the backs of things

sometimes the backs of these little embroideries are more interesting to me than the fronts. all the little "mistakes" the threads that have managed to escape and knot themselves up are clearly visible and unfixable unless i want to tear the whole thing out and mostly i don't ever want to do that.


unless i'm knitting in which case i think nothing of unraveling hours of work, it doesn't matter because it was never the "getting there" i was after with the knitting.


the little threads that connect one line to another are all visible. where i started and stopped, where i jumped, where i changed stitch patterns.  it's the truth of it but it's the part that isn't supposed to be seen.

so close...

if i were going to san francisco today i'd stay at the tomo and have lunch at cha-ya (AND saigon sandwich), i'd hit all my favorite thrift stores, have a thai massage and sit and watch tai chi in the park.
as it stands i don't see an opening for a getaway until next year! which sounds so far away but in reality is just a blink.


until then...

journal page

one of the things i like about making these little impromptu collages is the surprise i feel when i look at them later.  something unexpected is revealed.  it's one of the things i like about getting older too.  the eyes are going, that's a nuisance, but things are revealed. 

shadows

we don't have cable anymore or dish network. we do get netflix and we love it. we watch what we want with no commercial interruptions. only ice cream or other dessert interruptions and for the dishwasher frequent i can't sit still in my pants anymore interruptions. but sometimes (like last night) the best thing on the tv are the shadows.

moon day

According to the Ashtanga Yoga tradition...

The new moon energy corresponds to the end of exhalation when the force of apana is greatest. Apana is a contracting, downward moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but dense and disinclined towards physical exertion.

today is a new moon. 0% of full.

and i am most definitely disinclined towards any physical exertion other than eating.  of course. for some reason my appetite is never adversely affected by illness or stress or anything.  i can always eat.  and luckily there is still some of the dishwasher's super fabulous chicken soup for the soul left.  

no yoga today but the bulldog needs walking. she's already giving me the eye.

 a stitchery i finished yesterday

flattened

woke up with an evil sore throat the other day and it turns out that was the easy part.  my eyeballs hurt, specifically the backs of my eyeballs.  luckily the dishwasher makes the most excellent chicken soup known to man.  and he bought me a slanket.

the Monk's necklace

my friend the Venerable Monk Ben Kong makes the most amazing necklaces i've ever seen. he uses a macrame knotting method that makes them surprisingly strong. he's been beading in this manner for many years, makes them from beads donated to him from his friends and congregation from his temple in ny. he has a wide wide wide circle of friends from all over creation and everyone donates beads and baubles that he adds to these works that he then gives away. if you give him beads he'll then ask you your two favorite colors and your favorite number and from this he creates a necklace for you. each one takes a long time to make and i marvel that he gets more than one done a year. he works on more than one at a time as well as keeping a full schedule at the temple and studying and translating. he's fluent in mandarin. he's also nutty as a squirrel, his most endearing quality. he visits with us every year and we always look forward to having him here.
if you're in ny and want to buy a Buddhist monk some pancakes, he's your man.

nesting

the nest is getting dolled up for thanksgiving. shown here is our lair. THE spot to be here now. weather permitting and it permits a good part of the year but it's almost time to shut it down for the rainy winter months.
more pictures of the garden here

another journal page

on thursday mornings i drag myself out of bed at 5:45 to cook breakfast at the inn. there are several problems with this scenario one being i have breakfast at 6am and am then famished by 10 and ready for a nap by noon. the dishwasher's coffee gets me going pretty well for a few hours but then i get grumpy and sleepy and i call the rest of the day pretty much shot as i don't get over it. so today is perfect because it's chilly and rainy outside so there's no way i can work in the garden. that leaves stitching in front of the fire watching a movie and wandering out to the new studio to admire our handiwork.

studio remake # 589

here we go again. i know it's crazy and yet i can't help myself. the very definition of crazy. the studio is moving again. just when it was fantastic especially with the new light fixture and the new closet shelves...

there are reasons. perfectly sound ones and i'm sure there will be perfectly good reasons for the next time as well. for the moment i'm just grateful that tearful dishwasher is my partner. he just looks me dead in the eyes and says "whatever you want baby" no matter what madness comes out of my mouth.

i'm a lucky girl.

tic tac toe

last night i had a dream that i was visiting my friend Allene who in for real life lives in the desert but in the dream she lived by the ocean which she loves. we were laying on the sand and the water receded and opened up to a cave that was filled with boxes of all sizes and we grabbed at the smallest ones right at the entrance to the cave and they were filled with...something. i can't remember what! argh.

it reminded me of this http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/health/10mind.html?_r=1&ref=science
especially since i was looking for a box yesterday to send her something.  i didn't find the right size box.

yet.


the stitching continues...

monday

again?

already?

i'm pretending it's snowing outside this morning and we have no heat. the no heat part is not pretend. brrr.

found

at the seaside. the seaweed "heart" has held up pretty well though it sheds a little when handled.
i missed the beach walk this morning because it's chilly and i'm lazy and it's early. why are we up so early on a sunday morning? it may have something to do with going to bed at 8.

MIA

Lost
my sean penn book. where are you?

FridYAY!

i like fridays which i am today renaming fridYAY!
it is both beginning and end.
good morning and good night.