Hello, friends. It has sure been awhile. (So long, in fact, that the jeans that were new in the last post ripped a few weeks ago and I went on an emergency jean-buying spree.) When I last wrote to you, Boh and I lived in the South, but we were getting ready to head West for a new job, maybe even THE job. (This one’s tenure-track, and partway through year two, I’m really happy here.)

Not long after we moved, I met a dude — from here, but newly returned. We figured out that we drove across the country the same week. Let’s call him Chefboyfriend — because yep, that’s what he does. We’re going on 16 months together, and all three of us (me, Boh, Chefboyfriend) are happy.

I’m not knitting a lot, but there are some long term WIPs on the needles. And also a book in the works. And I’m wondering to myself if restarting the blog might be a good way to work on my writing practice as I begin working to find regular time for my research again alongside my pretty intensive teaching schedule. So, no promises — we’ve seen how that goes — but I have missed this space. And all of you.

Would you like to see some pictures of my life since March 2016? Here’s a handful (or seven):

New apartment.

Not long after I moved out here, I went to a dear friend’s wedding in Portland. And wore pink!

And I cast on a baby hat.

I continued working on a long overdue wedding blanket…

Boh and I explored our new home.

More of that wedding blanket. (Yes, this picture is from more than a year ago, and no, it isn’t done yet…)

I prepped for class on my patio and looked at the mountains.

Chefboyfriend took me on lots of hikes and drives. This one, to see the aspens last fall, was pretty great.

I set up (and sat down at) my wheel.

And even spun some squishy two-ply yarn.

More adventuring with Chefboyfriend.

We drove out to see my little brother and meet the animals on his farm.

We took our bikes to Canyonlands for spring break.

And there’s been lots of chef-cooked food. Cornish game hens and asparagus here, I think.

Buffalo chicken sandwiches with Anchor Bar wing sauce my parents sent us.

Grilled butternut squash and pork loin.

Scallops, enjoyed on the patio near the end of summer.

More spinning.

We bought a dresser and celebrated our adulting skills.

Boh experienced Great Sand Dune National Monument.

I baked several of these variations on the Smitten Kitchen raspberry buttermilk cake.

A colleague invited me to guest lecture at Tulane, so we went to New Orleans and ate all of the tasty things.

I got out the tent.

And we camped in Yellowstone.

And drove through the Tetons.

I baked zucchini bread and muffins — and barely put a dent in the zucchini we’ve been getting in our farm share.

Saw my first show at Red Rocks — The Avett Brothers with Shovels & Rope.

We have a new bakery in town, and it turns out the baker moved from where I went to grad school! He used to bake the bread in my bread share and work at the awesome farm I belonged to there. These galettes are happy-making. And the bakery is an easy bike ride from the apartment.

Boh remains sweet and silly.

A pinwheel blanket I cast on before our summer road trip.

A professor costume.

Sour beers in bright colors.

My office door.

Boh, with an ultrasound haircut. We had a big health scare with Boh this fall. He’s certainly getting older, but for now, he’s doing pretty well — and running along our favorite path with me again. And frolicking. Here’s one last picture from our first hike after all the scary medical stuff:

Hope you’re well, friends. And happy knitting!