Knit'nat

How Does My Garden Grow?

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!

Whatever Happened to Originality?

I've been thinking about scones.  Not just any scone, but what look like lovely, tasty maple oatmeal scones from Ina Garten.  I knew that the scone recipe had been featured in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine, and I started hunting for it last night.  I couldn't put my finger on the magazine, so I turned to the web instead, and searched both Food Network and did a general Google search (only because I wanted to know what issue of FNM I had seen it in).

This Google search, though, turned up something interesting:  a lot of copycat things.  I mean, A LOT.  Now, let me preface what comes next by saying I am not a fan of the Pioneer Woman.  I've tried a few of her recipes, and while she has a great concept (beautiful photographs of food preparation and results), the end product is often less than stellar.  And really, did we need an entire post with 32 photographs of scrambled eggs with Velveeta cheese slices?  Is Velveeta even real cheese?  Anyway...that is not to say that I did not enjoy her cinnamon rolls, (I made them once) or that I don't applaud her ingenuity and her ability to home school, blog, get a book deal, travel, etc., because we all see that I'm not doing any of that.  Anyway...I'm digressing again.

The Pioneer Woman's concept of taking lovely photographs of her food may or may not be original, but apparently it's become quite the thing to do, as The Brown Eyed Baker, Confectiona, and Crumbly Cookie exemplify.  There's even a group out there called Tuesdays with Dorie that is apparently cooking (or baking) its way through Baking:  From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan.  This group apparently took the Julie and Julia concept to a new level, by asking others to participate (ooo, if you signed up you can choose what recipe the group bakes when it's your turn!) and blog about their recipe results.  It's a closed group, so apparently they have enough baker bloggers to keep them satisifed.  On a lark, I returned to my good friend Google and typed "Cook my way through", and turned up 56,000,000 results.  Fifty-six million.  

Change of direction:  theatre.  All the musicals these days are re-dos or do-overs.  Grease, Footloose, hell, even Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King and other Disney classics are being made into musicals.  Rodgers & Hammerstein are probably rolling over in their separate graves, wringing their skeletal hands at the lack of new thoughts and ideas, such as Oklahoma! and South Pacific.  In this time of crisis (i.e., the recession, the BP oil crisis, and let us not forget our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan), who wouldn't be cheered by something light and happy?  Or have we all moved beyond such a time when the theatre was a way to forget your troubles, and moved to a place where we enter a movie theater, to be assaulted by digital surround sound, falling meatballs, large blue beings, and reminders to buy overpriced popcorn and turn off our cell phones?

Originality in knitting design must be a constant challenge.  How many ways are there to do a hat, or a scarf?  What about a shawl?  Are there new stitch patterns being created, or do we all turn to the Barbara Walker Treasuries, the Harmony Guides and the Stitchionary books to give us direction? 

At the store, as we knit along on the Stora Dimun shawl, each participant is doing one thing or another to show their originality with the pattern.  None of us has chosen the same yarn; Monica is using a yarn of different plies/substance, to create a shiny, silky, yet unbelievably heavy (and gorgeous) shawl.  David and I have both chosen traditional sport or DK weight yarns in similar colors (I think his is cinnamon and mine is rust).  Several people are using sock yarns (we've seen smooshy, alyeska and even Ultra Alpaca Fine), and Carla is not only using a variegated sock yarn, but she's also using stockinette, and, now that the lace is done, is using a different textured stitch pattern in each of the panels between eyelet rows. 

And now, after this treatise on our lack of originality, I have nothing more to say, and am going to retreat to the kitchen to bake some unoriginal maple oatmeal scones.

Auld Lang Syne

I've made it through Christmas, did not finish the knitting I should have, and am ready for a new year.  2009 was a bit of an ass kicker and I am hoping that 2010 is better.  My neighbors, though, really are ending the year on a low note; this was the scene when I returned from shopping earlier this afternoon:

  We are trapped in our house now, with fire trucks and emergency vehicles all over the place.  Good thing we have the Wii!  It was our big family gift, and I'm very glad we bought it. 

Christmas was somewhat uneventful.  Kathy and her daughters came to spend the day with us.  I butterflied a turkey (!) for dinner, plus made Julia Child's baked cucumbers.  The turkey was spectacular:

 

The cucumbers were surprisingly tasty.

 

The dinner was rounded out by stuffing, mashed potatoes/gravy, corn, broccoli, and a Jell-O dessert.  We set the table up buffet style, and picked our way through the rest of the day. 

Kathy and her daughters are hanging out here again tonight; we'll be having some chips and dip and who else knows what.  I would like to make a run to the liquor store before they close, but as I mentioned, we are trapped in the house and I don't foresee being able to go anywhere any time soon. 

Quick review of 2009's goals:

1. To start and complete one pair of socks from the New Pathways book.  (I'm into my 2nd sock...does that count?)
2. To try one new recipe every two weeks. (While I don't think I managed THAT, I did manage to try at least 26 new recipes, if not more.)
3. To look for -- and find -- a better job.  (I got fired from Giel and started working at Natural Stitches.  Better pay? No.  Better job?  YES.)
4. To complete my Norwegian Woods Shawl.  (Finished, and I won a blue ribbon for it!)
5. To complete my Goddess Anniversary Knitalong shawl.  (Yeah, right.)
6. To make it to the gym 5 days a week. (This was going well until I lost my job and could no longer afford it, so fail.)
7. To knit at least 5 items from my Ravelry queue. (I think I did that.)
8. To do better with the housework (sometimes it gets behind things like knitting or reading).(I did that, somewhat.)
9. To start saving NOW for MSWF and Rhinebeck. (Mission accompblished.)
10. To be more kind, for this world can use more kindness.  (Again, mission accomplished.)

I think I did fairly well there! 

I just counted up my FO's, and am pretty sure that I have 20, but I may have less because I didn't really look at the dates of them.  I should do that; perhaps another time.

I'm going to think about what it is I'd like to accomplish in 2010 before I put it out here for all to see.  Of course, there are knitting goals (like colorwork, and finishing the UFO's around the house) but there are personal goals to be decided, too.  More frequent blogging would be a good one.  Tune in for a full list this weekend.

To all of my friends and family, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

 

Nothing Special

Unemployment continues (save for Natural Stitches), and life goes on.  The kids returned to school last Wednesday, and it is fun to see how much they’ve changed.  Matthew was terribly worried about his first year at the Junior High and swore he’d get lost, but hasn’t so far, although he is suffering a great deal from seasonal allergies, what with the unseasonable weather we’re having.  Although I don’t mind the cool mornings and the lack of humidity, it is almost like summer just flew by us and there is no hope of seeing 80 degrees ever again.  Robert is doing well with his first year at the high school, though he complains about the way lunch there is handled.  

 

Working at Natural Stitches is a treat.  I get to play with yarn and I get to see wonderful people.  One of my favorite customers is Nancy, who is just a pip.  We recently had occasion to work together on repairing an Aran sweater for a friend of hers.  The sweater had a huge (silver dollar size) hole in the upper sleeve from unknown origins.  We worked on the repair on Saturday and I’m hoping that she’ll stop by today to let me see the finished results.

 

The other great thing about working at Natural Stitches is there is (almost) always time to knit.  I have been working on a Mr. Greenjeans sweater in Dream in Color Classy in the Good Luck Jade colorway.  This is my “work” project, because I can put it down mid-row to tend to a customer and not have to worry about where I left off.  And I remembered to take pictures for you!

 

 

I’ve also been working on a scarf from Victorian Lace Today.  Charissa and I were discussing how none, or very few, of the titles in VLT are short.  This one was “scarf with wide and handsome border for a mantle drape” – or at least I think that’s what it was called.  It was a different technique for me, as you knit the first border, cast off all but one stitch, pick up edge stitches, knit the body of the scarf, cast off all but one stitch again, then knit the second border on sideways, connecting it to the scarf with a K2tog through the back loop.  I was about 2/3 of the way through the second border when I deduced I wouldn’t have enough yarn left to complete the scarf, so I had to rip the border back out, plus a couple of the repeats through the main body, then re-knit.  I was so disgusted by this that I put the project in time out, and just picked it up again with any real fervor in the last week.  I finally finished it yesterday.  See?

 

 

 

 

Project:  Scarf with wide and handsome border, from Victorian Lace Today

Yarn:  Tilli Tomas Pure & Simple, Colorway “Novea Melon”, 2 skeins (with very little left over)

Knit Time:  Oh, I don’t know – a month and a half?

 

This project, after being weighed and measured for the Natural Stitches Summer of Socks & Lace contest (which I have no hope of winning), will be winging its way to New Jersey to my good friend Kim.  The color is just totally her.  Kim, I know that stoles and wraps aren’t your usual thing, but I have no doubt that you will find a use for this, whether as a mantle drape or paired with jeans and a T-shirt. 

 

Yesterday I went to see “Julie and Julia” with my friend/neighbor from across the street.  It was an excellent movie and, if you’re culinarily* inclined, very inspiring.  I wonder how many people will do something similar now but with other cookbooks – like Martha Stewart’s baking book or a 1940’s Betty Crocker Cookbook?  I am sure that there are a few, but I’m hoping that people realize “been there, done that”.  I did make bruschetta, though, as an accompaniment to dinner last night, because I thought that the way it was done in the movie was very clever (pan-toasted bread as opposed to broiler-toasted).  I was thinking my family wouldn’t like it and I’d get to have most of it since the other dinner accompaniment, at allergy-ridden Matthew’s request, was boxed macaroni & cheese, but so much for that, as Bill and Robert devoured a good portion of it. 

 

Part-time employment has also been good for me in that the house is being better tended to (a little something every day, and a little something more on the days when I don’t work) (I don’t think my bathroom has ever been this clean), and there is more culinary creativity going on (see, I didn’t even need the movie to get me in the cooking groove).  On Sunday I made lavender-almond biscotti, and yesterday I made pesto (which will be gracing some penne pasta for my lunch today before I leave for work). 

 

I also made some rosemary cheese breadsticks yesterday.  It’s a Giada DiLaurentis recipe and involves (gasp!) Pillsbury refrigerated breadstick dough, gruyere & parmesan cheeses, and fresh chopped rosemary.  VERY delicious. 

 

Back to knitting…since I only have the forgotten Monkey socks (maybe I’ll finish them before the end of the year)(HA!), a Cat Bordhi sock, and the Greenjeans sweater on the needles, I am contemplating another lace project.  I really want to knit the Harbour Lights shawl from Sivia Harding, but can’t find a yarn that I want to use with that.  I am also thinking about the Shetland Triangle shawl, and if I can get moving on that, perhaps it can be a Christmas gift this year.  I’m also thinking of trying the Diamond Fantasy shawl again, only with a better yarn this time around, and since it’s knit bottom up with the edges incorporated into the design, I can stop when I feel the need to stop.  Thoughts? 

 

Lastly, I called this cute, but Peanut called this abject humiliation.  I think the caption would be "Oh Merry Men..."

*No, I don’t think that’s a word.

Hodgepodge

Wow, 10 days since my last post.  Sorry, oh few and faithful readers, about that.

Yes, I have been busy.  Yes, I'm still working at the same thankless job. 

Some highlights (on the busy-ness:)

- Finished Christina's Footies.  I need to take a picture of them.  They're very cute.  Unfortunately, the pattern I used is not very well written in some aspects (mostly the short-row heel aspect) and I made some changes.  I used the short-row heel technique from Sensational Knitted Socks.  On the 2nd one, I didn't need the stitch markers and just counted stitches.  I am hoping to get a picture of them tomorrow, outside, in some natural light.

- Served a whopping 2 hours of jury duty service on Monday.  I used to work at the courthouse (oh, how I wish I could go back!) and it was like old home week for me.  The case wound up settling so all 95 prospective jurors were dismissed at 10 a.m.  I went home, changed, and ran errands for most of the day.

- Celebrated Thanksgiving with my mom and stepdad yesterday.  Mom lives in Ohio, in the snow belt.  The snow on her porch was up to my waist. 

- Finished a Birthday Cowl (yet another pic in waiting).  I love the pattern so much I'm planning on doing another one.  

- Reached a personal milestone.  When I first joined the gym, I only would work on the treadmill and the stationary bike.  One day I got brave and tried the elliptical and lasted about 1 minute, if that, and thought I must be crazy to try.  With a lot of encouragement from my friend Melanie, I tried it again and made it to 5 minutes.  Every time after that, I would try to add another minute to it.  On Tuesday, I reached 30 minutes and - this is the best part - I could still walk (and breathe!) when I was done.  Oh, I knew I had worked out, but I wasn't ready to call the morgue like I had been after the first attempt.

- Started a pair of socks.  I've got a lot of yarn leftover from Christina's footies, so I thought I'd start a pair of socks.  These will also go to Christina - she does my hair in exchange for handknits.

- Made two different types of caramels to compare recipe to recipe. 

- Ate more of the caramels than I should have. 

- Fit into my "skinny" jeans.

- Thought about the paths we choose.  Mainly about how if I hadn't started knitting, I wouldn't know many (so many) of the people I know and wouldn't have been to many of the places I've been. 

- Watched Akeelah and the Bee on television.

- Re-read The Secret Life of Bees (I'm about 2 chapters away from being done).

- Helped Matthew build a replica of the Great Pyramid.

I think that's about most of the excitement going on.  I'll leave you with pics of my traveling companions yesterday:

 

Insert Catchy Title Here

Sorry that I haven't posted in a while.  Things around here have been a little hectic.  Without going into specific details at this point, I can tell you that 2008 has not been a stellar year for the house of Knit'Nat.  I'm not sure if Mercury is in retrograde or what the problem is, but life just has been kicking my ass.  Here's hoping that June brings some improvements. 

Last weekend, we didn't do a whole lot for Memorial Day.  We saw Prince Caspian at the theatre, did a little shopping, and basically just hung out at the house all day.  I made some potato salad and had in mind to make a Texas sheet cake. 

Let's just say that last weekend wasn't a good one, cooking-wise.  Taste wise, everything was fine.  It was just that I could have had a stint on Kitchen Disasters.

First of all, when I make hard-cooked eggs, I don't boil them.  I steam them.  Yes, you heard right.  Load up a steamer basket, let them go for 10 minutes, then plunge into icy water.  No green rings around the yolks, ever.  I've been doing this for a couple of years now, and have never had this happen to me:

Apparently the shell had a miniscule crack in it or it otherwise wasn't able to withstand the steam pressure, and the egg oozed out and cooked during the process.

Still edible, if a little bizarre.

Following that incident, as I was removing the cake from the oven, it went a little crazy.  I didn't have a good grip on it and this is the end result:

The sad thing is, with Texas sheet cake, you pour the icing over the cake while it is still warm, so I had the icing made already.  I didn't want to remake the cake, so I basically made parfaits:  layers of cake and berries and a little icing.  Ta da. 

It looks like rain outside today.  I think it is going to be a good day to curl up and knit.  I have plenty to work on!  

The coffee faucet socks are trucking right along (or at least sock 1 is).  I am on the foot.  I tried turning the heel without instructions.  It wasn't right, at all.  I ripped back and redid it with the instructions.  (Melissa, I did that solely for you, you know.)

I am on the back of the Cherry Bomb sweater, and have completed the waistline decreases.  I have a few more rows of straight stockinette before the increasing begins.  If I put my heart into it, I should be able to finish this in a week.  Unfortunately, I've got other things that need done, and I think it will take me longer than that.  This week is hurricane knitting, though, so there's a good chance that I'll get a lot done. 

Monkey Socks and Rock and Weave Socks?  Haven't touched them.  I do plan on working on them, though, and finishing them, this summer, in order to be in the running with Natural Stitches' Summer of Socks and Lace.

What has truly caught my fancy, though, is the Norwegian Woods shawl from Sivia Harding.  I am using Sweet Sheep's light fingering weight yarn for this, colorway bliss.  It was a score at Maryland Sheep and Wool:  980 yards for $40.  I thought it was a steal.

It was a challenge to get it wound with the ball winder (I had to wind it about 4 times) but finally everything went as it should have and I have a lovely center pull yarn cake.   

The yarn is soft (100% merino) and just a dream to work with.  No splittiness.  No challenges.  Just pure -- well, bliss. 

And how is it working up, you ask?  Here, let me show you:

I am in the second repeat of the 1st chart.  Sivia's directions are clear and the stitch pattern, while not really memorizable (at least for me), is very easy to follow.  I'm excited about this shawl.

Yesterday on a whim, I signed up for Secret Pal 12.  I hadn't really been intending to, but then before I knew it, I clicked the button and wham, it was done.  They are asking for a participation fee of $2.50 this year, which will go toward gifts for people whose spoilers flake out on them.  I had an awesome time in Secret Pal 11, being spoiled by Shelly Kang and of course, spoiling someone who became one of my very best friends, Kim. 

I'll be posting the answers to the Big Questionnaire later in the week, and will probably also put the questionnaire in my sidebar somewhere. 

I am working on another quilted bag.  I am hopeful that this one is going to be smaller than the last one - or at least, that is the goal.  It is in loud colors (of course) - the main fabric is a tropical fish pattern, and the accent fabrics are purple (think concord grape), lemon yellow, and then ocean blue.  I've got a couple of squares done...want to see?

I'd also like to figure out a few pockets for the lining of this one.  We'll see how that goes.  

I think the colors actually work rather well together.  I know I don't show you a shot of the blue which ties it all together, but it'll get there, eventually. 

I hope everybody is enjoying the day!  The looks like rain weather seems to be holding off on this end of the world.

Recipe Box

Over at Mason Dixon, the gals are hosting a bit of a contest revolving around recipe boxes and recipes.  This all revolves around Kay's unearthing of a recipe from Kay's family recipe box.  I tried the chocolate cake recipe last night and it's delish, by the way.  Of course, one should wait until the cake is completely cooled before slathering it with buttercream, or this is the end result:

A good amount of the buttercream melted into the cake.  What didn't melt into the cake was greedily licked from spoons and beaters by small children. 

The first requirement of the contest is that you post a picture of your recipe box.  Mine is from an office supply store, purchased long ago, because I couldn't fit all the recipes into my small recipe box from school:

Note the Cut-Ups! pamphlet next to the box.  For the 1st 8 or so years of my life, our birthday cakes came from the Cut-Ups! pamphlet.  We actually have 2 of them, and I still have both of them. 

The 2nd requirement is that you post a recipe from the box.  I have a lot of newer recipes, but I wanted to stick with Kay's tradition and choose one that is from a family member.  I don't have it in her handwriting, and my picture of it didn't turn out well, but here it is in all its glory:

Brown Bread (from my grandmother, Lorraine Brundage, who died when I was 4)

2 c. buttermilk - 1/2 c. molasses - 2 c. graham flour - 1/2 c. sifted flour - 2 tsp. baking soda - 1 tsp. salt - 1 c. raisins

Grease two 1 lb. coffee cans (do they even make such things anymore?).  Combine buttermilk and molasses.  Mix dry ingredients together in mixing bowl.  Stir in raisins.  Slowly stir in milk mixture.  Spoon pattern into prepared pans; let stand 30 mins. 

Preheat oven to 350°.  Bake cans 40-50 mins.  Remove from oven and immediately invert cans to remove bread.  Let stand on a cake rack until cool.

----

We had brown bread at Easter, at Christmas, and any other time we'd get an urge to use up some of the coffee cans.  It's especially good with butter, but I really like apple butter on mine.  I suppose if you don't have a 1# coffee can, then you could use a 1 quart crock (from Longaberger or Pampered Chef) or some other kind of can to bake it in. 

The weather is supposed to improve.  I'm not sure that I want it to go all the way to 60°, because I'm not sure that's the best thing, but it is what it is. 

I don't talk politics on this blog, so I'm not going to comment on last night's results in Iowa. 

I'm still very frightened about the idea of $4 a gallon for gas.

No progress on the knitting front.  I did some housecleaning last night.

I'm planning a trip this weekend to Natural Stitches to pick up the Cat Bordhi New Pathways book.  I have decided that I cannot live without it any longer. 

I guess that's about all I have, for now!  (Don't fall over that I've posted nearly every day this week.  Strange, isn't it?) 

Another No Photo Post

Happy Merry Christmas, belated.  Christmas at our house was quiet, because the boys were at the home of their father.  They are due home tonight, and judging from what's under the tree, they'll be rather excited.  At least I hope they are.  They go back to school on Wednesday.

We did spend Sunday with my family at my mom's house.  Our dinners there for Christmas always have a theme; this year's theme was Quick and Easy.  Menu?  Porcupine meatballs, ham & swiss bake (crockpot recipe!), party potatoes, the world's best broccoli casserole ever (there was NONE left), blueberry salad, hidden pear salad (is it a salad if it's Jello?), and the usual cookies and other desserts. 

The kids left on Christmas Eve to go to their father's.  We spent the afternoon doing a few returns and picking up a few more items, then headed for home.  Bill headed out to help a friend of his who had rolled his Jeep (yes, Jenn, that person) and I went across the road to the neighbor's for a little shindig.  When I went back home, I worked on the front left of the Arwen cardi, and as of last night, I am at 5 repeats of the cable section.  The charts are starting to click for me and I'm really enjoying the knitting on this.  I occasionally worry about yarn amounts but it'll be okay, I'm fairly certain that things should be okay.

On Christmas Day, we slept in, had a yummy ham & cheese omelette for breakfast, and then I worked another repeat or 2 on the Monkey Socks.  I think I have 2 more repeats on the foot and I'll be ready for the toe and then Sock #2.  We also went to see Sweeney Todd at the Showcase Cinemas North.  I think I'm spoiled by the theater in Butler -- less expensive, and I have a "frequent flyer" card.  Bill hated the movie, I loved the movie...I like musicals, he doesn't care for them.  This, of course, now means that I have to suffer through the Alien v. Predator movie (but I think I can put it off until New Year's Day, when we can go with the kids..and I'm going to make sure that I have my new toy with me to blot out the sounds). 

Hope all of you had good holidays...and I hope to see you/talk to you/hear from you in the new year.  Happy Knitting! 

(Pictures to come soon of the WIPs, I promise.)

Cutting it Close

So I've been pushing my luck with the Hedera socks, right?  Sock 1, 1.1 oz.  Leftover yarn, 1.0 oz.  Crochet cast on to save yarn.  On Wednesday at Cranky Knitters, we all felt I was pushing it.  Sock:

Yarn:

Last night, I finished the toe decreases.  This morning, I kitchenered.  I had 18" of yarn leftover...talk about cutting it close!

Pattern:  Hedera

Yarn:  Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn

Colorway:  Sherbet

Needles:  KnitPicks, US Size 1

Mods:  Shorter heel flap than recommended.  Not as tall of a leg, either. 

Started:  June 2007; Finished, August 2007. 

I also have for you, pictures of the DFS shawl and the finished body of Sonnet: 

You can see that Milo approves of the Sonnet sweater... Last night we also did some cookie baking at our house.  Last year or so, I bought the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion...and it has been one of the best investments ever.  Every cookie I have made from their recipes has been outrageously delicious.  The oatmeal cookies will bring tears to your eyes.  Last night's cookie of choice, though, was the chewy sugar cookie:

Yum!

What, No Catchy Title?

I just couldn't come up with something eye-grabbing.  I'm kind of in a funk lately...the boys are spending the week with their father, so it's rather quiet around our house.  When the kids are away, there is no life in the house...no craziness, no giggles, not a lot of anything.  We don't eat right, and basically mope around after about 3 or 4 days.  Today makes it Day 6, and we're about to dry up and blow away.  Okay, maybe not that bad, but you get the picture. 

Although the kids are gone, there was excitement last week:  With all of the storms, etc., we lost power at work at around 2 p.m. on Thursday.  After attempting to hook the phones up to a generator, and failing, we were sent home at 4 p.m.  On Friday, although there was no electric, we did hook the phones up to the generator successfully, and took phone calls all day.  Since we had no computer access and could ONLY answer the phones, we played cards and I knit on the Hedera.  I had started with just the cuff...I completed the leg, knit the heel flap, turned the heel, and was picking up gussets by the time it was time to go home.  Did I take a picture?  No.  I should have!  I am still feeling confident that I'll have enough yarn to finish the sock without running out. 

We are experiencing issues with our cable at home, and I am fighting a losing battle with the cable company...so for right now, I only have internet access (not to mention telephone service) at work. 

While moping about this week, I have completed a ballband dishcloth (red and yellow...looks like an invitation to McDonald's), a Mason-Dixon dishcloth (you know, from the Mason-Dixon book...it's knit in the round, has some bobbles on the end of it...yeah, that's the one), and cast on for Absorba, the Great Bathmat.  Absorba has about 3 more sections to complete and it's done.  Let me tell you, three cones of the Peaches & Creme cotton is enough to make MORE than one absorba.  By the time I get this finished, I'll still have enough to make assorted neutral colored dishcloths for every member of my family, and then some.  Absorba is also going to be VERY VERY cushy. 

Why, you wonder, did I cast on for Absorba (and the Mason-Dixon dishcloth) while I have so many other things to work on -- i.e., Hedera, Sonnet, the DF shawl, etc.?  Well, the answer is that I'm itching to cast on for the Arwen cardi, and know that if I start working on it, all other work will fall to the wayside.  This way I was able to cast on for something, and additionally, Absorba is all garter, so it's great for movie watching.  The DF is moving along, although each row gets longer...but it's something I need to work on when I am not watching TV or when the kids aren't home...basically I need a little quiet time to be able to concentrate on it.  Not that it's terribly difficult -- it isn't! -- but I'm being brave and daring and not using lifelines.  :)  (And the chart keeper from KnitPicks is TOTALLY worth the $10.) 

Speaking of movies, last night we watched Fracture, with Anthony Hopkins.  Great movie!  Lots of twists and turns, and kept my interest throughout.  I highly recommend it if you like drama, especially suspenseful dramas. 

Tonight is knitting with the Hurricane Knitters.  Next Saturday, the 25th, is Jeepfest!  I don't have the enthusiasm for Jeepfest that I usually have.  I think that work is just weighing on me too much.  I'm not very happy here, but at the same time, I have reservations about leaving, because not everywhere offers medical benefits...and I need that. 

I signed up for cooking swap on the Nigella.com website...I have really become enamored of her lately.  I bought Domestic Goddess a couple of weeks ago, and am reading it cover to cover like a novel.  So many good recipes to try! 

I guess that's enough rambling for now...I hope you all have a great day!