what I did on spring break

DD Juliet didn’t remember the Biltmore House in Asheville. I didn’t realize it had been that long since we were there. So off we went.

The path from the parking lot leads to this prospect. 1st impressions are important, no?

We walked the main house tour first, plenty of steps there, then a short break in the shops, located in the former stables. I would happily live in those stables. Must have been a cushy berth for an equine sort. Next, the rooftop tour. Our guide tells us there are more than 250 steps on the rooftop tour. Didn’t I know it the next day.

This is the backyard view of George Vanderbilt & co. Just a little country place.

The front yard. Nice for a picnic.

A few friends I met on the roof :

The first fellow, I couldn’t resist patting his butt. The second fellow is very handsome, but he may be suffering from a little gender confusion. That may actually be an asset in the dating sphere these days, I wouldn’t know. But I do suggest a supportive foundation garment. DH’s favorite rooftop sight was this:

Yes, that’s looking pretty much straight up at several tons of slate tile hung there for the most part over 100 years ago. Hope the wires hold. Time to go down? ok.

Just a few minutes left in the Biltmore Estate day, enough to have a quick look at the conservatory, still very much a working place, as it provides botanical decoration for the house, winery, inn and other buildings on the grounds. These pretty flowers may be in Edith V’s boudoir tomorrow, who knows?

I think the last one is the most impressive, but I can’t decide which is the most beautiful.

The next day, we stopped to let the guys get a little exercise. Arthur fetched sticks in a lake for the first time in his life. This is what a standard poodle is supposed to look like:

Merlin was in no way interested in having a swim, but he enjoyed the walk.

and then home again, home again.  It’s good to be home.

knitting unrelated to Christmas

I have two in progress right now, a shrug of my own design in silk rhapsody (heavenly stuff),

and lanaknits lacy little top in Bambu 7, color borage.

I really like the way it’s knitting up, but I’m losing confidence in my calculation that I have enough yarn to complete it. Wish me luck. This is what the yarn looked like before casting on.

My two dogs sleeping in the same place! This is so rare, I had to document it.

Merlin (the little white one) usually scorns to keep company with his baby brother Arthur, but Arthur had the best blanket, so Merlin stoops to lie down with the big guy. Merlin has recently been diagnosed with the rare and puzzling neurologically affective little white shaker dog syndrome which causes episodes during which he looks like a tiny little drunk, kinda wobbly, can’t do steps. There doesn’t seem to be any pain or distress, and he is responding well to treatment, which is corticosteroid therapy. The vet first suggested tiny little prednisone pills, which would have been less expensive, but would definitely have affected my lifestyle adversely. The little fellow is an expert pill chucker, and sneaky too. Fortunately the vet was able to prescribe pedia-prednisone, which is administered in a sweet liquid, so Merlin gets 1/2 teaspoon of dessert after every meal. He is delighted with this medical measure, and Arthur is very jealous. We have not seen an episode since beginning treatment. Apparently this is so rare that most vets may see it a handful of times over the course of their careers. Aren’t we the lucky ones?