Thursday, July 30, 2009

Love Those Quizzes

You Are an Ice Cream Sandwich
You are well grounded, reliable, and very balanced.
You love to work hard, but you also know how to take it easy.

People might be surprised to know you have a very goofy side to you.
You like to let loose and have fun. You just don't let yourself go too crazy!
http://www.blogthings.com/whatfrozentreatareyouquiz/">What Frozen Treat Are You?


True and I love ice cream sandwiches!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Sunflowers

The sunflowers are opening up! Always a happy time. These were free, started from seeds from last years crop that just grew by themselves. Okay, one more comment about the weather. I keep saying I don't remember a cooler summer, weather wise and I am right. We are officially having the coldest summer in the last 66 years which is more than my lifetime.

I am slowly piecing together the Lizard Ridge Afghan. I am trying to do at least one 4x4 square every day or two. Haven't decided what edging I will use but am leaning toward a i-cord. I bought a teal green/blue Cascade 220 for the edging.

Sock Journal

I have finished my plain vanilla ribbed socks and will now start the Columbine Peak socks from Cat Bordhi's Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles using Knit Picks Gold Kettle Dyed Stroll yarn. This is listed as an intermediate pattern. I am reading through a large number of patterns that I have found on Knitty and Ravelry and the thing I find most intriguing is that I can probably use the plain vanilla sock pattern and just change the stitch pattern for the leg and top of the foot for most of them. This is the basis of the Charlene Schurch book Sensational Knitted Socks. If I was stuck on a desert island (with a case or two of sock yarn and needles) this is the book I would choose to have with me.


What I have learned so far:


After fumbling attempts, I have mastered the good join that Cat has in her book (transferring the first stitch from one needle to the other). When I checked her website for errata for the book, I had to laugh. She listed a few other joins, since so many people have had trouble with that particular join. I thought it was just my fumble fingers.


I really like the heel flap and will probably choose patterns that have a nice heel flap for my next few socks (I think I will try the Eye of the Partridge for my next plain vanilla sock that I will be making for my DH).


I don't think I will ever have the dreaded second sock syndrome. (Check back on this as I continue on my Sock Journey). I really don't like knitting two at a time anything, sleeves, socks, gloves....I can't knit as fast when I am trying to keep two balls of yarn from tangling.


I have mastered not having holes when picking up the gusset stiches and don't seem to have an "ear" problem when grafting the toes. The best explaination of Kitchner stitch I have come across is in 2-at-a-time Socks. Great pictures, too.


I must say I am itching to get to CookieA's socks, but I really want to have the basics mastered before I attempt any of her fantastic designs

Monday, July 13, 2009

Weather Complaints and Sock Journal

Okay, I'm really not one to complain about the weather. "Every day you're alive is a wonderful day", that's my philosophy. When it's hot, I say "Well, it's not snowing, is it"....when it's snowing I say "Well, it's not like having hurricanes or tornadoes blowing your house down, the snow will melt eventually with no harm done".

But I am just despairing that we will have any summer this year. The temperatures have gotten in the 80's only a handful of times. It has remained in the 60's and 70's with lots and lots of rain. No, not really horrible weather if it were spring. And my garden really has never looked so lush and full. The vegetable garden is brimming over with produce. I know it could be really awful weather and I shouldn't complain about it but I really look forward to enjoying my pool and swimming with the kids in June,July and August, and we have only gone in 2 times so far this summer. And I wore a coat (not a sweater) to church yesterday and even now am huddled in a jacket to keep the chill off (it's 57 degrees and it is July) and it is not going to get much warmer all week.
Okay all done whining about something I can't change.

Sock Journal
I'm really bummed about not going to the Sock Summit
in August, so I'm having my own Sock Journey. I have books by a lot of the teachers that are going to be there, so I'm starting my sock knitting journey with their help in print form,
I am making another of the Cat Bordhi plain vanilla, two rib socks that are in her Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles
that I made my first socks with. This is a review of the basic parts of a sock and I am reading through the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Rules and Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks to reinforce my learning experience.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

The Rain is Making Us Green


I need two more blocks for my Lizard Ridge afghan.

I am leaving it spread out on the floor and asking passersby to arrange the squares in a pleasing pattern.
It is cool and rainy, rainy, rainy here. High 60's maybe. No swimming today. An indoor day with the kids.





You Are Teal Green



You are a one of a kind, original person. There's no one even close to being like you.

Expressive and creative, you have a knack for making the impossible possible.

While you are a bit offbeat, you don't scare people away with your quirks.

Your warm personality nicely counteracts any strange habits you may have.


What strange habits? Being obsessed with knitting??????

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Rain Rain Rain

We've had a rainy start to the kid's vacation. Nathan was able to golf on Monday with the Junior Golf League. He came back, had lunch and then we went in the pool. Steph dropped off Collin so we had three kids in the pool. Collin did well with the life vest on, so I think I need to get one more for Jordyn. That was the last good swimming day this week. It's been barely in the 70's. I actually prefer the cooler weather, but the kids are disappointed at the lack of swim time.

Tuesday the boys had a golf lesson and we went to pick strawberries. At first we though they were closed because of the downpour we had in the morning, but they said to go ahead and pick and warned of mud and puddles. It was actually the best picking I can remember. We literally stood in one spot and filled all the baskets. Rain is GOOD for strawberries. Jordyn ate her way through the strawberry patch. She even has some in her hair. Had a great time.

I made a few batches of jam and froze some and ate the rest!

Yesterday, the boys were going to play 9 holes of golf in the morning, but Frankie had escaped again!!! DH had let her out about 8:00 a.m. and I went out for my morning walk. I looked for her in the backyard when I got back and no Frankie to be found. There was a hole in the back fence that she had made and must have squeezed her way through. Nathan did not want to go golfing until Frankie was found, so they drove and walked miles looking for her. About 6:00 pm we got a call from a nice couple on Tonawanda Creek road, saying they had her tied to their deck. It has to be about 5 or 6 miles to the creek. I think she must have stopped there because she couldn't get across the creek, which is more like a river at that point...deep enough for pleasure boats.

So she's back home now. She hasn't gone out at all, she barely moved from her kennel. I don't think there is anything we can do to keep her confined if she wants to get out. We will continue to reinforce the fence line, but she is one determined dog when she spots any wild life.