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Here's the trailer we're probably sleeping in as you're reading this. Compared to tenting it the first couple of years we spent at the Ranch I feel like Dolly Parton touring in her luxery bus squatting here. And this is what we typically wake up to (usually while peeing at 5:00 in the morning):
Nice, no?
It took us two years to decide where on the land to build the house. We have six acres. 4.5 of those is untouched oldgrowth forest and 1.5 is open pasture. We decided to build in the pasture into the hill so as not to disturb the forest (even though it would have been so nice to be surrounded by trees) and to maximize our passsive solar gain. The ladder is to help us imagine our views from different levels of the house.
We've gone back to the Horniman Ranch for a week, looking for a house to either buy or rent while we build our strawbale dream home. I'm just going to be posting pics from our trips past as I "wish you were here" gesture and will be posting again regularly upon my return hopefully next Wednesday.
This shot's from last year. It's actually our "next-door" neighbour's garden entry. We share the pasture with them (hopefully sharing them with sheep one day!). It's just one of the rare all in the family shots we have. My mom took the photo (amazing you can't see her finger right now - god love her) while her and my step dad took their first trip out there last July.
First of all, thanks all for the kind comments on the Bonnet saga. I'm so please how it turned out and super tickled that you too can appreciate the thrill of a finished-just-in-the-nick-of-time project. It's too cool to see comments trickling in from all these uber-cool ladies I know and love offline in the "real" world (whatever that is) and just as cool and humbling to see responses from gifted artistas I have the privledge of getting to know and be inspired by through reading their award-winning blogs (award-winning at least in my little world - whatever that is).
Look what I'm babysitting! My good friend, and doula extraordinaire, Raina brought this over to hang out with for a while. Wohoo! She and her husband Tim are expecting their first child some time in May so they need lots of room right now for the birthing pool and such (such meaning kid).
A little more background on Tim and Raina, shall we? When Craig and I took off on our honeymoon after Blissfest 2002 (aka our wicked wedding) we brought along six of our closest friends - comprised of three different couples. We brought along this crew to the neck of the woods we have fallen in love with and sure enough all three couples, plus us and a couple of other couples, proceeded to buy land in the area over the years. Tim and Raina are also planning on moving out to the piece they purchased once their little Tim Bit is about a month old (hope they don't mind me nicknaming their precious one Tim Bit - we shall soon see).
Raina is especially dear to my heart as she helped me out incredibly in my twenty hours of labour. I had a home birth and it was only me, Craig and Raina present for the whole weekend in our love-drenched dwelling. Having her there for that journey was just too amazing to describe. This woman has such a special, calm, goddess energy.
Anyhoo, back to spinning, the deal is I get to figure out how to use the thing and once Raina's settled on her land I return the wheel and teach her how to use it. Sites I'm super inspired by to learn to spin include Pluckyfluff, and Laine Zin Zin from France. Such cool sites, such cool names. Especially the latter - so zinfully delicious. I told Craig I want to name our next daughter Zin Zin. He said that sounds like we're trying too hard. You think? But that's not important. What's important is how amazingly creative these yarns are and I want to try, damn it! I'm thinking about suggesting a bartering trade to Erynn of Twist of Fate. She's a sweet girl from my Knit Club who is a spinning specialist. Perhaps soap for knowledge?
Whoa, I'm a blabber mouth this morning. Heads up I'll be gone for a week but I have programmed some postings in the interim to keep you all amused, hopefully. Mostly pics from Hornimen past. Have fun, play safe and we'll see you next week! >smooch<
I got the heads up on Tuesday that my baby brother was to wed on Friday in the historic church at Heritage Park. The bonnet from Last Minute Knitted Gifts was the perfect period piece for this idyllic setting. She looked like a blast from The Little House on the Prairie past.
You can almost hear the Missions Impossible theme song buh-buhing out of my ears as we pulled up to the the place. For the last ten minutes of the twenty minute car ride I kept groaning "oh, my gawd. I'm going to finish before we get there. Oh my gawd." over and over again. I sounded like a labouring woman en route to hospital. And guess what? I finished the last snip (no time to weave in ends - just weaved them alone and cut 'em) just as we pulled up - literally. It was insanity. Then I says to Craig "wait till my readers read about this - Ha, haaaaa!" And, yes, he rolled those big blue yarn balls we call his eyes.
Edie playing a diddy on the organ as the bride walked down the aisle.
Here's me and Edie swinging. Me and Edie. Edie and me. Alright already, here comes the bride...
Congratulations Mike and Joanne! My baby brother all grown up!
Me be Me-Me'd!!! Five things sent over from that Curious Bird:
Five minutes to yourself: how would you spend them, ideally?
Doing what I'm doing right now probably; cram in the most caffeine possible from my Kitty cup while either reading my favorite blogs or knitting.
Five bucks to spend right now; how would you spend it?
A Caffe Beano latte and one of their Pan au Chocolates from this French baker guy (pronounced "Ghee") in town. (I might be short some change but I'll bring Edie with me for some cute enhancement).
Five items in your house you could part with, right now, that you hadn't thought of already?
Our crazy scary loud washing machine, a tv baby monitor my mom gave me after I told her I don't want to use those things, my hating-life-use-to-be-white Ikea couch, this piece of plywood Craig placed on top of the tv for extra space for his laptop (we've talked about this), and I wouldn't cry to see our futon go (I'm ready for a regular bed now)
Five items you absolutely, positively could never part with in your house?
Miss Kitty! of course, my laptop, my wedding album, my cruiser "Little Prozac" and my husband's journals he's kept since his University days (I still like to secretly pour through them once in a while to see how he's morphed through the years into my perfect mate)
Five words you love?
mesmerize, effervescent, prolific, ponpon, cockballs (ala Dana B.)
Thanks Leya, that was fun, and good timing. I was lying in bed going "crap!, nothing to share today"! I'll be passing this mesmerizing ponpon on to Robin, VegasandVenice , Angela and Sarah
I was pretty please with myself yesterday for being so proactive and publicly throwing out to the Universe my intention to plug through my published to-do list. I smugly says to Craig "see my blog today?". Later on he claims that it's all knitting stuff on there. Totally not but he does have a good point. Due to my lack of FO's to share I will instead derive a crafty to-do list but then I have to get going quickly cause there are some established deadlines here and we have music class this morning that we're always late for:
So that's my to-do list for stuff I have currently on the go. I use to be proud of my one (maybe two) project(s) at a time but, man! knitting makes life seem so short!
Before Craig left for his road trip he gave me a to do list. Of course this is on top of my self-imposed to do list. So when he comes back I was shocked to see that my mind drew a blank when he asked me what I did all week. I know I did something. Somethings even. So strange. So here I'd like to post some of my couple of to-do lists so hopefully making me more accountable to whoever:
Okay. Ten's enough for now. On a side note, guess who took her first unassisted, honest-to-goodness steps on her own last night. She did!
Of course, it made me cry which is crazy because she's already over 17 months. But still, she's just a baby! I love you, my Monkey!
Craig just rolled back into town last night so we had to delay Easter morning surprise until today.
Her surprise came from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (love that book!). One of the Lovable Toys in there. I used some RYC DK Cashcotton and the inside of the ears and tail are from Lorna's Laces Angel - a gorgeous Angora/Lambswool blend in a colour called Sherbet. Perfect cause I just wanted to stick it in a waffle cone and lick it!
Edie stayed sleeping and I placed E.B. in my spot beside her. I totally wanted to take a photo of her sleeping with the bunny that she does not yet know of cuz it was just too cute but I didn't want to risk waking her up because this is still Mommy's happy hour you know? Still have lots of blogging business to get down to before she discovers him - not to mention uninterrupted latte drinking.
I hear chattering in the bedroom. I beat the details of Edie's awakening out of Craig - the only breathing witness in the room. Apparently, Edie looked over, laughed and then hug the bunny. When I bust into the room she was still hugging E.B. They're too cute together! Here's some action shots I just took:
Hugs...
Here she is checking out his pompom tail (or "pon-pon" - I think that's from Fluffa. If not, please correct me. I love saying "pon-pon" now).
And finally, Edie, EB and Craig watching morning cartoons. She sure missed her daddy this week. So did I. I love you, you're my best friend.
Quick post today so I can giddy-up on some of my projects! Here is a house that was designed by the same architect we're working with. It's much bigger than the one we're building but has a similiar flavour (namely the strawbale. Strawbale flavour!). But we will also be having a walk in basement entrance and our place will be built into the hill like that too.
Craig's out at the ranch now getting power installed. Talked to him last night and he's just so tuckered! Lots of work and drama involved. We have six acres of raw land so it's exciting seeing these ammenities getting implemented slowly over the years but at the same time pretty sad and scary. Such a beautiful, blank canvas and we're hitting it with all these permanent alterations. Like cutting into a beautiful piece of fabric (ooooo, deep ...).
On the knitting front. Guess who was approached to teach knitting classes at a LYS? ME!??!! Isn't that crazy? I'm like the rookie of the year but the owner suggested my half-crazed enthusiasm toward my new found hobby might inspire other beginners. Awww, that's sweet. But I'll have to get back to her. We may be moving sooner than later to the boonies. But, dang! That would be a fun gig. I'm super flattered regardless >blush<.
