Signs and Portents, an anniversary

Fourteen years ago, Partner and I got married in a coffee shop in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I highly recommend family-owned coffee shops as fabulous places in general, but they also make great venues for impromptu nuptuals. This particular shop was called Sky’s the Limit Coffee & Bakery, and was run by Mark and Jennifer. Good people. The building was a converted gas station, I think, and the customer area was divided into a main room and an overflow area. The overflow room had a giant plate glass window facing Main Street. We gathered there with a few friends and family members and got married in front of that window.

The store was decorated with quilt-hangings and vaguely tribal-looking art, and painted in cheerful colors. While the pastor made introductory remarks, Partner and I stood in the kitchen, holding hands and laughing nervously. We were also admiring the kitchen equipment. You’ve got to love giant mixing bowls. My favorite part of the shop, besides the apricot coffee cake, lovingly made by Jennifer with apricots picked fresh from her tree, were the quirky signs and posters hanging here and there. I have snapshots of just a few of them, and whenever I see them, I always marvel at how well these work together as prophecies of marriage. 

A movie poster from Straight to Hell, “A story of blood, money, guns, coffee, & sexual tension”No marriage, no matter how congenial, is without a little hell, right? This poster was hanging on the side of a large stainless steel fridge, purchased at a discount because of the giant, claw-like scratch down that side. The poster didn’t quite cover the scratches, so they peeked out from under the poster like a demon was trying to escape from the fridge. 

Danger: Monkeys BiteThis sign was on a bit of wall between some cooling racks. I’m not sure if the monkeys were in the ovens or just hanging around the kitchen. Our Sonars didn’t come along for several years, but once they did, we started referring to them as monkeys pretty regularly. They don’t bite anymore. Much.

The Sky’s the Limit MenuI love this little time capsule of economics and coffee preferences. You know you want a Jolt Cola.

Yes, I highly recommend coffee shops for getting coffee and getting married. Bookstores would be good too. What do you say, babe? Next time let’s get married in a bookstore. I know just the one.

Put a Little Heart in Your Love

This Valentine’s Day I did a tiny little bit of knitting, making a pink and brown striped and felted bottle cozy for a teacher gift. Of course I forgot to take a picture of it before sending it off to school today, so you’ll have to settle for knitting love of Valentines past.

A few years ago, I made these hearts for the Sonars using the Heart pattern from MochiMochiLand and then felted the wee lovelies. If you’ve never seen the clever little knitting at MochiMochiLand, go treat yourself to a wander around.

Felting is not required, but I love the way they turned out. The adventurous among you could knit the entire Luv Gun and put a little Cupid in your life.

Some of mine are a single heart, some are two hearts sewn back-to-back to give a puffier look, all are very quick to make and tuck in to a pocket or bag to spread a little love. The Sonars still keep them, stashed away in their treasure boxes. Where would you stash yours? 

Knitted, felted hearts

And if you remember those hearts, you might also remember the next one. In an impulse that was more startitis and less love, I made Knitty’s more anatomically correct Heart for Partner using some of the most delicious leftover Fleece Artist sock yarn sent to me ages ago by Crys (hi Crys!). Partner keeps it staked to his bulletin board above his desk.

A somewhat anatomical knitted heartHappy Valentine’s Day, everybody. Thanks for being out there and for putting a little love in MY heart.

Sunday Projects, No Pirates

The rain continues to fall.  As someone said so colorfully this morning, it’s clear and still.  Clear up to our asses and still raining.  I’m doing a little work around the website here, working on some ideas for NPR’s Three-Minute Fiction contest, and doing a little therapeutic knitting.  That’s the first half of a heart from MochimochiLand.  I’m looking for the pencil sharpener.  What do you do when the light is dim and the rain comes down? 

Notes about the blog and a short story, plus a bit of love knitting

Happy Heart Day

A photo of a hand-knit, somewhat anatomical heart.  Pattern is from Knitty, featuring fleece artist yarn in a colorway I cannot recall because I cannot find the ball band.  With a cameo by my ugliest towel.

Happy Day Lovelies

Knit and felted hearts, LionWool

P.S. I opted not to take the little guys to see Hillary yesterday; the pragmatics were just too much for me. But we did watch her live on tv, and I was inspired, knowing that she was in my neck of the woods.

P.P.S. I am still undecided.

Next Time: My First Race