THE PRESIDIO says HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA !!!

I can think of no better way to say Happy Birthday America, then to honor it's Veterans. A well cared for National Cemetery does just that. The Presidio, a Spanish Fort, a military base, renouned medical facility, National Cemetery, and now a National Park.


This was one of the places hubby and I visited last week while on vacation in California. Definately one of the highlights for me. Many of you know I spend a good deal of time in cemeteries, photographing and documenting military stones; as well as others. This was quite impressive, one of the better cared for cemeteries I've been in, stones washed, perfectly aligned, grass mowed and water. A fitting tribute to our service men and women. I am a lover of peace, but do honor and respect those that have and are serving.

Take notice of the fog, it was, while cold and windy there a very moving experience. We could hear fog horns in the distance from the bay.

A special ceremony and program kept us from being able to see the whole base, the horses with Spanish Riders were a part of that.

Some construction is several areas also weren't open for touring; but we still were able to enjoy the base. Historic barracks, some being rehabbed, while others very much in a state of decay. Pilots row, vintage homes restored and lived in today bring life back to this Military Post.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

In The Air, On The Road........AND

This is the yellow shawl I started on the plane on my way to California. I'm using a very pretty yellow, double strand..good ole Caron Wintuk, such nice yarn. The basic dishcloth pattern with a slight variation to have a widder edge (using 3 stitches before I do my yarn over). Using size 11 circular needles. Worked on it coming home on the plane also, and managed a few rows after work last night, so think I'm about half done. This will be for my mom's 80th birthday this month.

This is the baby blanket I started while on vacation, as we were traveling in the car. Using both blue and pink so it will work for either a little boy or a little girl and will go to one of my charities. Not sure yet which one, need to check my list once I get it done. Probably about 1/4th done with this. Bulky Modea yarn, 13 circular needles...again variation of the dishcloth pattern.


Haven't done any work on my multi colored ghan, or my Candy Corn ghan since returning from vacation. Candy Corn maybe 1/4th done, and multi-colored ghan probably 10% done. Both of these are crocheted projects.

Here are a few more pictures from vacation. We left Desert Springs and traveled up the beach road, hubby loves to drive and some of the scenery was quite pretty. Some hard to see due to the haze. I thought the wind farms were facinating. They went on for miles and miles! We stopped at a state park on the beach to dip our toes. But, in the process I burned the bottom of my feet -----------the sand was really really hot. You can see not that many people were on the beach, very windy and a bit cool I think. This was day 2 of our vacation. Takes time to drive up the beach road, it's much slower!!

California, Here I Come !

Not right back where I started from. But, the song popped into my head. Got back last evening. Spent the day grocery shopping, picking up-opening and sorting mail, and unpacking, doing laundry, doing laundry, doing laundry, and doing laundry. Almost done.
Flew from here to Phoenix, from there onto Palm Desert in a little jet. I've only flown once by myself so this was a big adventure for me.........I WAS nervous!

Hubby was there, had been for a week for his convention and he figured I should spread my wings and come out when he was done; then we'd vacation. Only needed to pay for one airfare that way.

Have only begun with pictures; got em loaded from camera and started sorting them into folders, began editing with day 1.

This is the resort where his convention was and were I joined him for the first night. It was 120. We spent time in the pool with a drink and a few of the people who hadn't yet left, then went to dinner at a Mexican place. Food was Good!

The blue pool is where we spent time, the 2nd pool is on the other side of the hotel and the one we could see from his hotel room balcony. Mountains in the background didn't show up real well, but it's a nice view, golf course, mountains, pool and mountains. Hubby and one of the younger girls that went to dinner with us. Love her big earrings. What fun!

For those that don't know, hubby is an accountant and works for a national office for a sorority, and thus is the only male at the convention of 1,000 women........except for a few husbands of board members.

***I did knit while gone, I started the yellow shawl for my mothers's 80th birthday which is in a couple of weeks. Worked on it both coming and going on the plane. I also started a baby blanket while there, blue and pink while we were in the car driving from place to place.

Hope all are well, hope to get out and visit some blogs a bit tomorrow before work.

And so it continues.

Candy corn has gotten further along. Though more stitching has been done since this picture....it might get frogged. I'm seeing a different vision now in my head..........sometimes I hate it when that happens.

I have 4 of these green squares/rectangles...shapes. Use 2 to make this pair of slippers, I think they would work for a boy....probably grade school age? Unsure where they will be sent. Need to check my charities and see.



Had a stack of 10 little blue squares and have used 8 to make these 4 pair of booties/slippers. Newborn and older (each a little different sized)



These bright bright rainbow type colors were 2 granny squares. Can you imagine trying to put these 2 squares in a ghan of other colors? The lone pink square was knitting, so I unraveled it to use the yarn for the trim on these slippers for a little girl...grade school age. Though I normally like slippers to be solid, I think these will still be nice when one takes off shoes...even if worn over socks feet will be warmer.





Probably sending the booties to Marine Corp Kids, but need to check on the green and multi colored pair to see whats the best spot.

Been working some crazy hours, and so haven't knitted and crocheted as much as I would like this week. Been busy rolling yarn though. A box of mill ends was sent to me, before I can determine what to make, I need to know how much I have and thus the rolling is taking place. To date 185 balls, some smaller than others, but most are about 2-3 inches. I'm not yet done. This is I believe Berroco's Comfort yarn, 50% cotton 50% acrylic. It has a wonderful feel. I might do a group of chemo hats because of the softness? Still got my thinking cap on. Takes time to do the rolling, tangles....but what a lovely donation. I will make use of it; I always do when folks donate things they want to go for good causes.





No additional work done one the mutli colored ghan with Sensations yarn, or the 2 strand yarn (ice blue and dark green) shawl.

Today is the first day in several weeks I didn't get 10,000 steps at work....though if I'd put the pedometer here at the house before hand, or left it on afterwards......am sure I was well above my 10,000 steps a day.

Happy Hooking and Knitting One and all

Candy Corn, a beginning

I have several squares like the small one you see. The colors are soooo bright and frankly pretty hard to match, these squares are from the mish mosh pile. Not colors or squares that would go well with other items, which explains why they were leftovers. However, their beginning to take shape. Started out, as if I were working on a triangle with some very bright yellow I had on hand and did just a few rows (not too many wanting to tone this down a bit), then one row only with the bright bright orange, the the full square of a different shade of orange. Since this picture I've completed several other rows, then added a gold which picks up nicely the small amount of gold in the original square. I've added a single row of sc with maroon/purple. Depending on the light the color looks one way or the other...

Now adding a row or 2 of the bright yellow, but again on 2 sides to bring out that triangle idea I started with and to minimize the bright. My plan is to do the same with the bright bright orange. Then 2 sides in gold, the other 2 in the other orange with the 4 corners the original squares. Playing it by ear as I see how it shapes up, AND based on the amount of yarn I have.

This mutli-colored yarn is fun and fast to work with, has enough to it, that you really don't need any fancy stitches. I'm using the ever popular V-stitch, but....I'm not sure if I'm going to continue or frog it. Still thinking. First thought was it would make a nice ghan for a young girl, it's so soft and with the colors and all. But, I only bought one skein when I nabbed the yarn (the problem with buying yarn cause you like it---before you know what you're going to make or how much you're going to need. It's bulky weight and so even though it's 615 yards (Rainbow Classic JoAnne's Sensations), it's probably not enough to do what I had first planned.





This is the knitted project in the works. Red Heart Symphony, fun yarn to work with. I have ice blue and dark forest green, the yarn while fuzzy and warm (mohair like texture), is thin and so I'm knitting with 2 strands. This is the start to a shawl, worked corner to corner. Since I'm using up odds and ends of the blue (must see if I have more in my stash), it may end up being striped.........I have a couple of neat claps that will be sewn on when completed. A favorite is on the green wool shawl I made my daughter, which I've blogged about previously--if interested scroll back for picture it's a sage green color.

LOTS of yard work yesterday, good exercise, some sun. Promises to be another really hot one here today. Drink lots of water folks.

Have a great week.

Ghan of Many Colors, Slippers

SLIPPERS...all different sizes and colors, great way to use up more of the odds and ends. Added these to the box that I need to run to the post office with shortly. It's heading to Michigan to Caring House, a Battered Womens Shelter. Some wee blue ones as well. Finished bright blocks ghan last night and will get it boxed shortly. Started a bright orange and yellow ghan, still working on multi colored ghan....though am thinking about frogging it. You know sometimes, it's just what you think it will be. Still pondering.

The ghan will be sent to Victory Gang Camp (Victory Junction)

Enjoyed watching the end of the hockey game last night, though hubby wanted Pitts to win, not Detroit was an exciting finish.

Errands need to be done.

Happy Thursday, one and all.