Needles of Iron

Ham and Beans

2012-01-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

Just put ham and bean on to slow cook in the oven. If I didn't have to work, I could do so much with my time and energy. Retirement...I await you with bated breath.

As if I something else on which to spend my time, the offspring turned me on to Pinterest over the holidays. While I think it is an interesting site on which to save ideas for future reference, I find the dichotomy of dessert recipes, and the commitment to healthier lifestyles and exercise programs very concerning. What are these young women wanting? Organized lives, with soft sugar cookies, and skinny jeans...I think, anyway!

My boards? A camera poster, a knitting comic strip, and a wooden spool wreath...and candles made with Epsom salts. Yep, an old lady's pinterest. (I am beckyperryirons, by the by..)

In other news, I have spent approximately six weeks now learning my new smarty pants phone. I upgraded to a Droid shortly before Thanksgiving...or maybe shortly after. Who knows...Christmas has happened since, but I digress. I am loving being able to play Scrabble at work! You know...on my lunch hour! I have found that Amazon offers a free app/day. Lately they have mostly been games, but I have scored a couple of good other types, like a doc app, and an organizer one. Good news is that it hasn't beaten me. Downside is I have had to learn something new...again...and there is still more to master and keep track of and integrate.

Life is tough in the modern world.

One more day off, before the work a day world returns.

One More Time

2011-12-31T16:58:00.002-07:00

Happy New Year, and time for new starts and re-starts and start overs...
And here I am in all my starting over glory. So where do I start? I believe I will just begin again where I am at.

I have a new header up there. I received a new wide-angle lens for Christmas and am learning all the ins and outs of fun landscape photography. I swear I can capture all the mountains from New Mexico to Wyoming! The Guy and I will have to travel to all the places we have already been to so I can take new and better and wider photos.

I made yarn today. Well, not just today. I actually finished it up today, setting the twist, and took photos, too, which really has to be some sort of record. While I was piddling around the house, taking down Christmas decor (yes, I am on top of all sorts of things here) I noticed the sun shining on the drying hanks of yarn, and saw the opportunity for some photo art.

Behold.

Blue Yarn (top from Tracy Bunkers, merino/bamboo/nylon, 422 yds, 22 wpi)

and Pink Yarn (top from Lampspun, merino/bamboo/glitz, 237 yds, 12 wpi)

The blue I am very proud of. 4 oz of top spun fine enough for socks, I do believe. Sweet.

In other news, I knit like a crazy woman for Christmas, finishing up felting the last bag on Christmas morning. So it was a little damp...but I will save that for another post.

I wouldn't want to over do it.

Shooting the Moon

2011-10-20T05:00:00.002-06:00

Just so happened that I ended up with my camera when the moon was there.

We had gone to Estes to eat with my BFF from Kindergarten! who was visiting from my hometown, and as we were saying good-by, there was the Old Man in the Moon!

The rest I took while on our September vacation in Zion or Bryce. Seemed like every morning, against a blue sky, there he was again. (Clicky for biggy...)

The above...in order...Kolob Canyon, Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon.

An Auspicious Occasion

2011-10-18T05:00:00.000-06:00

Dearest Sister and Car Guy spent the night at Chez IronNeedles on their way back to Desert Crazy Townlast month. I was so glad to see her,and, as it happened, I had just finished cutting out the 3” squares that are tobe the 9-patches for Grandbebe Four’s quilt.

She and I spent part of our all too brief time togethermatching up squares to make awesome 9-patches. The grandbebe quilts (See One, Two, & Three here) are a teameffort, but happens states apart. It isdoubly extra special, with chocolate syrup and whipped cream, when the effort canhappen in the same room. Plus! We are more creatively, I believe, than the sum of our parts…and we have more funtogether than we do with others.

That much is certain.

As it alsohappened, I had ordered a walking foot for my most awesome Singing Singer, theRocketeer, which for the uninformed, will enabled me to quilt with my sewingmachine.

(Not that I will quilt the grandbebe quilt this way. Oh NO!A standard has been set and will be adhered to. Grandbebe quilts are quilted by hand…with love in each and everystitch. As it should be…taking monthsand months and months…of love!)

Back to the walking foot….Sister has one for herFeatherweight, and seeing hers is what inspired me to find one for theRocketeer. I will be able to quiltsmaller projects much faster and easier with it. Anyway. It showed up the same day Dearest Sister did. We were able to break it in together. Outstanding! with a side of awesome!

And…I did not realize that Dearest Sister had not been toour humble abode since the creation of my craftudio, my she-cave, myspace-station.

She loved it. I knewshe would. She wants one of her own.

Now...the next quilt is calling. And I need a real project to test thatwalking foot on.

Miles (and miles) of Yarn

2011-10-16T05:00:00.000-06:00

At Guild last month, it was announced that a member whopreviously owned a yarn store was selling what remained of her stock.

For an exceedingly good price. So exceedingly good, I would say…it was almostfree. ALMOST FREE! for pete’s sake.

So I went. And mystash grew by miles.

I know this because I have my yarn supply listed inspreadsheet format for easy tracking, and it is easily calculated into miles…orkilometers…or fathoms…

Yarn Garage Sale Lady #2 told me she was going to be sellingher books in a few weeks and would email me.

She did. I boughtbooks…and more yarn. More miles of yarn.

This enabler told me she was going to bringing out magazinesin a few weeks, and she also informed me when this event occurred.

I went, and bought magazines…and buttons…and more yarn.

It was almost free. Ihad to.

Such a heady experience it was. I got the best yarn ever.

I would show it off, but that would only cause grief andenvy!

Dead Serious Knitting

2011-10-14T05:00:00.000-06:00

Gathered Front Tank (rav linky) by Mercedes Tarosavich-Clark (Interweave Knits, Spr 11)out of Maggi’s Linen. Had to buy a shortsleeved tee for the proper look, and it wasn’t even on sale. But I am lovin’ this and I get commentspretty much every time I wear it. Happened that I had the exact recommended yarn on hand from Yarn GarageSale Lady #1. Love it when a plan comestogether. Note: buttons from my stash, from a card marked 25 cents!

Weekend Pullover (rav linky) by Diane Soucy (#224) out of Tahki Yarns BabyTweed. Took this on our Septembervacay. Had lots of this yarn on handfrom the Yarn Garage Sale Lady #1, so figured out how much I needed whenpacking for the trip. Oops…I looked atgrams (100) not yards (60). Yeah, so asI was closing in on the body, and quickly knitting through the last ball, I waswondering WTH?! I had plenty athome. Extra, even…if I had been knittingwith sz 17’s as the pattern called for. Thelargest needles I have are 15’s, which I considered big enough, and certaingave me a gauge pretty close. However,the 15’s were small enough to require enough more rounds to eat up all my extrayarn. The sleeve edges have anabbreviated trim, but the sweater blocked out to fit just fine. I am glad I don’t have any extra length tothe sleeves, actually.

Shalom (rav linky) by Meghan McFarlane out of Elizabeth Austen Wool of the Andes. I knit thisonce, and blocked it, thinking that looks mighty long…and it was. Down to my knees long. Yes, there were some things in the directionsI overlooked. I do swatch, albeitan abbreviated routine. What I didn’t remember wasthe line about the original piece being knit for someone 6 ft tall. To my credit, I realize I was never going towear the sweater as it was, and having a skein left over, I decided to reknitthe thing, with a double strand. So Ipicked the woven end from the bind off…and pairing with the end of the fresh yarn? cast on and started my new Shalom…knitting asweater from a sweater! I don’t need nostinkin’ re-skeining! The new knittingallowed me to remember all three buttonholes, and fix an error in thebuttonband. I like the finished projectvery much. Maybe I should kniteverything twice? Note: buttons from my stash, 3 leftovers from I don't know how far back in time.

Summer Swing Cardi, by Jessica Grzedzinski, out of Reynolds Mandalay(100% silk). Ooh la la. I love this yarn. Looking at the projects in Ravelry, I figuredout how to make this larger (36” bust)than written (32” bust), because I am not…you know…a teenager. It took math andgauge swatches and starting over once, maybe twice, but I figured it out (Ithought). And so I knit and purled to my hearts content all through Zion and Bryce and back,with hardly a thought. Perfect projectfor knitting while viewing the scenery, and the perfect yarn for it as well. Well, yes. As it got closer to being finished, I was having some thoughts about itbeing…scanty. I measured my gaugeagain. Yep, 4 st/inch…18 inches across…2x 18 = 36…but after seaming, the sweater was really tiny! I was not undone, though. I didn’t weave in any ends (because, bigod,if this pattern didn’t work, this yarn was going to be something else,something else for me!), and I soaked it and blocked it out to 36 ½ “. After drying, it was much better, evenpassable, but I had one ball of yarn (plus a bit) left, and I thought I couldmaybe pick up stitches along the front and add bands to bring the edges closetogether. I added about 6 rows ofgarter, before binding off one side too tight. After adding the garter edging on the other side, I knew I was on theright track. I un-bound off the first and added some more garter rows beforebinding off with larger needles. Perfect. End result was 10 ridges of garter on each side. No button. Doesn’t look like any of the other projects from this pattern onRavelry.

Eldest’s Yoga Mat Bag, Om Nava Shivaya Bag, by Audrey Loopy, outof Tahki Yarns Brilla. Just like mine. Only it matches the swimsuit cover up I knitted for her…using up myleftovers. Hope she likes it as much asI like mine.

Like I said...some deadly serious knitting.

Goals

2011-10-12T05:00:00.001-06:00

Well, I am into the 4^th quarter. I should take a look at that list/outline/catalog/inventory of goals/guidelines/efforts to be made and see where I am falling short/making headway/treading water.

Quilt. I have ~~two~~ one bebe quilt to ~~complete~~ to start. At a minimum.
Update: 9-patches cut out and matched up, ready for piecing, and four sewn.

Knitting. ~~I would like to continue with my sweaters, expanding to pullovers, and also continue my sock knitting.~~ ~~I am thinking to try some colorwork this year~~. ~~And fearlessly learn new techniques as I go.~~

Update: one bulky pullover completed, and a couple of cardigans, too. Continuing to hone current skills.I am marking colorwork off the list for this year. Don’t feel inclined.

~~An east coast trip~~, maybe timed for a trip during Rhinebeck.

Update:maybe Rhinebeck next year.

Continue growing the photography/photoshop skills.

The photography skilz grow with use, but not really channeled. The photoshop skilz really need expanding beyond what I use.

Quilt… see above

Commute by bike (May-Oct) at least 600 miles.

Update:Made it to about 250. Work and yoga schedules cut into the routine. Darn it!

Hike 40 miles.

Update:Made it to 31.5mi. Better than last year.

Snowshoe.

Make soap.

Maintain low sat fat diet and continue regular exercise.

Update:continue to work the diet and exercise routine (yoga and swimming seem to help the back issues). Unfortunately, neither has resulted in losing, or even maintaining, last years wgt.

quilt… see above

Knit/spin from stash (exceptions only when deals are spectacular and/or for souvenirs)

Update:yes, well, there have been some outrageous deals this year, and then there is trying to justify what I bought as Estes Park as souvenir…but I would rather concentrate on the dollar a skein deals I got (again) from someone who had owned an LYS in a previous life.

Overall, not too bad. I am sorry I didn’t make it to either the Maryland Sheep and Wool or Rhinebeck, but I have Estes close by. The exercise/diet weight thing continues to befuddle, but all I can do is keep on doing what I can to take care of this aging body the best I can. I am glad I have found swimming is helping my back, after I put away the beautiful, but evil, handbag. Perhaps next year, biking will be able to play a bigger part again. I was glad that the Guy and I were able to hike as much as we were by the time the September vacay rolled around.

The quilting and knitting is ongoing, and is the photography. Always learning, never quit.

And I will speak more of the stash enhancement at a later date. It…was…intoxicating!

My Wild Life

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-06:00

Not like that. Because really, apart from doing a tequila shot in Cancun,a wild life does not define my existence.

I speak of all those cool creatures I get a chance to seewhen the Guy and I are out and about on our adventures.

Such as one outing to Rocky Mountain, when we strolledaround Lily Lake, and by chance I got this shot of some mergansers (maybe) or mallards (I think) or ducks (for sure) taking flight.

Another trip over the mountains, we spied a couple of youngmoose making their way across a meadow. I really missed my fancy camera and telephoto this day.

On a different day, we say a momma and her calf. I had my big camera and long lens but she wasvery far away. Not a decent enough photo for sharing...but Still! Moose!

We made a trip to Mount Evanson Labor Day weekend for several reasons. It’s a great day trip, a beautiful ride, great scenery, a chance formountain goats, flowers, and pie at the end of the day at Echo Lake Lodge! (It might really be about the pie…)

I think one of these guys might be worth a frame.

We traveled to Utah for avacation in September, to spend some time around Zion and Bryce. We stayed close to Parowan Gap, where thereare petroglyphs. I just love me somepetroglyphs, and one morning, Wonderful Guy drove me out for some photoopportunities. After the crowds at thetwo national parks, it was a quiet morning. Just the two of us, and the pictures on the rocks…but as we turned to goback to the car we noticed another car in the lot. At the back of this Subaru a fellow with agolden eagle on his arm feeding on a…something….

Meet Scout. And hisfeeder person, Martin. Martin Tyner rescuesraptors (and other wild things) mostly for release back into the wild. Scout, however, could not be released, andhangs with Martin, doing his bit toward educating and fund raising towardMartin’s nature and raptor center.

Yep, we just stood there and talked and watched and tookphotos and asked questions and were amazed. When Scout was finished with his breakfast? lunch? Martin took us back to the petroglyphs and explained a bit more aboutthe site, and what scholarship believes some of the more intriguing designsmight signify, as he does programs there as well.

fyi...for more info about what Scout and Martin are all about, check out www.gowildlife.org

Pretty cool. (Seriously...click for big!)

I know, I know

2011-10-08T15:05:00.003-06:00

It’s been forever. (Or at least a month)

I have no real excuse. (Except work, chores, a vacation,life in general)

Summer lasted for a long time, but this weekendfall will appear. However not quite far enough for me to harvest greentomatoes. That’s nice, because therehave not been nearly enough ripe ones for me to be sated this year. I believe next year I may have to plant themsomewhere else.

Not enough sun ripeningtime where they currently are.

It appears this post will be about the yard so there isthis.

I have written before of Wonderful Guy’s efforts in feedingthe birds, and his frustration at the hummingbird’s preference of my flowers to his feeders. Last year I had one or twovolunteer sunflowers come up, and this year so many that I thinned them.

These were common sunflowers, all spindly and unenchantingto the Guy, causing a rowdy effect to the garden and the walk. For a few weeks, I cut blooms and brought abouquet to the kitchen table where the happy faces of the sunflowers truly litup the room. Then dropped pollen allover the placemats.

Ah well…the price of cheeriness.

Then, one evening, sitting at the table, Wonderful Guy foundmy attention straying from the conversation. The sunflowers were bobbing in the breeze. Except there was no breeze. I saw that wrens and finches were restingamong the plants and wasn’t that fun!

And then we noticed the birds were just not hanging out inthe sunflowers, but were taking their dinner there as well.

Birdfeeder, full of premium birdseed, not 4 feet away, andhere our feathered friends are, snacking away on my spindly, common, everyday,volunteer sunflowers!

I bet next year I have even more of these sunflowers.

(don't forget to click for big on the photos...)

Random Catch-Up

2011-09-06T10:59:00.000-06:00

The problem with missing several weeks of posting is where to start when one has a bit of time.

I will simply jump in with bits and pieces and some randomness.

Work (which is still full-time temporary, and show no sign of changing) has held me to a crazy and mixed-up schedule for the last several weeks. I have had early ins and late outs, which have allowed me to leave early on Fridays (good). However, with the addition of yoga classes to the mix, my commuting by bicycling has been way off the mark for the summer (boo). Perhaps I will get caught up with that, but alas…

Fall has come to northern Colorado in the last seven days, I fear. Wham bam, and summer is done. This just kills me. I am enjoying a few tomatoes from the yard, and they are very good. No where near like the first year, though. The shade the pergola provides prevents the concrete patio from heating up and helping the tomatoes along, I believe.

Wonderful Guy and I drove south to the Renaissance Festival one weekend this summer. It was very warm day for the re-enactors to be decked out in long layers of brocade and other finery, me thinks. I was glad to be in shorts and sandals. We drove home the scenic route, and ate dinner in Denver at the Cheesecake Factory. I mention this because I have never eaten at this place before, thereby never having had their Red Velvet Cheesecake. I ate some that evening, and some after my lunch the next day, and some for dessert after dinner that night. It was awesome each time.

Another Saturday, we took in a pancake breakfast held by a volunteer fire department in a small community up in the mountains. Afterwards, we just kept driving higher, and lo and behold! We ended up in Granby at Lonesome Stone. Oh yes we did. And I bought some souvenir yarn and some roving. Because I had to. A storm suddenly blew up and we couldn’t go visit the alpacas, you see…

I have found a place where I can swim, and that, along with yoga (and changing my purse) I believe has caused a change in the force with my back. And for that, I will keep on doing what I am doing. Daily back discomfort is not fun. Waking up at night with back pain is not fun. What is fun? Having a night without that discomfort and waking up in the morning more rested than I have been in weeks…er…months.

Precious niece and Only Step-Son have become engaged to be married. But not to each other. But it appears both events will be the same month next year. I can’t wait to see how each event is planned out!

That’s enough for now.

FOs...IRL

2011-08-14T07:08:00.000-06:00

(finished objects...in real life)

Eldest on the beach in her cover-up. Even after a week, it was still good to go, if sagging just a smidge. She tells me that once home, a round in the washer and dryer brought all the bounce back.

My shoulder shade at the wedding. It served perfectly, as the wedding was moved inside due to the weather. I was wanting something on my shoulders through the evenings activities.

As I said, when knitting meets real life and works, well, that's real nice!

Back Again

2011-08-13T09:40:00.000-06:00

My back has been giving me grief. So much so that the end of last year I went to a physical therapist. She who detests such infringement on time, finances, and prefers more of a holistic approach to healing...went for some PT. And apparently I whined about it enough that Eldest Daughter deemed yoga might shut my trap, and has been paying for some sessions.

All joking aside, my back was not letting me sleep at night, and seriously not getting any better, and I was very frustrated because I try very hard to do...well...everything right.

I was even more frustrated because during the time we were in Cancun, and for a few days upon our return, I had respite from pain! I thought I was cured by the beach and seawater! But alas, it was 'back' on me by the end of the week.

But then I thought to myself...self...there was another time recently that it wasn't so bad...upon the return from your recent visit to see Eldest. I had put that to a new mattress and starting yoga however, and also starting up the biking again, and really altogether too many variables to zero in on a cause, and who cared because it didn't last.

However, I am of a scientific nature. And I continued to hurt. And I wanted to figure this out and find an answer. Why did my back not hurt so much those two times? Was there a common variable?

Why, yes. There was. I didn't carry my fabulous hand tooled red leather bag on either trip, that I bought in October, right before my back went south big time. (I knew that thing was too big when I bought it.) (But, oh...it was...and is...fabulous...)

Last weekend I changed out bags. I am still getting past the twinges and the soreness, but I am getting past it. I don't feel worse daily and I am sleeping better. Seriously I felt the difference almost immediately.

Crazy.

In the meantime? I have fallen in love with yoga. Behold.

Om Nava Shivaya Yoga Mat Bag, by Audrey Loopy, out of Tahki Cotton. (If it stretches? I can toss it in the washer and dryer!)

The i-cord handle threads though the top and is grafted back at the bottom!

That's an i-cord bind off...my first, and it was tricky! I need to do it again before I can claim that I know how to do it.

I think the bottom looks awesome. I might firm up this with a circle of cardboard.
Maybe. Maybe not.

Why, No...

2011-08-12T16:33:00.000-06:00

I am not dead. Thanks for asking, though. Summer has had it's way with me. I certainly feel worn through. Leaving yoga last night, it was noticeably darker, and the light in the morning has a different slant already.

Gah. But enough with the whining. There is plenty of good without feeling the need to complain about the change of the seasons.

First off, the camera has been sent off, repaired, and returned. Halla-freaking-lujah. So that's one extended warranty I am glad I was persuaded to purchase.

I have finished and mailed off two pairs of socks. I got photos of one pair and forgot to photo the other. The tiny camera...it makes me forget things. Wisest Sister has promised to tie up the photo loose end for me. However, the unphotographed socks apparently fit. The vote is still out on these...

Water Fall Rib, from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks, out of Lonesome Stone's Mountain Feat.

Many and other items of note have been happening here at Chez Irons, little of which I have photographic evidence of, and literary descriptions will have to wait....because what I really want to show it this...

Done and ready to send off for arrival by Grandbebe the Third's second birthday (which was my goal).

The quilt she is finished...

And photographed...

Embroidery by Dearest Sister...who already has the panels for Grandbebe The Fourth's quilt done, and is talking up Number Five...which isn't even...in the planning stage yet...the bebe that is. Obviously the quilt is...

Clicky for biggy...these are fun to see up close!

Quilt ended up about 62"x62"...more or less...

Machine pieced. Hand quilted. All of it...quilted and bound by hand...

Fabric mostly vintage, supplemented with some reproduction.

Material is sorted for Number Four.

Wisdom (On The Cheap)

2011-07-14T07:47:00.000-06:00

On the way to work (when I am driving), I pass a couple of churches with message boards. When I am biking, one church even has a small one close to the bike path. These message boards sometimes tell of upcoming church-y events, or sometimes their owners use them to impart words of advice and wisdom.

Which can sometimes be a bit obnoxious…from my perspective. I remember, back in the day of being 'the minister's wife', looking over such platitudes and helping to decide which #1 would work with the letters we had available, #2 would work with the space/lines available, and #3 wouldn’t offend.

One of these message boards I pass is a new-fangled and modern electronic gizmo, so #1 has no implication, and really, I am not sure that this particular establishment is too concerned about #3, because sometimes? I get a bit chapped passing that place. I mean sometime I just want to roll my window down and yell….’whatever! BOZOS!!!’ I don’t even remember what today’s words of wisdom were. Something about experience and knowledge and THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW ME SO SHUT IT!!!!

In front of the other church today…something about not finding the real meaning of life using Google.

All this for free.

However! For a mere $3.97 (plus tax), I could have bought a magnet on Sunday from a little independent shop in our Old Town that spoke to my heart, and I remember oh. so. clearly.

“I wish I were as thin now as when I thought I was fat.’

The choice is mine. Refrigerator wisdom that I have to pay for, but apparently sticks with me, or religious bleatings for free that irritate (but apparently not the hell out) me.

This Time I Did

2011-07-13T07:48:00.000-06:00

When it comes to extended warranties, I usually decline. I read…once…somewhere…that seemed very reasonable and reliable and convincible at the time... that, generally speaking, extended warranties were an income stream for the provider.

Well, they wouldn’t be getting any income that way from me! Nosirreebob!

Even when my computer crapped out after 17 months (or so...I forget now) and the Office Depot guy said, ‘if you had an extended warranty, we would be giving you a new one free right now’ I figured all the times I didn’t buy a warranty and DIDN’T use it paid for the new laptop.

But right after I purchased my fancy smancy camera, a fellow from where I purchased said camera calls me and says ‘…have I got a deal for you…’ And proceeds to offer me an extended warranty, which I declined, then he offers to upgrade my shipping, which I also declined, then he throws in some free filters, and lentgthens the warranty deal…and I start adding up what he is offering, which I know isn’t really costing him much, but it would cost me some dollars to buy, and is really sounding like an okay deal. Sure it upped the cost of the camera a bit, but I took it. I got my camera faster, I got extra lens filters, and I got a 3 years extended warranty with a couple of camera cleanings, for the cost of the filters. I called it good. I wanted my camera fast…and I also got a sidewise look from Wonderful Guy.

Whatever.

It was aggravating in Cancun when the lens fogged up, and perturbing when it wouldn’t power up. I was relieved when the problem went away.

Over the 4^th, we traveled to see Wonderful Guy’s family in eastern Kansas where there is a wonderful fireworks show. I was primed to try my hand at some night photography. The night we arrived, I checked to see if I knew where the settings were that I needed to adjust. Camera was fine. Next morning, taking the pups for a walk, I wanted to take a photo of a cut wheat field….and the dern thing would NOT POWER UP!! And remained in such a state until the MORNING WE LEFT.

Upon our return, I fished out that extended warranty, and started the process to ship the camera to the fixer-uppers. Of course, the thing is working, so who know if they will see what is the problem.

At least, I will get it cleaned.

Sunday night, Lovely Step Daughter was in town with her mini-doxie pup. We cooked out at Only Step-Son’s with his 5 chocolate lab 6 week old pups. There is a nest of baby birds tucked in the eaves of their front porch. GrandGirls One and Three enjoyed the Son, and the pups, and their ice cream.

And I was without my camera.

And pouting, so apparently the point and shoot wasn’t good enough to take along…

July 12th

2011-07-12T07:49:00.000-06:00

And it’s the day I paid full price for a Kindle book…

Dance of Dragons is released today, and I must have it to read.

I have been sucked in by this series, to whit I cannot wait for the price to drop. And alas, it will probably be another 4 years before the next book is published.

Oh, Mr. George R.R. Martin…how you tease your devoted readers!

I may just have to read them all again…

PS The SSABs are pretty much awesome, but I have really loud water in my house.

Say Again?

2011-07-11T09:27:00.000-06:00

I am looking at my calendar and I am not seeing any days off until Labor Day.

Which is kind of a drag because I have so enjoyed my time away from cubeland since the beginning of May. I am sort of use to that now. On the other hand, when I am not at work, the paycheck suffers, so full paychecks will be nice, and work well toward helping with today’s Big Expense.

Today...I buy myself SSABs (aka hearing aids). I have grown to detest the common term, so Eldest and I came up with the more palatable (to me) term SuperSonic Auditory Boosters. I can live with that.

So. SSABs.

It has been a long time coming, and I have migrated through my family being irritated with me not catching what they are saying, to being solicitous when we are in public together and I am stumped at what the server is asking of me. I am at the point of often not being able to rely on non-verbal signals to pick up what others are saying, and end up just staring at them. Or anwering them totally off topic. Yeah. That works. Often TV shows are a total wash. The volume has to be too loud for me to get all the conversation.

Pretty embarrassing.

I won’t go to the fear about the possibility of considering a job interview.

So after much ado and time, I started the actual talking to audiologists and shopping. It was truly painful…until I tried a pair…and I heard sounds and low voices and tones I hadn’t heard in years.

Brought tears to my eyes. And pretty much settled it for me.

Vanity is out the door. And somehow we would figure out a way to pay for them, but I was going to get myself a pair of those, and I was going to be able to hear birds again.

Brief aside, most insurance companies do not cover hearing loss, or hearing aids. Nope. Footing the entire bill for this one. I could smoke, and they would pay my bills for lung cancer and heart disease. I could drink and they would pay for my liver disease. I could eat my way into obesity and they would pay for my diabetes treatment and related issues. I’m not judging…I’m just saying…but I digress.

SSABs of today are not the hearing aids of yesteryear. Mine will be programmed to my hearing loss, to emphasize what I cannot hear and leave alone the frequencies that I can. Pretty much awesome from where I sit right now. I hope it is going to be all I hope it is going to be.

I hope the sound of eating chips doesn’t freak me out. I hope that the sound of my own voice isn’t so loud I quit talking. I want to hear birds again (I still hear meadowlarks and morning doves and finches, but miss so many others) but I know there are lots of really irritating sounds I don’t hear right now that’s probably for the good. Along with the good will come the irritating, I suppose. I wonder if I will hear everyone in cubeland typing. People aren’t going to be able to sneak up on me anymore because I can’t hear them!

Tomorrow is going to be a new day, full of surprises.

I wonder if anyone will notice.

We're Walking...

2011-07-05T06:17:00.000-06:00

Beginning a couple months back, I have been trying to get a walk in at lunch . Part of this is about wanting to lose 5 pounds, and being unsuccessful, and part is working where there is a great place to walk close by and wanting to take advantage of it.

When I worked here previously, I walked All. The. Time. Well. Not all the time…I was working, after all. I mean I walked almost every day. Especially through the Dee-vorce, walking through my lunch helped me maintain my sanity, I do believe.

Anyway. ANYWAY! So I have forced myself to #1 put down the Kindle, and #2 put down the knitting, and #3 walk out the door and #4 breath some fresh air.

I have seen some interesting things, too, among them an eagle, a muskrat (I think), an osprey (I think), the ubiquitous Canadas, mallards, a heron, and now…the Poudre flowing full and flowers are blooming.

Well. I thought to myself, I should bring my fancy smancy camera for my walkabout one day. So I did. Unfortunately, lots of fine feathered fellows thought to pose for me, and being successful has it’s drawbacks. I am now rewarded and might have to tote that puppy more often!

Here’s is where I walk, and here is what I saw.

The river, usually not this high. I know...by eastern standards, it is more of a 'crick'.

Woodsy-type places.

A Canada pair.

A flicker (like a woodpecker).

And some flowers...

Not great photos, but giving a inkling of why I like to get out at lunch. (Clicky for biggy...)

The Trip

2011-07-03T06:28:00.000-06:00

(More about

Mexico

)

Three days before the trip, I realized the last name on my plane ticket was not the same as the last name on my passport. (I use both my unmarried and Wonderful Guys name. Except sometimes I get lazy.) Add to list….call Frontier.

Standing in ‘show me your passport’ line, in Mexico, the Guy and I are chatting it up with Youngest and the Bebe Daddy, with whom we traveled. I hear….from afar…my name…my name…and yet…my daughter’s mouth is not saying anything. And we realize that Dearest Sister and Middle Daughter are in the same line way a ways in front of us! We wave, but alas. Not the time or place to give us cuts!

The tower at the airport. Seriously.

After arriving at our resort, and finding our room, I start to ‘move in’. After about fifteen minutes, Wonderful Guy mentions the A/C doesn’t seem to be working. Not good. He sets out on a mission…and by mission, I mean he goes to the front desk. Within minutes, we have cool air flow. Very good. But we forgot to turn it down (or is it up?). And we froze through out the night. But better that than A/C not working!

We had clouds and 'strong breezes' and finally rain the day of the wedding. Real rain the day after. But the clouds broke up after that, and….all was sunshine, lollipops, rainbows, and silver linings!

The wedding, the family, the resort, the beach, the food…all of it absolutely the best.

My shawl worked perfectly, especially since the wedding and meal were inside, due to weather. It is not known whether there are any photos showing exactly how well it worked. Eldest wore her cover-up until it started stretching and bagging. I told her to take it home and toss it in the washer! My wrap around the hips/sarong/shawl was perfect for duty as well. I love it when a knitting plan comes together!

Snorkeling is my new favorite thing. Unfortunately I have lived in land-locked states my entire life (yes, the panhandle of Texas is a land-locked state). Once I was in the water, the whole breathing thing came naturally. Flippers turbo-charged my swimming! Must. Have. More.

I did a shot of tequila. Snorkeling and a tequila shot. It was truly a day of firsts.

After 6 days of no cell phones, no internet, and no drama, we arrived back in the states, where they let us back in.

It was one sweet trip. Thanks, Eldest and Mr. Eldest (what shall I call him now???), for sharing your good times with us.

The Garden

2011-07-02T06:16:00.000-06:00

There were wonderful and beautiful iris. Almost at peak bloom they were. I scurried out to photograph one evening. And later that night…we were wakened by…hail! Loud hail. Big! Loud! Hail!

Hail that not only sliced iris blooms but made lace of hollyhock leaves, mashed soapwort, mangled hosta, dashed the newly opened peonies, and also…watered the basement.

I dutifully deadheaded later, and noted that the hateful hail even damaged the buds of my iris! It’s a good year to be a roofer in northern Colorado. But! There were still blooms to come and I enjoyed them even more, I think, because of the destruction.

And then, when the last vestige of the icey destroyer was shaken off? The night before we left for

Mexico

More hail. So much for Iris 2011. Whatever. (At least it wasn’t a wheat crop….)

Now it’s time to move on. Lavendar is in full spread. Roses are starting. Carrots show promise, and so do the peas.

And the first evening back from our trip, sitting on the patio? The fragrance of my honeysuckle was evident.

My tomatoes survived. So there’s that.

The Wool Market

2011-06-30T17:45:00.000-06:00

(Which seems like ancient history)

On my own, I drove up early. I will say that on most June mornings, a drive up the mountain is a glorious thing. And so it was the Saturday of the Estes Park Wool Market.

I got there a shade before opening, which of course meant the vendor barn was OPEN! For business! Also not nearly as crowded that time of day as later. I win!

I think the EPWM is of a good size. One vendor barn, lots of variety, and not terrible overwhelming. Just right! I managed to support the economy without breaking the personal bank.

And I added to the stash, and paid no attention to my goal of not adding to the stash (unless it is a killer bargain or souvenir yarn) (unless I consider the Wool Market a vacation, and ALL of it souvenir yarn) (but that is Extreme Rationalizing…even for me):

Prepared roving: 50/50 camel/silk; 50/50 bamboo/merino (dyed) (I had a gift cert!); some blue-faced Leicester; and some suri (a thank you gift) (see below)

Raw fleece: 2.6 lbs of Australian Bond, and 2.3 lbs of Romeldale

Yarn: 1 oz of 15% qiviut. Oh yes I did! And just for about a minute? I thought seriously of the 100% qiviut….at $90/oz.

(Yeah….no.) But as I write this…I am doing the math. 15% for $30….or 100% for $90. I think the 100% is a better deal! More qiviut for the buck!!! D-oh!

Accessories: Hand-turned Wraps Per Inch gauge

Wonderful Guy rode the Bandit up and met me for a lunch, picking me up at the fairgrounds. After lunch, I found the alpaca tent, and within the alpaca tent, the suri association booth. I had seen a message in the EPWM forum on Ravelry that they were looking for some spinners to demo mad spinning skilz, and well, it worked out that I could do that.

And I did. Now it is important to understand that this is scary stuff for me...people I don’t know, out in the public, doing stuff where others might be all judgey judgey. Three strikes and I could bow out very easily. (Oh…I couldn’t find the door to the tent… I was going to be 5 minutes late so I figured you wouldn’t want me to come… the wind was blowing…any excuse will do!)

But I went, and I spun for strangers, on a wheel that wasn’t Molly the Marvelous Matchless, and it was fun and awesome, and people were friendly and there were two neighborly alpacas that kept looking over their pen at me wondering what I was doing. AND! they gave me free suri roving to boot. Win again!

After two hours, someone else came to spin, and I was done. I gathered my swag, and headed down the mountain.

Blue skies, snow capped mountains, a bit of a breeze, yarny goodness, wool bearing critters, good spinning, and a bit of a ride on the Bandit.

Life is good indeed.

Incidentals

2011-06-29T08:21:00.000-06:00

(because I have been just overwhelmed and so busy of late)
Biking this year: 130+ miles (just June, got a late start)

Knitted on the flight to Mexico, packed bamboo needles for knitting on the way home, hearing how Mexican security is about knitting needles, but ended up packing them. I was past thinking that hard. I haven’t knit a stitch in 12 days and counting.

4 blocks left on Grandgirl #3’s quilt.

One raw fleece (of 4 requiring it) scoured. It’s a CVM/Romeldale from a local farm, a covered, skirted fleece that was so clean, I might just be in love.

I gained 2 pounds on vacation. We are going to visit the Guy’s dad and step-mom over the 4th…she who usually has home-made cookies for the snacking. I am doomed.

3 posts written but requiring photo editing. They are good, exciting posts. Sort of.

Today’s high…100 (or close enough).

RIP

2011-06-27T21:23:00.000-06:00

Rest in peace, Sheba, under the lilac.

Your peeps are wating to greet you in Kitty Heaven, where everything is wild catnip and free range rodents.

You were a good cat, and I will miss you.

Why Don't She Write?

2011-06-26T11:13:00.002-06:00

Well, it's like this. I have been on the go. And for a week, without internet. Well, I could have paid for it, but see the new header?

Well...I didn't need the internet with that view a minute's walk from our room.

Since I last wrote, I went to the Estes Park Wool Market, and bought wonderful stuff, which I shall tell about. Later.

After the wool market weekend, which was wonderful, I picked up our passports from the safety deposit box at the bank, and gathering all necessary and appropriate documentation, I packed. I even anticipated Mexican security prohibiting metal knitting needles on the flight back, and planned appropriately.

Armed with camera and laptop (for downloading all the photos I was going to take), knitting and reading, shorts, tanks, swimsuits, dress and shawl for the wedding, we flew south of the border.

Where right off the bat, the fancy smancy camera lenses fogged up! And continued to do so everytime it emerged from inside to outside. One cooler evening, I was able to take several photos, and thought I had 'the trick'. Booyah! However the next morning...camera wouldn't even turn on!! Seems condensate formed on some little contact somewhere. It was torture as I was not the only one with a camera that was not functioning properly. Fortunately, I, as well as others, had taken our little cameras that worked very well.

Very frustrating. At least the camera is working now. Now that I am...you know....HOME!!!!

We saw Eldest married successfully. I snorkeled for the first time. We were allowed back into the country.

The following day, Lovely Step-Daughter arrived from Desert Crazy Town for a friend's bridal shower, and we saw her....for lunch!

Then I took a nap. For 2 hours. Or maybe more. I didn't count.

More details will be forthcoming. I just felt the need to re-surface.

Lettuce Salad

2011-06-10T05:50:00.001-06:00

Oh yes…

My very own produce,

and it is ta-ast-ty (mostly because I grew it myself!)

Exchanges

2011-06-09T05:56:00.001-06:00

(2 types)

1^st – the material

While meeting up in the old hometown recently, my sisters and I took advantage to save some postage and exchange some belated and early (depending on who you were) birthday gifts, and other miscellany.

I handed over a ‘for real and honest’ wool quilt batt for Dearest Sister, and some handspun, handdyed Jacob for Wisest Sister.

From Dearest, I received a cutie pie Longaberger basket filled with shortbread cookies. What? No photo? No shortbreads? Whatever…I have already eaten them in my efforts to not gain poundage before Cancun.

From Wisest, I received a stack of these vintage knitting magazines.

(You will want to clicky for biggy, as these models are stylin'...)

All for some wool!

2^nd – the verbal

Dearest’s Sister Hubster leaves the 90^th birthday party to watch one of two car races that afternoon, the Indy and some Coca Cola NASCAR (fill in the blank with mileage).

Me: I don’t know why…all it is, is driving fast in left-handed circles…

Him: (shaking his head as he leaves) I know…

Later that day…

Him: I thought about it and I decided you are right. NASCAR is boring. Nothing but going round in circles that same way. I have decided to take up a new hobby…
…spinning!

Me: (crickets)

We shared much good laughter, because he scored with that one!

Finished!

2011-06-08T05:27:00.001-06:00

(And with 10 days before she heads to Mexico!)

For Eldest…

For the beach at Cancun…

(I know...it's not her, and it's not with a swim suit...work with me here...)

For her wedding stay…

From Vogue Knitting (Summer 2011), out of Filatura Di Crosa Brilla. Thanks to Ravelry, I found extra yarn in Canada and a fellow raveler who felt she could trade for some handspun. I made it longer than the pattern suggested. I edged the slits for the belt. I added a selvedge stitch to each side of the front and the back.

I think it turned out okay. I hope she does, too.

That Time of Year Again

2011-06-07T05:11:00.001-06:00

The iris...they are a-bloomin'!

Los Coyotes

Celebration Song

Bewilderbeest

Liger

Pinkness

An unknown two-toned...

and one of the new ones I planted last year...the list and names of which I have misplaced and forgot. My mother is spinning in her...urn, I know. But I can still appreciate why I chose it! I think it's lovely.

More are opening up daily! It's an exciting time for me.

And yet, as I walk around the yard, clicking my photos, I am noticing it is going to be a big year for splitting the rhizomes.

(All photos will biggity on clickity.)

Where The Wind Blows

2011-06-06T05:33:00.001-06:00

Over the Memorial Day holiday, I took my second trip in May. Youngest and I loaded up the two grand-girls and traveled back to my hometown to celebrate Favorite Aunt’s 90^th birthday.

My siblings came in from all their respective places…Kansas, California, Nevada…and we had a few days of eating and visiting and keeping each other humble.

The Grand-girls had a fine time at the parade, on which day I left my fancy smancy camera back where we were staying….30 miles away. (Seriously…I did….but better the camera than one of the grandbebes, I say.) The Memorial Day/Class Reunion parade is a typical (very) small town parade consisting of flags, horseriders, a few farm implements, old firetrucks, some motorcycles, and a few little ‘clown cars’. It lasted maybe 20 minutes…maybe. But there was candy! Woot!

We received a personal tour of the new hospital from my BFF, and it really is a pretty spiffy concept. All green and full of energy saving and other good ideas. Like free child care and free something else…maybe meals for the employees?

Main Street has been rebuilt and there are several (7-8, maybe 9) business now. There is a new city hall, a commons building, and the new Kiowa County school that looks very nice. I am thinking all the churches are back, too. It’s a church-y town.

There are still lots of empty lots. Many homes were not rebuilt. There are new trees planted, but I missed the big towering trees that were topped by the tornado.

The day of the parade was overcast, but the next day dawned cloudless. Then the wind picked up, and by 10:30, I was thinking the sun felt good, but my! It’s a bit warm. On the way back to the room, Youngest said the outside air temp read 102. Yes. A bit warm.

And the wind was crazy blowing. Blew all day. Strongly, and didn’t let up in the evening.

And that is why the powers that be figured out these are a good idea for this part of the country. There are now several in town, bigger ones supplying a business (like the hospital), and smaller ones providing for residentials, and then this line outside of town, which I think either the town or the county own.

We returned home on Memorial Day, after a trip to the cemetery, wind still blowing.

It blew All. The. Way. Home.

But. The weird thing? I fought it as a crosswind across Kansas south to north….and when I headed north out of Denver? I fought a crosswind all the way home, west to east!

No breaks for me.

Yoga

2011-06-04T05:23:00.010-06:00

Eldest thought that I might enjoy a good yoga class. A good yoga class…and she spent some time researching and contacting potential yoga people in my town to determine what would be a suitable environ for her mother to be introduced to the healing, strengthening, and soothing properties of the ancient art.

And also hopefully to help her mother quit whining about her aching back, I am sure.

To whit, for my birthday/mother’s day and general health maintenance, she has purchased for me a mat, and introductory classes at a couple of different places around town.

So far, so good. And by good, I mean I have not embarrassed myself nor my family by falling ungracefully splat on my face in the middle of class.

There have been some interesting experiences, but on the whole, I think I am not too bad at this. The day following the first class, I was mighty stiff, but that went away, and I have not been too bad off since.

Of course that was before spending 20 hours over 4 days in a car, hauling bebes in and out of carseats, hefting and lifting, loading and unloading, all the up and down…

I am enjoying it all to this point, and see myself continuing in some fashion. I am glad she decided I should do this. Sometimes my girls are bossy, but what the hey?! Sometimes they have good ideas!

Also, I have a pattern picked out for a knitted yoga mat carrier.

Don’t judge me!!

Dead

2011-06-03T05:14:00.003-06:00

My Kindle kicked the bucket. The screensaver won’t go away. The customer service people asked me if my Kindle has been subjected to:

- Undue pressure... (I did read the four published books of ‘The Song of Fire and Ice’, each over 700 pages, in…what? Four weeks??)

- and/or heat... (102 in SW Kansas over the weekend…)

- or being dropped... (No. But if so, I wouldn’t admit it to the customer service people.)

I really don’t know what happened. Perhaps carrying it around everywhere with me in only my felted cover isn’t the best practice. Perhaps I need to invest in a ‘real’ cover.

However and whatever and anyway, the Kindle customer service people were as nice and kind and friendly and helpful as the counter person at a small town grocery store back in the day. A new kindle is winging its way to me, free of charge, all bright and shiny and ready to read, by the end of the week.

Still…they are really and truly fortunate that…

1) I had finished the currently published books of ‘The Song of Fire and Ice’.

2) I am in between books on the Kindle.

3) I have real life books to read.

4) I was not in the middle of one of those crazy addictive Fire and Ice books.

5) Because seriously? I might have been murderous.

6) Seriously.

ETA: The new one arrived last night! I had forgotten what it takes to set it up, but all my books are transfered and I am good to go once again.

And Again!

2011-06-02T08:06:00.000-06:00

I have inadvertently taken another hiatus. But much has been keeping me so busy that the writing has fallen by the wayside.

One might be curious as to what has kept me so busy?

The yard has been righted for the growing season, with the exception of planting the 13 pumpkins seedlings that sprouted. That is correct. 13. No peppers. One zuchinni. 7 yellow squash. Some sunflowers that are long and leggy and probably not going to survive transplanting…and 13 pumpkins seedling that are THRIVING!

A trip to the nursery provided the annual annuals, which were all planted the same day. Boo-yah! Tomatoes are in the ground, pots are arranged around the patio in an ascetically pleasing manner, and all is right with my outside world. Including the first of the tall bearded iris blooming.

That same day, Wonderful Guy and I got the bikes out, blew the cobwebs off, put some air in the tires, and took them for a spin. While there has been no commuting, and it is the first of June, I am ready when 1) the weather is right, and 2) I am not getting ready to leave town, 3) nor recovering from a trip.

I played bunko this week. It was my last time as a substitute. A couple of women are moving, and I have been asked to become a regular regular, rather than a regular substitute. Gosh. I don’t know if I want all that responsibility and commitment, but I am taking it all. No more flying along on the coattails (and the housecleaning and the feeding of the snacks) of others.

I decided for the dresses I intend to wear for the Eldest’s wedding hoe-downs, as the garments were lined, and I was not going to be wearing hosiery, that some sort of ‘foundation garment’ was required. A bit of shopping found just the thing for the right price at one of our local outlet stores. Trying the foundation garment on, I wondered if the dress that I really wanted to wear to the wedding…the one I really needed to lose 5 pounds for...but for the life of me….even with my increased exercise regimen and efforts at decreasing intake (even as all those around me may lay claim to my occasional lapses with shortbread cookies, I cannot deny!)…would work.

Well. It does. So I took the newly purchased dress back for a refund, and now? I only need not gain anymore.

Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it?

Why I Make...

2011-05-21T05:54:00.001-06:00

The things I make...

easter egg hunt bags, made by Grandmama, pattern found on PurlBee
Because there is no better thrill.

None.

Lilac Heaven

2011-05-20T05:22:00.001-06:00

Every day I drive this street to and from work.

Every day I have been watching. Watching and waiting. Hoping for a good lilac year.

And this has been a good one.

Last year, Wonderful Guy drove me around our fair burg to collect photos of the blooming trees. This past Saturday....we drove my way to work. Only this time we pulled over and took a bit of a walk.

This planting lines one of the main arteries of our fair burg, but at this point it is more a 'boulevard'.

The street is approaching a busy intersection, that was a four way stop on the outskirts of town when I approached work from a different direction 14 years ago.

These sentinels have seen the change.

Now they screen the adjacent neighborhood from the noise of the traffic.

The row of scent-iness continues for probably a block and a half, maybe two blocks.

And the bushes have been cared for. There is evidence of pruning at the base.

There is a goodly variety, that is for sure.

I wonder if it's the neighborhood's bailiwick, or the city who takes such good care. I surely would like to thank them.

(Click for big. They are worth it.)

Grounded

2011-05-19T05:57:00.003-06:00

Middle of May in northern Colorado.

The winter deadfall has been cleaned out of the yard (finally), and the early blooms are going strong. There are enough for a fun bouquet for the kitchen table.

A seed display at the hardware store sucked me in a few months ago. I planted a few things indoors, and even planted some directly outside. Well guess what. Mother Nature winning!

Peas

Lettuce

carrots

While my shorter iris were blooming when I got home from my trip, Silverado, my consistent first bloomer, opened May 15th with a perfect bloom, under cloudy skies and rain drops.

And we may have a tenant in one of the birdhouses.

I can believe that I am going to be sitting on my patio after riding home from work on my bike by the end of the month.

Especially Proud

2011-05-18T05:21:00.002-06:00

The idea and purpose of this project came to me one night before sleep. One skein of silk, bought on sale (40% off, no less!). One dress, for Eldest’s wedding in Cancun. The need for simple handmade accessory, for the shoulders of a sleeveless dress, without adding heaviness or warmth.

The colors of yarn and dress were verified the next day as working well together. Next issue was finding a shawlette pattern that was suitable for yarn, yardage, and purpose. (Ravelry, I worship thee and thy advanced search capabilities.) Not just Annis, but Mini-Annis! seemed to fit the bill.

Knitting up in just a few days (seriously, about 4, and not plane knitting), the lace pattern is nicely written, and works up very well. The short rows make a wonderfully shaped shawl. I think I will look for others.

I used only about 2/3's of the skein of yarn, and was wondering about the size of the completed shawl at first. Perhaps it was too diminuitive? But, and perhaps there are those who don't know this, blocking lace is absolute magic. Majick! I tell you. My shawl-ette is a perfectly sized shawl-ette.

After blocking, the shawl works perfectly for the wedding purposes. And after the wedding, I will have a silk scarf to tuck around the collar of a coat this winter.

I am especially proud.
(click for biggy to view details up close)

Dogwoods, Azaleas, and Wisteria! Oh My!

2011-05-17T05:33:00.001-06:00

For me, the key is to appreciate what an individual place can offer.

It is rarely a redbud is spied here in northern Colorado, and never a dogwood. But I generally don’t have to fight rot in my iris rhizomes, and we don’t have chiggers or fleas either. So I can call it good.

My growing season keeps me from having homegrown tomatoes until August, and often freezes them in early in October. And that is truly grievous. But I do not suffer with horrid and long, hot and humid summers. In general, I don’t have to treat my roses for mildew and black spot.

See. Life is good wherever I am. But I must say, when Eldest drove me toward her home, and I saw the dogwoods, I was Thrilled. To. Death! What an unlooked-for surprise.

The azalea and rhododendrons were crazy blooming, too. Some bushes were so full, I was thinking there weren’t any leaves there!

Wisteria is just so…grapey looking! And smelly, or fragrant, depending on one's particular take. But cool, too.

The thing about back east, and in the mid-south, and along the Missouri river valley, is this stuff grows free range! Well, not wisteria in Missouri…but all the rest!

At the gardens, I also impressed my daughter by spying some early wildflowers.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

May apple

Trillium

Lady’s Slipper

And this one, which I think is another Lady's Slipper, but feel free to correct me (on this or any of the above).

She asked me how I knew these guys were there. These are ones I never get to see, the ones I have mostly only read about. These are special and uncommon ones for me to see.

So pretty cool. And also, extra points that I can impress the youngsters, you know…

In Other News

2011-05-16T05:52:00.003-06:00

The evening before I left for the right coast, I attended a ‘Fixing Mistakes’ class at my LYS. It was a 2 hour class on the right and proper way to pick up dropped stitches and such.

Yes. I know. I have been knitting an awful long time to not know such a thing, and it embarrasses me to say so, but my error correcting has been a bit of bluffing up to this point.

I am not a perfectionist. Often I will wheedle my way around a mistake, if I think it won’t matter, or show…too much. I would call myself an B+/A- knitter if perfectionism is an A+ knitter.

So yeah. I spent 2 hours, but learned some tricks, so I thought it was worth the money. Timewise, it seemed a lot, but my class mates were less experienced than I, so perhaps they appreciated the time.

Will I be able to drop back 10 rows to correct a cable crossed the wrong way? Probably not so I would post about it here…

That day I also cast on Annis (mini-version, rav linky) in Textiles A Manos Painted Bangkok (100% silk) to wear with my ‘I birthed the bride’ dress. I thought it would be the perfect size for the amount of yarn in the skein, but I have cast off, and have way more than I expected left over. What to do? The shawl-ette is a shade small, even for an –ette, so I thought I could frog and re-knit a bit bigger. There are a couple of things that keep me from that, however. One is the way silk yarn can behave, and that is badly, all grabby and tangly, even if it knits like buttah. The other is the way shawls can eat yarn, and I may think I am adding just a smidge at the front end, but as the shawl is worked, that ‘just a smidge’ results in using more yarn than I ever dreamt, and than I could possibly have. And I end up short 12 inches from the end on the cast off row, and also, with stress lines from worrying about it through the last five rows, as I see the yarn disappear into the shawl…

So I think I am about ready to break yarn (yes, it’s true. I haven’t committed even to that at this point.), block it and call it good, leftover yarn be damned. Or just left over...

I have word from the far north that the required yarn is winging it’s way to Colorado that I need to finish up Eldest’s swimsuit cover up for the wedding trip. That’s a relief! I was not finding that anywhere else. Thank Bob for Ravelry and good hearted knitters with big stashes willing to trade their goods.

While knitting on the cover up during my flights to and from Philly, two or three flight attendants commented on my knitting. That is a new experience for me. I know others find knitters in interesting and far-flung places, even other Ravelers. I, alas, have not…until now. I even spied another knitter while waiting to board the return flight, and had the chance to speak to her, having lost my seat in the gate area when I left to visit the restroom. However, she was tinking back a her ‘first sock ever’, and we did not speak much beyond that as I did not want to break her concentration.

I am thoughtful that way.

Also incredibly lacking in conversational acumen.

Mother’s Day

2011-05-15T05:43:00.002-06:00

I rarely get to spend Mother’s Day with Eldest, so this one was a special treat. She asked Youngest what she should do. Youngest told her our typical arrangement was to visit the nursery on Mother’s Day and pick out something for my yard.

So…while in Philly, Eldest and I picked up a couple of things from the nursery…and planted them in her yard…for Mother’s Day! She bought me a peony and a hydrangea.

We saw this one in bloom at Longwood Gardens, and that is what we chose (or one close to it). Not your typical hydrangea, and I liked it, because of that. I told her about hydrangeas being pink or blue depending on the alkalinity or acidity of the soil. We are scientific that way...but I went on to say it was more like coffee grounds and lime....not sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid...

The peony was on sale, being rather puny in comparison to the big, robust bushes we found down the bench aways. I am a sucker for the scrawny plants….at 50% off. And a peony? It’ll do. I just love me a good smelly peony! Reminds me of old farm gardens, and big bouquets on kitchen tables.

But the big news on Mother’s Day? Her first two tall bearded iris opened up. Two that came from my yard, that I helped her plant 3 years ago.

Doesn’t get much better than that.

Home Again, Home Again

2011-05-14T07:43:00.000-06:00

I swear.

It takes longer and longer, the older I get, to recover my equilibrium from vacationing.

Perhaps I should do less doing and more relaxing? Nahhhh….that would not be very restful for me, I think.

I digress. I am back from a wonderful time, even without the sheep festival. There were two botanical gardens (of sorts), time in Eldest’s garden, the bridal shower, and just hanging with her peeps.

Traveling was relatively uneventful. Weather served up decently.

And the dogwoods were in bloom!

But when I got home?

My lilacs were showing off…

Lilacs won this year.

Postcard from Philly

2011-05-05T05:09:00.000-06:00

Youngest to me to the plane, so I had a bit of time with the grandgirls, before flying back east, leaving sunny Colorado for a cloudy and chill east coast. While we were descending to land, I was sure hoping the pilot knew where the ground was...

So here I am, and we are laying our plans. The Sheep and Wool Festival may have slipped in priorities. May be to far to drive for other deadlines that day. Oh well...it's just wool.

Today we are heading to the botanical gardens...weather permitting.

Why I Knit

2011-05-03T05:32:00.000-06:00

And also, a (not necessarily totally) gratuitious grandbebe photo...

Here's Ginger...wearing one of the cutie pie undershirts I have knitted out of cotton for her enjoyment and her mother's ease of care.

I am seriously missing those grandbebe girls.

Alpaca yarn

2011-05-02T06:37:00.002-06:00

In spite of the KittyBoy to make it his bed, I finished a couple bobbins of alpaca singles and 2-plied two skeins worth amounting to 488 yards.

I am blending a 10 oz batt purchased at Alpacas on the Rocks, and some 8 ounces of fleece I purchased at the Alpaca Extravaganza in Longmont (6 oz after scouring). The two are not the same shades of morrit or rose-grey, but sort of kind of close. I am exact that way.

I am alternating portions as I spin the singles, resulting in random color combining while plying. After setting the twist and drying, I like what I have.

The singles were spun finely, with a backwards long draw, so the yarn is woollen (more or less). I have nothing in mind at this point for a finished product, and I still have probably 2/3’s still to spin.

Lilac update

2011-04-30T06:35:00.002-06:00

So far, they are doing very well. But I am under no illusions here. We are not out of the frost free zone. This weekend, in fact...perhaps...

Spring is trying very hard. And in spite of The Guy’s efforts at ‘thinning’ last year, the violets are blooming.

I am making good progress getting the beds cleaned out, and say that I am about 85% there. Maybe 90%, because I am optimistic that way!

And I am seeing tall bearded iris buds in the front yard. I have the little guys blooming already.

May is right around the corner.

Hooked

2011-04-29T08:47:00.000-06:00

Earlier this year, after I received my Kindle for Christmas, I started watching 3 or 4 sites that offered the heads-up on the ‘cheap read’ Kindle offers, books offered for free, or $1, or $3, or (gasp) even $5, generally.

Now many of these books are not my cuppa’ joe. I have never been one for the bodice ripper romance novels (not judging, just saying…). I do not read horror or the vampire genre. And omylard…these seem to be a dime a dozen.

Or free, as the case is now. These seem to be given away for e-readers. Do not ask me why.

Also the Christian publishers…they like to give their books away, too. Which is nice. If one goes for that sort of read.

I did find some that were good reads…you know…in my book. Some mystery, which I can read a few at a time, especially historical ones. That is, until I get creeped out by what the authors are thinking up for their characters to do. (I mean really...if authors can think up this stuff...) I even found some young adult reads, that didn’t match up to Harry Potter, but were palate cleansing…and for free…well heck (she shrugs…) why not? And some historical fiction, which I do enjoy. Some political thriller types, contemporary fiction…et cetera et cetera et cetera....

In fact, it was very educational, to become…educated…in the indie publishing vs ‘name brand’ publisher pricing and what all that was about.

And in that line, I did buy a couple of books from the ‘big houses’ that were part of a series that I had started a long time ago, but hadn’t bought the hard copies of the last couple of books, because of price. Also, I am not going to mention the series by name, because the series is just the respectable side of trashy, and I am a little embarrassed to be so taken by it. But what’s cool about the Kindle? I could read these ‘books’ without anyone knowing I was reading ‘almost trash’! These last two books were ‘on sale’ for $5. So it was all cool.

There was one other book I bought for $5. HBO was making a series based on it. I hadn’t heard much more about it than that. I read the description which said ‘resembles England during the War of the Roses’, but had fun stuff…like barbarians and direwolves and a great ice wall…so not for real. Fantasy/historical fiction…highly rated. Award winning. Five bucks. Sold.

I have finished six kindle books since I received the gift of my Kindle, and last week randomly chose Game Of Thrones as my next read.

Oh my. I kid you not. I have been sneaking into the bathroom at work with it trying to eke out another page or two. I have found it fascinating.

And unfortunately addictive. There are going to be seven books in the series. Four are written. Number five will be released in July 2011. Which is really really great…but…

also unfortunately, all full price, at $9. The Kindle Store is like…a pusher!

Do not believe for a minute that the big publishers are going to sell a book by a big author for less just because paper is not involved. And while some big authors wind up on the sale tables at Barnes and Noble relatively quickly, I saw a display of this particular series last weekend that led me to think I needed to buy Clash of Kings at least.

You know. For my next fix.

edited to add...I started Book Three: A Storm of Swords last night...I am lost...

New Things on The Needles of Iron

2011-04-22T05:34:00.000-06:00

I am not really sure what has happened. I was cruising through this year whacking out a bunch o’ little projects (knitting) to keep me focused on Big and Pressing Projects (quilting) when suddenly! This week! I find 3 rather complicated projects on the needles.
With a deadline.
#1 came about in the middle of the night. After waking, but before going back to sleep, I thought of one skein of silk (rav linky) I have that just might match the dress I am thinking to wear to the wedding in June. In the daylight, it was discovered that the silk yarn does indeed match perfectly, and I think a mini-shawl of silk is just the thing for a beach wedding. After much searching and contemplating, I think I have settled on a mini-Annis out of this.
#2 So I was emailed Eldest my idea, and while she was flutzing around Rav on my login, she found a swimsuit cover-up, and asked me what I thought, which was not much, as it was a crocheted garment. Disappointed she was, but she did not have the mad advanced searching skilz that the Mother-Unit has. It required the purchase of a Vogue mag, but this (rav linky) was decided upon, and I even half most of the yarn required. The rest was tracked down through another Rav member (I just love poking through other people’s stashes!) and a swap was arranged for some of my hand-dyed handspun. Suh-weet! So #10 Mesh Cover-Up, out of this.

#3 In contemplating the idea of a swimsuit cover-up, I considered it would be good to have one also, and I like the wrap-the-triangle-around-the-hips action. I found a pattern for one, but on close inspection, I thought it was lame lame lame! And then I thought, that is nothing but a shawl! I have hundreds….nay….THOUSANDS!!! of shawl patterns at my finger tips that are very cool, some even in my queue already. What I need is a) one that I can wear on the beach like a hippy sarong thing, then wear as a shawl when I go back to my real life without beach butlers, b) a pattern that doesn’t take a lot of concentration because #1 and #2 above are going to take all my concentration, and c) can be made out of my stash. The Simple, but Effective Shawl, by Laura Chau, out of Maggi’s Linen. Perfect!
Quilting is continuing.
Spinning is continuing.

Socks are probably going to have to percolate for a bit.

I do recognize my limits…after a fashion….

The Pretender to the Throne

2011-04-20T14:31:00.000-06:00

(alpaca waiting to be spun...)

…thinks these are appropriate places to catnap…

(quilt being quilted...)

He would be wrong.

Happy Birthday!

2011-04-19T05:31:00.003-06:00

Happy Birthday!

Guess who had a birthday?

Guess how many?

She is not a grandbebe anymore.

(not sure what I am going to call her forthwith)

Sheep

2011-04-18T04:47:00.010-06:00

We have been shopping for a new mattress, which is a brand new experience for me. (The X and I slept on a waterbed back in the day.) So Wonderful Guy and I have been laying on beds together in public trying to get a feel for the individually wrapped coils, the number of coils, whether they are made of tempered steel or not, whether there is foam involved, and whether that foam is memory foam or regular foam or forgetful foam…

And also the price. And the cost of delivery. And the return policy if I choose poorly.

But what really helped me decide? (Oh not really….) (But maybe kinda sorta....)

I mentioned, as we were sitting on a Sealy, 'is this the one that advertises with the little sheep?'

'No, no,' said the sales guy, 'that is Serta.'

'Too bad,' says I. 'I love those little sheep. You know, I think if I could get my hands on one of those little guys…'

Says the sales guy…'You know, I think we have some around here…'

And guess what I went home with? No, not a mattress. Not at that point, because we were still discussing pros and cons and coils and price (see above…), but I did get this little guy!

We ended up purchasing from this vendor for all the right reasons, and incidentally? Didn’t get a Serta. Really didn’t even look at them through the whole shopping ordeal. Guess the power of advertising only goes so far!

Still, I really love my little sheep.

Lilac Update

2011-04-15T04:46:00.000-06:00

So far so good.

And this year I have 2 real life daffies blooming! I planted these 6 or 7 years ago, and generally I get foliage sprouting and not much else. Once in a while a puny little bloom that might last half a day…

What I think this bodes is one long dry season, though.

My hyacinths are all three showing again this year, regular as clockwork. I should really get more of these.

An Easter Story

2011-04-14T04:45:00.000-06:00

I found tutorials for these easy-peasy Easter projects at Purl Bee.com. (Search for 'bunny finger puppets' and 'easter egg hunt bags') And since Easter is sooo late this year I had time to:

#1 let the idea percolate.

#2 find the materials I had on hand.

#3 purchase the materials I needed…in mass quantities (anyone know of any other felt-y projects that are adorable and quick, send them my way. I am well supplied).

#4 let the materials age.

#5 actually create the projects.

#6 realize I required material of which Dearest Sister has beaucoup. So much beaucoup that I am embarrassed to go buy any, so I requested she send me some.

#7 actual send/receive materials.

#8 finish/photograph/package/ship projects to out of state grandbebes.

Before the holiday.

For such easy-peasy projects, that’s a lot of work. Which in my mind, goes to show, there are no easy-peasy projects…

Anyway, while I am working one of the bunny finger puppets up, Wonderful Guy entered into the ‘craftudio’ to inquire about something, and I took the opportunity to show him one of my little creations. I put one of the little guys on a finger and sang…

“Little bunny Foo Foo hopping through the forest, scooping up the field mice and boppin' ‘em on the head. And down came the good fairy, and she said…Little bunny Foo Foo, I don’t want to see you…”

At this point, Wonderful Guy, interrupts and says to me, “Did you just make that up!?”

I didn’t know whether to me more surprised that he had not ever heard of the exploits of the bunny Foo Foo, or that he thinks me capable of such spur-of-the-moment creative prowess.

I assured him I did not make up the song, that it is a tried and true song, of Girl Scout (and other youngish clan-type gatherings) legend. But he was not convinced, and later in the evening, he declared, ‘are you sure you didn’t make that rabbit song up?’.

I had to call Dearest Sister for confirmation, both for The Guy, and also because I wasn’t sure of the ultimatum the good fairy handed down to the bunny Foo Foo. While she could assure The Guy that I am not capable of spontaneous musical combustion, she (who can remember all the towns in ‘I’ve Been Everywhere, Man’) couldn’t remember the dire consequences offered to the violent bunny.

She directed me to Google.

Which was no immediate help, because while I couldn’t remember what they were, I knew what they weren’t, and the lyrics I remembered weren’t what the most popular hits said the lyrics were. I had to click way down the pages, until I figured this out…

‘Little bunny Foo Foo, I don’t want to see you scooping up the field mice and bopping ‘em on the head. I’ll give you three chances.’ [done – and on to the next verse]

With it ending thusly…

“Little bunny Foo Foo hopping through the forest, scooping up the field mice and bopping ‘em on the head. And down came the good fairy, and she said… I don’t want to see you scooping up the field mice and bopping ‘em on the head. I gave you three chances. And now…POOF…you’re a FIELD MOUSE!”

At least, I think that’s the way I remember remembering it (…and you are welcome for the earworm).

Seed starting

2011-04-13T04:45:00.000-06:00

I am ready for spring.

OK. Not really ready, but you know….”ready”! So in an effort to get REALLY ready, I am going to start getting ready…

…by planting seeds. Some I can’t do until I do some yard cleaning up, but others need to be started inside.

And that’s what I have done. Peppers, pumpkins, squash, zucchinis, nasturtiums, and sunflowers.

Six pots of each…with a few seeds in each pot. I do not have the acreage in my back yard for all those vining vegetables, but it seems to be a waste of effort to plant only one little pot per packet of seed.

If I only planted one, not one seed would germinate. However? I am sure now that I have planted six pots, every single seed will sprout.

Perhaps I will have find other gardens for some.

Mileage

2011-04-11T05:35:00.000-06:00

While spring is a ways off up here in northern Colorado, Wonderful Guy and I have made use of the warm-ish weather on the weekends, and put in some training hikes. We have explored some new areas in this effort, as well as hitting an old favorite.

Reservoir Ridge (2.2 miles)

Eagles Nest (4.8 miles)

Good to get out, good exercise and warm-ups to more vigorous outings when the weather warms, and Best Dog Ever has had a grand old time.

And I have whacked off 10 miles from my goal of 40 miles so far!

Philly

2011-04-08T05:36:00.002-06:00

So Eldest Daughter is going to be married this summer. Living back east, she is making most of the preparations herself. And there is a bridal shower first part of May.

Back east. Way back east. Far from home.

Poo.

That is...
Until!

I found out recently that at work, everyone (and by everyone, I mean everyone who is a REAL employee) ‘gets’ to go to a very important and special meeting the first week of May, and since no one (and by no one, I mean me) will be left at the site, it will be closed.

So I have a week off.

Unpaid, but off work. (Apparently I will still have a job after two years of being a temporary employee...albeit still as a temporary employee. But still....getting a paycheck.) (I do not think temporary means what they think temporary means....)

Anyway...my days off? Right before Eldest’s bridal shower.

I decided it was fate, and I decided that I was going to back east. I was going to the shower.

Also? It happens to be the weekend of the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, so we are thinking to take that in as well. I was sort of kind of planning a trip to Philly this year, more towards the fall, with my sights on Rhinebeck, but I think this fits that goal.

So look at me…

Going to Philly and attending the bridal shower. I am Pleased. As. All. Get. OUT!

I like being nobody.

Cats on the Couch

2011-04-06T05:34:00.002-06:00

It used to be the Throne of The Cat Who Would Be Queen.

Now The Interloper believes it to be a fine perch from which to watch the world go by.

And when we leave the house? Best Dog Ever believes the couch becomes her bed, too. Yeah...not so much the Best Dog Ever at that particular point in time...

I am glad we bought this piece of furniture for the animals.

Hiding Lilacs

2011-04-05T05:36:00.001-06:00

They are in there.

Wonder if we will have a lilac sort of spring this year.

Hiking Season

2011-04-04T05:13:00.005-06:00

And all that that implies.

(Clicky for biggy) South Trail at Lory State Park

While March has been very dry, which means for us no snow, it also means, we are able to get out a bit earlier for our walk-abouts. These fellows stood still long enough for me to change lenses last weekend.

Unfortunately, no snow also means we are very behind in our precipitation, and there have already been some wildfires. I heard that we are at conditions we were at in 2002 when Wonderful Guy and I started hiking together. Before we were 'Wonderful Guy and I'...back when we were just talking. And hiking.

But what are you going to do about the weather, except talk about it? And enjoy what one gets?

Gratuitous Grandbebe Photo

2011-04-03T05:04:00.001-06:00

Just because I think they are awesome.

The girls, well, Grandbebe Girl the First anyway, being the one that talks, almost always asks if they can play the 'pinana', to which I always answer 'yes, single fingers,and be careful to not smash fingers opening and shutting the keyboard...'.

Because why not.

I remember the grandmother on my father's side rarely let me play the piano at their home when we were visiting. As a gradeschooler. Who had taken lesson from age 5. I was not going to be pounding the keys, in other words. But then, I don't remember that we were allowed to do much at their home, except to read, and listen in on the adult conversation. I do remember there was soda pop, though...

My point is...I am not that grandmother.

I generally don't have soda pop at my house.

Guild and Workshop Saturday!

2011-04-01T05:35:00.002-06:00

I am looking forward to the weaver’s and spinner’s guild this Saturday (NCWG). The program and workshop has to do with spinning, and therefore…it’s all for me me me!!!

AND.

The workshop is going to be given by Maggie Casey (Start Spinning, Shuttles, Spindles & Skeins). I have taken 2 other classes from her, and signed up (and paid) right away. Good thing, too. The workshop is full up, with a waiting list!

I am a lucky spinner, indeed!

In related spinning news, this is what will have to be taken off Molly, the Marvelous Matchless so she can go to Guild with me. (Molly loves road trips!)

Alpaca, woolen-spun, fine. I have a total of 16 oz to spin, and intend to finish it as 2-ply. Or that’s what I am thinking now. I don't have anything in particular in mind yet to knit it into.

Getting More Exercise

2011-03-30T05:33:00.003-06:00

But for a different reason than the usual.

When we re-carpeted and freshly painted our bedroom and bath, we changed up some things in the bath. Much of the 'decor' (and I use the term loosely) did not return to that area, which left some bare wall space.

And when Wonderful Guy opted for landscapes over flowers for the photos in the bedroom, I decided that the empty wall spaces in the bathroom could be filled with flowers. Well, photos of flowers...

There were spaces for 3-8x10s. The task, as I saw it, was to purchase frames with mats, and choose three likely candidates, and print them off myself. I choose printing myself so I will feel free to change them up as I feel the need, or choose others if first choices didn't work, or for any other reason that wouldn't leave me committed to the investment of having the photo lab paid to do it.

I had in mind one photo, a pinecone photo taken in Yellowstone, which drew a raise eyebrow from The Guy when I told him. 'Pinecone?' He doesn't always see the 'big picture'.

I continued...undaunted. Found the frames on sale. Located my pinecone photo, and while ditzing around the Yellowstone folders, found several likely wild flower photos.

Hmmm...I was sort of thinking of my yard flowers....but I followed my instincts here. One I liked needed some tweaking, being a bit washed out in color, but I was able to pull out my minimal Photoshop skilz and a presentable result was produced.

The chosen photos were printed, and amazingly, matched what I was seeing on my screen, and I didn't run out of ink halfway through any of them. I was patient enough to let them dry before slapping them into the frames to see how they were going to look.

And (here's a big one) the frames had two hangers for the horizontal mode, so when hanging...I had to use thinking (!), measurements, and a level to make sure they hung straight.

Here's where I am getting more exercise. I am pleased with my efforts. So pleased, in fact, that I run upstairs to use that bathroom just to admire the results.

The Pinecone

The tweaked Sunflower

Polemonium

And more of a perspective...

This fills me with all sorts of joy at having figured something out that works.

Things Finished

2011-03-28T05:10:00.003-06:00

Pretty Thing (The Yarn Harlot) out of Aarlen (a gift from Martha, the Quilter).

Linux, the Penguin, for Professor Niece, out of Brown Sheep Lambspride, Red Heart Wintuk, LionBrand MicroSpun.

Just A Little Under-Shirt, for Grandbebe The Fourth, by Robin Orm Hansen, out of Tahki Cotton Classic. #2 is underway.

A closer shot of the crazy-making crochet...(clicky to biggy)

Calorimetry, by Kathryn Schoendorf (knitty, 2006), finishing up the last of Aarlen (the very last, with absolutely NONE leftover.) (None. Zero, Zip, Not. One. Inch...) (It was 40% cashmere after all.).

A close up of the button I used, from my 'tin of old buttons found in an old cellar', most of which are off of flannel workshirts, I think, but this one was not, and perfect for the job.

The little projects just keep coming, while the quilting and spinning progresses.

Lessons in Humble

2011-03-25T15:40:00.000-06:00

The ‘Just A Little Under Shirt’ knitted up just swimmingly. I loved the stripes. I loved the cotton. I love the teeny-ness of it.

I loved it all…until I hit the finishing up part of it. Single crochet around the arm openings. Double crochet around the neck. I-cord or crochet chain for the tie.

(After observing the photos of the finished objects on Ravelry,I preferred the look of the crochet chain to the bulk of the i-cord.)

Ya’ know…I do lots of things well. I can knit cables, lace, socks. I can (most of the time) hit gauge. I can cast on both provisionally and magically. I can cast off half a dozen ways. I can knit with the loops of magickness. I can felt. By hand even. I can spin (intermediately!). I can dye yarn and wool with out muddying the colors (too badly) (and if I do, I know how to overdye!). I can clean raw fleece, and card it for spinning.

This does not mention talents outside the fibery realm, like gardening or baking chocolate chip cookies, or writing an understandable sentence.

But I do not crochet without much uncertain effort. And the finishing up of the 'Just A Little Undershirt' was truly a lesson in the humble.

Thirty minutes it took for the 26 inch crochet chain. I claim slippy cotton yarn…partially...

Actually, the double crochet around the neck lies better than the single crochet around the armholes. But I am not daunted. I do not think my bebe girl will pass judgment on what her Grandmama knit for her (yet)and decline to wear it. I have yarn for more and I feel that with practice will come progress. (Never give up! Never surrender!)

More Little UnderShirts are in the works. Come ~~hell~~ crochet or ~~high water~~ ribbing….which is an option I found that others have used while perusing those that have knitted the same...others that, no doubt, can crochet no better than I!

Quilt Progress

2011-03-21T05:10:00.001-06:00

When moving the hoop again, I assessed how many blocks have been quilted. I am about halfway there.

With the blocks and inter-pieces. After that, the sashing and binding will remain. My hope is that Grandbebe The Third will have her quilt by her 2nd birthday, end of summer. I don't think that is so terrible. It's not like it's her 21st birthday...

This time, instead of quilting til I drop, I am shaking it up a bit with some spinning in the evenings, and knitting at lunchtime.

Keeps Iron Needles from becoming a dull girl. Or, at least, bored.

And I think that this is the crux of the matter...to feel that I am a knitter, a sewer, a quilter, and spinner. All of that, equally...in no particular order.

Not that I am a knitter who sometimes sews, and has a quilting project that she is trying to finish. When I think of it that way, it somehow is more burdensome. It somehow takes time away from other things.

But really...the quilting doesn't. I like the quilting. I have some ideas for some projects. I have another grandbebe quilt to work on, too. And lawd knows, Dearest Sister is already making plans for quilt numero cinco.

Since the first of the year, I have been breaking up my evening down time with spinning or quilting, occasionally knitting (Remember, I knit over lunch..). It's not a marathon, nor a chore.

It's just part of what I do. I quilt. I sew. I spin. I knit. (and garden...and prep fiber...and felt wool...and dye yarn...)

Exercising My Shopping Talents

2011-03-19T09:13:00.000-06:00

In preparation for the trip requiring a current passport later this year, I require a new swimsuit (that won’t be in danger of the spandex giving up the ghost upon hitting the chlorine of the pool…) and new dressy (sort of) shoes.

I thought I had the shoe thing already covered but alas, I was informed that my go-to strappy sandals had been 'judged' by those more in the know than I. Oh yes they had, and not in a good way.

A dress was also on the list. When one has given birth to the bride, one must look…something. And in this case, the something is described as ‘beach formal’. I think I lived in a state that was not land-locked once, but that state was Texas, and I was living in the panhandle...which is a land-locked state, really. I do not know this beach formal...

So shopping I went. I first looked on the internet for likely targets of my suit shopping, as it has been umpteen years since last I ventured into a dressing room with full length mirrors, bad lighting, winter pale limbs, and an armful of the stuff of which nightmares are made, working their way off the hangars on which they were never meant to hang. I was hoping to avoid the whole experience.

Then reality struck. When have I ever bought a swimsuit sight unseen? The answer would be never. And for good reason…

And the suits I was looking at don’t seem to be carried in the brick and mortar stores for a look-see and a try-on, and also, very expensive. Too many strikes, me thinks.

Girding my loins, I headed to the local shopping mall, took a deep breath and headed for the ladies swimwear. I was almost overwhelmed immediately with first choice…which was size….I don’t know!?...and my word, it was the 2^nd week of March! How can they be sold out of some sizes already?

Why must this be so ha-arrr-rd!

But being determined to ...pretty much just get this over with…I grabbed three suits I thought might work, and headed to the dreaded dressing room, where, believe it or not! I really liked the third one I tried on. It amazingly fit the bill…or the bod….the old, pale, flabby bod, in this case.

And upon checking out? It was 20% off. I started flexing my shopping muscles, and headed to shoes.

Where I struck out.

But newly determined, I set my sights on the local DSW for Saturday. I had been there once, and upon asking about narrow sizes (I have a very narrow foot) (a very narrow foot), was told that no…sorry, nothing but mediums, so I shrugged and left. I thought I had a few other options, but my other options apparently have quit carrying anything by mediums as well. I really hate shopping for shoes other than, you know, athletic shoes, or the outdoorsy type sandals we folk wear in Colorado...and sometimes that is a challenge. One store did carry some narrow shoes. But suffice it to say the dissed upon strappy sandals would be a better choice. We are talking old lady shoes to the max! I don’t need supah stylin’, but I still have some pride.

So I thought I needed to revisit DSW and actually…you know…try some on. Some manufacturers run narrower, and I might find something. And I did. First thing I saw, first thing I tried on. Problem was, I saw the shoe in blue, which I loved. But then thought the camel would be far more practical, you know…but I loved me the blue ones, and kept coming back to them. I looked through all the other sandal-y espadrille styles, found a pair of flat t-straps that will work, too. Then came back to the big decision. Blue? Or practical?

Well, I followed my instincts.

And they match a dress I already have just perfectly.

Totally awesome.

Shopping…done. I am ready to go!

Crocus

2011-03-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

I was outside this week more than usual. It was pleasant and warmish for the season.

I spied a crocus about ready to bloom! Need I say more?

But I will anyway.

I planned to remember to take a photo! The promise of Spring. A blog post in a week lacking of time for posting!

Then the wind blew. Then the rainy snow came.

I don't know what happened to the bloom. I never saw it.

I know the chill weather is not a done deal, but there was a promise in that bud! And maybe the bloom. That I never saw...

Red Rocks and Pointy Plants

2011-03-11T04:52:00.001-07:00

Wonderful Guy and I took a mid-winters break, and with a long week-end, traveled south to Sedona, AZ, mid-February. There, for two blissful days, we enjoyed blue skies and 70 degrees (F…25C), made all the sweeter by the sub-zero temps we suffered through earlier in the week. No coats, and a tank top for me!

We sported a bit of pink skin tones upon our return to the more northern climes. It was a really wonderful break, even if the temps at home were hovering around the unseasonably toasty 60’s!

Ah well…so it goes for where we live, and one of the reasons we love it here.

We were not in Sedona long, but saw some spectacular scenery, and hiked a bit, and tried to capture some of the landscape in a photo or two.

One afternoon, we took in the tourist strip of shops, and came upon a plaque outside a restaurant called ‘The Cowboy Corral’ (or Cowboy something or other). Seems this place was a local watering hole back in the late 50’s-early 60’s when Sedona was just a wide spot in the road. There were more than 50 westerns filmed in the area around there and many of the stars wet their whistle, after the days work, at this local tavern…personages like John Wayne, et al. After the heyday of the western, the tavern declined until it was bought and restored and all fixed up maybe 10 or 15 years ago…

Now I will admit I am a bit fuzzy on that last part, because after reading that part about filming the western? I was all Heck, yeah! I knew all this looked sort of kind of familiar. I could just see those guys on horse back in all their stereotypical gear, being filmed riding at the base of the towering rocks, by a camera crew panning back.

Because we flew out at the crack of dawn on Monday, we drove to Phoenix on Sunday. We decided to drive down early enough to take in the Desert Botanical Gardens. Glad we did so in February. I bet that place is an oven later in the season…well, like most of Arizona is, I reckon.

The founders of the Phoenix gardens, back in the ‘30s, decided to be a Desert Botanical Garden, so it is all desert plants, cacti, agave, desert sage, and such. Very different, and very interesting. There were some blooms, and we saw some critters…lizards, ground squirrels, and a hummingbird…it was a neat place to spend the afternoon.

Agave

Saguaro

Bird on Organ Cactus

Artsy Aloe

Spring is Springing (for now...)

2011-03-09T04:11:00.008-07:00

Because it is Colorado, and snow will fly again…but we had 3 days with temps in the 60’s this past week, and on Wednesday, I walked the 2 blocks to Bunko (yes, I filled in this month again, and I was a winner again) and home. It felt like spring, walking home at 9:45p, with a bit of humidity (for us) in the air, and the stars out, and all of that.
And while I know we will have more cold and chill, we have reached that point where I think the warming up days will out number the cold days. That’s an important thing for me!
This past week also brought Wonderful Guy’s birthday, and we celebrated with the local offspring this weekend. I looked forward to maybe…just maybe...cooking out. Alas, it did not happen. The forecast misfired, and it was chilly.
Next month marks two years temping at the place of employment. I do not know what the future holds for me there, but I am thinking the 2 year mark is some fixed line in the sand for temp employment. HR back east has been contacted, though, but I don’t know anything for sure, and the holding pattern is getting tedious. My hope is that I get to continue collecting a steady and regular paycheck.
I need it, see, for a trip coming up that requires passportage. Eldest Daughter is getting hitched out o’ country, and I need a new swimsuit, a new dress, and new shoes (apparently!).
Yes. I get to shop for a swimsuit. A dress. And shoes.
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…these are not my favorite things to do. I will endeavor to be successful, because I am so looking forward to The Event. It’s going to be a good time, I do believe!
I was reminded this week that we have a time change coming up in this weekend!!! What the heck? I am just now getting adjusted to the last adjustment. Well, perhaps that is a mild exaggeration…for artistic license…but only a mild exaggeration. I am serious! It takes me a long time to adjust. Could it be...gasp...age?
I have quilted 15 nights since mid-January. That translates into real progress on Grandbebe the Third’s quilt. Which is good, because (as predicted) DSis is getting all antsy pantsy about planning Number FIVE!!! I haven’t even started piecing Grandbebe Four’s…she always wants me to be behind her.
Always.

Photos (framed)

2011-03-07T04:37:00.000-07:00

Wonderful Guy and I wanted new, bigger photos for our newly painted and carpeted bedroom. We thought that some that I had taken with my smancy fancy camera would to the trick.

I thought maybe some close-up of some flowers. He was thinking landscapes. Landscapes won for now.

I picked out these shots of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from our trip this past summer, looking toward the lower falls, and then on downstream.

Enlargements at Jax. Mats from Hobby Lobby. Frames from Aaron Brothers. (clicky to biggy...)

Show and Tell

2011-03-05T04:36:00.003-07:00

At the Guild this morning, I think I will participate in Show and Tell. For the first time.

I am very pleased with this, and I want to show it to like minded folk.

Narrow Brim Style Hat, by Bev Galeskas (Felted Knits)

Flowers and Leaves from Paton’s Felted Posy Bag (both rav linkies)

I might…might….also include the yarn I was spinning at the Fun Fiber Fest, as those who saw it being spun seemed quite taken by it. I had collected, quite ignorantly, lots of small quantities of merino. Seven different colors, between 2 and 6 ounces each, and not really enough to do anything with any of it. I started spinning the colors together, randomly, and when I had two bobbins full, I plied those together, again, randomly. Then, I started all over again, filling up two bobbins. It’s made for some very colorful, yarn, and it’s all spun worsted, too. Actually there’s quite a bit of worsted-spun, colorful yarn, enough to knit something quite….unique…and soft…

Any ideas?

Spinning My Way Back to You, Babe…

2011-03-04T15:57:00.000-07:00

I have written of joining the Northern Colorado Weavers Guild, where spinners are also welcome. And knitters, too. And felters…and any other fiber artistes, really…

One of their missions is sharing knowledge and skills in all aspects of the fiber arts. One of the ways that is done is through demonstrations, such as happened this past weekend at a 4-H Fun Fiber Fest. Some of our group taught a class in beginning weaving, and others of us peopled a booth, demonstrating with our wheels and looms and spindles (….ohmy!).

I volunteered to go and spin. And I did, spin, that is, and I had a really good experience.

And while that may not seem like all that big of thing to some, it is huge for me on several counts. I volunteered by myself…I went by myself….I did sort of know where I was going, but I had to find exactly the right place. I knew, in general, the guild members are a friendly, kindly bunch, but I didn’t know any who would be there, and that is really pretty freaky for me, and often grounds for me to chicken out. AND…I would be spinning with who knows who. What if I wasn’t good enough?

Really. I know….but I have been spinning for only three years, and it seems everyone I meet has been spinning WAY longer than that. Especially at the guild and? Back in the day? I would still be apprenticing!

But on Saturday, I forged ahead, braved the final frontier, and packed myself and Molly, the Marvelous Matchless to the Fest. Where we had Fun. With Fiber....

I spun, and I didn’t spin badly, and had an awesome time. I got to know some of the Guild members better, was able to tell some of those who happened by about what the Guild offers, and answered some questions about spinning in general (without being too intimidated!). I also made a pretty big dent in the merino I am trying to get past.

And I was able to purchase some needed black yarn (perhaps for a penguin? For a certain Professor Niece? Hmmm???), and found a couple other excellent bargains, as well as a truly wonderful CVM/Romeldale fleece from Black Pines. Which was neither a souvenir, or bargain priced, or needed, but of really excellent quality. (I am a queen of rationalization.) (It is true.)

Legacy Lace from Brown Sheep (bargain!)

70% Wool/30% Silk (bargain!)

CVM/Romeldale Lamb (neither a bargain, nor souvenir....but really yummy!)

Guild meets this Saturday. I am looking forward to it. I am glad to be a part of this group, and look forward to getting to do more with, and know more about, them all.

Trip Knitting

2011-02-23T04:52:00.000-07:00

I finished some items while traveling…

Improv Hat, by Melynda Bernardi, (rav link) out of Araucania Azapa

I adapted this pattern for the inherited big-noggins in this family, and this hat turned out stunningly. I will be using this pattern again.

Narrow Brim Style Hat, by Bev Galeskas (Felted Knits), (rav link) out of Patons Classic Wool; it will be decorated with felted flowers and leaves., too.

I cast-on ten extra stitches, again, for my families big headedness, then had to shrink the dickens out of this thing to get it even in the ball park of fitting. So many variables in felting…yarn, color of yarn, felting…But then, I do not think this type of hat is suppose to fit like a ribbed hat, either. I think it will be all right, or maybe it will be put on a hat stand and used as room décor. It’s all good, and if I need to, I will knit another. It is a very easy knit.

Felted Ballerina Slippers, by Bev Galeskas (Felted Knits), (rav link) out of Patons Classic Wool

Of all the needles that I have, I don’t have the ones this pattern calls for, so I improvised. I did not know if the resulting slippers would fit the intended feet, or if her sister have them to grow into, but I knew I would be knitting another pair anyway. That's the way it is when one finds a good pattern, and there are a multitude of little ones to knit for!

Well...they fit for now!

And now, besides the quilting (always with the quilting) I am working on ‘A Pretty Thing’ cowl, by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, out of Aarlen Cashmere, leftover from my Peasy sweater. It's for me...I think...

Adding to the Stash (Acceptably)

2011-02-21T04:48:00.022-07:00

I thought I had blown one of my goals out of the water…

Knit/spin from stash (exceptions only when deals are spectacular and/or for souvenirs)

Because I had bought yarn…and then I bought more this past weekend at the Guild meeting, along with some fiber.

However! I parenthetically excepted myself! The yarn and fiber I bought were spectacular deals, and therefore are acceptable.

The Guild was offering more from the accumulated supplies of a deceased member, who left it all to the Guild to dispose of. We have been seeing equipment, books, and fiber for sale/auction every month since September and it has been quite a little fund raiser for the group. I am not sure, but I think there are some knitting books to be offered next month.

This is what I hauled home last weekend…

Mountain Colors Weavers Wool

And also some Tahki Cotton Classic in some neutral colors (that I apparently have deleted the photos of...) (and apparently I cannot be bothered to take additional...)

And some pretty wool/silk roving

(Hmm...this is very interesting...another photo MIA...wonder if I deleted these really really or if I am going to find them stashed in some folder somewhere. I know, I know...I could just run upstairs and take another, but I don't think I will.)

And in another parenthetical exception, from the long weekend trip to Sedona, I scoped out an LYS…so souvenir yarn, which is excepted.

Schoppel Wolle Zauberball

This is worth a photo, I think.

So...still on track with this year's goals...and still buying yarn!

Refrigerator Cat

2011-02-18T04:43:00.001-07:00

The Kitty Boy likes the view from above.

Making Me Crazy

2011-02-16T16:43:00.001-07:00

Opportunity abounds. Sometimes too much so. I see more than I can take advantage of.

Classes at the LYS, through the city, through the Guild…

And that is just locally. It makes me really crazy.

I want to take…I want to learn…I want to know how…I want I want I want…

To take classes offered at the yarn shop offered by well known authors teaching about fixing mistakes and knitting socks from the toe up. (I have only signed up for one…)

To take classes from local experts teaching soap making, photography, and other miscellaneous interests. (I have not committed to any of these…)

To take workshops offered by the guild, again by well known authors on spinning and lace knitting. (Again, I have only paid for one…so far)

I am also thinking about the knitting guild and a quilting guild.

I might just be crazy.

Rugs, Books, and Yarn

2011-02-11T06:47:00.002-07:00

Because of the Room Renovation, there has been a bit of shopping for new bathroom rugs. Just a bit, right after the bathroom floor first went done, because the painting was still a week off, and I am not one that can ‘SEE’ it before it is done. I have to SEE it when its done to make sure I haven’t completely skucked my color choices.

So the bit of shopping for bathroom rugs occurred at Tuesday Morning, because I love good cushy rugs on my bare feet that fluff after washing time after time after time, and that I don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for.

Alas. Without the walls being painted, The Guy and I were at a loss at TuesAM to determine if any of the choices was the right one, but being in no hurry, we felt no pressure. In fact, I even thought to check the craft-y section before we left!

And oh my! They had knitting and quilting books. Double oh my! It took me some time to go through the dross to find the nuggets, but I find two good ones, indeed.

Kristen Knits, by Kristin Nicholas, and Thimbleberries Big Book of Quilt Blocks. For about $6 each...boo-yah!

We are fortunate in our area to have a second location in the town not far to the south of us, and later in the weekend, I suggested having a look-see there for the rugs. This time I had a sample floor tile and a paint chip, but alas, it was to no avail. (The right rug-gage will come later to us.)

But again…I thought to check the craft-y section….and oh my again!...this store had sock yarn.

Oh yeah!

Update: More shopping ensued this past weekend, and after exhausting most all shopping options (and ourselves) we returned to Tuesday Morning, and my first instincts! We now have soft cushy ruggage!

Quilting? or Knitting?

2011-02-09T05:46:00.001-07:00

Or both? Both, I do believe!

I have made good on my commitment to myself to make real progress on Grandbebe the Third’s quilt. That is good. Because Dearest Sister is about done with her part of Grandbebe the Fourth’s, and just asked the question about how long do we suppose we have before the next? Which, to my mind, she is saying…do you think we should start planning another?

And that freaks me out just a little bit. While I have made good progress on this third quilt, over half remains to be quilted! Then it will need to be bound. While we have the fabric for the fourth, it will need to be cut into nine patches, and in-betweens, and all that, and sewn, and sewn, and more sewing, then the basting, and then the quilting!

Please no! No fifth quilt just yet…just a brief respite…

But on the other hand...this red and blue fabric does look mighty enticing!

While the quilting has been going on in the evening, during lunch at work, there has been some knitting.

Short-row scarf (rav link), of my handspun hand dyed Corriedale. I tried to initially dye this shades of yellow, but it turned out pretty muddy, so I overdyed with a bit of teal, and got this variegation of grass green. A very nice color to knit with during those sub-zero temps we had last week.

(Now I am knitting on a hat of mystery...)

Bunko

2011-02-07T05:46:00.001-07:00

I was called upon to play bunko again this past week. It turned out, after much ado, and after I was already there, that numbers were miscounted, people were confused, and no substitutes were needed.

Hmmm…it would have been nice to not have to get out at all on the coldest night so far of the season. But as I was already there, and as I had not driven myself, and that they all felt bad, and really wanted me to stay, accommodations were made, and I tag teamed with one player, until another who had a cold left early, at which time, I took over for her.

But while I didn’t play? I was without phone, Kindle or knitting! But then, The Host asked me if I wanted to look at a new knitting book she had just purchased. Oh why not... It was Mason-Dixon Knitting’s Outside the Lines. That cracked me up. I have it (of course) and it gave me a chance to read some I hadn’t read (besides the patterns, I believe MDK to be wonderfully entertaining writing) and scope out the particulars of Metropole.

The other bunko players were a bit confused by the fact that I was okay with my glass of white wine and the knitting book…

And in the end? I won most bunkos so came home with loot. All’s well that ends well.

Room Renovation

2011-02-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

It’s been quiet on the blog front, but with good reason. My routine has been turned upside down on the home front. Wonderful Guy and I have moved further along the road of home upkeep/making the place fully ‘ours’.

We recarpeted our bedroom and changed the bath off our room (I detest the terms 'master' bed and bath...) from carpet and linoleum to what is called ‘Permastone’. Then we painted the walls…’Barrel’, and ‘Patina’. Which would be shades of ‘brown’ and ‘green’.

The plan was to have the floor and carpet done on 2 consecutive days, with painters immediately following, but the floors guys schedule got changed and somehow the painters were scheduled the second day after the carpets were done. The upshot was my upstairs was topsy-turvy for almost a week.

Do. Not. Like! not having my morning routine…un-routine. It gives me a headache. Also apparently a cold sore.

Well…done is done, or almost done. Furniture was moved back in place (or new places as was the case for some rearranging was due!) late last week. We let the walls cure just a bit before hanging the ancillaries. Friday morning, I enjoyed my routine, albeit dimly. The main light fixture was still to be hung, but routine I can do in the almost dark.

Carpet matches what is in the rest of the house, which we love.

Barrel

New lighting

Patina and Permastone.

Once again, I sigh a deep breath of relief at having my choices...blend well and give us a sense of well-being.

Wearing of Sweaters and Socks

2011-01-31T05:56:00.006-07:00

With the coming of Eldest from the east, it was a time of getting together for meals. We met Youngest and Fam at a local restaurant for chow the first weekend of the visit.

Grandbebe Girl First was wearing the sweater -Peasy – Heidi Kirrmaier- (rav linky) which I knitted for her for Christmas, and I am here to say that every time I looked at her, I was filled with deadly and sinful pride.

I just had to keep looking at her.

It looked so perfect, fitting so well, hanging just perfectly.

I will have to knit another something for her soon.

A few days later, Dearest Sister told me (again) how much she ‘loved loved loved’ (and I quote exactly) her Christmas socks, and perhaps she should learn to knit her own…ensuring a lifetime supply of socks in addition to her lifetime supply of dishclothes. I assured her I would be only too happy to tutor her in the simple complexities of sock knitting.

Then, upon the return of Eldest and Youngest Daughters from visiting Middle Daughter, Eldest told me how Youngest had loaned her the pair of hand knit socks I had given Youngest after the holidays and that Eldest had worn them the rest of the time there because they were the best thing evah! keeping her feet warm and felt so good and oh my gosh why didn’t I make her some?

I assured her a pair for her were onThe List…and in fact…with praise like that…her socks just got bumped way up on The List.

My family…they are knit-worthy indeed.

The Unfeltable Pocket Meets a Good End

2011-01-28T05:01:00.005-07:00

(photos by Eldest Daughter)

The Unfelting Kindle Pocket has been converted to a Leapster Pouch for Grandbebe Girl the First.

Youngest Daughter mentioned that perhaps one was needed, and I had this….thing...but it was sort of big and galumphy, being knit on sz10 ½ ‘s and not felting and all.

Perhaps if I lined it? Which I have not done to knitted items before, but as I am all about learning new things, that is what I set about to do. First I reinforced the button hole, because…wel...sz 10 ½ needles and aran weight yarn and and it seemed to tidy it up and I like tidy.

Then I looked in my fabric, and what did I find but two blocks of nine-patch that were not used for her quilt. They were very close to being the right size wide, if just a bit short. I stitched the blocks together, and added a band to the top of matching fabric to make up the length and the flap. I whipped the lining to the pouch and tacked the corners of the lining to the pocket.

I found a button, steamed the whole and called it done. It was determined that a drawstring pouch was required for the game cartridges, and that was handily made from the same fabric as the added band.

She thinks it’s awesome.

I think she is awesome.

Some Thoughts

2011-01-26T04:56:00.004-07:00

I was watching an interview with Brian Williams a few weeks ago. He was visiting with the new Speaker of the House, John Boehner.

I am prepared to take the high road (I almost always am, sometimes to my detriment…). The Republicans won the House. They get their turn. I will try to not be the person that spouts without listening, believing I am the only one who is right, and if I talk loud enough, repeating myself enough times, I will convince others to my way of thinking.

(Actually, I prefer to let them shoot themselves in the foot.)

(But I digress…)

So, with open mind, I am listening to the interview. I know Mr. Boehner differs from me in his fiscal opinions, in his take on the healthcare issue, and many other things. That’s okay. We are a nation of different opinions.

But…

Then…

Brian Williams broached the subject of Mr. Boehner’s cigarette habit. He is, and I quote, ‘a committed smoker’. He has made a few efforts to stop, but none lately. Mr. Boehner makes no apologies for is, says that is who he is, and that is that.

Well. Okay, then.

But guess what, Mr. Boehner?

I pay for your friggin’ healthcare. Well, actually, it is the private payer plan offered to all federal employees, retirees, and their dependents, that subsists of several differents levels of covereage and premiums. But it is a generous plan of which the government pays about75%. Oh. That would be the taxpayers. Our congresspersons pay the remainder (up to about $300/month), depending on their choice of plan out of their paychecks (which are significantly larger than mine)...again paid by the governnment. (Which again...would be us.) To the best of my research, the plans are blue ribbon.

And yet…you want to vote to repeal, albeit symbolically, the healthcare reform bill.

He says it is a 'job killer'. Because the rise in healthcare premiums are causing employers to not hire or to lay off.

I am casting about in despair at this. I cannot….I cannot! be the only one that has seen healthcare premiums continue to climb for the 10-15 (at least) prior to the current debate, with out of pocket expenses rising and coverage dropping, totally eliminating any raises we might receive as employed persons. At least for the 9 million of us who aren't federal employees.

Also. We have been told there is no end in sight to this rise in healthcare cost.

I think I understand now, though. As with many people who have nice and safe insurance programs, the thought of rocking their safe and secure boat is filled with all sorts of spooky.

And this man…smokes. In spite of all we know...he smokes without excuse. And he is now leading the House Healthcare debate. I am filled with warm fuzzies.

Or not.

I heard this as I was putting on my shoes to head out the door for work. And I must say…Wonderful Guy got an earful. I had words, and they just came bubbling out. There was no highroad to be taken as I ~~stomped~~ ~~strode~~ walked into the kitchen to fill my travel mug. I was filled with vitriol.

(Did you know that ‘oil of vitriol’ was what sulfuric acid was known as back in the day?)

Dishclothes

2011-01-24T04:56:00.002-07:00

Over the holidays, I gave away my complete stash of hand knit dishclothes. All of them!

Which is okay.

It is not like I knit as many as my mother knit, when she was in her dishcloth knitting heyday. I didn’t have stacks and stacks.

And I gave them to those I wanted to give them to. I gave them willingly. It wasn't forced giving.

But the fact remained…I was out! So while my primary goal of the new year is to quilt that third grandbebe quilt, I really felt the need to knit a few dishclothes.

Because one never know when one might have a dishcloth emergency. Someone might need one RIGHT AWAY, and as quick as they are to knit? It still takes me two to two and a half hours from start to finish.

That’s a long time in the face of a dishcloth emergency. I mean…people might die, wars could be lost, disaster could reign in two hours for want of a dishcloth.

Anyway. Since the owls, I have been knitting with nothing but dishcloth cotton.

It is a functional yarn, certainly. And I have been using from my stash, which is good. Unfortunately, my dishcloth cotton isn’t ‘itemized’ in my stash. It’s more of a ‘lump sum’, so I am not getting to eliminate from my ‘total yardage’ (which is actuallytotal mileage) (Don't judge me!) My dishcloth cotton now fits tote-ally into a small tote. Ar-Ar-Ar...

And I have a stash of a stack of dishclothes…against any and all emergencies!

The pattern I follow: Four Corners by Abigail – 1870 Pearl (Ravelry link)

(Using a provisional cast-on, short rows, and a kitchener finish, it’s a bit more than mindless dishcloth knitting.)

Snow

2011-01-22T05:49:00.001-07:00

First it doesn’t snow. Like all fall, except for just a smattering.
At New Year’s, we got some, and frigidly cold temps. Really cold. Not out of the single digits for three days.

Then in 36 hours, we are in the 50s. For a week. This, my friends is why I love living in this place.

But I get caught unawares sometime. I bopped out of the house earlier than usual day before yesterday out of necessity for work, and thereby not catching the news/weather…sans gloves, because hey! 50 degrees! Warm!

And at lunch time? Snow…wind…and a chill wind…chill.

Next day? Blue skies, sunshine, and snow melt!

Love it.

Movies

2011-01-21T04:57:00.000-07:00

Four movies in one weekend? What sort of couch potato am I?

One that enjoyed four good movies weekend before last!

After the Weaver’s Spinner’s Guild and the workshop following, I caught up some things around the house. The day had started out sunny and warmish, but with the front moving in, had become chillier and cloudy. I didn’t think much was showing, but I checked out the ‘cheap seats’ movies. That’s the movie house that shows 'not the first runs' for a couple bucks a ticket. Social Network was showing (about the Facebook guy), so we took in the late matinee and we enjoyed it very much.

Then that night at home, after all was said and done, I settled in front of the fire, and started flipping channels. I found Working Girl on Encore, just starting…at 9pm. A little late, but it wasn't a school night. Harrison Ford! Sigourney Weaver! Melanie Griffith! Permed hair and shoulder pads! Theme song by Carly Simon…what’s not to love? One of my fav shows evah! Also…a very young (and thin) Alec Baldwin. I almost forgot.

Sunday brought our snow and cold temps, and after we did some things around the homefront, we went to a showing of something we saw a preview of at yesterday's movie. We were reminded that we thought this was going to be interesting, at least, so using the movie coupons The Guy got from Christmas (the kids know that always a sure bet!) we took in another matinee, and saw The Fighter, with Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. There is some extraordinary acting in that film for that family to come off as crazy as that! Excellent, excellent film.

Home again, and wrapping up the weekend, lining things up for the start of the work week. I settle in again, in front of the fire, with the snow coming down, and see what I can find to kill the time before bed. I find Legends of the Fall on Encore…again starting at 9pm! And it is a longer movie than the night's before. But I cannot say no to Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins, both with long hair, in the Montana wilderness!

I kept yawning all day Monday at work. Staying up past 11:00, way past my bedtime, two nights in a row! By 9:15 on Monday night, I was in bed.

I am so old.

Grandmama, Let's Play...

2011-01-19T05:09:00.002-07:00

When last the Grandbebes came to spend the night, the toy basket was ignored. Totally ignored. And the girls brought over some books for bedtime and one movie. In my considered opinion, a pretty lame one, and I have told Youngest Daughter that next time bring a good one. One I want to watch...like Cars, or Toy Story, or Shrek...

But I digress.

My point is that while at Grandmama's, we don't need no stinkin' toys...we play GAMES!

It goes like this. Grandbebe Girl the First asks 'Grandmama, let's play a game.' And I answer, 'Alright, what game shall we play?'

And these are some of the games we have played.

Hide and Seek
Save Baby Jesus from the Monster
Roll On the Floor
Robots
Chase
Tickle Monster

Now while some know the rules to Hide and Seek and Tickle Monster and Chase...I bet few have heard how to play 'Save Baby Jesus from the Monster'. Mostly it's played when Nativity Scenes are handy.

Grandbebe Girl is a bit hard pressed to play Hide and Seek really well. She is very excitable about being found. The anticipation gets to be too much, and she leaps from her hidey spots proclaiming her presence.

When I saw her parents arrived on New Years Day, I said to her, 'Your mom and dad are here. Let's hide from them!', to which she readily agreed. We scooched under the desk in the office, moving the desk chair in front of us, ostensibly 'hiding' us, but also allowing us to see them come through the front door (and really.. letting them to see us as well) .

As they entered, Grandbebe Girl Two wondered through the office to the front room...pointing to where we were crouched, as Bebe Momma smilingly asked where was her sister...at which point, Grandbebe Girl The First says...

'We're HIDING!'

All part of my plan to be The Fun Grandma!

Hooters

2011-01-17T05:05:00.021-07:00

I knitted on these fellows during the trip to Utah, and finished them up on New Years Eve. They were a special request from Precious Niece who texted me, after seeing a display of knitted owls in an LYS window in NYC, saying, 'knit me an owl!'

So, of course, that became my mission.

I looked throughout Ravelry for a pattern, and ended up BUYING one. (Marie Mayhew, Woolly Something) I know! But I didn't want to go hokey and slipshod on these, and often, free toy patterns end up with a toy that looks less like what was intended, and more like...a blob with flaps.

I even bought yarn specially for the project, albeit on sale. Most of the other supplies I had on hand, but purchased a total of around $8 of goods, most of which I have leftovers in varying amounts. To make more owls if need be, perhaps.

The knitting part went pretty fast, as did the felting, which I did by hand. The finishing? Now that took time and considerable attention to detail, but Marie Mayhew writes a good pattern, and the instructions were very well done and easily followed.

I was a bit too excited to get them off to my niece, however, and after snapping a quick, off kilter shot with my camera phone to show Eldest Daughter, I packaged and taped them up before realizing I had not even taken a decent photo.

Upon their arrival, Precious Niece let me know how pleased she is with them, and chronicled their first evening in the Big Apple.

The Wooly Hooters visit the Empire State Building in it's holiday glory.

Waiting for the subway.

Sticking together in the big city.

Meeting other owl-ish friends at their new digs.

Close-ups!

Bottoms up...for New Years!