More Green

Possibly the greenest place I've ever been ... the rain forest near Akaka Falls on the beautiful Big Island, Hawai'i.

Lots more green here.

Wildflower weekend

When the hub asked what I wanted to do for my birthday, I didn't have to think long - we've been talking about going out to Joshua Tree to see the wildflowers every spring for about five years now, so this year it was time!

We couldn't have picked a nicer weekend - the warm sun and cool breeze were perfect, and the wildflowers were amazingly beautiful.

I had no idea there would be so many varieties in so many colors.

We've visited the park several times, but always stayed near the northern end, where most of the campgrounds are. This time, though, we came in through the southern entrance, and that, as it turns out, is wildflower central.

I don't think it's going to take us

five more years to get back there for another springtime visit!

Two out of three ...

At last, pictures! I was able to finish up the brain-eating monster hat this morning. All I had left to do was attach the googly eyes to buttons & tie them on - how hard was that?? Well, not hard, but messy - I still have superglue all over one finger ... it was worth it, though! Hopefully it will be a hit with the six-year-old I have in mind.

The strawberry hats just need their duplicate-stitch seeds added, and they'll be ready to gift, too. One is for another friend's newborn, and the other is for her five-year-old big sister.

And, umm, yes - those are grapefruits that the hats are posing on ... we're a little short of small heads around my house these days.

Fortunately, though, we're not short of plum tree blossoms or blue skies - even in my seasonless Southern California back yard, spring is really almost here!

One for green week ...

I don't know who started 'Green Week,' but I'm seeing it everywhere, and I love it! So, I'm contributing a very green spot (absolutely unretouched!) from our trip to Colorado last spring - not quite a year ago. This was from a day that we lunched in 'Old Town' Louisville, not far from Broomfield.

Knitting does continue - I've got a pair of ladybug slippers (kind of my own design), a pair of strawberry hats, and a brain-eating monster that are this close to being finished. They've been fun little projects - just need to get some pictures of them ... there's also a Malabrigo silky merino scarf in the works, in Spring Water (which is pretty much, well, green).

Lots of other things are in the works, as well - various photo shoots & photoshop editing (I'm so new at this that it takes forever), and lots of social stuff (birthdays, catching up with friends we haven't seen much of, and the like). These aren't excuses, exactly, though I have to admit to feeling a little guilty about how infrequent these posts are becoming. Maybe it's just a matter of routine? I don't want to give up yet, so I guess I'll just have to accept my 'shortcomings,' such as they are. Otherwise, this will just be a chore, and I certainly don't need any more of those.

One thing I have decided to give up is the reading challenge - it really is a great idea, but boy did it bring out my inner rebel! No sooner did I start to make a real list than I discovered about eighteen things I'd rather do than read any of those books! Oh well, at least I'm not feeling the guilt there. I know that someday soon, when the feeling of 'must do' has faded, the rebel will fall asleep and I'll want to read some history again. Meanwhile, this has been the book of choice - truly a feel-good read.


Alllrrrighty, now back to my own, personal green week - it's definitely everywhere!

Photo (almost) Friday

Food photo, taken last Saturday at the Kailua Kona Farmer's Market. The fuzzy red fruit in the front right is rambutan, or lychee - I'd never had it fresh before, and it was delicious!

Lots more food photos here at the Thursday Photo Challenge.

And then, two more ...

Time flies in paradise! Had a beautiful (and too brief) trip to Kona, on the Big Island in Hawaii, with my three best girlfriends - what a great getaway!

Lots to catch up on at home, including my knitting, reading, and blogging, but one thing at a time, I guess.

Just a couple of pictures today ... back to reality soon!

A week later ...

So, another week (no, wait - make that another month!) has passed - how do they go by so fast?? Just wanted to check in so I don't lose the little bit of momentum I have, though there's not much that's really bloggable to report. This month, and especially the last week, has been filled with preparations for a big event at my small church, and for a long-planned 'long weekend' in Hawaii - we're leaving at the end of next week. Given the snow & rain here at home, we picked a great time to go!

I did promise a picture of my first FO for the year - a simple, skinny scarf in Noro Iro. This picture isn't especially inspiring, but I love the colors and the simplicity - this took just a few hours over two days! Are skinny scarves still popular? Guess it doesn't matter - I had one skein, and used it all. The length is perfect, and, despite being so skinny, this scarf is surprisingly warm when double wrapped.

I've done a little of the embroidery for my 'Bullseye' headband, and the puppy slippers? Well ... now I'm thinking that my lining concept just wasn't meant to be! May need to just let it go & knit up the cuffs next week in order to be done. The baby will just have to wear socks with her slippers (yep, she's here, and she's a beauty!) if it's really an issue.

Maybe next week I can post a bit more on my 'Back to History' reading - I did finish one book in January that I think qualifies, and have a few more to add to my list. All in all, I may have gotten more accomplished than I realized! Now, back to my lists ...