Skies

You know how I love the sky... and clouds... and the moon.  If I had my druthers, I'd live on a hilltop with a 360 view of the sky, no trees popping up to block my view, no power lines or power poles jutting in the way or swagged across the light, just sky, endless sky, sun, clouds, moon, and stars.  Last night's sunset was glorious.  I walked all over the front yard trying to capture the colors without too much of the power grid in the frame and did okay, I think.  This morning while filling the squirrel corn feeders I looked straight up and liked the way the few remaining apple leaves looked against the blue sky.  The sky was blue then, anyway, it's all gray and clouded over now.  I had high hopes for a sunny day but no luck.  Ah well.



Also birds.  I need lots of birds.  Plain, everyday birds are okay.  I like the brash Chickadees, the squabbling groups of English Sparrows that bathe en masse and usually empty the birdbath, the loudmouth Bluejays that are really scaredy cats, the sedate Mourning Doves that remind me of a bunch of church ladies flapping when they get spooked, and the Juncos that presage winter with their arrival.  Of course, I'm a big fan of the hawks when they come to dine or drink at the buffet we provide and one day maybe I'll see an owl out there (I hear 'em but never see 'em).  Today's special guest was a male Downy Woodpecker, not especially exotic but well-dressed and fun to watch.

Yesterday afternoon I started working on the Mitten Bear.  I followed the pattern to start, got 10 rounds in, and thought it was going to be way too big, so I ripped it out and started over with a two-sizes-smaller hook.  Much better.  This pattern's more complicated than the others.  You make the head and body, then crochet each leg, the ears, and the tail separately to sew on individually.  I think it'll look very bear-like when it's done.  And I found a rabbit pattern I think will be perfect, less Easter bunny-ish than most of them, which is just what I'm looking for.  You can't have seven "forest" animals and one "fairy tale" critter, it would just be wrong.

November 27--Lewis Kemper, Woman Using Laptop Computer.  "Oh, for god's sake, Greta," Leo said, "you can't be serious."  She looked up from the keyboard she'd pulled from her backpack.  "What?  I have work to do and there's a signal."  She glanced around as if surprised not to see others lined up on the rock outcrop working too.  "Work."  His voice echoed from the rock wall across the canyon.  "You brought work along on our vacation."  Her eyes stayed on her computer screen.  "I told you that I could come but I'd have to do some work.  What did you think, that I'd have a few manila folders in my pack?"  "No," he said, although that was exactly what he'd thought.  She said, "Give me an hour and we can move on."

I couldn't decide whether he was going to throw the laptop or her off into the abyss and I kept falling asleep so I gave up, turned out the light, and left them to the writing fates.  Today is laundry day and as soon as Durwood gets up from his morning nap and throws his dirties down the chute I'll be getting my exercise going up and down the basement stairs flipping and flopping clothes around for the rest of the day.  I'll work on the bear in between loads.  Adios.
--Barbara