Oak Grove Mitts ~

Growing up in Central California I have always been surrounded by oak trees. They are ubiquitous in that region and where I live now in Southern California. If its not California's state tree, then I think it ought to be.

For that reason, it's only natural that I wanted to knit these mitts.  Not only do they feature an oak leaf motif but they are also knit in a fingerling weight yarn which is perfect for the climate and casual lifestyle enjoyed in California.  Because while it's not often cold it is often cool outside early in the morning when it is nice to hike or bike or whatever you enjoy doing.

But no matter where you live there are activities that take you outdoors.  And fingerless mitts are a great way to keep your hands warm while allowing you the mobility to actually do something with your hands.  For example, I like to wear this style of mitt out for coffee and you would be surprised how many comments I receive both from men and women.  There's something very appealing, apparently, about sipping coffee wearing mitts if the attention they receive is any indicator.  "Those are nice gloves" says a wistful admirer.  Smiling I say "Thank you. I knit them myself."

Particulars:  Oak Grove Mitts designed by Alana Dakos (nevernotknitting); madelinetosh pashmina (left over yarn from my Autumn Vines Beret); US 3 double pointed needles.  I made the version with fingers but found knitting the fingers a bit tedious and another time I would simply make the fingerless version.  I love fingerless mitts and there are a number of cute free patterns in blogland including: Kyla Mitts; Horray for Me Gloves; Susie's Readings Mitts; Garter Stitch Mitts; and Great Weekend Mitts.  Incidentally, its my Kyla mitts that have received so much attention.  

Santa Barbara Botanical Garden

For those who may not be familiar with oak trees and California flora, I took the following pictures at the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden which is ten minutes away from where I grew up in the beautiful foothills of Santa Barbara, California.

April and early May is probably the nicest time to visit the botanical garden as the wildflowers including masses of California poppies are in bloom.  And, I am reasonable certain, poppies are in fact the California state flower.

Until next time, be well and love well and follow your heart on whatever path it leads you.

Tips for The Wildfire Evacuee

I've been traumatized! Without belaboring you with news that you have already heard, suffice it to say I was in Santa Barbara when the Jesusita Fire broke out. I had only just arrived at my parent's house an hour or so before the first of the helicopters were heard overhead. Holy cow ~ it's just over the hillside beyond Laurel Reservoir.



We were placed almost immediately in mandatory evacuation status and I'm going to impart a few tips that I learned on my sojourn as a wildfire evacuee.

8 Tips for the Wildfire Evacuee

As an aside, in case you haven't noticed, it's hot and dry out there. These wildfires are becoming more invasive and causing more destruction than ever before. Someone you know will likely be effected in the next few years. I hope you will take these tips seriously.

1. If you have prearranged where to meet family or friends in an emergency you need to have 2 or 3 back-up meeting places. You might find, as we did, that your initial meeting place is inaccessible due to road blocks or other unforeseen factors. This is where well laid plans start to fall apart.

2. Cell phones require power to work. If you don't have a car charger for your phone, get one. Having your phone go dead in an emergency is highly undesirable.

3. Keep a small phone book in your purse/wallet at all times. Phone numbers and addresses you think you know by heart will quite possibly desert you under periods of high stress.

4. Don't rely on TV or Radio coverage if you are in or near the disaster area. Emergency personnel are stretched thin and the news (particularly on AM radio) is outdated. Go outside and look around for yourself. Talk to people and make your own assessment of the current situation on the ground. Wildfires are dynamic and you might find that you need to relocate to a safer place.

5. Wildfires are unpredictable and can circle back to areas where you don't expect them. Burned-out area are covered with smouldering embers that can flare back to life when the wind blows. These in turn set homes on fire and can ignite any unburned brush in the area. Which reminds me, close all windows before leaving your house to prevent embers from blowing inside.

6. You need a safe place to wait it out. If you are a camping family (which we are) it's nice to have a motor home at your disposal. Know that if you opt for an evacuation center you might be there for days without much in the way of amenities. Hotels are nice, if they have room and if you can afford the rate (this cost might be reimbursable by your homeowner insurance). Although it's tempting to stay near your home you are best served by removing yourself from the danger zone.

7. At a minimum always keep plenty of bottled water in your car along with some pet food.

8. Throughout it all it's important to keep your sense of fun. You will be happy to know that on Wednesday (day 2) before things went horribly awry, I managed a quick visit to Cardigans Knit Shop and I bought some gorgeous yarn (a skein each of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino dk and Classic Elite Yarns Miracle) to knit some cute fingerless mitts for next Fall!

The following are a few of the pictures that I took during the course of the fire.

This is our first view of the fire which began approximately 1.8 miles from my parent's house. We were only mildly concerned at first. After all, it seemed small and an aerial water attack was already underway.



The next morning it was quiet in the area and the fire seemed far away and well in hand. We expected to return to the house sometime that day and decided to wait for the "all clear" in Stevens Park a small local park situated in San Roque Canyon below the bridge. Merely a stone's throw from my parent's home. It seemed a very convenient place to wait. But for an odd car here or there we had the park to ourselves.

But when I went outside about 4:00 p.m. to walk Mr Puffy I looked up into the sky and saw an alarming sight. Large booming smoke clouds were quickly converging on our location.

We decided to relocate to an evacuation point. The following pictures are taken in the San Roque area as we are leaving Steven's Park on Wednesday afternoon to relocate to the First Presbyterian Church (our prearranged meeting place) which, incidental, turned out to be blocked off (see Evacuee Tip No. 1 above).

At this point things became quite stressful. I quote "Last night, all hell broke loose," Santa Barbara Fire Chief Andy Dimizio said. Today "We saw the fire spread laterally across the top of the city … to almost five square miles." I believe these pictures bear out his assessment.

This is a home near Steven's Park in the San Roque area.

These photos are looking back at lower Santa Barbara foothills (in the San Roque area) from Peabody Elementary School.

Below is a picture of La Cumbre Plaza (in the Vons parking lot) on Thursday night. The night that I was told by news crews that my parent's canyon was burning.



At one point more than 30,000 of Santa Barbara's 90,000 residents were in evacuee status.

I want everyone to know that I appreciate your concern and well wishes. My parent's home miraculously survived with the intervention of the brave and courageous firefighters who lined up 10 fire engines on their street Thursday night and held the line.



My parents are doing great and Mr Puffy was a trouper throughout. But a reminder to all how what begins as a small fire can level a city. It is time for Californians to rethink how we combats these wildfires and come up with a more innovative approach.

To Market We Will Go!

It's a Market Bag for my Mom on Mother's Day! I'll also stuff it full of her favorite British goodies so she feels thoroughly spoiled. Bags, like scarfs, make wonderful gifts because you don't have to worry about sizing. Although, you still need to pick the right color....



I picked pink! She won't find a bright pink Market Bag just anywhere. I know, because I've looked. It really is something that needs to be custom knit for you. I do think she will like it, because she loves bright happy colors as much as I do. Well, almost as much. But think also of the practical side! This will make it much easier for my father to find her in a crowd.

While it is a vibrant pink, the yarn has a nice tweedy texture and the color is much softened in the sunlight. Certainly very wearable.



Although at first Mr Puffy wasn't sure about a pink purse....



He quickly came around when he understood that it was for gathering food at the Farmer's Market. Then he was thrilled with it and indeed ready to take off for the market himself! Mr Puffy does enjoy good food, and is willing to do his part.



Particulars: Rutabaga Shopping Bag (Knitscene, Spring 2007); 2 skeins Green Mountain Spinnery, Cotton Comfort (peony colorway); US 10.5 Needles (circular); Modification: This is a great pattern and I didn't change a thing. I particularly love the stitch pattern (shown best in the photo below) which creates a nice strong stretchy fabric. However, I did feel that the handle was a bit flimsy. To rectify this I crocheted along the selvedge stitches on both sides of the strap - twice on each side - for good measure. I do think a purse needs a sturdy strap to be comfortable. I used a simple crab stitch and it worked like a charm. Dimensions: 11" x 11" (excluding the strap)



A Wee bit about my Mum

My mother is a remarkable woman who (in her eighties) is still walking down to the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. She enjoys looking into the shops along the way and after she has shopped at the market my father picks her up. Since this bag can be tucked into her purse until needed, I think that she will find it handy to take along!

This is a picture of my Mother taken on my last visit to Santa Barbara, early in March. We are sitting on the upstairs patio of Cafe Biano in Victoria Court where we like to stop for coffee and cake. Their coffee is wonderful (we splurge and have the cappuccino) and it's a favorite spot of ours to sit and have a little chat before moseying along to visit the shops. If it happens to be a Saturday, we always end up at the Santa Barbara Farmer's Market from whence my father conveniently picks us up!

As you can imagine, my Mother is a marvelous cook, having honed her skills through decades of cooking for my father. Lucky man! Some of you may recall her Apple Pie Recipe (which is wonderful - do give it a try). This similarly is another classic American dish. Enjoy!


Mr Puffy's Favorite Meatloaf Recipe

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs Ground Turkey (not the extra lean - that's too dry)
2-3 tablespoons white bread crumbs
1 egg
1 medium onion - grated
1 cup fresh mushrooms - finely diced
dried or fresh basil to taste
dried or fresh oregano to taste
salt to taste
dried tomato or chili peppers - optional (I personally never add either)
1 can Campell's condensed tomato soup (do not add water)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees;
2. Combine in a bowl all ingredients EXCEPT the canned soup;
3. Place mixture into loaf pan and bake for 35 minutes;
4. Take loaf pan out of the oven and pour can of condensed tomato soup over top. Do not dilute the soup with water; use the whole can. Return loaf pan to oven and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Generally the cooking time is approximately45 minutes total.

Until next time.... make healthy choices and try and visit your local Farmer's Market!