I definitely have a soft spot for Raffi in the world of children's entertainers.  I break out in warm fuzzies at the very thought of Baby Beluga, Mr. Sun, or Wheels On The Bus.  I am transported to a specific place and time — Vashon Island, WA, 1988 (a very happy place and time) — when I hear (or sing) The More We Get Together.  I remember singing all those songs and more — Down By The Bay, Shake My Sillies Out — with my kids.  If there's a soundtrack to my children's young lives, Raffi's the headliner by a longshot.

I think Mack and Addison have experienced a smidge of Raffi, but the headliner in their childhood soundtrack (so far) is definitely Dan Zanes.  Mack went to see him in concert last year and they've been waiting for a return engagement.  This year, the closest to Wisconsin that Dan Zanes will be on tour is Chicago — this weekend, and we're going!  My BIL wouldn't go if his life depended on it, so I get to go in his stead.

I'm driving to Madison this evening.  My car is full of luggage, camera equipment, and chairs (I had some inspiration and a bright idea) – I have six (6!) chairs in the back of my Saturn S(mall)W(agon) — for a family photo shoot tonight.  My BIL did agree to that (no small miracle), and his two older sons will also be there.  You might think, "piece of cake," "it's family," "how hard can it be," but you have no idea…  I have my work cut out for me with this group; if I can shoot these guys, I can pretty much do anything!  (Any tall buildings you need leapt?  Ask me tomorrow.)

I have rented a lens for the occasion.  I've been wanting to try some different/premium lenses and, since I don't have $1,000 (minimum) just waiting for something to do, this is a good option.  I have read about a few different companies that offer this service, and ended up using BorrowLenses.com — they had what I wanted, when I wanted it, and at a very good price.  I have it for a week, shipping both ways and insurance included for less than 1/10th the price of the lens.  Bonus for me: it arrived a day early.  Double-bonus for me: it doesn't have to be returned 'til the day after Maddy's graduation.

I couldn't wait to use it last night, of course.  For the camera buffs, it's a Canon EF 24-105mm F/4L IS.  The L must stand for LOVE!  I can already tell that it's going to be hard sending it back.  I took these photos with it, and a few others.  The top photo is wild columbine — as prolific as bloodroot in my garden; middle is allium in bloom; below is…

Now here's the weirdest thing.  There are two evergreen "bushes" that we transplanted from my mother's house about 20 years ago. They are very near our trash cans — in fact, they act as a shield so the cans aren't visible from the street. I cleaned some trash out of my car when I got home from Zumba last night and there was weird orange-y "plops" of something all over the trash can lid. I couldn't figure out what it was or where it came from… 'til I looked up. Those two bushes are covered with this sort of translucent orange "flowers"(?) — that's all I can think to call them. They look even more translucent — magnificent, even — because of the light (and my borrowed lens that I love more every minute). Honestly, I don't ever remember seeing this happen in all these years.  They have to be flowers because there are so many of them, but they're so… gelatinous.

OMG.  Did you catch that?  Maddy's graduating.  From high school.  Next week.  My baby.  The last one.  It's the end of an era.  I'm starting to feel a little freaked out!

Oh, how I wish I had  Harmonia's Rings 'round my neck right now!  It's been so rainy and cold — the space heater under my desk is set to "high power" 75F and I'm still chilled — that I wish it was done RIGHT NOW!  I am making good progress, but alas, no photo to show you yet.

What I can say is that I'm now knitting blind and Sivia Harding has joined the ranks of Cat Bordhi and Elizabeth Zimmermann in terms of knitting vision.  It will all become clear in the end (I think), but I'm having a hard time figuring out EXACTLY how the increases I've started to make will transform the "simple" moebius ring I've begun into something that falls down over my shoulders but does not rise up to my eyeballs.

I should have grabbed another layer today, but DARN IT, on Monday it will be JUNE!  C'mon already!!

It was a busy day of running around yesterday, including a long overdue haircut (that wasn't as much of a cut as it was a trim — and I really kind of needed a cut — so my next appointment may need to be moved up from 8 to 6… or 4 or 5).  I found myself in a fabric store and bought a yard-and-a-half of a few different, fun prints for some upcoming projects.  I also found myself at TJMaxx and bought a new workout shirt for Zumba, which I'll have opportunity to try out tonight!  There was grocery shopping, banking and bill-paying, bookkeeping for Ali… by the end of the day, I was too worn out even for book club!  In fact, I was feeling way more tired that I should have and, since Maddy's been fighting a cold all week and I've a big weekend away, I took pre-emptive medicinal measures and went to bed early.  Well, that was the plan… I had a second wind and went to bed at the normal time.  I slept well and feel great today, except for the cold wet weather stuff.

Clever title, eh?  My creativity seems to be at a very low ebb — I see a glimmer now and then, so I know it's not gone forever, but I'd sure like to get excited about and involved in making something again!  Something to work on, I guess… keep working on, allow, brush up against… 

Do you TED?  Angie posted a link the other day to a talk about creativity by Elizabeth Gilbert on TED that I found very interesting.  I've watched and listened to it a couple of times now.  I have seen a few other talks on TED, but always seem to forget about it.  I've fixed that now, I hope, by creating and account and should, therefore, receive weekly newsletters/reminders.  Anyway, I've shared that link many times over the weekend via Facebook and email and now via blog.  It's long, but worth it and I hope you'll watch.  While I've never caught a poem by the tail and pulled it back, I have been brushed by that "thing," and I have witnessed olé, and I think I know what Elizabeth Gilbert is talking about!  What do you think?

The long weekend was mostly low-key and relaxing, but I also managed to get quite a bit accomplished — even some techy stuff of the sort that usually gives me headaches.

I did some weeding in the garden and feel that nice little pull at the back of my thighs to remind me that I should do it more often.  I took a very few photos while out there — it was pretty windy most of the weekend.

Mack & Addison brought their parents for a quick Saturday-Sunday visit and they came over for lunch and a visit with the dog before heading back home.  I am SO looking forward to our train trip to Chicago this weekend.  I am hoping to meet up with my very dear friend Julie while there — I haven't seen her in probably about 20 years.  When I moved out of home for the first time on my own, it was in with Julie and her kids that I moved.  It's the kind of connection and friendship that can endure such drought.  That said, I am so excited to see her again!

On the tech front.  Well.  I finally made the call on Friday which, in my mind, was to cancel my WordPress blog, but really it was to find out how to get the domain name pointing back to a Typepad blog.  I am ticked that not only is it pointing where I want it to, I created a whole new sub-domain for it, too!  I am still not finished with the merging and consolidating, catching up and updates, but the Victoria-Pictoria Custom Photography blog is up and running at blog.victoria-pictoria.com!

I also learned that I could host DH's Oceans and Dreams website on my hosting account, even though his domain was through another provider… and I did it!  The only thing we lost is the shopping cart for limited-edition prints and I hope it's only temporary.  I believe we have everything in place to integrate a PayPal solution, except the actual knowledge and ability to do so.  This is the part where I'd normally start tearing out my hair and agonizing over the fact that I could do it myself if it wasn't such a twisty route getting from A to B; instead, I'm going to find someone to do it…  Know anyone?

All that and a viewing of Funny Girl, Wallander, and Glee, along with the start of a new knitting project — Harmonia's Rings Cowl.  Thought I'd save a little somethin' for tomorrow.

I hope you had a great weekend.  Thanks and appreciation to the fallen who make all the great weekends possible, and to those who continue to serve.

YeeHAW!!  I don't know why I'm so excited about this little trip up to Door County today, but I am.  The "Door" really hasn't excited me much the past few years — I liked it better when it was kitsche-ier, when it was artier and craftier – there are still plenty of galleries, but it seems less so — it's giftier now and in the worse possible imported resin-y "yard art" way.  I recall when working artists and craftspeople occupied roadside/shoreline cabins and set out their wares everyday to the delight of visitors — it was more personable and personal, I guess, not so hoity-toity art-wise, or cheap gift-wise.

Maybe it's just me.

Anyway, it was last July that Katie and I were up there for some reason and I was photographing "rows" of things.  While you can see a few red spots in the trees, the cherry crop was dismal last year.  Today, I'm hoping for Door County cherry blossoms!

 

I had a wonderful, kind of last-minute, non-knitting meet up last night with Angie, who is working in my area this week.  We talked about knitting — a lot — and showed our knitting, but neither of us knit a single stitch.  We had coffee and dinner and talked, talked, talked!  It was a great time and I'm glad we could do it, Angie!

The Dancing With The Stars Finals (spoiler alert!) was just starting when I got home, so I settled in and holy smokes, I was definitely surprised (in a good way) at the ending!  The season review was a little painful at times and I could have done without the "roast" thing (that just makes me squirm), but there were parts that I was happy to re-live.  One of my favorites this season was Steve-O.  I would not have given him a single thought before this show, and it was very easy to believe that he would goof off and and not take it seriously at all.  There was something so charming and endearing about him and how hard he tried — he was so sincere (in my opinion) and I realized last night that he reminded me of a 6-year-old boy trying to please his mom, plain and simple, with a toad in his pocket, and unabashed.  I am so happy that Shawn Johnson took the mirror-ball trophy — it was great to see her having fun (those Olympic game faces are always so serious!).  It was a fun season and I can't wait for the next — I'm still not sick of it.  ; )