Springtime in Portland

Spring in Portland is beautiful. There is green grass, lush trees and blooming flowers everywhere. But this beauty (as all good things do) comes at a price. Rain. Lots and lots of rain. I'm sure you have gathered from previous posts that I love the rain and that was one of the things I missed most about living in Dubai. I love the sound of rain, the smell and the way is cleans the dust off of everything.

Of course in my memories of rain while sitting in the 100 degree weather in Dubai I had completely neglected to think about the down sides to rain. The traffic, the way it makes your car all dirty and the fact that there are so many things you cant do when it's raining (like go to the Zoo)...

Portland is known for their rainy days and I remember joking with people back in UAE about how we get rain in Portland the way they get sun in Dubai. hehehe. But we finally got a break in the rain and we were able to go for a walk around the neighborhood and enjoy some of the beauty that the rain brings us...

Lake Owassa, New Jersey

Directly after we arrived in to the States we headed for my Great Aunt's house on Lake Owassa in New Jersey. It's about an hour and a half drive from New York City into the mountains of New Jersey where there is a channel of lakes along the Appalachian Trail.


Husband and I headed out to the lake with my mom, my sister and her husband and ADORABLE little girl (the one I always knit for) family style, in a mini van. When we arrived we were greeted by all of our extended family which included my mom’s aunt and cousins. We have visited this lake on many occasions so it was great to show Husband where I use to visit during my summers and where I learned to water ski.

All the family was immediately commenting on the strange weather. The clouds, the rain, the chill in the air, they just couldn’t explain how weather like this was occurring in June! They were sorry that we wouldn’t be able to swim and water ski. I on the other hand was thrilled and said as much. I mean it was RAIN! Real live, natural, rain! I couldn’t have been happier. I was honest and said “swimming I can get in Dubai but rain is something else all together.” Seriously people, I’m an Oregonian. I grew up wading through the puddles and UAE’s lack of rain is something that has been hard for me to adjust to. The fact that we got to sit through a proper storm during our first couple of days in the country just meant the trip was off to a better start than I could have hoped for.

Just look at that gorgeous precipitation. And the CLOUDS! I love it!


We were able to get out on to the lake a bit while we were there. We went boating on a pontoon boat (that was a blast and it went way faster than I would have expected)and Husband went kayaking! He kayaks like a pro.


Afterwards we had a big family style barbeque with steak and wild salmon. YUM!

The next morning things cleared up enough to show us just how beautiful the lake can be.


It was a great couple of days in New Jersey. I really enjoyed spending time with all of our family and a getting a couple of quiet days in the mountains. It has to be one of my all time favorite places.

Next up: New York City!

I stand corrected.

Rain is real and it can come out of the sky in buckets at a time... Seriously it was amazing how much water could fall out of the sky. and to think it happened without the help of the government seeding the clouds.


It's hard to tell but there are a bunch of cars pulled over on the side of the road waiting out the down pour! But not me! Nope! I'm an Oregonian. If we pulled over every time it rained, well, we'd never get anywhere. I laugh in the face of rain! Of course I also know to drive at a reasonable speed and get away from the fast lane so all the crazies* can go by.


This is the scene as I left my office today. Beautiful, clear sky... like the whole thing never happened. All that's left are a few puddles here and there as proof that we don't have a proper drainage system is this ever growing country known as the UAE

*by "crazies" i mean those guys in the fancy cars and feel that even though it hasn't rained properly in 10 months that they can handle the roads and speeds averaging 100 mph (160 kph) because they have "traction control" :::eye roll:::

Knit Picks!!

I got a shipment today! I know! I'm so excited. Let me show you what came...

First I needed some more Knit Picks supplies. I ordered two sets of cables and a second set of both 7's and 5's. I also got some of the buttons that are the rainbow colors like the KP Options. I LOVE THESE!!


I also got some some Wool of the Andes in Coal and Telemark in Cream and because I already have some colors stashed and I thought these would give me t he perfect opportunity to work on some fair isle work.


and then there's this! this is the reason i place the order in the first place (really i don't know how the other things ended up in the basket. i'm blaming it on... uuuhhhh... the mouse slipped? yeah! the mouse slipped! lets go with that one) it's the Swish Bulky in Squirrel Heather. And I love the color

It's merino. It's soft and comfy and I can't wait to turn it into the Windowpane Coat from Interweave Knits. I'm so excited to get started!


On a side note I saw this as I was leaving for work today



I heard that it is something called "rain" that comes from the sky. hmmm. Apparently it's a natural and common phenomenon. But really I just don't trust it. I mean water comes from the black hoses running along the ground under the bushes. Not the sky. Right?

summer vacation is over

yep it's all over.

we are now on the decent in to fall. and i'm looking forward to it. it's so flipping hot and boring here and i'm ready for normal weather. i was talking to my dad and he was saying that back home, in the Pacific Northwest, it had been pouring rain. i was jealous. jealous i tell you! i miss the smell, i miss the sound and i miss the feel of the air. this ridiculous heat out here is just no fun. there's no leaves changing color or rain jackets (we don't use umbrellas where i come from), no pumpkin picking or fresh apple pie, no nip in the air as we get closer to winter.... :::sigh:::

but then something wonderful happened as i was driving down Sheikh Zayed Road complaining to my dad... it rained. here. in the United Arab Emirates. it was like 8 drops, not even enough to wet the car or the roads but it was rain i tell you. glorious rain! rain that us Ducks just can't live with out! rain that cleans the air and nourishes the plants! of course it was rain planted as an experiment by the government but rain none the less.

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the end of summer also marks another important event. the beginning of (American) football season. yes collage football season has begun and i'm proud to say that my team, the University of Oregon, Ducks, have gotten off to a good start.... by winning. i'll keep you posted as the season continues