Summertime

Summer in Oregon has officially arrived with more than one warm day in a row and higher temperatures. Gardening can be a challenge with all the shade in our yard but this year I've come up with even more vegetables and herbs that do pretty good in the coolness. Herbs do really well, green beans, garlic lettuce and spinach. A friend gave me a start of an onion called a creeping onion. You should look into them because they're so fun to watch grow. At first it grows just like a green onion would then it sprouts at the top forming little 'onionlets' that pulls the plant over and lets those little 'onionlets' to start growing themselves...thus the creeping part of the creeping onion. And it's all edible.

I've also planted a potted herb garden at the edge of our porch. Lavender grows really well from the seed and Basil does pretty good too. Also have Borage, Chives, Taragon, and found a Stevia plant. If you've never tried Stevia you should. It's a pretty cool creation God gave us. Very sweet and can be a replacement for sugar in recipes. Look for Stevia Recipe Books for substitutions. But the plant grows and you harvest the leaves, dry them and grind them into a powder. This you use as a sweetener. Unique.

It's also that time of year for Vacation Bible School. We're having perfect weather this week for it too. Supposed to have high temps by the weekend. Just in time for camping too and celebrations with friends. A birthday of 12 and one of 15. Exciting.

I'm still knitting a shoulder wrap...using cascade 220 wool yarn. I have an awesome job of knitting and crocheting display items for our stores knit shop. Sooo fun. No it's not all I get to do but being around yarn and people that love yarn is pretty good all the time. Also making headbands out of sock yarn...give it try. Find ways to use the sock yarn-even if you can't fathom using 5 little needles-use two to make headbands, little necklace purses you can stitch together and decorate to wear as a charm around your neck. Unlimited possibilities once you get started.

Try yarn'n in the sun. Get your dose of Vitamin D!

New Found Enjoyment

I'm knitting socks. I have a wonderful job. I work in a knit shop and am allowed to knit beautiful and fun items for displays. I knit my first sock for this and am excited to try more. Have my third sock started this week. My first love was gloves. These prove to be challenging but not really any more than the socks; so if you are the opposite of me and socks came first give the gloves a try and I'm sure you will love them too. Don't let this next tid bit scare you away but be prepared to weave in many more ends whether using one or many colors. Think of it as good practice. Hardships or challenges.

So looking forward to this!

I love to ramble and I love fiber;...how does a fiberist think? one may never know unless they are one too. And then no one individual-even with all their similarities-is ever the same. Thanks to God for our uniqueness. That's what makes us so interesting. We were created to create and be creative. Share and use nature-God's gift, charge and tool to us. Wow, what an opportunity. And here I begin.

I grew up near the beach and in the foothills of the mountains. Raw nature on every side. I loved it. Miss it now that I live the city but even here I've learned to experience green. We're seeing the economy begin to plummet these days. I recently heard in so many words that the way we built up our suburbs was with a thriving economy. To me that means we'll need to learn to live by our own hands again. Our ancestors did it, we need to now. How?! Man and animal power. Brain and bronze. Creative thinking put into action. So here's our chance to stay close and use what's handed us by the land and owners before us.

To spin and knit to me is to really live. But it's not just these but any opportunity you desire. Wood, art, metal, words, song. These all are ways to communicate and to really live. Become what God meant for you to be and help us slow the pace of our land down again. We'll take back our lives yet we will. Live real.