Tiny flowers everywhere. It's the time when everything is tentative and delicate. In a few months, I won't notice the flowers, really. Everything will be riotous and rampant. I'll be dragging the lurching hose around the yard so the whole thing doesn't frizzle to a crisp. (I say to Andy, back when it wasn't raining, "Hey, why don't you ask for one of those really cool automatic hose-winder-upper things for Father's Day?" He says, "Oh. Okay. Will you get me one of those hose-winder-uppers for Father's Day?" Me: "Absolutely. I mean, since that's what you really want!" Clever Mommy.) But for now, Mama Nature waters it all for me. My plants unfold their wonders, cautious and chilled. I dodge cold raindrops to witness. The unfurling never ceases to fill me with spring fever. And it is a fever, isn't it? You start to feel quite shaky: Let me get into the woods.
If it hadn't been raining, though, and I hadn't stayed home, I wouldn't have been knitting my Cricket, which is coming along nicely and which, I must say, I have thoroughly, utterly enjoyed. Why. I don't know. Everything about it has pleased me. The pattern is sweet. The yarn (leftover bunny-kit yarn) feels good and has a little bite to it, a little spring bite, so the stitches feel defined and reflect the light in a very chalky kind of way that I love (I don't like shiny yarns anymore). The whole thing feels utterly and completely handknit. Do you know what I mean? In other words, you can see the variation in the tension of the stitches, little bloops and frets, places where you put it down and came back to it, places where you stopped and had to keep someone from crawling into the fireplace (always toward the fireplace), places where you fell asleep in the middle of a row, places where you started dreaming about cabins and cocoa. I like yarns that record these things. I don't want them too smooth or so soft that all the bumps and blunders disappear. I want my hand in there somewhere. So she'll know, when she wears it, that my hands are there.
Now, this dress. This dress. Never have I wanted a mommy-and-me outfit more. LOVE. I used this pattern. And this fabric (in Gerbera Turquoise). Quick and easy. Made in a morning. There will be more.
And for some reason, because it feels like fall, I guess, I just want to eat mushrooms. If you take some leftover grilled chicken with rosemary and lemon (thanks to Andy — I have no idea how he does it but I can ask), and you chop up a couple of Portabella mushrooms and saute them in ghee (funniest sentence of the week: Andy: "Are we seriously out of ghee?", which just about made me fall off the couch laughing because — he knows what ghee is? and he's amazed we're out of it??? [which we weren't, which somehow made it even funnier, because we don't have milk or eggs, but we have ghee]), then pour about 1/2 cup of white wine over all of it and let it bubble down to a glaze, then add some salt and pepper and cream and Parmesan cheese and let that bubble down just a bit, then add some al dente spaghetti and get it good and coated, you, too, can have something yummy in your tummy. And yeah, I say things like that now.
Drooling over that pasta with loads of mushrooms.
http://thewearwithal.typepad.com/
gorgeous photos as always.
There is something so very calming about visiting your blog. I love it.
Thank you.
Alicia, I wanted to let you know that my Maggie kit arrived this morning and it's beautiful! I'm so excited, and happy that it got here safely. Thank you so much! samm
I like yarns that record these things. I don't want them too smooth or so soft that all the bumps and blunders disappear. I want my hand in there somewhere. So she'll know, when she wears it, that my hands are there.
That is pure poetry. :)
Those mushrooms looks so wonderful!!! They look fresh picked… And your yard looks so pleasant and green, I'm already battling the dry weather : )
I savor each way of each word and picture . . .
oh my goodness she is growing so fast.
look at that last photo, just scrumptious!!
I put away knitting years ago and all I do now is crochet.
I think it was because of chasing baby I put it down and lost my place too many times and it never looked as lovely as yours. So crochet is my way now :)
I will always love the bumps and look of knitting though. You are right it does tell more of a story.
Amy
I love how you write. Your descriptions and narrations are perfect.
Amelia looks less babyish and more "little girl" in that last photo. What a sweet gal.
the last photo of the bed haired, sleepy eyed girl is beautiful. I loved when my babies woke looking all burry like that. sweet. Your words about the fever of spring reminded me for some reason of A Girl of the Limberlost. You captured the frenetic activity of nature at this time of year. well here not so much as we had our first snow storm yesterday!
Everything about your post today is yummy!
Always a joy to see your blog at the top of my list!! I enjoyed all your images - you have such a personal style of photographing and light.. I would know your photos anywhere. I am working on my little dress for my Maggie Maria bunny, and not having knitted very much I'm being challenged. But I will persevere! I'm on row 14 and don't have any stitch holders, but will use safety pins. I'm knitting using vintage faux tortoise shell knitting needles I got from Australia off of eBay. :-) Mimi is growing and is so adorable! Wish I could have a bowl of that pasta! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
your prose and photography continue to impress!!! who else can describe knitting the way you do? And baby girl Amelia is as adorable as ever!
we froze in Mass. over Memorial Day w'end, until yesterday when it finally warmed up. Even the hardy pansies crumped!!
oh well... ferns astilbe hosta lungwort Solomon's Seal all going gangbusters!
You amaze me Alicia. You've knitted, and sewed, and done wonders with that garden, made delicious meals all while keeping a baby from the fireplace! One day I'll get there.
You amaze me Alicia. You've knitted, and sewed, and done wonders with that garden, made delicious meals all while keeping a baby from the fireplace! One day I'll get there.
Can NOT wait to see the turquoise dress on little Miss Rosebud! The sweater will be so cute with it too. The adult version of that, Heathered, is on my list of to make. I am seriously considering the Nature's spun sport for it after hearing you sing its praises.
Oh, to lay in that hammock in your lovely, peaceful oasis, or take a cup of coffee and sit out in the early morning in one of your cushy chairs!
I can't wait to see this cabin you guys buy! ; ) Ever since you went that time and took those unbelievable photos, I have dreamed of one too!
The mushroom pasta looks to die for, but also, a friend made tortellini salad yesterday with pesto, grape tomatoes, black olives and fresh mozzarella that has me longing for as well! Maybe I'll go pasta crazy and make both in the next couple of days!
So good to pop in for a visit with you although I am 700 miles south of where I usually visit with you :-) ...the wonders of the internet that somehow stitch us together over the miles and let us share the wonders of birth and growth and creativity of all sorts.
I am visiting my oldest sister because my dear 90 yr. old brother-in-law died last week which while a great loss is also a great celebration of a long good life that I was able to post about in the early hours of the day, again due to the wonders of the internet...and I just received a comment from my great niece in the mid-west who read the post and appreciated the story of her grandpa, much of which was written by her grandma, my oldest sister.
Thanks for savoring and sharing the flavors of your life, in such a way that you enhance the appreciation of life for the many of us who visit you, Alicia. Blessings to you and yours and love with hugs from Gracie :-)
You have outdone yourself with these photos Alicia, really, they are in a class of their own. Any chance you could run a photography course..? I know what you mean about spring right now. It is that moment when every time I go out I am amazed by the very greenness of it all. It is breathtaking. Love the dress; I am doing something quilty with that fabric. And that last photo, divine. All in all a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing your magic.
Mother Daughter dresses are the best, I was lucky that DD indulged me for a very long time. We even dressed the dolly. Liza the Blogless
Last photo of Miss Mimi is so cute! It rained last night here and today everything smells incredible outside, all damp spring nature earth life growing!
I love your pictures!
That last one of your sweet baby is the bestest!
You desperately need to do a "water spout" in her hair. She has EXACTLY the same hair as my girls. It will work! Just the crown of her hair pulled up to the top of her head, secure it with a super small band and compliment it with your rosette clip.
Please try! And post a pic if you do. You'll never go back! It's uber cute! :):)
That is like when I mentioned something about kimchi and my husband nodded knowingly saying, "of course, of course" and I was all indignant that he was just pretending to know what I was talking about, only it turned out that he did know what I was talking about. And I walked around wondering about that for about a week before he confessed that it had come up in an episode of MASH. That's right, everything I ever needed to know about food and nutrition my husband learned from tv.
lupines. i'm envious because the rabbits seem to enjoy those a wee bit too much. the back yard looks so inviting. if the knitting is perfect, it will seem machine-produced. there is such charm in something handmade. as always, alicia, delightful post. thank you.