Thank you so very much for all of the ornament kit orders!!! Your enthusiasm is so precious to me, and to Andy, and to Clover Meadow, who loves nothing more than to lay on the floor with her head on his feet while he winds yarn into bundles or cuts rick-rack. A few feet away, I'm working on the new kit pattern while he assembles (and in answer to a few questions that came in this week, yes, patterns for both kits will be available as downloadable PDFs after we get all of these kits made and shipped in October). Outside, through our big open windows, we hear the rustle and ping of hundreds of acorns falling from the huge oak trees across the street. I think one falls about every minute or so. It's a nice little work environment, I must say.
I sat in the backyard and took some pictures from my Adirondack chair the other evening. The yard is very nasty now, overgrown, weedy, with smashed and rotten plums all over the ground and spider webs — huge, almost-invisible spiderwebs — laced between any two things, usually right across doorways. Yesterday I stepped quickly out the back door without doing my usual reconnaissance (with my Chinese broom held in front of me, thwapping freely at all potential webby areas), and immediately walked into a big one, saw the big fat-butted spider that had been sitting in it shoot [smartly] off to the side and disappear as I flailed around in a panic and then spent five minutes pawing at my head and spitting web out of my mouth while doing the panic-jig (pick up feet quickly while turning in a circle and smacking yourself repeatedly and making worried-kitten noises). Eventually I was able to pick the half-eaten carpenter-looking ant out of my hair — I saw it and got so freaked out I whipped that thing across the yard as if it were a grenade and pulled a little muscle in my shoulder, then did a whole-body shiver from head to toe. It was quite a performance, I must say. I called it "Autumn in Oregon: Not for Arachnophobes." I'm sorry you missed it.
I am getting a late start today. I almost always wake up around 5:30 or 6 a.m. But last night I couldn't sleep so I woke up at 1:50 and didn't get back to sleep until 5:30. Which is about when Andy and Clover woke up and Clover ran across the bed straight for my face with her big, cold nose. I grumbled at them and they bounded away and bounced downstairs and I slept until 9, which is . . . I never do that. The day's half over now already!
From 1:50 to 5:30 a.m., I was reading Julia Child's My Life in France, which I couldn't put down. It's about book writing and book publishing as much as it is about France. She is so cool. What a cool lady. I treated myself to a little shopping spree at Powell's the other day and have a new stack of books on my nightstand. I must put my new book list together. I have lots of craft books to mention, too. So many beautiful books these days.
We have a fun but busy weekend around here. Farmer's market for sure. We'll get to the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest, and later go to a wedding (I haven't been to a wedding in ages.) And then on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m., Portland crafty ladies Susan Beal and Diane Gilleland and I will be at the Hollywood Public Library giving a panel discussion on our experiences writing craft books.
This is part of the Writers Talking series, and I think it's going to be really interesting. The three of us had breakfast here yesterday and talked for four hours straight, but I promise we saved some good stuff for you! We'll give you the skinny. For more local author fun, Amy Karol will be at Powell's on Burnside on Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. with her new book Bend the Rules with Fabric, and you know she'll have cool stuff to show and tell 'cause that's how she rolls.
That first flower picture is so gorgeous that I saved it and put it on my desktop. Thanks for brightening my day!
I love that description of spiderwebs between "any two things." That's true around here, too. I just love your writing, always. :)
I love the dahlias. Aren't they interesting?
I have done that spider-web shivery panic dance a time or two myself (usually followed by the shouting loudly for hubby to come and rescue me☺. ) So not fun. Here in Kansas we have spiders and crickets-blech. Both are just nasty creatures that love to pop out of unexpected places and surprise me. But there are so many pleasant aspects of fall like the leaves changing and the cooler weather that I guess I can put up with spiders (as long as they're not too big) and crickets (as long as they stay outside where they belong).
Oh I've done that dance a few times with differing insects. Yuck! But I bet it was quite comical to watch from a neighbor's upstairs window.
i must say that i did my own shudder just reading your experience with the web - we've had a ton of spiders lately here too - oooooo i just hate spiders! Good luck on your lecture!! :D
How awesome to be part of a community of incredibly creative women, and all published writers/designers as well! Good on your local library & Powell's to recognize and promote local talent. I wish we had such a venue up here in Vancouver, BC. Have a wonderful time meeting & chatting with your 'peeps'.
Alicia,
Yep, it's Fall in Oregon! Spiders were my bloggy subject matter yesterday too!
I did the same spider web dance yesterday but could never have described it as well as you. I enjoyed the laugh !! Thanks
so exctited about the ornament kits (even though I have still not started my summer pillow!). Gorgeous pics today x
One morning I went out the front door to get the newspaper and I walked into a spider web on the porch and the spider was next to my ear ... shiver ... I swear I heard loud wap wap wap noises in my ear from it's movement. SCREAM! I was so freaked out. They could torture me that way. I would sell my mama that way. Spidey's in the face.
Oh lordy.
Oh, I'm so glad to hear we'll be able to just order the patterns for your darling ornaments, thank you so much!
I'm green with envy over here! I wish I could see all you Portland crafty girls, so much! What a great day Sunday will be.
The ornament kits are just adorable. Thanks so much for offering them in the kit form because I know I won't have time for much crafting this winter. I ordered one in hopes that I can find just one afternoon for cider and stitching with my little girl. I hope these will make very happy memories for her.
Hi, I love reading your blog!I live in Portland and I am hoping I can find a sitter so I can come to your book talk, what fun!Thanks for mentioning it.
I am always inspired by your adventures, I feel like your blog is my "fun things to do in Portland" go-to.
And spiders, I hear you sista! I break a web daily with my face(once with an open mouth). Thoes are some beautiful, although gigantic spiders though....my daughter and I like to watch them grow bigger and bigger in the Autumn.(Through the safety of a closed window of course)
You mean you hadn't read My Life in France until now?! Say what?! It's so good though, eh?! (yes... I'm Canadian!)
Have a wonderful time at your panel discussion!
Can't wait to order a pdf pattern! Those ornaments are too crazy awesome for words!
I know that dance. With the shiver at the end, oh yeah. I'm shivering now just thinking about it. And laughing, too! Love your posts!
You are right on about Oregon and spiders. We just moved to Roseburg, OR this summer and the spiders (big juicy ones!) are taking over...
Wish I lived closer to Portland to go to your book talk (and Amy's).
Alicia! The description of your "Autumn in Oregon" dance nearly had me laughing out loud! I do the same thing here in Indiana when taking Chelsea out to potty. Not fun. If you ever drop by WHOSYERGURL, you've read plenty about spiders.
POWELL's...sigh. I get to visit the famous Powell's. I will be out on Oct. 2nd and in the Portland area for a few days...I'll have to check out the website. Can't wait!
Hugs,
Cheryl in IN
WHOSYERGURL
I so love your writing! I will now file this one away(along with the one about you falling on top of Andy as he opened the door) and bring it out on those days when I need a good laugh. I look forward to reading your blog everyday. Thanks so much for the smiles!
I love your dahlias!!! They are my favorite! Is it yours? I plant them every spring. You can NEVER have too many flowers :)
Oh, lovely dahlias! They're my favorite flowers this time of year.
And I'm looking forward to Sunday - thanks so much for having us over yesterday, that was fantastic!
Growing up in Oregon, I am so familiar with the ew a spider web dance! When I was probably about 10 or 12 I left my Keds in the garage overnight and slipped my barefeet into them the next morning -- immediately feeling some wriggling going on in my right shoe. That shoe came off so fast and the big ol' spider came scurrying out. Yep, I did a pretty good rendition of the dance -- and still get the shivers just thinking of it. Yep. No more shoes left in the garage for me. No sirree.
I wonder if it was a cat face spider, we have one in a non- reachable with your head, spot out our back porch and we have named her Cornelia and we have been facinated by her day to day. In fact I have been worried about her the past few nights because of the weather and lack of good catch in her web. I am normally a good spider shiverer myself, but knowing she is not going to hurt us up there she has become like our family science experiment pet and we hope she mates and makes an egg sac, even though she will die after that. I think we will miss her.
You are an incredible phtographer!!!! May I also use the first photo? I absolutely love it! Your site is always fun to come to!
i always love your photos, but today's are so rich and vibrant. the spider web story was a hoot and i really must read julia's book.
I do that well choreagraphed dance as well. I walked into an enormous web the other day while I was unpacking the trunk. Almost dropped all the breakables I had purchased at the flea market. Ick!
I am now addicted to all things Julia--My Life in Frances, Julie and Julia, her cookbooks! The men in the movie audience seemed to enjoy it as much as the women; what a wonderful relationship they had, reminds me of you and Andy.
Oh how I wish I could be at the Hollywood Library on Sunday. Would you please consider a podcast?
I can't wait to get my ornament kits. I ordered both!