Footage From The Bridge Fire in Wrightwood, California

 The Washington Post did this excellent story on The Bridge Fire in Wrightwood, California.  This shows the magnitude of the blaze.  Those are the hiking trails where I take my dogs.  

Seeing the Damage from The Bridge Fire in Wrightwood

 

This morning I took a drive up Highway 2, to see the damage on the west side of town.  The road was closed  off for weeks.  Seeing those mountains was devastating.  I was shocked at how barren the land looked.  Once filled with trees, birds, and wildlife, it now reminds me of a graveyard.  It was sad to see the beautiful homes and wide spance that had burned.  What used to be green, lush, and healthy is now filled with dry skeletons of trees, or just nothing.  Ground zero.

This is a mailbox in Iceland.  They are a land of knitters.

The timing of being in Europe during the fire and evacuation was divine.  I was able to visit a beautiful part of the world and get together with old friends.  It was eerie to read the updates on my iPad and study the progression of the blaze on my cameras.  Since being back home, I have been watering my oaks and pines, raking up more pine needles that blew around during the fire, and taking loads of trimmings to the local dump.  The birds seem happy and relieved when they arrive and rest in the greenery.  I’m sure they are in shock, too.

The one thing I learned from this wildfire is to be as organized and on top of chores as possible.  It helps to look at your cabin from a fire fighter’s point of view.  The more we care for our homes and gardens, the easier it is for them.  I am continuing to create more defensible space.  The deck and balcony are swept each day.  An evacuation can happen immediately.  You may not have any warnings or time to pack.  Many of the locals expected more notifications.  Fire is not logical.  It can move like a freight train, especially now.

I have an app called Watch Duty that alerts me to all the fires near me.  It is so helpful.  Leaving early that morning made it much easier because I could take my time packing, take care of the dogs, drain my indoor pipes, light up the house, and drive with without being surrounded by smoke or traffic.

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Settling Back Into Cabin Life After the Fire in Wrightwood, California

 

The above photo was taken in blue Iceland.  The nature there is stark and memorable.  The homes are small, simple and uniform.   It gets very cold!  People live very simply and are happy with what they have.  

Speaking of cold, I finished my Nicole Shawl!  It is very warm and cozy.  It will be a lovely wrap to wear in Wrightwood during our cold winters.  It kept me comfortable as a lap blanket on my flight home, too.  I can’t wait to show my knitting teacher and the ladies who helped me on Ravelry.

Norway gives off a fairytale like quality.  The mists made it feel dreamy.  I love that little house on the edge, by the water.  The views from my balcony were breathtaking.

Cruising through the fjords was a spectacular experience!  It was so clear and bright.  We were very fortunate with the weather.  I would love to do this cruise again someday.  It was far more than I had expected, on every level.

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Update on Fire in Wrightwood, CA

 

Hello Everyone, I am back from my break.  We were evacuated during a terrifying wildfire in early September in Wrightwood, CA.    I had packed up that morning and left with the dogs.  Later that afternoon, I noticed the live cameras at Mountain High looked very smoky.  The air was thick, grey, and dense.  A few minutes later, a woman posted an horrifying video of the mountainside burning like an inferno.  I felt sick with dread.

I messaged a couple of my close neighbors.  One posted video of her family leaving town to stay with in laws.  Most ended up staying in hotels.   The sky was orange and there was just one road open leading out of town, a two lane highway, Highway 2.  I expected pandemonium, but watched my screen as the cars on her videotape exiting slowly and carefully.  There had been many meetings discussing what to do if this ever happened, and now it was happening.  An arsonist was reported and caught.

I had booked a trip from London to Norway and Iceland for the following day.  My friends and neighbors assumed I would cancel it, but I didn’t.  The dogs were safe up at dog camp, and  I couldn’t stop a forest fire.  I received notifications on my iPad all night long  at my hotel in London.  The hiking trails and areas where we picnic and enjoy nature were all burning.  I saw a fire truck and a fireman parked in front of my land on my cameras.  The lights were flashing through the middle of the night.  I saw embers floating around my yard, and caught my breath.  A firefighter was walking through my rose garden and they were calling more fire trucks to the intersection where I live.

I was amazed at how many firefighters and trucks were put on the scene.  Their plan of action was extremely well organized and executed.  Thirty structures did burn.  This is a town of five thousand.  I haven’t really been able to see the damage, because Big Pines Highway and part of Highway 2 is closed.  They stopped the fire very close to my home, on both sides.  All of the preparation guidelines for disasters that are taught by local agencies are so important.  I had renewed my home insurance early, just in case.  We have returned home and I am working on clean up, raking, and trimming back lilac branches.  Everything needed a good watering, and some of the tiny pink roses were still in bloom.

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Taking a Break

 

I am taking a short break.  I will start posting again in a few weeks.  This is a darling cottage in Wrightwood, California that used to belong to a Disney animator.  It is so special.

The roses that I planted in my woodland garden are doing beautifully.  I fed them some liquid fertilizer and top dressed the soil with planting mix.

The deck has been stained and is ready for winter.  I have a lot of chores to do in preparation.  I placed my firewood order for eucalyptus and mixed wood, and had the chimney cleaned.

This is a video of a new bear that was walking up the hillside just steps from my cabin.  This one has a more angular face.  The wildlife is literally right at our doorstep.  What a magnificent animal!  

Blogger did not post the video.  It won’t let me delete the space.  I’ll try again when I have more time.  How are you doing?

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Knitting Challenges

 I am sorry I haven’t posted in a while.  I have been busy with home maintenance appointments, knitting, and working in my yard.  I have a lot of cutting back to do with the lilacs and periwinkle.  

I am making progress on The Nicole Shawl.  I had an enjoyable private lesson with my beloved knitting teacher last week.  She showed me where I had dropped two yarn overs, which had thrown off my stitch count.  It was at the very end of each panel.    I am getting the hang of it.  Lace is so rewarding; I love the texture.   It is an exciting project. I can’t wait to wear this shawl once it’s finished.

This hawk landed on my deck, made strong eye contact with me, and started chattering.  He is so beautiful.  How are you spending your end of summer days?

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Almost Done Knitting a Sweater I Started in 2018

 

I finally took this sweater out of my knitting bag, laid it out,  reread the pattern, untangled  the yarn, and began to finish it.  I had originally extended the length, then realized that I wouldn’t have enough yarn to finish the shoulders and neck. So, I frogged it back and balled that yarn to finish the project.  Too bad I procrastinated for so many years, but the yarn and needles were patiently waiting.   The wool is Cascade Heritage.  A lady in my old knitting group gave it to me.  She said that she wasn’t going to use it.  She had it in a storage bin for decades.  We are still in touch, and have a phone date set for tomorrow.

The pattern of this sweater is called Carbeth.  It’s the third one I have made.  I love the design, it knits up quickly, and it’s a sweater I wear nearly every day in the winter.  I have made it with three different types of yarn, so they all look and feel different,

My Nicole Shawl is coming along, but my count is off by two stitches.  I made an appointment with my knitting teacher to see what I am doing wrong on one of the lace rows.  It will be a relief to clean up the stitch count and get back on track.  It is exciting and inspiring to be knitting clothes  again.  

Are you getting ready for winter?  

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Back To Knitting

 

I have picked up my knitting again, and am finding it really exciting.  It’s like having a piece of my soul returned back into my body.  Being creative and making your own clothes is very rewarding.  Each winter I appreciate my hand knits more; they really last, and they are so warm.

I worked on these socks while I was in Alaska.  I finally finished the final toe last week.  They are squishy and comfortable, and I am happy with the fit.

It is such a satisfying feeling to use yarns from my stash.  I have several balls of sock yarn carefully stored for the future.  Socks make such nice gifts. I am working on The Nicole Shawl right now, and it is very enjoyable.  How about you?  What are you making?

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Growing Roses in the Forest

 

Last week I spent several hours digging into my rocky mountain  soil and planting shrub roses.  The effect is gorgeous.  I love the mixture of roses, pine trees, oaks, and berries.  The height of the trees makes it so theatrical.

The Hollyhock seeds that I sprinkled in this sunny. corner have sprouted.  Next year they should be tall and colorful.  I love the tall, cheerful, old fashioned flowers.

This is the first season I have had fresh blackberries.  They are sweet, juicy and delicious!  I need to move the other berry bushes into full sun.  

How is your garden doing?  What are you growing?

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Taking What You Learned on a European Vacation Home

 

Although we didn’t actually eat any pizza on my last trip to Italy, I did feel inspired to copy one of my favorite breads from a lovely restaurant around the corner from our bed and breakfast.  I dug up my favorite pizza recipe, refridgerated the dough overnight, and did my best to duplicate the olive oil and fresh rosemary bread.  It came out really well.  The chef in Umbria sprinkled coarse salt over the top, which added wonderful flavor and texture.  I’m pretty sure it was Mediterranean Sea salt. Ah!  

This was taken the night we ate dinner outside at the cooking school.  The woman next to me and I had just purchased new sun dresses at the local Farmers’ Market.  They were so reasonably priced!  They make such a nice souvenir.  I paired mine with one of my hand knitted shawls.  Our carefully prepared meal was absolutely divine!  I will never forget it.  We each received copies of the recipes.

These are some of the healthy and luscious grapes that were ripening on the vine at the winery.  Some of the ladies I traveled with ordered half a case of their favorite wine and had it sent home.  I walked through this area each morning, before breakfast.

These are some of the sweet children dressed up in their period costumes from the Medieval Festival that we attended.  They served us several courses of food and wine!  It was a fantastic evening, with hardly any tourists.

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Italian Charm

 

Cooking is a central activity in Italy.  Buying or growing the freshest ingredients, using what is in season, and shopping at the local farmers’ market is typical.  On one of my early morning walks, a lady from our tiny village slowed her car down and asked me if I would like a ride. I could tell she was on her way to buy her groceries down the hill, in town.  That would definitely not happen in LA!  I smiled, thanked her profusely, and declined.  If I had been traveling on my own I would have gone.  We had a schedule to keep.

Beauty was everywhere.  The bright green herbs and vibrant flowers were carefully tended, on a daily basis.  I loved the attention to detail, and the appreciation of nature.  The stone walls made such sweet backdrops.

The above video was taken in Gubbio.  We rode a little red train throughout the magnificent stone city.  It was enchanting.  It’s a place I would love to return to and stay for a few nights.  I spotted the perfect hotel, old and majestic.   In our case, our driver drove us home in an hour and a half, and we enjoyed another sumptuous meal back at the resort.  

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Cooking School in Italy

 

One of my favorite experiences while in Umbria was going to cooking school.  Contessa Amelia instructed our group.   She is such a dynamic teacher.  I love her beauty, talent, energy and discipline.  The kitchen is phenomenal, and her assistants were excellent.  Italians seem to value excellence, from what I observed.

Here we are peeling carrots for the vegetarian lasagna.  We made a huge meal, and then all ate it together later that evening, out on the patio.  It was exceptional.  

This was taken on our field trip to Perugia.  The sculpture was fabulous.  We saw a wedding at the church, and the bride had on the most exquisite dress.  They were running out after the ceremony.  She had married a handsome, much older man...

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Culture Shock

 Although I absolutely loved the week that I spent in Italy, I have to admit I did struggle with culture shock.  I normally get up at 5:00 a.m. and make coffee.  Where we stayed, breakfast was not served until 8:00 a.m.  I got into the habit of taking an early morning walk, and then relaxing in the sleek bathtub to kill time.

The trip made me acutely aware that I am one of those Americans who eats all day long…I am a grazer.  In Italy, they eat three meals a day.  They don’t snack.   I normally have a second meal at 10:00 a.m. Even as a child in school, I would wolf down a sandwich at my locker during recess.  My mom packed me two  in my lunchbox for that reason.  She understood that I got hungry mid morning, and that was her idea to tide me over until our school’s lunchtime.  I still eat that way.  I prefer to have very little food in my stomach when I sleep.  I also practice yoga before bed.

Lunch at our resort was 1:00 p.m.  I trained myself to eat a heavier breakfast, since my body is not used to having several hours between meals.  I never quite adapted, I just felt like I was overeating.  The food was exceptional, though.

Dinners were looked forward to and revered.   I dressed carefully and put on smoky eye make-up.  An Italian supper felt like three meals to me.   I enjoyed sitting with our group and devoured the delicious pasta, main courses, local wine, and light and tasty desserts. It was a huge adjustment though, since I normally eat three salads a day, several pieces of fruit, and have dinner at 4:00 p.m.  I did my best to go with the flow, and made sure to enjoy and taste everything.  

I felt full for a week upon returning to LA.  I guess the long international flights, extensive layovers, and stress took their toll on my body.  I was sick and weak for several days, though I am normally very healthy.  But, it was all worth it, and I learned that am not as young and invincible as I used to be.  Traveling that far by plane is really not a very natural thing.  I would like to take a transatlantic cruise next year.

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