tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70078795399414711872024-03-18T22:30:09.877-05:00TrinKnittyPosting projects, stories and photos since 2007.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.comBlogger1393125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-25557091385870562282016-06-25T15:01:00.002-05:002016-06-25T15:01:37.067-05:00Legwarmers, legwarmers and another pair of legwarmers.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I realized after making a pair of legwarmers last summer and getting a lot of wear out of them in the fall, that they are such a useful thing to have in my wardrobe! I find it an especially good option to have when the morning bike commute is chilly, but the day and afternoon are warmer. They can serve as an extra layer of warmth when needed and removed when the leggings are sufficient enough. So, I knit a few more pairs!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE6T6iqYjN2YiAxKSp9Hy_BntoMlhtCUAQ0OM9eXLKGpuIzho7bSMLv5gIXEzc_qVQD80Fk8WKsQCqsO4lcVNtiyx0pezolUFnazTkyAt4bVTUPtWhbE3a0V4a0W-zYOl9AV45lFWhas/s1600/IMG_8584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE6T6iqYjN2YiAxKSp9Hy_BntoMlhtCUAQ0OM9eXLKGpuIzho7bSMLv5gIXEzc_qVQD80Fk8WKsQCqsO4lcVNtiyx0pezolUFnazTkyAt4bVTUPtWhbE3a0V4a0W-zYOl9AV45lFWhas/s640/IMG_8584.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I acquired this yarn through a fellow knitters de-stash. The Marie Kondo phenomenon swept through my knitting group and I became the lucky recipient of this yarn. I believe it was dyed with green kool-aid because, when I blocked it, memories of wonder bread sandwiches, rippled potato chips and lime kool-aid at my childhood babysitter's house came rushing back.<br />
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I didn't follow a pattern for these because legwarmers are basically tubes with optional shaping (I shaped these). I used an oblique stitch pattern from the Sensational Knitted Socks book.<br />
Ravelry link: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/TrinKnitty/oblique-legwarmers" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Inspired by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/melody-leggings" target="_blank">Melody Leggings</a>, I made these striped legwarmers:<br />
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The yarn is Cascade 220 Sport and again it is a tube with some shaping. When I make up my own pattern, I like making 2 at the same time, so I am sure they match. I started that way with this pair, but abandoned that strategy after I got tired of untangling the 4 skeins of yarn. Luckily some notes about shaping and counting stripes made an easy chore of creating a matching pair.<br />
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Ravelry link: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/TrinKnitty/silver-straw-legwarmers" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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When my friend Jamie saw all of my legwarmers coming off the needles, she inquired about the possibility of having a pair of her own. Conveniently, she already had the yarn she wanted to use but didn't have the time to make them. So, I did. As you might guess, they are a tube. No shaping this time because the ribbing is stretchy.<br />
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The yarn is Socks that Rock Mediumweight. I think Jamie purchased this yarn on a Rhinebeck trip, so it is from her deep stash (probably 2009, maybe 2007).<br />
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Ravelry link: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/TrinKnitty/jamies-legwarmers" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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With that, I think I might conclude the legwarmer streak. The motivation to knit them is a lot lower at the moment, considering it is 90+ degrees F outside today. But, when the temps dip in a few months, I will be ready!Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-14438183732040853042016-05-23T06:00:00.000-05:002016-05-23T06:00:09.014-05:00Costa Rica - Nano's Waterfall in Orosi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lSOmlyqUZrg/Vx2UbOO8CAI/AAAAAAAAflM/grymOCPVEFInyZ8eLyWakwaHEvIeIdKTACKgB/s1600/DSC08247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lSOmlyqUZrg/Vx2UbOO8CAI/AAAAAAAAflM/grymOCPVEFInyZ8eLyWakwaHEvIeIdKTACKgB/s640/DSC08247.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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When we set out that morning, we were following instructions that said a visit to Nano's Waterfall would take about 30 minutes. Little did we know, we were headed towards a day of stories and jokes that would become one of our most cherished experiences of the trip.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit to Jessy!</td></tr>
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Our guest house said that you could follow their directions up a hidden road until you hit Nano's property. From there, you were to call his name and he would find you and give you a tour for about $5. That was sort of how it went for us, but it was WAY better than that.<br />
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The walk up to his land took us straight up the mountain and required lots of oohing, aahing and stopping for photos along the way. We hit the 30 minute mark and were not even halfway to his place yet!<br />
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A bit steep, eh?<br />
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And then we found a sign that confirmed we had follow the right branches of the mountain path/road. We yelled hello, but no Nano appeared. We found his house and his inventive outdoor kitchen, but still no Nano.<br />
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We found his cute kitten, but no Nano.<br />
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Eventually, after backtracking towards some voices we heard, we found a French documentary film crew (totally normal, right!?) who were also searching for Nano.<br />
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Luckily one of the crew members had been to Nano's before and had an idea of where Nano might be. Yep! We found him weeding his banana plants with a machete. With his machete and his bandana, he looked a little like a Costa Rican pirate!<br />
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We figured out within about 5 seconds that we were in a for a treat. Nano doesn't speak a lot of English but he is able to speak plainly enough and with enough pantomiming that he can be understood even if you don't know exactly what he is saying. He quickly abandoned his farming work to assume the role of hilarious tour guide. Here he is playing the "she loves me, she loves me not" game with a banana flower. Apparently. the juice from the flower stains your clothes, which is why his shirt has dark marks all over it.<br />
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After a bit of touring of his farm land (coffee, bananas, plantains, kitchen garden), we made our way down to the waterfall area. Nano kindly held the rock wall up for us.<br />
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We spotted fossils in the stone near the waterfall.<br />
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We knew ahead of time that the waterfall wasn't one with a pool big enough to swim in so we didn't wear our swimming suits. At Nano's playful urging and with a promise of cool, clean, refreshing water on a hot, hot day, we took our shoes off and headed in. We got soaked from head to toes in our clothes and didn't regret it for a second.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit to Nano!</td></tr>
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A few more pictures on my sister Jessy's instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BCytsc9BWuR/" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BCyaUN6BWtj/" target="_blank">here </a>and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BCydjvqhWj_/" target="_blank">here</a>. You can read my sister's take on the experience in that last link.<br />
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After we finished playing in the waterfall, we made our way back up to Nano's house. I think we were fortunate to get a lot of information on the coffee industry as well as the challenges and economics of being a coffee farmer thanks to the presence of the film crew. If you can read French (or use google translate), you can read all about their plans for the finished film <a href="https://fr.ulule.com/pura-vida/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Nano explained to us how the coffee varies quite a bit depending on what level of coffee you are buying. The low end coffee is packaged with sugar to make it palatable. The high end coffee is exported. The middle quality is what you drink if you have money.<br />
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While we learned about selling coffee beans, Jessy bonded with Nano's cat.<br />
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While hanging out at Nano's house, which is completely off the grid, we were treated to coffee and fried plantains that he made on his cast iron, wood heated stove. Rum was an optional addition to the coffee because it makes the cheap coffee taste good.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit goes to one of the French filmmakers</td></tr>
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It was about this time that we realized we had been out for most of the day and were getting pretty hungry. Nano walked us out across his property to connect us with a different route down the mountain.<br />
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We were so glad to head out this way because we got to see a whole slew of new and interesting things, like this non-native Rainbow Eucalyptus tree that Nano planted.<br />
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Nano also plucked a coffee berry off of a plant and showed us that each berry has 2 seeds (beans) in it.<br />
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Nano's comedic flair held true from the moment we met him that day to the moment we said goodbye. After thanking him a million times for the amazing host he had been, we parted ways only for him to call back down to us a minute later. He yelled down to me that if I ever get divorced, he'll be up on his mountain waiting for me!<br />
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The way he sent us down the mountain provided us with a whole new set of panoramic views, overlooking the town of Orosi and the larger Orosi Valley. I never did figure out exactly which peaks were regular mountains and which ones were volcanoes, but they were all beautiful!<br />
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We had gorgeous rows of coffee plants accompanying us on either side of the road for a while and spotted some neat plants and bugs, like this bright one that was more than an inch long.<br />
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And, in case the magic feeling of the day had not yet fully made its presence known, our final bit of journey down the mountain included a pasture full of curious horses looking down on us. White ones. Like a freaking fairy tale.<br />
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It has been about 2 months since I got back from this trip, which is long enough that the memory of the terrible illness that befell me on the way home and persisted for a week has faded away (nothing to do with the country, but likely related to repeated encounters with a group of sick German tourists). The photos and stories I have shared here are the memories I hold on to from this trip as well as the memories of time spent getting to know my sister better. I'm not sure where I might travel next, but I do know how lucky I am to have the option to dream up a trip and work to make it happen. Thanks for sharing in the reliving of this journey with me!Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-47163302193928601632016-05-22T19:03:00.001-05:002016-05-22T19:03:40.409-05:00Costa Rica - Orosi Valley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After we bid farewell to the lovely coastal town of Puerto Viejo, we began the many-legged journey to the Orosi Valley. Our journey included a long van ride through many switchbacks, a stop for a meal at a roadside restaurant, a visit to San Jose and 2 public buses.<br />
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The Orosi Valley is an agricultural area nestled between 3 large volcanoes. The view below was from the window of our room at the MontaƱa Linda Guesthouse.<br />
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Our room also came with a very friendly feline visitor. I think Jessy and I were both starting to miss our pets so snuggles with this sweet kitty were a nice bonus.<br />
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And, beautiful sunrises!<br />
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The town was very small and off the beaten path. There weren't a lot of attractions but it was fun to wander around the town and create a few good memories during this part of the trip.<br />
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How beautiful is this collection of plants that was planted outside of someone's house! I recognize so many of these as common house plants in the US. We couldn't grow any of these outside!<br />
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This little pup was just daring someone to drive down his road.<br />
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Orosi Church is the oldest church in the country that is still in use today. It also provides a welcome respite from the intense midday sun.<br />
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At this point in the trip, Jessy and I were both feeling a bit under the weather, so the mellow pace of this town and the beautiful scenery in all directions suited us quite well. Although, we might have been a little homesick for the peaceful solitude of our rainforest abode from Puerto Viejo. This small town came with a whole different soundtrack, including some bumping music, produce vendors that function a little like ice cream trucks and barking dogs.<br />
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The best part of Orosi deserved a post of its own, so I have one more post to go before the trip is complete!<br />
<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-69321662690313664232016-04-27T07:00:00.000-05:002016-04-27T07:00:28.077-05:00Costa Rica - Caribeans Chocolate Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our last day in Puerto Viejo, I had to choose between spending more time at the ocean or experiencing a chocolate tour. It was a hard choice, but I am sure I made the right one. It was a pretty special experience to visit such a small scale operation, where I could see the process from the flower buds on the cacao trees to the chocolate bars just out of the mold and everything in between!<br />
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The tour started with a hike through a cacao forest that is being painstakingly restored after a fungus took its toll on the trees and their crop on this farm and many others across the country.<br />
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We learned that cacao tree leaves are "nature's plastic wrap". If you are caught in the rain near a cacao tree, you can grab a leaf and wrap up your valuables to keep them dry! You can scrunch it up and release it and it doesn't break.<br />
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This is what raw cacao looks like. I got to eat a bunch of them. The white jelly around the bean is really sweet and fruity.<br />
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After the cacao pods are split open, the beans are wrapped up in banana leaves and left in open air bins to ferment.<br />
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After the beans have fermented, they are spread out to dry in a greenhouse structure.<br />
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At this point in the tour, we took a break for a chocolate tasting at a magnificent overlook on the <a href="http://caribeanscr.com/index.html" target="_blank">Caribeans </a>property.<br />
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In addition to growing cacao on site and turning it into chocolate, Caribeans also buys beans from local farmers. The economic model they employ is one that values quality and pays a premium for it. Their mission statement involves paying living wages to local farmers who practice sustainable ecological farming practices and deliver high quality product. Amen to that!<br />
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One of the ways this company is creating a specialty product is by making single source chocolates. The recipes and process are all the same, yet the resulting chocolate varies greatly depending on whose beans they use. We tasted 4 chocolates that were linked to the farmer and the farm's location. Making chocolate from one farmer's crop allows the grower to taste what they grew. Creating this connection closes the circle (most farmers sell to co-ops and never taste the chocolate made with their beans) and increases pride in the quality of their crop.<br />
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After we tasted each chocolate as it was, we played around with flavors, mixing and matching herbs and spices with chocolate. It turns out that dark chocolate and raw garlic taste great together!<br />
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For the final leg of the tour, we saw the open-air factory where the beans are roasted, ground, sorted and then turned into chocolate bars. Since they are such a small scale operation, they've created some interesting, low cost ways of grinding and separating the cacao from the shells. It doesn't translate well to photo so you'll just have to trust me that these are some clever folks.<br />
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And, of course, we were encouraged to share the love by getting some bars and taking them home. I happily obliged!<br />
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<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-84231613195310867842016-04-26T07:00:00.000-05:002016-04-26T07:00:08.170-05:00Costa Rica - Puerto Viejo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Puerto Viejo is a small beach town on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. To my eyes it seems to have a really interesting meld of cultures. From ganja smoking rastafarians, to late teens/early twenty year old American and European tourists, from multiple generations of Ticos to yoga-loving expats, this town was small but diverse.<br />
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Costa Rica doesn't really do street addresses, rather they describe the location of places, often in relation to other places. For example: 50 meters south of the yellow church. Or, in the case of the places we stayed at, the address was: the rainforest behind town. Let me tell you how to get there: from the bustling main road full of bikes and cars, you take a right onto a quieter road.<br />
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You'll walk past this building made out of plastic crates filled with dirt (ingenious!).<br />
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When you see a sloth (SLOTH!) in the tree, follow the road to the left.<br />
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If you pass by this pup and her fowl friends, you know you are heading the right way.<br />
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Walk through the middle of the grazing cows. They should be on your left and right.<br />
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After that, straight ahead you'll see the casa rotunda, surrounded by the rainforest.<br />
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Our lodging while we were in Puerto Viejo added so much to the experience for us. We were able to take a private yoga class on the front balcony and they arranged for us to have massages there with locally made coconut oil. We were served a few delicious and nourishing meals made with local ingredients, some of them healing plants grown on the property.<br />
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And, when we had time to relax, we could have our pick of hammocks on 2 sides of the building with plenty of birds, insects and monkeys making a rainforest soundtrack for us. Speaking of soundtracks, we awoke each morning as the forest woke up. The howler monkeys made spooky, other worldly sounds while the birds sang beautiful songs (except for that one bird that just yelled). I am so glad we found this thoughtfully created space to call home for a few nights. If you are so lucky to find yourself in this town, you should totally see if <a href="http://hiddengarden.co/" target="_blank">Hidden Garden </a>has space for you.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for the picture, Jessy!</td></tr>
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I think we could have happily spent all of our time at the Hidden Garden, but we didn't want to miss out on what the town and beach had to offer. Since we were both recovering from intense burns on our hands and faces, we had to move from shady spot to shady spot with a quickness. Good thing I packed my gigantic straw hat!<br />
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In the heat and humidity of a Caribbean coastal town, it is important to stay hydrated. I might have drank this coconut and then immediately bought another. This was one of the reasons I went to Costa Rica. I can't get enough of the agua de pipa!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessy took this one, too!</td></tr>
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This local pup is no dummy. He dug himself a cool hole in the shade and took a nap in the middle of the hottest part of the day.<br />
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I didn't spend nearly enough time by the ocean. We actually considered abandoning our 3rd destination and just staying here. We didn't do it, but it was a close call.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit to Jessy for this one, too.</td></tr>
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Next up: one more Puerto Viejo post...I went on a chocolate tour at a small, local farm that is doing amazing things for the community.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-16308359769185790822016-04-25T07:00:00.000-05:002016-04-25T07:00:19.216-05:00Costa Rica - Whitewater Rafting on Rio Pacuare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Getting from point A to B in Costa Rica can sometimes be a little intimidating and likely involves lengthy journeys with multiple types of transportation, So, when we found out we could use a whitewater rafting excursion to get from San Jose to Puerto Viejo, Jessy was into it for the adventure and I was into it for the ease of logistics. In all honesty, I was a little worried it was going to be too long and too hard for me, a rafting newbie (we picked the section of the river that has class IV rapids). I was worried for no good reason because this ended up being one of the highlights of my trip. I LOVED this experience! I-told-you-so credit goes to Jessy.<br />
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The rafting company handles all of the logistics for you as well as takes photos for you along the river. Sweet deal! Photo credit for all of these pictures goes to the gentleman from Rio Tropicales who rushed ahead of us in a kayak so he could be there waiting for us from a good vantage point when we hit the rapids. I caught on pretty quickly to what he was doing and cheesed it up for this picture:<br />
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Only to be smacked in my smiling face with waves a millisecond later (see below). It was all in good fun!<br />
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The Pacuare River is stunning. We passed through and by gorges, wide open areas, waterfalls and so much more! One side of the river is protected reservation land so it is totally undeveloped.<br />
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Before we set out on the river, we were given a set of instructions that our guide could yell out to us and the appropriate actions to take. "Lean in" and "All in" meant two different things but as you can see below, you might miss the "lean" part depending on where you were in the boat and just go with "all in" anytime you hear anything that ends with "in."<br />
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All in total, we spent about 3.5 hours paddling on this river with just one short swim break in a smooth section of the river. Despite applying sunscreen numerous times, we fair ladies ended up with some pretty serious sunburns in some pretty weird patchy spots. It was totally worth it because in pretty much every picture on the set we got, I am smiling a wide, happy smile and enjoying the physical challenge and a rush from experiencing mother nature's power.<br />
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One flaw in the plan to use this trip as our way to get the coast was that we overextended our sun tolerance right before we headed to the beach! It's ok, though, there was still plenty to do and see from the safety of the shade.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-41261811107481171742016-04-24T17:37:00.000-05:002016-04-24T18:01:09.613-05:00Costa Rica Trip - San Jose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once upon a time, my sister Jessy and I went to Costa Rica!<br />
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Our flight left WAYYYYY too early, so by the time we got to San Jose, Jessy was ready to imbibe and then we were both ready to crash. Our digs in San Jose shared a space with a yoga studio so we fell asleep that first night to the sounds of a relaxing yoga class taught in Spanish. Not a bad welcome at all!<br />
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We took our host up on her offer to let us join into a yoga class and took a class taught entirely in Spanish. It was surprisingly easy to catch on even though we didn't know most of the words. The tones, our past experience with yoga and a follow-the-leader approach helped us keep right up with the group.<br />
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Our home base in San Jose was in the Barrio Amon neighborhood of the downtown area. We shared our space with a few friendly cats who also enjoyed the courtyard.<br />
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We enjoyed the plethora of fruits and vegetables available at the markets and made some delicious meals in our kitchen.<br />
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We spent 2 nights in San Jose, so we had time to see some sights, but mostly we enjoyed walking all around looking at TONS of murals that covered the neighborhood.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture taken by Jessy</td></tr>
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Stay tuned for more Costa Rica pictures!Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-61454232916857510942016-03-01T07:00:00.000-06:002016-03-01T07:00:02.456-06:002016, so far.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJWuDPtUxQs-3JYDU8kMr1ZxFlxzY_GtjlpvPtdhCaZl5l__vY6hCoFbwBWhJakJi0z1vEEeGgXapiHglio_l7Ku3ELLSGEMOMwhO22dv84PEKMPKUFUdRUhJJKcROM1oLL0RiYsYX5c/s1600/DSC07696.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJWuDPtUxQs-3JYDU8kMr1ZxFlxzY_GtjlpvPtdhCaZl5l__vY6hCoFbwBWhJakJi0z1vEEeGgXapiHglio_l7Ku3ELLSGEMOMwhO22dv84PEKMPKUFUdRUhJJKcROM1oLL0RiYsYX5c/s640/DSC07696.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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Welcoming in the new year with friends and crafts is a time of year I look forward to. It is also a nice conclusion to the madness that is December. This year was no exception. A great group of friends came over bringing with them delicious food and their current craft project/s. We drank tea, snacked, crafted, joked, shared updates and generally had a great time together. 2016 was properly greeted, if you ask me.<br />
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2016 has been a significant year so far and it is only the end of February! Paul was gone almost the whole month of February. He took a long-planned trip to Australia. He and a friend had a great time exploring the mainland and Tasmania, with the trip culminating in scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. Paul has been back for just a few days and is already plotting how and when he can go back to Tasmania. He didn't get his fill of all of the amazing hikes the island has to offer, so he wants a second chance.<br />
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While he was away, I held down the fort at home, taking care of the house and all of the animal family members. Another big thing happened while he was traveling,: I got a new job/promotion at my work! My day to day work life is a whole different thing now and is already challenging me in lots of great ways. All of the newness is tiring, so I took it easy this past weekend in order to be recharged for where I am headed at this very moment: COSTA RICA! I hope to have lots of photos and adventures to share when my sister Jessy and I get back.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-82627776250060247392016-02-29T07:00:00.000-06:002016-02-29T07:00:13.174-06:00Feeling the Birthday Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Way back in December, I was treated to a series of birthday treats, celebrations and events. The weekend showed me once again how fortunate I am to have people in my life who set aside time to celebrate with me.<br />
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It started with yoga, baked goods and a sushi lunch with my mom.<br />
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It included dinner out with Jamie and Sylvia.<br />
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And, of course, a day of Paul-planned surprises. I awoke to flowers and a vegetarian eggs benedict, salad and twice baked potato.<br />
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After breakfast, Paul, Uli and I headed out to a dog park we had never been to before.<br />
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Uli loved it and it was fun for us humans to have some new paths to explore.<br />
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From there, we went to the Science Museum for an Omnitheater movie about whales. Its a fun place to visit and the lobby is full of interactive displays.<br />
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The musical stairs are always a day-brightener, too!<br />
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I may or may not have eaten a birthday lunch that was centered around guacamole. So. Good.<br />
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After a stop home to drop Uli off (he napped in the car during the museum and lunch) and to open some presents (I got a juicer!), we went out to dinner.<br />
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Nicollet Island Inn, our dinner location this time was a bit of old school classy. While we were sitting at dinner, a horsedrawn carriage went past the window!<br />
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As has become customary, we asked for someone to take a picture of us and expected it to look wonky as it has in year's past. This one wasn't too terrible!<br />
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Then, just last week, one of the birthday gifts I was given happened! Lately, I have been into giving and receiving gifts that are more focused on shared experiences. My mom honored that with an awesome jewelry making class that we took together.<br />
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We got to learn a lot of skills including how to solder. My mom was a little skeptical but she shouldn't have been. Her skills were great and her project turned out just how she wanted!<br />
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Sarah of <a href="http://www.quenchjewelryarts.com/" target="_blank">Quench Jewelry Arts </a>was a great teacher and kept out class moving along on pace, so we all finished the night with our own fidget/spinner rings. Mine is on the top and my mom's is on the bottom of this photo:<br />
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What a lucky birthday girl I was!Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-42911788620768147852016-02-28T14:46:00.003-06:002016-02-28T14:46:47.224-06:00A White Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oops! Had a few more posts from December that I didn't write up and publish. As I'm trying to get things wrapped up before I head off to lovely Costa Rica, I thought it a good time to get them on the blog!<br />
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By late December, we still hadn't seen much snow in Minneapolis. On the drive up to rural Wisconsin, it went from a day with no snowfall to a lovely, thick snowfall. The turning point in the weather seemed to match up with the potty and cheese break we usually take at the Burnett County Dairy Cooperative.<br />
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By the time we got near to my dad's house, all of the trees were flocked and stunningly beautiful.<br />
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We mostly enjoyed staying in by the fire, but ventured out to play with the kitties and go for walks, too.<br />
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Our Christmas season is usually comprised of 3-4 family events, so after our winter wonderland visit, we returned to the city to participate in the rest of the gatherings.<br />
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There were no shortage of gifts, but I liked that this year's haul included an emphasis on experiences over things.<br />
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Christmas fell close enough to my birthday this year that I took a little extra time off to make it a nice extended break. I got to put some of my gifts to use right away like this julienne peeler from my mom.<br />
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<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-23789596844087430312016-01-26T07:00:00.000-06:002016-01-26T07:00:22.627-06:00Wherein I Can't Stop Talking About the Mountains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wonder if my friend Becky ever tired of me talking about the mountains that surround Salt Lake City when I visited her last month. It is her hometown, so she sees them everyday. I am sure some of their magnificence is muted for her. But, oh my, they are stunning!<br />
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Everywhere you go, there they are just hanging out in the backdrop beside the highway,<br />
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When you park your car.<br />
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While you wait at a stoplight.<br />
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Even the airport background is so pretty it looks fake!<br />
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Ok, but the mountains were not my reason for the visit. I was in town to spend time with my good friend Becky and her son Charlie and to meet her stepchildren Grace and Jack as well as meet her new husband Kyle.<br />
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Our annual visits usually happen during a trip we are both taking, so it was a new treat to partake in some of her family life. Our catching-up time was especially needed since we were both on other big trips in the fall last year and missed our visit with each other.<br />
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Becky is an aerialist and shared some of that part of her life with me when we went to a showcase at a recently opened aerial gym. It was really inspiring to see the physical strength and athleticism the aerialist in the show possessed. I am vowing to improve my upper body strength!<br />
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I visited Salt Lake City a handful of years ago, so this time we took a more mellow approach to sightseeing. We went to a cider brewery and the Red Rock Brewery,<br />
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Santa wasn't in, but we got to sit in his chair anyway.<br />
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If you visit Salt Lake, you should go to Ruby Snap because you do want her cookies.<br />
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My visit was shortly before Christmas, so Temple Square was in full holiday swing. It was super cold, but we braved it to see the lights.<br />
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It was a mob scene there so we had to park really far away. After the walk to the square and our time around the square, we were all really cold and dreading the walk back to the car. Becky had the brilliant idea of jumping into a pedicab. When our driver zippered that plastic case up around us, I nearly said "hallelujah!"<br />
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And, before I knew it, the weekend visit was over and I was on a plane back home!<br />
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<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-67894584837249872392016-01-25T07:00:00.000-06:002016-01-25T07:00:06.209-06:00Jessy Gets a Kitten<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My sister Jessy has had a lot of big things happening in her life lately. She moved, got a new job, had a birthday and got a new kitty!<br />
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Her Moonchi kitty came into her life right around her birthday so her birthday presents, cards and events all tended toward a Crazy Cat Lady theme. She embraced it.<br />
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The man of the house, Atreyu, is a little taken aback by Moonchi's energy but they are finding their groove.<br />
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I wonder if Jessy wished for a year of adventure. If so, it is already coming true because we spontaneously booked a trip to Costa Rica together!<br />
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<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-72936839382401927932016-01-24T07:00:00.000-06:002016-01-24T07:00:16.670-06:00Vasa Sweater<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I finished that sweater I was knitting on our Madison trip. And, I do not like it at all. I haven't had a sweater fail this big in a while. The upside is that the yarn felt wonderful to knit and after the <a href="http://trinknitty.blogspot.com/2015/11/birch-legwarmers-and-fluidity-of.html" target="_blank">muted legwarmers </a>I knit this summer, the color was refreshing.<br />
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Ok, the details:<br />
Pattern: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vasa" target="_blank">Vasa</a><br />
Yarn (both held double): Malabrigo Lace and Sun Valley Fibers MCN Lace (from really deep and fairly deep stash!)<br />
Ravelry Project: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/TrinKnitty/vasa" target="_blank">Here</a><br />
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This sweater is decently comfortable but entirely unflattering to wear. The color was a poor choice for me. I was hoping the yellow would be mellowed out enough by the turquoise but it is still too yellow to look nice on my skin. The odd armholes and the horizontal stripes tip the scale too far to the unflattering side for my body. I have only worn it once and I wore it as a warm layer underneath another shirt. It is a little too bulky for that but I just wasn't ready to admit defeat without wearing it at least once!<br />
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I am chalking this one up to a process knit and will be on the lookout for the right recipient to inherit it. The yarn is really, really nice, so I hope it finds a good home.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-45353660873843967012016-01-23T07:00:00.000-06:002016-01-23T07:00:08.734-06:00Madison Favorites and a Pack of Dogs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The capital of Wisconsin and friends Sara and Josh beckoned us over the border for a visit in October. When we set out in the car, Uli had no idea the dog party he was headed to!<br />
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After a lot of knitting time in the car and a stop for dinner en route, we arrived!<br />
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We enjoyed a little sightseeing, a show and some good meals together.<br />
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We were only in town from Friday to Sunday, but I already have a short list of favorites for Madison:<br />
My favorite meal was brunch at <a href="http://www.umamimadison.com/" target="_blank">Umami</a> (I'm still dreaming about the potstickers I ate. I had to go buy a bottle of St. Germain to try and recreate their Pamplemousse cocktail).<br />
Favorite dessert goes to <a href="http://www.madisonsourdough.com/" target="_blank">MSCo Patisserie</a>.<br />
Favorite art shop goes to <a href="http://hatcharthouse.com/" target="_blank">Hatch Art House</a>.<br />
Favorite local pottery from <a href="http://www.toastceramics.com/" target="_blank">Toast Ceramics</a>.<br />
Props to the <a href="https://www.willystreet.coop/" target="_blank">Willy Street Coop</a> for providing what we needed to stock up for the drive home.<br />
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And, that dog party! This is 4/5 of the dog pack for the weekend. Sara and Josh have 3 dogs and were fostering another dog. You add Uli to the mix and it made for a lot of dog shenanigans and entertainment. Willow, the Black Lab, was kind enough to loan her crate to Uli for the weekend, so everyone got the rest they needed at night and this crew got their workout at the off leash park during the day. Can you tell which one of these dogs is used to having his picture taken by me?<br />
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You know it was a good weekend when the ride home looks like this:<br />
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<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-91161694550212292112016-01-22T07:00:00.000-06:002016-01-22T07:00:11.343-06:00Washi Dress (Again!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once was not enough! I had to make another <a href="http://www.made-by-rae.com/washi/" target="_blank">Washi Dress</a>! I made this dress just the same as <a href="http://trinknitty.blogspot.com/2015/07/washi-dress-in-feathers.html" target="_blank">my last one</a> except this time I omitted the keyhole in the neckline. I kept the same alteration in the waistline so that it is about 2-3" lower than the pattern calls for. (Click through to my last version for more notes about sewing this dress.)<br />
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The shirring on my first dress is holding up really well, so I did that method for this version as well. Executing shirring still feels like performing a magic trick.<br />
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I left the neckline facing unattached for this version, but think I will need to go back and tack it down so it behaves better. It is a little flippy.<br />
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The fabric for this dress is:<br />
<a href="http://www.windhamfabrics.net/php/fabricshop/fabricshop.php?a=sc&Category=738&file=5&pass=1" target="_blank">Windham Fabrics Presents Paint by Carrie Bloomston for Such Designs</a><br />
<a href="http://www.windhamfabrics.net/php/fabricshop/fabricshop.php?a=sc&Category=738&file=5&pass=1" target="_blank">"Lotus" pattern</a><br />
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I think my next Washi will be the shirt/tunic version. I am digging the comfort and the silhouette this pattern produces, so I am not ready to jump off the Washi train yet!<br />
<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-39560671901220091632016-01-21T07:00:00.000-06:002016-01-21T07:00:09.473-06:00Yoga Retreat on Leech Lake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before the temperatures took a dive and froze all of this water, my mom and I got away for a yoga retreat on Leech Lake in northern Minnesota.<br />
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It was a rejuvenating weekend with stellar restorative yoga classes, company and food. One could even say it was "epic" :)<br />
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<br />We ended up with a corner room on the top floor of the <a href="http://www.chaseonthelake.com/" target="_blank">Chase on the Lake </a>lodge and had a magnificent view of the lake out of 2 sides of our room. The weather was a bit cold, windy and rainy for most of our time at the lodge, but Mother Nature did put on some great shows for us on either sides of the days. I absolutely love the phenomenon of the morning fog burning off of the lake and the mellow sunsets were a peaceful sight.<br />
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We enjoyed our little getaway and are really hoping they keep offering this retreat. Late fall is a great time to focus on finding your internal balance and setting your intentions for the winter to come.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-84726799009371172322016-01-20T07:00:00.000-06:002016-01-20T07:00:13.421-06:00Making Soap and Celebrating Birthdays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In what has become an annual tradition, Jamie, Charleen and I got together to celebrate their birthdays, make soap, craft together and have an old school birthday sleepover.<br />
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This year we were really ambitious and made many batches. We learn a little more about the best way to do this each year and can fit in more batches each year. I am fortunate to have come away from the weekend with enough of this super gentle, goat's milk soap to tide me over until we do this again next year!<br /><br />
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And, of course, we ate really well at Charleen's house. Our dinner included a sampling session of the many interesting ferments Charleen has been making. The surprising winner for me was fermented fennel. Putting that one on my list for next year's farmers' market season!<br />
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<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-43387847862223999452016-01-19T07:00:00.000-06:002016-01-19T07:00:14.123-06:00KonMari and Little Free Libraries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Let me tell you a little story about how KonMari stole my summer vacation. If you are asking yourself, "What is KonMari?" you might want to check out <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/1106009/konmari-trendy-new-organizing-method" target="_blank">this good summary</a> of Marie Kondo's book <i>The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing</i><i>.</i></div>
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Now that everyone is up to speed on Kondo and her KonMari method, let me first say that I had not expected this book to resonate so much with me. I don't have a cluttered house (I do have areas that are disorganized but most of my house is on the minimal side). I am not a collector of things. I already had a habit of editing and purging my belongings once or twice a year. But, man oh man, did this book come at me in the right way at the right time.</div>
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Let me set the scene for the madness that happened: I heard about the book, had my interest piqued and added my name to the very long waiting list at the public library. After being on the waiting list for long enough that I had forgotten the book existed, I got the email that the book was waiting for me. It just so happened that I got this book right before a scheduled staycation in July. Paul was going out of town on a trip and I had planned to use a week of vacation time to do a cosmetic makeover of our front porch as well as soak up the summer with bike rides, beach time and hiking with Uli. That was not what happened.</div>
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I read the book and thought, "Hmm. I should apply this method to my house gradually because surely there are things that I have that I don't need." And then, in the days leading up to my vacation, I started sorting through things. When cleaning and organizing areas of my house, I used to ask myself, "Should I get rid of this? Is it ever going to be useful to me? Would I miss it if I didn't have it anymore?" But, at Kondo's suggestion, this time I sorted by category and asked, "Does this spark joy? Do I have a really good reason to keep this? Is this useful to me right now?" The slight flip of my screening questions along with tackling stuff by category instead of by area helped me see that I was unnecessarily holding on to tons of things.</div>
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This dabbling took on great momentum and ended up consuming my vacation week. I dove deep, deep into it and touched nearly everything in my house that is exclusively mine (Paul's stuff and our shared possessions were off limits since he was out of town). It also spiraled off into addressing projects that would make my house more "finished" like better lighting in one room, a rug in another, hanging curtain rods and curtains, shuffling around furniture and a list of finishing touches to be addressed in the future. </div>
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To really get fully immersed and honest in this experience, I went completely offline for a week and worked on this project from sunrise to sunset for 5 full days. It was intense and super satisfying! My sense of what could go and what needed to stay got pretty well honed by the end. It was a far more therapeutic experience than might seem on the surface. In order to make your decisions, you really have to face who you were, who you are and the uncertainty of who you will become. </div>
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I also realized as I was in the midst of this project, that I could not have done this earlier in my life as this was an extremely privileged activity. I think that I needed to reach a place of stability in my life where I could calm myself with the thought that in the unlikely even that I regretted letting go of something, I had the resources to get it again. It is a privilege thing to have too much stuff and it is also a privilege to live minimally with the notion of a financial safety net large enough to not feel like you will ever have to go without if you really want something. Holding on to things "just in case" is an understandable thing to do when you don't have a lot of resources. I experienced a lot of gratitude for being in a position of faith in future abundance, if needed.</div>
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In addition to the unaddressed privilege in her method, I also feel the KonMari method is lacking when it comes to how you are instructed to get rid of your things. She does not have environmental sustainability in mind when it comes to disposing of those items that don't pass the test. I realize it is more work to find ways to donate and recycle your unwanted possessions and that the extra work might be a barrier to some, but it is the responsible thing to do. </div>
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Kondo does mention asking others in your life if there is anything that they have been wanting that they are considering buying for themselves. If you are getting rid of that thing, you are encouraged to give it to them. And, in the long run, living by her method will mean you acquire less things in the future. But I just can't get on board with her directions to just toss it all and ended up taking multiple carloads of things to Goodwill, sold a few things and, of course, I must tell you about the books... </div>
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This method helped me to recognize that I had a lot of books that I just didn't need to keep. I was holding on to books that I got when I worked in publishing, books I thought I might read someday, books I read and liked, art books, cookbooks and reference books. When I am honest with myself, I find that I primarily read ebooks these days. I look up reference info and consume most of my visual art online. I only consult about half of the cookbooks I own. All of that adds up to a major purge of my bookshelves. </div>
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I brought a box of books to the used book store and found it to be depressing how little value they hold. I figured there had to be a more worthy and satisfying way of getting rid of books that I once treasured and, in some cases, felt like contained a bit of my personal history. Enter the <a href="http://littlefreelibrary.org/" target="_blank">Little Free Library</a> system! From their website:</div>
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A Little Free Library is a ātake a book, return a bookā free book exchange. They come in many shapes and sizes, but the most common version is a small wooden box of books. Anyone may take a book or bring a book to share.<br />
Little Free Library book exchanges have a unique, personal touch. There is an understanding that real people are sharing their favorite books with their community; Little Libraries have been called "mini-town squares."</blockquote>
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Minneapolis and St. Paul are rich in Little Free Libraries. Pair that with the fact that I was biking to and from work past a slew of them every day and I found my book disposal solution! I made it my goal to drop a book or two into new libraries and altered my bike routes to go past new spots to leave my books. I would load a couple of books into my bike bag in the morning and take a meandering ride home to drop it off (if my coworkers didn't want to claim the books first!). I took pictures of most of my donations as a fun way to remember it for myself and then realized a collage would be fun to see when I was done. </div>
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Here they are!</div>
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While Kondo's method is not without its flaws and extremes, you can safely add me to the list of people who benefited from the experience and have enjoyed talking about applying the method to my home. A number of months afterwards, I am happy to report that I haven't missed anything that I donated and have enjoyed the ease of living in a tidier space.</div>
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PS I didn't mention her folding methods for tanks and tshirts, but I give those a thumbs up, too!</div>
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Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-9000188897644829652016-01-18T07:00:00.000-06:002016-01-18T10:20:48.286-06:00Happy 1st Birthday, Uli!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One year ago today, <a href="http://trinknitty.blogspot.com/2015/01/puppy-picking-day.html" target="_blank">we picked Uli</a> to join our family. Back then, he was tiny enough to fit into one of my hands. Now he overflows our laps and fills our house with happiness!<br />
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He is getting a bit big to be a lap dog, but we make it work.<br />
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In the last year, Paul and Uli have become nearly 24-7 buds. Since Paul largely works from home, they have daily routines and rhythms of their own. I am not privy to their Monday-Friday life because after kissing each of them goodbye at the front door each morning, I head off to work. On evenings and weekends, I get to join in the fun with visits to the dog park, training and play sessions. And, of course, the gleeful, butt wiggling greeting from Uli when I walk in the door each evening is a pretty awesome end to a workday.<br />
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As he transitions from puppy to dog, we are getting to know his quirks and characteristics. For example, he has developed a cute, pouty, bottom lip that emerges when he is wanting of some attention.<br />
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He loves to be a part of whatever is going on and doesn't want to miss out on anything. I think it causes him to be stubborn about naps. He often falls asleep while sitting up. He does that thing like a kid falling asleep in class, where he sinks lower and lower as his muscles relax and he nods off. He eventually and inevitably startles himself awake as he starts to fall over (he is doing it as I type this!). He recently figured out how to fall asleep while propped up against the couch, which sometimes saves him from jerking himself awake. Life is just too exciting to give into naps without a fight!<br />
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His life isn't all snuggles and naps. though. The life of a young, athletic dog involves a lot of exercise and an abundance of canine and human friends. We are regular visitors to the local dog parks and have found a good doggy daycare where he can play with other dogs indoors. The doggy daycare has been really helpful when it is brutally cold outside.<br />
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At the end of December, he officially turned a year old. To celebrate and help remember some highlights from the last year, Paul put together a video. It includes a vocal track of Paul singing Uli-related lyrics. (Paul warns you of the amateur but enthusiastic vocals.)<br />
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Over the last year, Uli has met so many people (family, friends and strangers), gone so many places (parks, houses, stores, cabins, cars, yards) and learned so very much. The intensity with which we approached socializing and training during the first months of his life is definitely paying off. I was concerned and a little overwhelmed by the job of teaching him and shaping him into the kind of dog people want to be around and welcome into their homes. It feels really great to see him demonstrate his confidence and understanding of how to function in the human world and the dog world. I would say that the evidence is showing us that he's an all-around happy and well-adjusted guy.<br />
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For posterity, here are the commands he knows so far:<br />
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<li>come</li>
<li>sit</li>
<li>wait</li>
<li>lay down</li>
<li>get up</li>
<li>look</li>
<li>shake</li>
<li>roll over</li>
<li>stop</li>
<li>crate</li>
<li>pillow</li>
<li>go get it</li>
<li>bring it back</li>
<li>drop it</li>
<li>where is it (hide and seek)</li>
<li>spin/twirl</li>
<li>leave it</li>
<li>let's go</li>
<li>walk with me</li>
<li>ok</li>
<li>take it</li>
<li>get down</li>
<li>go potty</li>
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Skills we want him to learn in his second year of life:<br />
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<li>how to balance something on his nose and/or head (mostly for my amusement)</li>
<li>how to "play" with Fanny better (they have an uneasy friendship at this point)</li>
<li>run alongside a bike with a <a href="http://www.thedogoutdoors.com/walkydog-dog-bike-leash.html" target="_blank">walkydog</a> (we have to wait until he is fully grown)</li>
<li>direction commands - left, right, slow down (to help with biking and loose leash walking)</li>
<li>carrying his own hiking pack (waiting until he is full grown to fit him with a pack)</li>
<li>ride in a canoe without tipping it (so he can go to the Boundary Water Canoe Area with Paul)</li>
<li>side (his "roll over" is a flip and he needs to learn how to just turn over onto his side)</li>
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We are so happy to have shared this last year with Uli and are very much looking forward to sharing future years and adventure with this fun-loving and smart doggy. One year ago today, we made a very good choice. </div>
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Look for Uli to appear in a few other posts I have coming up over the next few weeks. I have a lot to share here as I have been making the most of the January slowdown by prepping photos and posts. The last quarter of 2015 included a lot of birthdays, short trips and finished projects!</div>
Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-41977199680148214642015-11-25T21:41:00.002-06:002015-11-25T21:41:24.028-06:00Birch Legwarmers and the Fluidity of Knitting Mojo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've noticed a pattern. Every spring/summer, I worry that I may have lost my knitting mojo for good. The idea of sitting still long enough to knit seems like a lot to ask of my body that wants to bike, garden, go to the dog park, walk around a lake with friends and so many more outdoor things. I think about the things I could knit and I just can't think of anything I need or want. I worry that maybe I own all of this yarn and I am not going to want to knit it.<br />
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And then, the leaves fall from the trees. The garden dies in phases as the days and nights get colder and colder. The sun spends less time in the sky and the darkness becomes present on both ends of my commute. What was my outfit in the summer becomes a base layer upon which multiple other layers are added. And, with all of this, the urge to knit returns. <br />
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It usually returns with such force that I have to hold myself back from casting on a dozen projects all at once. All of the sudden, I have need for hats, wristwarmers, sweaters, shawls, mittens and more. My most favorite spot in the house becomes one with plenty of warm blankets, a pot of tea, a good lamp and options for podcast listening or Netflix watching. I am often joined by a purring kitty under my blanket and a napping dog at my feet.<br />
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I don't know why I forget that this is how it goes each year. With a new season, comes a new focus. Each season brings with it a renewed energy for the pastimes that best fit what the season has to offer. With spring and summer, come long days of activity, boundless energy and a connection with the larger world. With fall and winter, a slower pace, a smaller sphere and lots of knitting.<br />
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I did work on a little bit of knitting in the warmer months. These legwarmers were made with the idea that my fall bike riding would benefit from a little extra warmth over leggings. And, it did!<br />
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Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino in Birches (this colorway was well named!)<br />
Pattern: I modified the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/leaf-lace-socks" target="_blank">Leaf Lace Socks</a> pattern<br />
Ravelry Project Page: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/TrinKnitty/leaf-lace-socks-2" target="_blank">Here</a>Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-83499102480356003822015-11-08T21:34:00.004-06:002015-11-08T21:34:50.138-06:00Up North for the Fall Harvest...and Kittens!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am quite certain that those who monitor weather statistics would agree with me that Minnesota was treated to an amazing summer and fall this year. The weather has been mild and the transition from one season to the next was gentle. I have been enjoying the unusual flexibility Mother Nature is allowing me when it comes to harvesting the last of my backyard garden and getting the chickens ready for the winter.<br />
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We also had time to go up to my dad's house to help (and benefit!) from his fall harvest. Our trip up to Wisconsin came with the very fun bonus of meeting his 2 new kittens!<br />
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I wasn't sure what to expect because these cats have a role that is quite different from our Fanny's life. These cuties are outdoor, farm cats who are expected to earn their keep by hunting mice and other pests. My dad named them Shakey and Fatty based on how they presented themselves when he first got them. I was super pleasantly surprised that they are as curious and affectionate as can be with outsized purr motors!<br />
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Uli got to meet them as well. Shakey was a lot more interested in playing with Uli than Fatty was.<br />
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It was an entertaining site, watching them try to figure out how to play together. Shakey's attempt at catching Uli were slapstick as she only jumped at him well after he had zoomed past her.<br />
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Fatty kept his distance likely wondering why his sibling wasn't more afraid of this newcomer.<br />
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They alternated play sessions with sniffing breaks and timeouts under the car where Uli couldn't get at Shakey.<br />
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The kittens slowed down our harvesting productivity quite a bit with their adorable antics.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-novuFhWQVi8/VjwkRocAN2I/AAAAAAAAbNU/zSAOJLFIapQ/s1600/IMG_8231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-novuFhWQVi8/VjwkRocAN2I/AAAAAAAAbNU/zSAOJLFIapQ/s640/IMG_8231.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit to Paul</td></tr>
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I am glad my dad has some new buddies around and I certainly enjoyed having the opportunity to love them up. Powerful kitten purrs are good medicine.<br />
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We usually take a few walks when we visit and this time Fatty wanted to come with us!<br />
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He still didn't want Uli to get close to him, though.<br />
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Cat in the tree!<br />
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Uli had a grand time once again, running and playing on the acreage.<br />
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Unfortunately, we didn't bring any treats with us to reward his recall. As the weekend wore on, he got less and less responsive to us and more and more wide in his range around the woods. It got to the point where he wasn't coming back at all unless he wanted to. We let that happen to each of us once and then to the tie out he went. Thankfully, as soon as we got home and intermittently rewarded recall with treats, his consistent obedience returned. He didn't much enjoy his confinement, so hopefully he put together a little bit of cause and effect for future reference.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"I got up here but I don't know how to get down! Help!"<br />
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After the harvest, we loaded the car up to the brim with awesome veggies and cases of honeycrisp apples.<br />
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Since we got back, the dehydrator has been humming away drying apple chips, the oven has been busy roasting root veggies, potatoes and squash and our appetites have been satisfied.<br />
<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-83388909448140037722015-08-07T07:00:00.000-05:002015-08-07T07:00:00.859-05:00Paul's 2-Day Birthday Extravanganza<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another wonderful year in the books! After we got back from our cabin trip, we had a day or two to settle back in (and go pick blueberries, in my case) and then we were on to celebrating Paul's birthday.<br />
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We ate very well, as we love to do. I made the Baked Huevos Rancheros from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook and a batch of cornbread to start the day off. Paul fixed himself up a pretty plate topped with jalapeno dust.<br />
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After breakfast, we started a knife skills class through Craftsy. We haven't gotten to the hands on lessons yet but we have already learned a lot including that we haven't been going about sharpening our knives correctly.<br />
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As is tradition for Paul and I with birthdays, we know we are in for a day of fun but the details are kept secret. This year I put a little extra secret into the mix by surprising him with the arrival of a group of his friends for a mission at<a href="http://escapemsp.com/" target="_blank"> Escape MSP</a>. Our clever group successfully completed <a href="http://escapemsp.com/mr-duprees-office/" target="_blank">Mission 1</a>! We celebrated afterwards with drinks and brats at <a href="http://www.newbohemiausa.com/" target="_blank">New Bohemia</a>. It was a lot of fun to do the mission but even more fun to watch Paul's surprise and happiness with the arrival of each of his friends. Kudos to the crew for keeping the secret!<br />
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Since I know Paul loves blueberries, I went picking the day before we celebrated and made <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/341017/blueberry-tart" target="_blank">this tart </a>for us in lieu of a birthday cake. I confess, the crust is not homemade, but he doesn't seem to mind.<br />
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For dinner on birthday celebration day 1, we went to a newer restaurant called <a href="http://www.laceibabistro.com/" target="_blank">La Ceiba Bistro</a>. This restaurant is a reincarnation of El Meson, a restaurant that Paul used to frequent when we first started dating. He took me there on a date once and I enjoyed my dish enough that I still remember it this many years later. Thankfully, this incarnation of the restaurant uses some of the same recipes as the previous place so I got to eat that dish again. The food was great but the space is a bit small for the live music and dance performance that was happening that night. It was a bit overpowering so we ate and took our conversation needs elsewhere. Paul was excited to be able to revisit this cuisine again, but if we return, we would go on a quieter night.<br />
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On his actual birthday, I had to work but we spent the evening celebrating. To start out, we had a picnic dinner beside the river on the edge of downtown St. Paul.<br />
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From there we walked over the river to the Wabasha Street Caves.<br />
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Somehow it had escaped Paul's beer-loving radar that it was Tour de Fat week. I surprised him with tickets to the sold out Sour Symposium hosted by New Belgium Brewing.<br />
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Before the symposium started, we were given a tour of the <a href="http://www.wabashastreetcaves.com/" target="_blank">historic caves</a>. We learned about gangsters, speakeasies, mushrooms and hazardous waste.<br />
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The symposium included a lecture/slide show, a generous amount of New Belgium Brewing beer, a cheese and charcuterie platter, opportunities for Q & A as well as a hands on tasting/mixing experience.<br />
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The mixing portion of the evening was a bit lost on me as I could not pick out the differences in the beer that had been aged in different casks to bring out different flavors. The beers are all used as the base for <a href="http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=4e583fd6-95e4-4ea0-908c-4436f5dc8fa8" target="_blank">La Folie</a> so to my untrained palette, they all tasted like La Folie! Paul could tell the difference and mixed a variety of his own blends to find the flavor and tartness that suited him best. He rightly calls it La Paulie.<br />
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After we had consumed all of the sour beer one person can consume in an evening, we were just an Uber ride away from the conclusion of Paul's birthday festivities...until next year, that is!Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-55098656273223577422015-08-06T07:00:00.000-05:002015-08-06T10:32:05.992-05:00Lady Sunnyside Cardigan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It seems that lately I have a whole lot more to say about sewing than I do about knitting. I think it is related to the fact that I still have so much to learn about sewing before I feel skilled enough to execute projects in the way that I want to. This is sort of a funny place to be in being that my internet alias is a word play on my name and knitting. Even thought I don't have a lot to say about it, I still enjoy it and am still happily chugging away on projects. I am also still one to finish seasonally inappropriate garments. Case in point: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/TrinKnitty/lady-sunnyside" target="_blank">Lady Sunnyside</a>, pattern by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lady-sunnyside" target="_blank">Tavis Lavallee</a>.<br />
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I had a few false starts with this sweater as it starts in the back center of the neckband and works out in both directions from there. I was a terrible pattern reader and kept messing it up. When I started over for the 3rd time, I vowed to read and follow it closely and it worked out perfectly.<br />
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The yarn is a wool/cotton blend that from Cestari Yarns that I got at a deep discount from a vendor at Shepherd's Harvest Sheep and Wool Festival in 2014. I think the yarn was about $14, which means it is quite possible that the button and yarn costs were about equal!<br />
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Bonus content: We tried to do a little family photo shoot with the tripod, camera and timer on our recent trip. It didn't work out super well focus-wise, but we did capture a few fun moments together before the mosquitoes became unbearable.<br />
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Thanks to Paul for taking all of the sweater photos in this post!Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-54527776409804060522015-08-05T07:00:00.000-05:002015-08-05T07:00:00.135-05:00White Lake Trip - Gooseberry Falls State Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After we checked out of the cabin, we realized we just weren't quite ready to head back yet. We wanted to squeeze just a little bit more beauty out of our time in Northern Minnesota so we went to Gooseberry Falls State Park.<br />
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It was a bit like returning to our roots as this was the first place Paul and I ever camped together. We went on a trip to this park after I had gotten my first dog, Jack. At that point, Paul had claimed Tchazo but hadn't yet brought him home. We camped here again after both dogs had joined our family right before we moved to the east coast. So, it was almost fated that we should bring our new dog to see this park.<br />
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Since we were limited on time, we stuck to hiking the shoreline and skipped the falls trails.<br />
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Lake Superior feels oceanic, but it was still a surprise to spot this National Ocean Survey marker.<br />
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We now know that waves and brooms are 2 things that hype Uli up. He was bounding up and down the shore line, fueled by the motion and sounds of the waves.<br />
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He really prefers when we stick together. His people forging too far ahead or lagging too far behind concerns him. It melts my heart a little to see him looking back for me.<br />
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He was pretty tuckered out at this point in our trip, but his excitement for being somewhere new and not wanted to be left behind kept him going wherever we went.<br />
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Lunch and tasting flights at Castle Danger Brewery capped off a great 5 days of cabin vacation for us while Uli would have preferred to be napping on his pillow in the back of the car.<br />
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Soon enough that was just what he was doing and we were on our way home. At some point, I hope to return to camping for these kinds of retreats but for now this cabin with its secluded, spring-fed lake is my most favorite spot for a relaxing, restorative summer vacation.Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7007879539941471187.post-90262174091806201492015-08-04T07:00:00.000-05:002015-08-04T07:00:01.613-05:00White Lake Trip - Uli Conquers His Fears (Mostly)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One thing we have noticed about our little pup is that he is very curious but a bit afraid of new and untested things that appear dangerous to him. Things that have fallen into that category for Uli:<br />
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<li>the stairs to the basement</li>
<li>jumping in and out of the back of the car</li>
<li>idling cars (We had a scare when he got spooked by a car and got out of his collar and leash at a rest stop. We are thankful for a nearby dog owner that caught him!)</li>
<li>other dogs barking at him</li>
<li>boats</li>
<li>fire</li>
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As with the stairs to the basement and the back of the car, some encouragement and treat lures are all it takes to gain his confidence and banish the fear.<br />
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On this trip, we laid some groundwork for Uli's future as a <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/superior/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5202169" target="_blank">BWCA </a>dog. It was an incremental thing, first praising his curiosity about the boat.<br />
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Then, we got in it while it was on shore and encouraged him to join us.<br />
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We offered special treats that smelled really enticing to lure him in.<br />
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He really wanted the treat but wasn't willing to get into the boat from the dock. He figured out for himself that he could get in from the shore instead of the dock.<br />
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And in he came!<br />
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"Where's my treat? I did it!"<br />
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We practiced having him go in and out from the shore with lots of gushing praise and treats.<br />
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Then, we pushed off from the shore and he HAD to get in from the dock.<br />
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He did it and from that point on, it wasn't a scary place. It was a place where treats happen!<br />
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So when, on another day, Paul bailed the boat out, he jumped in on his own!<br />
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We took him for a few rides. Being in the boat wasn't nearly as scary to him as getting in and out of it. So far he hasn't tried to jump out into the water but if the boat had been a canoe, he surely would have tipped it.<br />
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Next up on our desensitization plan: fire.<br />
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Uli has been around fire in our backyard before and he always keeps his distance.<br />
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A rather large range of distance!<br />
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So we worked on showing him that it is safe to get nearer.<br />
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Praising and treats did the trick again!<br />
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Another successful lure is to offer safety and comfort with cuddles. This lure works especially well if he is exhausted from a long hiking day trip.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DnUEUEUl1k/VbUCR52Ef8I/AAAAAAAAYk0/rbA6dodx6mM/s1600/DSC07182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DnUEUEUl1k/VbUCR52Ef8I/AAAAAAAAYk0/rbA6dodx6mM/s640/DSC07182.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thanks to Paul for the picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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When we first arrived at the cabin, Uli and Paul headed to the dock. Paul leaned over to look for fish and Uli wanted to know what was so interesting. He leaned a little too far and fell into the water! I don't think he liked the surprise of that and so it set the stage for all water entry via shore. Paul really wanted Uli to run and jump off of the dock so he tried his best to get him to do it.<br />
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Throwing the ball in for fetch yielded shore entries. Calling him to join you when you were already out in the water yielded shore entries. So, Paul figured the best way to get him to jump would be by a follow-the-leader approach.<br />
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Uli followed him all right. Riiiiiight up to the edge of the dock and then was like, "No way, man. I did that already and once was enough for me. I'll just watch you from here."<br />
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Can't win 'em all, I guess!<br />
<br />Trinityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649339216156558861noreply@blogger.com0