4 Rochester

So, my 45th year is over. I had a sense of being at a turning point when I started this blog, and while I can say I’ve rounded the corner on this particular turn, I’m not quite back onto the straight road. The growing independence of DD and DS has been one major cause for this turning point. I’m still...

We celebrated this weekend, and above you see one of my gifts. These olives come from Cut Out + Keep .Here's what they look like up close (with too much flash). The label is backstitch on some green burlap-y cloth I found at Craft Bits and Pieces. Hope yours was just as sweet as mine!

At least when it comes to 45 handmade objects! (The retreat is scheduled for next week, and the bike ride for late April. Which is good since my birthday is May 7, and that's my deadline!) Here's what I've been doing...First, I made some gloves for DS. These are his annual pair, ever since...

My card to Tanya on the occasion of 12 years together. I'm thrilled with it, and she loves it. It's made from hand-dyed felt, with images cut from last year's calendar by Nikki McClure. You've seen the fabric a lot because I got it on sale when Fabrics and Findings went out of business...

Although I'm a little late, I'm finishing up some of the questions from the Sew, Mama, Sew meme. What is your favorite family holiday tradition? So many...my favorite one that is carried over from my family of origin is the Christmas eve pizza dinner. My mom always had tons of cooking to do for...

Well, besides being a bad pun, I suppose that title requires a bit of explanation to non-Rochesterians. The predominant grocery store in Rochester is Wegman's . Some people love it...their displays are beautiful, and you can find anything you could possibly want from exotic produce to fine china...

Sunday morning I learned that there was a freeze warning for the night. That meant I put aside some of my other plans for the day in order to bring in the harvest (but not without finishing that little pumpkin, from Curly Purly, that I felt compelled to make over the last couple of days.) Mostly herbs...

It really doesn't take a lot to bring me pleasure. No mood-altering chemicals, windfall of money, or adrenaline rush needed... Here's a non-inclusive list of tidbits from daily living to show you what I mean. October Dahlia A walk at Taughannock Falls State Park, complete with dozens of these...

According to Chinese medicine, my dominant elements are Earth and Water. (Okay, you can stop reading now and skip to the pictures if you find yourself snickering at that first sentence. But, I'll just tell you that principles and treatments from Chinese medicine and ayurveda have changed my quality...

Oh, I miss the knitting time...I could blame it on the graduate work, but to be honest, it's more like the gardening/preserving/sewing/assorted other creations that are really getting in the way. As long as I'm making something, though, it's all good. I started this baby sweater last August...