keep on keeping on

What's New?

We took new kitty back to the no-kill shelter that we adopted him from. It was a very hard thing to do, but it was the right thing to do. While sweet and loving towards us, he was totally uninterested in our other cat Athena. She tried to play with him, snuggle with him, and groom him... but he wasn't interested. The whole reason we adopted him was to provide a kitty friend for Athena. On top of that he also had food issues. Not needs special food issues. We can do that. But I've starved before so now I think food will always be scarce no matter how often or how much my people feed me issues. It was too much.

In garden news, I finally cleaned up my raised beds for winter, planted two types of garlic, and scattered some nitrogen-fixing seeds on top. I'm hoping the cover crop seeds grow, but I realized I started them very late in the growing season. I know there are rules and guidelines for gardening that, if followed, would make my gardening experience more successful. But the realities of life often get in the way of following those rules and guidelines.

In kitchen news, I've started cleaning out and reorganizing my pantry cabinet. I had tried to use some plastic bulk food containers for rice and grains but they just didn't work. They didn't stack well, and they always just seemed awkward. So I've decided to donate them and use what I have: glass canning jars. They are plentiful, inexpensive (I buy most of mine at Goodwill), easy to clean and I just like the way they look. I added simple labels and grouped foods by type. Now all my dried fruit are on the same shelf, all the grains are on the same shelf, etc. I still have more to clean out and organize. Seeing progress so far helps to motivate me to keep it clean.

Currently Reading

• The Martian by Andy Weir

On the Needles

I've started seaming my Wood Hollow Vest. It's a slow process for me, since I don't have a ton of seaming experience and I want to get it right.

I've worked a bit on my Bonny top while on the bus. It's a great bus knit - simple and easy to pick up and put down.

I started knitting Gramps for my nephew Xander. It's going to be tight, since I'm a little short on yarn, but with some creativity I think I can make it work. I've already divided for the sleeves, so now it looks like a sweater instead of a blob.

Looking Forward To

1. getting together with friends for food & games

hello Autumn

I started this post three weeks ago. And then we went on strike. This has been one of the strangest Septembers I've ever experienced. Here it is, the last full week of September, and it's barely the first full week of school. My brain has had a hard time with that dissonance. So mostly to help myself, here's a photo update.

My CSA box continues to arrive weekly, filled to the brim with more vegetables than I know what to do with. I enjoy the challenge, and enjoy learning about new veggies. Last week was "what do I do with a huge head of cabbage?"

Our new school under construction. September marks the beginning of our last year in our temporary building. This time next year we'll be teaching in a brand new facility!

This huge shawl is finally washed and blocked, just in time for the change in the weather.

Unfortunately, instead of starting school on time we found ourselves picketing. My district, by far the largest in the state, went on strike for the first time in 30 years. Our school community is incredibly supportive, which makes all the difference as we pace back-and-forth, often clocking over 10 miles worth of steps each day.

This year I've committed myself to riding the bus to work more often, so that when I find myself sitting in traffic I can read, or knit, or daydream instead of grit my teeth. So far I've met my goal of taking the bus three times a week.

Kristi and I made it out to our favorite sunset spot a couple weeks ago just in time to see this gorgeous view. I can't imagine living away from the coast (this is technically the Sound).

In the midst of our strike, some of our parents and students installed this banner in the middle of the night. It lifted all of our spirits to be reminded that we have such a supportive community. So supportive, that when they realized other school communities in poorer neighborhoods were not able to give as much, they decided to partner up with one of those schools and help out.

 I volunteered as a picket captain during the strike, and my amazing coworkers gave me these beautiful flowers as a thank-you gift.

project 52: week 10

What is Project 52? It's a little like Project 365, but instead of the goal of posting a photo each day, I'll post a photo or two each week along with a short update. Really I just need a little push to post something every week. Since I like to keep this space positive, posting every week forces me to look back and find something shiny to talk about (ten points if you get that reference). Some weeks that's a piece of cake. Other weeks it's more of a challenge, and those weeks give this task true meaning.

First weekday morning frost. The light shining through the window is from a security light, not the sun.

 What's New?
It's beginning to feel a lot like... deep autumn. We reached freezing temperatures at night this week, with daytime highs in the 40's. We're down to nine and a quarter hours of daylight (our shortest is about eight and a half). Our space-heaters are getting a workout. I set up our tiny crock pot for hot beverages (we alternate between spiced apple cider and mulled wine). All the blankets are on the bed. Cats are becoming more interested in laps and snuggles. Soup is becoming a prominent weekly meal.

Currently Reading
Still making my way through Anne Rice's The Witching Hour. I swear if I had a day off I would just sit and read until my eyes hurt! I'm about halfway through at this point, and I blame this book on my lack of sleep. My habit is to read in bed every night, even if it's just a paragraph. But since I started this book I read for hours before finally realizing that my wake-up time is drawing dangerously near. Still, it's a good problem to have.

On the Needles
I've picked up my Hue Shift Afghan again and am nearly finished with the second of four panels. It's a comforting knit, easy on the brain, perfect for television viewing.

This weekend I'm picking up some yarn for niece and nephew holiday hats, although I haven't decided on patterns yet. Here are some possibilities. I've knit both the Hurricane Hat, and the Barley before, and I really like both patterns. I think the Ear Flap Hat would be cute for my youngest nephew.

Clockwise from upper left (Hurricane Hat, Declan's Hat, Garter Ear Flap Hat, Barley). Photos from Ravelry.com

I'm also going flannel shopping this weekend so I can sew up some pajama pants for my niece and nephews. I started doing this almost yearly when my oldest nephew was young. Now I have four kiddos to sew and knit for (and soon to be five!).

Looking Forward To

1. getting started on holiday projects
2. a week off from school

project 52: week 8

What is Project 52? It's a little like Project 365, but instead of the goal of posting a photo each day, I'll post a photo or two each week along with a short update. Really I just need a little push to post something every week. Since I like to keep this space positive, posting every week forces me to look back and find something shiny to talk about (ten points if you get that reference). Some weeks that's a piece of cake. Other weeks it's more of a challenge, and those weeks give this task true meaning.

Pretty much every day this week.

What's New?
This past week has been filled with rain, yarn, and sickness. The bug I caught at the end of last week has held on, despite my best efforts. I took two days off work this week, which pretty much never happens. I made and ate chicken noodle soup, drank copious amounts of tea, took over the counter medication, rested every chance I got, and even ventured into herbal remedies. Still, it hangs on. I lost my voice completely for three days!

I'm gearing up to return to outdoor school, this time with my 6th graders. There is no tent camping on the menu for this trip, just warm cabins. I think I can do it, but I'd sure like to be well. We'll see.

Currently Reading
Even as I'm technically in the middle of three books, the reality is that I've been solely reading one in particular this past week. The world of Anne Rice is just so enticing, especially now that I've actually been to New Orleans. I completely understand the allure and magic of that place. It's just so other-worldly. The gas lamps, the Spanish moss, the crypts, the colonial architecture, the towering trees...

• The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk

• Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds by Lyanda Lynn Haupt

• The Witching Hour by Anne Rice

On the Needles
It's hat-making time. Sometimes I just get a hankering to knit a particular thing, regardless of whatever projects are currently on the needles. So while I await instructions from family about color and size preference for my niece and nephews, I'm busy turning leftover balls of yarn into a variety of hats. So far I've knit a hat for myself with leftover yarn from my fingerless gloves, and another with leftover yarn from a sleep sack I made for baby Mason.

Looking Forward To

1. being well
2. visiting the rain-forest again

project 52: week 5

What is Project 52? It's a little like Project 365, but instead of the goal of posting a photo each day, I'll post a photo or two each week along with a short update. Really I just need a little push to post something every week. Since I like to keep this space positive, posting every week forces me to look back and find something shiny to talk about (ten points if you get that reference). Some weeks that's a piece of cake. Other weeks it's more of a challenge, and those weeks give this task true meaning.

Sunshine & kitties

What's New?
Well, I didn't make it to the Northwest Tea Festival. But I did find time to read this article about tea & science. My favorite part:

As an aside, having been to America and sampling the weak tea made there, it must be stressed that the teabag should either be in a pot or the mug itself; it is not sufficient just for it to be in the same room.

It's all about whether or not you should add milk first, or last. According to the article, not adding milk is not an option.

I'm heading into the Olympic Peninsula next week for outdoor school with my 8th graders, and I've already packed many bags of tea. It's going to be rainy and cold, for sure, as autumn has finally arrived to Western Washington. So this weekend I'm heading to Goodwill to see what kind of warm clothing I can find for cheap.

Currently Reading
I finished The Midwife's Tale and The Origin of Satan late last week, and I've been spending most of my reading time in The Fifth Sacred Thing. I imagine that next week while I'm in the woods I'll lean more towards Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds.

• The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk

• Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds by Lyanda Lynn Haupt

On the Needles
I finished my legwarmers! Last night they came off the needles. I still need to weave in ends before I pack them in my bag for this week's outdoor adventure. They fit perfectly from my ankles to my knees, so I anticipate having warm legs (at least the lower portion).

Looking Forward To

1. spending time outdoors next week with 3 awesome teachers and a whole bunch of 8th graders
2. coming home to my warm comfy bed at the end of the above-mentioned adventure

ready for autumn

The tree outside my classroom window is also ready for autumn.

I'm ready for autumn.

Summer is great. It really is. I'm a teacher and that means that summer is my time to garden, explore, and most importantly - to breathe.

But I'm not a summer person. I don't enjoy heat - I like rain and cool air. I don't know how to cook summer food - I'm a pro at soup and comfort food. And I don't know what to do with myself when I have no schedule. I know, cry me a river. There are worse problems to have. All I'm saying is that I eagerly welcome crisp air, rain, sweaters, hot soup, candles, watching the leaves turn, and everything else that speaks of autumn.

Of course, being a teacher, autumn also means the beginning of school. And while much of that is awesome (new beginnings, eager faces), I also struggle sometimes with the amount of stress that comes along with it.

So I'm going to take a page from my summer book and breathe. Just breathe.

fires and fabric

What's New?
Thanks to this post, I've found myself filling my extra time (what little I have) with meaningful endeavors. Last weekend, when Joe and I realized we had no specific evening plans, we decided to invite some friends to join us at the nearby beach for a bonfire with s'mores. It was cold, but clear (no rain in Seattle during fall is something to celebrate). Next time we'll bring more wood so we can have a bigger fire. I only bought one bundle, not knowing how much we'd need.

Last weekend also included a trip to the big fabric store so I could work on my nephew Mason's quilt. I already had one fabric for the back (Alexander Henry's adorable zoo print, which I used as inspiration for the colors on the front), but I had initially bought not enough to cover the whole quilt back. So, I found a complimentary solid and got to work putting together the quilt layers.

I want the quilt to be ready in time for Christmas, and I think that will be possible. I'm still not sure what I'll use for binding, but I have some time to figure that out. Right now I'm quilting the layers together. After that I'll trim it so that each edge is straight, and then comes binding. I think I might take the almost-finished quilt to my local fabric store and ask the owner for her recommendation on binding. She has a good eye.

Currently Reading (I'm up to 40 books read this year - just might make my goal of 50)

• Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater - Finished this week. I love this series and I can't wait for the next one. The characters are well-developed, the female protagonist holds her own, and the supernatural elements are fascinating.
• If It's Not One Thing, It's Your Mother by Julia Sweeney - Finished this weekend. This was a funny read about family. I appreciated the author's candor and humor.
• The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (book three in the YA zombie series) - Just started this last night. Looking forward to a good read.

On the Needles
I've been slowly working on finishing my striped Idlewood sweater. I got to the end of the first sleeve, and I've ripped it back a couple inches and started again about three times. I just couldn't decide how to end the sleeve, but I think I'll stick with my current approach. I went down one needle size, started a 3x3 ribbing and decreased on the second row to 3x2 ribbing. The leftover yarn looks like just enough for the second sleeve, but there's a real possibility that I'll run out. Cross your fingers.

Looking Forward To

1. meeting an old friend, and some new ones, at a local coffee shop for a proper stitch and bitch

changing leaves

artful leaf arrangement by one of my students

What's New?
Autumn is the season when the Earth slows down, bundles up, and gets ready for a long winter nap. Autumn is also the beginning of school. As a teacher, that means autumn is the time when my work ramps up into high gear and I find myself whizzing through September so fast that I barely realize it's gone until the second week of October. I find this dichotomy fascinating, yet also a bit sad. While my spirit wants to spend lazy evenings tucked in bed under a warm blanket with a good book, my brain tells me I need to work at a frenzied pace.

carrots from my garden

I know this is mainly due to the added stress and work involved in changing schools and districts, but I feel especially sad about this autumn. I missed the fair this year. I fear I missed apple picking as well. If I'm not careful, I'll miss the pumpkin patch. I haven't put up any of my autumn decorations. I'm not Martha Stewart, by far, but I do have a few seasonal decorations that make me happy.

the trees near my home

I do have some bright spots ahead, though, and I try to focus on those. Joe has asked me to knit him some fingerless gloves (something I've been wanting to do for some time now), and we bought yarn for them on his birthday. I'm joining a friend later this month for a Meetup knitting group at a neighborhood coffee shop. And last, but not least, riding the bus (along with walking to and from bus stops) has afforded me much time to gaze and wonder at the beautiful changing leaves.

my 6th graders collecting depth data

I took my 6th graders to the creek across the street to gather data for their first field study. It was a bit exhausting marching them over and back again (and then doing it again for the other two 6th grade classes), but I think we all had fun.

Currently Reading

• The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan - I finished this book this week, and I enjoyed it so much that I've put the 3rd book in the trilogy on my library queue. 
• The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater - book #2 in the Raven Boys series.

On the Needles
I've picked up my striped Idlewood sweater after many months of neglect. The only thing it needs is sleeves (and one of them was almost finished already), so really there's no excuse not to finish it. After it is done I'll start up again on my Leaflet sweater (which is also almost finished) so that I can start Joe's gloves.

Looking Forward To

1. a beautiful week coming up

foggy

What's New?

This week has been a doozy! We've had a block schedule to accommodate standardized testing, which means that we have our classes for twice the amount of time, but see them every other day. This also means that we only have our prep period every other day. On top of that, Wednesday night was parent night, the book sale fundraiser was going on, we had two unplanned fire drills, and Friday was spirit day complete with an assembly schedule. I got three new-to-the-building students this week, and several others with schedule changes. Work has been tough this week, to say the least. I chose the pictures for this post for two reasons: I've spent much more time than usual at my school this week, and the fog from the top of the hill this morning looked a bit like how my head felt after juggling way too many schedule changes.

Currently Reading

• The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill - Finished this book yesterday. Science, feminism, history, and a beautiful sense of place. I enjoyed this read.
• The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan - this sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth is very good so far.

On the Needles

I finished my new fingerless gloves, and I love them. Now I just need to take a decent picture of them so that I can update my Ravelry project page. I've quite a bit of that yarn left over - what to use it for?

Looking Forward To:

1. a quiet weekend to recharge

farewell September

What's New?
Transitions are always hard for me. September brings the start of the school year, and a big shift from summer life to autumn life. I get up earlier (sort of), get out the door earlier, and spend most of my day away from home. Both of us have long commutes, and long days, so simple things like food preparation sometimes become huge challenges. I'm pretty good at doing food prep on the weekend, but I still have those days when I realize on the ride home that I have no idea what's for dinner.

We've also been struggling with keeping the house tidy, and since our "house" is a pretty small apartment, that becomes a huge deal very quickly. So I looked at what the problems seemed to be, and realized that for many of the things that ended up scattered around the living room, they simply did not have a designated place to be. So I started looking around and ended up finding an IKEA shelf combo on Craigslist for less than half of what it would cost new. Now our commute bags & lunch boxes have permanent homes (not just somewhere on the couch, or near the couch on the floor, or wherever we drop them when we walk in the door). Ahem.

Currently Reading (36 books so far this year - I just might make it to 50)

• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - I sped through this book in two days. It's YA, and should be required reading for all middle schoolers/high schoolers, in my opinion. Not an easy subject to read about, but so terribly important.
• The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - I finished this book and have already added the sequel to my library queue
• Casing Spells by Barbara Bretton - I had to call it quits. I was attracted to knitting + fantasy, but this is clearly a romance, and a predictable one too, and the author throws in so many quick details about the fifty billion different fantasy characters that live in this world that I feel like she's just sprinkling glitter onto her manuscript (and don't get me started on the fantasy character that actually sprinkles glitter wherever she goes). I'd prefer one or two fantasy characters that are fleshed out completely, rather than a hodge-podge of superficial characters.
• The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill - just picked this one up, and so far I'm enjoying the story.

On the Needles
I finally picked a project for the single skein of Malabrigo Rios I picked up this summer. I couldn't decide if I wanted to make another infinity scarf, a hat, or new fingerless gloves. I settled on new fingerless gloves, to replace the tattered pair I knit nearly five years ago. It's been slow-going, and I've already frogged it once, but I really like the pattern so far, and I LOVE the subtle color variations in the yarn.

Looking Forward To:

1. celebrating Joe's 30th birthday

October

I (almost) finished Joe's birthday present in time. I still need to add the words 'Avengers Assemble' to the bottom, and Captain America's 'A' and then it'll be finished.

The beginning of October was very sunny and dry, and the cats enjoyed watching squirrels out the window.

The trees around the corner showed magnificent color. Unfortunately all those leaves have come off in the recent storm.

I started a square for a quilt project to honor the memory of a college friend. It's the most complicated quilt square I've ever attempted, but I'm determined to give it one hundred percent.

Our haul from a small family farm. All but three of these are intended as food. In fact, we've already eaten one of them. I love the colors of carnival squash.

Even though I have no photographic proof, I've been knitting up a storm. Soon I'll be able to wear five hand-knit sweaters. Five! I almost can't believe it.

One other thing I have to mention: my five-year-old nephew called me on the phone the other day. Just because. It's by far my favorite thing that's happened this autumn.

autumn = soup!

Our weather in Seattle has quickly become colder, alternating between soggy wet and surprisingly crisp. In my mind, weather like that demands snuggling on the couch under a blanket, knitting with wool, and eating soup. This year, even though we are barely into autumn, I have found myself trying new soup recipes at an astounding rate (at least for me). Here are a few recipes I've found:

Over at Collecting the Moments I found a great do-ahead strategy and a simple and delicious chicken noodle soup recipe. Joe and I both caught colds last week and this simple soup was the best of both worlds: quick and easy to prepare, and warm and filling.

(photo from Collecting the Moments)

SophistiMom posted a great recipe for curry pumpkin soup. I do like me some curry, so I ended up doubling all the spices. It was a great soup, and it made my kitchen smell heavenly.

(photo from SophistiMom)

Tonight I'm trying another new recipe: udon noodle soup with bok choy and poached egg from TheKitchn blog. I'll let you know how that goes.

(photo from TheKitchn)

the Autumnal Equinox

Tonight is both the autumnal equinox (for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere), and a full moon. There are two equinoxes per year - one in the spring, and one in the fall. They are the two days where the length of day and the length of night are equal. Hence the name equinox (equi for equal and nox for night). As a science teacher, I absolutely love teaching astronomy and getting a chance to explain things like equinoxes to my students. I could go on and on about the equinox, but I'll let you look it up if you want more information.



This year, I decided that I wanted to make a autumn leaves garland out of felt. Fall is my favorite season, and I've never really done much to mark the season. Sure I decorate later on for Halloween, and I make applesauce in the fall, but I've never really taken advantage of the season.



Strangely, even though I started in August, I managed to finish my garland tonight (I swear I did not plan it that way!). So as part of my acknowledgment of the equinox I hung my garland.



It's evening and the sun has passed the horizon, so these pictures aren't the best, but I wanted to share. Please excuse my messy home (and the cat that is getting into who-knows-what in the sink).

felt leaves progress

All the dark colored leaves were stitched with gold floss. The light colored leaves will be stitched with dark brown floss. Then they will all be strung together to make a garland. I'm trying to finish before Wednesday night (the autumnal equinox). Wish me luck!

nature walk

Pictures from my walk today. Joe and I wandered around our apartment complex, and over into Magnuson Park. While he was looking for objects for a sculpture project, I was busy snapping photos.