First things first

First things first: immediately rip open Sockapal-4-za package.  The  socks and my feet have finally met.  They're beautiful and they fit perfectly, and are knit by Gail who 1) knits, obviously 2) homeschools their two children, 3) lives in the same town in Missouri that my MIL lived in when I first met her 14 years ago, the furthest east I had been up until that point, and 4) writes a rather witty blog.  The yarn is so perfectly caramelly and late summer/fallish, and is hand-dyed by Lisa Souza.  Very nice stuff.  The color is Pumpkin, by the way.  And, yes, Gail, I agree that the pattern carries a certain likeness to Klingon head ridges, that is, until they're on and clinging to my feet, when they instantly become lacey and lovely and quite non-Star Trekkish.  Thank you, too, for the fabric and soap as well.  Another great sock exchange, Alison!

I really could have used these socks for the chilly mornings in Oregon and the rainy days along the coast in Canada.  That's O.K., though, since I have them now and the mornings are now chilly enough to want to start a small fire in the woodstove, but it's still to dry to do so with out fear of catching something on fire with the sparks.  I think there's a ban on doing so anyways, so socks will have to do.

Second things second:  unpack car, including such things as a dyepot full of Dahlia dyebath, a gallon jar full of Rudbeckia dyebath, and a milk jug full of flowers cut from my parents garden in Seattle, clam shells collected from our feasting along the coast, little hemlock cones, reindeer lichen, and madrona bark from our trip up the B.C. coast, hazelnuts brought from Oregon, acorn caps from Washington, dye plants and elderberries gathered from the sides of the roads on the way home yesterday.  And 4 gallons of frozen blackberries for making jam.  Doesn't everyone carry home along with them these sorts of things in their car, across states and countries?  Tell me, am I the only one?  Is this normal behavior?  Well, it's normal for me, anyways. 

Comments

[Lucette]

Looks like you had quite an adventure during your time away. The flowers are fabulous, and am looking forward to see what you plan to dye. I just pick two large vats of frozen cherries also for jam making. soon.

[DeeDee]

Glad you and the kiddos are back safe and sound. Sounds like you've got a few busy days ahead of you; hope you can manage to make some time for blogging so we can continue to share your exploits, even if it is vicariously. Homemade blackberry jam sounds delicious!

[Heather]

I will have to show my husband your post so that he knows that I am not the only one who brings home all sorts of nature's goodies from our trips, I find that I am quite often happier when he comes along so that we have a truck box that I can fill instead of just the back of my car. ;-) I wonder what the Rudbeckia dye bath will turn out like? I have lots of wool to dye and lots of Rudbeckia flowers. Hmmm.

[Brandy]

Sounds perfectly normal to me! Glad you're back.

[jennie]

what are those beautiful yellow-pink flowers in the milk jug? They are amazing!

[Peg]

Sorry it was raining or a heavy mist, when you were up my way. We have had the strangest summer, but perhaps your folks in Seattle feel the same about the past few months.
I also come home with lots of souvenirs of a trip! You will have fun with dyeing and I can see a wreath or something from the lichen, shells and cones!

[Michelle]

Beautiful!

Hope you're all caught up.(:

[Carrie]

Woo! What treasures! (Especially the blackberries. YUM.)
Great socks!

[kitkatknit]

We used to haul home snapping turtle from Minnesota when I was a kid and let the go in canals around Denver. So it sounds normal to me too!

[Lizz]

Oh yes, yes indeed!

[Ellen]

Definitely normal!

[katie]

Seems entirely normal to me. Whenever we visit my husband's parents in Oregon we are always feasting on local produce. Can't bring any home, though, because we fly there from our home in Indiana--and there's just no way to bring coolers. :) Just makes the visits that much sweeter, I suppose.

[Elizabeth]

Works for me. Now we know what dyeing delights we are in for here.
I'm catching up from a week away and have the same title post. Great minds and all that..

[Amber]

The kind of normal that everyone should enjoy! Have fun with those berries and socks!

[Julia]

Wow, lucky you! Those are seriously lovely Sockapalooza socks. I love the pattern and the yarn!!

[Melissa]

Whenever I go home to Memphis I always bring back those "tastes" of home. A bottle or two of my favorite Bar-B-Q sauce, my favorite cheese dip and taco sauce, commercial brands but not sold where I live now, and several gallons of Memphis tap water because it's better than any bottled water you could buy. Not to mention while we're there I have to eat an Exline's pizza.

My mom always loads the car down with coffee, laundry detergent, a 5 lb bag of sugar and toilet paper. I'm not really sure what's up with that but she never lets us leave without giving us a trunk full of staples. Well I do know what's up with her doing that, she believes you can never have too much of the above listed products.

The socks are great!

[GailV]

Glad to see the socks made it there in spite of my goofy address label. And speaking of goofy, I'd forgotten about that Klingon head-ridge remark -- gees, you weren't supposed to see that. How about I stick a bag over my head and slink away now....

I had caught on you had a relative who lived in this general area. Funny that it was in this town. We've only been here a couple of years, and if you'd mentioned this town to me 14 years ago I would've simply given you a blank look.

I'm having fun exploring a new-to-me area of the country via your blog!

[TheAmpuT]

I dont bring home as many good things as you do, but no matter what, I always bring home one little item (rock or sand or leaf or something) to add the "collection".