Singing Larynxes

This view down four singing throats is incredible from both anatomical and musical perspectives. They look like friendly little alien faces, don't they? Cute tune, too.
Labels: mac, recommendations, wierd science
My vehicular, acupunctural :), and creative (knitting, spinning, photography) escapades!

Labels: mac, recommendations, wierd science

UPDATE: PEOPLE! Please leave me a way to contact you! About 50% of you have given me wonderful patterns but no way to say thanks!
My trusty old Mac melted down after 4+ years of service. The bad news is that it went suddenly - a massive stroke - and I hadn’t backed it up. I’ve lost everything. All my photos, all my marketing materials for the clinic, and all my knitting patterns (I had a huge collection, meticulously organized, including the three I was writing for publication).Labels: electronic disasters, mac
Labels: fun in costume, halloween, happiness



Labels: fiber art, fun in costume, halloween
My favorite holiday!! Okay, I know you were expecting Elphaba, but two weeks ago we shifted gears. Matt and I love doing paired costumes that play in our height differential (remember Willy Wonka and the Oompa Loompa? That was the best!), so this year we're doing a Lord-of-the-Rings-esque archer and dwarf. Our living room has been a flying frenzy of fabric, paint, feathers, and clay. Full pics and details coming soon... Here's a hint: Female dwarves have beards, too! Labels: fun in costume, halloween
Work has been slow this week, so I've been home knitting on my Halloween costume and watching a lot of TV and movies. Things I've "learned" include:Labels: acupuncture, books
Labels: darn, wetblanketsercloaks
Labels: painless surgery



Since Matt's most recent appearance on TV, the fan mail has finally died down to mere dozens a day. With his latest blockbuster, however, I expect we'll need to rehire that professional letter-answering firm again. Labels: hairpullinginanotfunway, knitting
Want another chance to see me in a ridiculously unflattering costume?Labels: history, recommendations

Labels: books, history, recommendations
Labels: history, spinning, unflattering costumes





Labels: books, history, recommendations
To celebrate 5 rolicking years of marriage, Matt & I went north to an adorable isolated B&B with a hot tub and a fascinating assortment of wildlife. 






Centralia is a nearby town that no longer exists, because there's been an underground coal fire burning since 1962. The government offered relocation packages and even rescinded their zipcode. There are still 6 people living there who refused to move. Video here of steam rising from the ground. Labels: friends, orangehair, travel


Labels: fiber art, history, knitting, socksummit
It's been a year since Blackberry left us. I still miss her terribly. Our lousy landlord won't let us get another rabbit... just another reason to be excited to go home in March. Labels: pets
I just finished the cutest little socks! I started with Brenda Dayne's Pembrokeshire Pathways, but instead of a wool knee-sock I wanted a lightweight summer fling so I used Panda Silk. Did a different heel and toe, just because I'm ornery like that. More pics and info on my Ravelry page.Labels: fun in costume, history, volunteering
Labels: fiber art, knitting, poetry(not)

Well... Working, a LOT. I get home about 7:30 most nights and my newsletters seem to be a huge hit. Which is awesome. And reading. About elephants, and more elephants*, and various British monarchs of yore, and fairy tales, and ...Labels: acupuncture, books, elephants, family, fiber art, recommendations, spinning




It was an eventful, artistic weekend. I went to NY to visit Rachel, dye goddess extraordinaire. We turned 2 lbs of pure white merino and nearly a pound of silk into a riot of color. It's amazing what you can do with only 10 colors! The purplish silk was an overdye job - the rest was from scratch. The other silk (so hard to photograph!) came out a perfect Monet-inspired watery blend of blues and greens. I'm planning a lace shawl for that. The rest is still a mystery.
The girls at The Spirit of Yoga were so sweet last month. I don't know if it was the stress of losing Dad or a celebration of my birthday, but they gifted me with some credit at Barnes & Noble! With my long history of cheapskatism, I tend to source my reading materials at Paperbackswap.com, thrift stores, and lending libraries. I walked in there feeling like I held Wonka's Golden Ticket... such an abundance of choices!!
Matt's got a nasty pneumonia, and we spent last night at the ER. He'll survive. In fact, he was home today goofing off, watching movies with titles like "Godzilla Vs. Destroyah" and "Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell." I almost wished I were sick too so I could hang out with him... but between the horrible wracking cough and the painful flicks I'd be forced to watch, in the end I was glad to be at work.Labels: personal
Labels: oops I lost it, stupid phones, technology disasters
Labels: awgeeznotagain, family, travel



Labels: personal

Two of my online knitting friends became real life knitting friends last Sunday. Rachel (the one I'm hugging) and Amy met me at Reading Market. We had savory crepes for breakfast (mine was tasty turkey breast with pesto, broccoli, and spinach), walked around the market and the city, visited Rosie's and Loop, had more crepes (blanc fromage & honey) and tea in a lovely little cafe, and generally knit and talked and laughed ourselves silly. All three of us grabbed a skein of "goblin" sock yarn. Very curious to see how those come out. We saw a pig bunny, and a shop window done for Valentine's Day with giant golden fish sporting false eyelashes and lipstick! Our dark walk back to the train station was enhanced by snow flurries. The flakes were suspended dramatically in the air by various spotlights meant to color the ornate architecture. Bonus: My pedometer said 13,500 steps by the time I made it home. So, yes, perfect day. :)Labels: knitting, philadelphia
Labels: cars, january curse, recommendations
Here's an article that everyone should read in light of the inauguration. And yet more reasons why elephants are ultra-cool. As if you needed more! Someday I'll have one of those in my office. Um, a painting, not a pachyderm.Labels: elephants, knitting, recommendations
Labels: personal, resolutions



Labels: christmas, fiber art, holidays, jewelry, knitting, silverwork, spinning, thanksgiving
Labels: recommendations

I've been remiss on not blogging about Poe Evermore at the Mount Hope Winery. You go from room to room and see a different Poe story enacted or poem read at each stage. It was our second year and we loved it! Labels: recommendations
Labels: funny, recommendations
Labels: political



Last night was pretty low-key. Debbie is visiting from Phoenix, so we went for a nice dinner. Somehow I didn't get around to decorating the house this year, but Mother Nature took care of that for me. This is our back yard! We had a fantastic picnic out there today and fell asleep looking up at the leaves.Labels: personal


For the Boy's birthday, he scored a handmade scarf. The official name is "Pointed Moss" because, well, it's moss stitch and the ends are pointy. But the nickname is "The I Must Love You Scarf" because not only did I give up my luscious Camelspin (silk & camelhair blend, in a subtle chocolate / pewter / ebony colorway), but I worked 6 trillion seed stitches on microscopic needles. Having seen his face afterwards, though, it was totally worth it. Next… the “OMG I Must REALLY Love You Kilt Hose.”
Matt and I were hanging out tonight, doing our usual movie while surfing / knitting thing. He stopped the Scrubs DVD to play some iTunes music for me: Halloween Classics (Naxos Rights International) is a collection of terrific classical tunes by all the big Philharmonics. When "Hall of the Mountain King" played, I was reminded of a recent "Mad Men" episode and asked Matt to find me an all-piano version. We stumbled across The Brian Setzer's Orchestra album, Wolfgang's Big Night Out. This entire set just blew my socks off... it's like hearing the Glenn Miller Band, reincarnated and shakin' up the joint. Sheer beauty. Labels: recommendations













Labels: philadelphia, photos, recommendations





Labels: philadelphia, photos, recommendations







We spent the weekend working on paint. Specifically, sanding down orange peel to a dull flat surface, then polishing the glow back on. This requires many, many, many gradations of sandpaper, rubbing compound, polishing compound, wax, second coat of wax... you get the idea. My arms feel enormous and are toasted like a s'more... I can barely lift my laptop! The right side is completely done now. The left ... Next weekend!Labels: cars






Matt, Denise, Gwyn and I took Preston out to collect Shaun from the car vet (Thanks Trevor!) and spent the day at the Taste of Britain car show. Preston has a lovely new interior, which I got terrible pics of so you'll have to wait. We did that ourselves last weekend. Which means Matt did it, except for me cutting carpet, screwing and unscrewing panels, and holding stuff while he sweated and cursed. 




Next we took the girls up to Maine for the annual Rose Family Reunion. This featured incredible cooking (by Matt's sister Nancy and her Andre) and tons of tiny children and pets running rampant.








The girls (Maddie, 15, and Gillian, 12) came to visit from Oregon and holy cow have they grown up. Both have teenager bodies now instead of being the stick kids I saw last. Gillie in particular has really changed. Both girls have a distinctive clothing style that makes me wish I were cooler. Oh well, at least I have my blue hair. We celebrated by throwing them in the back of the taxi and driving all over the country. 
Labels: pets




My motivation is in high gear right now. I love everything about my life except for my weight, and that is coming off. As we all know but don't want to admit, there's no magic pill... it's all about consistently eating less and moving more. Which I have been doing. As a result, my clothes are getting looser. Yay!!Labels: books, recommendations
Labels: personal

Labels: pets
Labels: pets



Fireworks (more pics here) with Gwyn (brunette), Denise (blond), and Pheobe (tiny one). The highlight was the watermelon sorbet with chocolate seeds and a lime rind. Yowza! Labels: stupid jokes
Labels: pets
You all know I'm a total history dork. It's not dry facts to me - it's life. When we climbed around on the USS Constellation, I was feeling the heaving waves, hearing the screams and shouts and booming cannon of a pitched battle at sea. Likewise, in Colonial Williamsburg I tried to imagine living in a fledgling colony. It was a comparatively well-to-do city by the time of the American Revolution. I'm guessing that it was a hard but generally good life... unless (of course) you were enslaved. 



Yesterday Matt, Denise, Phoebe & I went to the Pennsylvania Rennaisance Faire. Pheobe was a very cheerful child - I got some great smile pics, but I love this one because it's funny.Labels: travel


















Seems like every time I've had a second, Blogger has been feeling ill. Let's try this again:Labels: acupuncture, cars, pets, travel
Labels: acupuncture

Labels: recommendations







Matt & I went to a show - will look up the name when I'm less fried - our favorite was the bronzy-red Cadillac (top three pics). The fins were moved inside... it was unique and truly beautiful.Labels: cars










There's no point in an amateur like me blogging about Maryland Sheep & Wool. I'll take the Inego approach and sum up rather than explain: Tons of friends. Truckloads of yarn and fiber that wanted to come home with me. Adorable kids and lambs and bunnies. Outrageous foods. Products ranging from sublime to obscene. Slow bus. Great day. :)






Today Matt & I went cruising around randomly and stumbled upon the Hagley in Wilmington, DE. This is where the DuPont family first built their gunpowder factory in 1802. Inside is a collection of highly detailed dioramas, with real gears and water pushing stuff around. The second floor is a beautiful display of wartime factory posters. The top story discusses DuPont's evolution into a chemical firm.I'm sure when active it was a noisy, filthy, hellish place, but now it's a lush green park with a fascinating history. Right along the Brandywine River (their power source) are the ruins of the old buildings and demonstrations of the simple machines used there. The workshop is still active, complete with drive line across the ceiling. They make gunpowder daily and test it (we happened to catch the test - it was a good batch!). Labels: recommendations, travel












NOTE: Both Heathercentric posts have evolved to contain more fun! 




Labels: fiber art, philadelphia, political, spinning