Since my last post I have spent most of my computer time on Ravelry, getting all my projects up to date, listing everything in my stash (with photos), learning which groups are good sources of information and community. Check out my stuff here.
I also discovered, after reading through some conversations about crocheting, that although I have been crocheting for most of my life, there are very few people who use the same technique as I do (I hold the yarn and the hook in my right hand and my left hand guides the fabric toward the hook). Same thing with knitting - I've been knitting longer than I've been crocheting, but I never gave the technique I use much thought until I read through a conversation on it in Ravelry, and again, I use a method of "flicking" which is different from most. I know I have always been a bit surprised to see other people knitting slowly, but couldn't figure out why. Now I know...
The time I have not been on Ravelry, I have been knitting and crocheting hand towels as well as making the first of two quilts, all for for Casa Vieja, the house that we are fixing up as a vacation rental.
We are filling it with handmade things - furniture made by the Pirate; sewn, crocheted and knit things by me, and various things also made locally. There's really very little that visitors can buy here that is made locally and typical of our region, and we want to change that. We have some very talented friends and would like to showcase their things in our vacation rental.
Our days are relatively unexciting in a very satisfying way. My friend Gretchen posted a lovely poem on her blog Gladsome Lights which does a great job of capturing it (click on the link to read it).
The weather is lovely - warm with a nice breeze every day. I can't understand why so many of the gringos who have houses here "escape the heat" by going back to the States every June and then they don't return until November. The only hot months here are the second half of August through the first half of October, and even then the heat isn't oppressive...it's cooler than much of Alta California at the same time of year, and definitely cooler than much or most of the U.S. However, with fewer gringos the locals and year-rounders get the town to themselves for half the year, which is another reason why our lives right now are "unexciting".
Here are a couple of teaser photos of our vacation rental house, which is right across the road from our house.
There's still lots to be done - furnishing it, planting grapes along the arbor (where the bench is in the 2nd photo), finishing the fence, etc. etc. But it will be ready for our family to do a test run over Thanksgiving, and then be available for rental through VRBO in 2015. Here's what it looked like before we bought it. We wanted to fix it up without changing the feeling. What do you think?
I think you've done a great job of spiffing up that house. It is very inviting...I'm feeling invited. :-) I'd want to go right to that group of plants and check them out...And I don't think I would mind the heat, either.
ReplyDeleteWe'd LOVE to have you visit! Sin costo! Of course you'd have to wait until it's furnished....
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