And a Happy New Year

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We Never Forget Those We Love

one foot in front of the other

1 Corinthians 13:12

"For now we see through a glass, darkly,

but then face to face: now I know in part,

but then shall I know even as also I am known."

Finding My(self and my instrument)

{Can you find me in the crowd?? I'm the one in blue and yellow via beportland}

Last night I saw Bowerbirds at the Doug Fir here in Portland, and they were amazing. If you haven't heard of them you should. I remember when one of my dear friends introduced me to them in college and then told me they were coming to Portland and that I should go, but I didn't have anyone to go with and immediately regretted missing it.

I love that they played a good mix of their older songs (and that I can tell you exactly what they played since I snagged one of their handwritten set lists!) and their new songs sounded even better live.

I also enjoyed how multi-instrumental the whole band is, although their musical talent has thrown me into a bit of a crisis. It started during "Walk the Furrows" when the drummer started playing the castanets and I couldn't stop thinking "Why don't I play the castanets?" then they whipped out a melodica and I felt an urge to play the melodica too. I also keep thinking about the Sharon Van Etten concert I went to a couple weeks ago where Sharon played an autoharp, the autoharp is so cool, PJ Harvey plays an autoharp too. And what about the accordion?

So now I am dreaming of a new instrument to call my own, any suggestions? My dad says he can hear the oboe calling to me, maybe I will start out small with those castanets.

I will leave you with a song from the new Bowerbirds album, The Clearing.

A Leap Day in the Life

My leap day started out well with some major flakeage on the way to work, where we got a nice break to watch the Occupy Portland protest at 1, always a treat and this time they had matching yellow umbrellas. And the police were out in full force; there were police on bikes, motorcycles, horses, and in patrol cars.

The weather had me regretting my choice of footwear, nevertheless I trudged my little foot Popsicles up to Powell's on my lunch break.

I especially enjoyed the cover of Indie magazine this month...

And on the way back to work I saw some lovely horse manure left behind from the police at the protest.

Happy Leap Day.

Laura You So Pretty

(10 points if you can name the title reference)

Remember how I got a DSLR camera for Christmas (oh hey thanxs Sarah for the recommendation and Alyssa for encouraging me to take the plunge.) and how I promised myself that this was the end of lame photo booth pictures on my blog. Resolution fail. But a post with lame pictures is better than a naked post right (right Liz?)? So check out my Laura short row sweater, pattern via Purlbee!

I know your thinking it so I am just going to say it, this looks like a pregnancy picture. But I got to give you guys 360 views.

I love Purlbee and all their awesome patterns which are even great because they are free. I really want to make this clutch next, I have all the yarn ready to checkout but now I feel like I have to justify buying all this yarn. So if you have any (justifications, that is) please let me know.

I promise I'll be back soon, and with better pictures...

For Auld Lang Syne

We two have paddled in thestream,
from morning sun till dine ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

(it kind of pains me not to put up the Sufjan version, but you can listen to it here.)

For me 2011 was ushered out with dancing in a beautiful 1950s dress from Xtabay which was nice, but 2012 got off to a great start with a beautiful wind storm which I watched from the comfort of my wooly socks and a motorcycle gang that was right behind me on the freeway on the way to church, Happy New Year.