girl at large

cheese o'my heart

I had the BEST DAY EVER yesterday. Why? Because of cheese. The selection at a local gourmet-ish food market down the street has been reliable for chevre, parmesean, and the occasional good gruyere, but yesterday, yesterday, that magical day...Mimolette Vielle! Four little hunks of it, snuggled in the corner of the cold case. So what if each hunk was ten times the price of what I previously paid for a whole wedge? These little hunks were actually the result of hacking up a decent sized wedge--criminal, but forgiveable, they don't know never to cut cheeses outside of their shape--dumb you-know-who's. It looks like France, smells like France, tastes like France. And it's not even the best (by a long shot) French cheese out there, it's just my everyday favorite. Quick, someone send me a baguette sandwich from Rima's!!

travaille

Did I say something about missing work??

The Mighty Pacific

"God pointing down at you" skies spotted frequently at the beach. Where's Uncle Bert when you need him to explain cloud formations? Spent New Year's weekend on The Oregon Coast (in Neskowin, at Proposal Rock)---so glad to see open water again. I'd taken the Med for granted. The Pacific is grey and mean by comparison, but open water just the same. Driving out there (about an hour and half, give or take), we traveled through any number of entirely different weather systems--drizzle, fog and mist, pouring rain, clearish, drizzle, clear and sunny, fog and repeat.

If you ask me, I think it's "stellar".

the set being blocked, baby Stella 'wearing' it Not the greatest images (sorry), but this is the 'layette' set i made for little Stella's first Christmas---booties, sweater and bonnet all in cream cotton with french silk ribbon, silk edging and with vintage mother-of-pearl buttons. And yes, I actually crocheted it all myself. Interesting--the cotton thread and pattern (circa 1987) were given to me by Grandma Eileen when I stopped by in Nebraska--the thread had been hanging around in her basement along with loads of yarn all given to HER by Mom after she closed down The Fibre Shop back in Fondy, back in the day! I was shooting for tears (on the part of my sis when she opened it in London on Christmas) and I think I got 'em!.