Sunday, August 12, 2012

Don't worry be hydrangea



I may have a tiny bit of a "hydrangea problem", as my friends with cameras call it. Mine are almost all blue; we have very acidic soil here, as the constant rains wash out most of the whatever ups the pH and dissolve a lot of things like carbonates in the soil. Good for blueberries and blue hydrangeas. The only pink one is one in a pot I have, and it is slowly going purple.

This week. 

Let me try again. This week, this month, this summer, has been high up on the crazy-o-meter. I should stop being coy about this.
This picture is more iconic, but I'd argue that mine was more accurate, at least in the summer.

We are moving to San Francisco.

Yes, the city. We figured if we're going to all the bother to move to the Bay Area, we might as well try the urban thing out before we're too old & crochety to appreciate it.

So we've been traveling down trying to get an idea of where we might want to live, checking out the neighborhoods and what's scary and what's walkable, and so many other things. We did finally find a place to rent, and now my anxiety needle has almost hit the far right end of the dial worrying that everything will work out with the deposit and the rent and everything. I am trying hard not to worry about it. It isn't working. My, it's another hydrangea picture!


Also, I am Ms. September Dyer in the Twisted Shawlette Club, and I am running around in full beheaded chicken mode dyeing and skeining and labeling. I've been out of town frequently so I've had a less not-at-the-regular-job time to complete them. I am almost done. I hope that everyone likes the color; I think the design is beautiful. Of course I am afraid I will get publicly stoned because everyone will despise the colorway. Because that's how my brain works. Thanks, brain.

Why look, a Fall hydrangea (they fade gradually to pink & brown)


I will miss Portland a lot. I will miss my garden and my plants (I can't take any of them with me. California has very strict import rules because of all the agriculture). I will miss the fine beer and the biking without many hills unless I want them, the lovely calm neighborhood, the bursts of sweetness that are Portland like Sunday Parkways and Mill Ends Park. I will miss the warm-hot summer months and the fresh raspberries and blueberries and blackberries, the farmers market I can walk to, which is currently selling me fresh cherries and blueberries and peaches. Damn, I will miss all the great yarn stores and fabric stores.

That said, I'm anticipating all the new things I can find and experience. And I think that for me it's good to shake things up sometimes, try something new. (Frances does not agree but she doesn't know about it yet. urk. Not looking forward to transporting her.)

But meantime my head is trying to worry itself into fine little confetti pieces. Time to try more distractions. Come hell or hibiscus.

7 comments:

Knittripps said...

Oh my gosh! That is BIG news! Congratulations and good luck. That sounds very brave to me.

I like "Don't worry by hydrangea". When I was pregnant I listened to "Don't worry be happy" almost daily to keep me from worrying.

kmkat said...

Exciting! And scary! Those two things always go together, don't they? What an adventure.

Cookie said...

Love the flowers. So excited to have you closer. Btw, did you check out the ag site? My local plant inspector or whoever he is happens to be very nice about plants getting mailed into Cali. I wonder what the rules are for bringing in plants. If it wasn't so hot, I would be begging for a cutting from that geranium you posted a bit ago.

Zardra said...

If you have any questions about The City or the Bay Area, let me know and I can try to help out. The husband works right down near the Ferry Building and knows where to find good food, and we've lived in the area for well over a decade now. :)

Diann Lippman said...

Ditto what Zardra said. I've been in the Bay Area for over 20 years, and my office is on Market Street. I lived in Chinatown, North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf and the inner Richmond before heading toward San Jose (why, yes, I do know the way) and now the East Bay. I BART in to the City daily, and know some great places to eat and buy yarn.

Big Alice said...

Thank you Diann! I would love to hear your suggestions. Stupid blogger won't let me email you directly.

Hippy Goodwife said...

I love hydrangea! and I love SF. I don't love you moving farther way, but then I guess that is my problem, eh? My good friend Sarah Barsness is an artist in SF, she's on FB. She knows everything. Like where the best japanese spa is and good food. and I will try no to be jealous of your adventure....