While Tangerine Dreams

What a Dump!

This is our backdeck last night after two days of non-stop snow. Craig spent the day snowboarding in heaven while Edie and I almost got stuck in the backyard building a new snowman.

Craig took these shots last night when he got home. He got to go snowboarding and today I get to sew - after this blogging of course which is just as much fun in my opinion.

Such a winter wonderland out here. What I love about it is the snow without the bitter cold that always seemed to accompany the fluffy stuff in Cowtown. I'm always okay as long as I don't get too cold. With all this dumpage looks like we have more tobagganing on the agenda. Edie's so cute. Everyday we see aspects of ourselves in her that we volley back and forth to each other. "She has your dance moves" . "She has your pout". "She has your twitchy bit before she falls asleep". One thing that she scored from me in a genetic sense is the coveted "apres ski" gene. As oppose to being in this position (which is alright - you just sit there for the most part):

THIS, is what we're talking about! Apres Ski, sounds like I Pray the Skiing bit is almost over so I can sit in the hatch back of the car and drink hot toddies and watch you guys attempt to kill yourselves by flying face first down the hill towards a parked car.

Yes, this is my daughter. No mix up in the living room happened there.

Have a Hot Boxing Day

Hope everyone's had the merriest of Christmases! They just getting funner and funner around here with the littlest munchkin offering us her perspective on our culture's traditions. Helps me get more into it being a touch of a Scrooge myself (it's getting better though. Therapeutic even). Christmas morning she opened up about a million presents from her grandparents. Her favourite score I think is the backpack from Dada which contained a harmonica that she  quickly mastered in an almost haunting speed.

The little tree from's the Ranch. It's cedar. We couldn't bring ourselves to cut down any baby pines that are so determined to stake some claim to the land. Lots and lots of cedar though so we're probably helping things out abit in the competition front.

Craig has gifted me the most beautiful, big coffee mug that fits allata latte and some Mommy time to get some blogging and sewing in. And I finally got around to crocheting him a hat. I'm just learning how and followed the toque pattern from my sweet friend Amy's new book (thank you by the way for the sweet Tangerine legwarmers!) and I'm so pleased with how it turned out. Look how pleased he looks with himself wearing it!

Craig also received from Santa the book Shelter, that is truly a must-have if your at all interested in house design. We have had the twenty year sequel to it, Homework, for a while now but the photography and stories in this one are so inspiring and empowering and such a blast from the past. 

And for you, dear readers, here's a small gift from me to you. Small being the key word. Merry Christmas!

Spaces

Today, when I write you will see italics. Not because you've had one egg and nogger too many last night or because I have a sore throat and sound like one of Marg's sisters but because I  would like to offer some balance to this blog with a little more yang for your ying's buck. My husband is an amazing writer (I actually fell in love with him by reading his journal - don't tell him) and is passionate about this adventure of ours of designing and building a sustainable, healthy home on a pristine piece of paradise. I'm proud to introduce to this hopefully once weekly feature... The Horniman Writes.

It seems that Canadians are always searching for identity and not being able to find  it. I think identity exists in the vast distances between us, where you can drive for eight hours and not see another human being. These vast spaces in between are what link us and where that identity lies.

Sure there is evidence of our passing, since we seem to leave fingerprints everywhere on this globe, but still there is that sense of openness that we all know where we can take a deep breath of fresh air, sit down and watch the clouds go by.  A place where we can spread our arms and legs as far as they go, all the while staying hidden in a big field of daisies free from the worries of the world. Perhaps that is what we share and where we can find our common identity. 

No matter where you go, if you can escape the city, or if you are lucky enough to live in a cool city with nice parks, we are all able to find these spaces relatively easily. Our innate need to spread our arms is our common identity. Born of our descendants coming here who must have been enticed by this spirit, hearing of a

New World

across the ocean. Those that made the journey would have yearned for this vast space where they could have a place of their own to spread their arms. 

Our little family is lucky enough to have found a little place to call home, where we can stretch our arms, lay in that field and watch the clouds go by….

Thank you, Craigy. Happy Solstice from The Horniman Ranch.

Thank you, Kitten!

A much belated big thank you to my sweet friend Karen for hooking me up with a bunch of Debbie Bliss Soho. Staring at the stuff I begin to see chocolate-covered, techno-coloured sphagetti. I don't know why she wanted to part with this but I'm not asking any questions. I'm just running with it. I have a big design idea I think I'll use this to play with because, according to Craig (who's been catching on that I've been purchasing patterns lately instead of sending out xmas cards) "perhaps I should Freestyle Knit".  Okay, Craigy Bliss. Though I totally hear him. I do have pattern ideas in my head. That's what 2007 is going to be all about. This should prove entertaining.

You still can Dulaan!

Uh, uh. Bought another pattern. But all for a good cause this time. Not too late to participate in the  Dulaan project this time with a tiny investment of only $2.25 USD. I got me the pattern for the Bejewelled Scarf and all proceeds (plus some matched contributions) will be going towards getting the bounty of handknit hats and scarves and mittens n such to cute little Mongolian kids and elders left homeless and needing  relief from the crazy cold weather the whole world seems to be experiencing (rent An Inconvienient Truth - total bummer but wake-up call of a movie). This project has been spearheaded by the talented and oh so style-y Lisa Shobhana Mason who also has just come out with her first book, Yarnplay. I like the looks of it (the book) and not just because the sounds of it sounds like Coldplay either.

I first heard of the Dulaan project over at Cast-On and have been thinking ever since, had I have more time (what a lame excuse, I know) I would have loved to knit something for this great cause. Thankfully, I can at least contribute in this way and get a cute scarf pattern at the same time! There is also a knitalong starting up in January that I'm probably going to partake in.

Things have been crazy here, people. Edie caught the croup, making me lose my cool briefly, busy with the Busy Do Be Season and just general Christmas crazies. Nothing a little knit therapy can't quelch. Much love.

 

Filles Francais

I ordered some patterns through Jimmy Bean that just arrived. They carry the French Girl pattern collection that I've always been so drawn to. They look like simple quick knits using Big Wool. I'm all about simple and quick these days - considering I just been diagnosed (by myself and Craig) as a Slow Knitter. I got me some Lamb's Pride Bulky I'm going to double up to hopefully get the gauge, otherwise, it looks like it may be Ebay time.

I have one more batch of soap I need to make to ensure I have enough for the Christmas Season. After that, I can devote more time to my crafty pursuits that I'm so itchy to get on. I picked up Amy Butler's In Stitches in Calgary that has a quilt I want to start off with and I started on some pants from Sew U (that book I love, love, love) about a month ago cuz I literally have three pairs of pants that are in rotation and one of those I like to keep for special occasions. How sad is that? I keep getting rid of clothes but am becoming more and more reluctant to replenish my wardrobe with something that hasn't been mystically provided to me by the Universe (ie free score) or made by my mom or myself. Good thing I can pretty much get away with staying in my flannel pj's for the most part but I live in a small town now and I might be dubbed the Crazy Lady in PJ's like we use to have the Crazy Lady with Rubber Gloves walking up and down our alley.

Home Girl

Don't mind Edie, the sun was driving her cuckoo half of the eight hour drive. This has been our first trip back to the city since moving here in the summer. It was an amazing time for reflection and catching up with loved ones, and a chance for everyone to behold what is Edie these days. I had to brace myself for lots of friends and family asking me how it was living out here in the boonies and I tend to take on these type of questions like an open ended essay question on an exam. So I pondered that inquiry before our arrival, which caused confusion and a touch of pseudo-pms for some reason, but in time for our drive home, the answers became alot clearer.

Oy! It burns! Let's just put it this way, though it was so nice to visit.... it was so nice to come HOME. We were all so giddy once we hauled our overnight bags back into our mini-house. Edie kept chanting "home - yay!" even all throughout the following day. And it was so funny, before we drove the last kilometre to our house we stopped for a bite at our favourite bite-shop and we ended up sharing a table with another giddy young family who were finally moving into the area that afternoon after years of scheming and dreaming.

I decided we all are thriving and blissed out here in this special community plunked in this unreal beauty with many people sharing our values and principles, but it was so nice to be reminded of the aspects to the city I miss, mostly friends and family who should all move out here, and Edie gets so much joy from.

On the knitting front, lots done on the road (to keep my inner driver from the backseat back there) and at a couple of knit circles I dearly miss. Nothing completed yet, just lots contemplated.

Edie's Birthday Sweater

How overdue is this post? Edie's been two for eons now. I actually had it finished a while back just been so busy with life as you all are probably chances good. And, with the arrival of being in her years now (plural), she's alot quicker and squirmier so it makes getting things on for photo shoots more challenging. Not to mention, she's starting to get much more selective on what she wants to adorn in general. The previously mentioned pants are going to be exchanged with something not so scary tonight. Damn it! They're so stinking cute!

This sweater is the Child's Placket Sweater pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gift. I used Fleece Artist Blue Face Leicester. Such a nice yarn. Only took one and bit hank of it. The left overs I'm going to take with me on our road trip this week to Cowtown and make Edie's babysitter a pair of Fetchings with it. God knows I need some distraction from the winter driving. Just thinking about it makes my palms sweaty. I hear some pitter patter upstairs. Now I hear "Momma?". Gots to go! If you're interested, check out  Do Be Clean's big December special  but other than that I'll see you when I get back from our trip!