Zeneedle...needleart as life

Years Ago

You may ask why I have a winter picture on the blog today, but I'm going to tell you about my most memorable picnic ever. 

Years ago we often spent Sunday morning in the canyon with friends, and we'd cook breakfast, no matter the weather, all year round. We had a favorite spot, with a large size grill set into the ground. We'd cook bacon, bagels (cooked in the bacon fat then slathered with cream cheese), and eggs scrabbled with sliced jalapenos and shredded cheese (cooked in plenty of butter).We're talking 1983.

During a winter of heavy snow, we dug down to the barbecue pit, set our chairs on top of the picnic tables, to decided to have breakfast despite the cold. We got a fire going, but it never got hot enough to cook anything. I held the griddle of eggs on my lap as we drove down the canyon to our friends backyard. We cooked breakfast on their patio grill and ate outdoors just to prove we could.

Well, times change, lives change, tastes change, and today we would never think of doing such a thing. (Call us boring.) Today our choice of food would be more healthy and the time of year more appropriate. 

Do you have memorable picnic to share?

This should be ToT, but I haven't been on a picnic in forever and would forget half of what I need. Time to change that, eh?

As Weather Allowed

Throughtout the weekend the weather would threaten with dark and stormy skies and on and off rain, but within the hour we would be treated to skies of clear blue. We gardened as we could, planting seeds and starts, slowing filling the ground with good to eat crops.

Our main crop of the moment is the good old weed, but we made good headway and the garden is looking great. There are a few seeds (and maybe a couple more tomato plants) we'd like to add.

The chives are blooming and I'll be garnishing many a dinner with the flowers this week. I picked a small bouquet to keep in the kitchen and will harvest as I need. I'm looking forward to a summer of good eating!

How did your weekend go?

Ready

Spring days have run the gamut from hot and sunny, to cool and gray, with an afternoon thunderstorm, or two, thrown in for good measure.

It's been awhile since I've shared a mountain view.

This week has turned out to be unexpectedly busy and we haven't had many nights together. Tonight and tomorrow night we're calling "date nights", as next week could turn out to be crazy, busy, too. If the weather holds, our date could be working in the garden, but since it's a lovely place to be, we're just fine with it. We also need to work on the garden area in front of our house, as it is in need of a face lift. Hopefully we'll have time to give it a quick sprucing up, too.

The weekend weather is expected to be cooler and wetter, which is fine, as this spring has been dry. No matter what the weather, no matter what we end up doing, I'm ready for the weekend. How about you?

Knitting Commitment

I might be onto something, but I haven't quite made a commitment. As of late, decision making hasn't been my strong suit. I haven't quite talked myself into finishing Chicane, although one seam is complete and another pinned. Seaming a sweater together has never been a problem, it's part of the process of creating a nice fitting sweater. I need to "just do it". But, ah, there's the rub.

Speaking of nice fitting sweaters, I might be onto something else. I haven't quite decided to make a commitment to the new project, as I feel the old one (Chicane) is hanging over my head. I am not good with WIPs. They bother me, eat at me, and I have learned to not give them that chance, and therefore, I eschew knitting altogether. (In full disclosure, I do have a couple of projects in UFO status, but as soon as I can I'll decide whether they stay or go.)

Another thing I might be onto is taking the Crasty class that goes along with Amy Herzog's new book.  It would be fun to learn more of the ins and outs of fitting a sweater to perfection. I've been reading the book and have watched Amy's introduction to the class, but now I need to commit to actually knitting the sweater. My biggest problem, and one almost everyone understands, is time.

May Festival Celebration

The merry month of May begins the season of planting, which brings the SOUL gardeners together to celebrate with a May Festival.

Flowers and ribbons are readied for children to use as they decorate wreaths to wear while dancing around the Maypole. The children also make wreaths for their mothers and everyone has a chance to dance and sing.

The weather was perfect for the celebration and the colorful ribbons of the Maypole swayed in the light breeze.

Organized chaos ruled as the dancers sang and laughed as they wrapped the pole in the colors of summer.

And, a good time was had by all.