Hip Hop Nutcracker! Now with more info!!

We saw The Hip Hop Nutcracker at The Fabulous Fox Theatre! And, wow, what a theatre!

Incredible on the outside...

Mind-blowing on the inside. That isn't even the half of it... our seats were quite high my phone was supposed to be off, but I couldn't help it.

Anyway, reviews were mixed. Kate was tired and not all that into it*. I liked it a lot... closer would have been better.

Here's a little clip/blurb from a few years ago, but it's exactly the show we saw.

*Instead of HHN, we could have gone to concerts by Nathaniel Rateliff, Bob Seger, or Kenny G... heehee.

And that's a NaBloPoMo wrap.

Hey, Saint Louis.

Posting a photo from my phone obviously DID NOT WORK! What posted in the original post wasn't even one-quarter of the original shot (now updated, above)... but hey, that crane tho!! Hahaha.

This was taken late Thursday from the steps of the St. Louis Art Museum. What a beautiful place... all of it.

Meet me in St. Louis! << Wouldn't that be fun??

Kate & I are headed south this evening, with an overnight at an as-yet undetermined location in Illinois. We've tended to do St. Louis in whirlwind fashion and this trip will be no exception, as we'll be back home by Saturday.

The main reason for the trip is Ruth Asawa: Life's Work at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. I've been interested in Ruth Asawa's work because:

How could I not be? I saw just this very small installation at the de Young Museum in San Francisco in 2010 and was positively smitten from that very moment. So intriguing.

Kate's familiar because her Master's thesis at Edinburgh was about Black Mountain College, where Ruth Asawa lived/worked/studied with the likes of Josef Albers (another favorite) and Buckminster Fuller for a few years.

I mean... REALLY!

It's just amazing. I'm very excited to see much, much more of her work. And since we won't likely meet in St. Louis and enjoy this show together, here is a pretty cool link to View an Asawa Installation at ruthasawa.com (and a million other fascinating things to click on there).

We will also visit the St. Louis Art Museum to see Kehinde Wiley: Saint Louis, and have tickets to The Hip Hop Nutcracker, and hope to get over to see the Christmas display at Anheuser-Busch (which is walking distance from our Airbnb, so very likely!). It would be interesting to see how the holiday display at the Botanical Garden has changed from last year, and it would be great to catch some jazz/blues somewhere... we'll see. Whirlwind.

_ _ _ _ _

I can't let this day pass, it seems, without acknowledging this accomplishment...

Happy EIGHTH Birthday, Parcheesi! You're still my favorite project, and still looking beautiful.

On Sunday, I helped Kate pick out her tree. Delivery was free!! Rusty helped her haul it upstairs and set it in the stand, and I watched her decorate it.

She's using a lot of vintage ornaments that were my mom's, and found a cute tinsel garland at the thrift store.

Some old are more fragile than others and remained in the box. Mom had quite a collection of these pot/lantern things, though, so a fair number are actually on the tree!

I love those old ornament boxes! I'll post a pic of her tree in its full glory. 

Tomorrow, we're off on an adventure,.. stay tuned!

Shameless self-promotion follows.

I’m having a blast and am humbled by the lovely response to this latest phase in my ongoing yarn-y endeavours! Kate's been encouraging me for quite a long time and, yes, she did sort of smirk when she asked, "Aren't you glad you finally did that?"

I’ve updated online shop inventory, and have added some brand new and a fair bit of OOAK* hand-dyed “Be” fingering/sock yarn!

Use discount code MONDAY for 20% off any online order

Use SHIPFREE for free shipping on orders over $50

Codes valid now through, well, MONDAY (today, midnight CST)!

Oh, and a FREE MINI-SKEIN will accompany every order, while supply lasts!!

It should all work but, y’know, this is all new… so let me know if you have any problems checking out!

*I've never been very good at the color name game... still searching for the elusive inspirational theme that will solve all my problems.

Now that I'm getting older...

I need a bigger TV! Haha. I guess it doesn't look all that big in the photo, but it's 50" vs. our old 32". I bought the 32" because it was the biggest that would fit in our entertainment center and I wasn't ready to give that up. Now I am. It's a nice piece of furniture and, for now, it's going to be repurposed into yarn storage. It'll also make my workroom look nicer.

Seriously, though, mine eyes!! Ugh. That is the absolute worst thing about getting older. I hate it.

There's a lot of rearranging to do, as obviously I don't have a single piece of furniture that's wide enough to accommodate that new TV! The old TV, entertainment center & accessories are all still where they were -- because what if I didn't like the new one? We'll watch the Packers tonight on the "big screen"!

I found my knitting machines stashed behind the entertainment center!

I didn't do any yarn dyeing or rearranging of furniture yesterday (to speak of), but I did wash windows and do some holiday decorating outside. It was in the mid-40s(F)!!

I bought a really nice window washer/squeegee thing a few years ago and it's one of the best things I've ever purchased! It made such quick work of the kitchen windows -- which had been driving me nuts now that it's full-on morning sun instead of filtered -- that I moved on to the garden room windows and then I had the bright idea to do my dye studio windows!

These are windows that had been painted (exterior storms) once or twice in 31 years but opened for the first time only last year! I had never washed them -- and I'm pretty sure that the painter/Rusty didn't (at least not to specs) -- so it was quite thrilling to see the difference. Clean on the left, dirty on the right -- at this is without the storm windows, so it was even a bit worse.

I did this candy cane stripey thing on the front porch pillars (different/bigger pillars) years ago and the kids always want me to do it again. I don't always... but this year, it's DOUBLE! It turned out OK, I think.

Then, of course, it was time for a nap.

I am working on the Appleseed Mitts from the Mason-Dixon Field Guide No. 8 - Merry Making! I'd already bound off the first mitt and this was my re-do... it was too tight the first time, of course! VeryPink's YouTube tutorial for a tubular bind-off was just the ticket! I finished that (perfect!), knit the thumb, and am on my way with mitt #2.

We had a really nice day yesterday!

I fiddled with the tree lights -- wadding up three non-working half-strings and stuffing them near the trunk, and putting on four new 50-light strings. 

Ali and the kids came over in the early afternoon and, as expected, excitement was off the charts once they noticed it.

They decorated the little wire tree in the kitchen, first, and then we moved on to the big one...

There's a bit more to do, and Maddy's box of ornaments await her arrival next week, but the bulk of it is done. Earlier than ever! That probably means it'll come down earlier than ever, too, but who knows... I really do love the light!

Ginny had a favorite branch for hanging ornaments!  :)

Our menu was simple and delicious, the main event being Cooking Light's Instant Pot Turkey & Sage Dumpling Soup. My only mods to the recipe were that I probably added a bit more veg, and I'd bought a split turkey breast that I had to de-bone myself and I went right ahead and cut it into pieces, too. I was worried that the small pieces would get overcooked, but they were perfect, and it eliminated the messy step of removing the turkey after it was cooked to shred/cut it up. That recipe is a keeper!

I'm off of work today, and plan to do some rearranging of furniture and also some yarn dyeing! Yahoo for long weekends!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I had to do some straightening up this morning because the cleaning ladies were coming. It's just a happy circumstance that it's the day before Thanksgiving! (And it'll be just a few days before Christmas!)

Rusty helped bring the tree upstairs this morning, worried that a painting project he had planned in the basement would be in the way later.

My check & cleaning at the dentist went great. My hygienist is a brand new mom just back to work this week, so we were even chattier than usual.

My chiropractor appointment went well. After suspecting that she was pregnant my last two visits, today it was confirmed!!

I had time for a quick lunch and a thrift store stop (nothing good), and then my re-check mammogram appointment... which I was not too worried about but still not exactly excited about, either.

I've taken better selfies, but I think you can tell that things went OK! I barely sat down after the first two images were taken, while the radiologist took a look to determine whether ultrasound was needed, when the technician came in and said that there was NOTHING THERE. Yahoo.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Today in {yesterday's} screenshots!

Maddy & Viv saw Fleetwood Mac in Portland last night!! Heyyyy! I don't know quite how I feel about the 50 years part of Fleetwood Mac - 50 Years - Don't Stop, but what a collection.

Rusty wanted a screenshot of his Instagram page yesterday to insert into his most recent email to subscribers. He's got the hang of IG and has been posting more frequently, so wants to promote it more. He said, "Maybe you could help me when you get home." Haha. In about 3 seconds, it was in his in-box.

I love taking screenshots, especially from the more fleeting platforms such as Snapchat and IG stories -- the trick is catching them before they disappear, and I don't always make it. It's like a little game...

Eight weeks ago, having recently let my WW membership lapse, I was recruited by Kate to join her in a commitment to eat better and lose some weight. So I reacquainted myself with my Lose It app and we started planning & logging (the key to success no matter the program)! We coordinate dinners as much as we can and mostly cook & eat at home! It can be tiresome... sometimes I think we need something new in rotation, and not just a dish, a big new actual palatable, main-dishable ingredient thing... but we're managing. We're not doing any one thing, just buying, preparing & eating Real Good Food.

There's only one scale in the house and it happens to be in Kate's apartment, so once every week or so, on the weekend or my day off, before breakfast & getting dressed, I wrap a scarf 'round my neck and step into some boots (not even bothering to zip/tie) and dash outside & up the stairs in my bathrobe for a weigh-in.

I've lost 10.6 pounds since then. Not setting the world on fire, but that's OK! I've done some traveling, some socializing, some celebrating, and still... my clothes fit better (ok, yes, I'm talking about jeans) and I feel better, win-win.

I don't have any other photos to show today, so you get yarn. These are in the shop now. There's more on the drying rack, and an order arriving at the end of the week!

I'm finally going to start Bunching Along!

I've been itching to cast on since I first read about it, but there were other thing I needed to get done first... who am I? waiting to finish other things??

The yarn is wound, I'm ready to find my DPNs, and will be casting on the Appleseed Mitts this evening. Yahoo.

(I also really, really, really want to knit one or two or three Slip-Stitch Caps!)

Yep. I forgot to blog yesterday! I made that realization in the middle of the night, but I did not lose any sleep over it. Heh.

Yesterday was FULL!

I ran some errands in the morning, which included a little socializing with the local spinning/fiber group. And by a little, I mean around :45! It was on my route, though, and it worked out.

Then the kiddos came over so Mom & Dad could do a little kid-free shopping and they even grabbed a bite to eat together.

Ginny & Junah helped me with some new fall decor:

We played and had snacks and watched a movie.

Malina is sitting up so great that I thought I could try the booster seat high chair thingy, and she did great! What do you think, what is that face telling us... does she like avocado??

I gave all the kids their mukluks, but this is the only photo I got. I kept them all here, though, so I'll try again on Thursday! Bonus: 5-year-old Baby Leggings that I originally knit for Junah!

It's a sunny morning -- the kind of morning that I love best in the studio -- so off I go! I'll be back with the real "18" later... unless I forget!!

Since the kids are coming over tomorrow for a while around lunchtime...

Y'all might not have to wait until Thanksgiving for a modeled shot!! I don't think I'll be able to keep them to myself!

I knit a pair of these for Rusty in the past and lemme just say that these littles were WAY more fun!

Have a great weekend. I'll check in sometime tomorrow, of course!

3TT*

Thing 1 -- I dropped a Wonder Clip the other night, heard it skitter on the floor, and got up to look for it -- twice. I didn't come up with it, but I did find an earring that I'd lost weeks ago! I was beginning to think it was truly lost and had already bought a cheap (but rather nice) knock-off pair -- because they're practically part of my uniform.

Thing 2 -- There's only one pair of Mukluks left to sew up! They're the biggest, but between Knit Night & tonight's Packer game, I ought to be able to get them done today!

Thing 2b -- What to knit next???

Thing 3 -- Dyeing.

I spent Tuesday morning down there and it was glorious -- the light on a sunny morning is so great! Looking forward to some dye time this weekend. It sure helps to brighten up a cold November day.

Visit Carole to read more *Three Things on Thursday posts.

Joining Kat & the Unravelers... 

KNITTING:

OMG. Mukluks!

These are Malina's! The first of three pair that I intended as Christmas presents, but I think they're going to be Thanksgiving Tree Trimming Party presents!

I already have one of Ginny's slippers sewn together... reclaiming enough Wonder Clips to at least get Junah's prepped for sewing.

I've double-stitched Malina's because she's going to be crawling soon and those toes, especially, will need reinforcement!

READING:

You probably don't even need to read about what I'm reading... but I swear, I'm almost finished with The Best Cook in the World: Tales From my Momma's Table by Rick Bragg. I have one chapter and a few recipes to go! Perhaps I'm drawing it out because I'll be sad when I'm finished...

On deck is Fashion Climbing: A Memoir with Photographs by Bill Cunningham. It's not nearly as long... and has more pictures!

Speaking of found things, particularly money...

Spot the $20 bill!

I have a couple of tins in which I keep my traveling sewing supplies -- various types of needles, thread, scissors, thimbles -- and at the bottom of one is a $20 bill. It's been there for a long time -- a few years -- and I can't recall why I put it there in the first place, but I keep forgetting about it and am surprised when I find it again... every.single.time. I doubt I'd even remember it was there if I was ever so desperate!!

Oh, Alabama!! It was a year ago that Kym & I were at the Alabama Chanin 3-Day Workshop -- I've been seeing FB reminders of that very fun trip. My "I Got Swamped" pin from Judy Hood's Swampette Tour is peeking from under some scissors in the top tin. I wish I was further along on my Car Jacket, but it's been out on my work table and I've definitely been thinking about it... even making a stitch now and then. *sigh*

One of the things I always have with me is tissue -- usually those little packs that fit easily into a pocket or purse. So I really loved the very useful little gift that Kathy gave me YEARS ago, and I used it almost everyday... until I lost it!

But, last week, when I stuck my hand into the pocket of my winter coat for the first time this "winter," I found it! Oh happy day! It made me almost as happy as when I've done that and found $10 or $20!

Haha. Almost.   :)

I had an impromptu Pajama Day yesterday, which resulted in my FINALLY getting a start on listing some magazines on ebay -- HERE and HERE -- with plenty more to come, including MORE magazines, some clothes, and some photography gear.

I made it a point to get out of the house today -- the grocery store, etc. -- but also listed some YARN at Make.Do! Here's a peek:

Most of it is sock yarn, and it's all OOAK (and therefore very limited) at the moment. I guess I did my first SHOP UPDATE! (Feels weird.)

Hope you've had a great weekend! I will see you again tomorrow...

DID NOT DISAPPOINT!

Rusty, Kate, Ali & I went to see Bohemian Rhapsody last night. LOVED THE CAST! Rami Malek was incredible as Freddie, and Gwilym Lee simply must share DNA with Brian May. I might agree with some of the critics' quibbles -- if I was looking for an extensive in-depth biopic or a film. It's not that. It is a very entertaining movie! We laughed, we cried, we sang along! Can't ask for more.

Eye Candy Friday!

At least it's pretty?? Happy Weekend!

3TT: Randomly (sort of)

Thing 1

It's getting real around here. I saw snow on the ground on our way to MN on Monday (not much of it, but still... on the ground) and it looks like I might wake up to about an inch tomorrow, with another inch falling in the morning hours. That's a lot better than the 3-6" I'd seen in the forecast earlier today. YUCK, no matter how many or few inches!

Thing 2

We've started the conversation about Christmas around here! Specifically, that at least some of us are going to be drawing names again. We did that for years and I think it started to fade when Sharon died and, for sure, everything about Christmas changed after my mom died. This year, I already know that Thanksgiving is going to be very low key (possibly one of those "lasagna" Thanksgivings) but I'm thinking it might be a FULL-ON CHRISTMAS!!

Thing 3

I've even started some Christmas knitting for the kiddos!

Visit Carole to read more "Three Things on Thursday" posts.

I was going to tell you about my day today, which started with a long-overdue doctor appointment, followed by a drive up to Sturgeon Bay with Rusty to pick up some artwork, a lovely lunch stop, a bit of shopping, and a nap when I got home.

Then I revisited some photos that Ali shared over the past couple of days...

Junah, the "fancy" dresser!

A very chill Malina wearing the Oshkosh B'gosh pink floral corduroy footie overalls worn by her mother and all of her aunts!! Quality (30+ years) for the WIN!!

Who loves her big sister???

OMG. Malina & Ginny -- FUTURE MISCHIEF MAKERS, right there!!!

(You're welcome!!)

I'm 60 today!

That's kind of crazy, no? It sure feels crazy to me! Also a blurry photo... but of the 14,000 that I took and the 7 or 8 that I kept, I kind of like it (and it's different from the one posted elsewhere).

Kate & I took a quick trip to Minneapolis... stopping in/around Marshfield, WI, on the way to visit my Aunt Carol (my godmother). I'd hoped to visit with Aunt Arlene, too, but a doc appointment interfered. One of these days... (and maybe I have the motivation now to organized a larger get together).

After a quick bowl-of-soup lunch at The Kitchen Table, we were on our way...

Kate had booked our room at the Crown Plaza Downtown and our room opened to a lovely (even in the cold & rain) patio!

We went to a fabulous restaurant called BANK, that's actually located in a former bank.

It was AMAZING!!

As were our meals. Kate had duck, which she counts among her Top 5 Most Memorable Meals, and I had salmon and must say the same!

Also fabulous cocktails and stellar service. RECOMMEND.

Then we walked over to the concert venue (everything was within walking distance, which was nice... even if in the cold & rain).

Gregory Alan Isakov! It was a sold-out show, I heard. I believe it... it was crowded and SO HOT!!

But so worth it. He is as good in person as on vinyl (or however you take it), if not better. I love it that way!! The band was excellent. I really loved it.

It was a super dreary (cold & rain) drive home, but we planned on a few stops and added a couple more along the way.

On the way out of Minneapolis-St. Paul, we stopped at a couple of thrift stores... one in each city.

Kate scored some really great shoes... I found some knitting needles, sewing notions, and a Blue Willow plate (for the elusive mosaic projects that will happen one of these days).

Also shown are a pair of pansy pillowcases and a hank of sport-weight hand-spun alpaca yarn from a stop at Nueske's/District No. 3 Antiques (not shown: smoked pork chops), a traditional box of chocolates and a watercolor card from Rusty.

He also framed my Peter Ribbick print of Portencross Castle! Now I just need to find a place to hang it.

I've been having a blast with birthday wishes all day long, which has helped to ease the anxiety of the Election Day portion of my 60th birthday. I've been happy, if not surprised (given all the amazing and wonderful people who comprise my Friend lists) to see all of the "I Voted" stickers today! The polls close in an hour, and I just hope hope hope for a very blue birthday!

Here's to 61 and beyond!  ;)

I am smack dab in the middle of a long weekend, heading to Minneapolis today for the Gregory Alan Isakov concert this evening. We'll hit a couple of museums tomorrow* before heading home.

I did some dyeing over the weekend... indigo and more! I barely spent two seconds in my basement dye studio over the summer, and it was a year ago that we were getting it all set up... I guess autumn/winter is my time down there!

*I cast my ballot weeks ago so I wouldn't have to worry about making it home in time! Fingers crossed!!

Be like Cher...

Did you remember to do it??

Back in the day, Saturday Sky was a THING... amongst many knit-bloggers, at any rate.

I think of "Saturday Sky" and Sandy, the "founder," if you will, almost any time I take a photo of the sky. There she is a couple of Saturdays ago (with a little sky peeking through) sandwiched between Cara & me.

Here are a few of my recent faves (none of these actually taken on Saturday, haha!):

According to the location feature on my phone, this photo was taken above Indiana on my way home from Rhinebeck. I just happened to glance out and spotted the moon, and the dusky glow of day-into-night. (Edited to remove reflections in the window.)

This was one of the weirdest/eeriest skies I've ever seen. I was at work and the camera is facing SE-ish, so it's morning and there's blue sky and a nice bright sun, but you can see on the right and overhead that there is a looming gray mass and it filled the entire sky behind me (west) and was closing in north & south, too. It was dark and light and weird and wonderful (to a sky-watcher)!

I took a walk to the credit union on Halloween with Kate and we were struck by the glow of this maple in front of my friend Susan's house. I'm not sure she saw us... Trick-or-Treat time was just about to begin and perhaps she just thought we were two goons out on the sidewalk!

It was pretty spectacular (and, y'know, soon to be bare branches), especially that gorgeous blue sky peeking through yellow leaves.

New thing, sorta scary:

Has a brand new website!

There goes October!

#1secondeveryday #nablopomo2018 #whynot

Maybe I'll get my groove back...