Jesus Is the Answer

In my travels yesterday I noticed a car ahead of me driving rather erratically. He wasn't endangering anyone, but the driver had a definite case of "wander-itis." He sort of glided along in a fog, oblivious of the other drivers, some of whom were trying to pass and were more than a little nervous about doing so, due to the apparently cavalier attitude of the driver regarding his placement in the middle of his lane.

I wondered at the driver's training (or lack thereof) asking myself if the driver knew what he was doing. A few moments later I had my answer clearly stated by the bumper sticker on the car's rear end: "Jesus is the answer."

Scratching my head at the inadequacy of that answer, it occurred to me that, while Jesus may be the answer to many questions, clearly there are some questions which need perhaps a bit more enlightening (to say nothing of concrete) answer.

So, if Jesus is the answer, what is the question? And what happens to our world if we answer all questions with, "Jesus?"

" Who let the dog out?"

"Jesus"

"What's for dinner?"

"Jesus"

You can see the difficulties, can't you?

I'm not trying to be flippant or disrespectful to anyone's beliefs, but I believe there is a deeper point to my random (and sometimes faintly amusing) musings.

It is human nature to seek easy answers to tough questions:

"What does my life mean?"
"How should I raise my children?"
"Should I take this job?"
"How much can I afford to give?"
"Is it OK to be angry at my neighbor, and for how long?"
"What are my responsibilities to the community around me?"

Don't get me wrong. I believe that God is part of the answer to many of life's most troubling and rewarding challenges. But I think spouting a universal answer to all of life's questions runs the risk of reducing that answer to irrelevancy.

Asking yourself "What would Jesus do?" as the popular bracelets propose is a good place to start, but it is just that: a beginning, not an end. If we stop at this point, we abdicate a certain amount of our responsibility to use the intellect with which God has gifted us. We accept a pat answer instead of doing the hard searching required by mature faith. We disown our own process of enlightened discernment as well as our accountability to our fellow man.

I believe faith is a question, rather than an answer. I believe there is hard work required of us if we are to have any hope of bringing in God's kingdom. I believe part of that work is admitting that we may not have all the answers, but that we are learning to live into the questions.

I have to ask myself: In seeking facile answers, do we somehow miss seeing the full dimensions of the human soul and the inherent complexity of our world? Do we reduce the infinite until it fits on our bumper?

Isn't God bigger than that?

Aren't we?

Missing You...

Every time I think of you, I always catch my breath
And I'm still standing here, and you're miles away
And I'm wonderin' why you left
And there's a storm that's raging through my frozen heart tonight

I ain't missing you at all since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you, no matter what I might say

Well. life has certainly been busy at Chez Pandorf. Yep, yep, yep!

And noisy. Yep, yep, yep!
The carpenters have been carpentering BANG! BANG! BANG!

The painters have been painting SWISH! SWISH! SWISH! (Okay, so they haven't started painting yet. They're merely power washing the house, which is WAY louder than painting it, trust me!)



The cleaners have been cleaning VROOM! VROOM! VROOM!

So I did what any self-respecting idiot would do. (And if anyone respects my right to be an idiot, it's me!)

I ran away from home.

After meeting up with beauteous Chris of Briar Rose fame, the lovely and talented Ms. Bonne Marie of Chic Knits, and my everlovin' Cabeza Grande at the Michigan Fiber Festival, I headed back up to the lake for another brief visit with my Dad. Might as well. I was already half way there. Figured I could finish formatting the workbook and get in some serious time on Cherry with NO INTERRUPTIONS!!!!

So here is a lovely picture of Bonne Marie, myself, and Karen (also known as La Cabeza Grande.)









And here is a lovely sheep

B-A-A-A!









And here is said sheep getting naked (with a little help from the man with shears)




Goodness! Sheep porn! What's next?





Thank you everyone for your concern over my unannounced absence. It was spur of the moment and I intended on posting from Leland, with my newly acquired wireless technology.

But I got sick

Again

For the second time this month.

Bugger!

What I thought was seasonal allergies, turned into a raging sinus infection.

So I spent two days trying to format the workbook pages the way I wanted, only to have the pages take on a malevolent life of their own. Every time I fixed something, another part went out of whack. I called my hubbie for help. He advised sagely. I took notes. I tried it his way. The workbook pages mocked me with an evil laugh (perhaps my fevered brain made that part up) and continued to warp out of shape, switching fonts, spacing, ledding, and any other body part possible.

I caved. The pages won. I put the answers after each chapter like a good little girl, instead of along the side in a separate column like I envisioned. It just wasn't worth the effort...

But all was not lost. I made real progress on Cherry (almost half done now) as well as some serious canoodling with other patterns and yarns for future original patterns.






Will share all in another post later this week, but here is a teaser



















To reward your patience.

I also read three books, spent some time with the extended family, and slept.

A lot.

So I'm back, I'm fine (or as fine as I'm going to get at this point in my life) and I'm raring to go (well, perhaps raring is too strident a word.)

How about this? I'm meandering along my life path again...

Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries...

Life is just a bowl of cherries
So live and laugh,
Laugh and love
Live and laugh at it all!

OK, let's recap...

In the beginning...


was the cherry tree

which bloomed and brought forth...






the cherry

which inspired...










the pattern

which needed a suitable yarn to dance with...






(Pay attention boys and girls, cause this is where it gets interesting.)

A comely lass named Chris answered my plea with...



two big cherry bombs
(Grandma's Blessing)

which turned into...





several juicy yarn cakes

which knit up into...









this!







Yesiree Bob! Cherry Country Shawl is coming along nicely. Not a single problem...

HAH!

Last Friday, before eight hours on the bus to Stitches, it looked like this:











n Sunday, after eight hours on the bus, it looked like this:











What do you mean, you can't tell the difference!

Clearly, the second picture is two rows further along.

Two rows.

Two stinkin' rows

Two measly rows

Two "I had sixty rows on this baby and discovered an error on the ninth" rows

Back to the drawing board.














Ya know, it would help if I could decipher my own notes.

So today, I have finished the opening border (finally) everything lines up (nicely) and I can proceed to the main body (gratefully)











As soon as my cramped little fingers uncurl.

Because...

Life is just a bowl of cherries









With no pits.

Show and Tell

Can I see by a raise of hands, how many of you want to see the damage?

Uh - huh. I thought so. Y'all love a good train wreck, as long as it happened to MY pocketbook and not yours!

When I left in the wee small hours of the morning Saturday, Scott pleaded his case from under the nice warm covers, "Don't spend any money."

"Don't spend ANY money?" My life was passing in front of my eyes. I mean, does he go to the hardware store if he isn't going to buy SOMETHING?

He peered at me with intensity born out of futility, "You know what I mean."

So I promised him I wouldn't bring home any yarn that I could adopt order later. This confined my purchases to handpaints, because they are one of a kind, or small purveyors that do not sell via the internet.

And I kept my word.

I just didn't realize how big that word was.

**********************************

(Please bear in mind that many of these are destined for Christmas and birthday gifts)




Blue Moon Twister in Metamorphic









Just Our Yarn Caravan











Brooks Farm Acero









Kit for Woven Kimono (see yesterday's post for pic








Interlacements Ric Rac









Blue Moon Seduction in Lunasea and Carbon Dating








Blue Moon laceweight in Lunasea











Blue Moon Socks that Rock in Rooster Rock and Spacedust










Aussi Sock in Faded Valentine and Spanish Fiesta










Shawl pin by Gita Marie




What can I say? I'm weak.

Excuse me while I take back the groceries and get a refund...

************************************

Standard Disclaimer: No growing boys (or husbands) were denied provisions during the writing of this post. Deprivation was simulated by our special effects person.

High Ho

C'mon...Sing along...You know the tune...


High Ho, High Ho!
To Stitches we will go
With Socks in Hand
A merry band
High Ho, High Ho, High Ho!



Now that's what I call a bus-load of knitters!

At crack of dawn
We put our glad rags on
We climbed aboard
And headed toward
Chicago -O, High Ho!




Interlacements' booth


High Ho, High Ho!
We took a wrong turn. D'OH!
Our driver tried
To park our ride
High Ho, High Ho, High Ho!





Just Our Yarn's booth


The show was grand
We reached the promised land
We left the din
And entered in
To shop, and drop, High Ho!





Woven Style Kimono Jacket at Elegant Ewe


Oh weary us!
We staggered to the bus
With bags of fiber
All to die "fer"
Yo! High Ho, High Ho





ROCKIN" tee shirt from Gene Ann's

So home we head
To dream upon our beds
Of cashmere fine
and silk divine
High Ho, High Ho, High Ho!

This could go on
And on until you're gone
But I think I'll cease
And knit my fleece
High Ho, High Ho, High Ho...

Eye Candy Friday

Garden flowers from the farmer's market in Leland

(Notice the sunflower front and center?)
(How about the black eyed susans shyly peeking through?)

Clearly this bouquet was meant for little ol' me!

Check Your Mailbox. YOU Could Be a Grand Prize Winner!

So here, gentle readers, are more photos from lovely Leland:


Daylilies in the side yard of Tampico (a Mexican handcraft shop)...








The local literary establishment








Begonias in the window boxes of the cottage...

WE INTERRUPT THIS VACATION TO BRING YOU BREAKING NEWS!!!

THE MAIL PERSON HAS JUST BEEN SIGHTED ONE STREET OVER. WE ARE TRACKING HER WITH OUR ADVANCED SUPER-SECRET DOPPLER PONY EXPRESS RADAR...

Okay. So, guess what came in the mail today!

No, not credit card offers, college loan offers, and other sundry offers to throw money at us. (We know what you're up to - you'll want us to pay you back. Now don't deny it. We're wise to your tricks!)

Better than that...





No, not catalogues (although those lobster rolls on the cover look pretty tasty. Yummm.)

Better than that...





No, not my Interweave Knits (that came on Monday.)

Better than that...

(What could be better than that?)




Now you're just being silly. (I know THAT didn't come in the mail!)







What could it be that has me all:

A-flutter?

A-gog?

A-mazed?

Could it be...

YES!!!

It's...


TWO HUGE SKEINS OF BLACK CHERRY GOODNESS!!!

Chris has outdone herself. If I had dyed the yarn myself, I couldn't have done any better. See how the yarn ranges from a crimson down into almost purple. I don't think there is a cherry variety anywhere that isn't mirrored in this yarn. Dare I say the word, "perfection?"



I do.

PERFECTION!

So there.






And here.









And soon to be on my needles...

Right after I clean up the drool pool that formed on the floor of my studio when I photographed it.

WE NOW RETURN TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BLOG...

In other news, I wasn't the only one who packed on the pounds while lazing at the beach and scarfing down cherry pie. Our gal Lil grew considerably in girth over the course of three weeks.

Just look at that lump...



No, not the cat...










The other lump








Yes, that's right. I'm knitting a ginormous...




1300 stitches around and still growing...




pink...







jellyfish.







And for those who keep track, I finished the back and one of the side pieces for the sand dollar pullover.











It seems like there was something else...

Oh yeah! Our contest winner. Ikkinlala! Come on down!

Her guess of 410 emails was the closest. I had 610. Most people guessed way low, although I did have one guess of 1470. (And I thought 610 was bad. YIKES!)

Thanks for playing and thanks for reading. Hope you'll keep coming back around because, as far as I'm concerned, you're all grand prize winners!

The News from Lake Leelanau

WARNING: Long picture heavy post!

Good news: I had a great vacation
Bad news: I can't fit three weeks into one post

Good news: I have lots of pictures
Bad news: I can't decide which to show you first

Good news (I hope): I'm back
Bad news: I wish I weren't (sigh!)

Good news: Enjoyed the fruits of family
Bad news: Had to say goodbye to family (for now)

Good news: Had great weather in northern Michigan
Bad news: Came back to discover Indy is in the middle of a record breaking heat wave - 90 to 100 degrees every day last week and this week

Good news: Arrived home well-rested
Bad news: Picked up a nasty hitchhiker along the way (cold virus)

Good news: The carpenters who were supposed to be here July 1st are finally here working on the exterior of the house
Bad news: The carpenters are here (noisy little buggers!)

Good news: Discovered a great LYS (and great people to go along with it)
Bad news: On a yarn diet (Dadburn it!)

Good news: Galley proofs of the book are done and back to the printer (you haven't lived until you've spent two vacation days minutely examining a 190 pg. book you lived with on a daily basis for over three years for errors)
Bad news: Did I mention the errors? Lots of errors? At least one on a page errors?

Good news: Had a legitimate reason to buy yarn
Bad news: Had a legitimate reason to buy yarn

Good news: Finally started my Cherry Country Stole
Bad news: Have to start again

*********************

Enough of this.

You want pictures? I got 'em right here.

You want news?Well, stay tuned.

You want yarn pron? Keep reading.

You want juicy secrets about Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan?

Sorry. You're on the wrong website (Thank God!)

So here is the cottage in Leland, Michigan









And here is the sign by the front door

Don't speak German? Want a translation?

Funny Farm (I think that says it all, don't you?)




And here is the lovely woodsy, up north cabin-y interior of Chez Funny Farm
See how clean it is? It's not hard when there is only one main room.






And here are two great people at the great LYS

That's Lynne on the left and Kathy on the right. They are part of a wonderful group of knitters I joined at Threadbear in Lansing on my way up to the lake. We had a lovely time chatting and knitting and the store was amazing. Gets four stars. The people get five.


So. About that Cherry Country Stole...

Remember this?









Well, the yarn finally arrived the Saturday before I was to leave on Tuesday.

I promptly swatched and wasn't happy. What looked like cherry and dark red on my monitor was instead...








pink and black.

Too much variegation in the color; not what I had in mind (sigh!)

At all (bigger sigh!)

Back to the drawing board (or computer screen as the case may be)

I found a skein of Briar Rose Angel Face that looked to be the colors I was looking for, but it turned out the gauge was too fine for the heft of the pattern. (The cherries in the middle section need a certain solidity to them in order to look right.) I emailed Chris and cancelled the order.

I have an idea. I have a pattern. I don't have any suitable yarn. Woe is me. (Biggest sigh!)

But wait! Chris (another Michigan knitter and fiber artist. I tell ya, they're comin' out of the woods up there, folks. Should be knitter crossings all over the state instead of deer crossings. I'm just sayin'...) emails me asking if another skein of Grandma's Blessing would work. Turns out she has a show in Leland in October and would like to unveil my pattern at that event.

My first pattern...

Ever...

For SALE, people! OMG!

So I spent all of Monday morning putting the pattern together on my computer (using three applications no less. How do you like them apples, you thermostat, you!?!)

Thursday a bit of native Michigander fibery loveliness arrived c/o my father. I managed to hold off for two days while I proofed galleys, but by lunchtime Saturday I was looking at this:

Primarily deep red, with a fair amount of hunter green and brown.




Started into the project but decided about 60 rows in to change things a bit. I just wasn't happy with the ends of the stole.

I had originally intended to add the beech leaf border at the end of the piece, a la Victorian Lace Today, bending it around the corners and surrounding the cherry and blossoming branch patterns on all four sides. But the more I pondered, the more murky the waters got with doubt. Was the beech leaf border going to still look like a beech leaf as I rounded the corners? Or would it look like a hot mess? And how would I feel about frogging the entire center portion if it did?

The yarn was more substantial than I had envisioned, being a sportweight, and it felt like the shawl needed a bit more solidity to it.

So back I went to my Barbara Walkers in search of enlightenment. (Took them along just in case - clever girl!)

Found a horizontal shell border that was similar in feel to the vertical beech leaf edging, and a double X pattern that had the same angular texture as the blossoming branch.

More math. More knitting. More frogging. More coffee. More cursing. More fiddling and fudging. More obsession. Less sleep.

One week later I was looking at this:

Cherry Country II - the sequel

Want a closer look?

Sure you do.





On the 28th I hied myself to the other side of Grand Traverse Bay and parked my chariot at the Fiber Festival in Charlevoix, to show Chris what I had done so far...

Good news: She loved it
Bad news: I wasn't going to have enough yarn to finish it and the color was still not quite what I had in mind.
Good news: Chris is custom dying me two huge skeins of yarn just for this project
Bad news: I have to start over.
Good news: I love working this pattern so much I really don't mind
Bad news: Three whoppin' skeins of yarn jumped in my tote bag while my back was turned
Good news: New creations with Briar Rose might lead to more saleable patterns. More saleable patterns might lead to increased income (at least that's what I told my husband.)

This is 1500 yards of Legend, between sport and DK weight:









Here's the flip side, showing the variegation range:









Here is 1650 yards of 4th of July, DK:

















And here is a yarn so new it doesn't have a name yet - merino and
tencel blend:

Lovely sheen, DK weight.







And that's the news from Lake Leelanau, where the men are chasing a little white ball around a field with holes in it and cursing, the women are happily ensconced on the porch, knitting and reading away, and the children are washing their own breakfast dishes if they know what's good for them.

P.S. Don't forget to register your guess as to the number of emails I had waiting for me upon my return. Sock yarn awaits the closest guesser.