just one thing, and i'll be ok

i need a miracle, every day...

so i got one -- we went back to mission la purisima in lompoc, but poor little thing 2 had had it. christmas, and then boxing day full of nonstop star wars lego wii's rollercoaster of successes and abject failures led him to an inability to deal. he was exhausted. so the guided tour went on, thing 1 got to ring an original mission bell (!), and dad went with her. thing 2 and i retired to the car, i set up a nest in the back,


and while he snoozed (he's in the red sweater, head on the plaid pillowcase, behind the purl rows), i finished the first half of my alpaca lovely leaf lace scarf, drank in the sunshine, the cold breeze, and listened to:

on the xm or sirius, not quite sure any more. i have to say, for touring the hills of the central california coast, there is absolutely no better soundtrack than the dead. if you think of one, let me know. but try my suggestion, ok? it's perfect.

we got home this afternoon after spending the night in lompoc (and stopping by solvang to see the "world's biggest gingerbread house" which i'd also have to say qualifies as one of the "world's biggest disappointments") (but a pretty drive past alisal ranch on the way back). i decided that since i really have wanted to do this for quite a while, i would go ahead and paint this incredible geometrically, focal pointedly interesting picture from the mission. i'm not saying the painting is incredible -- i know better than that ;-) --- but the location is really satisfying visually. here's the painting scene, complete with kitchen mess:

and here's the finished product:

it actually looks better in the photo than it does in person. how's that for bloggily convenient?

i have not updated my "on the kneedles" for quite a while. lots of knitting adventures in progress.