Halloween

Abi's newest favorite book series is about a duo of detectives, one angsty teenage girl who takes the name "Valkyrie" and one reanimated magical skeleton named "Skuldugery". Abi decided to be Valkyrie for Halloween. Eli wanted to be a wizard with a pointy hat and robe, and I was a witch with a veiled hat with lots of plastic spiders (I kept an eye on them the whole night!).

Our neighbors had a trick-or-treating mob going through the neighborhood which we got to join in on for the last 2 blocks. It was a lot of fun. Abi ran around with our neighbor's sons, Sam and Henry, who were Flash Gordon and a Ninja (respectively).

And while Eli's class was passing out lots of candy he couldn't have, he still got a treat - sugar cookies swirled with Halloween colors.

GOOOOAL!

When Eli stays up at the farm, Aunt Pat takes him to the arena to play soccer. 

It's a great way to expend some of that energy :)

Return to the Sea

Eli has been asking since July for "yes, sailing ship please" because we told him last year we'd do it next summer. The first date that we had hoped to make it out sailing again didn't work out, so I think Eli was not sure we were actually going again until he saw the pier out in Oxnard where they dock.

This sailing trip was a lot shorter than last time - just 3 hours instead of 6 - but it was just right. Eli spent most of his time in as much contact with the ship as possible, laying on the hatches and the deck.

We saw dolphins, seals, and lots of different sea birds. Abi even got to steer the ship again! She also signed up for emails so that she could get a chance to volunteer next summer. My little sea rats :)

By the end of the trip, it became much colder and we finally all pitched in to tie down the sails as the captain cranked up the motor and we headed back into the harbor.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

This flower opened for my mom's birthday in Aunt Pat's greenhouse. 

She thinks it's a Bonanza cross, one of the originals from Boppy's greenhouse.

Pasadena Farmer's Market

I finally found a local farmer's market! They hold the Pasadena Farmer's Market at the high school just a few blocks from our house, conveniently enough. We found some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and other vegies, but this market was not nearly as big, nor with as diverse offerings as the Boise Farmer's Market. But this market is year-round, so perhaps the fair changes each month. I will just have to keep checking back!

My Little Pirates of Penzance

No explanation needed, really...

GWW XIV

Despite getting sick earlier in the week, I made it to Great Western War on Saturday! Uncle Bear was going up to see his friend Thorin be knighted, and I had signed up to teach a couple of classes months before. Shaun came along for moral support! I'm rreally glad he did, because we ended up needed a gopher for my marzipan class for paper towels after a little spill.

I'm really glad we went, because the site was clean and very inviting - Next year, it might be nice to actually camp rather than just day-trip it. But, as Uncle Bear pointed out, it was pretty nice on Sunday morning to wake up in my own bed and not have to pack up all of camp...

Back Yard Archeological Dig

The guys broke ground on my back yard today. It wasn't actually for archeological purposes, though - They were starting the foundations for my garden beds and patio...

Uncle Bear and Fil also brought over about a metric ton of rocks from the hill at the farm for building retaining walls...

And while they were busy playing in the dirt, I was up in the front attacking the ferns. With a little help from Fil for the most stubborn patch, and Shaun on clean-up, I got the beds cleared and ready for some more civilized plantings. I was amazed and so thankful to see that there really were gardenia bushes in there, buried but not choked out!

Walker-Zangers Parking Lot Sale

It's that time of year again, when all the girls and boys are making their wishlists and trying to be extra good while they wait for that fateful day... No, it's not Christmas - it's the Walker-Zanger's Parking Lot Sale!!!

Walker-Zanger is a high-end, totally posh tile and stone manufacturer with a warehouse in Sun Valley just blocks from Rawlings Mechanical. Aunt Pat got us in early for the sale that day, and a good thing, too. When we left, the line was right out the door! Aunt Pat and Uncle Bear helped me pick and mix and match until I had a really nice selection for building a backsplash in my kitchen :)

Better 1... or Better 2?

Dyeworkshop Rides Again!

The jig for stripe-dyeing was back in action this weekend for another dye workshop. We all got a chance to try our hands with Lanacets again this time around, and Aunt Pat made up another batch of eucalyptus, too.

But the Fiber Gals weren't the only ones having fun today - Uncle Bear and Charles organized a Bardic gathering in the treehouse! We enjoyed the songs and balads very much while we painted and pressed and rolled and steamed!

At last, the fruits of the labor! We all had colorful skeins to take away, or fluffy fiber just waiting to be spun into yarn or gold! 

These beautiful tourmaline skeins below are Courtney's...