Paddler Home!

My dear son has been on the Current River in Missouri all week with the Boy Scouts. They paddled 92 miles over 5 days, camping each night.






They just arrived home an hour ago, so I haven't heard all the stories yet, but I wanted to share a few pics and highlights.
1. Simon wrote some limericks about his fellow paddlers (mostly about the capsizing events!),
2. Simon has an amazing paddler's tan, with VERY strong tan lines showing that he was wearing his PFD and his sandals all week.
3. It was very very very hot. So hot in fact that Si went directly to a cool bath upon arriving home. LOL




4. Si's canoe-mate was Dominic, pictured with him here.
5. Si is starving (well, nothing new there)

Dendrites

It's been a long time since I've talked about my crafting! Today I share brain cells! I'd found 2 different kinds of brain cell patterns online, one for knitting and one for crocheting.

Being primarily a knitter, I was fascinated to find the Knit a Neuron Project. Based in England, these are brain researchers who are using knitting as a way of sharing information about brain science and also hoping to end up with a 3D knitted representation of an actual human brain. Cool, huh?

I tried knitting a few of these little ditties, and they're easy and quick to knit. It's a good way to use up excess sock yarn, too, although I have other ways to do that, so I'm not worried about it. I also like participating in something international like this. I'll probably send my finished neurons over to the UK before too much longer.

A smidge of catnip inside, and they'd be perfect for my little fur-faced children . . . although Rosie would still probably prefer the little double-pointed wooden needles I use to knit them (she's weird like that).

Aesthetically, though, I didn't find these as striking as the crocheted neurons I'd seen on Etsy. I decided I had to try some of these, and I can't stop! They're free-form, and they're a blast to hook up. I can do one in an hour, and sometimes start the second. Also, they allow me to continue to contemplate the delicious and amazing miracle that is my brain (or anyone's brain, for that matter). As a casual student of brain research via early literacy, I've long been fascinated by how the brain is put together. And besides, aren't they cool?

Speaking of finished projects, I have 2 more to show off! One is the Branching Out scarf that I've been working on as a knit-along project with the weeknight knitting group I'm part of. I think the others finished months ago, but here is mine, finally being blocked. It's hard to see the pattern clearly because the yarn is so ethereal that it doesn't photograph well. Trust me, in real life it's pretty. Just don't look too closely, as there are quite a few . . . umm . . . design features in this beginning lace project. The pattern is less obvious in this variegated mohair, but that means it's a little less obvious when I make those . . . umm . . . alterations. (wink)

My other new FO is the vacation-knitting! I'm wearing the Argosy Wrap that I started for travel knitting, and I finished it up last weekend. - it's made of this wonderful silk/cotton blend with long self-striping colors. Love it!

I wore it to my first real Art Show! The Main library is currently having a juried show of all staff-created art. Submissions were sought a few months ago, and I submitted just one piece - this felted bag. It has pussy willows on it, and it is one of my best bags. If you recall, I started this a few years ago, inspired by the art of my friend Mary Ann.



Here I am with my bag on display in the gallery. They even displayed it so that you can walk around and see both sides. Exciting! The opening reception was Thursday evening, and the show runs through the last full week of August. If you're in or around downtown Columbus, do stop by! It's free, and there are many, many beautiful and interesting works of art by my colleagues at CML.

On Being Great

Well, my library system has been chosen as the 2010 Library of the Year! It's a huge honor, and I'm so thrilled to be able to say that I've helped bring us to this point . . . me and hundreds of other dedicated staff and volunteers over the years. We do have an excellent library system, and we have been blessed with great leadership, both now and in the past. CML has long been on the cutting edge of great customer service, excellent services to children, babies, teens and most recently job hunters. Sunday a group of managers went to Washington, DC (paid for by our Friends of the Library) for the award ceremony and the celebration. We came back home on Monday (and we're all exhausted!). It was a good trip, though, and it was most generous of the Friends to charter that bus for us! What really ended up bringing me to tears, though, was after we got back when our marketing guru, Alison, wrote about me in her LJ blog. Wow. I'm humbled, but, of course, I still had to share it with you all. (blush) I think she is dramatizing my situation a little, but I sure do appreciate her props. Makes me feel all warm and gushy inside (in a good way).