The Gauge

That Almost Worked. Even Without Help.

Well, the posts from the other blog are on here, but a little backwards and somewhat out of order.  We're in Vermont now, so any Portland posts are old.  There's 700 feet of snow outside, so any pictures with grass, short-sleeved shirts, or iced drinks are plain old dated.  As soon as Ashley is operating I'll ask him to sort everything out for me.

Lots and lots to share...I'll get a post together that'll knock your hand-knit socks off.

I'm Back, In Full Effect

Oh, Hi!!

Okay, okay.  So, I started this other little blog, and I just didn't love it like this one.  So as soon as I remember how to move all the junk from that blog over here, you'll have lots of fresh new posts to read!

Then?  Well, then I'm just going to try with this one again.  I'll just keep trying.

Pam's House

We got a call from Pam last Tuesday offering up her house to us for a few weeks. The deal was that we'd get to stay in this incredible, beautiful house in exchange for keeping the mice away.

We said "you betcha!"

The house is just a couple of miles from our little house. Pam is mom to one of my best friends from high-school, so I've spent lots of time in this place over the last 20 years or so. It is on my top five list of favorite places of all times. One of the best parts is that it really doesn't change. Same books, same rugs, same place mats....everything is just like it is in memory.

We've already spread ourselves out over the house. It's so big compared to ours! Elinor is loving it...so much space to jump, dance, run, bounce, and brush teeth (a current favorite.)

She also loves this big desk that she can spread loads of paper on and color to her heart's delight. She's quite an artist, I can just tell.

LOVE the wood stove. It keeps the kitchen so toasty, and smells like heaven.

I'm at our house now, waiting to hear about a job interview. I was worried that our house would feel cramped and cluttered after being at Pam's for a few days, but it really just feels cozy and like it's ours.

January Everywhere

Another stunning Vermont day! Ashley and I were able to leave Elinor with my mom for a couple of hours and we went snowshoeing all through East St. Johnsbury and into Waterford. Since we're new to the whole snowshoe thing, we generally stayed on the VAST (snowmobiling) trail. It was really fun and felt like good exercise. Yeah...exercise. It's easy to ignore when you have a nice chair by the window and new projects underway.

I've been teaching myself how to hook rugs. I got a kit at Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild on Christmas Eve and I've been working on it daily ever since. I LOVE it. The day I bought the kit, the woman who put the kit together, and whose rugs I have been admiring since the Guild started displaying them, was there working. She was lovely, and even invited me over for tea and rug-hooking. This is why I moved to Vermont!

My first attempt is a little uneven, and I really haven't a clue how to shade/fill in the empty spaces. It's coming along, though. More socks, of course. Always socks.

And the most popped over popovers of all time! Mom and Ron gave me this tin for Christmas, and then brought the mix home for me yesterday after they visited the King Arthur Flour store. I put some extra sharp cheddar in them, and they were mighty good.

Our little windows have been frosty, but we've been nice and warm in our small nest. The furnace gave up the ghost for an hour or so last night, but Bruce came over and righted it. I like knowing he's right next door, and that he knows this little house like the back of his hand.

Afternoon winter light. It makes you want to make coffee and read for the rest of the day.

Afternoon Walk With My Sweetie

The road where we live. For real.

Top of the hill - huddled together in the COLD cold.

My hiding place when I was a teen.

House at the top of the hill.

Our little corner of the world.