When Hope Seems Lost...

Roger Allen performed our wedding. Mark and Lisa Sabey are very dear friends of ours, and we participated in the 2009 Youth Trek together.

Please read this very moving account of recent events, and remember to always have hope. Always.

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Friday Funny

'Twas the month before Christmas and all through the night
We drove west and then south for Turkey Day bright.
We rode the coast, many calories to burn,
Watching fierce waves crash and churn.
"A Christmas card shot!" I squealed with glee,
Directing my favorite cyclist to ride straight to me.
"We can show them white water instead of white snow."
The cyclist grinned with mischief: "I don't think so!"
Will our parents forgive his humorous burst?
Will all our friends think we are cursed?
Or will they smile when they see
A Christmas card not designed by me?

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Coasting Along

Just before the deep freeze hit Colorado, we spent a day at the beach, riding right above and along the Pacific Coast, a first for both of us. It wasn't a high mileage ride, but it was a photographic paradise.

We saw what we think was a seal or sea lion, and then The Lizard saw a bobcat during his climb of Hazard Peak! Not often you get to see that combination of animals in just a few hours of time!

Ride Time: 32:30
Stopped Time: 1:02:18
Distance: 4.80 miles
Average: 8.87 mph
Fastest Speed: 15.69 mph
Ascent: 442 feet
Descent: 397 feet
Calories: 190

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Wordless Wednesday

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Miracles of the Season

Miracles can happen any time of year, but the ones that sneak up on you at Christmas are the most special of all.

We wanted to visit my parents in southern California but weren't sure the aging 4Runner could handle the miles. Last time it made that trip, back in 2008, it gave up the factory clutch to celebrate reaching the 222,222 mark. Now it's nearing the next digit six-of-a-kind, and the clutch implant surgically installed back in 2008 didn't eek out as many miles as its predecessor. They just don't build clutches the way they used to.

The 4Runner is getting a little gray behind the ears, with touches of rust here and there, too. So we planned to fly. We frequently checked the rates, holding out for a potential deal, but prices took a steep jump after Labor Day.

So, on a wing and literally a prayer, we drove.

We had a lovely visit with The Lizard's extended family, my parents, my siblings and their kids, and my nephew's young family, including tiny little Lucy. And the trusty old 4Runner made the entire trip without a single whine! The Lizard doesn't always believe, but I'm still holding out hope for one of those jumping-for-joy 7,000,000-mile Toyota commercials...

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. (I have to think positive if I want this to happen. My car hears everything I say.)


Just a couple of days after we returned home, the basement sprung a leak.

As devastating as that was, it could have been SO much worse.


We discovered the new inland ocean the day it formed. We were able to save all my photos and all my craft magazines, which had been stored in cardboard boxes on the unfinished cement floor. We were able to rescue The Lizard's family photo albums, including a number of photos older than either of us. My paper journals, from seventh grade until my first home computer, were stacked high above the danger zone, literally, thank heavens. Most of the unused yarn stash was double-bagged within boxes; the contents stayed dry.

We lost all our cookbooks. Newspaper clippings from my former life were a total loss. So were a couple of boxes of fabric and three bags of bicycle stuff. Two PIGS bit the dust... Projects in Grocery Sacks. Paper sacks. Paper sacks with handles. Handles that completely separated as the sacks and contents dismantled in lift-off fashion when rescued from the muck.

And oh, the smell!!! Windows were thrown open in single-digit temps to air out the unbearable and provide a little of our precious warmth to the frigid outside.

It could have been much worse. It could have happened while we were gone. It could have required digging up of my garden. It could have cost a heck of a lot more than it did. Thank God for protecting our home while we were away.

Two days later, the 4Runner's electronic ignition began acting up. Here we go again! Yet, it could have been much worse. It could have happened while were were on the road.


We'd had a bit of a flood before we left, too. For the second time this year, we tried to prepare our indoor garden for ten days of neglect by rigging up ceramic drip systems that are supposed to keep the plants healthy while our not-quite-green thumbs are away. We'd attempted to use these contraptions before Ride the Rockies in June, and the drip technology was no match for summer's severe heat and drought. We lost nearly all the indoor "kiddos," including the last of my beloved clove trees.

We experimented a week before leaving this time to make sure the drip system wouldn't run out, and we were confident the temperatures this time of year wouldn't be as fatal as the hot coals of summertime. We came home from work on Day Two of the experiment to find all the gallon jugs had completely drained, flooding all the plants.

I hoped the deluge would keep the strong, mature plants from withering while we were away. Words cannot express the fear that raged through my core over the new little clove seeds, received fresh from Hawaii just two weeks earlier. Four of the 12 babies turned brown before we left. Would any of the eight remaining seeds survive? How, oh, how would I keep them moist for ten whole days?!?


I'd cut the tops off multiple milk jugs back in the spring to protect our newly planted outdoor garden from late-season snow. I'd saved the jugs just in case we need them again next spring. I wondered if I could keep my indoor plants alive by placing the sensitive ones inside converted milk jugs with an inch or two of water.

We arrived home after ten days on the road very late at night at the tail end of a brutal winter storm. The clove seeds were the first things I checked the instant I walked in the door.

Three of the eight survivors are sprouting!


We lost a rhubarb plant, a sage plant, a rosemary plant and the only tomato plant that survived the transition to indoors prior to the first freeze of the season. One of two baby neem trees had spider mites. Go figure! Vinegar to the rescue. The rest of the indoor garden survived!

The Christmas cacti were exploding with colorful blossoms. The lone habañero was slowly turning red. The new hoya (which replaced the mealy bug-infested one The Lizard had inherited from his father many years ago) had grown a whole 14 inches! Two poppies were about to bloom. The sleeping hydrangeas were still sporting a few green leaves. All the basil, cilantro, stevia, chives and little green onions were thriving.

Best of all, those three little clove seeds are standing their moist ground!

Christmas isn't even here yet, and we've received the best presents we could have wished for!

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Snowflake Monday

Every year as I'm packaging snowflakes as gifts, I stumble across a few I don't really like. I might not like the color of thread. I might not like the design. Or the snowflake might have seven points instead of six. (My mother-of-seven mom likes the 7-pointers, though...)

A couple of years ago when I lost an entire batch of snowflakes by using the wrong kind of glue that left permanent residue, readers suggested I cut up the undesirable snowflakes to use in collages and other craft projects. I've yet to do that, but it's always been on my mind.

After setting aside a stack of snowflakes this year, I noticed the cascading sizes gave the appearance of a tree. That gave me an idea!

I strung some large beads between horizontal snowflakes and came up with a pretty unique little ornament! I'm sharing a photo I hope will inspire you to use up those undesirable flakes that just didn't turn out the way you like them.










This project left me in the mood for lace tree decorations. I played around with some Bernat Handicrafter crochet thread I'd picked up at a garage sale and came up with this pattern. I didn't really like this thread when I tried using it for snowflakes. It's soft with an appealing sheen, but it makes fuzzy, fibrous snowflakes. Fuzzy and fibrous aren't too bad for a tree.

Look!!! My pattern made top five in Ravelry for a while!!! Happy dance!!!


You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes and trees you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 7 inches tall
Materials: Size 5 crochet thread, size 4 crochet hook, empty yarn cone or homemade cone, plastic wrap, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush
NOTE: This pattern is written in the round, enabling the crocheter to stop at any point to allow crocheter discretion as to tree height.

Enchanted Forest Tree Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring; do not join.

Round 2: * 1 dc in next sc, 2 dc in next sc; repeat from * around 2 times for a total of 9 dc; do not join.

Round 3: * 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, 1 dc in same dc (short branch made), 1 sc in next dc; repeat from * around 3 times for a total of 4 short branches; do not join.

Round 4: Ch 2, * 1 dc around next sc from back, ch 2, 1 dc around same sc (V-stitch made); repeat from * around 3 times for a total of 4 V-stitches; do not join.

Round 5: 1 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 1 dc in same sp (V-stitch made), 1 V-stitch in the top of each of next 4 V-stitch for a total of 5 V-stitches in round; do not join.

Round 6: * Ch 2, 1 dc in top of next V-stitch, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, 1 dc in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 sc in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (short branch made); repeat from * around 4 times, ending with last sc of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch; do not join.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 7: Ch 2, 1 dc around next sc between branches from back, ch 2, 1 dc around same sc (V-stitch made, and pattern stitch is repeated throughout project), * 1 dc around next sc between branches, ch 2, 1 dc around same sc; repeat from * around 3 times for a total of 5 V-stitches, 1 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 2, 1 dc in same sp; do not join this round or any succeeding round unless directed to do so.

Round 8: 1 V-stitch in top of each of 6 V-stitches around.

Round 9: * Ch 2, 1 dc in top of next V-stitch, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, 1 dc in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 sc in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (short branch made); repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 short branches, ending with last sc of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 10: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next sc between branches from back and around each of next 5 sc between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 7 V-stitches.

Round 11: 1 V-stitch in top of each of 7 V-stitches around.

Round 12: * Ch 2, 1 tr in top of next V-stitch, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, ch 1, 1 tr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 dc in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (medium branch made); repeat from * around 6 times for a total of 7 medium branches, ending with last dc of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 13: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next dc between branches from back and around each of next 6 dc between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 8 V-stitches.

Round 14: 1 V-stitch in top of each of 8 V-stitches around.

Round 15: * Ch 2, 1 tr in top of next V-stitch, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, ch 1, 1 tr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 dc in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (medium branch made); repeat from * around 7 times for a total of 8 medium branches, ending with last dc of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 16: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next dc between branches from back and around each of next 7 dc between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 9 V-stitches.

Round 17: 1 V-stitch in top of each of 9 V-stitches around.

Round 18: * Ch 2, 1 tr in top of next V-stitch, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, ch 1, 1 tr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 dc in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (medium branch made); repeat from * around 8 times for a total of 9 medium branches, ending with last dc of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 19: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next dc between branches from back and around each of next 8 dc between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 10 V-stitches.

Round 20: 1 V-stitch in top of each of next 5 V-stitches, 1 V-stitch between 5th and 6th V-stitches (V-stitch increase made), 1 V-stitch in each of next 5 V-stitches for a total of 11 V-stitches around.

Round 21: * Ch 2, 1 dtr in top of next V-stitch, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 1, 1 dtr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 tr in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (large branch made); repeat from * 5 times, working 2nd tr of 5th branch in V-stitch increase; repeat from * 5 more times for a total of 10 large branches, ending with last tr of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 22: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next tr between branches from back and around each of next 9 tr between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 11 V-stitches.

Round 23: 1 V-stitch in top of each of next 3 V-stitches, 1 V-stitch between 3rd and 4th V-stitches (V-stitch increase made), 1 V-stitch in each of next 5 V-stitches, 1 V-stitch between V-stitches (V-stitch increase made), 1 V-stitch in each of remaining 3 V-stitches for a total of 13 V-stitches around.

Round 24: * Ch 2, 1 dtr in top of next V-stitch, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 1, 1 dtr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 tr in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (large branch made); repeat from * around, working 2nd tr of 3rd and 8th branches into V-stitch increases to maintain a total of 11 large branches, ending with last tr of round in 2nd dc of same V-stitch.

Round 25: Ch 2, 1 V-stitch around next tr between branches from back and around each of next 10 tr between branches; 1 V-stitch in next ch 2 sp for a total of 12 V-stitches.

Round 26: 1 V-stitch in top of each of 12 V-stitches around, working 3 V-stitch increases evenly spaced around for a total of 15 V-stitches.

Round 27: Ch 2, 1 dtr in top of next V-stitch, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, ch 1, 1 dtr in same V-stitch, ch 2, 1 tr in space between same V-stitch and next V-stitch (large branch made); repeat from * around, working 2nd tr of branches into V-stitch increases to maintain a total of 12 total branches, working a medium branch in last V-stitch of round; ch 2, sl st into next ch 2 sp; bind off. Weave in finishing end. Tuck starting end into top of tree.

Finish: Wrap yarn cone or homemade cone with plastic wrap. Soak tree in desired stiffener. (I used Epsom salt.) Position tree over cone. Shape branches. Allow to dry thoroughly. Gently remove tree from cone. Embellish as desired.


Finished Size: 5.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Enchanted Forest Snowflake Instructions

Ch 6, sl st into 1st ch OR make magic ring.

Round 1: 12 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), * sk 1 sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 6, 1 dc in same sc; repeat from * around 4 times; sk 1 next sc, 1 dc in same sc as sl st, ch 6, sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 3.


Round 3: * 3 sc in next ch 6 sp, ch 10, 3 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc.


Round 4: * Ch 2, 2 dc in next ch 10 loop, * [ch 3, sl st in top of dc just worked, 2 dc in same loop] 3 times, ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 5, 1 sc in 5th ch from hook, ch 6, sl st in sc, ch 4, sl st in sc, ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, [2 dc in same loop, ch 3, sl st in dc just worked] 3 times, 2 dc in same loop, ch 2, sl st in gap between next 2 3/sc groups; repeat from * around 5 times, ending with sl st in starting sc of Round 3. Bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

The temptation to crochet a simple chain loop at the end of any snowflake and use that for hanging is very real. I did that, too, for many years, until I discovered the twirl motion possible when attaching finished snowflakes to one strand of sewing thread or fishing line. In my opinion, threading a sewing needle (which I must now do with reading glasses) to string my snowflakes is so worth the extra effort. Here's what that magical twirl motion looks like:


Twirls!

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Commuting in Winter

Trailer: A Winter of Cyclists from ChainRing Films on Vimeo.

I'm somewhat bummed by the timing of this new movie. Don't get me wrong. I bought it and watched it first available opportunity; after all, I've been commuting in winter for quite a few years...

Until this movie was made. Dang. I could have joined the challenge and maybe even have been featured! Does anyone else in this movie ride as far as I do one-way or round-trip?!?

Because my commute is so long, I depended upon shower facilities at my workplace. Eighteen months ago, renovations and construction in the office where I work and in the building where the offices are located took away the convenience of showers and dressing rooms.

Owie!

Not only did I lose bicycle commuting, but stair climbing went by the wayside as well.

Double owie!

I did try commuting a few times, utilizing a homemade sponge bath incorporating dried out baby wipes reignited with fresh tea tree oil, lavender oil, jojoba oil and witch hazel. My homemade concoction was excellent for sweat and germs, but did nothing to relieve the stress, agony, displeasure, annoyance and agitation of bugs in my hair and in my ears and in my clothing and in my eyes and in my mouth. Sometimes still alive!

So bicycling to work for the last year and a half has been limited. Severely.

The new showers and dressing rooms are expected to be completed THIS MONTH!!!

Winter will not be an excuse for me once I have back the one modern convenience I tried hard to live without.

Come ice or snow, I plan to be on my bike again this winter, and I plan to be smiling big the entire ride. Until my lips crack, of course. Or until I get enough extra bug protein for a day's dietary allowance...

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In Search of Pink

As I was creating my crocheted Summer of Color version of the popular knitted Hue Shift afghan with natural-dyed yarn, I kept running out of colors. Trying to identically match hand-dyed colors can be a real chore.

Pink was the most difficult. I'd started the afghan with a gorgeous pink I'd achieved with pickled beet juice made by my mother-in-law. We wouldn't have more homemade pickled beet juice until Christmas. I had achieved pink a couple of times with hibiscus, but I'd intentionally rinsed those skeins with tap water, which turned them the soft blue found in the Summer of Color afghan.

Four times, I tried dyeing once again with hibiscus purchased at a health food store because my garden is fresh out of flowers at this point in the year. I obtained the most beautiful shades of pastel gray, lavender gray and blue gray, and I'm so anxious to use them. But I needed pink!

Finally, I realized the Summer of Color afghan will have to be washed in rain water. Or be the world's first color-changing afghan... The only way I could get pink I could keep would be if I didn't use tap water for the final rinse after dyeing the yarn. Fortunately, I had saved two large pots full of rainwater during our floods last summer. One pot is now pink from rinsing the final make-up skein of yarn.

Success!

Rainwater pink rules!

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