Today Z and I spent the afternoon at the Viking Sewing store sewing quilt squares for Quilt Pink. I wish I were one of those people who took the camera everywhere, but I'm just not - it kind of gets in the way of doing things for me. So anyway, I don't have pictures of our squares, but Z did such a great job - she appliqued flowers onto a larger square. Very cool. According to the woman running the thing, they will be collecting squares for a while, so anyone who wants to contribute - have at it!

And I received my One Skein knitted gift from my pal last week while I was sick - so after a brief delay...



The lining is hand dyed fabric - so pretty. Thank you Lauren!

About a month ago we joined a C.S.A. – community supported agriculture – which means that every Friday we get a box of certified organic, locally grown beautiful produce. This week we got

Can I tell you how much I love okra? Tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, kosher salt and pepper, then grilled - so good. Oh, and we also got potatoes and garlic, I almost forgot. And it all tastes like real food. I love vegetable Christmas. It inspires me to cook things I might not otherwise, and every week is different.

And these are the eggs from my wacky chickens.

and then?

The last couple of weeks have been unbelievable. Stella had surgery to remove a sebaceous cyst from her back - she’s fine, though – and so was wearing a cone for the last two weeks. Kind of hilarious, a little bit dangerous as it does not in any way stop her or slow her down, she just runs into everything and powers right on through. Furniture, doorjambs, people, no matter. Just get out of the way. One week into it, we discovered a cut hidden right behind Harley’s ear that must have been there long enough to get unbelievably infected. Another trip to the vet later, we have two dogs in two cones, or as Z said, a double scoop. What are the odds? Anyway, last night I took out Stel’s stitches, just to save the poor girl the vet stress, so Harley is now cone alone. Monocone.

And me? I am laid up in bed for a couple of days. I've slept for the better part of the last 24 hours, I guess I get to catch up on a little knitting now. And I have managed to join a bunch of stuff. Knitters Tea Swap, whee! And October Birthday Swap, how about that? I love birthdays, and so many of my favorite people share my birth month, including my baby girl. Got to be good. And Socktoberfest. Perfect. And now I am exhausted. Phew.

freakiness.

My friend called me yesterday to tell me about a dream he had in which I was pregnant and surrounded by eight or nine strollers, all different. Premonition… ?

I've been a little out of touch. And really negligent about posting photos of stuff I've finished, which I swear I will do. I just wrapped up my Think Pink scarf, which I have to get in the mail this week, and also my Funky Scarf - which I am loving! I hope my scarf pal digs it too. I also have a fabuloso new pair of socks, a couple of flower washcloths, and a Wonder Woman power bracelet for my girlie - it started out as a sock, but was way.too.small - I am perhaps a little unrealistic in regard to how big she really is... sigh.

The other day as I was checking in on some of the other blogs I read, I followed a link, and then another, and ended up at the journal of the most amazing woman who was writing about things which hit so close to home. I think I envy the ability to put it out there, to be that brave - but I am not, at this point, someone who can write about those very personal things happening in my life. It’s actually hard for me to talk about some of it, even with my closest friends. On some level I know that it is easier for me not to have to contend with the well meaning advice which is inevitable, but at the same time it can be a tremendously lonely road…

pal presents.

Okay, here it is! Cute, no?

I just put my baby girl on the school bus for the first day of fifth grade. Yesterday she said to me, 'Mom? This year, I am the big kids.' Crazy.