The Quiet Week

It was a quiet week here at Willow's Cottage.  Most of the noise came from the covey of quail which have been scurrying around on our back hill, most likely searching for dropped seeds.  One other fun bit of noise came from my computer one evening when our son skyped us again from Indonesia.  We were able to 'see' the view of the green green hills which surround the neighborhood where he is living and even hear the tropical birds chirping.  With her usual perfect timing, our MamaMia phoned so she was able to say hi to her brother from her cell phone to my cell phone to my laptop to his laptop.  Don't you just LOVE technology??

Anyway, as I was saying, our mostly quiet week was still filled with joyful and satisfying things.  I look for these little examples of joy to share in Friday Fave Five.  This little exercise helps me to be watchful and grateful for the blessings of my week.  Susanne hosts this EVERY FRIDAY.  That takes a lot of dedication on her part and I truly do appreciate her taking the lead on this each week.

1.  Every year, on the Thursday before classes begin at Cal State Univ Channel Islands, the lovely people who work in the library host a faculty and families back to school reception in one of the university library's courtyards.  Every year, The Professor and I happily attend and spend a couple of pleasant hours eating wonderful catered dishes, drinking excellent wine, and dipping strawberries, bananas and chocolate chip cookies into the chocolate fountain while we chat with the other faculty and families.

2.  After that rather filling dinner, we strolled around the library lawn and the rest of the campus.  Because the university is nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains near where they descend to the Pacific Ocean, it is natural that most of the grounds are planted with California natives.

I love the bunch grasses! (Well, yes, this one is bluish, but yes, I did doctor the color just a little bit.  But wouldn't it be wonderful if it really were that blue?)

3.  On Saturday, we loaded up our bikes and drove to Ventura and rode the bike/walkway along the beachfront.  It was a perfect day for a bike ride.  Cloudy but not cold.  Breezy but not too windy.

Past Surfers Point

Beyond the pier all the way to the  harbor.

And back.

4.  I've been crocheting.  I had some skeins of leftover wool from a project I knitted for my master knitter certification.  In my quest to use up my yarn stash this year, I decided to see how large an afghan I could make with the four colors-pink, purple, green and cream.  Forty-two squares.  Each 4 1/4 inches across.  A 6 x 7 square design.  Without the edging, the afghan will be 'about' 26 inches by 30 inches.  Not very large, but it will still be 'lap-size'.

5.  My neighbor, who is also my friend, had never been to our little indie coffee shop in town.  So on Tuesday morning we dropped in there for coffee and the best biscotti I have ever tasted!  We agreed that this little shop is the perfect place to meet up every week for a little study session.  Oh, the coffee's great, too.

That was Willow's Week.  I spent the rest of my hours sitting here in the cottage planning lessons which happily are mostly finished. 

How was yours?

Addendum:  Shortly after posting this, I somehow, I really am not sure how, I fell (tripped, stumbled, was a complete clutz?) and severely sprained my right ankle.  It looks like next week will be another Quiet Week around here.