How much is too much? But always having fun!

I have to laugh:  I joined up with Google+ this morning.  It will be interesting to see how/if the knitting community develops over there.  "We" already have our own site - www.ravelry.com that is actually getting attention in non-knitting parts of the media. Slate.com had a GREAT article about Ravelry this week.  There are a huge number of knitters, fiber artists, and knitting businesses on both Twitter and Facebook.  And there are still a LOT of very active blogs where you can get free tutorials, yarn shopping updates, and more.  Oh .... and I almost forgot - there is Etsy.com.  I think I've hit all the major "sites."  We'll see what happens at Google+.

We're still in Kz through the early fall.  It seems that the snow in our beloved Sierra finally decided to stop falling, and people can drive to their doors now in our Bear Valley community.  I have some "inner clock" now about going up there:  my brain and body just says "it is time to go up".  Thankfully, we've already had a family member up there to check on things, and there doesn't seem to be any issues from the mega-snow the Sierra had this past winter.

In the meantime, we are doing what we usually do overseas -- seeing and making friends, and working.  We hosted 2 official 4th of July receptions, and attend two other community events - - 2 each in Astana and Almaty.  In Almaty we were able to reconnect with our artists friends, Saule and Alibay Banpanov, and visit their studio atelier.  She also treated us to the most fabulous plov meal; I have to say it was the BEST plov I've ever had!

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 Their daughter has just finished university and is coming in on her own as an independent designer of felted couture garments. While the couple is still working on large tapestry commissions, they continue to teach locally.  Saule also somehow manages to whip up shawls from felt and silk, and I was thrilled to be able to buy one from her "stash" of items.