22.10.09

alabama hills: take 2

after a weekend of fun climbing at Tahquitz, we are headed back up to the alabama hills for a few days of camping and climbing in a beautiful setting. the a-hills are perfect for mellow outdoor time. good weather (usually sunny days and cool nights), nice flat, sandy campspots tucked into rock alcoves, and ample fun, non-committing climbing with no big approaches or chance of getting lost. while it doesn't appeal to my sense of adventure, it does appeal to my desire for fireside lounging and just spending days outside. i can't wait! i just need to decide what knitting to take with me...

tahquitz

leading a fun pitch last weekend

i'm making good progress on my lightweight pullover and i think i'm going to love wearing it, so perhaps i'll take that with me...
or i could finish the lavalette i just started last week. on jillian's recommendation, i went to abuelita's, a yarn shop in south pasadena and bought some malabrigo sock. when i got home with it, however, i just didn't feel like knitting socks. so i started a triangle shawl - my first one ever!

purple malabrigo lavalette

progress on lightweight pullover - almost thru the waistshaping

happy weekends everyone!

7.10.09

my life in a numbered list

hi! long time, no blog...

life has been an upside-down crazy whirlwind for the last few months. in a nutshell, here's what's been happening:

1. i finished my phd. incredible.

2. i started - and finished - a postdoctoral research position that was a BIG project crammed into a SHORT amount of time, so i was working like a freaking MANIAC for a while there... but it's mostly wrapped up now. just have to finish reducing the data and write the manuscript ;)

3. i co-led a field trip to the eastern sierras (my favorite place on earth, maybe) and snuck in a day of climbing at the beautiful alabama hills.

lone pine peak in center and whitney portal on the right. awesome storm that day.

the shark's fin. fun climbing in the alabama hills

4. i moved to LA. it's exciting. i miss the desert. i am still desert at heart.

recent shot of my 'best friend' shortly after a monsoon storm

5. there were going away parties galore (all of which strangely involved only me wearing costumes). i felt so warm and fuzzy and loved. i have terrific friends.

6. i'm starting a new postdoctoral position... in january! i pushed my start date back three months so that i could move, relax, write said manuscript, travel, climb, and see family. i'm 2 days into my "vacation" and i'm loving it!

7. i still knit. lots! right now i'm obsessing over the lightweight pullover. can't put it down! i've also knit up a bunch of hats, some of which i gave away before even snapping a picture, which i think is the best compliment you can give to a knitted hat! i'm still plugging away on muir and float and loving both. BUT, i am a very slooooow lace knitter.

kate gagnon osborn's herringbone hat - i DID get a pic of this one!

lumpy muir in plucky knitter laceweight merino

neck of lightweight pullover in classic elite fresco. love the yarn!

8. i'm looking for yarn shop recommendations for the LA area - any good ones?