Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Please pass the sanitizer and kiss me.

So when I was in the mountains I got a bit of sun and thought I had an itchy back because of that. Then, Monday, I was in the grocery store and my back itched sooo bad! I was twisting in all sorts of ways to scratch my back! When Tanya got home she confirmed for me that I had mosquito bites. Ugh. They always seem to itch the most at the worst times. Ex: Right now during class.

Shout out to Art, who I just found out reads my blog!

My car has just started smelling like baby powder. I don't know where it's coming from, but I'm not fond of it.

There's an individual in the computer lab blowing his nose like a car horn, (into a handkerchief. germs!) sniffing, clearing his throat at the volume i talk to a whole class and swishing water in his mouth to rinse out pieces of the offensive smelling lunch he just ate in the computer lab. Shudder. I would like social boundaries back right now please. And some hand sanitizer.

I saw a couple walking down the side walk while I was driving home from school. They were laughing, holding hands and clearly just enjoying the moment. It was refreshing because seeing this I didn't get angry or jealous or sad because Luke and I are apart, instead I had flashbacks to our moments like that.

 I married him for the twinkle/trouble in his eyes ya know. Ahhh such flash back pictures. We're baaaabies.

What's even better, is that Kiss Me, by Six Pence None the Richer, came on. I really like that song. Really. It's such a chick flick song for a total chick flick moment.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday, August 29, 2011

Burn Scars

Today I ventured to the mountains. My mountains I call them, as they are more familiar to me than any other mountains, or beaches. My mountains are in CA on the shores of Huntington Lake. This lake below that I sat by to knit while my Dad and crew tried to catch fish. Note the Costco hotdog stitch marker. Thank you Cami!





This is how far I've gotten since I started my "sexy vesty" Saturday night.
So there are lots of things that make my mountains my mountains. The first makes me wish Rachel ray's idea of smellivision was real, and that is the Ponderosa Pine. It has the most subtle delicious smell of vanilla caramel. If you ever see me all cozied up with and sniffing a tree, it's probably a ponderosa.





Also identified by it's puzzle piece bark and needles 3.





In my mountains you can find manzanita, translated to little apple for the tiny red berries. The smooth red bark is most recognizable to me.





My mountains have these pokey berries my mom knew were safe and would eat on hikes. I always thought peeling them was too much work. They're very sweet!





You all know about my love for lupines. It was fostered here in my mountains. Here's one that's done blooming.





I took a hike to visit my momma.





Its a nice place to be quiet and still. It overlooks what you can see of our valley through the smog.





And you can see the lake on the horizon.





Back ?1995? there was a big wildfire. It wiped out a lot of the vegetation. I was amazed to see how much has grown back, and how thickly. Yet some of the scars from the fire are still there.





I think I feel like that a lot. Like I'm growing and flourishing and moving on in so many ways. But man that burn still hurts and the miss for my mom is still there and obvious.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday, August 28, 2011

One In Every Color- Workshop and the Science of Sitting

This last week I learned the science of sitting with workshops Mon-Thurs morning, classes Tues-Thurs night and a Science single subject workshop Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm!!! Yep, my butt hurts real bad. I am, however, real prepared to sit for my general science CSET on September 10. For those of you who know my tendencies to miss this brand of exam due to oversleep or alarm issues, feel free to call me and make sure I'm on my way. (I'm not yet sure of the time or location.)
On Wednesday we had a fantastic workshop with local art/education guru Terry Allen. (He has a series on Fresno area PBS.) The whole thing was right up my alley but I ESPECIALLY loved making the color wheel! I loved it so much I made my friends Chris and Destinie pose with THEIR one in every color wheels too! They loved it.





They also loved when I would jump up at the idea to integrate a standard with an art project or make a weird squee noise at a good suggestion from Mr. (Dr.?) Allen.
Among other things I also made a tree (practice with value)


and a plum (practice with analogous colors.)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday, August 26, 2011

Going Single

I'm sitting in my single subject methods class pre professor entrance. Wow, the conversations are sooo different from the kind you hear in a multiple subject (elementary credential) class. In general I'm getting the vibe that the students in the room prefer the older kids and I hear things like "At least you have seniors!" and "the freshmen are such kids!"
Bahahaha I want to bring them along on MY student teaching in first grade! Though, I admit it's refreshing to hear so much "grown up talk" and not quite so many "awwws."
Also interesting is that the pre class din includes a low pitch grumble as maybe half the class is male. In multiple subject it's a little more...shrill.

Post Class: Ah! It got even better! My professor was a hoot! She was so bright and funny And she spoke truths. Truths about the system. Truths about people. It was a relief because more often than not my multiple studies professors have been off on a cloud.
Another great thing: she referred to them as "pee breaks" not "potty breaks." Don't get me wrong I've been known to use that potty word a time or to myself but tonight, even pee sounded great!

Other things I thought were funny as we went through the syllabus:
In reference to a project "Some people will be awesome, and some people will literally crack. It's fascinating."

Re essay font:
"12 point. Don't do 9 point, I am old."

Re segment on cheating in syllabus. "Cheating is wrong. Like go to bad history hell wrong."

Also, a kid in the back of the class made a historical funny and EVERYone laughed. Enthusiastically. There are only a few of us that cool in my Multiple Subject credential classes.

All in all I forgot how much I like history classes. And grown ups. And how nerdy I am.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Gasp, Ouch, Brain Mush

Today I saw someone smoking outside fire marshals office. Is that better or worse than people who smoke outside the cancer centers?

I had a mini heart attack when a professor announced this evening that we should turn off our cell phones during class. Gasp. I clutched it tighter and left it on. Doesn't she know it has EVERYthing?! Let's re negotiate this business.

3 years of no history has turned me into a history dunce. I took a practice exam for the one I have to take for my single subject credential addition and let's just say "ouch!" I've been listening to history podcasts and reading quite a bit to refresh. I'm also signed up for 4 science workshops starting Saturday so that should help with the single subject credential science tests.


At Gun Point

Whew. So I'm in CA. I left last Monday night. I stopped and stayed with Lukes parents and then drove the rest of the way straight. It was a long day. And kind of ugly. I saw the end of a police chase in Vegas. The white chaser car was stopped with their doors open in the middle of the freeway. Three police cars were facing it dots open with officers standing behind their doors with guns pointed toward white car. There were lots of cars behind them. I went quickly past.
I'm living with my cousin Tanya and her son Ty. Its fun living with a crafter though I miss Luke dearly. I'm still in the semi mentality that it's just a week long or so trip and I'll be back with him soon. How long til that reality hits?
Right when I got to Fresno I Amy to my dads house to transfer the last of my/my sisters things there to storage. He and Sheri have moved to Merced and will be renting the Fresno house out. The transferring was thought to take a morning but took more like 2.5 days. Sigh. I did some sorting. Something like 6 large boxes were donated and a large trash and a large recycle bin was filled stuffed full. Things I didn't keep but thought were worth taking a picture of:


A sheet set my grandma Dixie gave me when I was a kid. They were flannel. I had an extra long twin bed so she had put in an extra panel with dots. I always liked to have that part by my head.


It was somehow more special.


It also lead to my body wearing holes in the sheet because it always got put on the same way.


Giant spiffy shoes I got to wear to my first high school end of year choir banquet. Every time I would pull them out of the box in years past I would exclaim. And laugh.


Involved student plaques from elementary school. I was that "cool."


This puppet I made from scratch for puppetry class. Yep I got college credit for puppetry.


And my bear. Who never had a name or gender. But it did have music box installed by my mom.


It played Favorite Things. My mom always liked that song. Its near and dear to my heart too i guess. I kept the music box.


To keep that required some surgery.
I also re discovered some old friend tapes. 4 by Raffi, like 10 Wee Sing tapes, and some GT and the Halo Express. Yep I've been driving around for the last 4 days listening to Raffi. Judge me.
After all that purging I was in need of some color love. So I sorted buttons into an organizer I found.





Then I needed some creative love. So I made these mini lipstick skirts to go with those doll sweaters.


These went to two girls whose mom made them kid size versions of these skirts out of the fabric. I swiped the scraps to make the doll skirts. Cute huh?


This set is for a friend who is turning 5 thus month.


Then, one final practical project to keep me organized in the midst of all my transitioning.











I started school today. I've decided to take some extra tests and an extra class and tack at least one single subject credential onto my multiple subject credential. It's looking like History and then either math or science maybe both. We'll see. It means a bit of studying.
Pray for me. (please.) All this has been a wee bit stressful. Will probably get a wee bit more stressful. And I missssss my Luke!
Funny thought to end with: me trying to discreetly (without drawing the attention of my neighbors) put a gorgeous sounding, big sounding, wind chime in the back yard. I already drive a bug with daisy rims do I really need more attention? Anyway. It seems I move a lot when I walk as I made a lot of noise.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Skippyjon Hunger Games with a Twist of American Girl

I have finally semi mastered the art of reading and knitting at the same time. When I would complain that knitting took away from reading time my mom would tell me how my grandma Peggy would very often read while she knit. So I knew it was possible if the pattern was simple enough.


These guys were pretty simple. Since Luke and I had just picked up The Hunger Games it seemed the time to try. Success! Though I confess I didn't really enjoy the book. It was kind of not very uplifting. And kind of a plot that's been used before. Don't get me wrong, I was sucked in and totally wanted to know what happened! BUT I also totally wanted to get it over with. Sigh. My reading groove is off as of late.

On another reading note: I love the company American Girl. Love the books, love the magazine, love the creativity they encourage, and love the dolls! Play, read, create, what's not to love!? (ok maybe the price.) But really, I think it's worth it. From the beginning I've told Luke if we have girls we're making a quest to THE original AG store in Chicago. I remember reading about it and hearing about it and finally, on a high school choir trip, going there!! Even in high school it was dreamy!
Any way, I have three friends, that I know of, with girls who have AG dolls. So I made them(the dolls) each a little bolero sweater
and a matching hair clip! There's a chance I had more fun making them than they will playing with them.
 We'll see. I plan to deliver them when I get back to Fresno.
Which will be the 17th. It crept up on me and I ignored it.

Last book note: I picked up two more Skippyjon Jones books at Costco.


That kitty boy is so funny!They came with audio CDs! I read them aloud to Luke. I enjoy those books so much! I'm pretty sure there written for grown ups.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thursday, August 11, 2011

HP Cowl Pattern

I'm on a Harry Potter kick. I re-listened to ALL the books this summer while working on my projects. The last movie came out. I discovered a paper piecing quilt pattern that I'm dying to try! AND I couldn't help but pick up this Gryffindor colored yarn in my local yarn shop, Holly Berry Knits. This yarn is a DREAM to work with! When asked for a good, head warming project, Johanna who was working there that day suggested a hoodie cowl. BUT she didn't have a pattern to recommend. I didn't find one online that I LOVED so I made one up! If you're a knitter and try it out, let me know if you find any errors. I wrote it after the fact.










HP Cowl Pattern
Materials:
· One Skein DK Yarn Color A
· One Skein DK Yarn Color B
· Size 10.5 Knitting Needles
· Slightly Smaller Knitting Needles for Picking up Cast on Edge and 3 needle bind off.


Cast on 54 Stitches
Row 1: Right Side,
K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, YO, K2Tog, K5, Slip 1, Knit 1, Slip Stitch Over, YO, K1 (17 stitches so far)
K20
K1, YO, K2Tog, K5, Slip 1, Knit 1, Slip Stitch Over, YO, K1, P1, K1, P1,K1, P1, K1 (17 stitches so far)

Row 2: Wrong Side, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 P44 K1,P1,K1,P1,K1

Row 3: Right Side,
K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, YO, K2Tog, K5, Slip 1, Knit 1, Slip Stitch Over, YO, K1 (17 stitches so far)
K20
K1, YO, K2Tog, K5, Slip 1, Knit 1, Slip Stitch Over, YO, K1, P1, K1, P1,K1, P1, K1 (17 stitches so far)

Row 4: Wrong Side, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 P44 K1,P1,K1,P1,K1

Row 5: Right Side,
K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, YO, K2Tog, K5, Slip 1, Knit 1, Slip Stitch Over, YO, K1 (17 stitches so far)
K20
K1, YO, K2Tog, K5, Slip 1, Knit 1, Slip Stitch Over, YO, K1, P1, K1, P1,K1, P1, K1
Row 6: Wrong Side, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 P44 K1,P1,K1,P1,K1
Row 7: K1, P1, K1, P1,K1, P1, K1, YO, K3, Slip Stitch, K2Tog, Slip Stitch Over, K3, YO, K1
K20
K1, YO, K3, Slip Stitch, K2Tog, Slip Stitch Over, K3, YO, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 8: Wrong Side, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 P44 K1,P1,K1,P1,K1
Row 9: K1, P1, K1, P1,K1, P1, K2, YO, K2, Slip Stitch, K2Tog, Slip Stitch Over, K2, YO, K2
K20
K2, YO, K2, Slip Stitch, K2Tog, Slip Stitch Over, K2, YO, K2, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 10: Wrong Side, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 P44 K1,P1,K1,P1,K1
Row 11: K1, P1, K1, P1,K1, P1, K3, YO, K1, Slip Stitch, K2Tog, Slip Stitch Over, K1, YO, K3
K20
K3, YO, K1, Slip Stitch, K2Tog, Slip Stitch Over, K1, YO, K3, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 12: Wrong Side, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 P44 K1,P1,K1,P1,K1
Row 13: K1, P1, K1, P1,K1, P1, K4, YO, Slip Stitch, K2Tog, Slip Stitch Over, YO, K4
K20
K4, YO, Slip Stitch, K2Tog, Slip Stitch Over, YO, K4, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1
Row 13: Change to Color B, Wrong Side, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 P44 K1,P1,K1,P1,K1
Repeat Row 1-13 alternating colors A and B until you have 4 stripes of each color.


Use another set of needles and pick up 54 stitches on cast on edge.
Then do a 3 needle bind off.


*added Wednesday December 6, 2011*
***My dearest cousin Tanya aka kniftyknittingmom created this chart for the arrow/lace/yarn over segment. Sorry I've taken so long to get it to you!
Also, if using the chart, the cowl looks more like this:
seed stitch (6 stitches), chart (11 stitches), 20 stitches of stockinnette, chart (11 stitches), seed stitch (6 stitches) ***



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

It Burns

Some people get veggie boxes from local growers, I get a bucket, box, 2 bags and a jar from one of Luke's co workers parents garden!


I set straight to work with the really ripe guys freezing tomato/onion/pepper bags to drop into stews on Christmas break! While I did that Cami finished two blocks for her first quilt!


Half way through my cutting my fingers started to burn. At first I thought my hands might be dry and that it was the citric acid from the tomatoes. Then when I had washes my hands several times and the burning persisted it finally occurred to me that these bad boys might be jalapeños. I sent this picture to Chris R. to double check.


He confirmed that they were indeed jalapeños and sent a matching picture of the ones he is growing in his garden:


Twinzies! I took his advice from past experience and had Luke take out my contacts that night as my fingers were still burning. If thats not love (and trust) I don't know what is! It's definitely an exercise in communication! Next time I'll take Christa's advice and wear gloves.
I was so intimidated by the burn of jalapeño on my fingers that I only put 1/4 of one in our burgers that night. I wish I'd put in more. The zucchini was a hit though! Made my favorite way. Baked with butter, parmesan and thinly sliced onion!


Dessert? Palisade peach cobbler! Yum!


And some one in every color love:


An aisle at Hobby Lobby!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone