Sanna's Bag

“I never seem to have what I need when I need it. I’m going to make a belt-bag that’s bigger on the inside than on the outside, and just carry everything with me.”

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Introducing . . .

You remember Bucky Merino, the roving ramporter and hand puppet? Well he went to visit a friend in California and disappeared.  Sometimes things just happen.

But I miss him, so I got out my needles and set to work and now we have a new traveling companion.
 Say hello to Baabette.  She's a white-faced gray sheep with blue eyes.  I'm just getting to know her, and she seems quite the coquette.

I finished Baabette last night.  Today, she went to breakfast with us at the restaurant, and blew kisses to all the old truckers who gather there daily.  They laughed and smiled.

Then, when Kyle said, "Let's go shopping," she was first in line to go.  I should have explained to her that we were going to the grocery store, but she didn't care.  It's 2.5 miles one way, and since it wasn't raining, we decided to walk it.  Baabette rode on my left hand and was warmer than a glove.  She admired the flowering trees, and all the birds.  She waved to passing cyclists.  Some waved back.




The trail goes over a creek at one point.  She was impressed by  the muddy rush of the water.  She even greeted a friendly kitty, but we didn't get a photo of that.  Our check-out clerk at the store is also a knitter and quite fell in love with Baabette.  There may be more sheep in the neighborhood soon.


Thursday, March 27, 2014

Along the waterfront

 Since they didn't need him at work, Kyle took me for a walk along the waterfront today.  We managed to strike a sunny patch in between the squalls.  The wind was sharp, but exhilarating.

I'm not sure of the significance of the padlocks.  They may be tokens of love.  They show up all along the fence here.  Some have names and initials scratched into them.
You can fish in this part of the river, but don't eat anything that lives here.  Salmon and steelhead are just passing through, so they're ok.  I love that it's in 6 languages.
An urban marina.  No parking within about a mile  of this dock.
The cherry trees were shedding clouds of petals in the wind.  It was a gorgeous day!  We got in a brisk two miles and did the full circuit of the river walk.  Boy, I just LOVE being retired!

Monday, March 24, 2014

Daffodil Hill



We took a nice volkswalk on Sunday  outside the sweet  little town of Amity,  Oregon.  Spring has hit us hard.  The temps got clear up to 70 degrees, though we could see our breath in the air when we started.  We elected to do the 10 K walk (about 7 miles) and mush of the stroll was on gravel roads amidst glorious farmlands.  When we stopped to take this picture, the red-winged blackbirds in the far stand of trees were just having a song-fest!
Tracks in the mud beside the road.  They looked kind of small to be a deer.  Maybe a stray goat?  though deer would be right at home out here.
How would you like to grow up out here?
 Daffodil Hill.  The farmhouse on the top has 360 degree views.  Breath-taking!

 You can see, by the slant of the trees, the winds comes mostly from the one side.  The telephone pole is vertical.  The rest of the landscape is canted.
Blue skies and rows of blooms.  What a glorious day it was.  And tomorrow, we expect overcast skies and rain,  We really struck it lucky for this walk!

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Extra, extra!

So in your favorite TV show the hero is walking through a parking lot, talking on his cell phone.  Look at the cars in the background.  Each and every one has been selected, hired as background, and carefully arranged by a director.  How do I know?  My car was an extra for the filming of an episode of Grimm!

Last summer, my friend MJ and I signed up with Extras Only for a chance to work as an extra in Grimm.  MJ has had several calls, but evidently they have a lot more requirements for a petite and classy strawberry blonde than they do for a six foot tall silver fox.  BUT, on Thursday, I got a call for my car!  It was a night shoot, so I showed up as instructed at 5:18PM.  There were four other people with their cars for this scene.  We waited.  Then we were directed into one parking lot, re-arranged, directed to a different section of parking lot, carefully arranged (My orange Prius is at the far end of the line) and waited.  Finally a nice young man said, "OK, we're going to start shooting so we need you to get out of your car for a bit."  We stood back and watched as the actor walked past the cars, talking on his phone. And again.  And again.  The sun was setting and the camera needed to be adjusted.  The wind picked up.  After about forty minutes I asked if I could grab my coat.  While the camera and screens were being adjusted yet again, I got permission to grab my coat.  The other four drivers took advantage to grab their coats.  And we stood and waited.  Finally the shot was done.  We were sent to yet another parking lot, carefully arranged, then led to a "Holding Area,"with about fifty other car owners at around 7 PM.  We filled out paperwork, then were told not to wander, and left to our own devices.  There were three rooms for us.  One with a TV and lots of straight chairs and conference tables, one with dim lights and a few big ottomans, and one with bright lights, conference tables and dry erase boards.  I opted for the dim lights right off.  I knew it was a night shoot.  I knew it might last until 7AM.  I had snackies and a thermos of hot tea, knitting, paper and pen for writing, and my ever handy, ever entertaining imagination.  I tried sleeping but a 4X3 ottoman is just not big enough.  And it was cold.  And there were noises.  I got the best doze when I remembered reading how guys in jail had to sleep in, "the tank," where it was cold.  They would kneel, fold over and rest their elbows on the ground, and lock their fingers behind their heads.  It conserves maximum body heat, and it's possible to sort of relax and rest in position.  The face rests on your upraised forearms, and  your breath helps to warm your core.  My legs fell asleep long before I did, and people sort of snickered at me, but I did manage to get about half an hour's good doze before the caters started banging around and setting up for dinner at midnight.

First they fed the cast and crew - with the stars in a separate room.  Among the cast were two guys in full wesen make-up.  Not Blutbahts, but some kind of canine.  Very, very neat to see.  I wanted to ask how it felt and if it was hard to eat and yadahyadah fangirl gush, but we were kept separate from them - which made sense, because they had only half an hour to eat, and they didn't need strangers bugging them.  I did see David Giuntoli being led to the star's dining room.  He's cute and acts sort of shy.

Then they re-filled the steam table and fed the fifty plus car owners.  I passed on the free food because I'm trying SO hard to lose some weight.  But evidently, a hot meal for extras is a real treat!  I was told extras usually get a coke and a cold sandwich.

Then everyone settled down, except a group of three women with shrill piercing voices, and two men with low voices which carried well. They literally talked all night.

At 5:30AM our wrangler showed up and gave us the welcome announcement that shooting was over and we could go home.  At 5:30 AM in March, it is pitch black and cold as a well-digger's elbow.  I had to scrape frost off my windshield before I made my weary way home.

Time was, I could pull an all-nighter and still function the next day.  That was decades ago - in the last century in fact, and I am sadly out of training.  I got home, kissed Kyle, took a hot bath, and fell into bed for the next six hours.  It was interesting and fun, but I don't think I'm up for another night shoot.  Still, my car will be in a future episode of Grimm!  Oh boy!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Goslings

That nice Canadian couple down by the pond has been really quiet lately.  Now we all know - they had quadruplets!
There's a little chunk of protected wetland down between the Sherrie's restaurant and the expressway that is just swarming with critters.  Ducks, geese, nutria and song birds come begging in the parking lot.
The parents are very protective, but used to the presence of people.  when I got too close, and didn't toss food, they bustled the babies off to the safety of the bushes.
 And on the other side of the bushes, they feel even safer so I could get slower.  Look at those downy babies!  It is certainly spring now.


Saturday, March 15, 2014

photos!

The sewing machine has been whirring lately.  I'm trying to  clear out the scrap pile, so I started with the red end.  I know the stripes on this one are all cattywampus.  They make me smile.


Red is so hard to photograph.  There are dozens more shades than show up here.  There was a decidedly zen-like pleasure to making this one.
Took a walk yesterday and got some spring colors to share with you.  How's it looking in your end of the world?
Blue skies and sunshine bring out the smiles and the gardeners around here.  The air was sweet with that scent of new-mown hay, and the song of the lawnmower was heard in the land.
Japanese quince at their most lovely.

Daffodils of various varieties, and windflowers.  I love that merry yellow!!
Here's a well-served cat.  The glass storm door is closed, protecting him from the March winds, but the wooden front door is open to let in the sun, and then someone dragged a chair over for him to lie there basking and watching the neighborhood in comfort.














Flowering current.  A local native.

I am very absent-mindedly involved in a monthly photo meme.  In February, we were supposed to take photos of stairs.  I stood at the top of thees and got a long-legged shadow.
These are from Autumn in the Japanese Garden.

March is supposed to be windows, I think.  I may have an idea . . .

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Spring done sprung!





Sunday, March 09, 2014

March tea time

 The ladies came over for tea on Saturday.  I do wish you could have joined us.  We had carrot cake with pineapple and coconut, shortbread cookies with passionfruit puree, ginger cookies, oatmeal cookies, roast chicken wings, and grapes.  I had such fun setting the table in spring colors.

It was a a wonderful day. I got caught by the sunrise and watched, rapt, for about twenty minutes.  It should have had musical accompaniments - great, rich, swelling chords from the strings, glorious fanfares from the brass.  It was stunning.  Pity the camera doesn't capture what the eye beholds.

Then I got to work plating goodies and making the coffee and tea.  I set the table and cleaned house on Thursday, enjoyed baking frenzy on Friday, so that on Saturday I have time to enjoy my friends.  Saturday afternoon I clean up, and Sunday I put things away.  I have this down to a science.
I expected twenty guests, and my table seats twelve if we squeeze in, so I set up an auxiliary section in the living room.   Last month, I expected twelve and got 14.  This month, eleven people actually showed.  I baked two cakes!  Well, one was eaten entirely, and Kyle will take the spare to work, so it won't go to waste.


I had such fun putting together placemats, napkins, napkin rings and china. Mix and match is a great sport.

The tea cozies added their own cheerful  note, and who doesn't love a nice bowl of grapes?.
Carrot cake above the roasted chicken wings.  The chicken wings went over well, too. I'm always at a loss for what to serve as a savory, and this was a happy solution.
My violets are blooming, so the little vase-napkin rings got a good workout .  And Lindor balls scattered about quite happily.  Who likes white, who likes dark and who prefers milk chocolate?
Janette sent me a jaciva birthday cake with a bouquet of live flowers on top.  The cake was gone in two days, but the flowers lasted and lasted.  Orchids and white roses enhanced my decor.












Meanwhile, I continue the knitting - or in this case, crochet.  I adapted the dead fish hat for the crocodile stitch which makes fun fishy scales.  It doesn't make it a warm hat, but it is pretty, and great to use up leftover yarn.

Monday, March 03, 2014

Holiday!

I have always thought that my birthday should be an international holiday. Schools, banks and federal buildings should close. There should be fireworks in the heavens, parades in the streets, dancing in the parlors and necking in the backyards. Everyone should throw discretion to the winds and eat themselves into a stupor and maybe get silly drunk. 

Guess what - my birthday falls on MardiGras this year. Let the good times roll!