Mushed Mums

Mushed Mums

One picture from the Fout garden after a crazy weekend of driving (well actually riding and sleeping while John drove) up to Lancaster and then to Cleveland and then back to Lancaster and then to Athens and then to Lexington (whew!) but I did get to see the end of my friend Erin's wedding and attend her wonderful reception! Then, the next day, I got to go back to Athens for the first time since I graduated...we visited John's really hung-over brother and then went to Donkey for coffee...aww, Athens, I miss you!!

and, on a completely side note, I've been taking my camera with me everywhere....so maybe, just maybe, I'm not burnt-out anymore. We'll see...I'm hoping that one of these days I branch out beyond flower pictures, but I'm not pushing it ;)

We'll see what I can do in Seattle (when I'm there in two days!!)

hmm...

so am I still popular if most of my comments are spam?? ;) hehe at least they appreciate my "very interesting blog"

Slow and steady...

or maybe just slow ;) Branching out has six repeats now...maybe because I keep surfing the internet instead of knitting. I like how it's looking so far but gosh, I have to pay UTTER AND TOTAL ATTENTION to what I'm doing or else I finish a repeat and wonder...

"Why do I only have 24 stitches? Where is my other stitch?? How could I only have 24??"

I think that's happened three times so far...but LUCKILY I read about lifelines and so in the worst cases, I've only had to pull out 10 rows...

I thought that maybe I'd finish it to wear on my Seattle trip, but that'd take some frantic knitting...don't think it's going to happen but we'll see ;)

Another one for the flower portfolio

Flower

A couple pictures from our trip to the UK Arboretum...I love that place sooo much.

My new knitting project, Branching Out, is going well...4 repeats down...32 or so to go...

More Flowers 

Branching Out

Okay...so I'm starting a new scarf tonight, Branching Out from knitty.com (I'm also doing the Branching Out knit along on craftster.org). I've never knit lace before...so keep your fingers crossed and think happy thoughts ;)

And another...

"School opens tomorrow. As it does every day of your life. Keep your pencils sharp and your eyes and ears open. Be there." - Robert Fulghum

Awww....

What do you make for two friends that met at Boy Scout Camp and are expecting a baby??

Baby Boy Scout socks, of course!!

UK Arboretum 

not lost and gone forever

Okay...I REALLY am going to post on my blog and keep it updated and add new pictures to make it look pretty...see I've already done it ;)

Well, I could probably go on and on about my life right now...if I just talked about the good stuff, it'd sound perfect and wonderful (but not so accurate) and if I just talked about the bad stuff, well...it'd sound not so fun...

So I'll try to stick with the good things...

The picture below this post is from Labor Day Weekend (yay my birthday weekend!) at Miguel's Pizza at the Red River Gorge (camping is $2 a night for rock climbers and it was PACKED). We climbed a little and then hiked up to the natural bridge part of Natural Bridge State Park...very pretty! And we tried not to be too hurt by the fact that little kids and grandmas were beating us up the trail

The picture above this post is from the UK Arboretum...which is one of my favorite places in Kentucky so far (in Lexington...but that's only an hour away, right?). There are trees and flowers and people walking with strollers and dogs, and people running...I took pictures until my camera battery died, and the picture above is one of the best ones I got.

Labor Day Weekend 

Not tired enough

So here I am after midnight...and I'm not sleepy enough for bed...I'm guessing I ate way too much chocolate ;)

Things are good. I had a really great day today. When I got home from work, my co-worker had left a surprise for me...a bag with tomatoes, M&Ms, and bite-size Snickers!...so that was really nice =D I'd also bought a pound of tomatoes from a farmer earlier today...so I've got tomatoes coming out my ears now...just gotta figure out what to do with all of them ;)

One tired puppy...

Been such a slacker when it comes to posting, but I've been crazy crazy busy...got a new job, and a new apartment (still furniture-less) and all of that...and gosh, am I tired.

(but I am in my new-and very nice-apartment, all of my utilities are hooked up (including my cable...except my too-heavy tv is waiting in my car until I can find someone stronger than I am to carry it upstairs), and tomorrow morning I have a 3 minute commute instead of an hour...thank goodness)

Just Challenges and Opportunities

I kind of wish I could fast forward time a little bit so that...POOF! I'd already have an apartment! and POOF! I'd already have all my utilities hooked up! and POOF! My first week of work would already be over so I'd already be on my way to settling in!

But the good part about this craziness is (drumroll please)...I HAVE A JOB!! and a darn good one too!! So that's the good news.

The bad news is that I'm feeling overwhelmed and unsettled...Why exactly does US Bank need 3 forms of ID to set up a checking account? If I get a Cingular phone, will I ever have good enough reception to call anyone??

But in a case like this, I know just what I need to do...

I need to maintain a
POSTIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE

with plenty of
ENTHUSIASM
ENTHUSIASM
ENTHUSIASM

Because if I don't, they will...
HYDRATE ME
MOTIVATE ME
TERMINATE ME

(and you know that I did the hand motions ;) love you baby)

Kentucky

Well..there's so much to write about that I don't even really know where to start...I've been here for over a week now, just got back from watching the fireworks in downtown Lexington, and before that, I took a nap...actually before that, I got back from a weekend in Ohio =D and I am still way tired but I need to pick out a nice outfit for tomorrow, set an alarm...oh and go switch my laundry (oops) ok that's taken care of now...

I'm tired enough that everything I write is coming out cranky...so I'll just say, things are pretty darn good and leave it at that

Flower picture from my camping trip

Well here I am...less than a week from leaving...I can't believe I've almost been here an entire year.

One of my friends out here set up a camping trip and I was the "guest of honor." =) It was a lot of fun, and I was glad to use my tent again (it's been forever!!). I'm hoping that after the move I'll have more opportunities for camping and climbing and all that.

I've been packing and packing and packing...and it's a good thing I can see the pile of boxes growing because my room is such a mess right now that it seems like I haven't packed anything at all. I'm always amazed at the amount of stuff I have!!

So that's about it here... really excited and a little sad and a little anxious about the move (but hanging in there!)...I just know it'll be here so quick

Sock Puppets

Yep, tomorrow's workshop topic is sock puppets...so my mission for today was to make an example, and here's what I came up with =D

At first, I thought he was kinda funny looking, but he's starting to grow on me...

and then some...

Well, as you can see from my pictures, I got to go to Arches last weekend...it was an incredible place, beautiful, amazing...I've wanted to go there for years, so actually getting there (especially when I'd kind of given up on making it out there while I was here in Wyoming) was awesome =D

I'm getting a roommate tomorrow, and I've been a busy bee this afternoon trying to get the apartment ready...the 2nd bedroom is all cleaned out and vaccumed...but my room looks like it got hit by a tornado ;) but it's kind of cozy to have all my stuff in my room...like being back in college. I've still got to make room in the fridge, kitchen cabinents, hall closet, and do some more vaccuming...but I'm excited...it'll be fun to have someone else around the apartment =D

Arches 

Wildflower