Kiwis want to fly too!

I love this little video. The kiwi is so determined to fly that it goes about nailing trees to the side of a mountain all to gain the illusion of flying. Does the kiwi die in the end? Did he die in vain? Or did he die happy with the wind soaring through his feathers? Or did he land softly in a field? Or a lake?
The music sure is beautiful though. Thanks little kiwi!

One book going out of the door does not make a decluttered home, just for the record!

Kate who is blogless from Massachusetts "wins" my copy of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Proving that there is at least ONE person out there that does not blog. Imagine.
:)
Thanks to 19 of you who played along on my little "I'm too cheap to throw away a book so I give it away in the guise of a contest". I love contests.
I do hope you will beg, borrow or steal it. No, not steal. Buy. Buy it. It is a great book.

Slowly, but surely I knit some this weekend. Not a lot. Not as much as my mind envisioned I would but knitting is knitting. Gryffindor sock for a mystery person for the Hogwarts Sock Swap!
The thing I did do a lot of this holiday weekend? Sleep. I couldn't get enough. I'm turning into a weirdo.

Book giveaway, a lifestyle of recycle, reduce and reuse

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was one of the better books I have read in a while. A moving story of friendship and regret, I am haunted by the images in the book. The writing is poetic and beautiful. The characters real, even though I have never lived in 19th Century China. :)
I encourage you to read it and I would love to share my copy with one of you.
Leave a comment if you are interested in the book. I will pick someone at random on Sunday, noon EST and pop it in the mail. Begging won't help but will be amusing for all. The rest of you? You can either bug the person that wins the book and get it passed along or you could visit your local library or bookstore. You really should read it.
I do so wish I had a local book group at times like this!

Walking in the yard, no mice in sight! A photo shoot!

There is nothing like a beautiful day, gazing at green with my kitty!(Click any photo to see it bigger at Flickr)

Would you, Could you in a house? Would you, could you with a mouse??

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Genus: Mus

A common house mouse!
In our not so common house. And where there is one, there is more, you know that. Seems funny that we would have a cat and a mouse. I had a bit of a talk today with Fig suggesting that he should hunt this little guy down and do what he has to do. I would understand. And I also suggested that he did not have to eat it as in the past, that he could just drag it outside, show it who is boss and deposit in on the neighbor's stoop. He did not look convinced.
But last night, Andy went to the store to buy a trap. He said that they did not have the slap type traps that eliminate the problem instantly, they only had the sticky traps. Now, I am not a sicko PETA type, but the thought of a little mouse stuck to that trap until it dies a slow death is just too much for me. I have always known that I have a soft heart and this is just one more piece of evidence. But when I voiced my objections to Mr. Wonderful (because he IS, especially when he is ridding the abode of rodents) he did not understand my arguments. In fact, he may have snickered but I'm not sure. But he DID say that he had bought them and he would use them.
So, who can blame me when I saw them sitting there with his stuff this morning, not a soul around to witness my crime, I took those sticky mousetraps and hid them from my loving husband. I hid them.
So he would not use them. I do intend to go to the hardware store tomorrow and replace them with a more humane mouse catcher.
Honestly, though, how can I be mad at a man that surprises me with the most beautiful sapphire and diamond necklace in the world as a 23rd wedding anniversary gift?

We do not buy each other anniversary gifts so you can imagine my total shock! He told me that he had read that the traditional 23rd anniversary present was sapphires and he couldn't resist buying me one. Now, between you and me? And if you call him up and tell him this, you are dead to me?? I have done a bit of research on this here internets since that remark was made and I cannot find one shred of evidence that this is true in any circle. I'm thinking some guy in a trenchcoat with a car load of goods may have said to my passing hubby: "Psst, buddy, commerrrre. Didja hear? 23 years is for sapphires" Or perhaps I muttered something in my sleep. But I am the most proud owner of one of the most beautiful sapphire necklace in my world now and who am I to question the fates?
And the knitting, dear friends? It has suffered. It has been a most unusual occurance for at least 3 straight weeks. I am a bit worried and as my peapod friend said to me, I may be ready for an intervention.
Care to intervene? Just please don't stick me to a trap. Really.

Happy Feet

I had such a self indulgent day yesterday that this morning I had to check to see if I were wearing a Princess Crown.
I'm not, by the way. Just so you know!
When I got home from running 4901 errands, a box awaited me. Not just any box. This was a box from my Hogwarts Secret Sock Swap Pal, Robyn! (now, honestly, if you are offended by someone sending me stuff and reading about it, it is time to go away now. Come back later. I don't want to hear grief like I did in the past. I invited everyone along on this swap and if you did not take up the offer, than just act politely now, k?)
Robyn. She inspired me as a secret swap partner. She emailed me regularly, letting me get to know her a bit. I look forward to getting to know her even better!
Let me just say right off the bat, THANK YOU, ROBYN!

The package itself was charming.

Clever!

And inside? So much fun! Hedwig the owl, a sweet smelling candle, hand cream and lip balm all in the color scheme of yellow and black. How color coordinated! Some US1 chiaogoo bamboo needles, 5 inch. It's not always about size. :) And some of the cutest owl stitch markers you have ever seen! But the socks?

Hufflepuff socks, Lorna's Laces. They are lovely! And impecabbly knit, by the way.

If you love owl stitch markers, just HOOT! Aren't they, though? A hoot?
One little guy lost his loop on the top of his head though. No worries. He has been upgraded to Animal Miniature on the Shelf.

He's enjoying himself with the animals.

I mean, who wouldn't? As new member of the owl, pig and mouse gang. It's the life, I tell ya!
Hmm? How do they fit, you ask?

Like a dream!


Fig inspected and approved.
He seems to like them, but he'll have to pry them off of my cold, dead feet, I tell you.
Can you tell I love them??
~~~
And yesterday was our 23rd Wedding Anniversary. I have something to show you from that too, but I can't do too much self indulging on one day. Tomorrow. What? Do you think it's all about me around here or something??
:)

Warble me now for joy of lilac-time (Walt Whitman)

There are, here in my living room and kitchen:
13 pairs of shoes
4 mountains of laundry
5 empty water bottles
3 empty pizza boxes (boxen, if you are a Brian Regan fan. If you're not, WHY are you not??)
2 comforter, sheets and pillow sets with no safe spot to call home
1 cat, miserable because of the mess
2 kids home from college?
Priceless!
~~~
Pictures shoot! (sadly, not a picture of knitting. No stitches being knit means no knitting pictures. It's a math fact. Can't mess with facts!)
Lilacs are blooming! I wish this was a smelloblog. Or smell flickr. (click any photo to flickr-en)


Can you smell 'em?

I know that dandelions are not a gardeners friend but I can't help but think of the bouquets of them that the kids used to bring me.

Afternoon light shining down through the trees looks very fine indeed.
And the whole time I was out having a floral photo shoot? SOMEONE was meowing at me through the window.

When are you coming in to feed me? SCHEEZ!

Warble for Lilac Time
by: Walt Whitman
Warble me now for joy of lilac-time, (returning in reminiscence,)
Sort me O tongue and lips for Nature's sake, souvenirs of earliest summer,
Gather the welcome signs, (as children with pebbles or stringing shells,)
Put in April and May, the hylas croaking in the ponds, the elastic air,
Bees, butterflies, the sparrow with its simple notes,
Blue-bird and darting swallow, nor forget the high-hole flashing his
golden wings,
The tranquil sunny haze, the clinging smoke, the vapor,
Shimmer of waters with fish in them, the cerulean above,
All that is jocund and sparkling, the brooks running,
The maple woods, the crisp February days and the sugar-making,
The robin where he hops, bright-eyed, brown-breasted,
With musical clear call at sunrise, and again at sunset,
Or flitting among the trees of the apple-orchard, building the nest
of his mate,
The melted snow of March, the willow sending forth its yellow-green sprouts,
For spring-time is here! the summer is here! and what is this in it
and from it?
Thou, soul, unloosen'd--the restlessness after I know not what;
Come, let us lag here no longer, let us be up and away!
O if one could but fly like a bird!
O to escape, to sail forth as in a ship!
To glide with thee O soul, o'er all, in all, as a ship o'er the waters;
Gathering these hints, the preludes, the blue sky, the grass, the
morning drops of dew,
The lilac-scent, the bushes with dark green heart-shaped leaves,
Wood-violets, the little delicate pale blossoms called innocence,
Samples and sorts not for themselves alone, but for their atmosphere,
To grace the bush I love--to sing with the birds,
A warble for joy of returning in reminiscence.

Searching for my roots

I have knit about 1/2 of a stitch all week. But for now, I need to rip out the foot of the gryffindor sock before it kills me. I did a 2x2 rib for the leg but somehow got the brilliant idea to do a stockinette foot. Wrong. How did I forget that the resulting look resembles bigfoot. Or elephant foot. Neither one an attractive option. I will rip this back and continue on with the ribbing. Lessons learned and all.
Avocado Cam:
Oh. My. God. LOOK!

I cannot tell you how excited I am to watch the progress of this little sprout. So, happy, indeed, that I put my new mini Garden Gnome next to the avocado garden to watch over the progress.

Somebody has to be on watch and this little guy doesn't seem to mind!


This is the 3rd seed to crack. Crack me a smile!
~~~
On this Mother's Day, I reflect about Fathers. Father in Law, specifically. He has been in the hospital for the past week and has been diagnosed with a "lung disease" most likely emphysema. He is on oxygen 24 hours a day and will be forever. This has been devastating news to him and the family and we have watched him physically change in one week's time. So, while I stayed away from the blog this past week, I was busy worrying. My worry has just begun, though.
In the meantime, I hope to bury myself a bit into the knitting and not ignoring it as I have been. And taking my delight from a little root on one little seed.
Growth is life. Life is good.

I have had the same conversation with my parents

Roots, Avocado Cam version

If at first you don't succeed at a short row heel, then give up and do an old faithful, Mr. Heel Flap. It has always served me well and is a must have especially when this sock is a gift. A gift should NOT be used as a guinea pig.
And I've got to admit that I am much happier reverting back to the familiar. I am an old codger set in my ways, I am.
This weekend has been filled (and I mean FILLED) with college kids moving home. They are not home for good yet, Bethany will be done Friday and Derek next Friday, but most of their stuff hit the homestead this weekend. All available corners look something like this:

Although I am never, even on a good day, Mrs. Clean, I have come to appreciate the value of a room free of clutter. Almost. I mean, MY stuff is not clutter, right? It's my STUFF. But THEIR stuff? You can see my point, can't you?
(And just for the sake of arguments, yarn is NEVER clutter)
AVOCADO CAM
Not much to see yet. In fact, most of my photos I took are blurry and unuseable. But coupled with the fact that there is not a sprout yet, I will show you these 2 pictures and you can multiply them in your mind.

This is one dramatic crack that happened almost immediately. No sign of any sprout yet. Avocado needs roots!
And this one:

Not as dramatic but a crack nonetheless. No sprout in sight.
This concludes this very thrilling version of AVOCADO CAM.
Try to contain yourselves.

Sunshine on my pansies, makes me happy!
Hope your life is filled with good stuff too!