#igettolivehere

Finished my scrappy Musselburgh hat last night and wore it to Jackson Beach on this blustery vernal equinox. That’s a really warm hat!

The Old-Fashioned Holiday Market is tucked into and around the Brickworks here in Friday Harbor. It's a merry, festive collection of island artists that never fails to send amazing, beautiful treasures home with me. Half the fun is learning about their work.

This year I found:

Beautifully dyed alpaca/wool yarn from The Farm at Krystal Acres. This tonal skein in peachy colors makes me smile.

My favorite Bobby's Basil Chai chocolate from Inspired Earth Tea and new-to-me My Spicy Lover.

Greeting cards of the front and back of Bjorn Ironside the Viking Gnome, inspired by the artist's tall, red-haired, food-loving son. Love the drumstick held behind Bjorn's back.

A handblown glass ornament from The Glass Underground in swirls of deep orange and green. Every year I add one special ornament to my tree. This is the one for 2025!

Outside Brickworks, the brick pig was decked out Santa garb. Alas, the tail was left bare.

There should be summer solstice picnics and colorful lights at dusk and laughter in good company. At least that was my vibe while I plucked snippets of color in the warm sun.

I transplanted two root bound pots of oregano from the grocery store, sowed a pot of basil, and repotted one of four little rosemary plants. By the end of summer I may have herbs coming out of my orifices!

Along the way, I discovered this itty bitty (less than 1/4 inch across) pinkish plant growing in my porch railing. I tried unsuccessfully to revive a succulent there last summer. Maybe this is its offspring!

Near the Port of Friday Harbor Marina. Down a short, steep slope this bench is largely hidden from view. It’s a good place to take refuge, knit for a while, and watch the ferries come and go. It’s my island life. I get to live here.

Thursday was cool, overcast, and drizzling, a perfect day for knitting cozy aboard the interisland ferry. Shades of green and gray. Water, land, and sky. Photos through rain-streaked windows, reflections like invading spacecraft. A calm and peaceful place to knit that's not a fluorescent-lit interior room.

Chilly outside, warm sitting in the sun. No passengers near. Beautiful weather, peaceful knitting.

I purposely live without a car on San Juan Island, so the Island Airporter is a convenient way to get to SeaTac. (From there I take the light rail into Seattle.)

True, getting to the Friday Harbor ferry landing by 5:00 a.m. makes for an early start to the day. On the plus side, though, the ferry and shuttle are places to knit, and I like seeing first light over Anacortes.