Pleasant Pastimes

The other day I snapped a photo of Shelby Dog enjoying a patch of sunshine .

When she realized I was taking her picture she began to pose.

First a grin . . .

then a spectacular smile!!!

This morning I woke to find another flurry of snow

had briefly stopped

to visit on its way to Mt. Hood .

So I crocheted a new cup cozy

with some of the *designer* yarn I spun at the two

spinning workshops I attended several weeks ago.

Then I made a cup of coffee with vanilla almond milk

and began to plan what to share with you today

and wonder . . .

how you spent  2 . 29 . 2012 ?

Weather Watch Whether . . .

I should or not . . . .

This morning I looked out over my lone surviving geranium from 2011

and watched a flurry of snow fall on its way to Mt. Hood

just a dusting

to tickle the daring daffodil shoots around the tree on the left

before the sun peeked through ,

and I decided to show and tell you all about it

before I work on submitting my taxes .

sigh . . .

<3 <3 <3

Half a Sunny Day

The sun beckoned me to capture it's light on the front pond this morning

on my way out the driveway .

Then on the way home it lured me to stop to try to capture it's glow

on Mt. Hood .

The clouds have rolled back in , but half a day of sun

was fun , as I look forward to this weekend

and good time with family and friends .

Have you special plans?

<3 <3 <3

First Bloom of 2012

Can you see what we saw out our front window this morning?

Meet the first beautiful red bloom on our Camellia bush in 2012 !

Her safe arrival through the sideways blustery rain this morning

is especially worth celebrating , I think !

Do you have flowers blooming around you?

Work in Progress

Blooms were given to me last week to help me celebrate my birthday!

Cards handmade or store bought inspired me to want to live up to love they expressed.

Tools were given to me

 to help me wind the yarn I want to spin

 on my Ashford Joy spinning wheel ,

or on my new Turkish spindle !

So that I can knit or crochet interesting projects like this sock perhaps.

I bought this neat sock yarn from WoolGirl, Jen, several years ago.

[ So far I figure I have spent $40+ trying to learn how to

knit socks on circular needles ! ]

This sock is just one of the many works in progress that I have started . . . 

and it reflects what I realize about my 61 years of life . . .

it may be difficult to follow new patterns

but how wonderful and exciting to

have the opportunity for creative expression

and not only to own creative works in progress,

but to realize my life also is a creative work in progress

filled with opportunity to encourage beauty and love.

Spinning Designer Yarn

The Damascus Fiber Arts School

had a second spinning workshop I was able to attend this month.

This time I took pictures before class.

Again I enjoyed admiring the beautiful old two room school house,

the colorful tapastries and rugs,

and I got to play with [spin] some silk, wool and this wool and mystery fiber,

*designer yarn* 

Interesting?

I   dare you to comment !!!

Loving Hearts

First thing this morning

these sweeties came to visit me

and we exchanged handmade cards . . .

I gave them crocheted hearts

and they brought me

three bites of chocolate

and love

I hope you have happy loving heats today, too!

Spinning!

Thanks to my blogging friend, Teresa Kasner, I heard about

Damascus Fiber Arts School 

and attended a spinning workshop there today

AND

I got to meet and enjoy Teresa in person!

I showed her this box that I found to keep my crochet heart work in

because I

 continue to enjoy using the free pattern she has posted on her blog !

And I took a picture of Teresa's beautiful new spinning wheel, and admired

how beautifully she spins.

She inspires me!

[I was so caught up in my enjoyment of the day this is the only picture I took at the workshop, but if you click on Teresa's

name in red you can visit her blog and learn much more about the interesting history of the Fiber School

which is held in an old school house . . . a practical and charming space.

I was able to experiment with spinning  several different kinds of fiber including

 a one ounce braid of Sosae's beautifully hand-dyed Bluefaced Leicester wool.

I still have lots more fiber to practice spinning now that I am

back at home, but I so enjoy the creative process

and sharing it with others.

In the basket are balls of yarn I have spun over the last ten years, and in the forefront

are more braids of Sosae's fiber..

A blanket?

A scarf?

Fanciful fiber dreams . . .

Hope you are having sweet dreams, too.

Snow Flood Clean Up

Today I discovered that walkers can function

as wheelbarrows . . .

I told my son-in-law the walker was in camouflage

Saturday the family gathered a good portion of

the fallen limbs of trees from the January storms.

Then my oldest daughter's family started a fire in

our campfire circle and decided to

reward all their work with

Somemores . . . mmmmmmm

What is under the sun?

We are!  Yes!!  In Portland, OR!!!

While I have been side-tracked from swimming, spinning fiber, or attending church

this last week, I have been basking in winter sunshine as I have

driven back and forth to the doctors three times.

Mt. Hood has been outstanding!

I feel so blessed to see such beauty and want to get better at taking photos

so that I can better share such beauty with you, too.

The medicine prescribed for me,

and your good thoughts and prayers for me

are cheering me on toward the healing

of an infection in my right arm.

Thank you family, friends/blogging friends Teresa Kasner, Anne, JoAnn, Alexis,

and Breezy for your encouragement!

I hope you have happy creative days under the sun this weekend!

<3 <3 <3

Lavender Lambiekins

She was peeking at us from my last post.

Did you see her then?

Can you see her now?

Meet Lavender Lambiekins!

Kind and helpful Lavender Lamiekins is providing service as a

warm compress for my elevated right arm

while I take anti-biotics and trust the Father for healing.

I thought I was going to a 1st Wednesday Spinning gathering at

Damascus Fiber Arts School

then swimming

then 1st Wednesday Service at church

Instead I wound a little skein of red thread into a ball at Kaiser

so that I could crochet some more hearts

until the NP told me what she wanted me to do to get better.

And now I am at home

doing my best to catch healing

and be a one-handed blogger. <3