To the north, the sky was pewter gray, that deep, thick color that means snow somewhere. Instead, we had wind and we had rain. All last night the wind wouldn't stop; it whipped the trees high above the house, and rain peppered the windows unevenly. Restless sounds. This morning the wind settled and the sky cleared for a bit and Amelia and I ventured out into the green and the wet. There were branches and debris everywhere, ancient, craggy limbs and sticks littering the road and the sidewalks. Spring signs pushed forth everywhere we looked. Spring in Oregon is blustery, wild, and wooly. It's slow to start and long to linger.
Thank you for your feedback on The Goldfinch! I truly appreciate everyone who took the time to give their opinions (especially ones that were different than mine)! That book was a major reading adventure, seriously. It was good to debrief — I needed it!!! It was so much fun to read a book that a lot of other people are reading at the same time, too. Thank you also for the book recommendations. We went to Powell's on Saturday. It was my intention to take my phone, pull up the blog comments, and look through the suggestions and leisurely browse for some of the titles you suggested. Nothing could've been further from what actually happened. It was sooooo crowded (doi — Saturday) and the store is being remodeled (doi — forgot); huge chunks of it are off-limits and the books have been moved to other sections of the store. Things are really tight now. The temporary shelves were great but the aisles were skinny. Andy was across the store and I had Amelia in the umbrella stroller dropping shoes, bottle, and barrette every few yards. We'd already had lunch and been lamp shopping and gone to Anthropology so the window of opportunity was closing, and I was on the run. Turns out, this may be a great way for me to pick out books! I pulled an Amelia, speed-reading my way through the flaps and blurbs, hurling used paperbacks under the stroller, and picking up tossed baby accessories as fast as I could. I got four books and I can't even remember what they all are (but I know one, the one I'm now reading, is The Little Stranger). There must have been thirty or forty people in line by the time we got to the checkout and I'll tell you what, they were doing an Amelia themselves, because we went through that line so fast it was actually funny. We were out before the nipper got cranky and even had time to go get a hot cocoa across the street on the way back to the car. Boom, done, and done [brushes off hands]!
But I am going to spend time looking through the suggestions and making a list for next time I get to go to the store. Thank you again!
Slowly but surely working on my crochet and embroidery at night while watching the Olympics. Very excited to be done with the lampshade and see how it looks. The pattern doesn't tell you which Minut lamp to get from Ikea, and there are two sizes with the same name. I got the smaller one and it seems to be fitting okay. We'll see.
Valentine lasagnas! And just look at how utterly scrumptious that adorable, wonderful, loveable, squeezeable, precious pudge of a baby girl was at this time last year:
Oh my stars. Time flies. What an amazing year.
Those lamps are so cute! I've very recently been reminded that I don't know how to crochet, but I'm excited to see how yours turns out.
I am loving that ponytail! I can't wait for my little miss (14 1/2 months)to have enough hair for ponytail cuteness like Miss A!
Love going to Portland via your photos :) Always cozy and pleasant.
The lamp is great. I like that it has the natural texture shade. This has inspired me to get something like this for my lamp that is currently a boring red shade and matching red base. I also just adore the wee darling's ponytail. She has lovely hair.
You are going to be able to french braid her hair soon:)
In one photo she looks like she is talking to us:)
I could eat her little button nose..
So sweet..
And the cooking Mojo is fun to ahve back no?:)
Oh and I forgot to say, I made up my book list from all the suggestions and have just finished Still Life with Breadcrumbs by Anna Quindlen and loved it.
Anything by Tana French. They're all beautiful.
You are soooo right about time flying - doesn't seem long since my baby was like that - and he's a strapping 6ft. 16 year old!!
Is she getting fairer or is it the light??? she's just adorable!
I didn't read your comments on the last post because I am going to read the Goldfinch - thank you for not giving it away on this one!! I've got so many books I want to read at the moment!
Thank you for sharing. I see all the good in the world when I check in with your blog. I don't mean perfection, but I just feel really good when I see your blessings.
That second photo of Amelia! I just want to jump into it and squodge her! Xx
I shall have to join you in your book club. I haven't read anything memorable since last summer (oh no, I've just found my blog post and I finished them a whole year ago http://adaliza.com/2013/02/09/happysmiley-saturday/) - the Patteran trilogy: Larksleve, Bye Bye Blackbird and Blanche by Patricia Wendorf. How time flies indeed - I still carry the characters from those books in my mind. Love the photos of your little chick growing up!
My goodness, look at all of that hair! She is so sweet. Lasagna is a go-to in our house and our little one can put away as much of it mom and dad, I am always impressed!
PRECIOSAS LAS FLORES .
LA NENA CADA DIA MAS LINDA.
SIEMPRE ESPERO QUE ME MANDES UN COMENTARIO PERO NUNCA ME LLEGA:(UN SALUDITO
Oh god, my boyfriend in HS (downtown in the 80s) had that t-shirt and I was sooo sick of it!
I always get a bit of homesick nausea reading your posts.
And I think that's my comment every time. Oh well.
The changes in Amelia are shocking!!!! She's just so beautiful and looks like a gas to hang out with!
I've been meaning to knit a lampshade cover for years -- there are a few on Ravelry and I love the way the lamp light looks underneath them.
Where is that beautiful ceramic red lamp from, oh pray tell!!!!!!
Amelia is soooo lovely!
Love those Amelia pix, especially the one with doggie by the high chair waiting for morsels to fall. Our dogs do the same thing with my grandson. He's a BIG Cherrios fan! Also, love the crochet, crewel work and quilts. I haven't had time lately except for small projects. Will you be making your patterns for this year's Christmas kits available? I missed out this year as they were sold out before I could get it an order. That red lamp is unbelievably sexy. Keep those creative juices flowing!!!
Beautiful embroidery. I haven't popped by your blog in a bit, and I'm dying to know what is that delicious pink confection that you're crocheting?
I second the Tana French suggestion. I especially love The Likeness. Good luck with The Little Stranger. It creeped me out for weeks -- I kept imagining I heard things at night...pretty scary!
Oh that little Amelia gets cuter by the week! I always missed the baby pudge that disappears once the little ones become mobile. So funny to picture her in the bookstore tossing her belongings here and there.
That is such a pretty new lamp. It always makes me feel happy to get something pretty for my home. Oh, and the detail in your embroidery piece! Those little horses, and park benches, and...too cute!
We too had crazy strong winds last evening into this morning here in Ohio, along with almost a foot of snow. I discovered that one of the windows was about an inch down on our new car, when I went out this morning. How did that happen? I was so upset when I saw the wet snow on the backseat, I didn't have the heart to tell my husband. It is his first brand new car, so I did my best to clean up the mess before he came out. What he doesn't know can't hurt him ;0).
The little stranger scared me so much I couldn't be in the house alone while reading it!
Yes to tana French, too.
She is the most adorable little sweetheart ever. Love that 3rd photo. The embroidered map reminds me of the map inside the Milly Molly Mandy books from my childhood. xxxx
x
Came here to say what everyone else has already said: that ponytail!!!! <3 <3 She gets cuter by the day. I don't know how it's possible.
Hi Alicia - Can you come to my house and make it as cozy as yours? PLEASE! I don't live very far away from you... Boise, Idaho. Just around the bend. PLEASE!!!! :)
look at all those snowdrops!