Blogging Hiatus

I won't be blogging for awhile. :) Things are busy here, family is keeping me busy, my health is keeping me busy, and I'm knitting to keep me busy at home, at dr appointments, and when picking up kids from various activities. I haven't been on Ravelry even. Yikes, and I really, really love Ravelry. I've been lax on two swap partners, and I ashamedly just sent out the last two packages to my pals...a month late. That's bad...and I've always been a great swap person to count on. Sounds silly, but I like to be dependable and be counted on.

I guess I'm trying to set priorities in the midst of turmoil, and just need to take a break from extracurricular activities right now, and trust God in all things! He is always good. :) And, I need to write some very apologetic and sincere notes to my swap pals for their waiting.

September Update

It's been a month since I blogged! My how time flies. So, this is my "update", as I still don't have the time right now to blog, to "Ravelize", and such. :) Soon enough, I will. :)

1. Knitting is my friend. I'm on my 2nd BSJ with ShibuiKnits and Koigu. No pics yet! Also, working on a 2nd sock (hence second sock syndrome will be licked in the butt), and then it's onto fingerless mitts, scarves and hats for my Greenlandic son's family (Christmas). No matter what, and although I don't have much time, my knitting is with me. I haven't had time to begin my MS 4 project, but it's all in a project bag, along with clues 1 and 2...just waiting. And, at the moment, I've been tagged by a team member for DishRagTag, and I'm "IT". My dishcloth goes out today to a team member, too. Go Knitting Aces! :)

2. My eldest son had a rollover auto accident this weekend while out of state, on his way to NG training. He fell asleep at the wheel early in the morning, while raining, and flipped his 20 year old Jeep a few times. God saw that it was NOT his time to leave this world, as he's OK. :)
He looks like he's been beaten with the "ugly stick", as he's black and blue, with lots of cuts, scrapes and bruises. He moves like a 100 year old man, but he's fine. Of course, when he's recuperated, I'll give him the mom speech, sort of a "what were you thinking?!!!!" with a motherly whack on the side of the head. :) Not really.

3. Kiddos are back in school. The youngest is at a private Christian school this year, and it's working well for everyone. HS Jr is homeschooled and taking online classes, Eldest is taking local college courses, and our exchange student son is at the public high school. I've never been more busier in my life, and that's including when I was working full time as a RN!

4. I love, love, love being a host mom. R is an awesome young man from Greenland, and we're blessed to have him as a part of our family. More on this to come later.

5. Time for me to send out packages for SP12 and Yarn Thing swaps, and I have a few things to mail out for a few swapees (PIF, a cool mug for someone else, etc).

Yikes! It's 6 am, and it's time for me to get going. Enjoy Fall, Y'all!!!!!

Off the Missouri, and a Big Thank You to my SP12 Pal!

I'm off to Missouri today, to see my eldest son graduate from Basic Training/AIT at Ft. Leonard Wood...it's a 17 hr trip by car. I have plenty of knitting (dishcloths, 1st BSJ and video, and socks) to keep me entertained, and my iPod is loaded and charged. I won't be online probably till next weekend, around the 25th. :) Also, our Greenlandic son, Rene, arrives later today, but I won't be able to meet him till I return! :( He'll be with us for a year. :)

I received some wonderful swap packages, noted on my Ravelry forum boards, but this is a thank you to my SP12 Pal, whom is very secretive, without ANY clues to her whereabouts! I like mysteries. I have lovely, lovely yarn, a handmade dishcloth/washcloth, notecards and gummy bears (Yum1). Thank you, thank you! I enjoy the colorways you've chosen for me. :)

I've been knitting quite a few facial cloths. This is one of them:

It's addictive, especially with the luscious cottons now available!

August 9th...and where do the days go?

KnitPicks CotLin...one of my new favorites for washcloths, and below...Rowan Pure Life.

It's ALREADY August?!!!!! Where did the summer go? One minute I'm planning what to do, what to reorganize, what to knit, what to do on the lazy dazy crazy days of summer...then ..... school is about to begin. Oh My.
As you can see, I haven't taken many pictures recently. I've been knitting facial cloths and even dishcloths, and now...a swiffer cover (free pattern).

Things are hectic with kid's camp, church activities, and etc...and my knitting is well, but not worthy of photos (how many striking photo ops of dishcloths can you dream up?). However, I will attempt to photograph something to put up here. On Ravelry, I've been involved in the Knitters Holiday Swaps, Handmade Soap and Washcloth swap, the Caffeine Addict swap, and a few other things. For my Caffeine Addict swap pal, I whipped up a Cabled Mug Cozy in Noro Kureyon...so cute, that I need to make one for myself. However, the one I sent to my pal is a bit tall, so she may have to use it on a LARGE mug, or a travel mug. I'll adjust mine to fit my oh-so-wonderful Longaberger coffee mugs.
Yarns I'm using for various facial cloths (too nice to be called washcloths!) are...Blue Sky Alpaca Organic Cotton and Skinny cotton (my very, very favorite cottons), KnitPicks CotLin, Louet Euroflax (not enjoying the feel of this while on the needles...but I'll press on), and Rowan Pure Life, another organic cotton, naturally dyed.

SP12 Question #9

Here's the question of the week:

In many communities, "the fair" is a great place to visit and spend
time with your family. It's also where many have entered one product
or another (jams, cakes, even knitting)...

Have you ever entered your knitting (or anything else) in the fair?
Would you ever consider it?

This is a short answer. No, I've never knit for the fair...and no, I have no desire. :)
Although, I do enjoy seeing the entries!

--

My Birthday Entry...

July 31

Yesterday Tomorrow

1498

Columbus arrived at the island of Trinidad.

1777

The Marquis de Lafayette became a major-general in the American Continental Army.

1790

The first U.S. patent was issued to Samuel Hopkins of Vermont for a process of making fertilizer.

1875

Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States, died in Tennessee.

1954

Mount Godwin-Austen (K2), the world's second-highest peak, was climbed for the first time, by an Italian team led by Ardito Desio.

1963 I was born!

1964 The U.S. space probe Ranger 7 transmitted pictures of the Moon’s surface.

SP12 Question of the Week...

"What is your favorite supper for a hot summer evening?''

• nothing I have to cook or prepare (leftovers, going out to dinner for a salad, cheese and crackers, or even a bowl of cereal). Truth.

I'm in Yarn Love

This is a short entry...regarding...of all things...cotton. Yup, cotton. It's my "new love" for cranking out dishcloths and facial cloths (aka washcloths).

I mentioned earlier that I ordered some Louet Euroflax, Blue Sky Cotton, Peaches n Creme cotton, and KnitPicks CotLin. I've knit up one skein of Blue Sky Cotton and the Cot Lin. The CotLin is ....nice. HOWEVER, the Blue Sky Cotton...is absolutely heavenly and soft. Sigh. I'm glad I have 3 skeins, and now I need to order the skinny cotton. Today.
Edited a few hours later: Skinny Cotton, Cotton, and Organic Blue Sky ordered. Done. Happy. :)

OH MY....AN INSTANT CHOCOLATE FIX IN A MUG!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons cake flour(that’s plain flour, not self-raising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips(optional)
a small splash of vanilla essence
1 coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well
Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla essence, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Mwaahhaaahhaaahhaaahhaaa!

Fabulous Fiber Friday

A contented sigh...it's finally Friday! I am tired, but happy.

In my little fiber world:

• still haven't stitched seams on Lace Hem Topping. It scares me, a bit.
  
• a package from WEBS arrived...with Louet Euroflax, and 4 skeins of Blue Sky Organic Cotton in various colors. These skeins are all for my new knitting mojo of knitting face cloths.
• I had to rip, rip, and rip out my Central Air sock heel flap. Why? 2 reasons: First, I followed the simple pattern wrong, and it took me a long time to figure it out...and it was such a simple mistake...and Second...I was knitting while waiting 3 hours to speak to our local school board to see if an exchange student from Greenland could visit us for the school year in our home. I knit SO tight that I couldn't even get the needle in the knit fabric. Anyway, the knitting kept me calm, sort of, so by the time my turn came to speak, I was prayed up and ready for whatever the decision was. As soon as I got home, I ripped out the tighter-than-you-could-imagine heel flap, and now it's all OK. :)

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Time for an update in my corner of the world. No photos. At the moment. I put my photos on my downstairs computer, but use the laptop upstairs in bed, after sending hubby off to work at 5 am. It's the nicest time of the day. :)
Updates (no particular order)

• I HAVEN"T seamed my Lace Hem Topping shell. Why? Procrastination, and the fact that I haven't seamed a garment before, except for a swatch during a finishing class at LYS awhile ago. I'm a chicken.
• Still plugging along on the Central Air sock #2. I must be stressed, because my heel flap is REAL tight.
• I've got startitis for some round lace wash cloths. DishandWashClothMania is an enabler site...as well as all the Dishcloth and Cloth forum groups on Ravelry.
  
• This is our last week that Mayeul, our 16 yr old French exchange student is with us. I'm already sad, as he's a delight to have in our home. He doesn't leave till Monday, but I'm already grieving his departure. :)
• On the other hand...tonight I speak before our town's school board to see if they allow an exception to the number of foreign exchange student in the high school, and allow Rene from Greenland (yes, Greenland) to stay the year with us. It's all in God's hands and timing if He wants us to host Rene this year.
• Our geriatric chicken, Sonja, has decided that red OR green tomatoes taste delicious, and I'm at war with her. :) The garden tomatoes are MINE!
• VBS aka Day Camp begins next week. I'm a craft person along with a fabulously talented, sweet and godly woman named Jen. I'm looking forward to spending time with the kids. It's a 9-4 camp for the kids; for me...leave the house at 7:30 am, get home around 5 pm. Not my usual schedule!
• Summer is going by WAY too quickly. I have so many "to do" projects and such.
• I've typed up a "Count Your Blessings sheet for the ladies in my Monday night Ladies Encouragement group at church...a blank sheet with a list of 100 spaces to fill. Do you know this song? It was the idea behind this particular devotion topic that I'll share in a few weeks with the group.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

When upon life's billows
You are tempest tossed
When you are discouraged
Thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings
Name them one by one
And it will surprise you
What the Lord has done

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

Are you ever burdened
With a load of care
Does the cross seem heavy
You are called to bear
Count your many blessings
Every doubt will fly
And you will be singing
As the days go by

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

When you look at others
With their lands and gold
Think that Christ has promised
You His wealth untold
Count your many blessings
Money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven
Nor your home on high

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

So, amid the conflict
Whether great or small
Do not be discouraged
God is over all
Count your many blessings
Angels will attend
Help and comfort give you
To your journey's end

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

- Words by Johnson Oatman, 1897

What my cats would love to do...

SP 12 Question #6

What is(are) your favorite place(s) to knit? Anywhere, anytime, any place. Favorite: on my deck, kids aren't fighting, I'm watching the birds, garden, etc. Cool or warm...but not humid or too hot. Iced tea or coffee or hot coffee at hand. Other favorite places: lake house, big easy chair in the winter, or anywhere.

What supplies (besides yarn & needles) make the setting perfect for knitting? Coffee. Quiet house, or at least, laughing and playing vs. whining or such (I have teens). A good movie...for me, not for the kids. The most perfect setting: time to knit. Again, anywhere, anytime.

SP12 Question #6

What is your favorite type of project to take along on holiday/
vacation?

I take a few/many projects..."in case" I run out of things to work on. :) It has never happened yet. I take socks, a larger WIP (sweater, etc.) and perhaps something I need to concentrate on (lace, cabling, etc). The socks stay in my bag, always. My favorite take alongs are socks and lace. So I always have SOMETHING to knit!
You NEVER know where you need to wait.


If you'd like to share a story…Tell us about a time that you packed
too much knitting or were stranded without knitting.

I just always pack too much knitting, so I'm NOT stranded without knitting. Being stranded without knitting is just too painful, drives me crazy, and is a waste of good knitting time. :)
No particular story comes to mine right now, but hubby doesn't blink an eye anymore when I bring lace on our Florida vacation to the beach and knit.

One of my favorite sites... icanhascheezburger.com

SP12 Question #5

1) Where is your favorite place to go for vacation/holiday? Outer Banks, NC (we have a cottage there in Kitty Hawk) and Anna Maria Island, FL (where my parents have a condo right across from the Gulf of Mexico, and you can see Tampa Bay out the back door). Third...lake house here in NH.

2) Where is one place you'd like to go? Scotland, all of it. Especially where my distant relatives live in the Glasgow/Rutherglen area (great grandmother came over via boat and Ellis Island). Besides, I'd love to visit a small village, have lots of knitting, and have a restful vacation. :)

Have You Ever...

Have you ever browsed an online yarn store, look up a pattern, check out a colorway, take a quick look at patterns on Ravely, or read someone's blog, and all of a sudden...

see a pattern that you MUST knit...

even if you have much already on the needles?

Sigh.

I went to JKnits and innocently looked up a colorway from a skein of great sock yarn I received (noted in previous blog post). Then I saw it.

The Fall 2008 pattern for the Garter Diamond Sweater. It's a must knit for me. Now to seek and search if it's available yet...or if I must wait. :)

Knitting Tidbits, Long Weekend, and Fresh Corn on the Cob

Happy Belated Fourth of July! I spent the long weekend at Lake Kolelemook at the lake house here in New Hampshire, which is close to Lake Sunapee. What glorious weather we had! Friends, food, fishing (for the kids) and plenty of knitting time.

OH, and here's a photo of Sonja, the "guard chicken" who tries to keep the chipmunks away from "her" birdfeeder. Too funny. :) And, I have 10 tomato plants with nice fruit just growing and hopefully will be harvested when ripe, and before the "woodland creatures" find them!





















One of the highlights at the lake:

Watching a mom and dad horned pout guarding their nest of fry (can you see them?)
















Another highlight: 9 yo catching bullfrogs and sunnies.

Knitting news:

I'm still plugging along on my Lace Hem Topping

New Bag Alert: Namaste Laguna in Peacock arrived from The Loopy Ewe!

I also became a Loopy in the Loopy Groupies with my latest purchase. I received as a surprise the following: a Loopy Ewe Red Project Tote, a skein of J.Knits sock yarn, & a Loopy Ewe keychain.

A Knitter's Holiday Swap box from SaucyMinx of Ravelry arrived! July is Ice Cream Month! I received: gorgeous hand-dyed lace weight yarn (interpretation of Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby flavor), equally gorgeous sock yarn in a beautiful dark cherry colorway (Cherry Garcia flavor), Trader Joe's Vanilla Wafers with Madagascar vanilla beans (Vanilla flavored ice cream with real vanilla bean specks). I also received 2 milk chocolate Dove bars, and a Dunkin Donuts coffee gift card. My pal hit the nail on the head with this wonderful swap box and her interpretations of my 3 favorite ice cream flavors was ingenious! Thank you, SaucyMinx!!!!

Farewell Tobywankanobi aka Toby the Big Pup

Today Toby, the kids and I took a trip to the Veterinarian's office. It was a one way trip for Toby, the 13 yr old Shepherd mix, who has battled degenerative hips and fought the good battle, but he was unable to be mobile and in quite a bit of pain for the past few months although he always had a cheery disposition in spite of it all. So, after a good, long cry on the trip home afterwards, I'm going to knit and think of good memories.

SP 12 Question #4

The "perfect sized" stash was a tough question for many of you to answer. Maybe these stash related questions will be easier:

1) What yarn (that you don't have/haven't used) would make your stash"complete"? What an open question! Let me think...Hand Maiden Sea Silk (so lovely!), Shibui sock yarn, Wollmiese (so hard to find...but I'm on the hunt!).

2) What yarn do you never want to be without? I think I just really need to have natural yarns near me at all times. :) My favorites: Cherry Tree Hill for socks,Zephyr Laceweight Wool/Silk for lace, Cascade 220 for felting, and I like all of my stash yarn equally and I can't think of favorites right now.

Is It Really July?

Yes, it IS July. Wow, where does the summer go? Garden is growing well, and hubby just constructed trellises for my runner beans and I'll be attempting to convince my cukes and tomatoes to use the trellis as well (thanks to Square Foot Gardening).

We have now had 2 days without rain, and I'm thankful. We've been spending time on the deck and I enjoy the new "room" that it seems to have become.

In knitting news, I've completed the back of the Lace Hem Topping, and working on the front.
I'm really trying/attempting to finish some UFOs this summer, despite wanting to cast on about a half dozen new projects! I have also a new knitting bag on it's way to me:

Meet Namaste's Laguna bag in Peacock:


The bag "seemed" to jump into my cart at The Loopy Ewe while I was shopping for my SP12 Pal. This is one of my favorite knitting shops online...the selection and service is awesome.

I also have a confession of sorts. Yesterday, I gathered my yarn goodies (aka stash) and placed them in 78qt totes. The yarn was discreetly hidden in and about my eldest son's room aka knitting room aka computer room while he's been at college, and now at Engineer School/Army training in Missouri. He comes home late August, and will want "his" room back. Sigh. So I brewed a cup of coffee, and started collecting the yarn and placing it in totes, before relocating my stash to stack neatly in my large closet.

My yarn filled up 6 totes, and various containers. Yes, it did. I believe I can knit quite a few sweaters, outfit myself and family in socks for a lifetime, and knit until the cows come home. Yet, my stash grows. I will be on a sort of self-regulated Yarn Diet. Reality hit yesterday when I organized the stash. I may post photos if I can bring myself to actually document the stash....my stash is not as big as some, it IS bigger than others. I joined the SummerKalCal, so I'll knit through my stash. Remember...if you see new yarn here, leave a comment and scold me. (Yeah, right) :)

Vacation Bible School (VBS) begins at my church the last week of July, and we're having a 9a-4p day camp, with God's Creation as this year's theme. This year, I'm the Craft Lady, and it's time to get the projects chosen and supplies gathered.

Like I said, can it REALLY be July already? I haven't swam in the lake, picked strawberries yet, made jam, or visited the Outer Banks in NC yet.

Slow down, summer!

Secret Pal 12 Question #3

What's the perfect-sized stash? Certainly not this!
I have a few big clear plastic bins with my beloved stash. :) But the perfect sized stash? Hmmm...I think I may have it. I have enough yarn for a few sweaters, socks, lace, etc...so it feels like I'm "shopping" in my own stash and yet the yarn isn't "unloved". I really don't know the answer to this question, as I'm always adding to my stash, yet knitting out of it as well. :)

Knitting Startitis coupled with Attention Deficit!

The rambling continues...I am having BIG TIME startitis (meaning I start, then have too many projects "in progress" for me to count).

Have I cast on anything on my current wish list? The Voyager Stole? Central Park Hoodie? Celtic Knot Stole? etc... Nope. I cast on the Lace Hem Topping last week, and this past weekend, I've knit approx 6 inches of the front panel.

We were at the lake house for 2 days, and I brought 3 projects, but with parents, siblings, tons of nephews and 1 niece, I didn't get much knitting time. Lots of good food, shopping, taking a fish hook out of son's finger, bullfrog catching, mosquitoes, filet mignon and corn on the cob, but not much knitting time. I tried, really I did. To knit, that is. :)

While meandering in the nearby town, we found a new yarn shop, Essential Knits in Grantham, NH. It's beautiful, spacious, and new yarns that differ from other area shops, which I'm thankful for. I picked up a cardigan's worth of Italian Hempwol, a 35% hemp/65% worsted weight blend for a Rhinebeck cardigan (by Lisa Lloyd) in a gold colorway, and a beanie's worth of allhemp for a skater beanie for my teenager. I'll definitely return there for the inspiration and the various fibers that they offer.

Secret Pal 12 Question #2

In many parts of the US and abroad, school's out. Take a walk down memory lane for Week Two's question: As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?

Memories! I grew up on a small dairy farm, where we also had a farm stand with corn, cukes, strawberries, and such. I loved, loved, loved working at the stand and seeing the "city folks" come by and take home the best fresh veggies around! I fondly recall the whole farm atmosphere, and helping my grandfather with the chores. When I was younger, it was the little things I remember...catching the lightning bugs, swimming at the lake, summer camp, homemade ice cream, sleepovers at friends, and such. No TV was blaring (yes, we had one, but who wanted to turn it on with so much else going on?) and such. I wish my own children had that kind of summer, although we do spend time at my parent's lake house here in the Sunapee region of NH. I'm sure there were rough spots, but oddly, they don't stand out in my mind. :)

Attention! I Have Gauge on First Attempt

What a pleasant surprise. Yes, I obtained correct gauge on my first attempt with the Shire Silk yarn for the Lace Hem Topping. What a nice feeling! I didn't PLAN on casting it on yesterday, but I did. Yes, I do feel a bit guilty for putting aside my Tangerine Twist for a day or two, but the feel of the silk swatch just put me over the edge, so I cast on the silk. I couldn't help myself!

It's interesting to me that I obtained gauge on the recommended size needles (US 7) for this project, as usually I'm a very loose knitter and go down 1-2 needle sizes automatically. However, I find that this slightly textured yarn has me knitting tighter than usual (I'm using Addi Turbos as my Knit Picks are in use right now) and the swatch is soft, drapes well, and lovely to pet. If you are a knitter, you KNOW what I mean.

Last night was the first evening since last week where it wasn't raining, so hubby and I lit the "Tiki" type copper torches (citronella) on the new deck, lit the patio table candles, and sat in the rocking glider...and I knit. The youngest rocked on the hammock. Our teen was at Driver's Ed (so house was quiet).

Due to the citronella, we weren't eaten alive by the mosquitoes, and I was able to observe our early evening visitors to the bird feeders...the hummingbird to the nectar, and the cardinal pair, the chickadees and chipmunks stuffing themselves. I had to but a squirrel baffle on the bird feeder (which holds 6 different feeders, actually) to deter the ever so cute, but voracious chipmunks who recently discovered that they could climb the pole to obtain a never ending supplyh of sunflower seed. :)

Emergency Knitting

Today's Mail: Emergency Knitting Bag, from illiane's corner.
Nice bag, however, an impulse buy. Still deciding whether to keep it stocked in the car, or to be nice and give it to a secret pal. Hmmm...

(Next to the bag is a skein of Noro Sock Yarn, that is for a secret pal. I'd love to try this yarn, but I've already promised myself too many things to cast on right now.)

My Ice Cream Personality

Your Ice Cream Personality:

You like to think of yourself as a fairly modest person. And it's true that you don't talk yourself up... but you're also pretty happy with who you are. You have a wild reputation, but you're not as wild as you seem. You take risks, but only measured risks. You are a fairly open minded person with a wide range of tastes. You are quite accepting of unusual ideas and people. You are a natural multitasker. You feel alive when you're doing more than one thing at a time. You can be a big dramatic and over the top sometimes. You are bold in every way

The Ice Cream Personality Test

SP 12 Question of the Week

What is your favorite summertime drink?

I'm fairly boring in this department...it's one of the 3 below:
1. Iced Dunkin Donuts coffee with cream
2. a bottle of Poland Springs water (cold, of course)
3. homemade ice tea (unsweetened) or lemonade (sweetened)

The Postman Strikes Again...and so does a "Bug"

The postman arrived with another package from WEBS to me. I must order yarn when I'm in a fog sometimes...because I'm truly surprised when the box arrives, and I think...hmmm...what is this?
OK, this time: I ordered a few knitterly accessories and yarn for the SP12 swap...along with 9 skeins of Plymouth Shire Silk in a light/med. green colorway. It's softer than I expected. Shire Silk specifics:
Content: 100% Silk
Care: Hand Wash
Weight/Yardage: 50 Grams/109 Yards
Gauge: 4.5sts=1" #7 needles
Knitting Weight: Worsted

I plan to cast on the Lace Hem Topping by Zoe Valette from Creative Knitting Summer 08.

I've been in bed sick with something (head splitting headache, nausea and vomiting, etc. since Friday evening, and have slept almost solid since then. This morning (Sunday) I begin to see the end of it...whatever the bug is. :) God is good. The ginger ale is by my side. The house looks like a bomb hit, and that's OK). :) I missed my local WWKIP event, but things happen. :)

Enjoy Father's Day with your loved ones. I'm heading back for a nap while I can. :)

Here Comes The Postman!

IF you could read the Priority Mail label, you'd see that this box that was sent to me was from WEBS, my "not really local" LYS (one state over and a 2 hour drive, to be exact). I love boxes! Especially when I know it's yarn, but I don't remember "exactly" what I ordered at the moment of yarn purchase euphoria.
Above is a cone of Valley Yarns 2/10 Merino Tencel Colrain Lace in Whipple Blue, for the Celtic Knot Lace Stole. Also pictured is 9 skeins of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in Columbine, for my Chinese Lace Pullover. Sigh. But for today, it's back to my Tangerine Twist. I've found my oops area, fixed the errors, and I'm sailing.
Other good news: During the Tangerine Twist knitting, my Knit Picks Options cable became unjoined from the metal join. I emailed Knit Picks customer service, and I received an email within 2 hours stating that my free replacement was on it's way to me. Great service for awesome needles!

"Let's Do the Twist", as the song goes!

The Tangerine Twist, that is....More below... But for now, here's a bee (lower left on the catmint) pollinating. Go Honeybee!

I have an actual knitting update...on my ahem, knitting blog, which lately, has had more pet and garden pictures than anything else. A return to knitting for today.

On my needles, I sound like a broken record...Central Air socks (sock #2) with Bella colorway Blue Moon Fiber Arts mediumweight yarn. I've broken 5 rosewood size 0 dpn's with the first sock...I THINK because with this arthritis,I find that my hand grip on the tiny sized dpns has changed, and I'm not aware of the tight grip, as I'm generally a very, very loose knitter. So...I switched to some unused needles in my stash...6"Prym Inox metal needles, and things are progressing smooth as butter. Wild, huh? I have second sock syndrome, which leads me to...

Continuing my Tangerine Twist sweater by Susan Todhunter, found in the Knitty Summer 2007 issue. I'm knitting this in Classic Elite Provence, a 100% mercerized Egyptian cotton, knit with Knit Picks Options. Tangerine Twist is worked in one piece to the underarm, then divided and the upper back and fronts are worked separately. The button band is ALREADY worked into the garment, and the cables resemble tiny vines. This great little sweater was in hibernation for a few weeks over the past month due to health reasons (couldn't knit)...and now it's being picked up daily to get a few rows in.

Here is MY problem, though. It's not the pattern, it's me. I'm just about to decrease at the armholes, and notice that...my pattern is off. As I've memorized most of the 12 rows of this pattern, I didn't mind frogging a few rows. However, I've frogged 12 rows (a repeat) 2 times...which is 238 stitches times 24...you do the math. :)

My problem...I'm usually able to multitask while knitting, but when I place my knitting down, I need to be acutely aware of where I left off, and READ my PATTERN correctly, even if it's "memorized!". I've "found" the deviant row, and I'm back on track. I'd really like to wear this sweater THIS summer. :)

I'm a knitter that looks forward to the next projects to be cast on when half way through the first project. Next...one of the following, perhaps:

The Voyager Lace Stole (will definitely be cast on very, very soon)

Celtic Knot Stole (most likely saved till July/August)

Chinese Lace Pullover (umm...the ordered yarn is on it's way...I couldn't help it...really)

Now, in the garden...

My dear hubby constructed 4 4x4 feet raised beds for my square foot gardening veggie beds. Our NH soil is great in some areas, but we live...on granite, and my own soil is unworkable. I do have a nice little perennial bed along a stonewall, but the soil needed so much amending, that I find it impossible to work the soil for vegetables. On the left, is my arch nemesis...the wild raspberry. Actually, we have acres of them. A blessing and a curse. Nice wild small raspberries, but roots and thorns and shoots are everywhere, poking up their heads wherever they please. I'm always on the hunt in the garden bed for new shoots. Nasty plants with tasty fruits.

After working together a few bales of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite, various composts, and a few bags of leftover Miracle Gro garden soil, I found that I ended up with a great, lightweight soil for these beds. Eureka!

In one bed, I have some of my 9 year old's favorite annual flowers, yellow peppers, and a few green pepper plants. In another bed, it's thyme, two types of basil, and curly parsley, along with some bush and vine zucchini and cukes. Trellises for the vine climbers are to follow shortly, but hubby doesn't know he needs to get them up for me, yet.

The third bed has mostly tomatoes...grape, Sweet 100, patio, and a Big Boy variety, along with some Dahlias in the corners.

Lastly, another bed has some cauliflower, more peppers, and I planted some beets, carrots, bush beans, and scarlet runner beans (also requiring a trellis to be constructed)

The haphazardly placed beds are placed on purpose where they are. Flat ground (sort of) and the best sunlight.

Make sure to look into your local WWKIP event. It's World Wide Knit In Public Day on June 14th. I'll be at our Derryfield Park in Manchester, NH. Come join the fun!