Dove Party of Four!

...Your table is ready! Look peeps! Can you see them? There are Mr. and Mrs. Dovey and not one but two Dovey Jr.s! If I did this right, the pic is clickable and you can see them better in the bigger pic. I'm very happy for the Dovey family since there has never been a successful chick event here at The Ranch. I will continue to check on The Doveys and hope that the ugly side of nature doesn't show up before these little birdies are safely out of the nest.

Speaking of nature, I've been working on my embroidery project from Bird Brain Designs. I've gotten the colors figured out from my stash of perle cotton and think it's coming out well. See, the colors required (suggested?) for the design aren't in my stash. I only have 3 out of 17. However, I've got lots of other, close colors in my stash and since the cotton is pricey and has to be ordered, I'm being practical and using what I have. Practicality is forcing me to let go of that urge for exactness. Deep breaths! In. Out. Okay, better now. I think the colors are working out just fine. Phew!

Hope you all have a nice Memorial Day weekend if you celebrate the day. It's cooled off considerable here, thankfully, and we have plans to see the new Indiana Jones movie. Take care, peeps!

Another New Project

I know I just started working on a new embroidery project but I was feeling rather fickle so picked up my crochet hook and started another blanket for Project Linus. Just couldn't resist! I'll get to the embroidery but for something relaxing to do while watching the tube you just can't beat a ripple! The embroidery is going to require a bit more attention since I don't quite have all the right colors and will to have to figure out what will work where. I'll save that for the daytime when I'm not so crabby. I make no guarantees in the evening.

Ripply, no?

The other day I was checking on Mrs. Dovey and I saw a little something peeking out over the rim. I'm not quite sure but do you think that is a little dovey junior? I took a pic and enlarged it to see if I could make it out. It seems to be a little peeper! Well, I'll keep an eye on the nest. Perhaps I'll see something more definite in a week or so. As M-Dovey would say, "Later, Peeps!"

A New Project

I've started a new project. It's a cute design from Bird Brain Designs called Bees Bugs Butterflies. I'm looking forward to stitching but right now I'm transferring the pattern to the cloth which isn't my favorite part. It may take me a few days to finish the process since it's a bit tedious and hard on the eyes. The stitching part is heaven though and should motivate me to get the pattern on the cloth quickly.

Ugh. It's hot peeps. It's been hot for the past two days. So hot, in fact, The Girl is home sick from the heat. She also got a new wire from the orthodontist and the combination from the heat, the wire, and the fact that the PE teachers made the kids run around in the heat has made her head feel like koto drums. I don't blame her, I get completely debilitated from the heat. For sure, I'm locking myself indoors with the a/c today.

Hot weather is no novelty to the bay area but it's too hot too soon and too suddenly. Ouch! My plants are wilting.

Even the roses are saying uncle. They went from fabulous to fried in a day.

Look who's back! Or perhaps this is a new tenant. Either way, I put out a dish of water on the sundial for Mrs. Dovey. I don't know if she will figure it out but at least I will feel better for having to run the dryer and shoot hot air on her on this sizzling hot day.

Street Faire Season Begins!

For Mother's Day, The Daddy and I took a stroll around beautiful Stanford campus. Our main goal was to visit the Spring Faire being held in White Plaza. It's a small faire and it didn't take much time to visit all the vendors. Everything was interesting and certainly artistic but I only bought some almond scented soap. I was tempted by a cute purse made with Amy Butler fabrics but I controlled myself since I already got a lovely leather purse from LL Bean for Mother's Day.

After a couple of gyros for lunch, The Daddy and I got a little exercise. Truly, the campus is quite lovely.

California can be a bit on the scrubby side but there were plenty of spring blooms.

We ended out stroll with a rest at The Oval - a huge lawn in front of the main quad. We sat and people watched and joked about the goings on. After our visit, we stopped by Whole Foods to pick up some ribs and corn for a Mother's Day dinner. All in all, a wonderful day.

Happy Mother's Day!

"Spit spot!"

Happy Mother's Day!

Simply Soft Waves

Yesterday while sitting in my biggie chair, I finished sewing in the ends and edging the ripple baby'ghan that I plan to donate to Project Linus. I used the Soft Waves pattern from Jan Eaton's 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns. The pattern is so easy and relaxing that the blanket practically crochets itself. Who needs a mantra when you've got Jan Eaton zen?

I was stash busting with this project and used Caron Simply Soft in Grape, Orchid, Sage and White. To put all the colors together, I used the Random Stripe Generator. I'm usually one for symmetry but I'm diggin' the RSG!

For the edge on this blanket, I used a row of dc in white and then a row of sc in grape. I thought a single color would be too plain and 3 colors too overpowering with these bright colors. I think this works pretty well. Today I'll run it through the wash, bag it up and bring it by JoAnn's which is the closest Project Linus drop off location. Definitely a "feel good" project all around.

The Doors

No, no, no, not the group, real doors! As in brand new doors all through the house. Yup, we finally got to the last item on the Home Improvement list: doors. Anyone who lives in northern California knows about these circa 1960's tract homes; they were built quantity before quality. Certainly not anything builders can get away with today but back then, anything off the truck would do. The Daddy and I, like many other homeowners in the area, have made a hobby out of fixing up the homestead. We've lived here 14 years and most everything has been replaced. Today, it was doors.

In progress. You can see a new closet door in the distance and the dog gate in the forground.

The job is done. The Kitty came out of hiding for the final inspection.

The Kitty says, "Hmm, very nice for peeking through."

"Ack! That dog is so obvious! No subtlety at all." The Puppy says, "Oh boy! New doors! My favorite!"

Unabashed Joy!

Well peeps, it was 23 years ago today that The Daddy and I said our "I do's". No, this isn't our version of the chicken dance, it's just us swirling around in a great, big, happy hug the day before our wedding at the very lovely and very impressive Stanford Memorial Church. It's a silly picture, I know. You might even say we look like two drunk tango dancers. Clearly, we missed our calling on Dancing With The Stars.

Okay, here's a better pic but sheesh! This was taken in 1985! I'd say we look a bit different these days but still just as happy. Love you, sweetie! Happy Anniversary!

A Humble Beginning

And I do mean Humble with a capital H. As you can see this is the Leafy Lace Scarf not the Lacy Leaf Scarf which my brain wants to say. Humble beginnings because I've already had to frog this scarf and start over. Why? Because knitting just isn't intuitive to me so when I mess up, I'm completely lost and at a loss as how to fix it. However, I cannot resist knitting which yeilds such lovely results especially this beautiful scarf. So wish me luck on this one, peeps. I'm gonna need it.

Happy May Day

Hey there, peeps. Long time no see but there's nuthin' shakin' over here, trust me. Just the normal noises around here but that's a good thing. We've all been going about the business of the day to day and all is well. The Boy has his test extravaganza coming up starting this weekend with the SAT II's. In the next couple weeks are 3 AP exams and their corresponding course finals. Yikes! Happily, The Boy is in good spirits and I plan to feed him burritos on demand. Mothers, to support your children in critical times like these, feed your children! Sometimes it's all you can do.

I was poking around the blogosphere the other day and came across a yummy looking blog called Smitten Kitchen. Don't you just love this internet thing?!! I couldn't resist trying my hand at these delicious looking Brownie Roll Out Cookies and they are quite good in a not too sugary kind of way. Very good. They were a bit of work with all the rolling and whatnot so it's a good thing that I had a caffeinated Starbuck's Mocha Frappuccino. I'm not accustomed to caffeine, I drink only decaf so you can imagine I was practically speeding from the leaded coffee. I sure got those cookies done in a jiffy though. I also got the dirty dish pile out of the way lickity-split and the animals fed and herded out the door while enlisting The Kiddos to help me make the bed after washing the sheets. Yup, it was a regular whirlwind of activity.

I'm sitting now though and enjoying some cookies and milk. Yum! Well, all y'all have a great night! I plan to plant it on the couch and watch the next episode of Survivor.