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

a calm and stormy weekend

The calm...
Walked around Alki Saturday with Kristi and took these pictures. It had been weeks since we'd last seen each other, and we were terribly overdue for our weekend walks. After spending time with Kristi I Skyped with my parents (also terribly overdue). I find it's very refreshing and comforting getting advice from my parents. They are so far removed geographically that they don't get pulled into any drama. At the same time, they allow me to hear my inner voice as they advocate for what's best for me, all without any pressure to take their advice. I have amazing parents.

The stormy...
I ran a bunch of errands early Sunday. Arriving home with arms full of groceries, new kitty slipped out the front door and took off! Athena and Boomer only made it outside a couple times, and they promptly turned right back around and came back inside. Not so with new kitty, who is still without a name (although we're getting closer).

I spent an hour chasing him around the houses on my street, trying to scoop him up. At one point he crawled up inside the hood of a neighbor's car. They were on their way out, new baby in tow, and graciously popped their hood so I could retrieve my cat. But he escaped from under the car and took off again! Then he ended up inside the hood of another neighbor's car!

My upstairs neighbor (who has her own cats and had been helping me chase him this whole time) helped me barricade around the car so he couldn't slip out again. Once the barricade was in place, I knocked on yet another neighbor's door and asked him to pop the hood of his car. Sure enough, new kitty was crouched inside and my neighbor reached in and grabbed him!

I thought I'd never catch him, and he'd either disappear entirely or I would be forced to watch him get run over on the nearby busy street. I now fully understand the silly name he came with: Zoom.

lately...

Sunrise on my way to work (safely stopped at a stop-sign).

My Wood Hollow Vest washed and blocked.

More sunrise, although a different day. The sky has been amazing this week.

What's New?
We adopted a cat this weekend! He's long and lanky and sweet. Athena does not know what to think about him yet. We've installed 3 baby gates, one on top of the other, in order to create a see-through barrier. That way they (and by "they" I really mean Athena) can stare at each other without fear of touching. I think he is completely ready to bond with her, but she is definitely not too sure about the whole situation.

Currently Reading
So many library books checked out to me right now, but so little time to read!

• Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat - I am sharing bits and pieces of this story with my Advisory class. Our school mascot is the wolf, and they have enjoyed hearing about the wolves.
• Nature Anatomy by Julia Rothman - This book is beautiful! I've put it on a possible present list for my niece and nephews.
• Corvus: a Life with Birds by Esther Woolfson - This is currently my before bed book. This author often quotes and references the next book on my list, to no one's surprise.
• Mind of the Raven by Bernd Heinrich - I've put this down for now in favor of Corvus.
• Confession of a Buddhist Atheist by Stephen Batchelor - I haven't started this one yet, but I intended it to be a bus read.

On (& off) the Needles
You can see the current state of my Wood Hollow Vest in the picture above. It's been washed and blocked, ready for seaming. After seaming, it'll get a neck band and arm bands. Almost there...

My bus knit is the Bonny top from Tin Can Knits. It's 11 inches of stockinette stitch before the top pattern gets interesting. I'm about 3 inches in right now.

I've also started Zuzu's Petals, which is a cowl, using a beautiful fall-inspired Malabrigo.

And last but not least... I started a sweater pattern for my youngest nephew Xander awhile back, but I found I wasn't loving the way it was turning out. After visiting the Tin Can Knits booth at Knit City this past weekend, I decided to frog the sweater and knit the Gramps pattern instead.

Looking Forward To

1. giving new kitty a name

goodbye Boomer kitty

Boomer (L), Athena (R)

Boomer (L), Athena (R)

Athena (L), Boomer (R)

Boomer (L), Athena (R)

Boomer (L), Athena (R)

Boomer

Boomer - the night before her biopsy appointment

Friday was the worst day ever. It was preceded by a couple of pretty hard weeks full of various vet appointments, diagnostic tests, and medications. Cancer took one of our amazing kitty-sisters, Boomer, and much too soon. And now, for the first time in her whole life, Athena is alone. We adopted these sisters four years ago when they were barely a year old, thinking that we'd get to spend ten or more years with them. I wish I hadn't taken their presence for granted. I wish I had taken more pictures of their cute antics. I wish...

And now today we head out for our epic road-trip, leaving Athena's care to two of our wonderful friends. I know she'll be okay but my heart worries. I can't help it.

project 52: week 45

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.

What's New?
This week was filled with kitty-related stress, and yarn. We took that adorable cat to get a lump biopsied only to discover that it's cancerous. So now we are faced with figuring out next steps. Our kitties are only 5 years old so we never imagined dealing with cancer so soon. The bright side is that right now the tumor is not affecting her overall health at all. She's happy and (relatively) healthy.

The yarn part of my week involved a long-overdue trip to Tolt Yarn and Wool in Carnation, WA and Quintessential Knits in Duvall, WA. I've heard such good things about Tolt, specifically, but hadn't made it out there to check it out. I came away with yarn for two projects: Tin Can Knits' Bonny top in Quince & Co Piper yarn, and Zuzu's Petals in Malabrigo Sock.

Currently Reading

• The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell - This book is long! I'm reading it on my Kindle so I didn't realize just how long it is. Plus, it's weird, which makes reading a little slower. There are many times I have to slow done so that I can process what the heck I just read. Body-jumping, immortality, and strange interconnections... all of that amidst a story that jumps through time and narrators sometimes jarringly. But overall I enjoy the read.

On the Needles
Still plugging away at my Earth & Sky shawl. I've put the Wood Hollow Vest aside for a bit, but I imagine I'll pick it up again before our road trip so that I can at least finish the front.

Looking Forward To

1. Our road trip!
2. Another CSA box
3. Getting my hands dirty with gardening

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.

where have I been?

It seems I've taken a very long break from this space. My last post was in January, and it's already the latter-half of July! So what have I been up to (besides spending time with these adorable sisters?)?

I experimented with natural dyes for my spring eggs. Red cabbage is still my favorite (it makes blue).

Joe and I sometimes eat hard-boiled eggs as part of our breakfast. Since I love the look of dyed eggs, I decided to start dying my hard-boiled eggs all the time. Now I know when I reach into the fridge that the blue eggs are hard-boiled, while the white ones are not. It's especially helpful when I'm still half-asleep.

I went strawberry-picking with these three dear friends of mine. Along the way we found this old giant at a rest-stop along Interstate 5.

After many years of sewing, I finally organized my fabrics!

Now that my sewing space is more organized, I find myself sewing more often. This skirt, for example, used to be pants that had seen better days.

My local public library has seen quite a bit of me lately. I love the old brick building and its half-mile proximity to my apartment.

I recently returned from a two-week trip to Virginia where I visited with family. I love the first glimpse of the Cascade Mountains on the flight back. Seeing those snow-capped peaks reminds me how much I love living in the Pacific Northwest.

And while I love my whole family, this little man melts my heart.

cuteness

our new kitties

A week ago today Joe and I went down to the King County Animal Shelter in Kent to check out two sister kitties we found on Petfinder.


We immediately fell in love, adopted them and brought them home.


Joe joked in the car that since they look so much alike they are like two Sharons. The idea stuck and we named them Athena and Boomer after one of our favorite sci-fi shows.


Our last two kitties were not friends, and often got into fights. It's amazing watching these two play together, sleep together, and bathe each other. They are best buds (unlike Athena and Boomer on BSG, who were most definitely not best buds).

remembering Tigerlily

It's been over a month, and I can't avoid this place or this subject any longer.



This adorable orange cat is no longer with us. She went to sleep for the last time on January 7th after struggling with cancer.



We will always remember her love for all things paper.



Her curiosity.



Her ability to quickly change an already awkward napping situation...



...into an increasingly precarious, and still awkward, napping situation.



No matter what we were doing, she wanted to be close by. At only 7 lbs she was a tiny cat, and she took advantage of her small size to squeeze into small places.



She loved to ride around on our shoulders like a parrot, or a monkey.



And she never missed an opportunity to sit inside of something. Whether that was an empty plant pot...



...or the empty clothes dryer.



I miss that silly little cat more than I can explain. Her absence is felt every day. I am thankful for all the pictures we have of her, and the memories that they evoke.



I will miss napping with her. Finding her cuddling with me under the covers. Discovering that a stack of newly-washed cloth placemats have been taken over by my furry friend. Finding her hidden in freshly-washed sheets that wait for folding. Seeing her face as she greets me at the door. Hearing the ridiculous "meh" noises that she made (no nice kitty meows from her). Watching her dunk a toy in water and then bring it to me to throw. The way she learned to resist the temptation to play with my knitting needles, because she'd rather nap on my lap.

I could not watch you suffer,

I could not see you in pain.

Because I loved you,

I had to let you go.

Now you are free.

Your body is no longer sick,

weak, and hurting.

You have crossed over,

into the spirit realm.

May you walk with Bast,

and I will see you again some day.

You will live forever in my heart.