The Amaryllis Connection

May 17, 2017 By Carole

I have more to share about Charleston – more food and flowers and fun – but those posts are going to take some time. Time to organize the photos and time to write about them and right now I just don’t have a lot of time. I’ve been busy at work with meetings and hiring people and more. I’ve been busy at home with socializing and book club and, well, reading. So for today I’m going to just share one photo from our trip.

This is an amaryllis from Magnolia Plantation. And I took this photo especially for the blog because so many of us grow amaryllis at Christmas time. Bonny has her amaryllis watch and Kym buys bulbs from special gardening resources. Kat grows them and Vicki grows them and Mary does, too. And yesterday Mary posted pictures of amaryllis growing in Florida that she saw while visiting her mom last week.

All of this is just another example of how our blogs connect us in amazing and wonderful ways. I feel so fortunate to be a part of this community.

SPA Friends

February 28, 2017 By Carole

That there is a not-that-great picture of a truly-great group of women. Some of them I see frequently, some occasionally and some only once or twice a year.

And yet.

Every one of them is my friend. Every one of them gets the bond that exists among members of this fabulous fiber community. Our friendship exists because of a mutual need to create and play with wool. It also exists because we all have a healthy appreciation for snark and an underlying need to avoid all drama at all costs.

They are a fabulous bunch and I’m so very fortunate to call them mine.

SPA 2016

March 3, 2016 By Carole

I still owe you stories about our adventures in New York City but let’s take care of SPA, first, mmmkay?

In case you didn’t realize it, SPA was originally started about 12 or 13 years ago by a small group of women looking for a respite from the winter doldrums. They chose a hotel in Portland, Maine and went for the weekend. They brought their knitting and their spinning and they hung out together, swimming in the pool and eating good food and enjoying each other’s company. Since that time SPA has moved to Freeport, expanded to 3 different hotels (each filled about to capacity from what I understand) and now includes vendors to supply us with yarn and fiber.

But the essence of SPA? That need to take a break from winter and hang out with like minded friends who enjoy fiber pursuits along with a good cocktail and delicious food? That hasn’t changed a bit. And that’s what I spent my weekend doing.

Sharon and Jo-Ann and Vivian (Jo-Ann’s sister-in-law) headed to Maine first thing Thursday morning. We had lunch at Gritty’s, per tradition. We broke with tradition for a visit to Halycon yarn but after that everything was pretty much second-verse-same-as-the-first.

The same good friends.

The same great restaurants.

The same awesome vendors.

It’s no wonder I look forward to it all year.

Around Town With Kym

October 15, 2015 By Carole

I have had such a good time with Kym these last few days. I knew I would – we’d spend time together a few years ago at Margene’s – but it’s been even better than I thought it would be. We have talked and talked – in fact, she’s probably heard way more about my life and my family than she ever wanted – and we’ve really gotten to know each other.

Here are the highlights of the things we’ve done – nothing terribly exciting but very Massachusetts-in-autumn, if you will.

We took a drive to Plymouth. On the way we saw a few cranberry bogs being harvested. It’s always great when someone visiting can experience this and for me, well, it never gets old.

While in Plymouth we saw The Mayflower and, of course, the iconic Plymouth Rock. There’s nothing quite like showing off that little gem.

We also had a delicious lunch at The Blue Eyed Crab. The pear and cilantro margaritas are fantastic.

Yesterday we pretty much hung out at my house. I had more ambitious ideas for the day but, well, we got to talking and the next thing I new it was after 1pm. So we went for a walk around my town. I showed Kym our town common and cemetery and pointed out the various highlights of our history.

We enjoyed a martini together before dinner, chatting with Dale and snacking on cheese and crackers.

I made a yummy dinner (pot roast, my go-to company main course) and an apple pie for dessert. I must admit, that apple pie was pretty perfect.

It’s really been a terrific time and today I will be delivering Kym to Patty and from there they will go on to Rhinebeck.

It’s so great when your imaginary friends turn out to be just like you’d hoped.

Fiber Revival 2014

August 11, 2014 By Carole

I meant it when I said I wanted an uneventful weekend. That didn’t, however, mean I wanted a weekend without fun. And lo and behold, I had fun with my spinning and knitting friends at Fiber Revival.

Blogless Sharon and I were up and on the road Saturday morning at 8am and arrived in Newburyport at 9:30. Nice and early so that we would have all the time we needed to visit and shop and spin and knit. And we did all of that and then some!

The vendors at this event are dear friends and it was fun to see them and buy from them – I may have once again succumbed to the persuasive powers of JessaLu, the beautiful batts that Josette dyes, and the gorgeous new gradient kits that Kim is offering. By the way, Manise and Kathy and Cheryl and I have decided that gradients are the new variegated. We have stated it so it must be so.

The very popular Ipswich Ale beer truck was on site with Summer Ale. And the lunch (I had the chipotle chicken pita pocket) was terrific.

Believe it or not, between all the eating, drinking, shopping & visiting, I still managed to find time to spin. And friends, I have not spun since SPA, I think, so I was way overdue to sit down at my wheel. As always when I spin, I enjoy it like crazy and wonder why I don’t do it more often.

The event may have ended at 4pm but the day wasn’t over for us – there was still dinner and a small group of us – let’s see, it was Kelly (organizer extraordinaire for this event) and Josette, Sharon and I, Diane (dear friend to all and best storyteller ever!), Wendy (a new friend I made on Saturday), JessaLu and Heather of Mad Color and Terry – went out for sushi and more chatting and talking, everything from books to yarn to designers and more. It was the perfect way to end this time with friends but – guess what? – it still wasn’t over because Sharon and I came back to my house and watched . . .

wait for it . . .

Episode One of Outlander on Starz. We loved it and I’m so glad we got to watch it together since Sharon is the one who first told me about this book series and I’m so grateful she did. I may have had to clean the drool off my couch once we were done watching but it was worth it, I’ll tell you that.

So, to recap my Saturday:

friends, wool, knitting, alpacas, beer, lunch, shopping, spinning, gossiping, sushi, Outlander, Jamie Fraser, tequila.

What more could a girl ask for?