On Saturday, I went up to Clear Lake for the day to do fieldwork. It was a wonderfully productive day, and I left, as I always do, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction at what we got done. But it's also a long day, involving a 7:10 am flight into Sacramento, 100 miles of driving, almost six hours of work, and then all the driving and flying in reverse. One way and another, I'm on the go almost 17 hours by the time I get home.
I so wish I'd had my camera on this trip. The California landscape has entered the season of sepia, and the hills are all in shades of gold and brown and taupe. I tend to think of California's seasons as color-based: verdant, gold, sepia, gray. So much more evocative (and accurate) than spring, summer, winter, and fall. Of course, wet, dry, fire, and fog might also be more evocative, no?
Sunday morning, I finally got my longed-for chance to sit and knit. I finished the mitts (finally!), which Younger Daughter promptly put on. I had to bribe her to take them off, and she's tried to wear them to school the last two mornings (I've pointed out that we're still in the dry/sepia season, which is not mitt-appropriate). The camera battery is dead (so it wouldn't have done me any good on the trip even if I had remembered to take it), but here's a photobooth picture, so that you can see the finished object that they are (I'm clearly not proud).
Is this one better?
I'm kind of wishing these were for me... Maybe she'll get tired of them? To recap, these are Laura's Sugar Push Mitts, which (I just popped over there to check) she has just released. I knitted them in the leftover yarn from The Knittery that I used to knit Younger Daughter some socks with over the summer. The pattern is very intuitive and fun, and a fast knit, if you're looking for some instant satisfaction, or if you have a gift that needs to come together very quickly.Knitnana tagged me for a meme, which I don't often do, but this one seems like fun. I'm not going to tag anyone else (since everyone who's on my shortlist is also entering into the beginning of the year madness!), but I hope some of you pick it up; let me know if you do so I can come see the answers.
What are the last three things you purchased?
Oatmeal raisin cookie
Sandwich for lunch
Isopropyl alcohol
What are the last three songs you downloaded?
Ummm...None? I don't really download a lot of music, although I'm considering getting Fiddler on the Roof (I only have it on tape).
What are the three best places you visited?
Wales
New Zealand
Alaska
What are your three favorite movies?
Pirates of the Caribbean
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Twister (I know, I know)
What three things can you not live without?
My family
My friends
My pets
What would be your three wishes?
Peace
Social justice
For the world to be a place that I want to leave to my grandchildren
(Boy, there's just no way to answer that one without sounding a) trite, and b) like a beauty contestant, is there?)
What are three things you haven't done yet?
Bunji jumping
Sky diving
Walking on that glass walkway over the Grand Canyon
(And I'm never going to do those things, either!)
Name three things that freak you out?
Angry people
Big crowds (especially at amusement parks; Disneyland = nightmare)
Exposed heights (see above)
What are your three favorite dishes?
Mole (imagine that with an accent on the e)
Spaghetti with really good ragu
Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting
(Can I have more than three, please? Because I need to get butternut squash, chard, and goat cheese lasagna in there, too...)
Name three things you are good at?
Driving
Teaching
Parenting
What are three things you are currently coveting?
Spinning lessons
A massage
A mojito
That's it -- I'm not sure I'd call it me in a nutshell, but it's what I've got at the end of a long day of teaching. Thanks for thinking of me, Knitnana!
I'm at work on something new (remember that Icelandic laceweight?), and I have a special contest/opportunity to support a good cause post coming up in the next day or two.
13 comments:
I am taking a moment right now to be grateful that our quarter doesn't start for a couple more weeks (though all my faculty training stuff starts Thursday). I'm glad you're getting into the swing of things; I don't think anyone is ever really prepared for the beginning of the school year, no matter how long they've been at it. =)
Those mitts are beautiful. I like the motion in the lace. Younger daughter is lucky to be joining the mitts club with this pair!
I like your colour-based seasons.
Daughter's mitts are gorgeous!
#1... I can't even begin to express how much pleasure that gave me.
and your movie picks? Totally, and yeah, even Twister (I know!)
As to your three wishes... seriously, in this day and age? not trite at all, in fact I wish more people would put these things on their wish list and through living their lives.. well, it goes back to that old question... if it takes 100 chimpanzees how many humans does it take?
well crap, not #1... I was referring to your 'download' choice... Fiddler on the Roof. :^)
OMG. Your 3 things you haven't done? I won't ever do them either - and I rarely ever say "Never" but yes!
And...may I have the lasagna recipe, please? Sounds fabulous!!!
Enjoyed your list, thanks for playing along! And love the mitts...
(((hugs)))
Can't wait to see what you're doing with the Icelandic wool.
Those three things freak me out equally. Hate crowds. Hate heights somewhat too. There's a glass walkway over the Grand Canyon?
Pretty mitts!
That transition is bit of a killer, isn't it? I am on top of the important stuff, but I keep glancing at my knitting with longing, and then going to bed instead :-)
I really need to see California -- it sounds gorgeous the way you describe it.
Take care.
Sarah
How delightful that your daughter loves those mitts so. And no wonder you haven't posted - so many starts in so few weeks! I'm sure that you have been involved in getting the daughters' schedules in order as well as your own.
I really enjoyed your answers and may pick that meme up some time soon - if I can get back to posting regularly!
You already know that I love Clear Lake. It's gorgeous up there, any time of year. Love your description of the seasons in California. :-) The mitts look awesome. Thanks again for testing the pattern for me!
nice mitts, and I suspect the beauty contestants are trying to sound all grown up and responsible, like you, not the 'tother way round.
I'm reeling, too - two calls from the teacher in the first 7 days of school. *sigh*
But the mitts, the mitts are beautiful!
It just occurred to me: if you knitted those in non-merino, longer-haired wool, they'd be Romney mitts. (...ducking...!)
nice you can have a bit of knitting time with all else going full steam ahead. And although i haven't watched any beauty contests lately, I wish a certain former beauty queen now in the public eye would utter the words social justice and mean it.
sounds like a crazy fieldwork schedule - and i thought ours was bad :) i'm still very curious about your fieldwork. for me the term means lots of hiking and/or digging and ending the day looking like pigpen. hopefully you don't have to deal with that in addition to the hours.
great mitts, btw!
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