Friday, May 30, 2008

Caught! (doing pliés in the hosta)

She's trying so hard, but a bit overweight. The latest mifflette is a throwback to the Christmas and Hannukah mifflettes of 2007.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Bleeding Hearts


Bleeding Hearts
Originally uploaded by gramily
What We Want
- Linda Pastan


What we want
is never simple.
We move among the things
we thought we wanted:
a face, a room, an open book
and these things bear our names--
now they want us.
But what we want appears
in dreams, wearing disguises.
We fall past,
holding out our arms
and in the morning
our arms ache.
We don't remember the dream,
but the dream remembers us.
It is there all day
as an animal is there
under the table,
as the stars are there
even in full sun.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Reasons Not to Have Many Sweaters

Every spring I take all the woolens I can find and wash them, hang them on a rack to dry, then fold them and store them for the summer. This is done in batches over several days. Every year I swear I'm getting rid of half of them, not acquiring OR knitting more and moving on to synthetic fleece.

My mother did the same thing, throwing mothballs into the mix. One difference was we had so many fewer sweaters back then. I still have some of the Scandinavian ones brought back by my aunts from Norway, and childhood ones knit by our friends the Burkes (yes, BOTH Mr. and Mrs Burke knit, as did my father) I just can't seem to discard them, even though I know I won't use them and no one else I know would want them.

I get very grumpy this time of year as I want to clear my life of things...until I am face to face with those things. I dream of a monk's cell. Well, maybe with one or two favorite things. Let's see...which will I choose?

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Four New Mifflettes

Tree Sprite #3


Parisian Pink Robot


Nursery Robot

Japanese Leaf Robot

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Surprise Stash

I've never been one to buy yarn without a project in mind, though I've tried. I've hastily bought yarn and returned it when reconsidering my impulsivity. However, on my last night in Los Gatos I learned that my favorite CA lys was going out of business. YIKES! There was a storewide 30% reduction sale and though it went against my nature, I couldn't resist some sumptuous yarns in colors that refused to leave my tight grasp. and YES, there is some Habu in there too for a Kashu Kashu scarf. There are some hats and scarves in this stash calling YOUR names, my friends!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Last Day for Sure this Time

Felco pruners are employed by Zach for lots of trimming. Two year olds sure love to have jobs!


Dexter's main activity besides those bodily functions is smiling.


Last but not least six a.m. cookie making which is how we began this sojourn.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Another LG Thursday

A Mother's Day gift I have been using daily in Los Gatos is this mini flower press. Its tininess invites mere flower petals, rather than whole blossoms. I've tried to fill each page before heading home.


Dexter and I walked to Walgreens to fill a prescription for Syl. Dex fell asleep on the way back in the front pack. This CA lifestyle is growing on me. The weather just doesn't get any better than this...and NO BLACK FLIES OR MOSQUITOES!


Can you guess why this is called a bottle brush tree??

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Delayed Departure

I missed my flight home by losing track of time, not realizing that yesterday was May 20 and my departure date. We humans are basically inflexible and it took me awhile to wrap my mind around the fact that I was going to have to adjust to a few more days here. That was good news in some respects and bad in others. So my life goes on here, spending time with Zach who loves flowers not quite as much as trucks and often says, "OH MY GRACIOUS!" when smelling a particularly fragrant rose,



cooking dinner with Mr. Googles on my hip,
being sure to get a photo of Dexter in the mirror the same way I did with both Zach and Sophia,
and admiring splendor in the grass.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Sunday, May 18, 2008

No Lemons for Zadie


No Lemons for Zadie
Originally uploaded by gramily
It seems lemon season is over so Zach and I were unable to find for Zadie his favorite item from LG farmers market.

Clematis?


Clematis?
Originally uploaded by gramily
Tell me if I'm wrong here.

Update: Two readers have told me this is a passion flower. Thanks K and D!

Zach, Jack-Jack. Andrew


Zach, Jack-Jack. Andrew
Originally uploaded by gramily
Ages 6, 3 and 2, the play is all about vehicles and chasing, running in circles and sweets!

Reflecting on Life


Reflecting on Life
Originally uploaded by gramily
Sarah and Zach are long time old friends. They play together happily for hours, rest and take breaks, then resume wild running games and ball throwing.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Gramily Heaven


Zach's Favorite Books
Originally uploaded by gramily
Zach now climbs in my lap and asks me to read one of these to him.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Digitalis


Digitalis
Originally uploaded by gramily
The beautiful foxglove flower, also known as digitalis, is in full bloom here.

Dexie Likes Books


Dexie Likes Books
Originally uploaded by gramily
If Syl takes Dex's book away, he cries!

Double Decker Stroller


Double Decker Stroller
Originally uploaded by gramily
This is how Zach and Dex are transported these days. Dex is too young to be jealous of Zach's view. We have just arrived at Bachman Park here.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

My Seatmate

Instead of sitting next to a seven year old on my most recent flight to visit grandchildren, I sat next to an introspective 40-something career woman. The child who had been assigned the seat originally would have been separated from her mother and younger sister, had my seatmate not changed places with her. Initailly I was disappointed since I have a special kinship with children of that age. It wasn’t long, however, before it was apparent that this was a special spin of the wheel of fortune for me.

We never exchanged names or identifying features of our lives, but we shared extraordinary intimate details that shaped our beings. I could tell you what gives her the most pleasure every day and what her most recent heartache was. I could tell you about the love affiair that didn’t work out and the man she married despite the fact that they will never be intimate. .

She could tell you who has disappointed me, whom I have caused disappointment, the psychological makeup of my family of origin, the insights I have about others and not about myself. She could tell you why I was confused on that day and what she advised me.

We could both comment on strking resemblances we have to each other, ways in which our lives overlap, ways in which we have reacted to the slaps and dashes of day-in and day-out. We could point out that despite a random connection, we each gained something invaluable from the other that we would carry with us henceforth

After a few hours I thought we would retreat behind headphones, The New Yorker, or a crossword puzzle. I knit as I always do. But we kept it up, the conversation that got deeper and deeper. Before we knew it we were close to tears and our point of arrival. And the talk didn’t stop once. Six hours culminated in wishing each other well for the next thirty, forty years, never learning names and knowing we would never see each other again.
On my recent flight from Boston to San Jose, I found myself with a seatmate who was both a good listener and a good conversationalist. By this I mean she asked thought-provoking questions and listened well to my answers, shared details of her own life that went beyond cliches and banalities. Within six hours we had shared some of the most intimate details of our lives. Although we connected deeply, we also knew we would never be in contact again. I feel I am carrying a part of her with me, nonetheless.

One had a bath...


One had a bath...
Originally uploaded by gramily

Monday, May 12, 2008

Recuperating on Rose Ave.


Recuperating on Rose Ave.
Originally uploaded by gramily
Zach has lost a lot of weight and is dehydrated. I was supposed to feed him a teaspoon of water every five minutes to avoid hospitalization and he flat out refused to cooperate. Luckily Syl got him to accept gatorade in bright colors. He switches colors and is now drinking healthily. WHEW!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mr. Googles


Mr. Googles
Originally uploaded by gramily
Can you see why we call him Mr. Googles?

The Three Reasons for CA Rescue

Syl has gone back to work, is having painful dental issues, Zach has a virus and is banned from day care and Dex has asthma and acid reflux.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Monday, May 5, 2008

Goodbye Mifflettes







All these mifflettes are bound for sale at the Artisan's Barn in Readfield, ME. Boohoo, I shall mourn their departure.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Rainy Weekend


Rainy Weekend
Originally uploaded by gramily
Our wonderful guests went hiking with us all weekend in rain jackets. They not only didn't complain, they treated both days as gifts, and thanked us for taking them out in the much needed spring rain. It was lovely to be with people who don't judge the weather. In fact, V said there isn't any kind of weather she prefers to another.

Friday, May 2, 2008

May Day Basket


May Day Basket
Originally uploaded by gramily
This is a neighborhood where one is apt to receive a May Basket. This one has moss, live narcissus, viola and pussy willows. Am I lucky gal or what?

May Day Gift


May Day Gift
Originally uploaded by gramily
After a long tranquil walk, my friend popped into her car and produced a gift of two dozen eggs from various chickens; note the variety of color, shape, size. Almost too beautiful to eat...but not quite.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Listen to some Haiku


Robert Hass, poetry National Book Award winner for 2007 reads some stunning haiku here. Listen for some momentary delight in your day.