My Bit of Earth

The Festival of Trees

This has become one of my favorite holiday traditions.  I just love walking through all the beautiful trees.  

We were unable to donate a tree this year--all of a sudden my knitting group has gotten a little busy and we've basically given up on meeting anymore--but we did manage to hook up with the Kiddo's favorite girl, the Cupcake, and her mama to see what other people had created.  

If I won the lottery tonight, I'd go back to the auction tomorrow and buy the tree with the tiny baskets on it, but the rooster-as-tree-topper also caught my eye.  And, just for one year, I'd love to have a funny, alternative tree, like the space shuttle-ly one pictured.  Then again, maybe we need a bat signal?

If you're local, The Festival of Trees will be at Liberty Hall until Thursday, so go check it out.  Here are the times it's open.

Penance for July

We stepped off the plane from California last week to the most pleasant surprise.  Seventy degrees, cornflower blue sky, and the wild sunflowers blooming away....I'm not officially calling it yet, but I think it might be getting close to Fall.

In my opinion, Kansas sunflowers are a make-up kiss for the last two weeks of July.  It's like, the very ground underneath our feet knows that we're at the end of our ropes with the million degree heat and mosquitoes.  Just as we're all trying to figure out how to escape, up sprout the sunflowers...in the ditches, along the roads, in back yards and front yards...all whispering, "C'mon, this isn't so bad, now is it?"

This particular field isn't wild, but rather is planted by a farmer and his wife.  (And this year it had to be planted three times, bless them!)

It's one of my favorite late Summer/early Fall places to go visit.  Even in a "bad year", like this one, they just seem to go on forever and ever.  And each flower had no fewer than four or five bees on it, all dying of happiness.

With the help of our Nice Friends, we got a few obligatory family pictures knocked out too.  The lovely Ms. Cara Combs took all the pictures above that I am in.  And her nice husband, Nick, ever-so-cheerfully took a hand-off of the bebe, so that we could get a few shots of Sweet Husband and I by ourselves.

Band Day Parade

I tend to get a little snooty each year when the college students return to town, particularly considering that I used to be one.  It's just that summer without them is so nice.  Ten minutes to get a table at any restaurant you want.  No traffic jams on Mass Street.  Bliss.

And then, about the second week of August, all hell breaks loose.  Adding 25,000 people to town all at once is almost dangerous--no one understands the pedestrian signals, people go the wrong way up the one way streets.  Truly, on move-in day I hide in my house.

Despite that, I have to admit, there's this great energy each September.  This newness.  And then there are the parades.

Band Day, Christmas, St. Patrick's, Earth Day, Art Tougeau...and those are just the big ones.  That doesn't even count the little guys like the Zombie Walk, or homecoming, or the sweet Old West Lawrence neighborhood Fourth of July parade.

This weekend was Band Day.  I think there were about 30 high school bands in the parade, along with the KU band and the Lawrence Army Band.

The Kiddo and I liberated Sweet Husband from work for part of the parade.  As you can see, his head was needed to drum along with the music.

But, more interesting than trumpets and tubas--at least for the 6 month old set--were the shadows on the ground and the leaves dancing against the sky.

Won't You Take Me To....Funkytown

I found out about this marvelous neighborhood toy trading post--Funkytown--from one of my favorite local bloggers, Nemmie.  Doesn't it just make you want to squee at the fun?  

I had to do some sussing about to discover it's location--and it doesn't feel in keeping with the spirit of the thing to just give it away here.  (Although, a good place to start might be a combination of the location of the "Slippery Noodle Inn" and the number that you get when you divide 152 by 19.) 

We joked for about half-a-heartbeat about leaving the Kiddo's "Sam", but the Kid said, in no uncertain terms that he'd leave one of us first.

So other toys were sacrificed--a few spare mama-made lovies we had around.

And while this rubber "Littlefoot" was tempting to his children-of-the-eighties parents...

...the wooden bear won the day.

And once that was settled, we went for a stroll around the neighborhood...

...which ended in blueberry ice cream, as all good strolls should.

Ice Cream Socializing

This evening we were invited out for an ice cream social at Amy's Meats.  We participate in their cow share, and so were invited out, not only for some yummy homemade ice cream, but to meet the ladies who make our milk.

There are two of them, right up top there.  We also visited the pigs, admired their chicken tractors from afar, and traipsed through their humongous veggie plot.  It's a gorgeous little farm, and Amy and family are the nicest people.  I'm so happy that we can do our little bit to help support them.  

(And, in all honesty, when there's homemade ice cream involved, you'll never have to ask me twice!)

The Festival of Trees

Somehow, I talked a few of my knitting pals to doing a tree for the Festival of Trees again this year.  

The Festival of Trees is an annual fundraiser for our local emergency youth shelter.  Organizations decorate the trees, which are then on display for about a week.  It's great fun!

This year's tree was inspired by Dottie Angel's "Whatnot" Tree, although--thanks to a certain trip to IKEA--ours ended up looking a tid bit more Scandinavian.  (Come to think of it, last year's tree was a little Scandinavian-looking too--perhaps we have a theme?)  Starting with a bare branch, we added doilies, some knitting and sewing this-and-that, ornaments, and bits of trim.

If you're local, you can go see our tree--and about gorgeous 50 others--from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, and from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.  It's $3 to get in, and it's for a good cause, so enjoy!

Autumn Morning Delights

Pretty leaves and chestnuts from the farmers' market....

I had never actually seen a chestnut in its natural skin before, have you?  They're painfully prickly!

Thankfully they were just for show.  "Chestnut Charlie" was happy to give me a sample that was already peeled and roasted to delicious nutty goodness!

Our Halloween

After laying out provisions for any trick or treaters that might come by in our absence, Sweet Husband and I headed for downtown Lawrence to handout candy for the big trick or treat on Mass Street.

So many awesome costumes!  This Wall-E--by far our favorite for the night--was even motorized!

Then we met up with some friends and ended up retiring to their fabulously decorated house.  There was a fog machine, a "scary voice" microphone, candy for the wee kiddos, and fizzy gin cocktails for us older kiddos....

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!

Jayhawks and Scarecrows

We spent most of the weekend with Nice Mom and Sweet Sister.  Among other shopping and cooking and the like, we watched most of the KU game from the hill, and then took a trip to Pendleton's for their annual "build-a-scarecrow-get-a-free-mum" deal.  Although our scarecrow looks like he perhaps spent the day down the road at the winery, you gotta love a free mum!

Picking Dinner

Saturday morning, we were up and at 'em early for some green bean picking at Pendleton's.  

They are such smarties out there!  When they have more veggies ready than they can pick, they start paying pickers in produce--you get to take half of whatever you can pick, for free!  Sweet Husband, myself, and Nice Friend Moxie picked something like nine pounds between the three of us.  

Our's went straight to the freezer, but I don't think Moxie's made it that far!

Gentle Reminder: It's Strawberry Season (With Knitting)

As Martha would say, consider this your gentle reminder--it's time to be eating strawberries.

We went out with some friends, via scooters, to Lawson Brother's Farm last weekend to "pick-our-own".  Sweet Husband and I picked just a little over seven pounds, but I still don't think it made enough jam.  But, really, is there ever enough strawberry jam?  

Next year I think we might shoot for fourteen pounds though, or maybe somewhere between fourteen and ten or eleven.  Our seven pounds only made about twenty jars of jam, which is just not enough, especially when you want to share.  (The recipe I used is here, and it's also on the back of the pectin packet.)

In other news, I finished a knitting project.  This is kind of more amazing than it sounds, because lately I seem to be having trouble keeping my mind steadily on...well, much of anything!  However, I have no photographic proof of said project because I taped it all up in a box for shipping to its recipient before I realized I hadn't taken a picture.  As I said, scatterbrains!

Anyway, it was three cute little  baby "Bibs O'Love" from Mason-Dixon Knitting.  Super easy.  All garter stitch, so I didn't even have to keep track of rows.  Very sweet--in cream and green with little frog buttons--all rolled up and tucked into a little box.  Will make again!

Food Gardens Galore

Yesterday afternoon we biked around to a four or five spots on the Lawrence Food Garden Tour.

It's so incredible to me what committed people are doing with their food gardens!  

While a few of the stops were what you would expect--i.e. small, backyard family gardens--most were more on the scale of urban farms.  At the place where I photographed these chickens, the proud gardener told me that he and his partner were actively trying to see how much food they could produce on their city lot with the least expense.  He left me with little doubt but that they don't have to buy an outside vegetable all summer.  While that kind of effort is not necessarily for me, it was nonetheless very impressive!

And the chickens....there were two stops that each had flocks of about 10 birds.  Although I was a slacker and didn't take the pictures I should have, I was interested to see just how simple their coop setups were.  I think it will be very doable for us to build our own little coop next spring.  (Any maybe even put it on the food garden tour for next summer!)

A Walk in the Cemetery

As much as the idea of being buried gives me the heebs, I love going for a walks in pretty, old cemeteries.  Strangely, there is one kinda-sorta near our house that I hadn't yet visited, so tonight I decided to rectify that situation.

Isn't it amazing how many questions can arise from a headstone?  For example, who is leaving fresh flowers for Elizabeth Watkins, who died over 60 years ago?  Who is buried under the headstone that's been rubbed blank by time and the weather?  Did the mama and baby we found with the same death date die in childbirth, or in some other way? 

But, on the other end of the spectrum, isn't it incredible how much of a person's story can be told with just a few words and dates?  

A Wonderful Weekend AND ASPARAGUS WEEK!

Do you ever sit down on a Sunday evening and think, "Holygosh, this has been the greatest weekend ever....?"

Friday night started with a walk downtown for friends and sushi and Sylas and Maddy's homemade ice cream.  'Nuff said.

Then yesterday, I went to visit Nice Grandma and Nice Other Relatives.  While I don't want to discount my visit with them--which was quite nice--Wamego (the teensy little town Nice Grandma resides in) is becoming a joy to visit in-and-of-itself.  Not only is there a yarn store and a pottery gallery, but there are three wineries.  And one of them is a winery/photo gallery/law office!  (Truly, I walked in a little dazed--I did not know such a magnificent combination was even conceivable!)

While I was visiting and tasting, Sweet Husband was A) working on jewelry for his upcoming sale (more on that later!) and B) going on the inaugural "Douglas County Scooter Demons" scooter ride. 

By the time we both got home, we had our very first severe weather of the season.  

A common phrase in Kansas this time of year is, "Well, I hate the destruction tornadoes cause, but....did you see the storm last night?"  (That last part in an awestruck and Christmas-morning-excited voice with a blissful smile to accompany it.) 

Truth of the matter is, if you don't get just a little turned on by the electricity in the air...the smell of the wind...the drop in air pressure...that moment the sky turns green...you won't make it in Kansas very long.  And last night was incredible!  Sweet Husband and I had the windows open and the news on, and  oh it was awesome!

Then, last but not least, this morning, we got up early and went to Pendleton's for some asparagus pickin'.

About a month ago, I got this crazy idea that I should have an "Asparagus Week" when my little, spindly, green friends came into season.  Sweet Husband--being the lovely, indulgent man that he is--concurred.  So, without further delay, I'm pleased to announce that this will be ASPARAGUS WEEK at My Bit of Earth.  

That's right folks, we picked FOUR AND A HALF POUNDS of beautiful asparagus this morning, and every night this week I will be cooking it up in some extraordinary fashion, then posting the recipe the next morning.  Our pee will be stinky, but we shall be very well fed!

Moe Speaks: Fourth Birthday

Today, I am four.  I think Mom is maybe a little sad about this--me entering middle age and all--but I'm completely down with it.  I don't mind being older so much, and birthdays always mean fun!

This year my "present" was a nice, long afternoon walk at Clinton Lake.  (We celebrated last weekend.)  We don't usually go out hiking very much during "mud season", but Mom said we'd make an exception. 

(Note from Mom: I think we still have mud pasted to the kitchen floor from the aftermath!)

First, we walked all the way to the top of a big hill that looks over the lake. 

 

Then I chased my ball down hill towards the lake shore.

Mom played around for awhile taking pictures on the beach, but the lake was frozen, so no swimming!  I did get to sniff around a little before we headed for home though.

And then, as if the walk wasn't enough, I got to take a shower all by myself to wash off my mud!  

What a great birthday I had!

Shameless Plug for Local Artists

If you're local, go check out the Lawrence Art Guild's Holiday Fair tomorrow.  Along with tons of other artists, Sweet Husband and our good friend Calley will have a booth with lots of pretty jewelry for you and yours!

Sweet Husband Goes to a Basketball Game

This evening, my very nice co-worker asked me if I would like his basketball tickets for tonight's game.  Sweet Husband is behind on his work for an art sale he's doing this weekend, and I had a gingerbread house to make--so, of course, I said, "Absolutely!" 

(As you might imagine with that whole national championship thing, Jayhawk basketball tickets are expensive and wicked hard to get hold of.)

In fact, this was Sweet Husband's first KU basketball game, and as such, pictures were in order.  I truly believe there can't be anywhere as cool as Allen Fieldhouse to watch a game.  Although I know the small size contributes to the astronomical ticket prices, it makes for a phenomenal experience.  There isn't a bad seat anywhere, and it is so loud.  (In a good, "Yay school spirit" kind of way.)  Although I'm told by my basketball expert friends that this will probably be a "rebuilding year", it's still way too much fun to watch our guys play. 

From left to right...Sweet Husband, the pretty new banner hanging in the rafters, and Baby Jay.

The Festival of Trees

 

Every year Lawrence has a "Festival of a Trees" to raise money for charity.  I love seeing all the creative themed trees that people bring--gives me good ideas!

From top left to right...the room full of all the tress...a recycled tree (with ornaments made from pop lids and grocery sacks)...a tree made of chicken wire..."Rudolph Rex"...a tree with candy ornaments...a tree from a local pre-school with kid-made "gingerbread" houses...a quilted tree...a metal tree...a minimalist tree...a Monarch butterfly tree...a tree with knitted ornaments...a tree with liquor ornaments (as our friend that came with us wondered, "Is this supposed to be an advent tree?")...a tree with spoons...a fly fishing tree...a recycled newspaper tree...a "ragged" wreath.

If you're local, the festival goes on at Liberty Hall all this week--it really is very beautiful and admission is only two bucks!

Tricks and Treats

After a gorgeous walk through the park, I spent the early part of Halloween handing out candy to little ones. Then it was off for some sushi, and a meander down Mass Street where I met the legendary John Brown, alive and well. I also hung out with a manly (but hilarious) Sarah Palin, a lovely pirate wench, and a suitably dressed Scot.

More pictures here.

An Afternoon on the Farm

I have to giggle at myself sometimes when I imagine what my great-grandparents would think of how going "to the farm" has become a special outing.  I think they'd think we're all a little insane!

And, while it probably is a bit funny to drag your Sweet Husband out into the middle of nowhere to make a scarecrow and play with butterflies, Saturday afternoon I did just that.

Late last week, I got an email from Pendleton's saying they were looking for people to come build scarecrows for next weekend's Kaw Valley Farm Tour.  Payment was in the form of a free mum (which, ostensibly, was my motivation), and as additional bait they mentioned their Butterfly Bio Villa was teaming with Monarchs.  How could we pass up a free mum, right?

From the top right...a male Monarch butterfly (notice the scent sacks on his lower, inside wings, only the boys have 'em)...Sweet Husband in the "No Left Turn" maze (Sweet Husband, ever a fan of logic puzzles, figured it out in fairly short order.  I, on the other hand, gave up in even shorter order!)...a gnarly pumpkin...and last, but not least, our scarecrow.  Isn't Mr. Bob Frapples very dapper in his matching suit and frilly collar?

A few more pictures are here.