Thursday, January 31, 2013

All Good Things

Looking back on the week, I have chosen Five Faves for sharing.

1.  I collect state and province license plates. I don't mean I actually collect them; I keep a list of license plates I see as we drive around the area.  Yes, I actually write them down on a slip of paper I keep in my car.  On the way home from class on just one day, I noticed plates from Georgia, Texas, Minnesota, New Mexico and Maryland, besides California.  For years, I've kept a list.  It amuses me.  It interests me.  I wonder why those cars have been driven from Vermont or Florida or Missouri or Alaska, and what their drivers are doing cruising along my stretch of highway.  What?? You don't notice and collect license plates?  I thought everyone did.  It's not weird.  My favorite find this week?  Hawaii!  How does one drive a car from Hawaii to California??

2.  After the rain we had last weekend, everything is blooming in this week's sunshine, including the flowering trees.  (Photos supplied for snow bound and frozen friends in the north)

 



3.  Our sunsets have been magnificent!


4.  On Saturday, I attended the monthly meeting of the local weaving and spinning guild.  This month one of our members demonstrated various types of fibers and discussed which ones were best used for which projects. In the afternoon, I tried out various combinations of wool, silk, bamboo, nylon.  It was fun to mess around and spin up little bits and bobs of yarn without having a project in mind.  My conclusion?  I don't enjoy wool/bamboo blend.  It didn't draw well.  It simply clumped up.  My favorite is still wool and silk.  I would have photographed the samples, but truly, bitty bobbins of scrap yarn does not an interesting photo make.  Trust me on that.

5.  However, photos of knitting always satisfy.  Baby hats. Bigger caps.  And some leg warmers.




So ends Willow's Week with encouragement and thanksgiving for all good things.  My Friday Fave Fives with Susanne.

18 comments:

Melissa said...

Thanks for sharing photos of the flowering trees! Here in NJ we've got cold and clouds.

We notice license plates, too. One year we were driving to Florida during Thanksgiving weekend; I think we saw plates from every state plus a few provinces.

Tracy said...

LOVELY sunset! We've been having the best evening skies lately--but winter has that effect here. ;o) Wool and silk--I'll second that. I love a wool-silk blend yarn to knit with for sure. It's been a lot of cotton here, as I enjoy crocheting with cotton--still learning that. Happy Days, Willow ((HUGS))

Barbara H. said...

I do enjoy noticing license plates from far away places. I've never thought to keep a list of them. I do wonder about the one from Hawaii! It must have been flown over -- I wonder how expensive that is!

So nice to see buds and blooms after rain -- makes it worth it.

ellen b. said...

It's fun to make a bingo type game for kids to be able to x out the blocks when they see a plate from another state when you are on a long drive...
Love seeing things blooming nicely already in your neighborhood!
Have a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

Could there be two Cleveland Browns fans out there??? Mary P

Gracie Saylor said...

While I notice out of state license plates, I have never written down what I see, but keeping such a log is a great idea I just might try!

Flowering trees??? Now??? Thanks for the hope of wonders to come to the frosty north...eventually. I got another shot of Mt. Hood popping out of the fog soon after sunrise this morning.



Laura@OutnumberedMom said...

Beautiful sunset! And I love the pictures of your projects, always.

I think your license plate fascination is fun! Have a great week ahead.

Susanne said...

You made me smile with the license plate lists. While we always point out different license plates I have to say I don't write them down. And I also say I've never seen one from Hawaii around here. We have seen quite a few from Texas in the last while.

Love what a little rain and sunshine does. For the most part we are quite a ways from that here though I'll hold off on a solid opinion until we see our friend the groundhog says tomorrow. ;v)

Karen said...

I'm always curious about out-of-state license plates, especially since it is so easy to fly places nowadays.

I always enjoy seeing photos of your knitted projects. So pretty.

Brenda said...

Yes, the spring blooms are very encouraging, and though we have had mild temps, I doubt we'll be seeing spring blooms for another 6 weeks or so. Thanks for sharing hope!

Sharon Lynne said...

Beautiful pictures of the flowering tree and sunset. God's handiwork.

Noticing (collecting) license plates sounds fun. (And a good educational activity) If you had kids in the car, you could ask what they know about each state that they see.

I've never heard of yarn made from bamboo--interesting.

Anonymous said...

The most common reason for a Hawai'i plate around here is the Navy--they will ship a car for someone who is transferred from there to here, and if their official home of record is Hawai'i they don't have to change the registration to California.

The Professor

Brenda said...

Gotta love a beautiful sunset, we've had some nice ones here in SF as well.

Love your knitting, hand work is so satisfying!

Gattina said...

I don't collect license plates, (I collect cats, lol) but I always watch too where cars are coming from. As we have lots of tourists here, they are coming from all over Europe ! I find it interesting.

Elizabeth said...

Totally jealous --in a good way--of your pretty blossom and your wonderful knitting.
Truly things to delight in!

Marg said...

I so love the feeling of yarn in my hands and I love the feel of wooden knitting needles. My therapy is going to the wool shop weekly, just to look, chat and feel.
We enjoyed one nice day yesterday...Enjoy the new spring season.

snoopydogknits said...

Your beautiful blossom pictures offer some hope that Spring may soon return here in the UK. It has been so, so cold!!! Beautiful knitting too! Ros

Bethany said...

I look at license plates too-- I get especially excited to see California plates because it's so far away. When I see Ohio plates, I want to stop them and ask them what part they're from (maybe my hometown?)... and if I see Maine, then I am jealous! The trees are so beautiful! My kids were hoping for a day off of school due to snow, but we just got a tiny bit more last night. You are so fast at knitting! So many cute things. I guess our team didn't win... it was close there at the end, but disappointing.