The Blue Lady Travels to a Blue Land

This time we did not see any orange groves.

California! Yes! I love California!

It began years ago when my friend at Red Butte Garden who used to  live in southern California told me about The Huntington Gardens and Museums. L. lyrically described the gardens and insisted that I must go there and see for myself. I was convinced; the only question was when.

Quick Notes about Being Retired ..... Comfort is Queen

Smokey Rose helps me knit non-fashionable things

Did you happen to hear the NPR interview with Tim Gunn or maybe read the newspaper article on which it was based? It's all about how the fashion industry has abandoned plus sized women, which Mr. Gunn called disgraceful. Thank you, Mr. Gunn for saying it so eloquently.

I do recognize that whether I want it or not, the fashion industry does effect my clothing life in many ways. Like how the Meryl Streep character explained in the film "The Devil Wears Prada"..... for example, I can only buy certain colors at any given time because the powers that be have decided something or another about colors.

Hygge Time

Smokey Rose knows how to get cozy

(I am feeling ok now. Others are getting sick all over the place, but I am better. Just have a cough sometimes still)

Jul is over and none too soon. While there is certainly a lot to like about the holiday, it is usually too much for me in the end, and I don't even have kids or a big house, don't entertain, don't bake things (for Jul anyway), don't have seasonal music playing all the time, don't travel anymore to be with loved ones, don't do a lot of things one is supposed to do at this time of year.

An Introvert Reaches Her Limits

I am an introverted person. I was very happy to read a new book that came out this year Quiet by Susan Cain which is all about introverts. The author has a little set of questions to ask yourself if you are introverted or extroverted. I knew I was an "inny" from the beginning, but the set of questions just confirmed it. You should just read the book if you want to learn all about questions like what makes intro / extroverted people, what are our various strengths and weaknesses, how we introverts can overcome some of our difficulties in life & how parents, teachers, managers, co-workers can best work with us.

October, the best month

I think October is just the best. I love the fall colors.

I love the temperatures, cool in the mornings and evenings, cold at night for sleeping, but pretty nice during the daytime.

It doesn't rain or snow much in October. The sky is usually bright blue.

I don't have many autumn decorations for my home, but I have a few things, and I enjoy doing a little bit of fall decorating.

It's time to get out the crock pot to make soups and stews. I'll do some baking too...carrot cake for our potluck at work, birthday cake for our knitting group party, something to bring to another potluck next week.

Plenty of knitting to do.

This year I decided to make a sweater. It will take me awhile, but perhaps I can finish it by January.

And naps in October are just the right thing to do in the late afternoon.

What's not to love about October?

Jizo Knitting Circle

I was late arriving at the Jizo Knitting Circle on Saturday; because I don't drive regularly in the winter, I tend to forget about things like planing extra time to scrape the ice and snow off the car so I can drive. There was a lot of both on the car Saturday morning. I even tore one windshield wiper off the arm trying to get it unstuck from the ice.

I hate to miss attending the knitting circle, and I want to be on time so I can get in on ALL the talking and knitting time. This week I missed about 30 minutes. It was all right, others arrived even later, It's just that I felt I missed out on every minute.

Kay started the circle a few years ago. I was not an original member, but I think I joined fairly close to the beginning. Kay always hosts it at her house, and she says she doesn't mind at all because the day is a highlight of her month. There are a lot of people on the e-mail list, but maybe 6-8 show up most of the time. New people are always welcome. I don't know how the folks who are not connected with the Zen Center found us, but several people did, and I am so happy to have friends from "other" places. But of course, now we are all friends via the Jizo circle.

Kay's home is totally lovely. She calls it "the little house," and it is kind of small, but it feels spacious. It's a mid century modern house in the upper avenues (very high up ... they can have different weather up there at times) which isn't terribly distinguished from the outside. She and her husband totally rennovated it so it now has new energy efficient doors and windows, is all nicely insulated and has fully modern "guts". The kitchen has big corner windows that look out on a great view of the city and the Oquirrh Mountains. There is a gas fireplace in the main room where we meet. The furnishings are minimal but comfortable and practical, Goldilocks style ... just right. Recently Kay's husband built her a tiny studio building out back where Kay does her caligraphy work.  Kay also plays the harp which sits in the main room. On saturday she played for us an "antiphon" that she recently composed which was just beautiful to hear.

People who attend don't have to knit. Some do crochet or embroidery. Kay and Claire often spin yarn with hand spindles. Some people often do charity projects, some seldom do that.

Late last year we did a group project where many of us (and many more who didn't attend the meetings) made small bags in various styles. Each bag holds a little mouse or other stuffed animal with a note that says "My name is .... Won't you be my friend?" We called them "critter pouches." Kay gave them to a place called the Children's Center. It's a therapeutic pre-school for kids  with mental heath or other behavioral issues (autism, for example). Kay says many of these kids cannot easily make friends and have very little of anything that is their own. The staff will carefully give the friends all away to the kids. We intend to make more.

We have also given things away to people with Alzheimer's, to a hospice and to the Catholic cathedral where they give things to homeless folks. It all depends  on what the knitter wants to make .. mittens and hats go to the homeless, lap robes to the hospice, textural scarves to the Alzheimer's people.

(Sherri gave me this Cascade 220 for free after getting it from somebody else. So I'm now making it into mittens to give away. There will be enough for a hat too.)


But the best part for me is the time spent with great friends. Jizo Knitting Circle day is a highlight of my month too.