Author: -N-

In the Moment

Our dog is very old, and getting doggy dementia.  He was running around a bit, seeming anxious, and then comes the unmistakable sound of peeing.

How can you be mad about something like that?  He was lost and confused in the house, and probably couldn’t remember where the door was.  He knew he had to get out, but just could not figure out how.  So I showed him.

Out to the patio we went, through the normal pathways of the house.  Here!  

And in that moment of early morning, the sun was reflecting through the water droplets left on the calla stems, golden and warm.  (Not like pee at all!)

Two Wolves

Like a game of telephone . . . this came from Kirk Tuck’s blog, and this in turn came from Kim Critchfield’s Facebook page.  It was too good to not pass along.

One evening a Cherokee elder told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, “My son, the battle is between the two ‘wolves’ that live inside us all.

One is Unhappiness or Evil – It is anger, jealousy, fear, regret, greed, arrogance, sorrow, self-pity, resentment, inferiority, false pride, superiority, weakness and ego.

The other is Happiness or Good – It is joy, love, hope, serenity, benevolence, peace, empathy, kindness, generosity, truth, humility, faith, strength and compassion.”

The grandson thought about it for a while and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.” – Cherokee Elder

Buying Toys, i

For anyone who loves fiber arts, places such as Convergence or Spin-Off Autumn Retreat are a bit of hog heaven.  Vendors from all over the country come to sell their wares.  Workshops and classes abound.

According to many vendors, the turn-out for this Convergence was disappointing.  No major crowds on any day, just a slow stream of buyers.  In some ways, this was great, because as a buyer who has been to really crowded venues, I could take my time and wander here and there – and then return yet again, not feeling rushed to get something for fear it would disappear five minutes later!  However, this is not good for the sellers who have spent money to be part of the market place, who have traveled many miles to get to Long Beach, and who have also spent money on food and lodging.

I did my bit, and met some absolutely wonderful people, and caught up with a couple of my favorite people, John Novak of Village Spinning and Weaving in Solvang, CA, and John Marshall, the master of katazome dyeing from Covelo, CA.

I bought items for spinning, weaving, knitting, and sewing.  For spinning and knitting I bought . . .

. . . the world’s best ball winder from Nancy’s Knit Knacks.  Suzi Liles of the Eugene Textile  Center.  I also bought a cone of Harrisville Designs Shetland in Emerald Green from her, which I have already swatched on US 4 needles and washed.

Suzi was wonderful to talk with, and everyone who was at her booth was helpful and knowledgeable.  Had I a few thousand dollars, I would have come away with another spinning wheel, and a pile of yarn.

For spinning I got some to-dye-for (bad pun!) baby alpaca from Christine at Grasshopper Springs Ranch.

You cannot even begin to imagine what a lovely touch this has  . . .

And, oh, yes, I bought more things, too . . . but you will have to wait for the next installment to see!

Big City

Friday and Saturday I went to Convergence, the Handweaver’s Guild of America’s conference.  It happens every other year, in different parts of the country.  Besides being nearby (if you call 70 miles close), the big reason for going was simply to visit with an old college friend who had flown down to attend.  We had a wonderful time catching up with each other, wandering around, and just visiting.

Although I have resided in California for a very long time, this was the first time I had ever been in the city of Long Beach.  I don’t much about the town, except it is a large city.  Where we stayed has obviously seen a great deal of urban development, much of it very nice, with a strong emphasis on the visual.  Throughout the area we stayed in, referred to as “The Village” I was told, were wonderful things, from attractive new architecture, to trendy buildings, and a definite thoughtfulness in design to details large and small.

While I took pictures of lots of things, this post is dedicated to looking at architecture.  I enjoyed much of what I saw, most of which was new, but within walking distance older buildings (for us!) were apparent.  There is a lot of potential for this area as the city appears to be working to revitalizing an area by making it both commercial and very live-able at the same time.  It seems to be successful.