I Dream I'm The Death of Orpheus

I Dream I'm the Death of Orpheus

I am walking rapidly through striations of light and dark thrown
under an arcade.

I am a woman in the prime of life, with certain powers
and those powers severly limited
by authorities whose faces I rarely see.
I am a woman in the prime of life
driving her dead poet in a black Rolls-Royce
through a landscape of twilight and thorns.
A woman with a certain mission
which if obeyed to the letter will leave her intact.
A woman with nerves of a panther
a woman with contacts among Hell's Angels
a woman feeling the fullness of her powers
at the precise moment when she must not use them
a woman sworn to lucidity
who sees through the mayhem, the smoky fires
of these underground streets
her dead poet learning to walk backward against the wind
on the wrong side of the mirror.

Adrienne Rich

I've Been Busy

"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves."

C.G. JUNG

Yes, I have been knitting - quite busily in fact. The daughter socks are almost done. I just need to graft the toes together. The yarn is DG Confetti Superwash from the bargain bin at Romni. I totally dig the stripe pattern. This time I used 2.5mm needles so, hopefully, no baggy ankles.

Her 'back-to-school' sweater has been begun as well. She chose this pattern out of all the possibilities presented and, wouldn't ya know it? The entire garment is two by two ribbing. I may go insane. Thank goodness for the softness of the merino/alpaca blend to take my mind off the tedium.

Ok, Kniterati, send your happy thoughts. Had a job interview this afternoon for a position I really, really, really want. It went well but good vibes sent my way would be appreciated.

Tomato Pickin Packages

A package arrived this morning hand delivered by my friendly postal carrier. Yes, she really is friendly and actually knocks on the door when I have a package. Inside the envelope were all these individually wrapped gifts. I was so excited, I almost forgot to photograph them before ripping them open. My SP sent a vintage glove pattern book, a set of dpn's and some cute posty notes. There was also a bath bomb that didn't get in the picture. Perhaps it didn't receive the memo? On a more personal note, there is a New Brunswick fridge magnet and a beautiful postcard of Fredericton. This increases my resolve to get to the East Coast someday. The flower photos I can only assume, are from her garden?

Best of all - FLEECE ARTIST!!! Check out the stunning colour! It's good enough to eat. Thank you, thank you Secret McSecretson!

Since today is Tomato Pick Out day here at the farm, the SP photo shoot took place in the garden. Here is an anonymous farmer deep within the tomato plants.

Right now, a giant pot of sauce simmers on the stove. It will be frozen into individual containers for the winter. Mmmm...

No, Not Dead

Just not feeling the blogging love. I've been working some crazy hours and have a couple of personal projects (crisis? dilemmas?) on the go. I intend to knit blog soon.

In the meantime, here is a picture of Kris Kristofferson for your viewing pleasure. We saw his concert this past spring and I spent most of the evening with my mouth open in awe. We're talking from the third row here. He is as hot as ever at the age of seventy!! and would be my freebie of choice these days. His music's good too.

Zucchini, Snapdragon, Basil

Next Project?

I am rather intrigued by this cotton pullover from Elann.com. I'm considering casting it on with the green Cloud Cotton I puchased several months ago. However, I have a little nagging worry that it may look too old lady-ish. Hmm...what to do?

SP8 Midterm

Everyone is doing this little beauty. I have been amazed at the thoughtfulness in everyone's answers. My own SP spoilee wrote a novella for each answer. Here goes...

1) What is your favorite season of the year?
Summer - no question. I know it's hot but the benefits outweigh the heat. I can wear dresses all the time. I spend all my leisure time outdoors - reading, knitting, gardening, eating meals. The yard literally becomes another room. I can ride to work and I don't need to put on 7 layers before going out the door. The biggest bonus is that the daughter is out of school. All those stories that joke about moms anxiously awaiting the return of September, are lies.

2) Where is your favorite vacation spot?
Hmm...I haven't actualy been on that many vacations, really. Way back, when I was a lass, I went to visit a friend who was living in NYC at the time. I absolutely loved it and have always wanted to return. The family always goes to the same place - a boating vacation. It's very nice but I'd like to try something else. It sounds tacky but I've always wanted to try a resort. The idea of going somewhere that's 100% R&R really appeals to me. Maid service, dining room, lounge and activities all on one site? Sounds like pre-fabbed heaven.

3) If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
One answer but two places. I've never seen either ocean so I'd like to visit both.
Vancouver Island and Prince Edward Island.

4) If you could pick any job, and be paid well, what would it be?
Always wanted to be a background singer. baby baby, ooo, baby baby...

5) If you won a shopping spree to your favorite Yarn shop, what would you get??
Silk and more silk! Maybe with a bit of cotton and a touch of nylon for shape. And enough of it to knit a dress - something flowy and stunning. I guess I'd have to buy a ton of books and magazines as well, in order to find the perfect pattern.

Grateful For

Here I sit at a lovely air conditioned branch of the Toronto Public Library. My house is a damp sauna full of dirty dishes and about 110 degrees with the humidex. I refuse to turn on the air conditioning beacause:
a) I'm cheap
b) I feel guilty cooling the whole house when I am the only person home, and
c) I take heed of the City's plea for conservation during peak times (really, I do)

I went to a mall after dropping the daughter at her cool, shady, splash pad daycamp. Malls obviously are not heeding requests to avoid over air-conditioning. It was parka weather in there and I'm wearing a tank top. Not a comfortable situation in more ways than one (you all know what I mean).
So, back to gratitude. One of the exercises I'm doing lately to get myself a bit more together is a morning checklist of blessings. I have the defeating habit of waking up anxious and fretful about all the tasks that need doing that day. This tends to be a downer, ya know? So, the idea is to, before getting up, quickly list 5 things you are grateful for. Often it's as simple a "there's a nice breeze today" or "my pillow is soft". With me, something yarn related is almost in there. Anyway, it puts off the worry until at least coffee time, when the world seems a bit more manageable.
How is all this rambling related? Well, as I sit here reading knitting books and writing letters and using the free internet, I know that tomorrow the air conditioned, (but not too much), and blessedly quiet TPL is going to be at the top of my list.
Now I'm going to knit in the corner.