If you aren't familiar with who Allie Brosh is, please go look at her website.
Go on now, I'll wait. It'll be a long wait, I know, because once you start reading, you really can't stop. It's all too funny.
I wish I had the talent that she has. I don't, though.
While I was sloughing around today, I took some time to play with the Microsoft Paint program that's installed on my eons-old computer and came up with how I think I would look in the World of Allie Brosh:
I'm not sure what's going on with my hair there (which is pretty much how it is in real life) and apparently I've lost a knitting needle (notice the tangle of yarn). I look like I'm searching for something -- perhaps it's my sanity.
Knitting update:
Rhinebeck Rooibos sweater -- back and left front are completed. I have good intentions of casting on the right front at knitting tonight.
Mystery Shawl #19 - I think I'm about 6 rows into the first clue. Clue 3 was released this past weekend. I think I need to catch up.
Bitterroot - I did about 4 rows on this the other night, followed by falling asleep on the couch.
Diamond Fantasy - I've completed 2 lace repeats.
Ophidian - Am through the first lace repeat! I've placed beads! And now I've put it back to rest.
Personal Footprint #2 - worked on this a bit the other night. About 2" in, and 2" to go before the increase, I think.
Gilded Sock - Oh, look! A picture of a cat in a felted bowl!
Very well, actually. Let's have a tour, shall we?
This is the full view. In all honesty, the garden plot isn't that big...I'd say maybe 3' x 10'? But wow, does it pack a wollop. We used to have some flowers growing in there, mostly calendula that my husband had planted willy-nilly, but there were also some wave petunias. However, we've had a bit of a hostile takeover.
Here, let me explain:
So,at the beginning of the growing season, I bought a couple of tomato plants...a grape tomato, a couple of cherry tomato plants, and then some early ladies. As you can see, the early ladies are being lazy bitches. There is no redness! In the 3rd photo, you'll notice what I call "volunteers" -- these are some plum tomatoes that showed up out of nowhere. I think what happened is that there were some tomatoes that went bad last year, either through blight or through rot, and they made a reappearance, trying to impress me that they'll behave, honest they will.
Also in my garden are some herbs:
Top to bottom: mint, thyme, rosemary, lemon balm, and basil. I also have some catnip and some dill hidden in there somewhere. Again, the tomatoes have kind of taken over. And honestly, I cannot believe how they've taken over. If my grandmother would see this, she would beat me to death. We don't let our tomatoes creep all over the ground! The tomatoes must be staked! They shouldn't run free! My father would also beat me, because he'd say I know better. I really should know better...but apparently, the tomatoes don't want to listen to me, as they've got their own agenda, which is take over the world.
The good thing about this: I love tomatoes. I eat the cherry tomatoes and the grape tomatoes like they're candy. I love to make a caprese salad with tomatoes, basil, mozzarella cheese, EVOO, salt & pepper. Roast chicken with rosemary? I'm all about that. How about mashing potatoes with ham and gruyere, then throwing in some thyme? Delicious!
Mint? Oh, mint lemonade! Mint simple syrup to add to my iced tea! And (Oh Annette...!) -- mojitos!
But this garden is not the only garden that grows at my house. In the front of the house, I have a small flower bed that I've tried to grow flowers in previously, with very little luck. Impatiens? Didn't work. Petunias? Either I had a bad batch or they got a little leggy. This year? I went for marigolds and, as a complete surprise, cauliflower.
What do you know, it's working!
In knitting news, I am thisclose to finishing Petri. I have to sew the hems! It's seamed! If I really push myself, I can get it finished tonight. However, I also have some blocking to do, for my very good friend Steven A. He's got a blog post to write and a gift to deliver, and I need to get on it for his sake!
Or maybe it's that I have a problem with honey.
You see, I'm a bit of an addict.
It didn't start until a couple of years ago. I'd have to say my second trip to Maryland Sheep & Wool is what kicked it into high gear. Really. Before then, I just had the bottle of Sue Bee honey tucked in the back of my cupboard. Nothing special. Clover honey -- who knew there was anything more?
But now...oh, now...
Well, here. Let me show you.
Front row, left to right:
Killer Bee, Ecchinacea, Lavender, MeadowMaple, Meadowfoam, Tupelo.
Back row, left to right: Cotton (2 jars, 1 full, 1 half full); honey from Mexico (a gift from a friend), creamed honey (from a local apiary), Avocado, Southern Belle, the Sue Bee bear, and Radish.
Now, before you get all honey-is-just-honey on me, know that it really isn't. It really is kind of like wine -- there are sometimes subtle differences, and sometimes there are stark differences. Cotton honey is one of my favorites (hence the two jars). It has a "clean" taste. The lavender honey really doesn't taste like lavender (I was hoping it would) but is also very light. Tupelo honey and southern belle honey are both very sweet. Radish honey has a dry finish. Meadowfoam tastes something like marshmallows, and meadowmaple tastes like the marshmallows ran through a maple sugaring house. Killer Bee honey is delicious when melted slightly in the microwave and then poured over vanilla ice cream.
Most of the honey that you see here has been purchased from The Bee Folks, either at Maryland Sheep and Wool or via mail order. Lori and her family run a great apiary. They send out occasional newsletters, are always friendly and helpful, and are enthusiastic about their products. I highly recommend stopping by their booth if you visit MSWF. If you don't visit, then check out their website and see what sounds good (start with orange blossom if you're not sure where to begin). Place an order. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Oh, how do I use all that honey? In tea. Sometimes in lemonade. On cereal. In cranberry and barbecue sauces. I make honey butter, and I make this recipe:
In knitting news (you did want to hear about some knitting, didn't you?), I have a bit of startitis. And I've finished something. The discovery socks that I cast on in December (!!) are FINALLY finished.
Pattern: Discovery Sock, from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Insouciant Sock Knitters
Yarn: Abstract Fibers Supersock
Colorway: Asia
Needle: Size 1 Addi Turbo, Magic Loop method
I will definitely be knitting socks with this method again. I enjoyed it. Even though I am not the fastest sock knitter in the world, and I'm sure I never will be, I truly do enjoy the process. I have another skein of supersock, and countless other skeins of sock yarn that need to be socks (or something) soon.
In the category of socks, I also have a redo of the Hedwig socks on the needles (they haven't gotten very far) (they're for Matthew, who grows every time I turn around) and a pair of cuff down socks, using the Gilded colorway of Tosh Sock.
Why, are those the Kollage square needles I see? Yes, they are!
Also on the needles:
I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted. It has been a very, VERY busy summer so far, and there are no signs that it is going to slow down soon.
Also in the category of where does the time go, my son Robert turned 17 yesterday. Matthew will turn 13 in a little more than a week. And it's JULY. We are beyond the halfway point for the year being finished!
This will be Robert's senior year in high school. I have 11 months in which to plan a graduation party. So many things come with being a senior! Senior portraits, graduation plans, what to do with his life as he moves forward.
So many things have happened since the last writing! I accompanied Martha to Columbus, OH to attend TNNA. I went back to Columbus 3 days later so that Robert could participate in the Ford Driving Skills for Life program. If you're a parent, I highly recommend looking into this. Robert and Bill couldn't stop talking about how much fun the program was and how much they learned. I was very proud of Robert, as he apparently was one of the few kids who participated in the question and answer sessions and apparently made an impression on the instructors. I learned of the program through Good Housekeeping magazine. I can't say enough good about this program. The parents even get to drive!
One of the more exciting (and somewhat scary) portions of the FDSFL program was the Mustang on casters. It was great, though, because it is used to teach drivers how to get out of a spin.
The kittens (did I mention the kittens?) are ready to go to new homes. Monica is taking Dora, but we have 2 other kitties that need good homes. We've also got to find a home for the momma cat. Everybody is litter trained and the kittens are cuter than you could imagine.
From left to right, Wee Spot (he has a spot of black on his back and on the tip of his left ear), Dora (because she was the first to escape the cardboard box and "explore"), and Fish. Don't ask me why he is named Fish -- Bill did it. That should be about all the explanation you need, really. ;-)
In knitting news (that's really why you've come, isn't it?) I am working on so many things at once, my head is spinning. The big accomplishment, though, has been that I completed the Stora Dimun shawl. On May 3rd I cast on 449 stitches, and worked diligently to complete this lovely piece of knitting.
I spent a lot of time thinking about what yarn I wanted to use for this project. It was important to be something that would block well; therefore, wool was the natural first choice. The pattern called for sport or DK weight yarn. I wanted something that was a solid, not variegated, but heathered would have been okay. I also wanted something that had a bit of a rustic feel to it -- not anything too soft (like Merino) but not terribly scratchy, either. I decided on O Wool Classic 2 Ply yarn in a rust colorway. I'm very pleased with the results; it has the rustic look that I was going for, and the yarn was a dream to work with.
Stora Dimun Shawl from Folk Shawls, by Cheryl Oberle
Needle: Size 7
Modifications: None.
After completing the lace and the first garter panel, I could feel the shawl getting smaller. It didn't take me as long to go back and forth across the rows, and I became obsessed with finishing. I know it's a scary thought, but I'd like to knit another one.
What else do I have on the needles, you ask? Well, there's the Petrie top, which is at a standstill. I'm about 3/4 of the way finished, and don't have a logical reason for stalling, other than the top is entirely stockinette and doesn't count in the summer of socks & lace contest. Plus -- well, it's stockinette! There is also the "Scarf" from Victorian Lace Today, that I am plugging away at. It is nearly finished. I am knitting it from Malabrigo sock yarn, and want to have very little left over. The pattern called for 110 repeats, but I think I'm well beyond that. I am anxious for the project to be finished, though, because I've told myself that I could start a new lace project when this little (well, LONG) scarf was finished. What to knit, what to knit! My Ravelry Queue is full of lace projects, and I'm looking for something easy yet challenging yet quick.
Also on the needles are the discovery socks (Sock #2 is ready for the first leg line!), a pair of plain socks (The Yarn Harlot's recipe, using Tosh Sock and the new square needles from Kollage), and Matthew's Hedwig socks (which, really, I should hold off because the child's feet grow every time I turn around). There is also some stealth knitting going on, but we really shouldn't discuss that here.
I've also been reading a lot. The trilogy from deceased author Stieg Larsson has been what has captured my attention most recently, but I also have 3 books that look promising in the queue. I've been cooking a lot also, or at least I had been until this horrendous heat wave struck.
I think that is all I have to say for right now, as we are off to hang out at the pool at my friend Mel's house! I will try to be more diligent in my posts. See you next time!
Dear Few Faithful Readers,
I am sorry that my blog posts have been few and far between. In an effort to do better, I am setting some goals. In an effort to avoid housework, I am blogging.
What I need to do today:
What I have done today:
In the topic of job search, I don't want to say I've abandoned hope, because I haven't. I have, however, changed direction. I was offered (and accepted) a promotion at The Shop and am now the manager. The last few office jobs that I had applied and interviewed for, and didn't get, all said that they hired the other candidate because of my lack of managerial experience. Working as a manager at The Shop will fulfill that need. It has been 3 weeks as of today, and I'm still alive; so far, so good.
In the topic of knitting, I have:
In Circle of Life news, we had discovered a bird's nest in Bill's Jeep. I took pictures of the eggs. Then I would diligently check the nest every few days and one day, discovered baby birds. About 2 days after discovering baby birds, I went to check the nest again, and discovered that the baby birds hadn't survived. I thought they were disturbed by the neighbor kids; a good friend, who is very much a bird person, thinks they were disturbed by the local Blue Jays. Also, a cat that Bill found in the middle of the woods, gave birth to 3 healthy (and one stillborn) kitten last Monday (in Robert's closet). Mom and kitties are doing fine (except for last night, when Bill - for reasons only known to him, but I'll call it lack of brain power) - closed Robert's bedroom door, thereby locking Mommy Kitty out. I let Mommy Kitty back in this morning, and all seems to be fine.
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