Highway Turn Offs

Last week when my mom was visiting we drove up to Leavenworth for the day.  Let me just tell you that the drive is simply beautiful along Steven's Pass Highway.  On our way back down the from the top of Steven's Pass we pulled off the road at a little turnoff for Deception Falls.  I'm so glad we did.  It was a very short, little walk over to these gorgeous roaring falls that go right under the highway.   Next to the falls was a great little sign explaining all about them that left some good food for thought.

"Nothing is weaker than water.  But when it attacks something hard or resistant, then nothing withstands it." ~ Lao Tzu

"Deception Falls could shove you against a rock with seven tons of force.  Yet, cup the same water in your hands and it runs softly through your fingers."

Water has much to teach us I think!

30 Things for Turning 30

Image by Susannah Conway

June 18th marked my thirtieth birthday.  Thirty!  It's a little unbelievable.  My parents came out to celebrate and we had a wonderful time visiting places like Leavenworth and Coupeville, taking a cruise on the harbor, going to see Cirque du Soliel's Kooza, hiking in the woods, and eating lots of good food.  Once my parents send me some of the pictures they took I'll be sure to share them!

To commemorate turning the big 3-0 on the blog I decided to share a list of 30 things I'd like to do in my thirtieth year. 

1. Crochet a blanket
2. Learn to knit
3. Make a quilt (You see I started one at the beginning of the year and have yet to finish so here's hoping!)
4. Ride a tandem bicycle
5. Explore the National Parks including Olympic National Park, Mt. Rainer National Park, and Arches
6. Read A Room with a View and Walden
7. Travel to the United Kingdom
8. Visit a U-pick farm
9. Put up a hammock in the backyard
10.  Make my own fruit leather
11. Volunteer at the local library
12.  Have a year of lists I made it about half way and that seems just fine with me.
13. Paddle a canoe
14. Reread childhood favorites: The Secret Garden, Little House on the Prairie, and Little Women
15. Make myself something to wear
16.  Walk around Green Lake
17.  Go sailing
18.  Mail a handwritten letter
19.  Memorize a new song on the piano (for years I've played an Enya song its time to add a new one!) I didn't memorize a piano song but I think learning several flute solos should count, right?
20.  Make homemade granola
21. Learn how to grill
22. Throw a backyard party
23.  Make a fire by myself in the fireplace
24. Organize the garage
25. Redecorate the office into a shared sewing studio/office
26. Refinish a piece of furniture
27. Bake a pie
28. Establish a regular baking day
29. Go for a long walk in the rain
30. Hang laundry out to dry in the sun

What is something you hope to do or wish you had done before you were thirty?

Jonsi and Iceland Volcano.

The music and the images are just hauntingly beautiful and move deeply within my soul.  I've been playing it over and over.  Hope it will touch and connect with a place in you as well.

Crochet Flower Garden

Crochet Flower Garden
Originally uploaded by Annette - A Simple Breath

Every Christmas holiday season since my husband and I have been together has been spent at my in-laws house in the mountains. Their home is always a welcome retreat from the hustle of the holidays. Most of our time is spent eating excellent food that my in-laws make for us, reading books, playing board games, or taking a walk in neighboorhood or in the little mountain's downtown.

Last Christmas, with my new found interest in all things crafty, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law showed me how to do crochet. I have always loved the look of granny squares and my mother-in-law was patient enough to take me through making one step by step. My sister-in-law showed me how to make fillet stitches.

When I returned home from the holidays I would fiddle with crochet from time to time but still hadn't made any substaintial project yet. Now I wouldn't call these crochet flowers anything substaintial really but they feel like a completed project on their own and have been so much fun to make.

I even turned a few of them into hair ties for my lunch buddy!

These flower patterns came from 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet. An excellent and inspiring little book that not only includes flowers but little bugs, butterflies, leaves, fruit, and vegetables too!

Birthday Gift Ideas

Indulge me while I'm being a little greedy.  I don't mean to be but people keep asking what I want for my birthday and I feel guilty actually telling them things that I would want.  Do you ever feel that way?  You have things you'd like to receive for your birthday or Christmas but you feel greedy actually announcing what it is you want. Well, today I am going to be greedy!  These are in no particular order.  There are 9 shopping days left!

1. Membership to The Card Society, a letterpress card of the month club. During the month of June you can get 15% off.   Any length of membership would be fine!

2. Pre-ordered copy of Alicia Paulson's Embroidery Companion: Classic Designs for Modern Living.  The book isn't released until August 10th.  If you order from her website you get a signed copy!  And while you are there you could also get me a copy of her first book, Stitched in Time.

3. Chickadee eyeglass case crewel kit from Purl Soho.  I just love the chickadees, don't you?  A simple gift card to Purl Soho would be great too.  There is just so much beautiful fabric there! 

4.  Presser Feet for my new Bernina 440QE.  Edgestitch Foot #10 and Button Sew-On Foot #18.  Or more simply extra bobbins, cause honestly you can't have too many.

5. The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking by Jane Brocket.  I'd also like her first book The Gentle Art of Domesticity and if you order it on Amazon you can get them both at a discounted price.

6. Fourteen balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran yarn in pale pink, light blue, lilac or, a cream/ivory color (make sure they are all have the same dye lot number).  I want to crochet this lovely cardigan for myself.  

Okay that's probably enough indulgence for one day. 

Images from: 1. The Card Society, 2. Alicia Paulson, 3. Purl Soho, 4. BerninaUSA, 5. Amazon, 6. Debbie Bliss

Sunday Special

My husband and I have a little nickname for the times when we are most romantic with each other.  Those days are our "Sunday Special" days.  Yesterday was definitely one of those "Sunday Special" days. 

First, he made me a beautiful breakfast of blueberry-cheese crepes and sausages.  It was heavenly to lie on the couch and listen to him work away in the kitchen.  Smelling the lemons he peeled for the crepe filling.  Listening to the sausages sizzling in the pan.  The meal was delicious.  Honestly, I am constantly spoiled by my husband's cooking. 

Next it was off to see Sex and the City 2 at the theatre.  Getting my husband to go to the movies with me can be a challenge at times but we've always shared a special connection around Sex and the City.  Most people think Sex and the City is all about hanging out with your girlfriends and gabbing about relationships afterward.  When we went to see the first movie together I overheard a group of ladies saying, "Why would you drag your boyfriend with you instead of going with your friends?'  What they failed to understand is it was me and my husband who cuddled up on the couch together to watch each episode, not me and my girlfriends.  Only once did I watch Sex and the City with my girlfriends and honestly it was awful.  They mostly  wanted to chat while the series played in the background.  When Patrick and I watch it we cuddle on the couch together and make silly comments about how crazy Samantha is or how Carrie can sometimes by hypersensitive about Big and how if she only shared her feelings with him maybe it wouldn't be so bad.  Patrick thinks I'm most like Charlotte.  And teases me about it when Charlotte goes and says something unexpected or finds herself in a compromising position!

Image from: http://www.sexandthecitymovie.com/
Anyways back to the movie...  I had read some bad reviews for it so I was a little skeptical if we would enjoy it or not.  We both LOVED it.  The thing with Sex and the City movies is that you have to watch them like they're just a long two hour episode on a bigger screen rather then an actual movie.  I cried two or three different times throughout and had to cover my eyes a couple times (some of Samantha's sexcapades should never be shown on a big screen - it's just too much!)  I guess I am Charlotte!!! 

After the movie we walked over the Joann Fabrics so I could get some linen and yarn for some crafting projects.  Patrick is always so good to go with me and patient as I look at yet one more craft book.  (I am a craft book addict and no I'm not seeking help for it at present time.)  We then headed over for dinner at an Italian restaurant that unfortunately was overpriced and stuffy but our conversation made up for it!  We talked about the movie, our feeling on having babies, and what I want to do for my upcoming birthday (11 more days until I'm the BIG 3-0!)

Coming home Patrick went down to the basement to tinker with his antique radios, searching for stations. He has a old "boat anchor" radio.  According to my husband, "The Collins designed R-390 and R-390A are considered by many to be the best tube receivers of all time." So he has both of course! 

One of my new favorite sounds is the static that made as he searches the radio frequencies.  One that came in last night was in Japanese, one claimed to be Beijing International and the last he tuned into was playing old radio programs from the 1940's.  I lay upstairs on the couch with the hot pad on my back and crochet in my fingers.  (I've pretty much been decommissioned for the past week due to severe low back pain, but I am feeling MUCH better!)  

We ended the night by watching movies in bed.  First we finished watching Oliver, which we've been watching over the last few nights, I keep falling asleep before we're done!  The an old 1920's nickelodeon called Why Change Your Wife? directed by Cecil B. DeMille which was lovely.  The characters were engaging, the fashion was beautiful, the music was lovely and the storyline perfection!  The message of the movie was a reminder to be "more of a sweetheart then a governess" to my husband. 

And that was what was beautiful about today - we were sweethearts enjoying our "Sunday Special!"

What are your "Sunday Special" days?