After a pretty horrid few weeks, I had a couple days this weekend to actually enjoy.
On Saturday Scott & I went to see "The Help", which we enjoyed very much. Great acting, interesting characters - at over two hours, the movie still seemed short. And of course, going to lunch and then to the movies doesn't take much energy or effort, which is a good thing.
On Sunday we broke out the scooter and hied ourselves to the Great Minnesota Get-Together - in other words, the MN State Fair. We watched the equestrian competitions, we watched the lumberjack competitions, we saw Sean Emery do his Schtick On A Stick, and of course I spent a reasonable amount of time looking at the quilts and knitting and lace and beading and felting and crocheting and sculpting and glass.
We are old, and my system is messed up by chemo, so we didn't eat the junk food that we would have gorged on in Olden Times - over the 6.5 hours we were there, we split a sandwich, a bag of mini-donuts, a little Lingonberry Lefse roll with Swedish Meatballs... and we each had our own frozen apple cider pop from the Agriculture Building. That was it.
But thanks to my scooter, a grand time was had by all ('all' being two of us). We recommend that you go, too, if you can. But get there early if you want a parking space close to the fairgrounds - there's plenty of 'Park & Ride' lots, but the Fairground lots are being taken up by Light Rail construction materials, so parking is at a premium and even at 7am we had a lot of trouble parking within five blocks or so of the nearest ticket booth.
Enjoy!!
Showing posts with label Minnesota. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Minnesota. Show all posts
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Well, This Is Fun!
A tornado touched down and traveled around a bit at Hwy 394 & 100, and now one is developing at Como Lake, which is right near our house, so we've got sirens and weather reports and all sorts of excitement at the moment. Which is delaying our trip to my folks' house, but providing entertainment that should give us something to talk about over the dinner table (once we actually get there).
Wheeeeee!!!
Wheeeeee!!!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Shepherd's Harvest
If you are curious about what the Shepherd's Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival is like, my friend and boothmate, Denise of Wool Alchemy, has put up a little slide show of her festival experience. You will see some of her fantastic felted Critters, plus a variety of critters of the live variety that she cooed at over the weekend (yes, even the silkworms!)
Enjoy!!
Enjoy!!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Oops, No Camera...
Oh, drat!! Mom and I went on our yearly trek to the Minneapolis Institute of Art for their wonderful Art In Bloom... and as is also our tradition, we both forgot to bring our cameras.
Poor you, to have missed the wonderfulness!!
Art In Bloom challenges local flower artists to make an arrangement that reflects in some way on a particular work of art displayed in the museum. This year more than 150 artists were assigned one particular painting or sculpture, which they then had to contemplate and then design an arrangement that in some way reflected upon the artwork itself.
Click on the link above and see some little bit of the previous year's event - don't you wish you could have been there? Well, you can go next year (especially you, Ms. Violet Hoarder, sweet Nancy, Kathy, Amy, and anyone else who hails from MN), because luckily it's a yearly deal.
One hint: don't try to go there at the beginning of the first day (Thursday). We arrived at 10am on Thursday... well, no, that's a lie. We got about 3 blocks from the Institute, and then got stuck in completely stopped traffic. And even that far away, no parking spots (even handicapped spots) in sight. For people who are not completely crippled up, the temptation might be to walk an extra five blocks or so - but I would suggest coming back at a later time, when the huge opening crowd won't be jostling and pushing each other back from the displays.
Mom and I turned around and went back home - and returned on Saturday at around 1pm. It was crowded enough that the valet parking was full, and mom snagged the one remaining handicapped space (after fetching a wheelchair for me at the door - the MIA provides wheelchairs and even a few coveted scooters for free, bless their hearts. Call ahead to reserve those scooters, they are a very coveted commodity!)
But once we got in, we were mostly able to get next to the displays, either immediately or after a very short wait. And oh, it was sooooooo worth the bother!! Not only did we see a great deal of loveliness, but we also met a number of very interesting and sweet fellow gawkers, some of whom knew a participating floral artist or two and gave us the Inside Scoop, some of whom were just interesting and fun to talk to. One of the gals we talked to had a beautifully knitted Norwegian sweater of incredible intricacy, gifted to her by grateful and generous offspring, bless their hearts. We were suitably impressed, of course - after all, we are lovers of fiber as well as of the belle fleurs...
We went home replete with gorgeousness, and also with chai and maple shortbread from the in-house cafe. Hey, it takes a lot of energy to Ooo and Aaaah that much!!
And thanks, mom, for all the hard work you did in pushing me around. You are a trooper, and also a joy forever. I love you muchly, muchly indeed!
Poor you, to have missed the wonderfulness!!
Art In Bloom challenges local flower artists to make an arrangement that reflects in some way on a particular work of art displayed in the museum. This year more than 150 artists were assigned one particular painting or sculpture, which they then had to contemplate and then design an arrangement that in some way reflected upon the artwork itself.
The displays were all pretty, some of them stunning, some of them inspirational or funny or even thought-provoking. Our particular favorite was a rather simple but beautifully done display of tall dark plum and white lilies in a stunning cobalt-to-purplish midnight blue vase, reflecting both the color and the movement of a Georgia O'Keef painting of tall skyscrapers - I always thought of O'Keef as a painter of flowers and other things natural, but somehow the painting still was distinctly hers. and the flower arrangement just carried the feeling along and complimented it perfectly.
Click on the link above and see some little bit of the previous year's event - don't you wish you could have been there? Well, you can go next year (especially you, Ms. Violet Hoarder, sweet Nancy, Kathy, Amy, and anyone else who hails from MN), because luckily it's a yearly deal.
One hint: don't try to go there at the beginning of the first day (Thursday). We arrived at 10am on Thursday... well, no, that's a lie. We got about 3 blocks from the Institute, and then got stuck in completely stopped traffic. And even that far away, no parking spots (even handicapped spots) in sight. For people who are not completely crippled up, the temptation might be to walk an extra five blocks or so - but I would suggest coming back at a later time, when the huge opening crowd won't be jostling and pushing each other back from the displays.
Mom and I turned around and went back home - and returned on Saturday at around 1pm. It was crowded enough that the valet parking was full, and mom snagged the one remaining handicapped space (after fetching a wheelchair for me at the door - the MIA provides wheelchairs and even a few coveted scooters for free, bless their hearts. Call ahead to reserve those scooters, they are a very coveted commodity!)
But once we got in, we were mostly able to get next to the displays, either immediately or after a very short wait. And oh, it was sooooooo worth the bother!! Not only did we see a great deal of loveliness, but we also met a number of very interesting and sweet fellow gawkers, some of whom knew a participating floral artist or two and gave us the Inside Scoop, some of whom were just interesting and fun to talk to. One of the gals we talked to had a beautifully knitted Norwegian sweater of incredible intricacy, gifted to her by grateful and generous offspring, bless their hearts. We were suitably impressed, of course - after all, we are lovers of fiber as well as of the belle fleurs...
We went home replete with gorgeousness, and also with chai and maple shortbread from the in-house cafe. Hey, it takes a lot of energy to Ooo and Aaaah that much!!
And thanks, mom, for all the hard work you did in pushing me around. You are a trooper, and also a joy forever. I love you muchly, muchly indeed!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
New Discovery (to me)
I love it when I can find Minnesotan artists that I really want to share with other people.
Today is Jeremy Messersmith. He has a couple neat animated videos on Youtube, of which the following is one. And then I'm adding a live performance, just because I like the song.
Enjoy!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
State Fair!!
The delightful husband and I went to the Minnesota State Fair yesterday.
Yup, we're a sedate and understated group of folks here in Minnesnowta
If you want lovely photos of the sorts of things we saw, you can visit my talented fellow blogger, the Violet Hoarder.
I couldn't take photos, because I can't shoot photos and drive at the same time. I'm clumsy that way.
Yes, we finally wrestled out the scooter, assembled its various (heavy) parts, swore at it a little when it kept refusing to actually move, and finally managed to get it going. Once we nudged it into life, it worked like a charm, and I had a lovely time puttering along in my little machine.
We went to the crafts displays, of course, and to the agriculture, dairy, home improvement, education, and merchandise mart buildings. We puttered over Machinery Hill. We saw James Wedgewood's fun ventriloquist/comedy act,
we saw (as we have done every time we've gone to the State fair in the last 19 years) Sean Emery's juggling/unicycle/comedy act,
we went to the Lumberjack competition/show.
We usually go to the Coliseum to see the horse riding competitions, but those weren't scheduled for that day (drat!), and by the time we were done with the Lumberjacks (and done flirting with the darling baby next to us in the stands), we were pretty much pooped and decided to call it a day. We usually go on the Old Mill ride, but didn't this year because of the delicate state of my hip. We usually go to the animal barns and see some of the judgings, but didn't have time - we would have gone to those if we'd had the time and money to go to the fair again, but no such luck.
Still we did enough and saw enough to have a very pleasant day, indeed!
Well... of course, that wasn't everything. You don't go to the State Fair without eating food that is really, really bad for you! Our food choices were primarily chosen by dint of what coupons were in the State Fair Blue Book (on sale near the Snelling gate and elsewhere, $5 for tons of coupons that save you $2 or more on various food items and a few other things, a good deal if you plan to eat at the fair - and who doesn't?) Plus a few traditional items, because it isn't the State Fair without the traditional stuff.
We were determined to do our share over the 8 hours we were there, so we split an order of... hmmm, let me see:
A London Broil sandwich (steak, sauteed onions and mushrooms, melted cheese - Scott ate most of this, nearish the main gates on Snelling Ave. - can't remember exactly where)
A frozen apple cider stick (I ate most of this over the next hour - an excellent deal at $1 in the agriculture building)
Crab cakes (food building)
Onion rings (outside food building)
Garlic fries ('garden' area outside the food building)
Root beer (just about everywhere)
A Fudge Puppy (small waffle curled around a stick and coated with extremely dark chocolate, sprinkles, and a dollop of whipped cream - I had a bite and it was good but gluten-filled, so Scott ate the rest)
Of course we split a malt from the dairy building (strawberry rhubarb, yum!). And Scott can't go to the Fair without getting Tom Thumb donuts just as we're leaving, because that is Tradition (and because he LOVES Tom Thumb donuts). I took one for the team, and had donuts, too. Because I am self-sacrificing that way. (Tell Scott to quit all that snorting, it's extremely rude)
So as you can imagine, we went home stuffed, and did not eat a single thing for the rest of the day. It was an extremely bad day nutritionally, but delightful gastronomically!
We also purchased a tie-dyed shirt for each of us, and a cup holder for my scooter (which came in very handy - now if I can find a comfortable seat cushion, we're going to really be in business...)
Another wonderful day at the Great Minnesota Get Together!
For those of you who wonder what it is like living in a wheelchair:
Navigation does get a little frustrating in crowded conditions like the fair, because your head is more-or-less at the level of people's rear ends (which is a pleasant view or an interesting one, depending on the rear in question), and people don't tend to look at that level when they are wandering around and gawking at things. Or, perhaps more importantly, when they are backing away after gawking at things. Or, perhaps most importantly, whilst clutching their (third?) beer and walking around while gawking at things (evidently when you have a beer in your hand and you are walking in a crowd of folks on the street, the most fascinating thing about the fair is the sky). Which means that people tend to become challenging road hazards, either backing directly into you or stumbling blindly into the space 2 inches in front of your bumper - it simply isn't possible to stop that quickly, folks, no matter how slowly one is going.
People often don't seem to realize that wheelchairs/scooters are not able to navigate as quickly to avoid sudden potential collision situations as a person on foot. When the crowd parts to reveal a person in a wheelchair or scooter directly in front of you, the person in a scooter or wheelchair can not just step sideways in order to avoid you. And they need a bigger space to slip into than a standing human being needs. It really is simpler and kinder if you would step out of the way, rather than taking a territorial stance.
Display cases and counters are designed for an eye level and reach that is a couple feet above the eye and reach level of a person in a mobility device, so it's pretty hard to see or reach certain things. That makes sense, and there is nothing that can be done about that.
But keep in mind that getting to a counter to buy something can be very difficult, especially if one is expected to reach up to get something from a highish counter. If you see someone struggling with that issue, please feel free to offer your help - it's a small service, but an appreciated one.
It is difficult to get close to the display cases, and to get the right angle so that one can see whatever good stuff there might be at eye level. If there are crowds milling around in front of the case, it becomes nearly impossible. If you see someone in a wheelchair waiting to get a chance to get near a display case, please step aside to leave some clear space. There is a good chance that they are waiting out of courtesy, not wanting to scrape anyone's shins or run over their feet with the heavy equipment - an exchange of courtesy is a good thing, and makes everyone's day a little brighter.
There was one thing that wasn't a problem for me, because I still can hobble very short distances and although it involves some pain, I can wait in line. But the fact is that there is often a LONG waiting line for the women's bathrooms, and if there is a handicapped stall, there is usually only one. If someone shows up in a wheelchair, ladies, please give her room to go in ahead of you (so that she doesn't endanger anyone's feet or legs in trying to do the start-and-stop thing in line) and let her have the next shot at the handicapped stall, even though it means that you will have to wait one extra turn. Remember that she cannot use any other stall, so without that courtesy her wait could be significantly lengthened. If you can't do it out of kindness, do it because you realize exactly what her eye-level perspective is on you - do you really want her examining that particular aspect for an extended period, close up and personal?
Yup, we're a sedate and understated group of folks here in Minnesnowta
If you want lovely photos of the sorts of things we saw, you can visit my talented fellow blogger, the Violet Hoarder.
I couldn't take photos, because I can't shoot photos and drive at the same time. I'm clumsy that way.
Yes, we finally wrestled out the scooter, assembled its various (heavy) parts, swore at it a little when it kept refusing to actually move, and finally managed to get it going. Once we nudged it into life, it worked like a charm, and I had a lovely time puttering along in my little machine.
We went to the crafts displays, of course, and to the agriculture, dairy, home improvement, education, and merchandise mart buildings. We puttered over Machinery Hill. We saw James Wedgewood's fun ventriloquist/comedy act,
we saw (as we have done every time we've gone to the State fair in the last 19 years) Sean Emery's juggling/unicycle/comedy act,
we went to the Lumberjack competition/show.
We usually go to the Coliseum to see the horse riding competitions, but those weren't scheduled for that day (drat!), and by the time we were done with the Lumberjacks (and done flirting with the darling baby next to us in the stands), we were pretty much pooped and decided to call it a day. We usually go on the Old Mill ride, but didn't this year because of the delicate state of my hip. We usually go to the animal barns and see some of the judgings, but didn't have time - we would have gone to those if we'd had the time and money to go to the fair again, but no such luck.
Still we did enough and saw enough to have a very pleasant day, indeed!
Well... of course, that wasn't everything. You don't go to the State Fair without eating food that is really, really bad for you! Our food choices were primarily chosen by dint of what coupons were in the State Fair Blue Book (on sale near the Snelling gate and elsewhere, $5 for tons of coupons that save you $2 or more on various food items and a few other things, a good deal if you plan to eat at the fair - and who doesn't?) Plus a few traditional items, because it isn't the State Fair without the traditional stuff.
We were determined to do our share over the 8 hours we were there, so we split an order of... hmmm, let me see:
A London Broil sandwich (steak, sauteed onions and mushrooms, melted cheese - Scott ate most of this, nearish the main gates on Snelling Ave. - can't remember exactly where)
A frozen apple cider stick (I ate most of this over the next hour - an excellent deal at $1 in the agriculture building)
Crab cakes (food building)
Onion rings (outside food building)
Garlic fries ('garden' area outside the food building)
Root beer (just about everywhere)
A Fudge Puppy (small waffle curled around a stick and coated with extremely dark chocolate, sprinkles, and a dollop of whipped cream - I had a bite and it was good but gluten-filled, so Scott ate the rest)
Of course we split a malt from the dairy building (strawberry rhubarb, yum!). And Scott can't go to the Fair without getting Tom Thumb donuts just as we're leaving, because that is Tradition (and because he LOVES Tom Thumb donuts). I took one for the team, and had donuts, too. Because I am self-sacrificing that way. (Tell Scott to quit all that snorting, it's extremely rude)So as you can imagine, we went home stuffed, and did not eat a single thing for the rest of the day. It was an extremely bad day nutritionally, but delightful gastronomically!
We also purchased a tie-dyed shirt for each of us, and a cup holder for my scooter (which came in very handy - now if I can find a comfortable seat cushion, we're going to really be in business...)
Another wonderful day at the Great Minnesota Get Together!
For those of you who wonder what it is like living in a wheelchair:
Navigation does get a little frustrating in crowded conditions like the fair, because your head is more-or-less at the level of people's rear ends (which is a pleasant view or an interesting one, depending on the rear in question), and people don't tend to look at that level when they are wandering around and gawking at things. Or, perhaps more importantly, when they are backing away after gawking at things. Or, perhaps most importantly, whilst clutching their (third?) beer and walking around while gawking at things (evidently when you have a beer in your hand and you are walking in a crowd of folks on the street, the most fascinating thing about the fair is the sky). Which means that people tend to become challenging road hazards, either backing directly into you or stumbling blindly into the space 2 inches in front of your bumper - it simply isn't possible to stop that quickly, folks, no matter how slowly one is going.
People often don't seem to realize that wheelchairs/scooters are not able to navigate as quickly to avoid sudden potential collision situations as a person on foot. When the crowd parts to reveal a person in a wheelchair or scooter directly in front of you, the person in a scooter or wheelchair can not just step sideways in order to avoid you. And they need a bigger space to slip into than a standing human being needs. It really is simpler and kinder if you would step out of the way, rather than taking a territorial stance.
Display cases and counters are designed for an eye level and reach that is a couple feet above the eye and reach level of a person in a mobility device, so it's pretty hard to see or reach certain things. That makes sense, and there is nothing that can be done about that.
But keep in mind that getting to a counter to buy something can be very difficult, especially if one is expected to reach up to get something from a highish counter. If you see someone struggling with that issue, please feel free to offer your help - it's a small service, but an appreciated one.
It is difficult to get close to the display cases, and to get the right angle so that one can see whatever good stuff there might be at eye level. If there are crowds milling around in front of the case, it becomes nearly impossible. If you see someone in a wheelchair waiting to get a chance to get near a display case, please step aside to leave some clear space. There is a good chance that they are waiting out of courtesy, not wanting to scrape anyone's shins or run over their feet with the heavy equipment - an exchange of courtesy is a good thing, and makes everyone's day a little brighter.
There was one thing that wasn't a problem for me, because I still can hobble very short distances and although it involves some pain, I can wait in line. But the fact is that there is often a LONG waiting line for the women's bathrooms, and if there is a handicapped stall, there is usually only one. If someone shows up in a wheelchair, ladies, please give her room to go in ahead of you (so that she doesn't endanger anyone's feet or legs in trying to do the start-and-stop thing in line) and let her have the next shot at the handicapped stall, even though it means that you will have to wait one extra turn. Remember that she cannot use any other stall, so without that courtesy her wait could be significantly lengthened. If you can't do it out of kindness, do it because you realize exactly what her eye-level perspective is on you - do you really want her examining that particular aspect for an extended period, close up and personal?
Monday, August 9, 2010
It's That Time!!
Yup, the Fringe Festival is here... and you can find out more about it HERE.
My son isn't involved in it this year, but a lot of other very talented folks are working their very hardest to entertain you, so go and give them an ovation or two, and enjoy yourselves in the bargain!
After that, well, of course it will be time for the Great Minnesota Get Together - yes, indeedy, the State Fair is gearing up for another spectacular spate of agricultural products, education, animals, crafts, rides, music and entertainment, competitions, demonstrations, and everything you can possibly shove down your gullet with a Stick.
I'm sure some of my friends out there will have some fabulous knitted or quilted or otherwise crafted items on display there - let me know, and I'll keep an eye out for it, if body and soul allow me to attend. If I can't (stupid hips), take photos and send them to me so that I can enjoy them vicariously, please!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Spinolution Wheels at Shepherd's Harvest
I had a wonderful time at Shepherd's Harvest Festival. I hope you did, too!
I got to meet a lot of interesting and enthusiastic Fiber Folks, which is about as much fun as a gal could wish for! To those of you whom I promised to visit at your booths, I apologize for having neglected to show up - I never did get a chance to leave my own except for one very short restroom break on Saturday. I was so busy that I didn't even get the chance to find and buy myself the planned Mother's Day present (heaven knows now when I will get those carding tools I was coveting...)
One major glitch - when I ran out of fliers re the Bee, I gave out ones that I had made in a rush on an earlier occasion, without noticing that for some reason I had in my hurry accidentally combined my email address and my Etsy address. This Frankenstinian combo obviously will not work if someone tried to use it to get to my website. Oops. (D'oh!)
So. For those of you who somehow got here from my flier - you are very clever! If you are looking for my store website, it actually is here:
http://knotallthat.etsy.com
Come on by, feel free to contact me with any questions you might have about the Bee travel wheel, the Mach II, or any of the other Spinolution products. I love to chat, it's so nice to have the company...
For the rest of you - next year you really should come to Shepherd's Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival in Lake Elmo, MN. It's great fun, there is lots to see and do (and buy), and the people are lovely. Tell them I said hi!
I got to meet a lot of interesting and enthusiastic Fiber Folks, which is about as much fun as a gal could wish for! To those of you whom I promised to visit at your booths, I apologize for having neglected to show up - I never did get a chance to leave my own except for one very short restroom break on Saturday. I was so busy that I didn't even get the chance to find and buy myself the planned Mother's Day present (heaven knows now when I will get those carding tools I was coveting...)
One major glitch - when I ran out of fliers re the Bee, I gave out ones that I had made in a rush on an earlier occasion, without noticing that for some reason I had in my hurry accidentally combined my email address and my Etsy address. This Frankenstinian combo obviously will not work if someone tried to use it to get to my website. Oops. (D'oh!)
So. For those of you who somehow got here from my flier - you are very clever! If you are looking for my store website, it actually is here:
http://knotallthat.etsy.com
Come on by, feel free to contact me with any questions you might have about the Bee travel wheel, the Mach II, or any of the other Spinolution products. I love to chat, it's so nice to have the company...
For the rest of you - next year you really should come to Shepherd's Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival in Lake Elmo, MN. It's great fun, there is lots to see and do (and buy), and the people are lovely. Tell them I said hi!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Shepherd's Harvest!!
Yes, it's almost that time of year again, folks!
On Mother's Day weekend, the good folks of Minnesota (and specifically, of Lake Elmo) put on a big shindig for us fiber fanatics. At the Shepherd's Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival you can see demonstrations of all sorts - sheep herding by those clever dogs, sheep shearing by that clever shearer, spinning by those clever spinners, knitting and weaving and rug hooking and felting and crocheting by those clever textile artists, cooking of lamb by that clever chef, music played by those talented musicians.
You can try out the equipment yourself at the various booths. You can go to the fashion show. You can eat wonderful lamb burgers and other wonderful treats. You can buy all sorts of supplies, fibers, tools, clothing, and various other goodies. You can admire and sometimes pet llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, and bunnies. You can learn a lot about wool and handspun yarn by checking out the various competitions, and sometimes you can get a good deal if you bid on the wool from the wool competition. You can indulge yourself and give to a good cause at the same time by bidding at the charity auction. If you are clever and act quickly, you can sign up online for wonderful classes in everything from dyeing to knitting to basketry and rug hooking.
Best of all (from my point of view), you can see ME. And my folks (buy their lovely book - they'll even sign it specially for you). And Denise, and Jane, and Pam, and maybe even Nancy.
I'll be selling spinning wheels, yarn, the wonderful Timary's patterns and products, and who knows what else. I will also be demonstrating, and I'll be chatting with you, if you come. So put it down on your calendars now - I'll meet you there!
On Mother's Day weekend, the good folks of Minnesota (and specifically, of Lake Elmo) put on a big shindig for us fiber fanatics. At the Shepherd's Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival you can see demonstrations of all sorts - sheep herding by those clever dogs, sheep shearing by that clever shearer, spinning by those clever spinners, knitting and weaving and rug hooking and felting and crocheting by those clever textile artists, cooking of lamb by that clever chef, music played by those talented musicians.
You can try out the equipment yourself at the various booths. You can go to the fashion show. You can eat wonderful lamb burgers and other wonderful treats. You can buy all sorts of supplies, fibers, tools, clothing, and various other goodies. You can admire and sometimes pet llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, and bunnies. You can learn a lot about wool and handspun yarn by checking out the various competitions, and sometimes you can get a good deal if you bid on the wool from the wool competition. You can indulge yourself and give to a good cause at the same time by bidding at the charity auction. If you are clever and act quickly, you can sign up online for wonderful classes in everything from dyeing to knitting to basketry and rug hooking.
Best of all (from my point of view), you can see ME. And my folks (buy their lovely book - they'll even sign it specially for you). And Denise, and Jane, and Pam, and maybe even Nancy.
I'll be selling spinning wheels, yarn, the wonderful Timary's patterns and products, and who knows what else. I will also be demonstrating, and I'll be chatting with you, if you come. So put it down on your calendars now - I'll meet you there!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Important Announcement
If you live in Minnesota, you have a wonderful opportunity coming up this week. On Nov. 17th, from 8am until the following 8am, you can give a donation - it doesn't have to be big, any donation will do - to the charity or organization of your choice, and if you make that donation through Give MN, they will make a matching donation of 50 cents on the dollar.
So if you were to give $10 to, oh, let's say Pathways or Gilda's Club or Vail Place or the Weaver's Guild of MN (just, you know, choosing at random, *koff*), if you made the donation through Give MN, it would be worth $15. Great deal!
Here's what you do:
1. Go to www.GiveMN.org.
2. In the box that says "Donate," type in the org of your choice next to "Find a nonprofit."
3. Click on the link for your org when it comes up.
4. Enter your donation amount, click on Donate, then complete the form.
Give MN has a $500,000 matching fund available. I imagine your favorite nonprofit could use a little bit of funding at the moment - it's been a bad year for them, too. So scrape just a little bit together on the 17th and give. Starting a bit early in this Giving Season will go a lot further this Tuesday, and we're all for stretching our dollars this year!!
So if you were to give $10 to, oh, let's say Pathways or Gilda's Club or Vail Place or the Weaver's Guild of MN (just, you know, choosing at random, *koff*), if you made the donation through Give MN, it would be worth $15. Great deal!
Here's what you do:
1. Go to www.GiveMN.org.
2. In the box that says "Donate," type in the org of your choice next to "Find a nonprofit."
3. Click on the link for your org when it comes up.
4. Enter your donation amount, click on Donate, then complete the form.
Give MN has a $500,000 matching fund available. I imagine your favorite nonprofit could use a little bit of funding at the moment - it's been a bad year for them, too. So scrape just a little bit together on the 17th and give. Starting a bit early in this Giving Season will go a lot further this Tuesday, and we're all for stretching our dollars this year!!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
White Christmas, Grey Fog
The Fabulous Susan and I went on one of our Light Tours last night. The two of us look forward to this every year (last year she couldn't visit for Christmas, and fittingly enough there was a distinct paucity of lights displayed in the neighborhood last year, very sad), and although it was very foggy and difficult to see properly through our spotty windows (the unclear nature of things also perhaps reflective of the state of things for us this holiday season), we had a lovely time.
As usual we toured up and down Summit Avenue in St. Paul, which put out a bit more effort than last year, although it still isn't up to the standards set by the exuberant displays of the past. We ate at Cafe Latte (I shook my fist at the Universe and defiantly ate carbs in the form of Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake, but meekly drank water instead of the traditional Swedish Moo), where the Fabulous Susan told me very encouraging news about her family's Christmas do and we decorated a silly little gift bag together and she bestowed upon me a friend to keep me company (is it kosher to have two black sheep in one family?) while she is back in NYC.
We gave our usual greetings to the Santa Butt on Lexington Avenue. We trekked out to Minnetonka, where the Fabulous Susan had discovered a little closed circle of houses that were all so gorgeously and joyously decked out that these neighbors must either be close and loving friends or viciously competitive monsters (I vote for the former option, myself).
I've been easily pooped out lately, so unfortunately our tour ended at midnight rather than our usual 2 or 3am, but our enjoyment was not lessened one jot.
Thank you, thank you to all the lovely folks who labor each year to deck their houses in gay apparel for the holiday season. It's a community service you do that nourishes the heart and soul!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Sticky
FINALLY, the ground is cold enough that some little bit of the snow is sticking. This is bad for us, because we don't have the leaves off the part of our back yard that we definitely don't want even slightly composted (no weeds growing between the pretty river stones, please). This is good for The Pretty.
Not that the snow is thick enough to be pretty really, and it is likely to melt again in a day or so, but it's a harbinger, one hopes, of the near future. Once I have to turn on the stupid furnace, I like snow outside - at least, I like it on this side of winter. No promises about how I'll feel in February.
In other news, here's the latest production, still on the bobbin, ready to be washed/set.
It's probably the lightest gauge I've ever spun, pretty much laceweight, I think. Assuming it doesn't puff up a lot in the wash. I will be selling it on the etsy site - to see what I've got for sale now, click the button on the top left of this site, it will take you there. Go look just for The Pretty, even if you aren't in the market...
Not that the snow is thick enough to be pretty really, and it is likely to melt again in a day or so, but it's a harbinger, one hopes, of the near future. Once I have to turn on the stupid furnace, I like snow outside - at least, I like it on this side of winter. No promises about how I'll feel in February.
In other news, here's the latest production, still on the bobbin, ready to be washed/set.
It's probably the lightest gauge I've ever spun, pretty much laceweight, I think. Assuming it doesn't puff up a lot in the wash. I will be selling it on the etsy site - to see what I've got for sale now, click the button on the top left of this site, it will take you there. Go look just for The Pretty, even if you aren't in the market...
What have YOU been doing during the past week?
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Corn & I - Part the Second
So off we went, the Ambassador and Scott and I, to adventure and fun in the great outdoors.
We showed the Ambassador how water is gotten from under the ground to nourish our roots...
We admired the view, to nourish our souls...
We stopped to visit the Ambassador's relatives at the historic Anderson House
And had a bite to nourish our bodies
(the soup was excellent, too)
We saw a funny llama...
A fuzzy llama...
And another little llama (Not A Duck).
And her friends...
Scott 'invented' a new Taste Sensation, the Stockholm Grape Float.
He gave it a big thumbs up, but the Ambassador and I were not impressed.
Then we had to say goodbye to the Ambassador, and make our way home. But it had been a very beautiful and enjoyable day - a very nice anniversary, indeed!
We showed the Ambassador how water is gotten from under the ground to nourish our roots...
We admired the view, to nourish our souls...
We stopped to visit the Ambassador's relatives at the historic Anderson House
And had a bite to nourish our bodies
(the soup was excellent, too)
We saw a funny llama...
A fuzzy llama...
And another little llama (Not A Duck).
We met a charming representative of another culture (Wisconsin)
And her friends...
And another friend.
Scott 'invented' a new Taste Sensation, the Stockholm Grape Float.
He gave it a big thumbs up, but the Ambassador and I were not impressed.
Then we had to say goodbye to the Ambassador, and make our way home. But it had been a very beautiful and enjoyable day - a very nice anniversary, indeed!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Corn & I - Part the First
Monday was my husband's 19th year of being saddled with me, so we decided to play hooky.
Well, we decided weeks ago that we'd play hooky Monday, but wasn't it nice that the weather decided to cooperate?
So off we went in search of foliage. Last week was peak, so we knew that the flaming yellows and oranges and reds and purples were going to be pretty much gone, but we're not completely immune to the beauties of russets and golds.
It didn't start off well. Scott sat on his sunglasses when he got into the car after stopping at SA for coffee. So we stopped at Target to get him some glasses. I stayed in the car so that we could save time by having me pull up to the curb, rather than risk a lengthy period of wandering aimlessly around the parking lot, trying to remember where we left the vehicle.
I immediately knocked his entire 20-oz coffee into my lap.
So after picking him up, I had to go home and change, while he tried to mop up the remaining caffeine.
Luckily, that did not set the tone for the rest of the trip!
Off we went. And it wasn't long before we realized that our trip had a theme. Let's see if you can tell what it is... here's what we saw:
Well, we decided weeks ago that we'd play hooky Monday, but wasn't it nice that the weather decided to cooperate?
So off we went in search of foliage. Last week was peak, so we knew that the flaming yellows and oranges and reds and purples were going to be pretty much gone, but we're not completely immune to the beauties of russets and golds.
It didn't start off well. Scott sat on his sunglasses when he got into the car after stopping at SA for coffee. So we stopped at Target to get him some glasses. I stayed in the car so that we could save time by having me pull up to the curb, rather than risk a lengthy period of wandering aimlessly around the parking lot, trying to remember where we left the vehicle.
I immediately knocked his entire 20-oz coffee into my lap.
So after picking him up, I had to go home and change, while he tried to mop up the remaining caffeine.
Luckily, that did not set the tone for the rest of the trip!
Off we went. And it wasn't long before we realized that our trip had a theme. Let's see if you can tell what it is... here's what we saw:
This...
And this and this...
I think you get the picture.
If you've lived in Minnesota all your life, like we have... or traveled in Wisconsin, as we have... you will notice what we didn't see. In the sky. It turns out that what's missing is not unconnected to the above (clue: although there also were no clouds in the sky during much of the day, we didn't miss those at all). If you haven't lived in Minnesota or traveled in Wisconsin in autumns past, there will be clues to the missing pieces later in this story. See if you pick it up.
We decided that we were going to be open to new friends and new experiences, so we started as we meant to go on.**
Here is Scott, introducing himself:
** It is a testament to our love - and to Scott's patience - that he was willing to stop on the highway in the middle of nowhere and indulge without question (and with only a subtle roll of the eyes) my request that he fetch a corn stalk. It is even more a testament to his gift of tolerance that he did so even though he had a fair idea of what he was going to be subjected to for the rest of the day. A proof of his brilliance, too - because his suspicions were well founded.
I think you get the picture.
If you've lived in Minnesota all your life, like we have... or traveled in Wisconsin, as we have... you will notice what we didn't see. In the sky. It turns out that what's missing is not unconnected to the above (clue: although there also were no clouds in the sky during much of the day, we didn't miss those at all). If you haven't lived in Minnesota or traveled in Wisconsin in autumns past, there will be clues to the missing pieces later in this story. See if you pick it up.
We decided that we were going to be open to new friends and new experiences, so we started as we meant to go on.**
Here is Scott, introducing himself:
And here he is, returning with the Ambassador:
** It is a testament to our love - and to Scott's patience - that he was willing to stop on the highway in the middle of nowhere and indulge without question (and with only a subtle roll of the eyes) my request that he fetch a corn stalk. It is even more a testament to his gift of tolerance that he did so even though he had a fair idea of what he was going to be subjected to for the rest of the day. A proof of his brilliance, too - because his suspicions were well founded.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Neighbors Against... Neighbors Who Are Against Stuff
This is my son.
This is my son in his Job Uniform.
Yes, he is one of those obnoxiously sincere and enthusiastic young persons who knock on your door and interrupt your dinner in an attempt to convince you to sign things or put a sign on your lawn or donate your hard-earned cash.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Minnesota Spring
Spring and Autumn are precious commodities in Minnesota. We go from one end to the other in a week, or perhaps two, and then it's gone. Summers are hot and muggy, Winters are cold and icy...
... but oh, those few weeks between are heaven!
Here's Minnehaha Parkway, at the very beginning of our springtime bloom, just barely over a week ago. The peak passed by and I forgot my camera, and now the petals have mostly blown away. But don't you wish you'd been here for this?
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