K Is for . . .

Kentucky, my beloved home state. Not only was I born and raised there (with a few detours along the way), but many of my ancestors were also Kentuckians (or Tennesseans)--"my people are from there," as we like to say, y'all.

The images above were taken several years ago on a trip in and about Lexington (my hometown). People on the West Coast generally have no idea how utterly gorgeous Kentucky is --it's every shade of green in the spring; every shade of orange and red and brown in the fall; and just as lovely in summer and winter. The people are friendly, the bluegrass music rocks, the food is yummy (Derby pie, anyone?) . . . I could go on and on, really. I'm right proud to call myself a Kentuckian.

I didn't appreciate Kentucky until I moved away, to Southern California. Now I fondly remember the way the air felt and smelled on that very first day of fall . . . the lightning bugs . . . the smell of newly mown grass on an early summer morning . . . the crunch crunch crunch of leaves on every sidewalk during October. It's not a perfect place of course--but then, it's hard to find perfection, no? My Old Kentucky Home, indeed.

"K" is also for knitting. I love to knit but unfortunately am barely past the knit/purl stage. I do hope to improve--and I have loads of fun knitting books and magazines (new and vintage) full of things to make. The Web is loaded with free patterns, as well as talented knitters and their blogs--I draw great inspiration from them. Someday . . .