friday's flowers: lilacs redux

This Friday we're visiting the archives for a trip to Woodland, WA and the Hulda Klager lilac garden.

We went there quite awhile ago and I only used one or two of the images thus far...needless to say, I have many more. I'm holding a few back just in case I need to whip out a post on short notice! :)

Many of the original buildings are still on the property,

including the family home, which is intact and has many of the residents' clothes and other items on display. The rooms are very small, fairly dark, and there were a lot of people milling around, so it was very, very challenging to get a good picture.

But on to the gardens, and the real subject of this week's FF post. The lilacs.

I've never seen so many different lilacs in one place. Hulda Klager grew, hybridized and tended to all this plant material through floods and all sorts of trying times. You can read more about her here.

In addition to a plethora of lilacs, there are other flowers, too...

This amazing Chinese peony plant was hiding under a canopy of some very old trees...I spent about a half hour just shooting it.

okokokok...back to the lilacs.

one more for good measure.

I think that's it for now.

What are you doing for fun this weekend? We're hanging out and catching up with ourselves...i.e. knitting, photography, maybe a movie and a trip to the local farmers market.

I hope your weekend is fabulous!! xo

When lilacs last in the door-year bloom'd,
And the great star early droop'd in the western sky in the night,
I mourn'd--
and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.
~ Walt Whitman

in motion

Just dropping in to show you the cuff of the Charybdis sock...it's toe up, so that means one sock is done! yay! progress! Those cherries are bright red, huh?!

Sorry, wish I could stay longer...gotta run!!

Happy Friday-eve!!

That last cherry soothes a roughness of my palate.
~Robert Browning

wordless wednesday

well heeled

We had a great weekend! We went to the Portland farmers market on Saturday, and had a quick stop at Twisted before heading home to hit our local market and have lunch.

The Port Ludlow, Charybdis and Slip Jig socks all had their heels turned this weekend...that's a lot of turning!

I'm about as pooped as this little guy we saw at the market Saturday!

Happy Monday!!

Saturday

"yippy skippy!!"

friday's flowers: morning joy

This time of year the early morning light is the best. With that in mind, I went walking yesterday morning, early...while it was still cool...to capture the morning in pixels.

I was aiming for Queen Anne's Lace, but I got a few other things, too!

And the lady bugs...my gosh...they were all over the place. I mean, it almost got boring to shoot them...but not quite.

I invite you to grab a cup of your favorite morning beverage, and scroll and stroll at your own pace!

(Do you see the hidden passenger in the image above?)

This little lb just didn't want to get up, she seems so nestled and comfy!

I returned to the same spot in the evening to capture the QAL during the golden hour of light...everything had changed so much in a day, but I'm saving that for another post!

I hope you all have a marvelous weekend! xo

When day will break
And you will wake
And you will rake your hands
Across your eyes
And realize

That it's going to be a day
There is really no way to say no
To the morning.

Yes it's going to be a day
There is really nothing left to say but
Come on morning.
~Dan Fogelberg

charybdis

Charybdis. One of the sock patterns being knit up in the third quarter STR summer KAL on Ravelry. It should be a quicky knit once I get a secret project off the needles! ;)

It wouldn't be a real post without a weather report: Hot. Bloody hot. But that's not a complaint, merely a statement of fact.

I wish I was here though!

Happy Friday eve!

Charybdis pattern by Fiona Lucas
STR in 'blue moonstone'

wordless wednesday

wishes

We had a little birthday celebration this past weekend!

Mr. NK and I spent the day in Astoria this past Friday to celebrate his special day! His mom joined us for the festivities. Before heading back home we stopped for a treat at the local cupcake shop.

Chocolate was served!

Twice.

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
may you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
~Bob Dylan

Happy Birthday Sweet Pete!! Many happy and sweet returns!
xo, me

destiny

I decided to join Camilla and friends by posting a picture a day, or every other day or as the inspiration moves me. Simply put, have fun--make it easy--and oh yeah, it's summer, so make it really easy peasy!!

What's going to be interesting is how a pic a day translates into how I display my knitting progress...it'll be more of a sock serial.

And all socks start with a skein:

Every day is a fresh beginning, Every morn is the world made new
~Sarah Chauncey Woolsey

STR 'Blue Moonstone'

independence day

Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.
~Albert Camus

friday's flowers: rained out

Well, wouldn't you know it...just as quickly as we pulled out our tank tops and sun screen, we're now rained out and unpacking our umbrellas.

I'm sticking it out...summer will return, as will FF, in full force! In the mean time, I wish you all a fabulous weekend, and if you're celebrating the Independence Day holiday this weekend, have fun and be safe!

Happy weekend! xo

summer skies...

...that's what I dubbed these socks.

Their coloration reminded me of summer blooms against a blue sky with wispy summer clouds.

I then had to wait a few more months for the real thing! It was worth the wait!

The socks are done, and summer is here...well, kind of. I'm really pleased with the socks, although they seem to run a bit roomy for my taste.

I think when I create the floats I end up adding some extra ease. I had the same thing happen with the Leyburn socks.

I tweaked the first pair of Paul Atwell socks I knit, and probably should've tweaked these a bit more, too...mostly in the foot.

Anywhooo...I heart the color and the pattern, so I'm sure there will be a next time around to play more with the sizing.

Does anyone know what that little blue flower is? It looks like a clover...I've never seen it before.

Happy July!!

Paul Atwell socks in Dashing Dachs 'speckled wildflowers'

Blue skies Smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies
Do I see

Bluebirds
Singing a song
Nothing but bluebirds
All day long

Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things going so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly

Blue days
All of them gone
From now on
~Irving Berlin