Spring Has Sprung!
And I’m lovin’ it!
Across Frozen Pond
Another perfect memory. I love living life!
Tahoe
After having been so dreadfully sick and stuck in my house for so long I just HAD to GET OUT. And so we trekked up to South Lake Tahoe for a little fun in the sun. We were surprised to find that Tahoe was blanketed in many feet of snow. Thankfully the Tahoe house is stocked with snow gear, and the kids were able to really enjoy spending time in the wintery conditions we just don’t get here in the Central Valley. In addition to spending lot’s of time playing in the snow we took the toboggan out and went to the movies and shopped and played Texas Hold’em with our good friends The Serio’s who came along to keep us company. The hubs and I even got to go out on a “date” kids free… we had an amazing feast at a buffet (filet mignon! prime rib! king crab legs! shrimp! unconsciousness!) and then went to the Improv for some comedy. And yes, I did just say ‘unconsciousness’. Our good friend J collapsed while waiting in line for dinner and let’s just say that it sucked. He’s ok. But at the time it was a bit traumatic. And I’ll admit that I’m still a little traumatized. Damn, it sucks getting old. Our bodies just can’t handle serious partying anymore I guess. Turns out running around all day without eating and drinking water is very bad for you at high elevations. Sheesh. All-in-all it was a great escape. Can’t wait to get back up to Tahoe again soon!! Hope you had a lovely weekend too. 
Oh, and you can see the rest of the photos I took here. Thanks for looking!
Twelve
My son turned 12 last week. Unfortunately it went without fanfare as I was bedridden with the flu and complications from the flu. He didn’t mind, he’s a great kid.
Life’s Ruff
I’ve been quiet, sorry about that! The thing is- I refused the flu shot. And boy, did I ever pay. About 10 days ago now I got what I thought was food poisoning. Within days I had what I thought was a terrible cold. From there it went downhill. I am embarrassed to say it, because I feel weak and old and tragically fragile- but I spent most of the last week in bed, I got so sick. The flu became bronchitis, bronchitis became pneumonia- and about two dozen breathing treatments, a bottle of robitussin and many pills later I’m finally *mostly* better. At least I’m up, out of bed. I was beginning to wonder if that would ever happen! I’m still pretty wheezy and tired, and suffer the occasional bout of nausea, but I’m mending. THANK GOD. Whenever I get sick it always reminds me how precious wellness is. Life is a bitch, but those moments when you feel great are really special. 
So, after having spent a week in bed I was dying to get out of the house yesterday. On the spur of the moment I convinced my husband to pack up the family car with the kiddos, some snacks and my camera equipment and we headed to a nearby wildlife reserve for some fresh air, sun and spectacles of beauty. You can drive the reserve so I was able to sit back, relax and take it all in.
This sheepdog is an old friend of ours. We’ve met him three years in a row out on one wildlife reserve or another- guarding his precious herd. He’s a beaut, eh? I would love to make friends but he’s all business, and I’m very proud of him for that. You can see the rest of the photos from our day here if you like. There’s photos of everything from cormorants to coyotes in that set, enjoy!
Oh, and I’m going blog-silent again. Since most of our vacation was ruined by my having caught the flu our family is packing up and heading to Tahoe for a couple of days. The hubs and the kids go back to work and school respectively soon- so I’m dragging up a breathing machine and hoping for the best. Perhaps I’ll recover quicker up there in the fresher (thin?! ack!) air. If not, I’ll just lay around and watch the kids play and take lot’s of pictures anyways. And be grateful that I’m not in bed!!!
Happy Spring!
Snake
Look what my middle child found in our back yard today! A garter snake, my mom says. Looked like a baby rattler to me, all coiled and hissing and shaking it’s tail and striking at everything- but I’m hearing that is their defense mechanism. My dad came over and put him in a bucket, then we carried him back across to their place and turned him loose in the pasture behind their house. Long life, little one!
Been Busy…
The past week was a blast- I had the honor of creating custom playbill style wedding programs and then photographing a 1940’s Rockabilly themed wedding for an old gal pal from grade school. I got to work with my Uncle Bill and Aunt Kathy who are both talented photographers, and my good friend Jeffrey who came out and worked as my assistant for the first time. And, visit with family from out of state to boot! Which is of course why I haven’t blogged that recently. I’ve been having too much fun!
I will be processing photos from the wedding for a few weeks, when I’m done I’ll be sure to share some more! Thanks for stopping in.
Bound
My brother Ray was recently married to his girlfriend and the mother of his baby girl. They tied the knot in Vegas but plan to have a big celebration in town in a few weeks. Since they are outdoorsy I had a bit of fun with a fishing mag and their wedding rings on the floor of my brother’s garage.
Learn how to knit!
People ask me all the time to teach them to knit. Once, I agreed. It was an effort in futility. I suck at teaching knitting lessons. For one, I don’t have the patience. Or maybe, my pupil didn’t want to impose for too long. And if learning to knit requires anything more than some needles and yarn- it’s patience.
While learning to knit you will cast on a dozen (or maybe a hundred) times before it clicks. You will fumble a knit stitch another dozen times before it looks just right. Want to purl? Yeah, another dozen attempts. Binding off? Schminding off. At least, that was my experience. And then there’s getting the tension just right. And learning all those acronyms.
Not that I would like to discourage you from learning! You can learn, and benefit from your new hobby in many ways.
For me knitting is relaxing. And rewarding: the finished products of my few minutes of knitting here and there are so soft and beautiful and functional. My family sure appreciates my hobby. But it did take me a while to get it down. Time well spent, in my opinion.
So, you still want to knit, and for me to help you learn? Here’s how I did it:
1) Visit knittinghelp.com and watch the free knitting videos. Pause, attempt a technique and repeat. This site taught me the basics.
2) Buy Stitch ‘N Bitch : The Knitter’s Handbook
Tips:
Use wood or plastic needles to learn- once you are knitting with some speed you might prefer a more slippery set of needles (I frequently use metal) but until then it helps if your needles have some friction to hold the yarn.
Don’t try to learn to knit with a ball of furry yarn. You need to be able to see your stitches and the pattern they create. Choose a light, soft yarn to start with.
Own good hand lotion. Some yarns will draw moisture from your skin and before you know it you’ll have chapped, raw hands.
Don’t expect to be a perfect knitter right away. This craft does take some time and practice to learn. Like anything, if you really want it you’ll achieve it. I think I watched the casting-on and basic knit/purl stitch videos a dozen times each before I made my first stitch. I still wear my first projects: a scarf and a hat- but the scarf isn’t the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen and the hat is three times too big. I often use the hat to cushion my camera when I travel with it in my shoulder bag.
Have fun! Can’t wait to see your first projects!
Aunt Christine models the scarf / hat set I made
Aunt Christine models the scarf/hat set I made, originally uploaded by phae.
I knit! A lot, lately. And my family loves it. This is my Aunt Christine and she’s visiting from Colorado. I showed her my stash of completed knitted goods and she confiscated this. Merry Everything, Aunty Chris!
Aunt Christine is here with my cousin Hannah and my Uncle Duane and his son. They aren’t in town long, in fact they leave tomorrow morning. They came to get Makaiya, my cousin’s Aussie Shepherd. They drove all the way out from Colorado for her, she’s a much loved dog. As all the dogs in our family inevitably are.
In other news- we’re all sick. Not the best timing at all. Liana is finally feeling better and I look forward to getting better too. ERGH to cold and flu season!
I’ll blog again soon…
What I Want
