a memory leads to a sweater

On my recent trip to Santa Barbara I unearthed this photo from my dad’s collection. My mother, with my childhood gypsy fortune teller, circa 1969-ish.
Given that I was in my childhood home and therefore imbued with a certain visceral sense of recollection, I was deeply moved by this. It embodies a bit of the atmosphere that I grew up in. So much magic, so much possibility!

I started mulling over what kind of alchemy do I want to do in my life; it used to seem clear, and yet these days, as my level of contentment grows, I don’t feel much need to manipulate the world to suit my ends. Hmmm. What came to mind, strangely enough perhaps, was the idea (not for the first time, but with a new urgency) of making striped sweaters, seamless, rugged, country, hippie even. Is this a manifestation of some “earth magic?” I think so.
So I started this:

But today, I am working on the endless sideways knitted border of the pi shawl.

Almost done.

no fanfare.

without further ado, I re-enter. Again.

I must say, I hope I won’t be leaving it for some time now. I do like blogging, and I have had my fill of impediments to said activity!

As of yesterday, I have broadband in my home, and while I am still using sweet Alice’s computer (with her blessing), I intend to participate in that which has brought me so much joy in the past. It has taken me a really long time to make certain commitments that would ferry me back into polite society, like getting internet service, partly out of budgetary concerns, but mostly just as a result of the traumas that the last 6 months of Total and Complete Rootlessness have heaped upon me. I spent a solid 7 weeks feeling extremely detached from most things. (I was told I would make a good bag lady, and the commenter was right.)
I look forward to really going off with my new camera now I can post pictures to flickr any damn time I choose.

I wasn’t actively seeking new cat company, after the demise of my pets in October’s fire, but I inherited this pesky fellow when I moved into my new house. he was named One-Eye Willie after the pirate in the unfortunate 1985 release, the Goonies, which was, unfortunately filmed here in my hometown, and which is, unfortunately, apparently a huge tourist draw for fans of the movie. Much misfortune in this story. Not that I really mind. As long as they (the tourists) tip well.
Anyhoo, this fine fellow does a great job of shredding my new IKEA rug and new IKEA chair (and if you would have told me a year ago that I would have so much IKEA furniture I would have scoffed, but when I must admit it is a decent place for instant decor if you have lost your tried-and-trues) and he loves to sleep on your face. cats. sheesh.

My new house is finally a Home (that is the tagline to December’s movie) complete with table and dustpan (neither from IKEA) and I must say I like it better than the last. A bit more expensive, it’s true, but cozy. You can witness a small slice of my current obsession with primary colors in the above photo. I like to say I have earned my fire colors, but I suspect it is just my inner pre-schooler coming out to play.

Expect more from me in the future. Alki, as the say in Chinook jargon. I am back, knitting, dancing, sewing, parenting, and just tripping out in general.

fire pictures

This was my craft and textile library.

This was my bed, and my beloved window. I used to wake every morning to the sun’s rise reflected on downtown Astoria. That last night I woke (at 3 am) to the smell of smoke and the backyard all a-glow, cozy crackling and the sight of sparks coming off the side of the house…

The refrigerator. The kitchen was hardest hit. You can see the ladder behind the fridge that is being used to get upstairs. The stairs burned through.

There are few more pictures on my flickr. I am hoping to move beyond all this soon, but truth be told, I have been having hard days lately…

out of ashes

hi all. I’m bummed. I was just getting back into blogging after a long break and then the damn computer burns up. Thanks to our dear friend Behr (and her sister) Alice has a new computer, and I have privileges so I am going to try to do this periodically…

we’ll see.

First of all, I NEED to say huge THANKS to everyone EVERYONE! who has sent me support, vibes, money, stuff… JUDE!, that kitty is so amazing, SO amazing. I cannot tell you how much energy went through me when I opened the package and found her waiting. She was in my pocket for a long time after. I need to take a photo it’s true.

I do have a new house. Can I mention that by now I am sick of having new houses? I don’t mean to complain though. It is a nice new-to-me house.
Come take a little tour…
just a wee one…

The front porch:

salvage:

teensy bathroom:

kitchen:

view from the room that will be the dining room. Burned antler and surviving moon pendant.

artifacts. My jewelry survived! As did the box that some it lives in (middle item) but barely:

I bought myself a new camera and a thumb drive and I look forward to more photodocumentation of life as it unfolds.

Someone is going to be at my house soon to look through fabric so I had better finish this lovely pint (yes I’m at a pub) and get home. More sooner, and I can’t wait to start reading other people’s blogs as well!

See ya!