Busha Full Of Grace

Tandem

Back when I was a young mama, and Zachary was born, my cousin/sister, Diane, had a baby, Anya, who was six months old. Once we traveled to Oregon so that my Busha could meet Zachary. This road trip consisted of me, my cousin, Diane, Brooke (9), Shannon (6), Heather (3), Anya (6 months), and Zachary, (6 weeks). Two nursing mamas and lots of kids in a red, Ford Pinto, wagon. Yes, the fact that I thought I was hot in a shiny, new, red Pinto wagon makes me want to thow up. Then there were the suitcases, strollers, cloth diapers on three of the five children...oh my lord. But first, said Pinto broke down before we even picked up the cousins. I remember having it towed to a gas station, leaving it there to wait for my husband to come help me out, and walking along the frontage road with Zak in the front pack and Brooke and Shannon each holding a hand. We were headed to the Motel 6 down the road, to wait, out of the beating sun. I remember so clearly, Shannon age 6, looking at the sign in the distance, asking what "Single room, $6.00" meant. I told her that one person could spend the night there if they paid the people $6.00. We walked on through the roadside dust. About two minutes later Shannon pops up in her rushed, lispy, squeaky, Shannon way,

"You mean, we could stay there for 18 bucks?"

"Yes," I said, "but now we have Zachary, so it would be 24."

"But he doesn't sleep in a bed. Only me and Brooke and you sleep in beds. He kind of does, but he has his basket. So that's only three."

"Just hold my hand and pay attention to the road."

One thing that was very simple mothering after we finally set off for Oregon, was the tandem nursing. Whoever wasn't driving was nursing the babies. Oh how I wish I could dig up some photographs from that trip! That was then.

And this is now. Tandem knitting. Trying to complete two birthday gifts for next weekend. Satchel was born on my ex husband's (Gumpy's) birthday, March 4. So I'm working on a mini-halfdome hat for Satch, to match the one I made for Gumpy.

As well, I am trying to complete one Austermann Step sock for my colleague, whose birthday is March 3. It's a race to the finish line. Here is the sock with the heel flap completed:

A Full Cup

Ho bouy, this house has been cold the past 24 hours. The pilot light blew out yesterday and I haven't been able to find anyone to relight it. The thing scares me to death, so I won't touch it with a ten foot match. Camille and I added lofty layers to our beds and basically vegged in bed from 5:00 last night until this morning: watching movies, chatting, I knitted, and read. It was actually very relaxing to have no commitments and the time to just be in bed, lounging. Flannel sheets, many pillows, two down comforters, bedside lamp, yellow walls....heaven.

Now this morning I'm up and around in sweats and 2 thermals, Uggs and a thick bathrobe, drinking hot coffee. This old house is drafty at best. I need to shower and get on the road with mom and I CANNOT muster up the courage to get wet. I think I'll put some Dutch Babies in the oven for breakfast and atleast spread the warmth of a baking oven through the house! Camille will appreciate the gesture.

Just sitting here at my kitchen table seeking out the gratitude...the comfort and beauty with which I am blessed. A cozy bed, a loving daughter sharing it with me, my cup is full of hot coffee and the camelias are in bloom...

Have a happy Saturday!

My Daughter's Grace

Remember daughter Brooke's tribute to her sister, Shannon, for her success on the medical board exams? In that tribute, she cited Shannon as the "sister who accidentally knocked out my front teeth with a racquet"? Well...all's not lost. My beautiful daughter's smile now graces the ads of dental journals and magazines everywhere. I watched Brooke go through the string of dentists and the many grueling appointments, with such grace and forgiveness. The swollen mouth, the financial worries, the many disappointments, the infections, the loose temporaries, the hours upon hours of dental chair visits, with nary a complaint. A good ten year journey.

Yes, Brooke is truly the epitome of beauty inside and out. And I am so proud of her.

Raw Dog Food and Austermann Sock Progress

Once a week, I make up the raw dog food mixture for Harry. I've changed Remy's diet a bit, because she was always seemingly too hungry. She's a biiiiiig girl! So she gets raw food once a day and Innova kibble at her second feeding. She is much more mellow since I made the change. Harry has such sensitive skin that I have him on a purely raw diet. Since we have had him, his coat has grown in nice and thick and he rarely scratches himself.

So this recipe consists of mustard greens, a little broccoli, apple, banana, raw egg with shells, one garlic clove, frozen berries, ground beef and lamb, Vitamin E capsule once a week, and a sprinkle of Wysong PDG pet food supplement on top. Basically, I put any greens and fruit I have in my frig into the Vita Mixer with the eggs, sometimes yogurt or cheese, and I blend that then stir it into the ground meat. I add some whole, frozen berries. The dogs LOVE it! Here are some photos of the process:

When that was finished, I began working on the Austermann Step sock that I am making as HALF of a birthday gift. I'm FINALLY on a roll, and have done about 5 inches. This was a rough start! I'm hoping to be done by next Friday, March 2. Pray for me.

What the ....? Fetching Wristwarmers

Why oh why is this cashmere wristwarmer so stretched out? And Brooke's, made from Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, did the same thing. They roll back at the knuckles. Has anyone else had this problem and figured out a way to prevent it?

Energy

With the morning light:

Up here I have had deep, very spiritual dreams. Last night I awoke at 3 a.m. with a gift from an intense dream. I stared out the living room window at the silhouette of tall pines and the starry sky peeping through, and tried to put it all together. I’m sure it was preceded by betrayal, and my mom breaking my heart once again this day in only that way my mom can do to me. But this dream was profound, as only a lesson from a higher place can be.

There was a being, no form just pure essence and love; and as cliché as this will sound, a white and golden transparency of form. It felt female. And this being shared a message with me about energy. I am to continue to love my mother as deeply as I can before she dies, because as much peace as I offer to her (or anyone), that peaceful energy permeates her body. And when she dies and her earthly body returns to dust, the peace I have offered to her comes full circle back to all human beings through the energy her body releases into the earth if she is buried and into the ethers if she is cremated. Back into the elemental world. That the peace, or the pain, that I infuse into her heart manifests through her energy field, only to be passed on through the ethers back to us all. It doesn’t die with her. Simple scientific laws altered and expounded into Technicolor.

So this morning, I’m pondering this spiritual composting. The image as I received it from my night time guide is profound. My words don’t do it justice, but they are all that I have to share this with you. When I get home I will try to paint this dream for myself.

Meet Frosty

Yes, I knitted his hat too. Both Ikey's AND Frosty's hats are out of Reynold's Blizzard, knitted on straight needles, #10.5; CO 54....

It's been another grand day. We were expecting some snow that never came. But we played outside, bathed the dog, watched Dumbo, and played animals for hours. Shannon and I put a rich beef stew on to simmer early this morning and the house smells great. They just left for the market to get dessert fixins'. We are all so happy and relaxed.

I've been sleeping in the bottom bunk in the kid's room, so Shannon and Isaac could have the master bedroom with Ike. Last night I was reading the book Spook before I went to sleep. I had wierd dreams about being in a mummy tomb. When I woke up the room was pitch black; I realized I had been struggling against the top bunk and the wall. It was so strange.

I'm working on one sock, as my half of a birthday gift for a colleague. My boss and I are each doing one sock. So far, I am having nothing but trouble. I am making it out of Austermann Step, in the blues and grey, and a little bit of lavender. I have frogged four times! It all began last Thursday night after I was so pleased I had gotten so far...then I left it on the loveseat. Harry decided the wooden sticks would be an evening snack, which left my 5 inches of completed sock lying there, so confused and tormented. After much profanity, I began again. I keep missing stitches and then making a jumbled mess as I try to pick them back up. I swear. I need a class in fixing mess ups and finishing. I'm lousy at both. So anyway, here it is back in it's ball, ready to begin again.

Right now it is a delightful part of two still life models. Isn't this lovely?

How about this?

Donner...party of four

Back at Donner Lake. Oh man, I love this place. We arrived after dark last night, but this morning awoke to beautiful (chilly) sunshine and a frozen lake. I don't think I've ever seen a frozen lake before in my life.

Ike and Isaac and Harry went for a romp, while I quizzed Shannon in front of the fire, for the next phase of her medical exams. We went into town for lunch…YUM…and Ikey chose a cookie at the bakery. The day grew pleasantly warm, a thermal and vest were enough. Ikey wore the wool boucle hat I made for him when he lived in Chicago last winter. The tassles had little picecones sewn to them, but of course THAT didn't last on a two year old. Duh.

While we were out walking, I was taken by the sight of a stoic pine behind the fragile branching of early Spring:

And the picture of the end of day:

Halfdome Compleded

I finished my first Halfdome in the round. It took me a long time to get to this pattern, because my kids all said it looks like a condom head...but NOW they think differently as son Alex models it at the coffee house last Saturday afternoon.

Debbie Bliss Cashmerino is wonderful to work. Offbeat colors, but in sticking to my New Year's resolution, I had to stash shop. I like the palette after all:

My Date

My date last night was quite charming. Truly a ladie's man, and he showed up with a satin heart full of See's chocolates:

He wanted to skip dinner and get right down to the important stuff...

but I told him the chocolates had to wait.