Orange Rumples

This is a picture of "Joe's Scarf" also titled "Orange Rumples" which is a Birthday present suspended in a serious state of delay. Hopefully this warm toasty gift will be delivered before long. If you'd like to check out more pictures you can check out my ravelry page, I've got a few up on there. As my first crochet scarf, this project took four skeins of  Berrocco Ultra Alpaca yarn and more than a few hours of labor, hopefully Joe G. will be pleased.

    Today when temperatures were lifted again (thank you weather gods) from the lovely 18 degreees below zero that we've been having, it felt perfectly appropriate to wear a simple sweatshirt and fingerless gloves outside. I can only imagine living in the upper midwest. Bless em and their cold toes. 

I've been marveling at this new site. It's called The Selby, (Todd Selby) and all photographs are of peoples living spaces. Artists, designers, crafts people, musicians, and all the places that they inhabit. The images provide small snipets into these peoples lives and are very inspiring to look at for fun and for decorating ideas and general creativity. 

Truckman and I watched a good documentary last night called 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama. A man sets off into Tibet on a shoestring budget to make a film and decides to attempt getting an interview with the Dalai Lama. Beautiful scenery, some obviously horriffic brutality of the Tibetan people, and much laughter and wisdom from the Dalai Lama. We enjoyed his happiness and frankness about humanity, peace, human relationships, and simple wisdom.

 Which leads me to this story...

Several weeks ago I was standing in line at a pharmacy at a huge chain store which I'm not proud of. I had had a disturbing argument with someone and all I could think about was how angry I was (this was just before New Years, and my plans were seemingly being ruined before my very eyes!) and I was festering there as I arrived at a line of no less than 15 people waiting for drugs at the pharmacy. All of a sudden I look over and there are two monks traditional dress on, walking through the shampoo aisle. Holding nothing in their hands, moving quickly, I only saw their backs, and their shaved heads, and then they were gone. 

   I took that as a sign, and decided to calm down. I started laughing at myself and felt an instant sense of relief.

 I have no doubt that they showed up for me, and maybe a few other people in the store that night, and man I was glad they did.