Heading Into Summer

2012 has been a very busy year so far. It is hard to believe that summer is right around the corner. In February I had the honor to be a featured designer on Canary Knits Indie Designer Day. Teresa Gregorio, aka Canary Knits, is a fabulous designer. She has a beautiful design that is published in the book Brave New Knits. Then in April, another designer, Lidia Tsymbal, aka Madam Butterfly, interviewed me on her blog: Lorna Pearman Interview. Lidia has some really pretty shawl designs. Do check out both of these talented knitter's designs, you won't be sorry!

I was the featured artist for the month of April at our local Siuslaw Valley Bank in Pleasant Hill. Each month the bank features a local artist or business. I set up a nice display similar to what I take to our local Dexter Lake Farmers' and Crafters' Market. Included in my display was knitting, hand-crafted soap and photography. I even sold some things.

The only items that I could not include in my display were my garden starts that I also sell at the Market. The greenhouse really consumes my time from February through May as I raise (mostly) peppers and tomatoes from seed. I just finished the final transplanting and I'm ready for Market which begins this Sunday from Noon to 3pm. My offerings include 13 varieties of Tomatoes (222 plants), 14 varieties of Sweet Peppers (196 plants) and 15 varieties of Hot Peppers (197 plants), as well as Tomatillos, Sweet Basil, Thai Basil, 2 varieties of Lavendar, Golden Hyssop and a few other herbs and flowers.

I also sell my starts directly from the greenhouse, so this next month will be a busy one as mid-May thru mid-June is the optimum planting time for this area. The Farmers' Market continues every Sunday through the end of September, so if you live in the area, or are just visiting, please stop by and say hello. Dexter Lake is a beautiful setting for our Market and boasts one of the best disc golf courses in the world.

This year will be my first year vending at the Irving Grange Community Market. This market will happen on the first Saturday of each month beginning on June 2nd and ending on Oct. 6th., and will be open from 10am until 4pm. I will be at each of these Markets except Aug. 4th. I'm pretty excited to be included in this new market and I will also be at their December Holiday Market, but I don't have the details yet as to dates and time. On Aug. 4th my husband and I will be hosting our annual Lost Valley Music Festival on our 2.5 acre piece of paradise here in Dexter. This year will be our 31st year.
As if all of this doesn't keep me busy enough, I also am in a band called "The Pears" with Dennis Pearman (my husband on guitar and keyboards), Mike Murray (bass) and Bob Becker (drums). I play keyboards and sing, and we rehearse weekly. We will be playing in Eugene, OR at the Maize Lounge at 13th and Oak on May 24th (Thurs) and in Chico, CA at On The Rocks on Sat., June 23rd.

If you'd like, you can check us out here http://www.reverbnation.com/thepearsband where you can listen to 13 songs  from our new CD "Green Buddha" that we just finished recording.
Have a wonderful summer and remember that the Dalai Lama said "The purpose of our lives is to be happy". I choose happiness.

Two Rabbit's Pantheon of Bunnies

There is a lot of folklore surrounding rabbits, but the following is one of my favorites. In Aztec mythology, a pantheon of four hundred rabbit gods known as Centzon Totochtin, led by Ometotchtli or Two Rabbit, represented fertility, parties and drunkenness. While I really don't want rabbits to find their way into my garden, it's fun to imagine them having a wild party in the garden by the light of the moon, while the world sleeps, oblivious to the fun they're having. Inspired by this myth and my love of gardening, my new pattern I am working on is a garden variety of bunnies...here is one of 4 so far, and, like rabbits, more are on the way.

Spring and Rejuvination

Each Spring I feel a new burst of energy as the days grow longer and new growth appears on trees and in the gardens. The garlic I planted last October is already 6-7" tall, and the greenhouse is full of peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, broccoli, basil and lavendar starts for our local farmers' market that opens on May 13 at Dexter Lake. We have a raised bed in the greenhouse where lettuce, carrots, arugula, beets, spinach, and onions have made their appearance. My knitting slows down as the greenhouse calls me each day to water and transplant the seedlings into bigger pots. Soon the Rhododendrons and Azaleas will be in bloom and the landscape will be a riot of color, with 100+ year old Fir trees as the backdrop. Although I appreciate the break from gardening that Winter provides, I always look forward to this time of year.

The Pears are growing...

Click here to listen to  The Pears Band...13 songs from our new CD "Green Buddha"

Willow Moon Scarf

I finally finished a new design, not that it should have taken me as long as it did, but I am doing a lot of work towards growing tomato and pepper starts in our greenhouse to be ready for our local farmers' market, as well as making soap, printing macro-photos for cards that I make, etc. Spring does get me going, but there is so much to do. The Willow tree symbolizes the beginning of Spring, when all of life is stirring below, ready to shoot outwards once again. I feel that stirring within myself each Spring, anxious to sow seeds and feel that same sense of awe I feel each year as each tiny seed I plant becomes its own unique and incredible self, offering itself in the form of food and beauty for all to enjoy. I named this design "Willow Moon"... the Willow Leaf Edging is from Weldon's Practical Needlework Vol. 5, and combined with linen stitch for the body of the scarf, the difference in gauge causes a gentle curve to the scarf reminiscent of a crescent Moon.

The Pears on ReverbNation

The Pears, original music written by Lorna Pearman on keyboards and vocals, Dennis Pearman - additional arrangements, guitar and additional keyboards, with Bob Becker on drums and Mike Murray on bass. Recorded and produced by Dennis Pearman at Rabbit Hole Studio.

Roositud Inlay ~ Thank you, Knitting Daily...this technique is what I've been searching for.

Whether you're yarnin' for someone, or just yarnin' for more yarn, have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Beautiful Snow

We had snow last night...what a beautiful temporary event, usually only once or twice a year, and lingering for just a few days.

Release Your Inner Elf...

An Elvish Elder...