

It is really terrible, so many projects, so little time.

Yes, that is a pile of yarn in the background that I dumped out on my bed, but refrained from rolling in.

A Little Color

The season saunters on, marked by more perennial favorites: Big showy poppies, and sparkling blue star creeper. I love, love love it! 

Santa Cruz

Wednesday  already!

Well, first things first. I will skim right over that excruciating car ride, and get right to the pretty stuff. There was a meltingly beautiful sunset on the way there, but as speeding down the California freeway is not the time for leisurely picture taking, you will just have to trust me.  There is a line in Pat Conroy's Beach Music, "Venice has always brought me face to face with the insufficiency of language when confronted by such timeless beauty." This sunset was that beautiful. At one point the whole world turned a deep apricot pink. 

Skipping over the midnight arrival, and all of the boring bits, and going straight to the evening walk the next day with it's twisty turny bits,  gorgeous smells, and orange monkey flowers.

The woods of Mount Hermon.

And, as promised, the Redwoods. The whole family packed up for this one, and at one point the whole family packed into a burnt out tree. We all ducked into the rabbit hole entrance and gazed up at charcoal ceiling. 

Sorry, no surfer. The beach was too windy for pictures. It was too windy for people, really. 

And We Are Off!

Again.  Why are we sequestering ourselves in a car, on a crowded Freeway, on Memorial weekend, you might ask? Family. And family, as everyone knows, is crazy. BUT! I absolutely could not live without any of my family, so there it is.

This time we are off  to Mount Hermon  which is the home of family; and is near Ben Lomond, home to the craziest, coolest Italian Restaurant, EVER,  also the home of the house where I brought home my sweet baby girl, which is by Santa Cruz, which is the home of the hospital where said sweet baby girl was born. Whew!

I will bring you back a surfer, and a large Redwood tree.

Seasonal Bliss

A little walk in the last of the day's sunshine. I watched my Maddie dance, prance, sing, and spin her way around poles; twirl, kick, and jump her way over and around fences, rocks, trees; and bounce her way through every last bit of that energy. All that energy. 

The rest of us (me) were content browse in those last sun drenched minutes, and revel peacefully in the resulting colors. As much as you can browse peacefully with a live sparkplug bouncing along beside you, anyway. 

There is great joy in the ability to see the seasons by the changes in bloom and color. I love the way the Iris come into bloom just at their special time, after the magnolias, and before the roses. I love the way they smell like fresh grapes and musty velvet. I love the way the scotch broom garnishes the hills with gold just as the lupine shoots purple and pink spires up by the roadsides; and how I know that the gold and purple will be followed by blankets of tall, white daisies, which smell awful but are so friendly and pristine in the hot dry fields. 

I just love that.

And look, it's red!

Bits and Pieces

No really, truly stories today. Just a few bits to share as my little girl sings her way through teeth brushing in the next room. I am not sure how she manages it, but life has always been a musical for that one. 

First, I just know that you want a peek at the exactly-half of the pillows that I finished over the weekend. I would prefer not to post until a project is done; but as I think I have mentioned before; I am not very patient and they are so very, very almost the cutest pillows ever.

Next come a few serendipitous columbine that sprouted of their own accord in the cracks of our driveway. Yes, that is a white picket fence. Couldn't be helped.

We had grand plans to finally get our raised beds put in. We didn't. We did manage to get 24 strawberry plants tucked into the soil at exactly the right time. In my world, that is doing pretty good. Here you have it. A pink strawberry. "Now that is real signs of summer," says Maddie.

I know, I have serious Wisteria issues. I can't help it. It's so pretty, and romantic looking even when it is droopy and tattered it is like old lace. And look, it is more signs that Summer is almost here. Kinda sad really. Spring just got here. 

But look, petals!

That's All

Reunion

I did forget my camera, which was indeed unfortunate, as yesterday was a grand reunion. I got to meet up with friend that I had seen only once in 10 years. I got to meet her wonderful little family, and we wandered about the campus where we met and had so many good times. So it is only fitting that U is also for: University. 

Universities are the perfect setting for demonstrations of all kinds. I came to campus one morning to find the grass covered with red and white flags representing war, war prisoners, numbers of something sad and awful. But the effect was beautiful.
An aesthetic favorite: bricks and sunlight, dappled or otherwise
A view out one University library window.
The bus stop.
An artsy overlook.
Mmm, the library.

So, we don't get to have proof of Saturdays adventures: not our favorite tomato cheese soup, not the ice cream or playground, not the giant chair, the LYS, or the miles we sauntered over sunny sidewalk until our children fell apart. But we will do have those lovely memories, and our promise not to let 7 years go by before another visit. 

The Way It's Supposed To Be

Some days turn out just the way they are supposed to. Friday we used the neighbors stinky, smoky burn pile as an excuse to load up the car lickety split, grab some snacks, and head out to the lake.  Nothing like too many ice cream bars to clear the smoke from your lungs.  

We had books in the shade, and wading in the sun. The water made some grass art for our benefit, and a crow tried to make off with our box of crackers. 

We watched Maddie dance in the shallows until the water started to sparkle, and it was time to head home. 

Some days turn out just the way they are supposed to.