Well this post is really about something else entirely but an extraordinarily handsome pigeon stole all my attention on the way home from my bus adventure today and simply MUST be mentioned. Wow – for years now Tuxedo Pigeon of Brighton was the most magnificent pigeon Id ever seen, but today I met the father of all magnificent pigeons – King Pigeon of Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh. He walked around with a velvety robe, but the most amazing part was his neck. It was puffy and the widest I’d ever seen from which I imagine he emits a deep burbling mating call that only a King of Pigeons could make and it was smothered lavishly in the most dazzling peacock colours in a waterfall of perfect rainbow feathers. Wow! I stopped walking and just stood there admiring him, then noticed his elegant Lady Pigeon. A fine choice she was, but as I walked past he stood his ground, checked out my boots, while she flurried off hastily. King Pigeon was not about to make way for me. No. I hope to see his fine feathers again some day soon.

So I just got off a chain of busses that took me all over pittsburgh to collect a huge treasury of craft supplies! There is a call for penguin sweaters, and since all my knitting stuff is in storage in the RV I posted a WANTED ad on Pittsburgh Freecycle for some yarn and needles and scored a big bag of acrylic yarn today from a kindly neighbour – perfect for getting wet and quick drying without shrinking on the poor things. Then on the way back I passed The Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.

Yeah! I only just heard about them yesterday. Its a WONDERLAND in there! Companies, organisations and people donate their unwanted crafting stuff that goes from scrap fabric to tiles to even old style typewriters, and you can pick up this stuff for a bargain. What makes it even awesomer is its right near the co-op. I have returned home triumphantly with a bunch of crochet needles (no knitting needles), a cigar box Im going to convert into a sewing kit and a stack of gorgeous fabrics, many vintage, that Im going to make a big comforter or quilt with. Its about time. This navy blue duvet Ive been sleeping under is a wonderful warm handmedown, but its kind of depressing to wake up in a sea of navy blue.

So here is my STASH! Passing quality inspection by Frolina who tested everything by chewing, especially the cigar box:

My next mission is to get a sewing machine into my antsy little hands and make this queen sized bed thing! Can’t wait! And of course, when I go back to the center to get the backing and batting I mustn’t forget to get the knitting needles!!