Woolythyme

A little day-trippin'.........

:: a little knitting and yarn winding in the car (somehow I dumped my knitting bag getting out of my car and transferring stuff to coffeegal Val's....discovered I had an MIA yarn ball after we were miles down the road, and naturally this was the color I was in need of.....Luckily, I could wind another.)

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:: first stop!!  new location for this shop--- it doubled (at least) in size and inventory with lots of indie dyers.  if only I hadn't been so over-the-top with starting things last week, I most likely would have come home with more than....

:: ONE skein of sock yarn (PapaGeek has been very hard on his socks this winter!) and some new (to me) Karbonz double points, made of carbon fiber--extra pointy points, high tensile strength according to the package.  Aren't they pretty?

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Slacker that I am, I failed to take any photos of our 'book crawl'.   Parnasseus Bookshop (owned by Ann Patchett), is as lovely an independent bookstore as you'll find anywhere.  While I didn't make any purchases there, I more than made up for it at Bookman/Bookwoman--a funky used bookstore that was artfully (??!!!) piled floor to ceiling/wall to wall with quality used/some new books.  I brought home a mini-pile, but this was my 'treasure':

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full of beautiful plates.....

We refreshed ourselves with a little pause in Provence patisserie (I had a lemon lavendar tart---YUM), and we were off on what brought us to Nashville ......

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Anne Lamott was speaking at the downtown public library.  We immediately squatted in line.  (That's my place next to my friends by the post.)  We were very confident of getting in---the line was pretty short when we arrived, but before the doors opened, it queued all through the lower level of the building.  Who cared that we had an hour and a half wait......

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never, ever, ever leave home without some knitting in your purse.  That sock got to the heel flap, the time flew by, we chatted....and ended up with awesome seats.

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Ann Patchett was interviewer, but you most definitely got some insight in to her style and personality.

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Anne Lamott (yes, those are dreadlocks) was as witty and charming as you would expect.

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and they allowed us to eavesdrop on their conversation -- about life, loves, family, and of course books... for over an hour.   

It was a perfect day.

London, part 1

For a short while I doubted whether this trip was going to happen.  My credit card was compromised two days before departure....but, a new one got overnighted.  Rather than  downloading boarding passes at the airport, we downloaded them the day before and discovered that my flight was changed.  My friend would have gotten to London about 3 hours ahead of me....but, since we were meeting in Dallas, if I got there----and no friend ( she would already be in the air and out of phone contact)---would I really have hopped on the plane without her?  The stars lined up....off we went.

 

We stayed in a little walk-down flat in South Kensington (ours was below the scaffolding), two blocks from the tube. (Not the best picture of the flat, but I wanted to prove that we actually had the sun shining on us for a couple hours!) The row was built in 1845 and the little garden in the square

was designed 3 years later.  

 

There was a tiny little garden connected to our flat...

This is the view from the bedroom window, which was also to serve as the fire escape (although there is no egress from the garden!!)...something about a ladder in the closet, and cranking the windows out, and putting a towel over the sill and climbing out....fortunately we didn't have to put this into practice, and there were no fire drills.

With Oyster card in hand, we found our way all over the city---underground---with hardly a mishap  (I got smooshed in the door only once)--a great accomplishment for two of the most directionally impaired women I know.  Besides an efficient means of travel....the tube provided people-watching entertainment.  What people do on their travels....snack, drink, work, smooch, visit, catch up on the news, sleep, listen to music, embark on vacations, and---of course, read.  (not a single knitter, though)

She had just opened the book....and I missed the shot.  She's reading Pickwick Papers.  Perfect.

 

 

Antiquing was a high priority, but unfortunately we found that Saturday was prime time for antique shops/markets and we weren't there on a Saturday.  This didn't keep us from looking.....

 

Portobello Road:  

 

a couple of shops were open,

loved the look in this clothing shop---one whole wall, and 

 

the front window all lined with vintage machines.  Our favorite:

 

but look what we did find!

 fun!!!

 

Camden Passage was supposed to be loaded with antique vendors and malls....we went on Tuesday.  Na-da.

But.......look at the very far end.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

LOOP!!!

 

While waiting for the shop to open...we queued up with a woman from Canada, one from Boston, and a local newbie knitter who was there to buy a cable needle.

 

This girl was fearless....now I usually carry around a little knitting, but she whipped out an AFGHAN from her messanger bag (tree of life pattern!).  We were killing time, so I taught her how to cable without a cable needle. 

 

Loop was the kind of shop I could easily have spent two or three days in--just hanging out.  I did buy yarn for the shawl in the window (grey and lavender), and I would show it to you, but it's apparently still on vacation.....my suitcase didn't make it home yet.

 

---to be continued, with maybe some yarn pictures

all my bags are packed....I'm ready to go....

leaving on a jet plane......

 

 The boys (PapaGeek and Freddy) are bach-ing it for a week.  GIRLFRIEND trip!!!  

 

The knitting was packed over a week ago. ( Didn't want to be tempted to work on it. ) But I've had a real struggle with what to take to read.  There are piles around here to pick from.  It shouldn't be this hard.  Audiobook? Kindle book?  Real book?  

 

Tonight---Problem solved. 

 

The finale of the One Book, One Campus, One Community read  was tonight at our community college.  

 

I downloaded Half-Broke Horses when it was first announced as the community read this year, and started it but got distracted along the way and put it aside...probably because it was in an e-book format.   I simply LIKE holding a book.  A real book.  With pages.  And a bookmark.

 

Jeannette Walls spoke tonight--about her books, her life, her family, her 'stories'.   What an inspiring person and stellar storyteller.   Her emphasis was on the stories--hers and ours; to look for stories and the lessons and opportunities they afford us.  I can't wait to read this---even in its e-book format.  

So, in the carry-on it goes.

And where are we going?  

Want a hint?

 

We've planned a little fantasy visit with Dame Judi and an Audience with Dame Helen.    

 

one more hint???

 

Pattern:  basic vanilla sock pattern

Yarn:  Trailing Clouds, Mind the Gap 

Color:  LONDON UNDERGROUND!!!!!!!  

 

Off to make stories. 

 

Cheerio!

weekending....

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:: beach time

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:: feeding time

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(chapel with stained glass window, personally installed by Tiffany)

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(Grand Hotel)

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(turtle hospital)

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:: sightseeing time (on Jekyll Island)

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most importantly....

:: friend time

Guess where??

PapaGeek had a meeting.  I tagged along, but I didn't do the meeting. 

I started  here....

with just a walk-through.

I got a little wet on my way here....

Lots to see....

Fragonard....

 

In college, I did an independent study on

the iconography of Hieronymous Bosch.  What was I thinking? I can't believe I wasted  spent a whole year with him! 

when I could have cozied up with the impressionists.....

Monet....

hi, Vincent!!!

I really like your flowers better than that self portrait.  

Childe Hassam

I watched several artists copying the masters--not a bad Renoir!

But...best of all...just look at her.  No, not impressionist....Isn't she lovely, though?

the only da Vinci in America.  

Know where we are yet?

How about here?  I had never been  before.  Here's a peek inside.  

That's Minerva, goddess of wisdom--among a gazillion other things they have here....they have one of the largest collection of baseball cards.  Couldn't take a picture of them--or of the Gutenberg Bible.

I had never visited here before, either.

I spent a L-O-T of time playing with my new macro lens.

More art....modern.  Both inside and out.

I was wandering around, turned a corner, and Miro!!!!  and Brancusi!!!  and Henry Moore!!!  Kandinsky, Pollack, Still, Picasso, Calder.....I was just about hyperventilating.

Are you sick of the art tour....OK.  (I really had a great time.  PapaGeek would have hated it.)

Well, I'm sure you know where we were, but just in case.....

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do you see someone in there?

Hi, Abe!

evening tour of the city...

the "White House" was lit pink for breast cancer awareness month

I popped into the Museum of Natural History to see the Hope Diamond (I'm not much of a bling-y girl), so I was much more impressed with the winners of the Smithsonian Wildlife Photography contest.  This is NOT my picture!!!  Gosh, I wish it was.  

Did you know Kermit has a place of honor in the Museum of American History?  (I can't bear the thought--hee, hee, hi, Fozzie!!! bad pun-- that funding for the arts could be eliminated from the budget.)

and finally (I'm leaving out the other 438 pictures I took)  ...we went to a ballgame.  The Nationals had already clinched the East; the crowd was WILD!!!

George won, but he so-o-o cheated and tripped up Teddy. 

 Just in case you didn't recognize some of these national treasures in Washington, D.C....in order of appearance:  the Smithsonian Castle, National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress, National Botanical Gardens, Hirshorn, Air and Space Museum, WWII memorial, Iwo Jima, Lincoln Memorial, Capital, White House, Museum of Natural History, Museum of American History, Nationals stadium, 

and last but not least.....

the Dept of Energy building where PapaGeek spent HIS vacation.

What a week!!! WHAT A WEEK!!!!

 

I got to play photographer all week....documenting the 37th class of Clean Water U (the training component of Living Waters for the World.)  I sure did have fun.  1200+photos worth of fun!!  (don't worry, they aren't all downloaded here....)

 

In a nutshell----this was our week.  

We pumped some of this yucky water....

from this beautiful lake.....

and ran it through this simple purification system we built (this was a father-daughter team who are planning a trip to Honduras)

and it came out clean!  and yummy.

We made new friends from all over the world.

We made a joyful noise....at least twice a day!

We built teams and developed leadership skills.....

There were skits.....(look closely...and I think you'll see Moses parting the sea!)

And we even had a guest appearance from Ernestine!!!

We were surrounded by beauty all week long.

THE 37TH CWU CLASS!!!!

and a FINE class it was!!!  

Made extra special for me....because part of our hometown Kenya 2013 team was there for training!!!!   

We're ready!!!!  (the question is....is Kenya ready for US???!!!!!)

WIP Wednesday and yarnalong.....

 

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Packed for a road trip.....

:: baby fan mitts

:: socks

:: wingspan

:: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women who Knit too Much  

I really need this book, because.....

 

 

 

   

 

all this is packed, too.

 

joining ginny for yarnalong and tami for WIP Wednesday.  

Yarnalong and WIP Wednesday....

 

On the needles--Reine by Alexis Winslow in Madelinetosh merino light.  It's not moving along too quickly, but then, neither is fall.  We might actually come together at the same time.  I'm just about ready to start the front shaping and split for the armholes.

A couple weeks ago we were at the Wellfleet Flea Market on the Cape.

we love wandering around this drive-in theatre venue----you never know what you'll find...

One of the vendors had The Nantucket Table in his booth.  The cover was really (REALLY) faded, the pages slightly crunched---it had obviously made the trip to the flea market many many times.  And no wonder.  He was asking $10 for it---and wouldn't budge a penny.  

We spent the day on Nantucket on our last visit to the Cape, and while that wasn't on this year's schedule, the book was so nicely styled and brought back such fond memories that I thought maybe it would be a good souvenir to bring home.  

Do I need another cookbook?

 

I think NOT!!  (and these are the ones that survived the recent "purge"!!)  But a souvenir--now that's in a whole different category (isn't it???).   My copy arrived today from one of Amazon's used book sellers.....for $2.00.

 

A used book??  A big stuffed Pink Panther???  I think I made the right souvenir choice!

joining Ginny for Yarnalong and Tami for WIP Wednesday.  

slice of heaven.....

yeah, I've got my eye on you, too!

Yarnalong and WIP Wednesday....

I'm still reading A Prayer for Owen Meany and loving it so much---actually dreading the fact that it will eventually end.  Someone posted on facebook one of those "see- how- well- read-you- are-lists" and I was excited to see Owen made it.  There are actually quite a few on this list I've missed---quite a few I want to reread--and just a couple that I'm glad I don't ever need to think about reading again!  (and of course, more than a few that I'd like to add!!!)

On the needles is a garter stitch cowl; anything using madelinetosh merino light is going to be wonderful to knit, wonderful to wear.  It's a great travel knit; totally mindless.  I haven't made  a single mistake--and I've been knitting and reading/on and off planes since 4 am.

With a break thrown in to eat one (the first of many, I'm sure) of these!!!

joining ginny for Yarnalong and Tami for WIP Wednesday!