knitting in the garden...

on a hillside overlooking the river valley in the midst of our dry desert landscape here in wenatchee, an oasis of green draws the eye upward. the result of many years of work by the Ohme family, Ohme Gardens is very like a lush high alpine meadow, with rock paths, waterfalls and pools tucked among the evergreens, thick mats of thyme and sedum, wildflowers and the buzz of busy insects enjoying the rich variety. irrigation is a transformational thing, and this is a prime example of the wonders of irrigation. once a private family garden, at this time the garden is owned by the state, which is in the process of returning it to the county so that it will be eligible for state funding for improvements and upkeep. this past monday i was one of a small group of knitters who met with our sack lunches and projects to enjoy knitting in the garden. it was a windy day, and we took partial refuge in a great log framed covered picnic area that had been reserved for us. it was the first time i had been there in well over twenty years, and when i last saw it, it was with a different set of eyes, less informed and less appreciative of plants. for anybody who loves plants and rockwork, trees and water features, it is a treat for the senses.

and, incidentally, a beautiful place to knit!

tagged, now i'm it...

okay, i've been tagged...by woolydaisy with something called a meme, for reasons neither she nor i understand....anyone?



The rules: Are posted at the beginning. At the end of the post the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answers. (note: i don't personally know 6 people who blog and might be willing to be "it", but will try one or two...)

1. What was I doing 10 years ago? living in nevada city, california and working at the briarpatch co-op, spending as much time as possible hiking and swimming at the yuba river , going to concerts and playing dominos and cribbage!




2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today, not in any particular order? vote, water my flowers, sanitize the bathrooms again since the other two members of the household have colds and/or pinkeye!, return the little wonder-girl's movies to the video store, and clear away the horrible mountain of paperwork that has accumulated in the kitchen.




3. Snacks I enjoy: chocolate in most forms, salty and spicy things like chips, preferably with guacamole & barbara's jalepeno cheesepuffs, nuts (especially macadamia), and of course those decadent cravings i was so into while pregnant which are french fries and pie. i know, not healthy. i try to minimize the ingestion of those last two...




4. Places I've lived: colorado (don't remember this one...i was too small!), wenatchee, walla walla, republic, whibey island, cashmere, seattle, & arlington for washington state, ajo arizona, nevada city, north san juan, chicago park, lake almanor and greenville for california sites.




5. Things I would do if I were a billionaire: oh yes...i have given this many hours of dream-it-up thought.... okay, buy a really nice piece of property (or several) near the yuba river and build a great house with a super shop and houses for assorted family members and friends; finance alan's restoration of our '42 pontiac woody; pay off the mortgages of friends and family, support all my favorite massage therapists; have fun spreading money around in general...




6. What are some jobs you've had? let's see... massage therapist, gardener, horticulture service manager, title insurance secretary, life and health insurance salesperson, skin care consultant, waitress, bank teller, grocery stocker, clerk & lowly front-end manager for the co-op, clerk in an import store, counter help for my local fast-food drive in, and receptionist/bookkeeper for a hair salon. does stay at home mom count?




7. People I want to know more about: okay, Amanda, tag, you're it! don't worry, if you have objections and don't want to..., i'll understand, but it is a fun little exercise....

ear mouse

sunday was a lazy day for us..i didn't feel like doing anything except some knitting, and for once alan didn't spend his day working on chores that needed to be done, either, but spent time straightening metal fenders, back to his car restoration craft on some small level. amira wore her pj's all day, spending the day hanging out with me and playing various PBS kids games on the computer. it was soooo nice. late in the day it was time to gather the garbage and recycling for the noisy truck that arrives every monday around 6am. while i was doing this, amira went outside with alan, and when i finally arrived with the bags for the can, here's what i saw: in answer to my question "what are you doing?" she happily replied "i'm helping alan. we're working on the castle!" alan had shortened his ear muffs for her and allowed her to stand next to him and bang on a metal stool with a metal hammer while he worked. she was very pleased to tell me "look, i have my ear mouse on!"

look a salmon in the eye

yesterday was field trip day for amira's class...this time to Rocky Reach Dam. the heightened security was new to me (check in station at the entrance, airport-like metal detection at the door to the buildings and visitor center) but otherwise it was so familiar, and a hit with the preschoolers. of course, the main attractions for them were the lovely playground equipment and acres of green grass, and the viewing windows of the fish ladder, where you can "look a salmon in the eye" as the fish bypass the dam and journey up or down the Columbia. each sighting of a fish was met with enthusiastic squealing, each squeal and "wow" becoming a delight in and of itself! this mural is one i remember being in complete awe over as a child. the horsepower of the water over the dam. after lunch under a beautiful camperdown elm tree and more play on the equipment,it was time for the short drive back to town and normal friday activities. such a brief visit, and yet the kids were thrilled. i have to admit, it was a treat for me as well, the lovely displays of flowers, the huge expanse of green and the spectacular rocky hills rising right up next to us. it had been many years since i'd been there, and i hope it won't be as long before the next visit!