Friday Flowers

Isn't Friday supposed to be for eye candy or something? I keep seeing that on other people's blogs. So I've got something for you.Last Saturday I went and climbed the 777 Steps. This is exactly what it sounds like - a giant staircase up a mountain. Saturday was a nice day, and after reading about the Great Wall and talking to Pantalones del Fuego about the hike from one section of the Wall to another, I reflected that I am sadly out of shape and decided to tackle the steps. I've done them twice before, since they're only a little farther than my school, and last fall a group of us did the 3,333 Steps that are about a half hour away by car. The 777 killed me the first time, not so much the second time, and the 3,333 crippled me.
Also, I've been trying to get in shape so that I can climb Mount Fuji in July, just before I go home for good. That hasn't been working out so well, in that I haven't been working out much at all.
Surprisingly, while I was wheezing like an old smoker by the time I got to the top, it wasn't as bad as I thought. It takes less than 15 minutes to get to the top, and there's a lovely view of Yats from there, and I sat for a bit, ate an onigiri, and knit a row on the Leaf Blanket. But it was a bit chilly at the top, my fingers started to freeze when I cooled off from the climb, and I left.

There was this dude, however, who was just coming down when I got there, passed me on my way up as he climbed again, then passed me again on his way down as I was still struggling up, and then did the whole thing over again twice more while I was at the top and on my way down. You should have seen him! Charging up and down the steps like it was nothing! Five times at least! He must be made out of rubber bands and iron.Anyway, back to your eye candy - on the way home (I biked, by the way, so that was extra exercise), I stopped to take pictures of these lovely weeds. Aren't they pretty? Spring is just about here, which is thrilling! There were bees absolutely swarming over these guys, which I didn't realize until I'd started snapping away. Tried to get some good ones of the bees, but they were zipping around too much.And that's all I got. Oh, except I joined Twitter, for some reason. Anyone on there? I'd be happy to follow you, since I clearly need more ways to waste my time on the internet. I'm Traky007.

Edited - whoops, hit publish WAAAY too early.

Leaves and Flowers

All right! I finally have a picture of the Leaf Panelled Baby Blanket, so now I can finally post about it.
After all, if I'm not sticking very well to my promise for shorter entries, I may as well always include pictures, right? Right.

So, the blanket is going well, now. I have learned the vital importance of stitch markers to lace projects, and also not to watch tv while working on something that required me to count a lot, especially as I am first starting said thing, and not familiar with it.
I'm only 30 rows in (3 pattern repeats), but I think if I can make myself do 10 rows (one pattern repeat) every night, I should be able to do the crochet edging and have the whole thing done by the 1st. Yes, that is the day Sheila is due, but that's also when I next get paid, so it has to wait until then. I'm a little nervous about how much yarn I have - I may not be able to do the booties in this yarn even if I do have time. Oh, well. I'll figure it all out.

Also - spring is almost upon us! I took these yesterday while I went for a walk (my way of excusing myself from not going to the gym), and the weather was gorgeous.
I did not need a coat, only a long-sleeved shirt. Not sure what the purple is, but the pink and white are ume blossoms, the precursor to the cherry blossoms. These are only a tiny sign of the gorgeous yet to come, but I think the bright splash of pink in late winter, when things have been grey for so long, is amazing.Lovely! Of course, it's only mid-February, so I expect it to get cold again before spring shows up for real, but the ray of light has given me some motivation. I'm going to put more effort into enjoying the time I have left here, and to finding money to pay for when I get back.

Unfortunately, I think the sickness that has been hovering all winter long has finally attacked for real. My throat feels terrible. Boo.