7-28-14

Freeport, Maine: Home of L.L. Bean, which has been open continuously for 90 years. No locks on the doors. Awesome!

After shopping at the outlets in town we headed back to Portland and waited for our ship to come in. We climbed this observation tower and had a look at the ocean and town. 

After dinner it was time to drive onto the boat. We found our cabin and settled in for a long, rocky night. I did not sleep. Dan was quite queasy. This may very well be our only cruise. 

Our room 407 (cabin) on floor (deck) 8. 

7-27-14

This morning I taught my niece, "Georgia", how to knit. She was a quick learner and took to pearling well. 

We left New Jersey around 1:30pm and then...

We arrived in Freeport, Maine where the first stop was a brew pub that served lobster rolls. Not great, something like crawfish without the kick of seasoning. 

Tomorrow we plan to hit the LL Bean outlet and visit Portland. 

7-26-14

Cranberry Lake, New Jersey. We spent the day here with friends of Dan's sister and all the kiddos. They loved the water skiing and rafting and kayaking and canoeing. I knitted on a pair of slippers for my nephew. We had gone yarn shopping first thing this morning. 

I went on a sunset boat ride around the lake. Tomorrow we leave and will eat lobster in Maine. 

7-25-14

Today, the Jersey Shore with Di and family. Here is my nephew The Duke. 

My niece and nephews are so awesome. Kind, smart, funny, and just awesome. 

Me, Dan, and Di and BellyButton at the Surf Taco. 

7-24-14

We left Annapolis after noon and drove to New Jersey, arriving around 4 PM. We were welcomed by this cute little chicken sign and some flowers. 

7-23-14

We left Lillie's around noon and arrived in Annapolis around 4pm. Had dinner with Sta and my niece and nephews then walked around town. 

Sta works for the historical foundation and told us about different buildings. This was once the most ornate doorway in the country. 

7-22-14

       

We left Cville today and visited with my life long friend, who, I discovered, is more of a knitaholic than I am. I loved seeing her stash and her many many lovely pieces. We have known each other for over 50 years. 

       

This afternoon we headed east towards the bay and the ancestral home of my mother's mother's mother. We are spending the night here, in Aunt Lillie's House, on the water. Many childhood memories here on this land. Her grandson, my third cousin, re-built the house a decade ago.

       

This is the island where my roots are, and where my Nana and Papa are buried. We visited their graves and I cried. I haven't felt their embrace for over 25 years but I can close my eyes and smell Nana's face cream and feel her soft skin, and hear my Papa clunk clunk walking around the corner, tinkling the crystals on the hurricane lamps on the buffet. I can feel his crew cut hair and hear his soothing voice. 

                               

Knitting on the porch looking out over the water at Lillie's.

7-21-14

                           

I had tea this morning with Momma Lolly, my friend of 20 years. It was so heartwarming to spend time with her. Good talks. Deep stuff.

                                      

I napped in the afternoon, then we went to the downtown mall for dinner. 

                                      

Pizza at Christian's and ice cream at Chaps. Mmmmmmm.

7-20-14

                               

This morning I needed to chill and knit and sleep, but this afternoon we went to see my friend recovering from a bone marrow transplant. She loved the painting I gave her. She is going to hike on the Appalachian trail after she recovers, so my painting was appropriate. 

                                N. 

Aza and I crocheted a hat today for her friend who is having a baby. 

      

This evening we went to visit Lolly Mama and Lolly Pop, who has restored this truck. We ate So Delicious fudge pops which were just that. 

7-19-14

The memory I want to take away from today is the peaceful hour Aza and I spent listening to NPR and knitting/crocheting together. We went to Barracks Road shopping and I got some new jeans from JJill. Shopping here is out of this world. 

                                      

7-18-14

We left at 7:30am and arrived in Cville at 7pm. I wove the last thread in this Baba I made on the way while sitting in the parked car in front of Aza's house. I think I will save this one for my first granddaughter. Jes broke up with Root today, Squirt applied for a job in IT, Strawberry got a job in IT, and my dear friend who is getting the painting got to move home from her apartment near the hospital in Richmond. Aza's house is adorable. She seems so happy and at peace with her life.

7-17-14

First fig

Fig so sweet. 

We packed for our trip- loaded up the Fit. Had falafel and corn toriillas with tzaziki sauce and quinoa salad for dinner. Surprise, I cooked!

7-16-14

I painted this for a dear friend from C'ville who has admired my work for a long time. She is recovering from a bone marrow transplant after getting rid of leukemia. We are bringing it to her next week. Dan cut the glass and I cut the mat and framed it. I think once he starts making frames for me as a hobby, I can start getting ready for having a real art show one day. It's on my bucket list.

Today is my Nana's birthday. (Also my birth father's birthday.) Nana was born in 1908 so she would be 106 if she lived past 80... when she was very aged and in poor health. Very much unlike my mother, who at age 80 throws parties weekly and teaches cooking classes.

Today I had two meetings at the local coffee shop with students, another meeting in my office with a prospective student, and a meeting with my department chair. By afternoon I had a headache and missed the evening festivities (dinner at Mom's again) but got leftovers.

7-14-14

Limelight Hydrangeas

They are so soft and delicate and grow so well in our yard, which is looking lovely, I think. 

7-13-14

Seems like this is turning into a food blog! Yes, we dined with my mom again. Above is a crab salad that was so fresh and delicious, and below is corn salad and roasted sweet potatoes. We had a nice late lunch/early dinner there with friends. I worked on knitting a pair of socks.

7-12-14

This has been a summer of knitting and self care. I'm listening to my second audio book (downloaded free from the local library) and tying up loose ends at work getting ready for our trip to Maine. This is a sweater I finished last week and photographed today. Wool. A bit itchy. The yarn looked so amazing in a hank, but is stripy in a sweater. I'll make the next one in a solid cotton again.

7-11-14

Doug and his mom came by at 9am to install our new stained glass windows in the transoms. I designed them. They built them. What do you think?

BEFORE

AFTER

I had a meeting at 10:30 with a science faculty member, then another meeting with a grant group, and it looks like I'll be on the grant with a funded grad student. Very happy about that...

7-9-14

Dinner at Mom's again. The more she cooks, the less I do. Here are her new stained glass windows.
I like them so much. My buddy Doug installed them for her today. He is working on making some for me too.

Dinner photos...

Grits cake with shrimp and a tomato sauce.

Crab cake with baked (fresh) fettucini and vegetables. OMG dinner was so amazing. 

7-5-14

Eight salads for 16 guests. We had dinner with my mom and friends today and the fare was all salads. (Plus chocolate ganache cake...)

Today our daughter Jes turns 28. Pretty hard to fathom. She was  8 days old, then 8 months, then 8 years, then 18, now 28. She is celebrating with fireworks on Chincoteague Island with Root and his sister, camping on the beach. While I eat 8 salads.

7-4-14

I worked very well today on survey I developed, and the day was interesting because it was a Friday but felt like a holiday. Oh! It was! We went to the arboretum for a walk after dinner at Fink's, an old restaurant with a new face. I knitted all evening while we watched THREE episodes of Soprano's.

This was called... Bay Laurel, but when I Google it, I don't see the same plant. 

7-3-14

Tulip Tree

Magnolia soulangeana

Today I worked so well. I was on a roll all morning and focused on data analysis until 1:30 until I realized I had a meeting at 2:00 with a student. That lasted until after 4:00, and then Dan and I had leftovers outside on a relatively mild evening. We discussed the trees from which these two leaves come, and discovered what they were. One grows in back, one in front.

7-2-14

I finished my first knitted sweater today. It's not perfect, but I'm proud of my work and perseverance, and I do love the color. I drove over to Opelika today (wearing my new sweater) to pick up my sun clips to replace the ones I lost in Mexico in March. Also, I took a future student out to lunch to discuss her program. She works at the eyeglass store currently. Serendipity. 

Tonight we had dinner with Mom. She made smoked salmon soup, lemon pasta stuffed zucchini, shrimp and okra with tomatoes, corn madeleines, and blueberry pie. Amazing. Wow.

7-1-14

I blocked these two shawlettes today then photographed them. They are so much fun to make and really look better now that they are blocked. 

Today was a good day. I ran, worked hard on some data crunching, got some other tasked completed, and knitted! Cooked a delicious salmon pasta with fresh herbs and garlic in a cream sauce.