The new friend who went with me to BSG came over with her husband Sunday night; we spun together while our husbands talked wood-turning (her husband is Rick's turning mentor). She worked on mastering her Jenkins spindle; I pulled out my old friend Miss Maple, my HansenCrafts miniSpinner, and finally finished plying the Jacob I spun during last year's TdF. I figured if I was going to have any chance of spinning up 8 oz. of alpaca fluff during this year's TdF, Miss Maple would have to join my team! Meanwhile, my new horn spindle is amassing a fat 'getting to know you' turtle; we'll start afresh for TdF.
Gatsby made it all the way back to Kauai, the (is)land of his birth, on Monday. We kept him as a favor to an old friend, my first after moving to Oregon almost 29 years ago, and through that process I got better acquainted with my friend's husband and daughter (Gatsby's 'girl'). I got photos when he was picked up Sunday afternoon, and my friend sent me photos after he arrived home (where he got a new bed, a new ball – and a bath).
The flower show is picking up a bit around here. A special geranium that I put in my urn planter out front was getting regularly savaged by deer, so I bought a calibrachoa to tuck in the pot, too. Two of my three other daylily varieties are joining Stella D'Oro, and the lavender is starting purple up.
I took a walk with a co-worker on Monday, and noticed these HUGE magnolia(?) blooms on trees just outside our office. The trees themselves aren't very attractive and the flowers aren't positioned to draw attention, which is apparently why they have escaped my notice until now.
When we decided to not go to Cowboy Campmeeting this year, Rick suggested a backpacking trip. I demurred, much to his displeasure, but his mom agreed to go so he's recovered most of his good humor. He and Brian have been getting ready, which always includes buying more stuff, including a one-man tent so Brian could have his own space. I will happily hold down the fort alone, even though that includes making Texas sheet cake for 75 on Sunday morning. 😳
Last night Rick needed to make one more run to REI for backpacking supplies and asked me to go with him. I warned him that it might cost him, and sure enough, I found a pair of Teva/Ahnu walking/hiking shoes that feel like heaven. Afterwards we tried the nearby Cafe Yumm for supper; Rick said it was "okay" but I really liked the food.
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| All vegetarian! |
And finally, this Independence Day, I urge you to go to Retired Knitter's blog and read the FACTS she shared about immigration. Despite what many loud, angry voices want you to believe, the vast majority of would-be immigrants today come here for the same reasons that most immigrants have always come to our shores – including long before they were "our" shores – for freedom from violence, religious persecution, starvation, displacement. That includes your relatives and mine, folks. Unless you are 100% Native American, like Gatsby's "dad" David, pictured above, you don't the right to say 'we' have exclusive rights to this land. (And I love the quote ending in "what the hell is it you DO for a living?!?")
That's it for now from . . .
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