Real Life Returns

Back from California, land of shirt sleeves, swimming pools, and striding along without worrying about slipping on ice or snow. It was below zero during the night here, but it's soared up to 6 degrees, F. and it's spitting snow.

So we've returned to bird watching, and snow sweeping for fun and frolic. It is amazing to me that even a short break can help me appreciate the upside of winter, though.

On Friday, we took a drive through Joshua Tree National Park. Vast, dry, and full of curious flora which were new to us. Midwesterners don't see a whole lot of high desert terrain (yet). But we were fascinated by these puffy plants which appeared to be so touchable---from the safety of the car. They proved to be spiky in the extreme when we got to see them up close.

It is amazing how plants and critters adapt to life in such an arid place, though.

At the western end of the valley there is a vast windmill installation which provides power for thousands of homes (or so we were told on the tramway ride), and we really noticed the wind the most during our takeoff when we left Palm Springs. Oh, and on the mountain tops. Once on the tramway when we got outdoors to take pictures, and at a rest stop on the way to the State Park. Very, very windy, indeed!

Well, my post about being home sort of veered back to California, didn't it? Perhaps that's because I had pictures I'd never posted.

I have a long list of February projects to begin on Wednesday. Perhaps there's enough there to share on this blog. Time will tell.

Happy Monday, all!

The Old College Try

Posting is difficult here, and keeping the computer "on task" seems extraordinarily difficult.

Jan says it's the solar flares. Works for me...

Anyway, I can give you my opinion of The Artist this morning. It gives us a taste of silent films, with a drop dead handsome "hero", a charming dog, and a heroine who channels Mary Tyler Moore. Not much plot, but lots of period cars and antiques.

We also took a tram trip up the mountainside in the afternoon which was pretty interesting. You ascend on the tram car up 6,000 feet in ten minutes to Mt. San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness Area. Last weekend the area suffered a huge windstorm, which disabled the tram, stranding some hikers and skiers at the mountain top for 14 hours. That had to be pretty cold and scary.

I was trying to pack light----which was a bust, by the way, but I needed another sweat shirt to serve as jacket, bathrobe, etc. So we stopped in a Goodwill shop and I found the best big old grey sweatshirt. You know me -----all about style!

If you are interested in seeing more about the tramway try pstramway.com. Hopefully you won't have to book a big party or something. chuckle.

Part of the reason I didn't travel as light as I expected to was that I took a couple very lightweight knitting projects along. The aforementioned socks, and a cap pattern from Anne Hansen's Knitspot. I love both of them---even though I haven't had much knitting time. Pictures tomorrow---even though it's Friday Fragments day. I don't think I have fragments this week.

Stay warm and cozy. Pet your dogs and cats for me. I'm having kitty withdrawal.

Just Me, Waving at You!

We've bought post cards and a few groceries, driven the whole route down the valley, and had two great meals so far.

The natives are apologizing about "the cold". We are bearing up in the 70 degree weather with a patient smile. They assure us that it will get better. How, I wonder!

Thanks for your enthusiasm for Sweet Doe soaps. That's not only here, but everyone who has gotten one as a gift from me loves the soap too.

The portal to the internet here is very erratic so I'll close quickly before all is lost.

Suds and Fragrance

I mentioned this lovely stuff yesterday in Friday fragments, but it really does deserve a post of it's own. I have been enjoying the fragrance of it since it arrived and it does the job in the shower, too.

In addition to the bars I ordered, called Meadowlark and Sunny Day, she threw in some samples of other formulations called Lemongrass poppyseed, Gardenia---for Valentine's Day, Glisten, Sparkling Anjou, Tres Leches (their best seller...the bars are brown and white swirl,) and Lavender.

Check out this link, because the web site may help you more than my lathery praise. Goat Milk Soap suppliers. If it isn't up and running yet, check back.

I've added a couple more projects to the queue. I'm doing some quilting for my sister, and making a pair of Finnish socks out of Nancy Bush's Folk Socks book. So far, so good.

The house sitter takes over on Monday when we go to spend a week in warm weather. The forecast is for 75-78 degrees for a high each day, and no precipitation. I'll post pictures of palm trees, for my friends in -0 weather.

My cats are already looking at me askance. They think our place is with them----always.

Have a great weekend.

Frosty Friday

Time for the weekly trivia festival hosted by the beautiful and extremely funny Mrs. 4444 of Half Past Kissin Time. (Thanks, BF.)

Thankfully our temperate winter held on until our furnace episode was over on Tuesday morning. I got up at 6 AM to a temperature of 62 degrees in the house, and called our gas company at 7 AM. We have been paying for their maintenance agreement for years, and getting the yearly inspection, but have never needed the repair service before. He was a champ, prompt and capable.

Then came the colder weather. Personally, I can't believe there isn't a Packer fan or two who are relieved that they can watch the remainder of the season in the warmth of their living rooms. I've sat in that stadium in cold, cold weather---and I didn't think I'd ever get warm again. (That is all I have to say about the sorry disintegration of Sunday's game against the Giants.)

This week I received a box of Sweet Doe goat milk soap from Iowa. Not only am I as clean as can be, my house smells wonderful. I'm putting a bar in every room and my clothing drawers. It is amazing. (I'll do a whole post later.)

Also this week, we received a gift of a jigsaw puzzle made from a US Geological Survey Map of our original home town, Iron River, Michigan. Talk about tough! Plus we have to keep it covered with my cutting mats and an afghan so the Fuzzies don't help. They would love to rearrange those pieces all over the house.

My kid, the teacher, is back to being a full-time student. She is ecstatic! Born to learn.

And my sister, the teacher, now retired, still gets a bang out of snow days. So do we. Somehow the excitement of a "day off" even extends to retirement---when we have every day off, if we so choose.

I must go fill bird feeders now. We have a huge flock of red polls who feast here each day, along with the chickadees, nuthatches, mourning doves, blue jays, squirrels and deer. I scared a deer off last evening when the car lights caught him in the back yard.

Stay warm and dry. And leave a comment.

Yet Another Yarn

Knitting Daily's motto is Make Time For Yarn Every Day.

I do this, of course, since it gives me an excuse to sit on my ... couch and make stuff.

My sister and Daisy were visiting this weekend, and while we chatted I did some "stash-busting". Here is the result. I made the cap-----the little shawlette was made for her by another friend who makes time for yarn every day.

We had some unusual events here after she left. When I got up on Tuesday morning, the temperature in the house was 62 degrees, and no amount of thermostat-twisting made the furnace kick on. Thankfully, we have a service and inspection contract with the gas companyuse and the repairman was here promptly---even before 8 AM, and he replaced a motor and repaired the fan, and we had heat by 11:30.

Our furnace is as old as the hills and we have been gathering estimates on replacing it ever since the inspection. We were warned that replacement parts would be hard to find and we should start thinking about making a change. I guess that will happen sooner, rather than later.

FYI---if you are a curious knitting person----the cap was knit with one strand of worsted on size 6 needles and 76 stitches for the ribbing. Increased to 80 and another strand of variegated yarn for the body of the cap for about 8 inches and then decreased to the top. The Prayer Shawl ministry was gifted with a number of single balls of variegated yarn and I'm combining them with worsted weight to use them up. They aren't warm enough to use alone, and there isn't enough for a pair of socks. The caps will be given away.

Have a great Thursday.

Wordless Wednesday