Sign me up

I signed up for two things yesterday: The Slow Readers' Book Club thanks to Christina at Down and Out Chic, and A Year of Schnibbles thanks to Sinta at Pink Pincushion. You may be thinking that I have in the past complained about mentioned the lack of time to do all the things I want to do. So why am I adding two new things in this brand new year?

They will actually dovetail together quite nicely. For years, I listened to Books on Tape, books on cassette tape, that is. And then that company went kaput and I signed up for an account at audible.com where I could download unabridged books to my iPod, 12 book credits a year. In 2009, I actually chose 11 books and added them to my library, and then, in a whole year I listened to one book. One. It seems I had a self-imposed "year of silence." Don't ask me why. I never could quite figure it out myself. So along comes Christina, and I thought to myself that this is just what I need to get me listening to books again. I checked, and sure enough the chosen book (Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls) was available on audible, I had one credit left, so I added it to my library, fired up my iPod and will start listening to it this afternoon...while I sew.

Which brings me to the second thing I signed up for. One of my favorite quilt designers is Carrie Nelson from Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. Among other great things, she designs smallish quilts called schnibbles, usually about 30" x 30" or so. The members of "A Year of Schnibbles" make a different quilt each month. Small quilt. I think I can handle it. I'm a little late to the party, as the "year" started in September, but I think they will let me party along anyway. And the pattern for January is Madeline. And can you believe it? I already have everything I need, pattern, fabric, and whole nine yards (or rather lots of 5" squares and less than two yards for the border, backing and binding), thanks to a birthday gift certificate from my parents.

So (sew), two new endeavors to start the year off in an inspirational and creative way, and no money out of my pocket, at least not for the month of January!

Oh say, can you sea?

We didn't exactly leave by the dawn's early light, but Mark needed to do some work in Carmel, one of our favorite places on the coast, so I took the day off to ride along with him.

The two colors of lettuce just popped against the backdrop of the foothills.

Mark met up with Al Saroyan, an architect he has worked with for years (nephew to William Saroyan, and yes, that was just a bit of blatant name-dropping on my part) and they went off to the job site.

I could have wandered around Carmel, which is a very quaint town with an Old European feel to it, art galleries, beautiful flowers everywhere...

and mysterious little alleyways that lead to yet another store or art gallery...

but instead, my books and I made our way to my very favorite spot, the Carmel Coffee House. Down another little alleyway...

Through the red door that is always open and welcoming...

Where they roast their own beans...

and brewed a great cup of coffee just perfect for sipping while I had some precious reading time. (Note to Candy: I may not have posted much on etsy yet, but I sure am spending some quality time studying marketing strategies...)

And what else was there to see? Ah, the sea...